What do you think?
Rate this book
Wouldn't Change a Thing
One woman’s seemingly perfect life is upended when her biggest secret becomes front-page news — with a penchant for lying, how can she turn her life around after so much deception?
Antoinette “Toni” Williams is beyond cloud nine. Not only is she a successful architect, but now she’s about to marry the love of her life, Lamonte Dunlap, Jr. But on the morning of her engagement party, Toni’s world comes crashing down when her family’s long-held secret of mental illness is exposed on the front page of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution .
Friends scatter, contracts dry up, and Toni is forced to face the truth about her shattered family. Lamonte assures her he will stick by her side, but Toni is embarrassed and ashamed. The only thing to do, she decides, is to return to her hometown of Sparta, Georgia, to face her inner demons—and her institutionalized mother—that she’s spent twenty-three years avoiding. As she reconnects with family and townsfolk, Toni learns you can always go home—the question is, what will you find when you get there?
A provocative and heartbreaking tale of family, illness, deception, and love, Wouldn’t Change a Thing explores the ties that bind and one woman’s harrowing and ultimately redemptive journey back home.
Antoinette “Toni” Williams is beyond cloud nine. Not only is she a successful architect, but now she’s about to marry the love of her life, Lamonte Dunlap, Jr. But on the morning of her engagement party, Toni’s world comes crashing down when her family’s long-held secret of mental illness is exposed on the front page of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution .
Friends scatter, contracts dry up, and Toni is forced to face the truth about her shattered family. Lamonte assures her he will stick by her side, but Toni is embarrassed and ashamed. The only thing to do, she decides, is to return to her hometown of Sparta, Georgia, to face her inner demons—and her institutionalized mother—that she’s spent twenty-three years avoiding. As she reconnects with family and townsfolk, Toni learns you can always go home—the question is, what will you find when you get there?
A provocative and heartbreaking tale of family, illness, deception, and love, Wouldn’t Change a Thing explores the ties that bind and one woman’s harrowing and ultimately redemptive journey back home.
- GenresAdult
240 pages, Paperback
First published July 14, 2015
5 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 28, 2015
The basis of the novel is around Antoinette known in short at Toni.
Toni is all charged up with her fiance Lamonte. They are soon to marry. He is very well off and has a mother from hell. She doesn't like Toni, that stands out a mile long.
On the day of her engagement party all changes, because in the newspaper appears her Mothers story and Toni's secret is revealed. Her Mother suffers from a mental health condition paranoid schizophrenic and she is looking for her daughter, Toni.
Of course, we can see that the engagement is going to end up down the pan.
Its not gonna happen.
How would you feel if all your family secrets were public news?
She returns to her Home town, and to her Mother, from there more things happen.
Its a very well related, very well thought out story that is believable and so engrossing.
I really enjoyed this.
I would recommend this to my book buddies who like these kind of reads
My thanks go to. Atria Books via Net galley for my copy
July 15, 2015
This was a nice story where mental illness is an underlying factor. That's not all it's about, but it's a big part of it.
In the beginning Toni is left at the altar at her engagement party (she should be glad to be rid of that monster-in-law) and loses her career because of a newspaper story that is run, on the front page. The story is talking about a mental health facility and interviews her mother who she hasn't seen for 23 years.
With no where to go, she heads back to her hometown and learns a lot of secrets and a lot of lies.
This story was very well told and the author did a good job with the characters and the portrayals. I highly recommend this book!
Thanks to Atria/Strebor books and Net Galley for providing me with this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review. I found it highly entertaining and was glad to have the chance.
In the beginning Toni is left at the altar at her engagement party (she should be glad to be rid of that monster-in-law) and loses her career because of a newspaper story that is run, on the front page. The story is talking about a mental health facility and interviews her mother who she hasn't seen for 23 years.
With no where to go, she heads back to her hometown and learns a lot of secrets and a lot of lies.
