What do you think?
Rate this book
Risking It All
The last three years of Kenya Davis’s love life were rife with false starts and heartaches in her pursuit to get back her ex-boyfriend, Dave. The one bright spot she clung to was her job as a health scientist with the CDC. When she received a promotion that placed her in the field, working with the homeless under the interstate bridge, Kenya saw it as the distraction she desperately needed.
Simon Washington lived a charmed life before his world came crashing down around him. One fateful night full of confusion and heartache sends the once-affluent businessman on the run from the law, leaving behind his wife, a thriving business, and his social status.
Finding Simon, dressed like a homeless man sends Kenya life into a tailspin. Kenya wanted to comfort him, despite the warning bells going off in her head. Was he the dangerous criminal described by the news or the same guy she knew from college? Should she trust the man who fell into her world and crowded everything else out?
Simon felt drawn to the courageous, kind-hearted spirit who refused to protect herself from his drama and accept that her trust in him put her in danger. He had to push her away, but the sweetness of her presence was hard to give up when he needed it so much. There were answers he couldn't give her and a truth he had to keep hidden.
Risking It All follows Kenya and Simon as their worlds collided in an unexpected mash-up of uncertainty and desire. Can they navigate a minefield of emotions and close calls to find and maintain their freedom and maybe even love—with or without each other?
119 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 19, 2017
3 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
About the author
Joyce d'Mot
4 books3 followersJoyce d'Mot writes sexy contemporary Black romance and publishes under her imprint, Sand and Sable Publishing.
A hospice administrator whose days are often defined by death and dying, Joyce celebrates her love of life through her work as a romance writer. She serves as president of Women's National Book Association - Atlanta Chapter, and is a member of Georgia Romance Writers, a chapter of Romance Writers of America.
Joyce is a self-confessed foodie and romantic at heart who enjoys travel, reading, fine dining, and rap music. She resides in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and three children.
A hospice administrator whose days are often defined by death and dying, Joyce celebrates her love of life through her work as a romance writer. She serves as president of Women's National Book Association - Atlanta Chapter, and is a member of Georgia Romance Writers, a chapter of Romance Writers of America.
Joyce is a self-confessed foodie and romantic at heart who enjoys travel, reading, fine dining, and rap music. She resides in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and three children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 15, 2018
I don’t think I can properly express how much I enjoyed this book. I shall try. From the story to the characters, the author did an amazing job putting it all together. I felt like the story was a slow burn, like something awesome was waiting for me at the end. There was and I was not disappointed. I loved the banter and humor of the characters. I felt a lot of emotions while reading. I laughed and cried. It was great. This is a new author to me and I am now a fan. I look forward to reading more from her. I give this 5 stars!
March 30, 2018
Trust me when I say that I will be perusing the homeless shelter for my future hubs. Err merr guurd this book is addicting!
Simon, our homeless hottie, has left everything he loves. Everything. Now that's the kind of love we need in our lives—someone who will leave if it's the best thing for us. Swoon! I mean, preferably, we'd have our men stay, but...you know...a love like that is indescribable.
My heart is breaking just talking about this man. Once a distinguished businessman, now he's pegged as a freaking criminal! He's pond scum. Hide yo' kids and stay away from this man.
Kenya basically does the opposite.
Our determined heroine has suffered what I like to call a Category 4 man (the puppet master). He's stringing her along like she's a toy trolly, whipping her around like a cyclic emotional yoyo. Up down, we're together, we're not. Girlfriend, leave him.
Kenya devotes her time to work. Of course, because she's a baller, she earns a promotion and gets to work in the "field" interacting with the city's homeless. Okay, if you don't love Kenya by now, then something is just...wrong with you. I mean, could Joyce have created a better heroine?! No.
Joyce meets Simon, but this isn't the first time they've met. Hubba hubba! Sparks fly, warning signs are all over the place. I think Kenya wasn't in her right mind, because she's making all sorts of crazy decisions. Turns out that her and Simon went to college together. Umm, WHAT?! What would you do if someone you knew for a good chunk of your life was suddenly homeless and everyone thought he was some evil villain?
Become his lover of course.
"Kenya put her hands on her hips and looked down at the man whose back was now facing her. Yo dude. I need you to cooperate, Kenya thought. There was no way she was failing today. Kenya stepped around him and crouched down, looking him directly in the face…his eyes bore into her, intense and challenging."
Kenya and Simon enter a heart-stopping affair. While their love blossoms, their pasts lurk on the sidelines just waiting to be exposed.
Joyce d'Mot knows how to write a slow burning romance, my friends. I could not put this book down. All while Kenya and Simon face their demons and learn to love each other, the ghosts of their pasts kept me wanting and wanting and dying for more! What about Simon's wife that he left? Is bad juju going to come back around?
Augh what about that Category 4 that Kenya dated? Surely he's not done with her. Men like that want all the lovin' and no commitment. Gag me.
Risking It All encapsulates life and unexpected love. The writing isn't incredibly descriptive, but that didn't stop me from drooling. Augh so good.
*FTC Disclaimer: I received a copy of Risking It All from Joyce d'Mot in exchange for an honest review. I have in no way been influenced by the author and/or publisher's generosity. You can't fake these stars, baby!
Simon, our homeless hottie, has left everything he loves. Everything. Now that's the kind of love we need in our lives—someone who will leave if it's the best thing for us. Swoon! I mean, preferably, we'd have our men stay, but...you know...a love like that is indescribable.
My heart is breaking just talking about this man. Once a distinguished businessman, now he's pegged as a freaking criminal! He's pond scum. Hide yo' kids and stay away from this man.
Kenya basically does the opposite.
Our determined heroine has suffered what I like to call a Category 4 man (the puppet master). He's stringing her along like she's a toy trolly, whipping her around like a cyclic emotional yoyo. Up down, we're together, we're not. Girlfriend, leave him.
Kenya devotes her time to work. Of course, because she's a baller, she earns a promotion and gets to work in the "field" interacting with the city's homeless. Okay, if you don't love Kenya by now, then something is just...wrong with you. I mean, could Joyce have created a better heroine?! No.
Joyce meets Simon, but this isn't the first time they've met. Hubba hubba! Sparks fly, warning signs are all over the place. I think Kenya wasn't in her right mind, because she's making all sorts of crazy decisions. Turns out that her and Simon went to college together. Umm, WHAT?! What would you do if someone you knew for a good chunk of your life was suddenly homeless and everyone thought he was some evil villain?
Become his lover of course.
"Kenya put her hands on her hips and looked down at the man whose back was now facing her. Yo dude. I need you to cooperate, Kenya thought. There was no way she was failing today. Kenya stepped around him and crouched down, looking him directly in the face…his eyes bore into her, intense and challenging."
Kenya and Simon enter a heart-stopping affair. While their love blossoms, their pasts lurk on the sidelines just waiting to be exposed.
Joyce d'Mot knows how to write a slow burning romance, my friends. I could not put this book down. All while Kenya and Simon face their demons and learn to love each other, the ghosts of their pasts kept me wanting and wanting and dying for more! What about Simon's wife that he left? Is bad juju going to come back around?
Augh what about that Category 4 that Kenya dated? Surely he's not done with her. Men like that want all the lovin' and no commitment. Gag me.
Risking It All encapsulates life and unexpected love. The writing isn't incredibly descriptive, but that didn't stop me from drooling. Augh so good.
*FTC Disclaimer: I received a copy of Risking It All from Joyce d'Mot in exchange for an honest review. I have in no way been influenced by the author and/or publisher's generosity. You can't fake these stars, baby!
April 24, 2018
Love it!!
I could not put down the book. I love it in every pages. You did a great job and I'm looking forward to your next books. I will support anyone from the USVI, I am also from the USVI, born n live still. Keep up the good work. VI 4 LIFE, LOVE ALONE!!
I could not put down the book. I love it in every pages. You did a great job and I'm looking forward to your next books. I will support anyone from the USVI, I am also from the USVI, born n live still. Keep up the good work. VI 4 LIFE, LOVE ALONE!!
May 24, 2018
See even more book reviews at: http://www.lifeofafemalebibliophile.com/
Risking It All follows main character, Kenya, who is a bright young woman who wants to work in the science field. Her dream job is working for the CDC (yay! for STEM field characters) which she enjoys, but she still seems stuck in life. She has the support of her twin brother, Kenyon and other friends and family members, but wants more out of life. She has an on/off again relationship with her college boyfriend Dave, who is holding her back. She is trying to make amend for her past mistakes in their relationship but while she loves him, he doesn’t seem to love her. While working on a highly prized project she’s always desired, she runs into a former classmate, Simon, on the run for a crime. But the question is he innocent or guilty?
Kenya is a very kind-hearted person and wants to believe the best in others so decides to help out Simon which is a huge risk since the police were after him. The two reconnect with one another and find comfort in each others company with a slow budding romance. But before they can move forward Kenya must make a choice to trust in his words. Simon has fallen on hard-times after accusations thrown his way, he is suffering from the obstacles life has thrown at him. Kenya proves to be his shining light while going through hard times. They both see the hurt in each other and help each other to forgive and move forward with life.
The novel is fast paced, and there are some even some steamy hot scenes. I really enjoyed the character development of Kenya. It was nice to see her evolve from her insecurities and became more confident of what she wanted in life. She stopped looking towards the past. The novel was a bit predictable at a few points, but other than that it was a solid contemporary romance!
Final Verdict:
FTC DIsclaimer: I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Risking It All follows main character, Kenya, who is a bright young woman who wants to work in the science field. Her dream job is working for the CDC (yay! for STEM field characters) which she enjoys, but she still seems stuck in life. She has the support of her twin brother, Kenyon and other friends and family members, but wants more out of life. She has an on/off again relationship with her college boyfriend Dave, who is holding her back. She is trying to make amend for her past mistakes in their relationship but while she loves him, he doesn’t seem to love her. While working on a highly prized project she’s always desired, she runs into a former classmate, Simon, on the run for a crime. But the question is he innocent or guilty?
