Review: Complexity at its best...
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 25, 2013
I was prepared to dislike this story. There I said it. Based solely on the title, I was prepared to dislike the character, the situation, the entire thing.  I admit, I approached this entirely backwards though; I hadn't read Nia's previous work, Commitment, before starting this one, so I was at a slight disadvantage and my presumptions about Keisha were out of context. I took her at face value without getting the back story and was more than willing to let it ride. A funny thing happened, however- I began to care about what these characters were going through, especially Keisha. Yes, her decisions were trifling, and her actions were horrendous but when I cut to the thick of it and shut off the judgmental side of my brain, I realized with some clarity, that she was merely trying to survive the only way she knew how. Was that the best way? Of course not. She was limited by her fears and trying to supplant her dealings with these men  with the love, affection and security she lost when her mother died. I finally understood her motivation and as much as she made me clench my teeth and shake my head, I began to look for the signs that she would finally get the message and was thrilled, ecstatic about it. In short, that quest fueled my desire to finish this story.And that is what is so awesome about Nia Forrester's writing. It's no holds barred, visceral and takes no prisoners. Although I could've strangled Keisha several times over in this story,I began to root for her, hoping that she would make those crucial decisions that would change her life for the better. It was that complexity, that rawness, that duality in emotions that compelled me to keep going. When a writer can incite such a plethora of emotions and infuse empathy for a character that  I wished someone would do me the favor of slapping, it's a great thing. An astounding thing. It shows, deftly, that Ms. Forrester has done her job and done it well.So, although I was prepared to dislike this story, I'm honored to say that I loved it. That's what exceptional authors do; they tip the world on its axis and  watch the fallout.It's Nia Forrester's world, we're just living in it.Exceptional work, Ms. Forrester!