Overview
Hoping to get away from emotional baggage in Los Angeles, Venus and Jake move to Atlanta. Yet the constant cloud of the past follows them: a difficult pregnancy and Jake being charged for the murder of his accountant. Though Jake never spent one night in jail, he fears the case will be reopened and he’ll once again have to fight for his freedom. And the timing couldn’t be worse since Airic, the biological father of Venus' daughter Mya, suddenly demands parental rights with the child he hasn’t seen since her birth. A nasty custody battle ensues. Airic's new wife, Trevelle Doval, a famous TV evangelist—may be behind his sudden interest. Venus is in for the biggest fight of her life.
Editorials
Library Journal
With Venus's difficult pregnancy and Jake's murder charges behind them, the couple decides to leave Los Angeles for Atlanta. But there's still trouble to come in this latest from Thomas (Nappily Married): Jake fears his case will be reopened, and the biological father of Venus's daughter demands parental rights.
—Ann Burns
Kirkus Reviews
The soap opera never stops in the latest installment of Thomas's Venus Johnston series (Nappily Married, 2007, etc.). Venus, now Johnston-Parson, and husband Jake Parson surface in Atlanta, having survived the murder charges (and more) that chased them from L.A. But their new life with Venus's beloved daughter Mya is already under threat. Venus's ex, Airic Fisher, whom all believe to be Mya's biological father, has married gospel singer Trevelle Doval. The TV and recording superstar believes her life won't be complete until she and Airic have a daughter, and since she's unable to conceive she's set her sights on Mya. Framing this battle, which will bring up Jake's rap past and Venus's emotional tribulations as possible proof of parental unfitness, is the story of Judge Delma Hawkins. More than qualified for a higher position, she's stuck handling routine domestic cases by virtue of her gender. She's lonely, despite the companionship of Hudson, her handsome clerk, and she's living with the secret of how she adopted her adored daughter Keisha. Thomas neatly weaves issues of family, parental and social responsibility into the domestic dramas, padding a skimpy story. She manages to give reasonably distinct voices to the major players, who alternately narrate events. But when things start to heat up, enjoyable African-American chick-lit degenerates into bad romance. The mix of down-home and steamy gets downright silly when Thomas has the judge confess that the "hypnotic glory of one man's big long richness [made] her do things she was shamed to say out loud." The fun runs out long before the plot devices do, and they're hardly worth bothering with, since the resolution is trumpeted far inadvance. A popular series shows strain. Agent: Elaine Koster/Elaine Koster AgencyFrom the Publisher
Trisha R. Thomas’s Nappily series is:“Engrossing.”—Essence
“Well-orchestrated…Thomas keeps the action flowing with short chapters…steamy sex, and root-forable characters.”—Publishers Weekly
“Witty and endearing.”—Spirit (Southwest Airlines) Magazine
“Lively and distinctive…Smartly paced, fast, and funny.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Wonderfully entertaining.”—Victoria Christopher Murray
“Great storytelling.”—J.D. Mason
“Immensely enjoy[able].”—Kimberla Lawson Roby
“Wow.”—Romantic Times BOOKreviews
“Just getting better and better...”—Francis Ray
“Brilliantly funny, black girl power, chick lit that gets at the big questions that still linger when the laughter quiets.”—Hype Hair
“Emotionally charged and delightful.”—Urban-Reviews.com