Wives, Fiancées, and Side-Chicks of Hotlanta. Shereé Whitfield. 2017. Dafina. [Source: Personal copy.] It was everything I expected it to be…ratchet, basic, based on Real Housewives of Atlanta characters. Seemingly depicting Kim, Nene, Sheree and Dwight, the book was the whirlwind drama that comes with being in the “in-crowd” of the TV version of Atlanta. With the opening, she could have recapped the saga of Sasha & Terrance without going into so much detail, and that would have allowed her to cover more ground. My guess is the detail and redundancy will allow for a book 2 and 3 so that we can see just how Sasha learns to “play”. Three stars; it wasn’t good, but like the show I’m sure I’ll pick up sequels because it’s like a train wreck you can’t turn away from.

Getting Inside. Serena Bell. 2017. 198 pages. Loveswept. [Source: ARC provided courtesy of NetGalley.] The book has to be compelling if me, a complete non-sports fan, can’t put it down. From the start, I was pulled in by Iona and Ty and was so intrigued at how they’d ever manage to fight their attraction while balancing their messy coach-player relationship. Serena Bell wove their story together well. Too often, romance stories with a focus on sports are either too heavy on the sport or don’t include enough detail, making it an afterthought. With Getting Inside, she shows that she’s done her homework on the sport but isn’t beating the reader of over the head with her knowledge. I was clued in enough to understand that football was the heart of the book, but still enjoyed the actual story.

Nobody’s Side Piece series. Niyah Moore. 2014. David Weaver Presents. [Source: Kindle Unlimited]. This review will actually cover the Nobody’s Side Piece series by Niyah Moore.  I picked these up on Kindle Unlimited because I was looking for something away from the romance books I’ve been into as of late.  These books are definitely interesting, and I appreciated being able to pick them up from Kindle Unlimited as soon as I finished with each. The story starts by following drug kingpin Rome in his quest to take over territory from his rival, Blaze. Blaze keeps a notoriously low profile – so low that only his right-hand man Kane has seen or spoken to him.  What follows is Rome’s relentless chase of Blaze … right into his own home.  

The Eternal Engagement. Mary B. Morrison. 2012. Dafina Books. 288 pages. [Source: personal copy.] I took a chance on The Eternal Engagement because I wanted to take advantage of it being on audio book.  So this review will reflect both the book itself as well as the audio production.  My experience with audio books has generally been positive.  It’s an easy way to get some “reading” done while you physically can’t put your nose in a book. I listen while I’m driving, grocery shopping, and walking around.  I thought this story would be a compelling read, but I was disappointed. The story itself focused on four characters whose lives and relationships are entwined disastrously. Lincoln somehow manages to propose to (with the same style ring) and impregnate both his girlfriend Katherine and his ex, Mona-Lisa literally moments before his high school graduation. The rest of the book follows Lincoln’s ten-year stint in the Army, Mona-Lisa’s impulsive and volatile marriage to long-time friend, Steven, and Katherine’s attempts to maintain her image while raising her son as a single mother under her judgmental mother’s eye.

The Other Side of the Pillow. Zane. 2014. Atria Books. 288 pages. [Source: ARC provided courtesy of NetGalley.] Zane’s newest release is best described an exploration of common pitfalls of relationships. It’s part romance, part self-help, and all parts interesting.  Through its characters, Zane highlights the havoc caused by infidelity,  mistrust, poor communication, chance events, and myriad other problems that plague today’s relationships.  The book revolves around Tevin’s courtship if Jemistry.  This story is told from the perspectives of both Jemistry and Tevin, and the reader is introduced to their closest friends and family, all of whose relationships have varied impacts on how the two approach their own relationship.