Player Haters

Trent Duncan did a good job holding his family together after his dad died. He'd kept his little sister out of trouble and taught her about life. It's just too bad he couldn't do the same for himself. Now he's the man your momma always warned you about: charming, smooth talking—and jobless. He's got a phony business card and a line for every situation—and every conquest. But the ultimate player is about to play himself right outta the game. Because a couple of Trent's ex-girlfriends are about to make him wish he'd listened to his momma.

The only person Trent can't seem to get around anymore is his big brother, Wil. Wil's got problems of his own. He thought he was happily married, until his wife, Diane, stopped being intimate with him. She's got her reasons, but if she doesn't explain herself soon, she may lose her husband to his voluptuous—and lusty—new secretary.

Meanwhile, little sister Melanie is all grown up and sure she's met her prince—literally. Prince may be a friend of Trent's, but the two men are like night and day. Prince is the kind of man Melanie would like to have kids with. Trouble is, she's not alone.

Pretty soon, these three very different siblings have something in common—they're all in hot water. And they need to find a way to help themselves—and each other—before they get burned.

National bestselling author Carl Weber returns with another page-turner full of family drama. The Duncan family are no strangers to sibling rivalry, heartbreak, or the high price of getting played—even when it's by one of their own. But when the outside world becomes just as tumultuous as the home front, the Duncans are going to have step up and grow up.

Trent Duncan did a good job holding his family together after his dad died. He'd kept his little sister out of trouble and taught her about life. It's just too bad he couldn't do the same for himself. Now he's the man your momma always warned you about: charming, smooth talking—and jobless. He's got a phony business card and a line for every situation—and every conquest. But the ultimate player is about to play himself right outta the game. Because a couple of Trent's ex-girlfriends are about to make him wish he'd listened to his momma.

The only person Trent can't seem to get around anymore is his big brother, Wil. Wil's got problems of his own. He thought he was happily married, until his wife, Diane, stopped being intimate with him. She's got her reasons, but if she doesn't explain herself soon, she may lose her husband to his voluptuous—and lusty—new secretary.

Meanwhile, little sister Melanie is all grown up and sure she's met her prince—literally. Prince may be a friend of Trent's, but the two men are like night and day. Prince is the kind of man Melanie would like to have kids with. Trouble is, she's not alone.

Pretty soon, these three very different siblings have something in common—they're all in hot water. And they need to find a way to help themselves—and each other—before they get burned.

Publishers Weekly

Weber's winning record of frothy, scandalous African-American novels (Baby Momma Drama, etc.) continues with his fourth book, a fast-paced mix of scandal, jealousy and wickedness featuring the bickering, beautiful Duncan family. Successful, handsome Wil Duncan is frustrated with Diane, his wife of 10 years, who's been inexplicably frigid lately; tensions really begin to mount when Mimi, his sexy temp secretary, makes it clear she wants to take more than dictation. Wil's unemployed, "playa" brother, Trent, saddled with money problems and an eight-month-old baby he refuses to acknowledge as his own, grows desperate for quick cash. At a bar, while trying to talk his younger sister, Melanie, into a loan, Trent meets Indigo Jones, a sexy, budding singer and recent lottery winner, and woos her with promises to make her into "the next Whitney Houston." Meanwhile, as Wil's marriage continues to deteriorate, Mimi sets her sights on becoming Wil's permanent secretary-and knocking Diane out of the picture for good. Indigo's vocal demo tape proves her talent, so Trent makes a play to catch her rising star, while Michelle, the mother of his supposed love-child, vies for his attention. As Wil and Diane accuse each other of being unfaithful (Wil with Mimi; Diane with the mailman) some hard truths are revealed. Can Wil resist temp-from-hell Mimi and save his marriage? Will Trent turn his life around before it's too late? Will Melanie find true love? While the interpersonal antics remain shamelessly over-the-top, Weber strikes a better balance between the melodrama and the storytelling this time out, making for a more resonant (and fun) reading experience. (Feb.) Forecast: Weber's hardcover debut, Baby Momma Drama, was an Essence bestseller; his second hardcover will no doubt follow suit. Author tour. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Carl Weber is the New York Times and #1 Essencer bestselling author of Something on the Side, The First Lady, So You Call Yourself a Man, The Preacher's Son, Player Haters, Lookin' for Luv, Married Men, and Baby Momma Drama. He is also the Publisher and Editorial Director of Urban Books. He graduated from Virginia State University with a B.S. in accounting and has an MBA in marketing from the University of Virginia.