Book Review: A Little Bit of Karma by Reshonda Tate Billingsley

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About The Book

Meet Shannon and Jay Lovejoy—the rich and successful power couple who, to the fans of their call-in radio show, seem like they’ve got it all. But after three years, their once passionate and loving romance has fizzled and the couple’s divorce becomes embroiled in not only a mess of infidelity and deceit, but the untimely and shocking death of Jay’s mistress, as well.

This fast-paced and emotionally powerful page-turner boldly goes where ReShonda Tate Billingsley has never gone before with her fiction, delivering the perfect combination of romance and suspense in one thrilling novel.

My Thoughts

This was a romantic suspense novel about a couple who finds themselves in the middle of a sticky situation and must find a way to get themselves out.

The couple dynamics in this book are typical but still entertaining. It is the suspense that kept me reading. Shannon and Jay Lovejoy are radio host who help listeners with issues in their relationships and or marriages. I liked that their marriage has cracks.

The Lovejoy’s are leading a couple retreat in St. Thomas Virgin Islands when an uninvited guest shows up to cause problems. This is when the adventure starts, and the Lovejoy’s must work together to save themselves. I enjoyed Shannon’s sass and fury and would hate to have her mad at me. Jay, I did not care for at the beginning. He grew on me as the story progressed. This was a suspenseful novel that had me rooting for the Lovejoy’s in finding out what and who was behind the mess they found themselves in.

This was a different style of writing for this author. I liked that even though it is a romance suspense it had clean romance that did not overpower the suspense in the novel. I believe it suits the author and is a nice change. I look forward to reading more romantic suspense novels from this author.

Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Book Review of More to Life by ReShonda Tate Billingsley

Title: More to Life

Author: ReShonda Tate Billingsley

Publication Date: August 27, 2019

Genre: Women Fiction

Rating: 5 Stars=Non-Stop Page Turner

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Have you ever read a book that seems to be speaking to your soul?

I did recently and let me tell you after reading this book, I believed it’s tagline.

Make your own second chance.

I haven’t read a book by ReShonda Tate Billingsley since My Brother’s Keeper, but I’m glad I read its sequel, More to Life. The book starts off with Aja James preparing to attend an Oprah Winfrey workshop. She must be there on time, or she won’t be able to get in. It seems her wanting to attend the event wasn’t a concern for her family members because they all needed her for something, which made her miss the event. This was a turning point for Aja especially when she went on her forty-fifth birthday trip with her girlfriends. It is like a lightbulb went off and she makes a decision that changes everything for her.

First let me tell you at this point in the book, I am team Aja because I could relate to how she felt. I’ve been in her shoes and I was right there in the moment with her. Second this book opened my eyes to inconsiderate, selfish and controlling people that are so blind and couldn’t see the hurt Aja was going through. And third her actions to obtain freedom and happiness, I did question how she went about it, but could truly understand why she did it.

The twists in the story threw me for a loop. It was necessary and the only one who took something from it was Aja. Her husband, Charles and his mother, Judy made me want to smack them at times and their children needed to grow up.

Overall, by the time I got to the end of this book, I realized a family can appear perfect, but you never know what goes on behind closed doors. The things Aja was going through I felt I was looking in the mirror and needing to make a change. Read more to life and you’ll soon understand living for your true self may prove to be the better choice.

*This book was provided by the publisher for review purposes only.

Book Review: Mama’s Boy by ReShonda Tate Billingsley

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Mama’s Boy

ReShonda Tate Billingsley

Publication Date: July 7, 2015

5 Stars=Non-Stop Page Turner

Author ReShonda Tate Billingsley puts readers to the test in Mama’s Boy. Gloria Jones loves her son Jamal. When the television displays Jamal as a cop killer, Gloria is sure of her son’s innocence. On the other hand, Reverend Elton Jones tries to get his wife to understand their son has to turn himself in to the police. The one problem Gloria has with that is the cop was a white man and she fears for Jamal’s life. Rev. Jones goes behind his wife’s back and informs the police of where Jamal is hiding. This causes a rift in their family and marriage.

Gloria and Rev. Jones have different opinions on Jamal’s legal representation, which causes and even more rift in their marriage. When the Jones’ meet the prosecutor on the case they are sure Jamal’s fate is sealed. Kay Christiansen is the prosecuting attorney assigned to Jamal’s case and her history with the Jones family affects the case tremendously. Kay realizes that she cannot go forward and will have to turn it over to another attorney. She is running for Mayor and doesn’t want anything to jeopardize her chances. Unbeknownst to Kay someone believes the truth will set her free and when Kay’s connection with the Jones family is revealed, Kay will have to come clean with everyone including her husband.

Mama’s Boy was a uniquely written story about the strength of family and forgiveness. This was a well-developed story with strong characters readers will definitely relate to and will not be able to help caring for. As a mother, Mama’ s Boy makes you seriously think about being in Gloria’s shoes and about what you would do to protect your child. This was a thought-provoking book and has become my favorite by this author. It is a must read and a true testimony to how keeping secrets can cause damage to a family unit.

This book was provided by the author for review purposes only.

Teresa Beasley

Book Blast Tuesday: Mama’s Boy by ReShonda Tate Billingsley

 

ReShonda Tate Billingsley Biography

ReShonda is the national bestselling author of 30 books. Her sophomore novel, Let the Church Say Amen, has been made into a movie, directed by actress Regina King and produced by Queen Latifah’s Flava Unit Queen Latifah’s Flava Unit, Royal Ties Productions and Bobcatt Films. The movie is slated to air on BET in August 2015. (ReShonda, who served as a consultant, makes a cameo in the movie). The Devil is a Lie and The Secret She Kept will be original movies on TV One in Fall 2016.

A much sought-after public speaker, ReShonda recently won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literature for her book Say Amen, Again and was nominated again in 2013 for her book The Secret She Kept. She has won numerous awards for her journalism, fiction and poetry writing skills. She is a five-time winner of the National Association of Black Journalists Spirit in the Words competition. Considered one of the top Inspirational Fiction authors in the country, her books remain a staple on the Bestseller’s list and have been featured in USA Today and Ebony Magazine as Summer Sizzlers. She was recently inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame.

On February 3, 2014, ReShonda Tate Billingsley along with National Best Selling author, Victoria Christopher Murray launched Brown Girls Publishing, their new boutique publishing company. Visit http://www.browngirlspublishing.com.

 

Book Synopsis

When her son is in trouble, a heartbroken mother finds the courage and faith to save him, in ReShonda Tate Billingsley’s powerful family drama—a novel as timely as today’s headlines.

The breaking TV news rocks Jasper, Texas, to the core: a white police officer is fatally shot in a scuffle with three black youths—and a cellphone video captures Jamal Jones, the sixteen-year-old son of esteemed Reverend Elton Jones, escalating the tragic encounter. Now, as the national spotlight shines on a town already rife with racial tension, Jamal is a murder suspect on the run. And all of Jasper—even the Reverend’s congregation—rushes to judge the boy they thought they knew.

But Gloria Jones knows her son best, and she races to find Jamal before the law does—to the outrage of her workaholic husband. Once she finds him, she has to decide whether to turn him in or help him run. With ruthless prosecutor and Houston mayoral candidate Kay Christensen hungering to put another young thug behind bars, Gloria will face her biggest battle yet. And when long-hidden secrets and shocking lies come to light, throwing Jamal’s case and his destiny into a tailspin, all Gloria can do is pray that the truth—and a mother’s unconditional love—will be enough to redeem the mistakes of the past and ultimately, save her son.

 

Excerpt

What it meant to have the Grim Reaper sneak up on you, wrap his claws around your heart, and squeeze. That’s what Gloria Jones felt right now. Her heart tightened, her breath slowed, and Gloria wondered how it was that she hadn’t passed out. All because of the story that she’d just seen on the news. “Again, we want to warn you that this video is disturbing,” the red-haired female anchor from Channel 12 News said. “Police have released this footage in hopes that someone can identify the suspect or the other two boys in the video.” The video that had initially stopped Gloria in her tracks during the news introduction began playing again. “Put the phone down!” a police officer in the video yelled. “I have a right to film,” the young boy replied as he turned the camera on himself. It was dark and the picture was grainy, but he was clearly recognizable. And even if he wasn’t, the tiny cross tattoo on his neck was a dead giveaway. “You see how they treat us?” he continued. “If you’re young and black in America, you’re guilty until proven innocent!”

 

Purchase Links

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mamas-boy-reshonda-tate-billingsley/1120678895?ean=9781476714950

http://authors.simonandschuster.com/ReShonda-Tate-Billingsley/20412007

 

Contact

https://www.facebook.com/ReshondaTateBillingsley

http://www.reshondatatebillingsley.com

Twitter@ReShondaT

 

Q. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST PET PEEVE?

A. Negative people

Q. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE OCCUPATION, WHEN YOU’RE NOT WRITING?

A. TV News Reporting

Q. WHAT’S YOUR FANTASY PROFESSION?

A. Stripper. Ok, just wanted to see your reaction. Really it’s a singer.

Q. WHAT 3 PERSONAL QUALITIES ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU?

A. Loving, Determined and Committed

Q. IF YOU COULD EAT ONLY ONE THING FOR THE REST OF YOUR DAYS, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

A. Fat free Strawberry Cheesecake that doesnt taste fat free

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