Love Is...

by M. Eliot

One way or another, everything that takes place in the dark will eventually be brought into the light. Love Is..., the gripping novel of the worst betrayal and deepest bonds, tells the story of Debra and Jasmine, two women whose powerful friendship must transcend the most sinister impulses of the men who are in their hearts. It's a searing, raw story, where lives hang in the balance of every twist of the plot. Debra and Jasmine's friendship has endured the best and the worst of times, from the joy of motherhood to the pain that comes with loving men who are on the perilously wrong side of the law. When Jasmine's boyfriend Charles, the father of her child, spends time behind bars and is ultimately released, events take place that force her to let go of her love. Debra, however, has forged a life around her family with her husband Darren. Though he has vowed his lawless days are over, there is plenty of evidence that he is still trading in dangerous behavior. What remains hidden from the two friends is that their mates, who were also formerly great friends, are now viciously at odds. The rift between the two men not only leads them on a collision course, but also weaves Debra and Jasmine into their war in ways that may threaten their friendship, as well as the lives of those whom they care most about. At the same time, the two women find support they never imagined possible in a group of strong and soul-searching women who help them face their own dreams and demons. As loyalties are tested, secrets are revealed, and lives are on the brink of being shattered, Love Is..., offers a stirring, thought-provoking testament to how each person's actions, dark or light, play out in powerful, sometimes heart-breaking ways. It's a must-read for anyone in search of intrigue, romance, and what love really is at its highest stakes.

288 pages, Paperback

First published July 12, 2012

Reviews

[African Americans on the Move Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Is… definitely not what you think it is. Instead, we are thrown into the chaos that is the life of two women, who are dedicated to men that aren’t quite what they seem. Debra is in love with her husband, Darren, who is not only the father of her daughter, Erica, but is also her everything since the tragic loss of her other family members. Jasmine is in love with Charles, who is her son, Charlie’s, father and also her ex, since the choices she made while he was incarcerated led to their break up.

As the story unfolds we find that Darren and Charles used to be each other’s right hand in the drug game, but are now at war because Darren feels that Charles has double-crossed him and he is out for revenge. Charles, on the other hand, is the only one who knows the real Darren and has decided to settle the score on his own terms. What neither of them thought about were the consequences of their actions, or how their spontaneous decisions would affect the women in their lives.

When Charles puts down Jasmine’s attempt at rekindling their relationship, she unwittingly falls for the second man that Darren has placed in her path in order to get back at Charles. When Debra finds out that Darren is still in the life, and their entire relationship was built on lies and deception, she must make the ultimate choice.

M. Eliot tells a very enjoyable tale full of unsuspecting twists and turns. The beginning of the story drags a little, but once it picks up momentum, that energy lasts till the end. As the characters lives blend and shocking secrets are uncovered, we are shown the depths that love take you to as well as what Love Is… for each person involved.


Michelle Cuttino
AAMBC Reviewer

[Trish Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

if anyone knows where i can find this author please get in touch with me some how i know this man and lost touch with him.

[Tanielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one. Darren was a piece of work to say the least with all the foolishness he had going on it was hard to believe that Debra didn't have a clue about it. I thought Damien was a foolish distraction seeing where she worked and he lived but everyone deserves a second chance I guess. What he was plotting was a bunch of bull and Jasmine didn't deserve to be caught up in any of it. I hate what happened with Charles but I guess someone had to take it. Jasmine did him dirty so in the end Darren won.

[Jo Notary]

289pgs, contemporary, these two women are friends, and have loved men on the wrong side of the law. What remains hidden from the two female friends is that their mates, who were also formerly great friends, are now viciously at odds. The rift between the two men not only leads them on a collision course, but also weaves Debra and Jasmine into their war in ways that may threaten their friendship, as well as the lives of those whom they care most about.