HEAVENLY MATCH - Niobia Bryant
BET/Arabesque
August 2004
SYNOPSIS: A cocky southern playboy vows to seduce a tough-talking social worker, but loses at his own game when she steals his heart.
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE: (4+) Sophia Chase
REVIEW: Self-confident social worker Anika Foxx meets playboy Deshawn Jamison at her best friend’s weeding to his twin brother.
Immediately, Deshawn is attracted by Anika’s awesome beauty but straightaway she rejects his advances. However, being the playa that he is, he
sets out to seduce her at all cost. After a brief encounter in New York, Anika is hurt by Deshawn’s actions and vows never to fall for his
charm again. She is forced to renege on this promise when she spends time in South Carolina, helping her best friend Chloe who is about to
give birth to her first child. The relationship blossoms and seems very secure until acquaintances from both Deshawn’s and Anika’s past
threaten to destroy the passionate bond between the two lovers.
HEAVENLY MATCH moves along at just the right pace - not too fast or not too slow. From start to finish the reader is enthralled by the
sparks that fly between Anika and Deshawn. The setting also plays an important role as it reveals the sentiments felt by the characters. For
example, Deshawn’s use of the county fair to declare his true feelings captures the attention of not only the characters but the reader as
well.
The personalities are also very realistic, experiencing the same emotions and insecurities which are normal in everyday life. The presence of
Chloe and Devon is a commendable technique as it not only makes the story seem more real but gives Ms. Bryan's faithful readers an update of
these two lovebirds. Dialogue, without a doubt plays a central role in the novel as it is honest and open displaying all true feelings of the
characters. For example, it is through dialogue that Deshawn reveals his true feelings for Anika to his twin brother, Devon.
HEAVENLY MATCH is a slam dunk for Niobia Bryant. The plot is unbelievably real and reader can easily identify with it. I also admire
the way in which she tackles the ever present issue of domestic violence and its effects on the abused. Her titling of every chapter using a
Mary J. Blige song is also a refreshing feature. Three cheers for Niobia!!!
sophia@romanceincolor.com (20th January 2005)