What a Woman Wants

Bennett Family #3

by Brenda Jackson

After a close friend commits suicide, Faith, Monique, and Shannon head to the beach cottage on Hilton Head Island. Determined to heed her advice and make the most of their lives, they make a pact to spend the summer embracing new adventures. They also embrace new men and a new best friend along the way.

Filled with profound passion and sensuality, witty dialogue and richly drawn characters, this is a story of women having fun, embracing life, taking charge, and doing the things they want –and discovering in the process that everyone deserves to kick the routine every once in a while, let their hair down and explore new things. And if the right man comes along, especially one who is willing to make an already hot summer even hotter, then pushing the envelope just might give her life the jolt it needs.

Genres: Romance, African American Romance

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 9, 2007

About the author

In 1994, Brenda Jackson’s first novel, Tonight and Forever, was released. Since then she has had more than 100 novels and novellas published (the first African-American author to accomplish such a feat) and has over 3 million books in print.

A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Brenda is the first African-American author to have a book published by Harlequin Desire and the first African-American romance author to make the New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller lists within the series romance genre.

In 2012, Brenda received the Romance Writers of America’s Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award—one of the highest literary awards a romance author can receive. In 2013, she was recognized by the mayor and the city of Jacksonville as being a Trailblazer in the literary field.

In 2010, she collaborated with Five Alive Films to turn her Truly Everlasting title into a feature film. Brenda’s 2011 novel A Silken Thread is scheduled to be filmed with Debbie Allen attached as director in 2015.

Email Brenda at authorbrendajackson@gmail.com or visit her on her website at brendajackson.net.

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me start off by saying this really was not a continuation of The Playas series because other than a Cameo of Lance and Asia and Lyle Montgomery being one of the men that A Woman Wants, it had nothing to do with it! This was truly a touching story of 4 women who had a bonded friendship for years and one of them decided life was not worth living and encouraged the other 3 to live life without regrets and to the fullest. Shannon to me had the hardest hurdle to climb over, she was influenced by false representations of what love truly was, thank God for Adam! Monique and Anna already knew their men, it was just a matter of letting go of their misconceptions and fears and just let love abound. Faith had been wounded and was scared to trust love being that Virgil lied and misrepresented who and what he was. I felt the book was good but at times lacked in bringing all the couple's together. A lot of time was wasted with all of the couple's by their hesitancy. I felt some things were drawn out and predictable, but Brenda's usual writing style was displayed. I would love to see more in-depth plots but overall I enjoyed the book! Another HEA for all!

[Dj · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a close friend Cely commits suicide, Faith, Monique, and Shannon head to a beach cottage on Hilton Head Island where they first met and became friends. Determined to heed her advice and make the most of their lives each day, they make a pact to spend the summer embracing new adventures. They also embrace new men and a new best friend Dr. Anna Ross-Fuller along the way (She finds love with Noah Wainwright). Filled with profound passion and sensuality, witty dialogue and richly drawn characters, this is a story of women having fun, embracing life, taking charge, and doing the things they want –and discovering in the process that everyone deserves to kick the routine every once in a while, let their hair down and explore new things. And if the right man comes along, especially one who is willing to make an already hot summer even hotter, then pushing the envelope just might give her life the jolt it needs. Faith meets Shane Masters her tennis coach, Monique reconnects with a family friend LyleMontgomery and finds he always loved her; Shannon meets Adam Corbian and gets over her uppity attitude with the mechanic/attorney.

Loved it, loved how the stories intertwined, lots of love, little drama

[Dawn “D-Love” · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too Many Characters to Keep Up With.

I started this as a read back in November of 2022 but could not finish because it was so long and drawn out. So I bought the audiobook.

I am so used to a character having their own book that this one had me confused about who’s story was being talked about at that time. This one involved four women and their relationships. It was very confusing and at times just wordy and the plot made zero sense. Don’t want to give away anything but the lady that died I’m not understanding why she did. What was the reason? The romance scenes took too long to happen. Also the narrator was not the best. At times I was confused if a man or woman character was speaking. Definitely not one of my favorite Brenda Jackson reads.

[Turtleberry Turtleberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Faith, Monique, and Shannon took a girl's trip after the fourth in their crew committed suicide. She had left notes telling them to live their life to the fullest.
While on the trip, each of them encounters a man who changes their lives. Faith meets him at the grocery store and he becomes her tennis instructor. Shannon meets him at an auto body shop and she thinks he works there and would make the perfect summer fling. Monique bumps into her brother's college friend that she used to have a crush on.
Each woman has some personal hurdles they needed to overcome before they could get to their happily ever after.
This book started sad but had a really good ending. I enjoyed it a lot. I also enjoyed Anna being added to the mix and her love story.

[Linda Epps - Dillon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good book in this series. I enjoyed the friendship/sisterhood shared by Faith, Monique and Shannon. I did however feel somewhat of a disconnect not knowing why their friend committed and that they had o inkling that she was struggling with something. I was happy they did take her advice and decided to live life to the fullest. Glad everyone received their HEA.

The bonus for me was the catching up with my all-time favorite Brenda Jackson couple Randolph and Jenna Fuller as well as the entire Fuller Clan and the Wainwright clan as their families were finally joined by the marriage of two prominent characters.

On to the next book in the series!!

[Denise Palma · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always I love all of Brenda Jackson books! This was an amazing story of three women who lost a dear friend and in her honor they vacationed together and found love while they were there. We also get the story on Adrianna and Zach, and the story on Lyle Montgomery as he falls for one of women in this book.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I just have to say reading it was really good I was sad when they're friend committed suicide with no explanation but she told them to live life to the fullest and do it good. In the end they found some good men who we're truly wonderful and these women learned to open their hearts to love.

[Ariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I liked the book I didnt like not knowing why she committed suicide. I know in real life we sometimes might not but I thought since it was a book she'd leave a clue or something. I also didnt like Shannon attitude towards almost everything.

[Rowena Winfrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Great Summer Read

What a Woman Wants begins with a tragedy. It is the story of five women, and their quest for true happiness. Do the women get what they want? You'll have to read the book to find out!!

[D'Andrea Virgil Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of love

Truly great book. These 3 friends and their neighbor all found love. It took the death of their best friend to bring them all together for a Summer they’ll never forget.

[Ava Smith-forrest · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a Woman Wants

Four women longing for love but afraid to take that leap each found true love on a summer vacation after taking the advice of special friend to live life to it's fullest and have fun doing it.

[Jen McGraw · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book, but it was very corny!

[KAREN MCCRAW · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book

I didn't think there was a Brenda Jackson book I hadn't read but I was wrong. So glad I found this one and the Bennett series.

[woodrow Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

True love

Amazing book . Made me want to go find my forever woman. Brenda Jackson books are wonderful and it brings out the lover boy in me every time I read one of her novel's.

[Yhana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I said I would give Jackson 3 tries, hoping the third time would be a charm, but I was proven wrong. I realize that a romance is supposed to have a predictable ending, but all her characters are the same, just with different names. Her writing style leaves much to be desired. The only redeeming quality of her books is the optimism around finding love and that is the only reason this book gets two stars. no more Jackson novels for me!

[July · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book about three friends Faith, Shannon and Monique was good. They go to a beach cottage owned by Faith's parents, to talk about the death a suicide of a dear friend Cely. They decide to go to the beach cottage in Hilton Head for the summer where the four of them met many years ago. The summer turns into a turning point for the women. ”

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome Read!, These four interesting women with different personalities all find out something new about themselves, and one another in this adventure. I enjoyed the fact that they each found love and enjoyed life without living up to others standards and expectations.... Very liberating for women looking for a new start.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great story about four friends and their pledge to live their lives to the fullest after one of the close friends committed suicide. However, I just don't see how it fit in with the previous two installments of the "PLAYAS" series. Awesome read though!

[Janice N. Haigler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Story

I passed this book by many times. I'm so glad I finally stop to read it. What a wonderful touching story of love and grieving. I enjoy reading about how happiness can come out of something so sad. Good Job Mrs. Jackson

[Mary Bailey]

Very good and quick reading book

[Anngi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the dynamics of each relationship in the book. The drama and spirited personalities keep the reader interested.

[Tiffany]

good

[Zainab · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cheesy is all I can say. The idea is interesting just not carried out well.

[Martine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice and predictable

[Chineka Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed feeling as if I were on a vacation while reading this book and the different characters.

[Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book! I was up for half the night at the time I read it…

[Kyra Gates · Rating 3 out of 5]

Looks interesting, I just read the sample

[Shanique Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. love all the characters. another page tuner by Brenda jakcson

[Julie Barrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

g read

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a Woman Wants is related to the story that began in Ties that Bind…concludes in What a Woman Wants.

Four separate love connections play out in this Jackson novel.