Kenya is a very kind-hearted person and wants to believe the best in others so decides to help out Simon which is a huge risk since the police were after him. The two reconnect with one another and find comfort in each others company with a slow budding romance. But before they can move forward Kenya must make a choice to trust in his words. Simon has fallen on hard-times after accusations thrown his way, he is suffering from the obstacles life has thrown at him. Kenya proves to be his shining light while going through hard times. They both see the hurt in each other and help each other to forgive and move forward with life.
The novel is fast paced, and there are some even some steamy hot scenes. I really enjoyed the character development of Kenya. It was nice to see her evolve from her insecurities and became more confident of what she wanted in life. She stopped looking towards the past. The novel was a bit predictable at a few points, but other than that it was a solid contemporary romance!
Final Verdict:
FTC DIsclaimer: I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
June 5, 2018
3.5 Stars! Love is hard to find!
The pulsing need and emotional connection between Kenya and Simon was sweet and simulating and I lapped it up, but it did not last long.
Risking It All was an intense and sad story for most of it and I wanted a fun and lively twist somewhere. To me, reading about Kenya's attempts to find love was a sad experience. Kenya was quite intense, miserable and sometimes boring in her outlook. In truth, I found it hard to relate to how she could hold out for Dave for three years even though he gave her no reason to wait for him after what she did.I wish Kenya's friend, Vanessa was the heroine because she was more fun and upbeat. I like Vanessa a lot and I think she needs her own book.
The main reason I gave the 3.5 star rating is because I found out a lot of what was going on about dinners and events through the characters, especially Kenya (heroine). I prefer to experience the journey with the characters instead of the story being narrated to me. It dilutes the emotional connection I have with the characters.
The pulsing need and emotional connection between Kenya and Simon was sweet and simulating and I lapped it up, but it did not last long.
Risking It All was an intense and sad story for most of it and I wanted a fun and lively twist somewhere. To me, reading about Kenya's attempts to find love was a sad experience. Kenya was quite intense, miserable and sometimes boring in her outlook. In truth, I found it hard to relate to how she could hold out for Dave for three years even though he gave her no reason to wait for him after what she did.I wish Kenya's friend, Vanessa was the heroine because she was more fun and upbeat. I like Vanessa a lot and I think she needs her own book.
The main reason I gave the 3.5 star rating is because I found out a lot of what was going on about dinners and events through the characters, especially Kenya (heroine). I prefer to experience the journey with the characters instead of the story being narrated to me. It dilutes the emotional connection I have with the characters.
May 17, 2018
The author is a fellow Caribbean girl so I will be always willing to support.
I thought the premise was solid and had potential. I liked the mystery surrounding Simon's case as readers learned the truth and followed how he was working to clear his name. I definitely think he was the stronger character. Kenya fell a bit short for me, and I wasn't truly able to connect with her emotionally. At times I felt the book moved a bit too slow which caused me to skim a few pages.
Solid debut though, and I'll be willing to read other works by this author.
**I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.**
I thought the premise was solid and had potential. I liked the mystery surrounding Simon's case as readers learned the truth and followed how he was working to clear his name. I definitely think he was the stronger character. Kenya fell a bit short for me, and I wasn't truly able to connect with her emotionally. At times I felt the book moved a bit too slow which caused me to skim a few pages.
Solid debut though, and I'll be willing to read other works by this author.
**I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.**
August 25, 2018
Wow
What a book! This storyline twisted on me when I thought it was going to be a love story of Kenya and Dave it turn out to be a whole storyline about Kenya and Simon. Dave was a jerk and Simon is bae. Kenya is just a sweetheart that run in to a Fugitive that is being set up by his ratchet, cold hearted wife. Iyesha trash becomes Kenya’s treasure! Good job Joyce d’Mot
What a book! This storyline twisted on me when I thought it was going to be a love story of Kenya and Dave it turn out to be a whole storyline about Kenya and Simon. Dave was a jerk and Simon is bae. Kenya is just a sweetheart that run in to a Fugitive that is being set up by his ratchet, cold hearted wife. Iyesha trash becomes Kenya’s treasure! Good job Joyce d’Mot
September 6, 2025
I could not put this book down!! Romance to the action to the heartache, this book has it all. I really fell in love with Kenya and her story, and while reading, it’s impossible not to see yourself in her character. Beautifully written and left a book hangover like no other. I need this book to become a series ASAP!!
August 19, 2025
This book is so so good! I love that it shows gentleness and love prevails. The touch of mystery kept me on my toes and I like that what really happened was not revealed so quickly.
I can’t wait to read more on Syeda and Christopher.
I can’t wait to read more on Syeda and Christopher.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews