December 28th, 2009 — 4 Stars, African American, Black, Contemporary, Executive, Guest Reviews, United States of America, V-Z
By: Cara Lynn, guest reviewer
A Moment on the Lips by Phyllis Bourne Williams is a sweet love story. I picked it up from the library because the cover was different. It is an artist's rendering of a lovely black woman about to eat a strawberry. It is a Leisure Book, and I will certainly look for more.
Grant Price is a wealthy, high powered executive who is used to getting his way in business, but his life is ruled by how busy he is. He and his father wish to recruit Melody Mason, but she has more or less disappeared from business life, after being at the head of her game. Grant goes to find her, determined to bring her back for the company. They had been in college together where the two of them were rivals, spurring each other on to bigger heights.
Melody has left the business world, originally for health reasons, but also because she no longer loved it. (There isn't an emphasis on the problems.) Being responsible for other people's money, even though she is very good at it, was also stressful. She cared enough that those invested with her were more than a number, even if she didn't know their names.
When Grant comes to offer his business proposal in person, she counters his proposal with one of her own. If he will stay in her small town in Tennessee for one week, without a cell phone, laptop, fax machine or contacting the office, she will go with him for one week and present a seminar. She doesn't think he will stick to it. He feels she will come to work for more than a week.
Melody's reason is that she doesn't want him to have the health problem she had because of his Type A personality. Grant has his own misgivings because he wished to pursue another career, only his father overrode him in his youth.
Melody is in process of opening a knit shop. Grant doesn't realize how far along the plans are.
Her small town has the usual cast of characters -- a town gossip, a homeless man, many long time friends, the intertwining of lives.
Melody suspects Grant is only using her to get her to make money for the firm. She has had two engagements fall through when she realized both men only wanted her for the money she could make them. She also isn't the typical heroine -- she is nearly 40, mature in her body and her thinking -- so she is skeptical of his involvement in her life and has been hurt enough that trust doesn't come easily for her.
Of course, they fall in love. There is humor and realism; possible marital problems with a friend whose marriage had always been happy; enough romance to be satisfying; and grown ups living lives not too far out of the realm of reality. The various threads in the story are cleared up nicely, but not in ways that seem contrived.
If you are interested in a black romance, this is well done. However, the book is not particularly black. Other than the descriptions of the two main characters and a small bit mentioned about hair weaves vs. natural curls, the other characters could be black -- or not. There is no colloquial language.
Rating: 4 Stars
It was a happy read for a hot summer day.
Buy: A Moment on the Lips
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Originally posted 2008-11-29 12:16:54. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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April 5th, 2009 — 2.5 Stars, A-C, Children, Contemporary, Guest Reviews, Paranormal, United States of America
By: Cara Lynn, guest reviewer
Have you ever wanted to switch bodies or lives with someone else? Even if it was only for a day? How about a month? Could you survive a month as another person? Switchcraft is just such a tale. Switchcraft is a fun book, sort of like the movie Freaky Friday. But it does make you think.
Aggie and Nely have been good friends for a lot of years, but they have drifted apart because Nely is married with a baby, and Aggie is living the high life, sort of. Each wishes what the other has. But both are withholding secrets. Aggie's business is about to fall into the ground, not to mention a crazy stalker, and Aggie's life is more complicated than it looks.
You guessed the rest! They take off for a weekend alone to visit a spa where the guru somehow manages to switch their identities. He is only able to switch back on a full moon.
Throw in two men who are over their heads. Kevin would love to be Aggie's significant other, but they are best friends. Nely's husband is afraid she is drifting away from him (which, as Aggie, she definitely is.)
Both Aggie and Nely learn how valuable friendship is. Each is able to help the other's life out -- which they could have done in RL if they had only known.
Definitely light fair for summer, but I enjoyed it. I give it a 2.5
Buy: Switchcraft
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Originally posted 2008-12-06 18:23:25. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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April 3rd, 2009 — 2.5 Stars, Detective, Guest Reviews, S-U, Suspense/Thriller, United States of America
By: Cara Lynn, guest reviewer
Love You to Death by Melissa Senate is a light, summer read.
Who is turning Abby Foote's life upside down? Abby has had the unfortunate (or fortunate) experience of loving and losing a number of truly unsuitable men.
Her latest is unable to attend the bris of her nephew and deserts her in LL Bean. But he is substantially better than her last love. While serious about him, she found him in intimate circumstances with the woman who is now about to become his wife. Or is he?
His engagement picture hits the paper the day of the bris.
Then he is found murdered. In the course of the investigation, it is learned that two other of her former lovers have had attempts on their lives.
Enter Detective Benjamin Orr, the best thing that has ever happened to her. She is the police's number one suspect, but if she isn't the one who has committed these crimes, then someone close to her is liable to harm her also.
To the author's credit, the family dynamics, the fiance to her ex-love, and the co-workers are all developed well. There is a lot of humor as those close to her suck up to her, while claiming they don't believe it, because they think she is capable of murder and who knows if they might be next on the list.
Then again, it is a serious subject and in real life it might not tie up as neatly. It's a lucky thing for her that she is believed and the real murderer is found out.
I give it a 2.5.
Buy: Love You To Death
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Originally posted 2008-12-04 15:40:41. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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