Every Woman's Dream

Lonely Heart, Deadly Heart #1

by Mary Monroe

Can You Keep a Secret? Bonus Novella Inside

Master storyteller Mary Monroe begins her Lonely Heart, Deadly Heart series with a page-turning tale of seduction and shocking surprises, as two unhappy women fulfill their every erotic dream—and find a desire that kills…
 
As teenagers, best friends Lola Poole and Joan Procter concocted a scheme to escape their boredom, pass the time between boyfriends—and bring in some money. It all started when they got in the habit of corresponding with lonely, unsuspecting—and generous—older men. In return for their “love letters,” the teens were rewarded with checks. The fun only ended when their swindle nearly got them killed. Now they’re grown, but they’re still longing for every woman’s dream of love and excitement…
 
Joan is unhappily married, while Lola is done with putting her life on hold for her selfish relatives’ demands. As girls they were looking for money, but as women they have other needs they want satisfied. And thanks to online dating and a parade of lovers, they’re getting all the sexy fun they missed out on. It’s a downright addictive game. But games can’t last forever—and someone has to lose…

Praise for the novels of Mary Monroe
 
“Readers who enjoy watching characters’ fortunes rise and fall will relish this tumultuous family.” — Booklist on Family of Lies
 
“Once again, Monroe displays her gift as a marvel with this sensational novel.” —RT Book Reviews on Lost Daughters

Genres: Historical Fiction, Urban, African American

448 pages, Paperback

First published May 31, 2016

About the author

I am the third child of Alabama sharecroppers and the first and only member of my family to finish high school. I never attended college or any writing classes. I taught myself how to write and started writing short stories around age four. I spent the first part of my life in Alabama and Ohio and moved to Richmond, California in 1973. I have lived in Oakland since 1984.

My first novel THE UPPER ROOM was published by St. Martin's Press in 1985 and was widely reviewed throughout the U.S. and in Great Britain. An excerpt is included in Terry McMillan's anthology BREAKING ICE. I endured fifteen years and hundreds of more rejection letters before I landed a contract for my second novel, GOD DON'T LIKE UGLY. It was published in October 2000 by Kensington Books. GOD DON'T PLAY is my seventh novel to be published, and it landed me a spot on the prestigious New York Times Bestsellers list for the first time! My eighth novel, "BORROW TROUBLE," was released December 2006. My ninth novel, DELIVER ME FROM EVIL, was released September 2007 and my tenth novel, SHE HAD IT COMING, was released in September 2008, and my eleventh novel THE COMPANY WE KEEP, will be released March 2009.

I won the Oakland Pen Award for Best Fiction of the Year in 2001 for GOD DON'T LIKE UGLY. I won the Best Southern Author Award for GONNA LAY DOWN MY BURDENS, in 2004.

I am divorced, I love to travel, I love to mingle with other authors, and I love to read anything by Ernest Gaines, Stephen King, Alice Walker, and James Patterson. I still write seven days a week and I get most of my ideas from current events, the people around me, but most of my material is autobiographical.

Reviews

[KayBee's Bookshelf · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am listening to this book on audible. I purchased the book on the strength of the author's previous works and the description made it appear to be a good choice. Based on the reviews, I do not feel like I had the same version that everyone else consumed.

I am 32 chapters in and it has taken me about 3 weeks to get that far. The pace is extremely slow. This story was, unstructured, uninteresting, long and painfully drawn out. At this point, I do not care for any of the characters in their adulthood as I did in their teenage years. I have yet to see any positive or redeemable characters. Silly, unmotivated, lazy teens turned into silly adults. The description and the story did not sync up. Maybe, I'll pick this up another time to complete the other half of the book once and for all, but not today. From other reviews, i see there is a cliffhanger and this is the beginning of a new series....I don't think I will be continuing this series.

UPDATE -Chapter 41 ish and something FINALLY got me interested in the outcome of this book. The male that was introduced should have been the focal point of this story and two women secondary. The redundant and mundane conversations between Lola and Joan could have been replaced with a character and scenes that brought something to the table. And of course just as the story peaked my interest it ended and you'll need to wait for book 2...If taking an introduction to a series and drawing it out by inserting with fillers and redundant conversations then waiting until the last 30 minutes of a 12 hour listen to actually get to the actual story is the new "Monroe" style, I will have to pass and just read the reviews and spoilers of the next book.

