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Relations

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Frank Ellis has it all—good looks, a charismatic personality that draws people to his financial seminars in droves, and a multitude of women for the choosing. Unfortunately, it isn’t enough anymore.

As Frank leads one of his entertaining seminars on financial planning, one audience member captures his attention—the beautiful Delilah Carpenter from Savannah, Georgia. Bewitched by her charming accent and sexy curves, he is thrilled when he encounters her again in the hotel bar after the seminar. They go to dinner, but not before he has had too much to drink. After he makes a less-than-favorable impression, he passes out at the table, leaving Delilah to ensure he gets back to his room safely. When he awakens the next morning and discovers she has already checked out, Frank wonders if he will ever get a chance to redeem himself.

Frank and Delilah come from different races, different backgrounds, and different parts of the country. But in a passionate affair of two lonely hearts, only time will tell if all of that really matters.

266 pages, Paperback

First published May 31, 2012

205 people want to read

About the author

Pamela D. Beverly

5 books20 followers

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5 stars
4 (17%)
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16 (69%)
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2 (8%)
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1 (4%)
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
Profile Image for Robin Loves Reading.
2,899 reviews469 followers
April 8, 2018
Relations, by Pamela D. Beverly, is a romance, simply put. In every romance novel you have at least two things – protagonists and conflict. In this book,. Frank Ellis is delivering one of his many successful financial seminars. A woman in the audience, Delilah Carpenter, catches his eye…and vice versa. The conflict is that she is white and he is African American.

If this were the only conflict, per se, the story would fall flat. Frank travels extensively in his line of work. And, they live a thousand miles apart…not just in miles, but in differences. These differences not only directly affect how Frank and Delilah feel about each other, but in how the world around them affects this loving relationship. This book emphasizes how racism and cultural differences are still huge in this world. Her family's reaction to Frank's being African American is quite mixed. However, despite the problems encountered with their dating, Frank sees Delilah as a woman of the human race, not as another race itself, as many see it.

I was drawn into not just the issue of race, and how it affected the couple, but in the day-to-day challenges affecting this growing relationship. Character development was quite good. Believable. This was definitely a one-sitting read. I was rooting for Frank and Delilah, as well as their friends Andy and Twyla, as their relationship is quite similar. I look forward to reading more from Pamela D. Beverly.
733 reviews9 followers
March 22, 2018
This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

This book really makes you think over life and how you deal with issues - Delilah had the problem of a father who could not accept her African American boyfriend and had a boss who was sexually harassing her.

Frank dealt with health problems due to his smoking, and then had an ulcer later. During this, you can feel their struggles, their pain, and the love that they shared.

Really didn't understand when Delilah took a break to sort things out because of her father! Kind of backward to leave the boyfriend when it was her father that was the problem. But then kind of disappointing that Frank ended up in bed with a woman during this time.

Overall, it was an intriguing book full of issues that made you think along with hoping that Frank and Delilah would finally get their HEA!
10 reviews
March 25, 2018
This was generally an enjoyable read. Definitely not anything extraordinary, but there was a well thought out story and the author takes her time letting the story evolve-which is a good thing to me. The sex scenes are evidently not descriptive as the author tries to put the emphasis on the racial issue and not on the physical attraction that obviously binds the characters. In my opinion, it is a bit underestimated as if there is an apprehension about getting sexual...Overall, a nice read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
196 reviews
September 23, 2018
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book highly recommend getting your copy to find out what happens in this book. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book highly recommend getting your copy to find out what happens in this book. Relations, is a beautifully written book...If you like love and romance this book is for you...The characters are believable....It deals with a bi-racial couple who come to realize that society is still not ready to accept it

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Debbie Alvarado .
196 reviews3 followers
April 13, 2018
This is the story of Frank and Delilah, a truly sweet romantic love story. While not a fan of long distance relationships, the author shows how it can be made to work.
Frank's a gorgeous man with a velvety sexy voice. Delilah is curves and beautiful mane of hair.
This book shows how with any relationship you have to work hard to over come obstacles. Throw interracial issues into the mix and it gets even more complicated.
I received this book in exchange for a honest review.
Profile Image for Misty Goan.
2,809 reviews13 followers
April 9, 2018
A serious funny romantic story with believable characters. An excellent portrayal of the overall racial and interracial relationships how some people still do not accept. It's a realistic struggle of their realationship and their obstacles with plot twists

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
16.7k reviews155 followers
April 10, 2018
he is at the top of his game and he can have anything he wants. he meets her but there first meeting crash and burns. when he finds she has left the hotel he is upset. he wants to make it up to her. can he? will she see him again? follow his journey

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Harmony Kent.
Author 52 books389 followers
October 28, 2013
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

28th October 2013

4 out of 5 Stars

ABOUT THE BOOK:
"Frank Ellis has it all—good looks, a charismatic personality that draws people to his financial seminars in droves, and a multitude of women for the choosing. Unfortunately, it isn’t enough anymore.

As Frank leads one of his entertaining seminars on financial planning, one audience member captures his attention—the beautiful Delilah Carpenter from Savannah, Georgia. Bewitched by her charming accent and sexy curves, he is thrilled when he encounters her again in the hotel bar after the seminar. They go to dinner, but not before he has had too much to drink. After he makes a less-than-favorable impression, he passes out at the table, leaving Delilah to ensure he gets back to his room safely. When he awakens the next morning and discovers she has already checked out, Frank wonders if he will ever get a chance to redeem himself.

Frank and Delilah come from different races, different backgrounds, and different parts of the country. But in a passionate affair of two lonely hearts, only time will tell if all of that really matters."

MY THOUGHTS:
From the synopsis you don't really get a picture of what this book is actually about. Yes it's about relationships, and there is definitely romance throughout, but it is really exploring the many and complex issues of mixed race relationships when not all of the family are supportive or even accepting of it. This book is aimed at the adult reader, who is looking for a gentler paced novel. It will tug at your emotions, be prepared.

THE STRUCTURE:
On the whole this book is well set out and well presented. There is some need of minor copy editing, and a bigger need of proof reading. However, these issues are just low enough in number to not detract from the reading enjoyment over all. For this reason it gets a soft 4 stars from me, and with a little tidying up I would give it a good strong 4 stars. There is a lot of dialogue in this novel, and it has been done very well, keeping both the story and the characters alive and kicking.

SUMMARY:
I enjoyed this book, and it managed to keep my attention. It wasn't exciting or thrilling, in fact it was really quite gentle. Still, it was very well done. There is a strong romance/love element throughout the book, however there are many other aspects of relationships that are explored at the same time. This book is worth buying, and is well written, however it didn't have that certain magic spark that would lead me to give it 5 stars.
Profile Image for E.K. Ellis.
Author 6 books9 followers
February 2, 2013
It’s not the color of a person’s skin you fall in love with it’s their heart, soul, mind and spirit….
Relations invite you into the lives of main characters’, Frank Ellis and Delilah Carpenter.
Two people from different worlds discover in love there is no color. Sweetly told story of a couples fight for what is right for them.
The author tells the story with honesty and sensitivity. She touches on a subject of two different cultures coming together. The odds are stacked against them to succeed in a successful relationship.
Ms. Beverly brings to life the characters in her book. She conveys their emotions, conflicts, desires that bind these two people together and yet separates them.
Relations give an insight into the mind set of prejudice. How her character’s deal with it, their acceptance that interracial relationships is still taboo in the 21st Century.
Relations is a story of love without color it’s a tale of Frank and Delilah facing the issue of bigotry dealing with a long distance relationship and conflicts in their own personal lives. The author does a wonderful job in addressing those issues. She has performed a virtuous job in making you feel for her characters.
Relations, is a wonderful read and Ms. Beverly should be applauded for her debut novel.

Profile Image for Renee Deschamps.
57 reviews9 followers
November 6, 2013
I received this book in exchange for an honest review via RI&R.

First off: BRAVO goes to Ms. Beverly. Not only did she manage to have relatable AND likable characters in Frank and Delilah, she incorporated some many "normal" things that happen to people not of fiction.

I loved the pace of this story line, she touched on the unimportant day to day duties while making it believable, and not affecting the rest of the story. The fact that she gave ALL her characters personal issues, just as many of us have, ranging from insecurities to anxiety issues. The characters grew, and learned how to cope in a believable manner. I liked the aspect of incorporating different facets into the insecurities, having outside factors trigger their perceived shortcomings.