This story was very well told and the author did a good job with the characters and the portrayals. I highly recommend this book!
Thanks to Atria/Strebor books and Net Galley for providing me with this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review. I found it highly entertaining and was glad to have the chance.
August 30, 2015
"Until now, I never believed in karma. Not only is karma real; she's a woman scorned who'll stop at nothing for payback."
Can you imagine what would happen if your deepest, darkest secret was exposed? That is the position Toni found herself in and it turned her world upside down. Wouldn't Change A Thing takes us on a gripping journey into dealing with mental illness in our family and how karma works when we try to deny and hide important details of our lives from our loved ones.
I was already a fan of Stacy Campbell's work, but this book moved her into the "I will automatically read whatever she releases" category. So many folks, especially those in the African-American community, like to sweep the whole concept and just how serious mental illness is in our nation. Stacy dealt with the delicate issue in a very respectful manner and hopefully Wouldn't Change A Thing will ignite some much needed conversations and will help to eliminate the stigma and shame that currently surrounds mental issue.
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of Wouldn't Change A Thing in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2015
Masterfully written, Wouldn't Change a Thing is a literary triumph for author Stacy Campbell. This tale of one family's struggle to cope with and understand the truth of mental illness and the effects of long-kept secrets is nostalgic and heart-rending. The home town setting is as much a character as the people whose lives we are allowed to glimpse into. This was a seamless, hard-to-put-down read that I would definitely recommend to those who love a good story.
Adrienne Thompson
Author of SEPTEMBER (The Christina Dandridge Story)
Adrienne Thompson
Author of SEPTEMBER (The Christina Dandridge Story)
October 16, 2015
Every family has their secrets, and this one is no different.
Toni has built quite a beautiful life for herself. She is a successful architect, has a lovely home in Atlanta, mentors very deserving youth, and is about to be married to the man of her dreams. What more could she ask for? Just as she was about to exhale and step into the next phase of her life, a front page article in the newspaper sent her world crumbling down around her feet.
What lie between the lines in the article would send her back home to Sparta, a place she had avoided like the plague since her youth. Broken, bruised, and fragile, she would come face to face with herself and her past as she walked along the aisles of the Piggly Wiggly, or meandered along Main Street, or in the stillness of being on ancestral land which had long sense been abandoned.
In this place, she would discover that she is not alone. That when it’s all said and done, family is most important. In this place, she would learn to reprioritize. In this place, she would have to choose to embrace or deny her truth. In this place, she would learn that family sticks together and sometimes tough choices have to be made in order to protect others. In this place, she would learn that each person is just doing the best that they can at any given time.
Stacy Campbell has brought us a beautiful story that chronicles the lives of flawed individuals doing the best they can with the hand life has dealt them. Her words left the pages and made this reader feel as if I were walking along the dirt roads of Sparta, feeling the sun upon my face. She has delicately introduced the subject of mental illness, while expertly weaving the struggles that the afflicted and their families endure daily. She does so with grace and tact. Each character is allowed to go through their struggle, their own way with no judgment from her.
This is a wonderfully written story, one that I find no fault with. I highly recommend this 5 star read.
_____
Reviewed by Tumika
Toni has built quite a beautiful life for herself. She is a successful architect, has a lovely home in Atlanta, mentors very deserving youth, and is about to be married to the man of her dreams. What more could she ask for? Just as she was about to exhale and step into the next phase of her life, a front page article in the newspaper sent her world crumbling down around her feet.
What lie between the lines in the article would send her back home to Sparta, a place she had avoided like the plague since her youth. Broken, bruised, and fragile, she would come face to face with herself and her past as she walked along the aisles of the Piggly Wiggly, or meandered along Main Street, or in the stillness of being on ancestral land which had long sense been abandoned.
In this place, she would discover that she is not alone. That when it’s all said and done, family is most important. In this place, she would learn to reprioritize. In this place, she would have to choose to embrace or deny her truth. In this place, she would learn that family sticks together and sometimes tough choices have to be made in order to protect others. In this place, she would learn that each person is just doing the best that they can at any given time.
Stacy Campbell has brought us a beautiful story that chronicles the lives of flawed individuals doing the best they can with the hand life has dealt them. Her words left the pages and made this reader feel as if I were walking along the dirt roads of Sparta, feeling the sun upon my face. She has delicately introduced the subject of mental illness, while expertly weaving the struggles that the afflicted and their families endure daily. She does so with grace and tact. Each character is allowed to go through their struggle, their own way with no judgment from her.
This is a wonderfully written story, one that I find no fault with. I highly recommend this 5 star read.
_____
Reviewed by Tumika
May 20, 2017
Mental Illness. Something that's not discussed in the black community unfortunately. Antionette "Toni" Williams has the perfect life. She's at the top of her game as an architect, about to marry her fiancé Leo and moving on in life. Until a secret comes out that topples everything. She keeps telling people that her mother is dead, but that is not the truth. She actually has been committed to a psychiatric facility because she has schizophrenia. A very well written story about a very difficult topic but one that needs to be discussed.
December 28, 2015
I received an eArC of this book in exchange for an honest review
Hey I finished this last night I didn't update..
Okay this book!!! (!!!) (!!!!!!!) (more exclamation points!!)
Just. Just. Just. *words, help!*
So sososoosososo oh, I love this book.
*** FULL REVIEW : ****
Wouldn’t Change A Thing is a beautiful novel thorough and thorough. As beautiful as it is, this book is also heartbreaking.
Things happen for a reason. And sometimes, the one thing you think has been right all along isn’t. Have you ever realized that if one thing in your whole life didn’t happen right when it did, your life would have been entirely different?
This started out with Toni getting subtly dumped in her own engagement party, just in front of everybody. If that wasn’t the worst, all through the night she believed that she and her ex-fiancé will prove her ex-soon-to-be-mother-in-law. Turns out it wasn’t like that and this dude actually threw her stuff away and even called police accusing her of stalking him.
Great, I know.
Toni is a strong willed woman and is just as stubborn. She’s awesome, in general and we have to give it to her for being strong and keeping her head high through it all. AND she has awesome parents. Okay, her aunt and uncle were also cool but come on, Clayton and Russell and really cool people.
The romance here was just the beginning of an even more beautiful journey. Let me get this now, I love the ending.
The book wasn’t an easy ride. It had a lot of ups and downs especially with her mother. Actually, that’s where this book went around. Her mother, the struggles of trying to take care of her mother. More on to her family. And I love that about this book. I love how she moved on from the useless relationship with what’s-his-name and decided to rekindle her family ties while waiting for her business to pick up again.
This book involved a lot of moving on and looking far on the brighter side of life and that’s what makes it so beautiful. Life isn’t about what knocked you down or how long you stayed on the ground. It’s more about the effort of picking yourself up and swinging better than you were before.
Wouldn’t Change a Thing is very well written and had lovable characters. I love the character development in everyone and... just the whole book itself, really. I honestly didn’t like reading in her mother’s POV but I understood the whole point of it. I didn’t appreciate some of the people in the background because really, they’re not worth it but you know how life goes. Some people need to mess up with your life because just imagine how uneventful life would be without them. (Ex. That b!t(# of a woman who almost became her mother-in-law and that b@$t*^d who called himself a priest.) And remember, anyone who can’t accept you/your family for you/they are, he/she is not worth it.
Hey I finished this last night I didn't update..
Okay this book!!! (!!!) (!!!!!!!) (more exclamation points!!)
Just. Just. Just. *words, help!*
So sososoosososo oh, I love this book.
*** FULL REVIEW : ****
Wouldn’t Change A Thing is a beautiful novel thorough and thorough. As beautiful as it is, this book is also heartbreaking.
