Angelina Rivera was at the prime of her life. Surrounded by white sandy beaches, a good job and a condominium she called home. She relished in the peace Miami, Florida had to offer. But her life took a horrible turn when her mother fell ill; forcing her to leave her idyllic life and return to Taft Projects at New York's East Harlem, a place where memories of abuse, alcoholism and abandonment awaited her return. Daryl James ruled The Marcy Projects in Brooklyn, NY with his crack cocaine business by his twenty third birthday. He had it all; money, women and the protection of his former crack addicted mother who spoiled him rotten. One fateful night cost Daryl seven years at New York's Attica Correctional Facility. Upon his release his finished manuscript "Betrayal" was ready for print. Back home with his mother who now resided at West Harlem's Foster Projects, Daryl used money stashed from his hustling days to begin his new life as an author and publisher. From the moment they met Angelina and Daryl began a hot and heavy love affair like either had ever experienced. She stood by him, working hard to turn his dream of writing into a reality. Daryl's rise came at a painful cost when a one-night stand with a street chick named DeeDee became his worst nightmare. Soon Daryl, Angelina and DeeDee were entangled in a deadly game of lust, betrayal and murder; sending Angelina into a world of despair like she never imagined.
Maria Hernandez is an author of Puerto Rican descent born and raised in East Harlem, NY. For most of her adulthood Ms. Hernandez held various jobs in the Healthcare field as well as the Mortgage Banking business. In 2008 she wrote her first novel Trapped and has received critical acclaim for her suspenseful and eye-catching tale. In 2016, she re-launched her first novel along with its sequel, Trapped 2. Ms. Hernandez's first feature film Trapped, based on her first book, has won 2019 Best Feature Film award from the Urban Action Showcase film festival. Trapped the movie is in development to be distributed through various streaming channels.
This was a very entertaining book! I especially liked that the main characters were in the literary industry. It gave the story a very interesting spin. There were so many twists, turns and drama in this book! It kept me in suspense the entire time and the ending was totally unexpected. Trapped was a well written story that was easy to read. This is my first time reading anything by this author and I look forward to reading more of her work. I was given a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. I definitely plan on adding this to my book club's reading list.
Thank you MCT Publications for sending a free copy of this book; I enjoyed it!
In the first 40 pages or so, I would categorize this as a rated R gangster porno. The sex scenes were rushed and underdeveloped; in addition, the use and immaturity with some of the body parts (kitty, tootsie roll, etc.) was annoying to say the least. However, I plunged on, and the plot, character development, and emotion were worth it.
I found myself hating Daryl, emphasizing with DeeDee, and rooting for Angelina. My heart ached for the mothers in the story. As stated in another reader's review, the characters appear "real". They suffer relatable demons and struggle common battles. The end had me saying, "heck ya"!
I plan on reading the next book, for the writing got better after the first 40 pages or so. And, by the end, I found myself sneaking away to read what happened next, which these stolen moments remind me that this is a good book!
Just when her life couldn’t get any better, Angelina Rivera’s mother falls ill, forcing her to return to the Taft Projects in East Harlem, NY – her least favorite place in the world.
A powerful drug kingpin, Daryl James, at 23, has everything he wants in life – until one fateful night lands him seven years in Attica.
After his release, Darryl decides to pursue the publication of his debut novel, Betrayal, using the money stashed from his hustling days to launch his literary career – and while falling in love with the beautiful Angelina may not be in his plans, it certainly doesn’t hurt his efforts. She supports him through all the tough times – that is, until Daryl has a one-night-stand with the streetwise DeeDee. Before long, he, Angelina and DeeDee become entangled in a deadly game of lust, betrayal and murder, thrusting Angelina into a world of despair worse than she could ever imagine.
Trapped is nothing less than a fascinating read. With the perfect combination of superbly developed characters and intriguing plot lines, author Maria Hernandez’s surprisingly dramatic tale hooks readers from the very beginning and draws them further and further in with the turning of each fresh page. With just the right amount of suspense and realistic depictions, Trapped leaves one wondering just how much of the story is true, and how much is really fiction.
This book is amazing and so is the woman that wrote it . She is fully committed and dedicated to grabbing the readers attention and giving them all that they could ask for and more. This book had me at the edge of my seat wanting more. Read this book if you are looking for something that is truly entertaining and jaw dropping with unexpected plot twists and detail that will have you feeling as if you are front and center.
This book follows Angelina Rivera and her boyfriend, former drug dealer and author Daryl James. Daryl gets involved with another woman called DeeDee and a love triangle forms. Various tragedies occur and Angelina falls into despair. This story was interesting showing some of the negative aspects of life in New York City. There is an interesting twist at the end that makes a perfect starting point for the sequel!
This is a quick read entertainment book. It is an adult book because of explicit sexual scenes. It is about a drug dealer trying to go straight and his seemingly good girlfriend. The main characters have slippery morals, and no one has any sustaining moral fiber. It is a book that you would pick depending on your tastes in writing. I won it on Goodreads.