Overview
When Faylene Watkins begins counseling women of her husband’s congregation at Hope Filled Christian Center church, three women teach her the perils of love, sex and obsession. Choir girl Elise thinks she’s found a good man in Jay, a truck driver who came blowing into her life one sultry night. Irresistible and sensual, he’s caught up in romancing Elise. However, when she’s ready for happily ever after, he realizes that he can’t just walk away from his wife and two children. And Elise just can’t seem to let him go. Everyone knows that singles ministry leader Renee is full of herself. When she starts her latest interior decorating project, she thinks her client’s husband is hot, and together, they’re on fire. Meanwhile his wife wants to be friends, and it’s not long before a twisted game starts to unravel. For twenty-five years Tess’s life revolved around her unfaithful husband (who sits on the deacon’s board) and their two wonderful sons. But now the kids have left the nest and Tess wants to spread her wings. While busy seeking her first job and creating a new social life outside the church, Tess meets a new man—a most forbidden man—who rides into the picture to rock her world off its steady axis. All the while, First Lady of the church and counselor, Faye is keeping a secret of her own that is much deeper than any one of them could ever imagine.
Synopsis
When Faylene Watkins begins counseling women of her husband's congregation at Hope Filled Christian Center church, three women teach her the perils of love, sex and obsession. Choir girl Elise thinks she's found a good man in Jay, a truck driver who came blowing into her life one sultry night. Irresistible and sensual, he's caught up in romancing Elise. However, when she's ready for happily ever after, he realizes that he can't just walk away from his wife and two children. And Elise just can't seem to let him go. Everyone knows that singles ministry leader Renee is full of herself. When she starts her latest interior decorating project, she thinks her client's husband is hot, and together, they're on fire. Meanwhile his wife wants to be friends, and it's not long before a twisted game starts to unravel. For twenty-five years Tess's life revolved around her unfaithful husband (who sits on the deacon's board) and their two wonderful sons. But now the kids have left the nest and Tess wants to spread her wings. While busy seeking her first job and creating a new social life outside the church, Tess meets a new man—a most forbidden man—who rides into the picture to rock her world off its steady axis. All the while, First Lady of the church and counselor, Faye is keeping a secret of her own that is much deeper than any one of them could ever imagine.
Editorials
Publishers Weekly
The ladies of Hope Filled Christian Center spend more time serving other women's husbands than they do serving the Lord in Mason's fourth novel, a soap opera–like tale about the bad choices smart women make for love and companionship. Holier-than-thou Faye Watkins is married to the pastor of one of the largest churches in Dallas. She has a psychology degree and counsels the women of her husband's church, mostly about their problems with men. Among her charges is Renee Turner, a bohemian interior decorator who leads the church's singles' ministry. Renee breaks a long romantic dry spell with a client's husband, which has some negative consequence. Elise Clayton, a choir member and real estate agent, would do anything to get Jay, a married-with-kids truck driver, to leave his wife. And newly empty-nested Tess Martin wishes she had the strength to leave her philandering husband, Jesse, a church deacon who sleeps with everyone but her. Readers of commercial African-American fiction who haven't yet discovered Mason would do well to pick up this steamy cautionary tale. (Apr.)
Copyright 2007 Reed Business InformationFrom the Publisher
"Readers ... who haven't yet discovered Mason would do well to pick up this steamy cautionary tale."--Publishers Weekly