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Original Love
Peter Underhill was smitten by Ebony Mills the moment she joined his street hockey team -- a coal-eyed, tomboy goddess, as dark and dazzling as he was pale and awkward. That she returned his affection was a boy's dream come true. But despite a bond that grew into their teens, Peter's intolerant father and Ebony's meddling family finally forced them apart. That was twenty years ago -- and Peter has been trying to find his way back to his first and true love ever since...
When she was a kid, Ebony feared no one, not even Peter's violent, bigoted father. Back then, Ebony said she'd love Peter forever, and she meant it. It didn't matter that they couldn't share milestones like the high school prom together -- what they had was the real thing, and nobody could take it away... or could they?
Even now, Ebony doesn't quite understand how she and Peter disappeared from each other's lives. Has the hatred that surrounded them finally won? Ebony doesn't want to believe that, but she knows one thing: if she ever has the chance to reunite with Peter, she'll never let him go. Because you don't throw away something that only comes along once in a lifetime. You don't mess with original love...
When she was a kid, Ebony feared no one, not even Peter's violent, bigoted father. Back then, Ebony said she'd love Peter forever, and she meant it. It didn't matter that they couldn't share milestones like the high school prom together -- what they had was the real thing, and nobody could take it away... or could they?
Even now, Ebony doesn't quite understand how she and Peter disappeared from each other's lives. Has the hatred that surrounded them finally won? Ebony doesn't want to believe that, but she knows one thing: if she ever has the chance to reunite with Peter, she'll never let him go. Because you don't throw away something that only comes along once in a lifetime. You don't mess with original love...
327 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2005
15 people are currently reading
203 people want to read
About the author
J.J. Murray
48 books340 followersProlific novelist J. J. Murray writes BWWM romance novels in all genres. He lives with his amazing, talented, and creative wife Kimberlee and their precocious son Steven in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
July 9, 2022
5.0⭐️ This book was fresh and original. As a matter of fact, this book was so refreshing because it was so very different from myriad of well-used. over-used and overdone story lines. I especially found the "book within a book" plot device to be a wonderful mechanism to advance this compelling story.
The characters are richly developed. Ebony's spunky assertiveness made her a very likeable and intriguing black female character. Peter's "sexual fumblings" as a growing teen with raging hormones, especially when he got close to Ebony, endeared him to me forever (those who read the book know what I mean).
Mr. Murray's insight into the publishing world was informative and offered an interesting angle. In the book, Peter's publisher is pressuring him to continue writing romances with a black woman's voice under a pseudonym, thereby satisfying a growing black female reader base. Peter, who is a white man, is frustrated by this; he is conflicted because he wants to make a successful living as a writer, but he wants authenticity, he really wants his books to be published under his own name. His foremost desire is to write an autobiographical story about his growing up years and his enduring love for Ebony, his original love.
Mr. Murray is such a great talent with a unique voice--that of a white man writing about white male characters and their love of and romance with black women. The love depicted in this book rings true and brightly shines throughout.
I highly recommend this book because it is incredible, sensitive book and is written in Mr. Murray's uniquely gratifying style. This book seems to transcend race and goes straight to the heart.
The characters are richly developed. Ebony's spunky assertiveness made her a very likeable and intriguing black female character. Peter's "sexual fumblings" as a growing teen with raging hormones, especially when he got close to Ebony, endeared him to me forever (those who read the book know what I mean).
Mr. Murray's insight into the publishing world was informative and offered an interesting angle. In the book, Peter's publisher is pressuring him to continue writing romances with a black woman's voice under a pseudonym, thereby satisfying a growing black female reader base. Peter, who is a white man, is frustrated by this; he is conflicted because he wants to make a successful living as a writer, but he wants authenticity, he really wants his books to be published under his own name. His foremost desire is to write an autobiographical story about his growing up years and his enduring love for Ebony, his original love.
Mr. Murray is such a great talent with a unique voice--that of a white man writing about white male characters and their love of and romance with black women. The love depicted in this book rings true and brightly shines throughout.
I highly recommend this book because it is incredible, sensitive book and is written in Mr. Murray's uniquely gratifying style. This book seems to transcend race and goes straight to the heart.
March 7, 2019
I love this writer’s voice: a smart, funny, middle-aged white guy who loves a black woman. I love the love story. But I feel that there were some ends left untied, like Peter’s mother, the romance he was writing, and Cece.
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May 31, 2012Slowly but surely I've been getting into more adult romance novels since the characters are much more complex and the story is much richer. But the story behind this book started about two or three years ago for me. I was at the library, my arms carrying as many books as I could, and I saw this book just as I was about to leave. I thought to myself that I'd find it later. But I never read the title or the author or anything. I just remember the cover. Ever since then I'd been looking for that book. I just knew there was a tree with a heart and on each side was a man and a woman. I was never going to find it with just the cover in my head. But as the fates would have it, I found it!
I discovered it, yet again, with my arms filled with books. I thought I was going to get put out because when I saw the book I exclaimed "THIS IS THE BOOK!" to my sister who tagged along.
The Story is basically about Peter Underhill trying to become more then an african-american romance novelist with a pen name. It only made since because Peter is white and who would really have a 'white man' seriously with writing books told in a african-american females POV. I just thought that little twist in the story was pretty fun. But Peter seems like a really sad, and dare I say, pathetic man at times. He just divorced his wife of ten years who his never loved and is just about going broke. And again, he's tired of writing as his pen name. So instead of working on his newest novel that he hopes will get him some more soon since his divored wife gets half of everything he makes. He lookes for his long time childhood love Ebony Mills from 20 years ago.
Ebony Mills, when he first met in, was the spunkiest african-american who really doesn't care what anyone thinks and is very independent and head strong. Back then interracial couples where more then frowned upon. But since they were kids and didn't know any better they never saw what was wrong.
Not to give too much away since this book is very much worth reading, its very smart and well thought out. None of that typical lovey-dovey romance, its something real. Though at the times of the book seemes to drag on, I enjoy the flashbacks to when he first met and fell in love with Ebony. And how he still loves her even after being apart for 20 years. The only thing that I wish was that the author made more flashbacks. There was memories mentioned in the book that I would love to have a better visual of. But none the less I loved the book. A little humor, romance, self-dicovery, hard work, and change. This book was worth the wait.
I discovered it, yet again, with my arms filled with books. I thought I was going to get put out because when I saw the book I exclaimed "THIS IS THE BOOK!" to my sister who tagged along.
The Story is basically about Peter Underhill trying to become more then an african-american romance novelist with a pen name. It only made since because Peter is white and who would really have a 'white man' seriously with writing books told in a african-american females POV. I just thought that little twist in the story was pretty fun. But Peter seems like a really sad, and dare I say, pathetic man at times. He just divorced his wife of ten years who his never loved and is just about going broke. And again, he's tired of writing as his pen name. So instead of working on his newest novel that he hopes will get him some more soon since his divored wife gets half of everything he makes. He lookes for his long time childhood love Ebony Mills from 20 years ago.
Ebony Mills, when he first met in, was the spunkiest african-american who really doesn't care what anyone thinks and is very independent and head strong. Back then interracial couples where more then frowned upon. But since they were kids and didn't know any better they never saw what was wrong.
Not to give too much away since this book is very much worth reading, its very smart and well thought out. None of that typical lovey-dovey romance, its something real. Though at the times of the book seemes to drag on, I enjoy the flashbacks to when he first met and fell in love with Ebony. And how he still loves her even after being apart for 20 years. The only thing that I wish was that the author made more flashbacks. There was memories mentioned in the book that I would love to have a better visual of. But none the less I loved the book. A little humor, romance, self-dicovery, hard work, and change. This book was worth the wait.
August 12, 2010
Thoroughly loved the book. The initially chapters are engaging and it hooks the reader with the African American references. However the plot thickens when the main character, Jack, heartache and pain slowly developes before your eyes, and we begin to feel the pain of his lost. You might want to save a good week to read this book because once you pick it up, you will not want to put it down.
February 25, 2018
First Love
I have read many stories of rekindling first love, of secret kids, and racist fathers, but this book intertwines these themes in a more “realistic” way; while making fun of those over the top sex crazed stories that are more imaginary than fantasy. I love the fantasy, the magic of a love story that could actually happen over ridiculous plots that can be created by a ninth grader. Thank you for giving me Peter and Ebony and possibilities.
It doesn’t hurt that Pittsburgh was included in this story either.
I have read many stories of rekindling first love, of secret kids, and racist fathers, but this book intertwines these themes in a more “realistic” way; while making fun of those over the top sex crazed stories that are more imaginary than fantasy. I love the fantasy, the magic of a love story that could actually happen over ridiculous plots that can be created by a ninth grader. Thank you for giving me Peter and Ebony and possibilities.
It doesn’t hurt that Pittsburgh was included in this story either.