[Latiffany · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is terrible. I don't blame Monroe at all. I blame myself for reading it. Years ago, Monroe published the "God Don't Like Ugly" and "Mama Ruby" books and won a place on my list of favorite authors.

The final entries for both of those series weren't very good and the books that followed were awful. I promised I would stop reading her work, but I am a creature of habit and I have been hanging in there hoping that her work would improve.

It hasn't.

The title of this book has nothing to do with the content. A plot is revealed early in the book and is resolved quite simply thirty percent into the story. After that, the reader just goes through fifteen years of the characters' lives.

Another plot is thrown in about 80 percent into the story, but this is just a line tossed in to hook the reader into reading the next book in this series. That's not going to happen-at least not with this reader.

[Maya B · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was a quick and easy read. this book was my least favorite by this author. Not as much drama as her other books.

[Dorothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was overall a good book, but I felt like it took way too long to get to the point. Near the end the book gets really exciting. I was upset to find out that this is a series though...ughh! Now, I have to wait until March 2017 to find out what happens to Joan and Lola! I do not like, "to be continued," books! Blah!

[Ye'Vell Hopkins · Rating 1 out of 5]

Are you kidding me??!

Chapters Book Club member review: Seriously Mary, a cliff hanger on such a trifling book?!! The only reason I completed the book is because it was a book club pick; you would have to pay me to read the second half of this story!! The book begins with two conniving young girls, one becomes a lying, cheating, ungrateful wife and mother and the other one is just dumb (even though the author attempts to have us feel sorry for her, I'm not buying it!). Add in a serial killer and I am done!! I've read other books by this author, but I don't recall any of them being as bad as this one was, the writing was repetitive, stilted and left me with the impression that it was written by a novice...bye (Feliciia) Mary Monroe!!!

[Stacey Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book and it kept you wanting more.

[Joi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ummm...I liked this book but I think it could have been better. The time periods were moving too fast for me. I liked the characters, but they both had flaws. The ending came too late and didn't have a chance to get fleshed out more. I think that should have been introduced earlier in the book.

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exceptional read from page one. Loved the new characters and all the craziness that comes along with their personalities. This is going to be a great series.

[Lesa Divine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joan and Lola starts scheming men for money as teenagers.
As they grow up. Joan is married in a sexless marriage while Lola has been trying to keep her promise she gave her father before he died. Lola life just seems to be stuck. She's living in her stepmother house and living curiosity through her friend Joan.

Joan marriage isn't all what she thought it'll be especially when her hubby bedroom charm is weak. She finds herself getting it on with other married men.

But theres a mystery of murders of women going on too in tgis area.

Enjoyed a lot. On to part 2.

[Zandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my least favorite of Monroe's books. What frustrated me the most about it was that she constantly mentioned that Lola and Joan joined a lonely hearts club to take advantage of elderly men by writing letters to them and accepting their cash. Actually, in my opinion, Monroe kept rehashing a lot of things in this book as if her readers had short attention spans and couldn't remember what they read in the previous chapter. I grew tired of hearing about how much Joan loved sex or how controlling Joan's husband was or how manipulative Bertha was. She even kept saying the same thing when the Calvin character was introduced. BTW, this book ended on a cliffhanger. Will I read the sequel? I doubt it.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Orsayor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lola + Joan = Messy Boots

Review & Giveaway coming soon!

[Tynece · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can do without the Donald Trump references......

I predicted the events of this story.....it was just too obvious...

[Joyce M. H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read, waiting for the next book in the Lonely Heart series.

Hopefully Lola can change Calvin's cold heart and his wicked ways.

[Racquel Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

Struggle

I really don't know what happened while reading this book. It felt dragged out and took sometime to get interesting.

[Antoinette Pearce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know where this book was going at first and it seemed all over the place! However the root of the story is very interesting and the pieces were starting to fall into place toward the end. I will definitely continue the trilogy.

[Melanin Seduction · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was definitely a page turner for me I've fell in love with Mary Monroe 's work when I started reading Red Light Wives and I couldn't put the book down especially with this one she has kept me on my toes in this book just like the others onto the next book Never Trust A Stranger and at the end of the book I feel like Lola needs to be careful with this new guy Calvin she met online and I really feel like she needs to put her foot down when it comes to Joan i feel like even tho they are best friends I feel like Lola is a follower and I just hope that Joan doesn't lead her into a situation she can't get out of I feel like Bertha needs to stop using Lola as a clutch let that girl live and stop sabotaging every potential relationship with a man she will never get married if she's always in the middle of it and she has 2 grown ass kids and they need to help to take care of their mother so Lola can start living her best life I think that she's using her daddy's promise to her advantage!!! She needs to stop!!!

[BW Diva · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read the author kept your interest in this book try to figure out what the two friends was up to. They was some brave girls and Lola just had a hard time dealing with Bertha, she was controlling her life. Joan just had some serious issues and her husband is something serious. It ended letting you know that it is a series. But if you love Monroe books you will love this one.

[Beverly Vick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Blockbuster for Mary Monroe

This was a page turned for me. I've read another series by Mary Monroe and this one is just as exciting . However, I didn't like the way some of the characters were developed and then just dropped off the radar. The story line is interesting and informative. Monroe fans are sure to enjoy this book.

[Raven · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.4 ⭐️. Lola seemed to never stand on business. Her thought process was always people pleasing. Joan seemed to never be satisfied smh. Always looking for what’s next. My rating started to decrease as Joan and Lola storyline continued chapter after chapter. Was a slow burn until Calvin! He came in and changed the trajectory of the storyline.

[Terri-Ale Sanders · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book, but I didn't see the serial killer part coming. I don't think Calvin's character is a good fit in a book like this. He just started killing women because of what his wife did to him? I really didn't like the way the book ended well it didn't end it's to be continued...

[Felicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was kinda all over the place with no real meaning. Then another character was introduced into the picture and all the pieces didn't fit together. The ending seemed rushed and unfinished. I would not recommend this book.

[Nicola Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very slow but to be expected in the first book of a new series but if just seemed to drag on forever... I read 3 other books while reading this one. I’m excited for the next book though... Ive ordered it already.

[Cynthia Chargois · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nonsensical

I have loved Mary Monroe series in the past but I found myself shaking my head a LOT at the story line. While I finished the book and will likely continue the series, I did not find it an intriguing read.

[Jeanetta Glass · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where the heck did Calvin come from? the suspense is so intense and then the book ends... When is the sequel going to be released? I'm ready!!!

[Nicole Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like that a new character was introduced so close to the end, only to have to wait for the sequel to know what happens next.

[Melanie Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

.sorry, did not care for this book

[Crystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this book was longer than it needed to be.

[Michelle Hill · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was awful. It has been added to my DNF pile. The story keeps rehashing the same things over and over again, almost like the author had a page count she had to meet. The characters make no sense and honestly the fact that a 17 year old girl is having a baby and marrying a grown man is made to seem normal. It’s not! This isn't the 30’s where that was acceptable. This book takes place in modern times (they had cell phones), so no one would think its a good idea for a 17 year old in high school to marry a man who had clearly gone through college and dental school. These girls are doing way too much and are written as if they are grown women when they are teenagers. Honestly the way they are written is not the way teenagers act today. It’s like she was writing from the perspective of them being grown but just added their younger ages because in her mind she wanted them to be teens. I read the second book in this series not realizing it was a 3 part book. I backtracked to read this book before I tried the 3rd book. Lola is just dumb on all fronts and I was annoyed with her in the 2nd book, but trying to read this 1st book makes me even more annoyed with her. I am going to try the 3rd book just to see if I can round out this series, but I don't have much hope.

[Jasmine Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ok. I see that this book was basically a back history to the next book. However the title and the contents of the book are two completely things. I am still curious to read the next book because I want to see what’s going to come from the last few chapters. I will say raging Calvins perspective was pretty cool. I think the author should have focused more on the website the girls joined from the beginning and allowed us to read some of the other men from the site point of view because I have to agree with the other reviews the whole beginning is pretty boring and does not have anything to do with the remainder of the book. So for that this book is just ok in my opinion let’s see what the next one is like.