I received this book as part of a traveling book club. I didn't personally choose this book. So, for the sake of not wanting to interfere with the authors star rating since this wasn't a book I actively sought out I will not officially rate this book. Unofficially, I would say I'd give this book at 2/5. As with all novels that may not be for me...I like to say that just because it wasn't for me doesn't mean it won't be for someone else.
The story follows Kateevah who is introduced as a single mother FMC at the beginning of the story. Her daughter, Unique, is the product of a one night stand she had when she was 18. She never got any identifying information for the man who fathered her child so she has been raising her daughter as a single parent (with the help of her mother) for the past 7 years. A chance encounter at a club one night brings her face to face with Unique's father (Draylon) who is head of a crime family. Afterward....randomness ensues.
I was following the story in the beginning but then random details and side storyline would start popping up that didn't quite seem cohesive with the story. There's the FMC who is a (in the beginning) a strong Black single mother with strong morals. After a short amount of time being in forced close proximity of Unique's father (who has a wife that Kateevah knows about) she becomes a whiny, selfish, entitled brat. The FMC and MMC (for me) didn't have any chemistry. Their entire "relationship" was physical with the connection of sharing a child. Even their physical relationship was a bit awkward. The MMC supposedly had a good and kind wife...until she all of a sudden wasn't. The MMCs family storyline was also very inconsistent. And then. more randomness ensued.
Then there was the sideline story of Kateevah's mother (Belladonna) being a full adult in age but a whole child in attitude. She was carrying on a relationship with a character around the same age as her daughter and was in the toxic push and pull of jealousy, fighting, arguments, and shallow break ups just to turn around and get back together.
Then there was the best friend (Latasia) who was also in a weird toxic relationship in the beginning but started a physical relationship with another character that was initiated by the exchange of money and the promise of a house and car. The character opposite Latasia was supposed to be some sort of Dom but that situation (for me) was a bit cringe. He dominated her sexually, disregarded the proper use of a safe word, and then after having his way with her got up and left because "she needed time to be alone." WHAT!? There was no aftercare or general concern for her physical or mental well-being. And later she is apparently in love with this character...who again (IMO) they had no chemistry. He literally flirted, had his way with her, and told her to get out. And she went from 0 to "I love him" in 2.5 seconds.
I am the type of reader that visualizes a story in my mind as I'm reading. With that being said, the dialogue of the story felt a little unnatural. I couldn't get a comfortable visualization of the characters in their situations. It didn't feel as if any of the characters had any growth and the transitions from scene to scene were a little off and a dissatisfying conclusion to a somewhat big conflict and another storyline that was just glossed over.
I've read books by authors before that weren't what I was looking for out a reading experience but their other works turned out to be some of my most-liked reads. I have another book by this author and am hoping that is the case. Again, I stress that just because this wasn't what I was looking for out of a reading experience doesn't mean it won't be a 5/5 for someone else.