Secrets and Lies by Rhonda McKnight
Reviewed by Tavares S. Carney
Amazon Rating: 4
Communication is Key
In author, Rhonda McKnight’s, debut novel, Secrets and Lies, Ms. McKnight does a superb job bringing readers into the lives of the Dr. Jonah and Faith Morgan, a well-to-do married couple that endures tribulations stemming from Faith’s perceived selfishness and Jonah’s work ethic and ailing heart.
This story is very interesting to me because not only does the author offer a real-world storyline suggestive of marital issues, she offers plausible solutions. The primary characters in this story, Jonah and Faith, face marital challenges such as inattentiveness, time management and lack of communication. Readers will learn firsthand what brings each of these characters to make the decisions they make and act in the ways that each does. I also appreciate Ms. McKnight touching upon the subject of sexual harassment in the workplace and how things are not always as they seem.
Through various scenarios set against a medical field back drop, Jonah and Faith are brought together to face and meet many challenges. Will their love survive?
I recommend this book to anyone experiencing marital issues. Reading it may give readers a glimmer of hope in learning and knowing that with God, all things are possible. I also recommend this book to married men and women, and even single individuals thinking of marriage not experiencing difficulty in their relationships. This selection is a reinforcement of the reality of the trials and tribulations of some marriages, as well as what it takes to sustain in a marriage.
I would definitely read another selection from Ms. McKnight.
For more on the author, please visit her @ RHONDA McKNIGHT.
Reviewed by Tavares S. Carney
Meet Jewell Powell, author of Marriage 101
In July of 1992, Jewell met her Prince Charming at a Roy Rogers restaurant. When the couple decided to marry four years later, both were aware of the latest marriage statistics and the legacy of divorce that lay between them. Her parents divorced when she was four, after moving the family to Maryland, leaving her to be raised by a single mother. To circumvent the odds, they went through pre-marital counseling, attended church regularly and felt a strong love for one another. They believed they were ready for marriage.
While desiring to have a happily ever after, Jewell found life after marriage anything but a fairy tale. In 2001, she and her husband, Lewis, had been married for five years but were growing apart, after experiencing problems with infertility, sleeping in separate bedrooms and Lewis’s increasing disinterest in going to church. As she searched for answers to her marital troubles, Jewell found herself on a journey, seeking answers to save her marriage.
Despite a shaky beginning, the Powells now have a relationship with a strong foundation. After successfully resolving their marital problems, they started the Happily Ever After Marriage Ministry to help others do the same. Her new book, Marriage 101: Building a Life Together by Faith (Revell Books February 2009, ISBN 978-0-8007-3332-2, $13.99), offers hope and guidance to help transform broken relationships through the use of biblical wisdom in a simple workbook format.
Jewell serves as co-owner of Antiok Holdings, an emerging full-service management consulting firm, which she owns with her husband. She earned a Bachelor of Science in business from the University of Maryland and is pursuing a Master of Divinity. The Powells reside in southern Maryland with their two daughters.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Your marriage can be strong, healthy, happy, and blessed. Marriage coach Jewell Powell shows you how in this 8-week plan for marital success. She reveals how God’s truths can transform two individuals into the union he desires. Laying a spiritual foundation is crucial to your marriage. In Marriage 101: Building a Life Together by Faith, you will discover God’s purpose for marriage, how to develop godly character, how to communicate effectively, and much more. With biblical examples, study questions, and Scripture meditations perfect for individuals or couples, you will be challenged to examine areas in your life that may need change so that your marriage can thrive.
Read about Pursuing Your Mate, Effective Ways to Communicate, Pursuing The One You Love and more in Marriage 101.For more information, please visit Marriage 101.
Review by Tavares S. Carney
Amazon Rating: 4
Warning Signs
Have you ever met an intelligent woman who carries herself with dignity and class, and who seemingly has it all but one piece of the puzzle - a man by her side? In Farther Than I Meant To Go, this woman is Charmayne Ellis, a successful banking executive who allows her impatience and insecurity with her appearance to alter her decision-making when it comes to Travis Moon. Travis is the polar opposite of Charmayne. However, the two still find themselves in a whirlwind romance.
This is the classic story of a woman settling and not listening to her inner spirit. Charmayne, being an active church member, deals with issues of spirituality and desperation in this novel. Supporting characters Travis, Lynette, First Lady Jenkins, Dr. King, Dayna and Charmayne's mother, offer readers a glimpse into and will cause them to evaluate how the people in Charmayne's life actions may have directly, or indirectly, influenced Charmayne's decisions. Pressure from friends to hurry and marry, to familial strains and being deceived, Charmayne grapples with relying on her faith for all the answers she needs.
This book did begin at a slower pace than my preference but midway through I became thoroughly engaged in Charmayne's story, yearning to know how she would rise again or even if she would. There are a lot of good lessons in this selection and I recommend this book to all women who feel like they have waited long enough. Patience is a virtue. You definitely do not want to go farther than you mean to or stay longer than you want to when it's something or someone not good for you.
For more on Tiffany Warren, click here.
Review by Tavares S. Carney
Amazon Rating: 4
Keep Your Friends Close and Your Enemies Closer
This is a story of money, power, love, trust, family and friends. Author, Lisa Watson, weaves a tale of deception from the very outset of the novel. The Mitchell family is loaded and it seems that more than one person is out to harm the heir to the Mitchell fortune. Through several events, Devon, the only male heir to the Mitchell fortune, will learn just who he can trust. Will Devon allow pains of the past to stop him from having a future?
After a tragic event, Devon leaves town and leads a life not his norm. In a town where he thought he could escape the pain of this tragic event, Devon encounters more drama than a little bit in new love interest, Jayde Seaton. As Devon tries to rid himself of guilt he has carried for a while, he is on a mission to figure out strange happenings around him. An emotional wreck, will Devon find new and lasting love amidst all the turmoil surrounding him?
Supporting characters, Candace, Devon's parents, Sterling and Avalon Mitchell, Uncle Henry and Xavier, offer readers good subplots that add to the main storyline. This selection is a good offering from Ms. Watson. The book did start a little slow for me but after the storyline accelerated, I did become more engaged, wanting to know how things panned out. Overall, it was a good read.
Click here for more on author, Lisa Watson.
