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I Take This Woman
As the senior editor for Stillwater Publishing, Abigail Cole was the editor from hell. She could bring the mightiest scribes and the biggest egos to heel with the stroke of her famed red pen. However, when the days of the well-crafted book at Stillwater went out of the window in favor of celebrity tell-alls and novels written by the latest neophytes du jour, Abigail packed up her red pen, moved onto greener pastures and started a successful public relations firm with her best friend, Shana Collingsworth.
After seven seasons as quarterback for the New York Giants, Sam Best retired to focus on his legacy and build his future with his fiancée, Maria Carrangelo. So when he was offered a contract to write his life story, it was a no-brainer until he discovered putting pen to paper was harder than he thought. When his manager Reggie Shaw realized his client needed a life preserver, he asked his friend Abby to un-retire her red pen to work with Sam.
A former NBA wife, her ex- husband, J.J. Stokes, cheated on her with a groupie (whom he later married). On his way to his second divorce from former mistress (and groupie) Beebe Stokes, Abigail shielded their child from the tabloid fodder that inevitably followed. Despite her feelings, she did Reggie a favor and agreed to work with Sam.
With an editorial deadline overhead, Abby and Sam work together. At first she's a taskmaster but eventually Sam begins to see her as something more than a tough editor. She was a sexy woman. His attraction to her grew causing him to reexamine his relationship with Maria and he makes the unpopular decision to call off the wedding putting his image as the All-American good guy at risk.
- GenresInterracial Romance
422 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2011
6 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
Chamein Canton
14 books22 followersChamein Canton was born to Mary Ellen and Leonard F. Canton Jr. She was joined by a younger sister Natalie. Chamein attended the Copiague Schools and graduated from Copiague High School in 1984.
Chamein’s brief marriage in 1986 produced twin sons Sean Elliot and Scott Edward Snowden born May 18, 1987. After her divorce in 1988 she worked in the banking industry until she was diagnosed with uterine cancer in 1989.
As a patient and single mother, Chamein had the support of her family during that stressful time. She began attending college at night and received her Associate’s Degree in Paralegal Studies in 1992. With her cancer in remission she began working for a title insurance company/law firm in Garden City, New York. In 1993 Chamein enrolled SUNY Old Westbury’s business program to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Business Management. However her condition worsened in 1994 and she transferred to Empire State College Center for Distance Learning to get her degree online.
After a six year battle Chamein had a hysterectomy in 1995. She went back to work and continued her education even once she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1996. She also began a successful wedding consulting business and specialized in full figured brides. In 1998 Chamein suffered a physical setback when a major episode landed her in a wheelchair for several months. With 11 year old twin sons to support at the time she through herself into physical therapy and got back to a first love of hers, writing. She wrote three books during this time period most notably Down That Aisle In Style A Wedding Guide For Full Figured Women (WindRiver Publishing) , the first of its kind.
In 2002 Chamein received two honors, she finished her degree in Business Management and Marketing and she was given The MS Mother of The Year Award for 2002 as a result of her twins essay about their inspiring mother. In 2005 her twins graduated from Copiague High School and in the fall they attended SUNY Geneseo in Geneseo.
Chamein’s brief marriage in 1986 produced twin sons Sean Elliot and Scott Edward Snowden born May 18, 1987. After her divorce in 1988 she worked in the banking industry until she was diagnosed with uterine cancer in 1989.
As a patient and single mother, Chamein had the support of her family during that stressful time. She began attending college at night and received her Associate’s Degree in Paralegal Studies in 1992. With her cancer in remission she began working for a title insurance company/law firm in Garden City, New York. In 1993 Chamein enrolled SUNY Old Westbury’s business program to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Business Management. However her condition worsened in 1994 and she transferred to Empire State College Center for Distance Learning to get her degree online.
After a six year battle Chamein had a hysterectomy in 1995. She went back to work and continued her education even once she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1996. She also began a successful wedding consulting business and specialized in full figured brides. In 1998 Chamein suffered a physical setback when a major episode landed her in a wheelchair for several months. With 11 year old twin sons to support at the time she through herself into physical therapy and got back to a first love of hers, writing. She wrote three books during this time period most notably Down That Aisle In Style A Wedding Guide For Full Figured Women (WindRiver Publishing) , the first of its kind.
In 2002 Chamein received two honors, she finished her degree in Business Management and Marketing and she was given The MS Mother of The Year Award for 2002 as a result of her twins essay about their inspiring mother. In 2005 her twins graduated from Copiague High School and in the fall they attended SUNY Geneseo in Geneseo.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 28, 2011
2.5 stars rounded up to 3
I wanted to like this book a lot more than I actually did. And actually I did find it pleasant while i was reading it, it was only after I was done that I realized that I had some major problems with it.
Abby Cole is the co-owner of a successful PR firm. She is well respected business woman with a take-no-prisoners reputation. Her personal life, though, is a little less successful. Her divorce from her ex-husband J.J., a famed NBA player, was front page news as he cheated on her repeatedly. And their relationship remains contentious as they share custody of their teenaged son and yet J.J. is often an absentee parent.
Sam Best just hung up his shoulder pads after seven seasons with the New York Giants. Newly retired he has committed to writing a memoir. However he has a massive case of writer's block mostly because his fiancee, Maria, is planning the blockbuster of all weddings and wants his input in every single detail.
The two meet when Sam's agent, who is also Abby's best childhood friend, suggest they work together to get the manuscript finished and in on time.
It is instant attraction on both their parts. But Sam is engaged to be married and Abby is hypersensitive to being a person who comes between a couple as she was the wronged party in the past. For his part Sam realizes that he has been unhappy with Maria for a long time. It just took meeting Abby to force him to confront it.
I bought this book mostly on the strength of a previous book by this author I'd read, Mixed Reality which I thought was great.
However, I didn't think this book was as successful as that one.
I felt there was a distinct lack of flow in the storytelling. It felt choppy as if the author was more concerned about getting from point A to point B so the plot could move forward. As a result I felt that some areas of character development were neglected.
For once I thought the hero came off less developed than the heroine. That is a rarity in newer romances, imo. Usually it is the heroine who gets the shaft. But in this case, Sam was decidedly second banana. He was a bit too much of a beta hero for my taste. Sometimes I don't mind a good beta hero -- when the author makes him quietly forceful and gives him a simmering authority. It may not be all in your face like that of an alpha hero, but it is still there nonetheless. But I didn't get that quiet forcefulness from Sam. He tended to let things happen to him. And Abby's personality really dwarfed his.
Speaking of Abby, I thought she was a bit of a superwoman. I love an educated, accomplished woman. If I may be so bold to say, I am one myself. Abby is well known and well respected. Her employees both like and have a healthy amount of fear of her. She is beautiful and speaks five languages fluently. This is all great and I enjoyed that aspect of her. But it went a bit over the top as whenever the smallest problem cropped up, only Abby could solve it. When a fashion designer's show during Fashion week threatened to implode, Abby swooped in an saved the day. One phone call from Abby and a mulish publisher caved like a marshmallow. You get the picture.
There was one scene where she and Sam are talking about sports and his connection to the game she says:
"Sports is more than touchdowns, goals, home-runs, baskets or aces. it represents the best and worst of human nature...It's about the continued drive for success and the joy when victory is snatched from the jaws of defeat."
Great moment of reflective rumination about the nature of sport. It would have been even greater if it had come from him rather than her, though. At this point I said "I get it, I get it! She's brilliant." I think it was a lost opportunity to give Sam a little more...something and to allow Abby to take the back seat for once.
I also thought common sense was sacrificed to move the plot as well. Sam's broken engagement becomes quite contentious because Maria's billionaire Texas father Big Bill Carangelo and her mother Miss Kitty (ok, I loved those names) can't stand the fact their daughter was being rejected, so they start to make noise.
Sam makes a few decisions that I disagreed with but understood they were necessary to get the plot to where the author wanted it to go. This weakened the book for me and I found myself skipping passages to get to the inevitable fall-out.
I also thought Sam's fiancee and Abby's ex-husband were a bit cardboardy although both get a bit redeemed in the end.
All in all I thought characters got sacrificed to the plot. And to top it all off, I wasn't completely engaged in the romance.
I wanted to like this book a lot more than I actually did. And actually I did find it pleasant while i was reading it, it was only after I was done that I realized that I had some major problems with it.
Abby Cole is the co-owner of a successful PR firm. She is well respected business woman with a take-no-prisoners reputation. Her personal life, though, is a little less successful. Her divorce from her ex-husband J.J., a famed NBA player, was front page news as he cheated on her repeatedly. And their relationship remains contentious as they share custody of their teenaged son and yet J.J. is often an absentee parent.
Sam Best just hung up his shoulder pads after seven seasons with the New York Giants. Newly retired he has committed to writing a memoir. However he has a massive case of writer's block mostly because his fiancee, Maria, is planning the blockbuster of all weddings and wants his input in every single detail.
The two meet when Sam's agent, who is also Abby's best childhood friend, suggest they work together to get the manuscript finished and in on time.
It is instant attraction on both their parts. But Sam is engaged to be married and Abby is hypersensitive to being a person who comes between a couple as she was the wronged party in the past. For his part Sam realizes that he has been unhappy with Maria for a long time. It just took meeting Abby to force him to confront it.
I bought this book mostly on the strength of a previous book by this author I'd read, Mixed Reality which I thought was great.
However, I didn't think this book was as successful as that one.
I felt there was a distinct lack of flow in the storytelling. It felt choppy as if the author was more concerned about getting from point A to point B so the plot could move forward. As a result I felt that some areas of character development were neglected.
For once I thought the hero came off less developed than the heroine. That is a rarity in newer romances, imo. Usually it is the heroine who gets the shaft. But in this case, Sam was decidedly second banana. He was a bit too much of a beta hero for my taste. Sometimes I don't mind a good beta hero -- when the author makes him quietly forceful and gives him a simmering authority. It may not be all in your face like that of an alpha hero, but it is still there nonetheless. But I didn't get that quiet forcefulness from Sam. He tended to let things happen to him. And Abby's personality really dwarfed his.
Speaking of Abby, I thought she was a bit of a superwoman. I love an educated, accomplished woman. If I may be so bold to say, I am one myself. Abby is well known and well respected. Her employees both like and have a healthy amount of fear of her. She is beautiful and speaks five languages fluently. This is all great and I enjoyed that aspect of her. But it went a bit over the top as whenever the smallest problem cropped up, only Abby could solve it. When a fashion designer's show during Fashion week threatened to implode, Abby swooped in an saved the day. One phone call from Abby and a mulish publisher caved like a marshmallow. You get the picture.
There was one scene where she and Sam are talking about sports and his connection to the game she says:
"Sports is more than touchdowns, goals, home-runs, baskets or aces. it represents the best and worst of human nature...It's about the continued drive for success and the joy when victory is snatched from the jaws of defeat."
Great moment of reflective rumination about the nature of sport. It would have been even greater if it had come from him rather than her, though. At this point I said "I get it, I get it! She's brilliant." I think it was a lost opportunity to give Sam a little more...something and to allow Abby to take the back seat for once.
I also thought common sense was sacrificed to move the plot as well. Sam's broken engagement becomes quite contentious because Maria's billionaire Texas father Big Bill Carangelo and her mother Miss Kitty (ok, I loved those names) can't stand the fact their daughter was being rejected, so they start to make noise.
Sam makes a few decisions that I disagreed with but understood they were necessary to get the plot to where the author wanted it to go. This weakened the book for me and I found myself skipping passages to get to the inevitable fall-out.
I also thought Sam's fiancee and Abby's ex-husband were a bit cardboardy although both get a bit redeemed in the end.
All in all I thought characters got sacrificed to the plot. And to top it all off, I wasn't completely engaged in the romance.
May 3, 2018
Review to come! this was great!
August 16, 2011
I almost did not buy this book and the reason was the cover. It was just the fit of the suit on Sam that bothered me. The story itself was enjoyable
July 10, 2018
Interesting
I Take This Women is my second book by this author, the first was Bliss Inc. Bliss inc. Is the best book ever. I Take This Women has great characters throughout the story that have a strong sense of self and love life by the golden rule. Each character are well developed and likable. The book is not getting 5 stars because the story became predictable and I skip some chapter's and for me that not good, but this is still a good book Ms. Canton , thank you telling stories about real women in all their beauty. Bliss forever fan!
I Take This Women is my second book by this author, the first was Bliss Inc. Bliss inc. Is the best book ever. I Take This Women has great characters throughout the story that have a strong sense of self and love life by the golden rule. Each character are well developed and likable. The book is not getting 5 stars because the story became predictable and I skip some chapter's and for me that not good, but this is still a good book Ms. Canton , thank you telling stories about real women in all their beauty. Bliss forever fan!
May 30, 2011
I really enjoyed this book. Abby and Sam were definitely lovable. However the engagement break up so late in the wedding preparation was very uncomfortable for me. The story (though it seems ludicrous) touched a nerve and I couldn't help but feel sorry for the scorched ex. The story was thoroughly written, meaning I didn't feel as if I was reading a quick read, it was an actual life story. I learnt about the main characters' lives and history and this was actually made interesting; I was teased into curiosity. The story overall was good, but I would have liked a more conclusive ending- yes I can guess what is going to happen. But the beauty of an epilogue is giving me a guiding shove in the authors' pre-destination of the characters' endings. It wasn't a 3 star- the writing and the research gone into writing this book deserves more credit than that. A 5 star? Sigh, no. I had to put the book down too often and though one might blame it on the 422 page length. But I have read longer (not gloating) but I have and the length was not an issue if anything an example to Mills and Boon (though I love you)- length has not been your forte for a long time. Anyway the author as my mum always enthuses "writes what she knows" (my mum's words) and I totally agree, the addition of potential step-children (another topic close to home- a lot of those I know) Chamein Canton knows what she's doing and she definitely does it well. The streamed throughout doing-well black people and gorgeous voluptuous women, living life to its fullest is a stunning advertisement, which leaves only commendations for the point and actually making it seem possible.
Back to the book: "I take this woman" is a good read and be prepared for a 'voluptuous vixen' finally meeting the love of her life.
December 30, 2011
Abby and Sam are quite an ENTERTAINING couple with a COLORFUL secondary supporting cast (that I wouldn't mind reading more about)...I thought I wouldn't like the main characters after the whole engagement break-up...however, despite that incident it continued to be a ENGAGING page-tuner IMHO. Keep in mind this stuff ONLY happens in romance novels...lol...which is why I read them ;-)
September 23, 2014
If you're looking for profound love, this isnt the book for you. But if you want a snappy romance with some extra cheese, then "I Take This Woman" will suit you just fine.
June 24, 2012
A little too sappy for my taste. On to the next book.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews