By: Shewanda Pugh. Format: eBook. Read: August 2013.
Deena Hammond has grown up in Miami dreaming of the day when she could design buildings that reflected life. However, she struggles daily with trying to fit in with her all-black family, when she is only half-black. It doesn’t help that her entire family puts her down every chance they get, except for when they need her money or her help to handle her little sister. Deena has never belonged, but she has loved her entire family with every fiber of her being. Takumi Tanaka is an artist looking for inspiration in the wrong part of town, when his life is saved by a beautiful woman. Little does Takumi know, he has more in common with his heroine that he can’t stop thinking about. Takumi knows his father will never approve of a romance with a non-Japanese woman, so he must decide whether he is willing to risk it all for the love of a woman who has never known love and acceptance.
Shewanda Pugh has written a romance novel filled with all of the imperfections of modern-day life. The author makes this book even more real, by not shying away from the difficult topics found in the typical lifestyles of both the lower and upper class families. Readers will appreciate reading a romance novel that is very relatable to this day and age. The story line is in present day with memories of past events, the points-of-view jump around between the two main characters and a couple of the minor characters, which occasionally distracts from the main story. Readers’ emotions will be put through the wringer as they turn each and every page. This is an outstanding debut novel.
Even though this book covered very “taboo” topics, this was still a refreshing read, because it felt more real than most of the “fairy-tale” romance novels where everything is perfect. The main characters had to fight for themselves, their family and their love.
Enjoy!
~Ariesgrl
Notes:
The author provided a copy of this book for me to review. To learn more about this author and her work, please visit her website.