Things happen for a reason. And sometimes, the one thing you think has been right all along isn’t. Have you ever realized that if one thing in your whole life didn’t happen right when it did, your life would have been entirely different?
This started out with Toni getting subtly dumped in her own engagement party, just in front of everybody. If that wasn’t the worst, all through the night she believed that she and her ex-fiancé will prove her ex-soon-to-be-mother-in-law. Turns out it wasn’t like that and this dude actually threw her stuff away and even called police accusing her of stalking him.
Great, I know.
Toni is a strong willed woman and is just as stubborn. She’s awesome, in general and we have to give it to her for being strong and keeping her head high through it all. AND she has awesome parents. Okay, her aunt and uncle were also cool but come on, Clayton and Russell and really cool people.
The romance here was just the beginning of an even more beautiful journey. Let me get this now, I love the ending.
The book wasn’t an easy ride. It had a lot of ups and downs especially with her mother. Actually, that’s where this book went around. Her mother, the struggles of trying to take care of her mother. More on to her family. And I love that about this book. I love how she moved on from the useless relationship with what’s-his-name and decided to rekindle her family ties while waiting for her business to pick up again.
This book involved a lot of moving on and looking far on the brighter side of life and that’s what makes it so beautiful. Life isn’t about what knocked you down or how long you stayed on the ground. It’s more about the effort of picking yourself up and swinging better than you were before.
Wouldn’t Change a Thing is very well written and had lovable characters. I love the character development in everyone and... just the whole book itself, really. I honestly didn’t like reading in her mother’s POV but I understood the whole point of it. I didn’t appreciate some of the people in the background because really, they’re not worth it but you know how life goes. Some people need to mess up with your life because just imagine how uneventful life would be without them. (Ex. That b!t(# of a woman who almost became her mother-in-law and that b@$t*^d who called himself a priest.) And remember, anyone who can’t accept you/your family for you/they are, he/she is not worth it.
October 16, 2015
Wouldn’t Change a Thing by Stacy Campbell
Every family has their secrets, and this one is no different.
Toni has built quite a beautiful life for herself. She is a successful architect, has a lovely home in Atlanta, mentors very deserving youth, and is about to be married to the man of her dreams. What more could she ask for? Just as she was about to exhale and step into the next phase of her life, a front page article in the newspaper sent her world crumbling down around her feet.
What lie between the lines in the article would send her back home to Sparta, a place she had avoided like the plague since her youth. Broken, bruised, and fragile, she would come face to face with herself and her past as she walked along the aisles of the Piggly Wiggly, or meandered along Main Street, or in the stillness of being on ancestral land which had long sense been abandoned.
In this place, she would discover that she is not alone. That when it’s all said and done, family is most important. In this place, she would learn to reprioritize. In this place, she would have to choose to embrace or deny her truth. In this place, she would learn that family sticks together and sometimes tough choices have to be made in order to protect others. In this place, she would learn that each person is just doing the best that they can at any given time.
Stacy Campbell has brought us a beautiful story that chronicles the lives of flawed individuals doing the best they can with the hand life has dealt them. Her words left the pages and made this reader feel as if I were walking along the dirt roads of Sparta, feeling the sun upon my face. She has delicately introduced the subject of mental illness, while expertly weaving the struggles that the afflicted and their families endure daily. She does so with grace and tact. Each character is allowed to go through their struggle, their own way with no judgment from her.
This is a wonderfully written story, one that I find no fault with. I highly recommend this 5 star read.
_____
Reviewed by Tumika
Every family has their secrets, and this one is no different.
Toni has built quite a beautiful life for herself. She is a successful architect, has a lovely home in Atlanta, mentors very deserving youth, and is about to be married to the man of her dreams. What more could she ask for? Just as she was about to exhale and step into the next phase of her life, a front page article in the newspaper sent her world crumbling down around her feet.
What lie between the lines in the article would send her back home to Sparta, a place she had avoided like the plague since her youth. Broken, bruised, and fragile, she would come face to face with herself and her past as she walked along the aisles of the Piggly Wiggly, or meandered along Main Street, or in the stillness of being on ancestral land which had long sense been abandoned.
In this place, she would discover that she is not alone. That when it’s all said and done, family is most important. In this place, she would learn to reprioritize. In this place, she would have to choose to embrace or deny her truth. In this place, she would learn that family sticks together and sometimes tough choices have to be made in order to protect others. In this place, she would learn that each person is just doing the best that they can at any given time.
Stacy Campbell has brought us a beautiful story that chronicles the lives of flawed individuals doing the best they can with the hand life has dealt them. Her words left the pages and made this reader feel as if I were walking along the dirt roads of Sparta, feeling the sun upon my face. She has delicately introduced the subject of mental illness, while expertly weaving the struggles that the afflicted and their families endure daily. She does so with grace and tact. Each character is allowed to go through their struggle, their own way with no judgment from her.
This is a wonderfully written story, one that I find no fault with. I highly recommend this 5 star read.
_____
Reviewed by Tumika
July 31, 2015
A person cannot help the family their born into and this is true in Wouldn’t Change a Thing by Stacy Campbell. Antoinette Williamson is set to marry the man of her dreams until he decides to humiliate her at their engagement party. Lamonte Dunlap tells Antoinette he is calling off the wedding due to the recent news of her family’s mental issues. What started as a wonderful day turns into a nightmare Antoinette wants to forget.
After the news comes out about Antoinette’s family, she decides to go back to the beginning. When Antoinette returns to Sparta, Georgia to face her mother, whom she denies exist and face her other family members, Antoinette has to confess acknowledging the shame she feels of her family. Antoinette soon realizes that home is where the heart is even though her mother’s illness is beyond her abilities.
Wouldn’t Change a Thing is about redemption, family and knowing when to go home. This was a compelling story laced with secrets, mental illness and deception. The author does a wonderful job capturing the reader’s attention through colorful characters. I could not stop from wanting to help Greta as she dealt with wanting to reunite with her daughters. Greta is aware that it isn’t safe to be around her but she understands the meaning of family.
I could also relate to Antoinette wanting to leave her past in Georgia and not acknowledge her family’s issues. The story really displays how far that decision got her. This was a well-researched book and it shows in every page. I applaud Stacy for writing about a hidden topic in a way that will bring awareness. I definitely recommend Wouldn’t Change a Thing to others.
This book was provided by the author for review purposes only.
Teresa Beasley
A&RBC Reviews
5 Stars=Non-Stop Page Turner
After the news comes out about Antoinette’s family, she decides to go back to the beginning. When Antoinette returns to Sparta, Georgia to face her mother, whom she denies exist and face her other family members, Antoinette has to confess acknowledging the shame she feels of her family. Antoinette soon realizes that home is where the heart is even though her mother’s illness is beyond her abilities.
Wouldn’t Change a Thing is about redemption, family and knowing when to go home. This was a compelling story laced with secrets, mental illness and deception. The author does a wonderful job capturing the reader’s attention through colorful characters. I could not stop from wanting to help Greta as she dealt with wanting to reunite with her daughters. Greta is aware that it isn’t safe to be around her but she understands the meaning of family.
I could also relate to Antoinette wanting to leave her past in Georgia and not acknowledge her family’s issues. The story really displays how far that decision got her. This was a well-researched book and it shows in every page. I applaud Stacy for writing about a hidden topic in a way that will bring awareness. I definitely recommend Wouldn’t Change a Thing to others.
This book was provided by the author for review purposes only.
Teresa Beasley
A&RBC Reviews
5 Stars=Non-Stop Page Turner
June 24, 2015
I received an ARC copy of this book from Zane Publishing and NetGallery.com in exchange for my honest review.
I love life in the South. I’ll read almost any book that is based in the South because I know I will be reading about family, food, and tradition. Wouldn’t Change A Thing by Stacy Campbell is all of those things mixed in with a little bit of crazy in the form of Toni’s mother. She’s not just quirky or southern eccentric, but suffers from mental illness which is the basis for the novel. It was an eye opening story to the pressure and heartache a family goes through when one of their own struggles with mental illness.
What I love: The central theme of family is very strong throughout the novel and it is important because a disease like this doesn’t just affect the diagnosed person, but everyone within the family. T was beautiful to see the entire clan come together for Toni and Greta.
What I didn’t love: Twenty plus years of being separated with no contact and there aren’t heated arguments or resentment by anyone? Everyone is so quick to forgive and fall into each other’s arms – maybe I’m just cynical, but I was disappointed by the lack of conflict and realism about the situation. Perhaps this will come out later in a sequel…
What I learned: Like I’ve said before – family is the most important thing, no matter how long its been.
Overall Grade: B
I love life in the South. I’ll read almost any book that is based in the South because I know I will be reading about family, food, and tradition. Wouldn’t Change A Thing by Stacy Campbell is all of those things mixed in with a little bit of crazy in the form of Toni’s mother. She’s not just quirky or southern eccentric, but suffers from mental illness which is the basis for the novel. It was an eye opening story to the pressure and heartache a family goes through when one of their own struggles with mental illness.
What I love: The central theme of family is very strong throughout the novel and it is important because a disease like this doesn’t just affect the diagnosed person, but everyone within the family. T was beautiful to see the entire clan come together for Toni and Greta.
What I didn’t love: Twenty plus years of being separated with no contact and there aren’t heated arguments or resentment by anyone? Everyone is so quick to forgive and fall into each other’s arms – maybe I’m just cynical, but I was disappointed by the lack of conflict and realism about the situation. Perhaps this will come out later in a sequel…
What I learned: Like I’ve said before – family is the most important thing, no matter how long its been.
Overall Grade: B
July 20, 2015
I absolutely love this author (I've read her previous two books, Dream Girl Awakened and Forgive Me) and she does not disappoint with her third novel. This novel is an excellent read and addresses a serious, but often ignored, problem in the African American community...mental illness.
Toni Williamson is a successful architect living in the lap of luxury she’s created for herself through her architectural company. At the onset, Toni is preparing to marry the love of her life, an equally successful Atlanta resident. Here comes that big BUTT that is a signature of Stacy’s novels… Toni is not all that she leads others to believe. Behind the designer shoes, beautiful bags, and glamourous outfits lies a family secret that she guards with her life.
Apparently one of the voices in Toni’s mom’s head tells her to reveal herself and Toni’s family history to a reporter from the Atlanta Journal. Up until now, Toni has led everyone to believe that her mentally ill mother is deceased.
If you are looking to read a book from an up and coming author that has a PLOT with a meaning, you should definitely read this book.
Toni Williamson is a successful architect living in the lap of luxury she’s created for herself through her architectural company. At the onset, Toni is preparing to marry the love of her life, an equally successful Atlanta resident. Here comes that big BUTT that is a signature of Stacy’s novels… Toni is not all that she leads others to believe. Behind the designer shoes, beautiful bags, and glamourous outfits lies a family secret that she guards with her life.
Apparently one of the voices in Toni’s mom’s head tells her to reveal herself and Toni’s family history to a reporter from the Atlanta Journal. Up until now, Toni has led everyone to believe that her mentally ill mother is deceased.
If you are looking to read a book from an up and coming author that has a PLOT with a meaning, you should definitely read this book.
July 14, 2015
*I was given an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review*
Wouldn't Change a Thing shows us what can happen when you hide the truth...it always comes back to bite you in the butt. This book touches on a subject that is an often forbidden topic in the African American community...mental illness. It's often looked upon with shame, talked about in whispers, and ridiculed. Life has a funny way of revealing things to us, whether we're ready to see them or not. I fell in love reading this book, page after page. The love that you feel from the characters is real, and I enjoy the way they jump from the page, trying to tell us their story. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone! It's well written, the story flows effortlessly, and overall warms your heart!
Wouldn't Change a Thing shows us what can happen when you hide the truth...it always comes back to bite you in the butt. This book touches on a subject that is an often forbidden topic in the African American community...mental illness. It's often looked upon with shame, talked about in whispers, and ridiculed. Life has a funny way of revealing things to us, whether we're ready to see them or not. I fell in love reading this book, page after page. The love that you feel from the characters is real, and I enjoy the way they jump from the page, trying to tell us their story. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone! It's well written, the story flows effortlessly, and overall warms your heart!
July 15, 2015
**I received an ARC of this story in exchange for an honest review**
Toni's cousin Clayton took her to Atlanta on her 9th birthday. That's where her life changed. She's now an architect. She's been in business for 5 years but uses TONY as people tend to not go to female architects. Toni was engaged to Lamont. She had been with him for 5 years until he found out about her mom.
When I signed to read this, I thought it was about mental illness, but I read almost half of it and it was mainly what the daughter went through. It didn't hold my interest at all.
Toni's cousin Clayton took her to Atlanta on her 9th birthday. That's where her life changed. She's now an architect. She's been in business for 5 years but uses TONY as people tend to not go to female architects. Toni was engaged to Lamont. She had been with him for 5 years until he found out about her mom.
When I signed to read this, I thought it was about mental illness, but I read almost half of it and it was mainly what the daughter went through. It didn't hold my interest at all.
July 14, 2015
Antoinette "Toni" Willamson is a successful architect in Atlanta, Georgia. She is also ready to marry her longtime boyfriend Lamonte Dunlap Jr. On the day of their engagement party, Toni's world takes a drastic turn when a secret she kept hidden is revealed. A heartbroken Toni returns to her hometown of Sparta, Georgia in search of the answers to the questions she's had all of her life. I really enjoyed this book. The love of family and community is evident in reading this book.
August 26, 2015
I wouldn't want to be in Toni or Willa shoes. Having a mother that has a mental illness. They where giving to family members to be taken care of. And Toni went her whole life tell everyone around her that her mother was dead. But only to find out she is alive and in a mental institute. Also Toni engaged to be married. It was also called off. The family reunites. The the mental illness is still there. Will Toni find love in Evan? I do believe so. A very good read.
October 5, 2015
I really enjoyed The Williamson family story. Mental illness is real and can effect anyone and any family. The thing is you can't hide it and pretend it doesn't exist. It must be dealt with, treated and the person must be loved throughout the time. It's not easy as displayed in this novel. I thought it was thought provoking and a good read. A few errors but truly a good read.
July 21, 2015
I really enjoyed the story if Toni's life of dealing with a mother with mental illness. I laughed, I cried and I reflected. A great book that sparks and encourages people to open up about mental illness.
September 15, 2015
Stacy Campbell is one of my favorite authors and she didn't disappoint with this new novel. Her characters are vivid. The tension and description in her story was on point. As a fellow author, she is what inspires me to be better as I watch her style evolve. Great Job!
May 10, 2016
Not bad. This book was about a young woman dealing with her mother's illness, as well as her mother's take on what was happening. I liked that both voices were heard - the mom's point of view and the daughter's.
May 21, 2016
My first read my Stacy Campbell and won't be my last! The author tackled subject matters that are difficult. Mental illness and same sex relationships. Subjects that can be taboo. Those "keep quiet" subjects. It's about family sticking together and mending fences. I highly recommend this book!
Read
October 1, 2015i like the book.
October 13, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed this book as it shed light on the taboo subject of mental illness in the black family. I would love a sequel to see where Toni and Evan end up!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews