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SOMETHING ON THE SIDE - Carl Weber Kensington Dafina/Fiction February 2008 |
SYNOPSIS: As insatiable about books as they are about love--or lust--the members of the Big Girls Book Club are about to discover how tough it is to keep it real when they all have something on the side.
MAINSTREAM FICTION |4+| Dianthia Lemons
REVIEW: SOMETHING ON THE SIDE, Introduces you to the ladies of the "BGBC" aka the Big Girls Book Club. If you are not size 14 and up you are excluded not included. Tammy, Egypt, Nikki, CoCo, Isis, Tiny and Tammy's mother make up the members of this big girl's reading circle.
Tammy is the president and the only member of the book club who is happily married.
Tammy and her husband Tim are the parents of two children and are living the American Dream. Egypt, is Tammy's best friend since college. She's the reason that Tammy and Tim are together. Egypt wants a good man but only after he's made. She wants all the benefits but none of the struggle to help him get there, so you know she's single. Nikki, the product of a once abusive relationship with a man, is now with Tiny. Yeah, Tiny is a member of the group and they are not only roomies, but lovers and raising Nikki's son together. Isis is Egypt's sister and is in what she feels is a wonderful relationship. Her man does what she wants and comes when she calls but he hasn't put a ring on that finger just yet. Last but not least, Ms Coco. Girlfriend got it going on and she knows it. She has the tools to make the men folks drool and pay for her play, especially if they are married. Coco is all about the money, the bigger the bankroll the better.
The Book Club is a setting with which everyone can identify. People who are into book clubs develop a bond with members of the club and that turns into a sisterhood. Great and lifelong friendships can develop from a common interest. The required reading material starts off the conversation but talking about everyday issues and problems is the real platform.
SOMETHING ON THE SIDE opens up to readers the feelings and insecurities of women who don't fit the mold that is seen as desirable or beautiful in America. Big girls or plus size women have more to deal with than their smaller counterparts. Body image, low self-esteem, fear of rejection, fear of isolation, abandonment, public ridicule and depression. Each character has insecurities that causes them to act up and act out in a certain way. Tammy brings another woman into the picture because of insecurity and almost destroys her own marriage. Isis is so insistent and obsessed with having things just the way she wants that she over looks the signs that cause her heartache and almost loses her life. Nikki's self-esteem is so low after her baby's daddy physically abuses her that she falls into another unhealthy relationship with Tiny. Coco can't trust men because of past betrayal. Egypt is fearful that if she puts effort into a relationship, she'll end up on the losing end. Each of these women have their downfalls and because they are miserable, they try to pull each other down in the process. Hard lessons are learned and coming back to find yourself is the best reward you can obtain. You have to love the you God made because if you don't, how do you expect anyone else to love you.
Carl Webber takes us through another great experience with SOMETHING ON THE SIDE. All of the characters remind us of someone we know whether we will admit it or not. Nobody wants to admit that they are weak in anything but weakness is how we learn and grow.
reviewer@romanceincolor.com | 1st February 2008