Cover Girls

by T.D. Jakes

This compelling novel follows four women as they learn to balance children, estranged husbands, boyfriends, and problems at work through their faith in God.

Michelle, Tonya, Mrs. Judson, and Miz Ida. African-American, white, rich, poor -- they seemingly have nothing in common. Yet every day they face the complex realities of twenty-first-century urban life as they try to balance their needs with their belief in God. Through the course of a year, these women must come to terms with the past, discover their true identities, and recognize the unexpected miracles that reveal God's all-encompassing love.

These four women entertain us and invite us to join in their lives. As they welcome us, they also introduce us to the men in their lives. The men play supporting roles, adding color and zest to the lives of the Cover Girls.

Bishop Jakes knows the struggles real women encounter and the losses that make it difficult to face the future. He brings compassionate insight and deep wisdom to this novel and proves that he is not only a gifted preacher, but a born storyteller.

Genres: Fiction, Christian, Christian Fiction, Adult Fiction

266 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 8, 2000

About the author

Bishop T.D. Jakes is the author of the bestsellers God's Leading Lady; The Lady, Her Lover and Her Lord; Maximize the Moment; The Great Investment; His Lady; Woman, Thou art Loosed (the film of which won the Best Film Award at the Santa Barbara Film Festival) and He-Motions. His daily morning show The Potter's Touch and weekly broadcast The Potter's House air on Trinity Broadcasting Network and Black Entertainment Television, as well as in Europe and South America. Bishop Jakes is the founder and pastor of The Potter's House, one of the fastest-growing churches in the nation, where he leads an interracial congregation of more than 28,000 members. He lives in Dallas with his wife and five children.

Reviews

[Sweetrica Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

T.D.Jakes is an AWESOME writer and it shows with Cover Girls. When I read this book I was working long hours at work and would be tired when I came home but instead of sleeping the weekend away, I cut the phone off and read this book til I was finished. It was good from the beginning until the juicy end. I even felt revived because I realized that I had to get over some of my own Covers that I had pulled over myself. After reading this book I felt so changed and better for that changed. Even healed.

[Terri Tinkel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is by Bishop T.D. Jakes who often appears on the Dr. Phil television program. It was interesting because Bishp Jakes believes that there are four seasons in a woman's life. Spring is the first season when a girl relies on care, protestion and nurturing to grow into a lovely flower.
Summer is when the "seeds" planted in youth begin to fully bloom. Fall is when the strength shows, great peace and settling into who she is and what she will become. Winter is when her life is not done or finished but she may have new things in her life.

Bishop Jakes tells a story of 4 such women who come together and learn from their mistakes and misunderstandings and grow stronger. There were a lot of bible lessons in this book and the last part was very heavy in that way. But there were some good ideas presented and lessons to be learned.

[Wanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I appreciated the central theme of this novel. God can work out your situation and bless you if you allow Him to, but He may sometimes use people you never would have expected. Also, one of the main characters is Michelle. If you've read Woman, Thou Art Loosed, you'll remember her and getting an update on her is nice. What I didn't like about this book is the elementary style it was written, and some parts of the novel were so cheesy it was just uncomfortable to read. For example, the part where Michelle, Tonya, and Shad are at a nice restaurant (I'm assuming it was nice since it had a maitre'd), and Michelle gets the everyone in the restaurant to sing and dance to a song she's made up about Tonya's hair. Where do they do that at? It was just unbelievably stupid.

[Shayla Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

great book!! this is my first book I have read by T.D Jakes, and it will not be my last. the people in the book had their only little stories which was great . It shows and explains how everyone has their season that their going through whether it be winter spring summer or fall. It is a wonderful read !

[Myesha-Tiara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Favorite Quote: “You can be pitiful or powerful, but you can’t be both.”~Michelle

Four different women from different walks of life…or maybe not so different encounter and show up in each others worlds in ways that set them off kilter. We meet Michelle first who is definitely on 10 from the first page. With all that has happened in her life she needs a Lifetime special, however she finds comfort in her elder Miz Ida, who wants everyone to come to the Lord.

Tonya is next who is a strong believer but has worked so hard on the inside that she forgot about her outside. She has a teen son, a dead son and a ex husband who went running when things got tough.

Mrs. Judson is Tonya and Michelle’s boss who has her on set of problems raising her granddaughter. Some of the decisions she makes in regards to that child just repeats the cycle unfortunately. Also her story would have been a great book all on its own and focused on her granddaughter.

Miz Ida’s pov is last and it reads more like a narrator or forgotten person not as develop as I would have liked it to be.

I do think it is a good fiction Christian book for those women who are interested in that genre.

[Brianna Codner]

i knew this book was going to be great because my mother read it and she loves to read and i thought that if she read it and got through it i knew i could too. i also noticed who it was by, Pastor T.D. Jakes and hes a great guy so i have faith in the book. its supose to be about 4 woman ranging from white to black rich or poor and have nothing to do with each other. yet everyday they face the realities of life and how modernized things are becoming in their life while trying to balance religion too. i am hoping that this story teaches me life lessons that i can use to make the right decisions or connect to in my everyday.

[Melloways · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe T.D. Jakes wrote this with his scary looking self. Doesn't he look like Mr. Brown from the Madea plays? Anyway, he seems to be really in touch with the female mind...it's scary...or either he's lying. Only God knows.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do your best not to take a person's actions to personal because you never no the person's story. Basically everything is not what it seems. It could just be a cover or they envy you because you are in the position where they wish to be.

[Laura M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives a good lesson on how to recover from past hurts, learning to love yourself, and allowing yourself to be loved. It is scripture based and uplifting

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like all of TD Jakes books. This is his first novel and it is well done. I loved the ending especially...it made me think about my own past life. Very Good!!!

[Ruby · Rating 5 out of 5]

like this book also attented the play it was relly good read and see if any of the women you might know or you may find one of them in yourself ... let me know !

[Shontay Toran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone is different but we should all be able to relate

[Tyrrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to believe that the four characters in this book represented the best (and worst of us). I was joyful to see good triumph over evil.

[Kezia Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! It made me shout hallelujah and praise God all at the same time. T.D. Jakes is another one that cease to amaze me.

[Trish Boese · Rating 3 out of 5]

3* It was something to read... not fabulous but okay.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

[Shelley Bradford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great. I think ever woman coming into her own should read this book. It's an eye opener.

[Niccoya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. It's a pleasant surprise to read about the struggles of women from a male author.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finished better than it started . . . ;).

[Shannan Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised when I found this book at our local library. It looked interesting, so I decided to check it out. I'm glad I did. It was a very good story.

[Shamika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book brought so many common issues to the surface. TD Jakes does an excellent job expressing the trials and tribulations African American women experience. He tied their lives to their childhood and family experiences. He shows how they can determine right path to follow and make changes to improve self and later their children.

When Mama looks at you she looks at the sin that made you, not the beauty that came out of it.
The issue hangs around your neck like a rope waiting to choke you. Things in your life are always going to be off kilter until you make peace with who you are, where you come from, and who you belong to.
You do not want to deal with the past, so you just keep repeating it over and over again. A pattern that is etched into yourself. You can stop it by seeing things clearer and praying about it. Something bad probably happened to your mother and now she is doing the same to you, without realizing it. She can not see it. You can see what went wrong and that means you can change it. You do not have to allow history to repeat. You do not have to allow another child be hurt, and you do not have to allow yourself to be hurt any longer.

[Dani · Rating 1 out of 5]

I abandoned this story after 25 pages. Perhaps I will give it another chance at some point, but I couldn't get past the slangy tone of the writing. This surprised me because I am generally attracted to slang from all cultures. However, the black urban hipster tone of this book smacked me in the face from the first page. As a black girl, I hear plenty of this speech pattern in real life and it doesn't bother me. It can actually be quite funny when used properly. In writing, it comes off as stilted.

[Jacquitta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent book that speaks to real situations. At times the writing can be pedestrian, but the content as a whole out shines that flaw. Bishop Jakes does a phenomenal job of speaking truth to real women's experiences. Most of us know of a Miz Ida, she represents many grandmothers or church mothers across the nation. The characters in the book are real and relatable. There are truths here that can help any woman whose been in any of these situations. Worth the read!

[Blsd_BkWm · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was a read on the different stages women going through (using the seasons as a metaphor). Some of the characters were underdeveloped though so it left a lot to be desired. Some of the scenarios just weren't believable at all!

[T · Rating 1 out of 5]

Got to chapter 6 but couldn't spend any more time reading it. Just wasn't engaging.

[E G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amen, in Jesus name, Amen!!!! Read this it my reach your heart.

[Lane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Predictable at best, I was excited that he branched out but I was not thrilled with this read at all.

[Shernell Brown]

Preview starting off good

[Michelle Renae · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fun and easy read. (If I wasn’t moving and things while reading the book it wouldn’t have taken me so long. )This is a literal page turner. You get engulfed in the characters and feel the heartache and pain and anxiety of the characters as if it’s your own story. I loved how the book talks about different seasons while also going through the seasons of the year. Honestly a fantastic idea.TD Jakes really did his thing in this book. Highly recommend- a great book for a quick summer read, cozy fall day, cozy winter, or a beautiful day in the spring. HIGHLY RECOMMEND

[Muriel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read, but not too much thought-provoking material. Enjoyed thinking about the seasons of life. The story was structured with 4 women in different seasons of their lives. There is an obvious religious influence. A prevailing theme was about overcoming our sexual pasts -whether it is abuse, abortions, and molestations