Should Have Known Better

by Grace Octavia

When her hugely successful best friend Sasha shows up for a visit and steals her husband, Dawn Jones must pick up the pieces of her shattered life to regain what she has lost and discover what her life could be. Original.

Genres: Fiction, Romance

294 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Grace Octavia is a native of Westbury, New York. Her writing has appeared in Sisterfriends by Michele Agins and Julia Chance and Rolling Out magazine, where she was Editor-in-Chief. She is currently working on her Ph.D. at Georgia State University in Atlanta.

Reviews

[Yashoda Jaikaran · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

My sister picked this book up first and I though it sounds interesting and it didn’t appear to be one of those drama for drama’s sake books. Plus the author is attending my Alma Mater, so I had to support Ms. Octavia.

Should have Known Better introduces us to Dawn Johnson a devoted wife, mother and librarian living in Augusta, GA. Dawn exemplifies the working mom struggle which is increased by the fact that her son, has Autism. One day she gets a call from a her old college roommate who is in town for a conference and wants to come hang out like old times. Sasha is Dawn’s sorority sister and once best friend who is now an acclaimed journalist living the fast life in the Atl. While Dawn is excited, she also has some reservations about Sasha coming to visit because she knows that Sasha has never approved of her relationship/marriage to her husband Reginald a blue collar worker who never finished college. Reginald has his own issue with Sasha and her BUPPIE lifestyle. Putting all that aside, Sasha comes to visit and after she and Regional initially but heads, things soon swing quickly in the other direction. Dawn is never able to put her hands on it, but she sees things changing and her gut tells her that Sasha is desperate for a man and a baby and will do anything to get it.
The story reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend recently. I wanted to visit her and her family in their new military duty station( which for reference was outside the continental U.S.). During the planning process she told me that she would was fine with me staying with her. I remember being taken aback because the only way I could afford this trip was because I didn’t budget a hotel. My friend went on to explain that her mother had warned her not to have her friends staying in her house with her husband unless she could trust them( no clarification on if them included the husband). Apparently, I had made the cut, but many others had not and it caused a riff in the friendships. That conversation stayed with me for years and pops in my head from time to time. After reading this book, I wonder if Dawn could have benefited from a similar conversation.

I really wanted to like Dawn, but I had trouble with the plot. It’s completely plausible, but Dawn was just so slow to act and clueless it was annoying. Now we have all been in a situation where our gut tells us one thing, but the way Dawn took a back seat was just annoying.
I really enjoyed the writing, and the way that Ms. Octavia addressed some really big A’s- Adultery, Alcoholism and Autism and because of her smooth writing, I kept reading even if I didn’t really connect with Dawn and wanted to reach into the book and shake her. Sometimes the sequence of events just seemed over the top and the ending was pretty abrupt which I guess means we can anticipate a sequel. I know love and lust are crazy things, but Sasha and Reginald just seemed far-fetched. Had it not been for the great writing, I probably would have given up on the book halfway through, but the writing flowed so well, it was easy to just keep going.

[Camille · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was hard to read because the story hit kind of close to home. However, I did appreciate how thoroughly the main character was developed and how she went through the emotions and doubts realistically. It's so easy to gloss over the devastation of divorce, infidelity and development issues. Family is work and this book is a very good representation of that and how sometimes not knowing all the answers is ok. I did not enjoy this book but it's a story that needs to be told and that makes me all about it.

[Rizember · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh boy

Dawn and Sasha were sorority sisters. Best friends way back in the day...
Now it's almost 13 years and Sasha is a big CNN reporter with her own show and Dawn is a married nother of two who did her distance education in library studies and now works as a librarian.
Dawn is married to Reggie, and their two kids are twins - autistic RJ and attitudinous Cheyenne (a name I read differently every time it pops up).
Sasha comes to town for a conference and stays with their family.
She and Dawn drink. Dawn asks her woke husband Reginald to please be nice to Sasha.

Reggie becomes nice to Sasha.

Sasha drugs Dawn, steals Reggie in the same room (I had to put the book down), leaves with Reggie, makes Dawn lose her kids (temporary custody), her husband and her mind..
Dawn goes through such believable anger that I'm mad at my own imaginary husband.
He was TRASH.
Just... Trash.

It was an interesting book with believable characters but some "problematic" views I couldn't help wondering about. Were they the author's or the character's? I may never know...

I'll definitely be reading more books by Ms Octavia

[TR]

This book has my emotions all over the place, but the dominate feeling is frustration. I just want to snatch that wig off Sasha and mush her face straight into the nearest wall.
*exhale
...but I digress, I am only about half way through this book and I am hoping for retribution...
{'Star Jones' broke my heart.}

(side-note: this is NOT my first read by Grace Octavia and it DEFINITELY WON'T be my last)

...and WHERE was there a HHNFH in San Antonio, Texas when I got divorced...?

[Vernetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story. A good reminder that you always need to be mindful of true friendships and those that are out to do nothing but harm you.

[Rai Broadnax · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loveddddd

[Ruth Whyte · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book by Grace Octavia teaches us that some people and friend come into your life to steal and destroyed you. Dawn leave her home for University, she was happy to be away from a Pastor who beats her mother and abused her. She met Reginald a blue collar who pretend he love her. Her class friend Sasha turn up at her home that consist of her two kids and husband, saying she is bad a conference in the area and want to spend some time with her and her family. Sasha drug Dawn and took away her husband. All Sasha story was false she never own a home she was renting , lose her contact with tv station. Reginald come back begging for a try at love and only for Dawn to find out that Sasha is pregnant. Dawn took her husband back to Sashas home . Then wow did she find love . Please read you will enjoy

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

Should Have Known Better by Grace Octavia - 4 stars
We all know the saying, "hell hath no fury like a women scorned" and that is what I thought of while reading this book. Dawn Johnson was living her no frills life - self-employed blue collar working husband, set of twins one with autism, and going to work as a small county librarian. As with any marriage, things ebb and flow and right now Reginald and Dawn are on cruise control. That is until Dawn's sorority sister, Sasha, blows into to town.

I kept talking to Dawn (like a character in a book) could hear me. There was one point that I wanted to jump into the page and slap the heck out of Dawn and Reginald for that matter. The character development and the back story of Dawns childhood, college stories of Dawn and Sasha as roommates and the fact that Dawn lost her faith for a while add suspense to the story. Exploring the details leading up to divorce - the emotions, how children are effected and how family and friends play key roles in how things work out - make the novel realistic making you think these things could really happen. Octavia definitely delivers in her first attempt at a serious storyline just wish everything wasn't so over the top.

[African Americans on the Move Book Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace Octavia's book 'Should Have known Better' is an awesome story of a woman finding her worth after an almost debilitating course of events. Raised with an abusive alcoholic father Dawn left for college only to graduate and end up marrying Reginald who only faked being happy while she worked her part time job at a lowly local Library and took care of her home. Unfortunately in her world with her two children and her unfulfilled husband, she found out the hard way that reality is not always your friend.On her journey Dawn thought she had it all covered as she struggled to survive through her husbands infidelity and her college roommates treachery. This story brought tears to my eyes as she finally discovered her greatest assets lay within herself, the strength of a mother she shunned because of past mistakes and her children. Thumbs up to Grace Octavia for her masterful penmanship reminding us that all is not finished until God says its so.

A.L.Barron
AAMBC Reviewer

[Dr. Nic Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this book. In fact I have enjoyed all of the books by Octavia Grace that I have read.
This story of Dawn and Reginald was really good. I hated to see it come to an end. I found myself really getting into it and getting mad for Dawn, because I could not believe some of the things that were happening. I also feel that this is a good story that really could be continued in a second book if the author wanted to. It did not end in a cliffhanger or anything but I would love to see how the lives of the characters evolve. In particular, I would love to see what the future holds for Dawn and how (or if) she heals. Good read!

[Klarissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grace Octavia's book Should Have Known Better for me, was a good book from start to finish,for me it was about the main character Dawn Jones being married to a blue collared worker by the name of Reginald and people feeling that she had settled, as you go farther in the story you find that she has this supposed friend that comes in to try and destroy the marriage that she has built, in the end Dawn is able to find the courage and the faith that she thought she never had. I would recommend this book, and look forward to reading her next one

[Nik · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I was so glad that Dawn finally came to her senses although it took until the end of the book to get to it. Her husband was a butthole & deserved what he got.
I didn't like how Sasha's shenanigans didn't have revenge against her, i.e. the drugs, Landon's wife. I wanted more. I was hoping for more about Kerry & Jamison but I really liked how she mentioned them periodically. I wouldn't have guessed that Dawn's mom is the made.

[Michael Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I completed this book I realized how important it is not to make snap decisions regarding whether you are happy or unhappy with your marriage. The grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. Dawn was a tragic character who was taken advantage of by her so called friend Sasha. Her husband willingly went into the role of providing support to the single so called superstar. The kids suffered. I am glad that Dawn did not take Reginald back in the end.

[Revae · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great read. I gave it 4 stars because Dawn's naivete was frustrating. I found myself quoting the book title - "You should have known better!" Octavia did a great job growing her character though. Dawn is not the same woman in the end, and the growth is for the better, This was a page turner that sparks discussions about marriage, autism, parenting, and friendships.

[Candy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book. One wrong decision can alter our lives for better or worse. Some hard decisions had to be made and lessons had to be taught in this book. The story was well written. I felt the pain of the main character. Is as if her emotions were screaming off the page. Definitely a page turner and highly recommended.

[Haley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story definitely had me on the roller coaster of emotions! My emotions were all over the place, but kept me motivated to finish the book all the way to the end. I could predict a little of what was going to happen from the very beginning, but I never expected the story would end the way it did. Very interesting story and characters that keep you captivated until the very end.

[Whitney Berry]

This book was crazy and a eye opener all at the same time. The meaning i received from the book is 2 keep you friends close but keep your enemies closer. But I must admit I did not like the ending of the book she did not give me a clear conclusion so I'm still a little lost.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dawn believes she has the perfect marriage, until her sorority sister from college comes to visit and decides she wants Dawn's husband for herself.

This one was just okay, didn't really like the characters, although the story line was intriguing enough to keep me reading.

[Valarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book, but I hope there is a sequel. It felt like it didn't completely end. I had many unanswered questions and wanted to know what happened to the characters. I will be looking for other titles by this author because this one left me wanting to try her other titles.

[Rheo3000 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great for the days when everything needs to be spelled out - these are the heroes, these are the villains and they will not grow or change so you can just sit back and be comfortable rooting for the same person throughout the book.

[Savant Laurent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very captivating and life relating. I'm glad that Dawn finally stood up to her demons and did what was best not only for her kids, but for her too. I wish I can repair my relationship with my mother as well.

[Maya Hollinshead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book as much as I've enjoyed her others.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Should Have Known Better" by Grace Octavia was awesome! I really enjoy books that deal with issues that are so close to our everyday lives...I never wanted to put this book down!
I give it 5 stars.

[Chantell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read start to finish. lots of twist and turns and details that many women can relate to.

[Dionna Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book...took me through way too many emotions but still a great read!!!! And I've been introduced to a new author!!! I will be reading all of her books now!!! Lol

[Debra Odom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had some interesting twists and turns. And everyone thinks the life of a librarian is boring!

[Demeshia Gassaway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Provocative and Fun to read.

[Kelley Frazier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting!

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Story... I can't believe how the husband turned on his wife though....Didn't see that coming