Not Finished Loving You Review

Jaceon Palmer’s heart shattered when he watched his college sweetheart, Alexis Monroe, walk out of his life. It was gut-wrenching for both of them, but Alexis refused to compromise on wanting children someday while Jaceon focused on his career, feeling that he couldn’t balance both effectively when the time came.  

And so, Alexis made the difficult choice to close that chapter. Years later, she found happiness in marriage and motherhood, having two children with her husband Gary. Her life felt complete. But life’s unpredictability struck, forcing Alexis to return to her parents’ home with her two kids. A serendipitous encounter with her first love, Jaceon, reignites old feelings and the realization that perhaps, neither of them had truly moved on, as depicted in author Kimberly Brown’s Not Finished Loving You. 

First, let’s celebrate Black love because readers rarely see books that represent healthy romantic relationships between African American people. Second, I loved Brown’s depiction of Jaceon’s willingness to step up and be a father figure to Alexis’s kids. Again, we rarely see this in the African American community. Yes, Jaceon has his flaws, but he’s a standup guy. He acknowledged his mistakes and was willing to do what it took to win Alexis’s heart and her children’s. 

I appreciated the vivid scenes, engaging storyline, and the wonderful representation of two people willing to fight for something as precious and pure as love. Not Finished Loving You is a beautiful love story that is sure to have readers enthralled to the end! Kimberly Brown’s Not Finished Loving You is available everywhere books are sold. 

I Could Fall in Love Review

Every so often, you read a book and become so enthralled with it that you wish you could be a part of that world. That’s good storytelling. Kimberly Brown’s I Could Fall in Love did that for me! Readers get to meet six feet four, 240 pounds of beautiful chocolate in Mitchell Keonig. Keonig lives a life of privilege thanks to his family. His father is worth billions. There’s just one problem. Keonig’s father’s health is declining, so he gives his son an ultimatum. Either he settles down, finds true love, and no longer lives life wild and free, or he’s cut out of his father’s will. Not one to follow the rules and prefer living life on the edge, Keonig travels to New Orleans to drown his troubles in alcohol and women. 

Lavish Chamberlin is in New Orleans celebrating her divorce from Keith. She married young, suffered emotional and physical trauma, and is now free. She wants to put her past behind her. But, one too many drinks has landed her in the sights of Keonig. Keonig’s not one to let a beautiful lady, especially one like Lavish, get harmed in these New Orleans streets. So he gets her water, helps her sober up, and talks with her. That conversation has landed them both with a proposition that neither can refuse. 

This story has layers; love, patience, self-discovery, loss, and joy. It is an all-around beautiful romantic tale of two transparent people willing to be vulnerable and learn and grow from one another. The plot is captivating, the characters are yummy, and the story makes you believe in the possibility of one day finding your person if you haven’t already. Kudos to Kimberly Brown for another page-turning, heart-melting love story! I Could Fall in Love is available everywhere books are sold. 

Teach Me Review

Those of us who read erotica novels know hands down that Zane takes that crown. It’s not up for debate. I said what I said. But several authors, like India T. Norfleet and Alexandria House, are throwing their pen into the ring, carving a lane for themselves, and writing steamy, sensual, unforgettable literature that’s having readers like myself wanting more. They’re pushing the envelope and taking erotica to a new level.

I chose Alexandria House’s Teach Me because I wanted a different pace. I wanted to feel excited again, and to be honest, I was frustrated that most of Norfleet’s books were only available via Kindle, which I don’t have, and I prefer hard or soft cover books any day, but I digress. So, here we are. House’s Teach Me is about Professor Nadia Day and retired football player Nathan Moore.

Day prefers for things in her life to have order. She’s a planner. She keeps to herself despite the rest of her family’s unconventional ways of doing things and the fact that her last relationship ended in disaster. On the other hand, Moore is a single father of two and has decided to go back to school to pursue a degree. When he walks into Professor Day’s class and her life, he disrupts everything she thought she had under control and in order, and although hesitant at first, she soon finds herself under his spell.

The first few pages of this novel had me doubting if I wanted to finish reading it. But ooh, child, I’m glad I did! The book picked up as I continued reading; honestly, all I wanted to read and visualize was the steamy, caring, loving relationship between Nathan and Nadia. I loved their connection, their chemistry, and the submissiveness she exuded when they were intimate. I liked learning about all of the characters in this story.

Nathan showed Nadia that it was okay to let go of her past, be herself and what it means to be in a healthy relationship. While Nadia showed Nathan that she would always have his back, she showed him the importance of stability and showered him with so much love. They both did that for each other. Teach Me surprised me, and I loved every second of it!

Alexandria House’s Teach Me is one sizzling read filled with passion, love, self-discovery, acceptance, truth, and the willingness to let go of your inhibitions and freely be yourself. Teach Me is available everywhere books are sold.

Our Stop Review

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Synopsis: All anyone wants is to make a connection. Nadia gets on the 7:30 train every morning without fail. Well, except if she oversleeps or wakes up at her friend Emma’s after too much wine. Daniel does get the 7:30 train every morning, which is easy because he hasn’t been able to sleep properly since his dad died. 

One morning, Nadia catches sight of a post in the matchmaker section of the daily paper: To the cute girl with the coffee stains on her dress, I’m the guy who’s always standing near the doors. Drink sometime? So begins a not-quite-romance of near misses, true love, and the power of the written word. 

My thoughts: Laura Jane Williams’ Our Stop had an intriguing synopsis, which is why I chose to read and review it. But as I got into it, I found myself picking it up and putting it back down. The beginning of the story captivated me. It fell a bit flat in the middle and then picked back up again at the end. 

Our Stop turned out to be your typical love story that we’ve all heard or read before. It reminded me of 2001’s On The Line in some ways. Each character had their place and purpose, and the love story itself was nice. I even wondered what if this happened to me? The back and forth of almost meeting each other, then missing each other seemed to drag on a bit too long for me, however.

If you are into romantic novels that will have you wondering if he gets the girl, then this book is for you. There are funny and sweet moments throughout the book, and it’s filled with a nice little twist that I didn’t see coming between Nadia and two of her friends. Side note: I noticed the author used the word bloke a lot, which I’d heard before, but I wasn’t sure its meaning, so I looked it up. Other than that, this book served its purpose. 

Our Stop is available everywhere books are sold. 

Indecision Review

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I have to say, Indecision by Evelyn Montgomery was not what I was expecting. I think it’s also important to mention that romance novels are not something I’m really interested in. I am more of a mystery/thriller type reader. With that being said, Fuller’s Indecision has taken a love story between two people and flipped it on its head.

This story has made me rethink my interest in romance novels. Indecision isn’t just about romance. It has action, suspense/mystery, and some steamy love scenes I can appreciate. Readers are introduced to Evelyn Monroe. A budding journalist on the quest of fulfilling her goal of working for the L.A. Times.  Her friend, Gwen, is by her side rooting her on by any means necessary. Evelyn feels unstoppable and is unwilling to let anything prevent her from her lifelong dream, that is until Noah Stewart enters her life and makes her question everything she thought she knew and wanted.

A southern boy with a sweet and mesmerizing charm, Noah has sworn off love due to an unfortunate heartbreak, and like Evelyn, chooses to focus on his work as a construction worker. That all changes when he meets Evelyn one night while in a bar and sparks fly between the two. Soon begins a love affair so deep and real that neither Noah, Evelyn, or their family and friends know what to do.

Noah must now contemplate a vow he chose never to break because he’s falling in love with Evelyn. And Evelyn is falling in love with him. Noah is willing to risk it all for the woman he considers to be the love of his life, but is she? Thus, begins the constant battle they have with each other and themselves.

When I first read the title and saw the cover, I automatically thought this book would be a simple girl meets boy, he cheats, she leaves, and now she’s left dealing with the aftermath of her decisions. But Indecision was so much more. I appreciated the time the author took in developing each character, the use of imagery throughout the novel, and the constant suspense. This novel reads more like a real-life story rather than a work of fiction. And for those of you who haven’t read it, spoiler alert, there’s a cliffhanger.

If you’re not a fan of them, then this book isn’t for you. I personally love a good cliffhanger, so I can’t wait to see what happens next with part two! Will Noah and Evelyn’s relationship last?

Indecision is available on Amazon, and according to the author, part two will be available February of this year.

Valentine’s Day Doesn’t Have to Suck: Seven ideas on How to Make it Memorable

In two days, Valentine’s Day will be upon us. You’ve probably thought long and hard (or not) about what you plan to get and do with your significant other. Well, I’m here to tell you that Valentine’s Day isn’t all about spending time with a significant other or about buying gifts that you won’t remember next week. Valentine’s Day is just another day, and you should take the pressure off yourselves unless you are planning to propose, then you will want to put a significant amount of time into making sure it can happen as you’d planned.

Here are seven easy ideas that don’t have to make your Valentine’s Day suck.

1. Staying in

If you’re not one for planning extravagantly, and you want something simple, plan a night in. Grab some light snacks, your favorite movies, light some candles if you want, send the kids to their grandparents’ house, and stay inside for the night.

2. Arts & Crafts

So, you’re more of the visual type, and you want to give your significant other something memorable aside from a materialistic gift. Break out the construction paper, glitter, markers, or whatever you prefer, and get creative. Write a poem, leave little love notes around, take some pictures, use your imagination!

3. Music

Music seems to be the end all be all. We listen to it when we’re sad, happy, upset. Music brings people together and helps moods, heightens feelings, and could be a good Valentine’s Day gift for someone, especially if it is a mashup of that person’s favorite songs on one CD! And if you’re creative and know that their favorite artist is coming to town, plan ahead and score tickets to see them live.

4. Best Friends

This next idea is for those who do not have a significant other. Don’t you fret, because Valentine’s Day can be spent with your best friends. You can make this day doing any of the following ideas mentioned before and after, and still have just as much fun and meaning! Jam out to your favorite music, spend a night in watching movies and eating popcorn, whatever your heart desires.

5. Night Out

There’s no shame in declaring that you are in fact one of the ones who likes to have a night out, and seeing that it is Valentine’s Day what a more perfect way then to book a reservation at your favorite restaurant, to see that movie, or to spend it doing whatever you like!

6. Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!

While the aforementioned ideas are nice and thoughtful, it doesn’t hurt to throw in a materialistic item if you deem necessary. There are some who love a thoughtful gift. One that they can wear and proudly show that it was given to them by someone they love and care for.

7. Flowers and Cards are not Overrated

That’s right, I said it. Flowers and cards are not dead. Giving someone you love a nice bouquet of flowers, a memorable card, or both goes a long way. Remember, it’s the thought that counts!

All these ideas are simple and memorable. Ideas that can surely help to make your Valentine’s Day an unforgettable one!