I admit, I thought in the beginning, it would be a run of the mill romance story, steamy shower scenes and such, but I'm happy to have been wrong. It's has been too long since I've read an ACTUAL love story, where the couple face problems and learn how to be in a proper partnership, and work together.

Thank you Ms. Beverly for pulling on my heart strings, and for allowing me a chance to read your novel. I'll be looking for your name in upcoming novels.
Profile Image for Cathy Smith.
205 reviews2 followers
March 23, 2013
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads. I enjoyed the book greatly. It had a very good storyline, and the characters were believeable. More people are now touching on the subject of the races mixing, and this book did a delightful job with that. It kept me interested the whole way through, and the ending was quite pleasing. Now for the next part of the story? It would be nice to see where they go with it in the future. One small issue with the grammar - I did catch a couple (2) places where a small word was missing (a, the). This book is a great read, and everyone should curl up and digest the way the situations turn out. I am glad there was a change of heart from the dad too. That really made me like the book. Hope to read more like this!
Profile Image for Sierra Ferrante.
39 reviews1 follower
March 30, 2013
A wonderful romance between two people who at first appear to have a lot of differences - they come from different geographical locations, different backgrounds, different races, but when you get past all the superficial stuff, they have a lot in common. Two people with good hearts who connect and show that there are some things greater than differences ... things like love.

Well-written, this is an exciting romance and a page turner from start to finish. Great dialogue, a clever plot, and characters you can't help but cheer for!

Disclosure: I won this book on goodreads, but the reviews expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Jaime K.
Author 1 book44 followers
December 4, 2014
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway.

Beverly shows the intricacies of relationships be they familial or romantic. She explores racist issues that still arise in our day and age, and not only for the main characters Frank and Delilah (Dee), but their friends Andy & Twyla and Dee's family. Religion is mentioned, but that isn't the main focus. And when disaster rears its ugly head, that's when a person's true heart is revealed.

The novel portrayed a realistic life that didn't bore me but made me want to know the end result. This was something where the ending wasn't 100% easy to predict because sometimes families just.....get in the way.
Profile Image for Laura Lucas.
14 reviews1 follower
November 11, 2013
I rated this 3 stars. The beginning starts off with Frank Ellis, a handsome financial planner and Delilah Carpenter, a beautiful southern belle. They make a perfect couple except that Delilah is white while Frank is black. It's a beautiful story about true love enduring all, racism, long distance relationship, and a jealous employer.

The story itself is very slow pace and
at times a bit mundane, but the romance itself is a beautiful thing.
Profile Image for Crystal Melbourne.
Author 5 books41 followers
August 14, 2016
Prose style: 4
Plot: 3
Depth of characters: 4
Originality: 4
Entertaining: 4
Emotional Reaction: 4
Intellectual Stimulation: 3

This is an adorable love story, Frank is just so sweet. I could also relate to many aspects presented in this book.
145 reviews
June 29, 2014
This book kept me interested and was fast paced. It is a good read for that rainy Saturday when you want to curl up with a good book. The the author comes across as earnest when it comes to human relationships. I hope there is a part 2.
Profile Image for Valerie.
113 reviews
January 20, 2014
Relations shows the racial and cultural challenges a biracial couple goes through as they try to build a relationship.
Profile Image for Alfred Long.
17 reviews
December 4, 2015
Frank Ellis, like all men, black or white, is resistant to change. The old, 'if it ain't broke don't fix it', are the words he lives by until Delilah Carpenter enters the picture.
Profile Image for Valerie Irene.
Author 3 books11 followers
November 10, 2016
Loved it. The story was an entertaining and engaging perspective on a biracial relationship.
Profile Image for Gladys Mills.
1,963 reviews8 followers
July 19, 2018
Relations. This was a story about a traveling spokesman, Frank, and a woman he meets at one of the seminars. Frank is an African American man who is mesmerized by a white woman and can't get her off his mind. They finally meet again in Savannah, but they discover Delilah's father is against a relationship with an African American man. So the story deals with the issues that come up with Frank and Delilah having an interracial relationship and a long distance relationship. They deal with all the issues that hurt and help the relationship. *** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews

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