September 27, 2010
Not quite sure how to feel about this one. So I would have to say it was just okay. This is only because there were some parts, mainly towards the very end, that were quite touching although @ the same time have me still saying huh? Quite honestly, it was a lot strange. Things left unanswered and up in the air. Especially with Peter's Dad. And once again my gripe with all the unnecessary book writing and story editing was tedious and quite the struggle to get through. I must admit that once again I skipped through alot of this, much like I did in "I'm Your Girl" but the only difference with this book was that some of the book writing was actually about Peter's relationship with Ebony so some of it I did not skip. But still, I'm not a fan of JJ's writing style concerning this book and "I'm Your Girl". So I have to say thus far the best and most riveting book I've read by JJ has been "The Real Thing"
This is one you will just have to simply take a chance on and read yourself without any help from my review in "tipping the scales" for whether you should read this one or not.
This is one you will just have to simply take a chance on and read yourself without any help from my review in "tipping the scales" for whether you should read this one or not.
June 21, 2011
I just finished reading this book a couple of days ago and I thought it was so amazing, that I immediately started re-reading it. I think this is the best of JJ's books that I have read and I have read almost all of his books. I thought the relationship between Peter and the Captian was very sad. It was tragic. I thought it was amazing that as much of a racist as he was, he was a hero to all these black people at his funeral and he had a great relationship with his Granddaughter, Destiny. How sad that Peter didn't get to see this side of him. It was heart-wrenching when his Mother left. I understood she saved herself, but how tragic that she didn't take Peter or come back for him later. I was saddened that Peter never tried to find her after he was grown. The best part of this book, of course, was the relationship between Ebony and Peter. The love described in this book between the two of them, was unlike anything I could have ever imagined. It made me think of my first love. It was a very powerful story.
March 26, 2015
It started slow for me. I almost felt as if the author was trying to challenge himself by having one of the main characters, Peter of the book also be an author writing one book, but two. I didn't find what Peter was writing interesting, but did not skip over it, due to not knowing how it would connect to the main story. Some parts of the book seemed unnecessary, however would have like to know about the transformation of Peter' father. Who as he was raising Peter presented as racist, however in his past when he was in the service held a dying black man in his arms. Then later demonstrated compassion, patience and love towards his granddaughter. I thought overall the book was ok. I would read another book by the author.
April 18, 2012
There were moments in this book that were GENIUS, but overall it was okay. I had such high hopes for this book too. I found it completely unbelievable that someone would be absent from their daughter's life for 19 years and their daughter would receive them so openly, even calling them 'daddy.' Further, who waits around for 20 years for a man who abandoned them and didn't have the cajones to stand up for them?? The silence from this side of the Internet means NOT ME =(
July 10, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. Pushing past some of the things that others have stated, if you allow yourself to open up and just read the book - you too will see that it is a good read. I read this for fun and enjoyment; not to find errors or to look for things in the book that I didn't like. I am not sure why the author changed the cover to this book but the copy I have has a woman at the top of it. To me it fits better than what I am seeing now.
August 5, 2010
It was a little hard to get into, but after the main storyline broke through, it became a better read. I liked that it didn't end with the main characters seeing each other again, but rather gave their story of their lives after the fact - that they actually did work out.
October 9, 2010
This is my favorite out of all of J.J.'s books. I loved the story of Ebony and Peter. Peter's childhood memories were great. My favorite of Peter's memories was of him drawing a picture of Ebony in the park. The ending is the best part.
October 26, 2013
I initially found it very difficult to get into this title by J.J. Murray. It took some months of touch and go, before I finally sat down and forced myself to finish what I started. In the end I’m so glad I gave it a chance; I ended up falling in love with this work of art.
June 13, 2013
I enjoyed this book quite thoroughly, Murray sure knew how to put some humor into his writing. However I thought that some parts were a bit unrealistic and boring, and the ending kind of dragged along. This book wasn't my favorite but overall it was pretty good.
March 31, 2009
I loved this book. JJ Murray rarely disappoints.
April 4, 2010
Original Love was really enjoyable. It portrayed a very real experience of a white man in love for the first time with a black woman.
May 28, 2010
My favorite JJ Murray book!! Can read over and over.
September 20, 2011
I enjoyed this story so much! Peter and Ebony show that time, heartache and distance can't keep true love from surviving.
March 20, 2012
This had a little more depth to it.
January 20, 2013
I loved this book, I've read other books by JJ Murray but this is the most unique and by far my favorite
June 23, 2013
This was the first J.J. Murray book that I have read. I found it interesting enough to make me want to read more of his novels, however, I did find that the plot dragged more than it should have.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews