Pepper Pace’s latest novel reads like a fairy tale in a world hidden from the eyes of modern society. But this is an all-too real world where black Appalachians use roots to heal the sick and a curse or ‘the evil eye’ can doom a person. And now their all-black society, built on colorism, mysticism, and ignorance, has been infiltrated by a white man and all of the mysteries and secrets surrounding them as well as him are soon to be discovered. Warning: Graphic sex, graphic language, racist language, racist actions. This book is for adult readers only.
Pepper Pace is the pen name used by the author. Born and raised in Cincinnati, she has always enjoyed creativity. At a very young age, Pepper had a gift for art and would spend most of her spare time drawing images that she later began adding stories behind. Soon writing became more important than the illustrations and though she still loved art, it took a back seat to her real love.
Pepper wrote her first novel when she was 12 years old and had written 2 more by the age of 18. Too shy to share her work with anyone, Pepper stock piled her many stories into notebooks until she came upon Literotica.com and was compelled to share her craft.
Pepper became instantly popular and won several awards each year in which she submitted a story to the site. After receiving popular feedback, she grew in confidence and created a popular blog entitled Writing Feedback where she encourages her readers to interact with her on topics concerning, music, writing, art and pop culture, and can be contacted at her blog: pepperpacefeedback.blogspot.com/
Pepper lives in Cincinnati where many of her characters also reside.
I enjoyed the story between Edina and Irish. At times, i was confused about the time period the story was taking place in. However, remembering that Kentucky can be slightly behind the time.
I would have loved to know how Edina and Irish turned out. And what Ms. Coleman did with Matthew. Lots of unanswered questions.
I would recommend the book to my reading friends. Overall, Ms. Pace gives her readers something to think about...colorism being one of them from this book.
The world building and the story were excellent, as was the writing.
I loved the FMC. She was talented, capable, tender hearted, but not a pushover.
There's next to no spice but there is a lot of understated, sweet romance.
The ending was a bit odd in that it would have been nice to show more of what the MCs lives would be like together. Also, the random, controlling mom of the MMC being in the mix and forcing herself into their lives, in a vaguely threatening way, was weird.
Whoa so different yet sooo good....Bamboclat, Rasta faren!!!
This was truly such of a different read. The genre was the perfect type of interracial BWWM romance but it was also a mystery, suspense and even mystical. Edina, was dealt such a bad hand but she remained pure and per ft until she was able to come in contact with Irish. She is a nurturer, giver, an all around good girl. Daniel "Irish" was so everything one might have needed from an alpha, assassin, killing machine. He got caught but lucky for him he was recovered by the rasta and he was able to change for the better. Marco, man you are the star with a close second to Matthew. This story was riveted and confused at times, but overall understandable, but questions: 1) what are they going to do now? 2) as free as Marco is, will he be able to stay in NYC? 3) and will they ever know that Matthew knew of his parent's situation? 4) can Irish trust his mother or will she be able to maintain them within the family's business? These were the few issues and most important ones (there are more) that I encounter in the book. What was so perfect also was that I never picked up on any grammatical errors and that help the story... Definitely will recommend it and hopefully one will get the Epilogue as much as I couldn't get it, but it still didn't take nothing away from the story.
Well, let's see, how do I describe this read. Basically, the first half of the book was like a Zora Neale Hurston-esque storytelling godmother that rocked me and cradled me like a newborn babe, wrapped me in swaddling clothes and placed me in a manger. The second half of the book set fire to that manger, with intense hot sex heat, suspense, plot twists and turns and over the top characters. I am completely shooketh. The way that Ms. Pace outlined and painted this world was such a pleasant journey, that I started to not care if we ever got to the romance or not. It genuinely brought me back to the childhood joy of reading. And then I got my romance anyway! The decisions that Ms. Pace made on what narrative elements to include, how to include it and when to introduce it were so spot on that I am SHOOK as an author. The ending felt a bit hurried, and I feel like the title doesn't quite do it justice but... who cares. This is one of my favorite reads of the year. What a flippin suprise. Brava!
This was a interesting story that was all over the place, very bland unsatisfactory ending. The love between the primary characters seemed incidental and there is absolutely no follow through. Much potential; no follow through except for the killings. There was more information about death and killings than there was about love. Pass
This was not her best work but it was a good story to immerse myself in. I like the characters they developed a lot through out the book. I wanted more in the end. Even though she ended the book, I personally wanted more in the ending.
The rating is purely because the book was a page-turner with intriguing characters.
I've read a few books by Pepper Pace so far and most I liked and some I didn't. I believe the reason I liked Pepper Pace stories is because her protagonists are usually very unique and not usually the norm protagonist of romance books. She also has very creative story plots and not always the "meet cute" you'd expect in a romance.
I picked up this because Pepper said that romance was not really the main plot of the story and it had lil bit of everything in it. So, naturally, I was very curious :) I thought the book blurb was rather intriguing.
I actually really liked the pacing of the story and thank god this was a slow-burn romance, so none of the insta-love BS. I also adore that we have so many subplots happening throughout the book and it's all connected in one way or the other with the protagonist's past or present.
Edina, I really liked this woman and I thought Pepper did an awesome job with her character development. In the beginning, it kinda seemed like Edina was just taking insults and bullies from everyone in town. But soon you learn that Edina is not a coward, she just wanted to avoid confrontations. You can't fight everyone. You don't need to keep blowing up and fighting everyone just to proof you're not a pushover. Edina would fight if things got too personal. I have no doubt she can defend herself. Another thing I admire about Pepper is that she is unapologetic about how raw and personal her protagonist can feel about themselves. She doesn't shy away from raw and brutal expressions. I feel so sad that Edina is mocked and teased about her skin tone, and that leads to low self-confidence. Edina is beautiful but she just doesn't see it herself. I mean she doesn't see herself as ugly but not pretty enough like the other girls. She just didn't think a guy would like her for her "unattractive" features. Edina is gifted, like her mother and grandpa, with their root and holistic healing. I think she may have another unique gift that she isn't quite aware of or yet to explore properly. Also, I was shocked that Edina did what she did though, because I always thought it was amplified by lies and rumors told by Red.
Marco, he may be a grandpa, but he is no old man dozing off in a rickety rocking chair. I love this dude and I actually learnt something new from his character. I learnt about Rasta culture and Jamacian healing. I had no idea about this and I'm glad I learnt something interesting. I feel bad for him though, because Marco is kinda "stuck" in a conned deal even when he has the upper hand against Jeffries, he still can't use that advantage to cut deals with them without risking his family's life and his legacy. He is mighty talented at his rare bred plants and herbs, and he passed that knowledge to his descendants. I think Marco is "stuck" even if he had the upperhand when it comes to his rare breed plant, but he can't really go against the Jeffries since they could use his family as leverage to manipulate him. He can only use that to keep him "valuable" to Jeffries so that he will have some kind of protection from other drug operation gang. Marco is smart and a bad arse, He is protective of his family and his legacy.
Matthew, aw lil dude, is so sweet and innocent, but I'm sorry that he witnessed such loss and violence at such a young age. Thank god, he always had Edina and Marco with him and, eventually, Iris. They love him to bits. Edina was more like his mother to him than Olivia and eventually Iris as his father. He was also the first one to be really chatty with Iris when he woke up from his coma-like injuries. I like Matthew and I wonder if his "new" grandma is hoping he will take over their family business eventually.
Iris, wow dude was half dead when we were first introduced him to the story. It wasn't an accident either, dude, was beaten to within an inch of his life. Even from the beginning, there is a whole mystery about who this dude is. I was intrigued and kinda really hoped he wasn't a skinhead. Iris was a lost and sweet person when he woke up, he quickly took to Matthew and Edina and even Marco, but we do get some clues from Edina's and Marco observation of his physique that he may not be someone who is down on luck poor or an addict. Iris soon started to recall tiny things about his past and he suddenly became aware that he was comfortable with killing people and could do it with ease. It was scary, but you start to wonder why and who he was before he lost his memory. I love that the romance between Iris and Edina was slow burn because it gave time to explore other sub-plots in this book. You feel like their friendship grows to something more.
Fayard, dude......honestly why .....you could have had a good blissful life with Edina and you ruined it all for that town slut. I was very interested in Fayard, I thought he was an awesome guy and I thought his attraction to Edina since they were kids was so cute. I honestly think they make a great couple but too bad he can't keep it in his pants. Also, Fayard was cruel the way he "revealed" his intention to Edina. I just wished that he had just waited a lil bit longer because Edina was willing and waiting for him to love her and make them official. All that he threw away....for what ? I feel so bad for Edina, who was the innocent bystander to a stupid revenge plot by Red against Edina's sister, Oliva. She not only ruined his and Edina's lives, she ended up ruining her own life. Karma's a bitch, I guess. As I was reading this book, I was so angry with Fayard for what he did to Edina and I did not want Edina to forgive and take him back. I'm so glad she didn't and Fayard is gonna have to live the rest of his life regretting his decision.
As much as I would like to review each and every character in this book, I'm too sleepy right now and need to sleep now. So, I guess this book had loads of drama, thrillers, violence, a pinch of magic and romance and I enjoyed reading it.
I’ve always been a fan of Pepper Pace reading many of her books. I love the build up and how she takes us on a journey, bringing together people in a way that captivates the reader from start to finish. I find myself believing in the characters and reading til my eyes hurt, not wanting to put the book down but wanting to get to see how it ends, sometimes taking a quick sneak preview at the end of the book to confirm my happy ending. However, recently I found her later books to not flow as well, leaving me wondering if someone else had written that particular storyline, and the poor grammar but thanks be to God PP is back with a vengeance. An absolutely jaw dropping storyline. I loved the characters, especially Matthew. He was hilarious. Loved! Loved! Loved him and the banter throughout. Worth 10* and every penny that I paid. Welcome back PP.
Just the first line in this book had me ready to dive in! Eyebrows alllll the way up to my hairline. I almost didn’t go to sleep trying to read this book. Hhhhhh🤦🏾♀️ you did not just make Edina scream when during this whole book she been grabbing rifles and guns since the beginning? Now she’s suddenly terrified of gun shots?? No. I thought she was going to do that running away thing that some MCs like to do... but she didn’t thank goodness. I really liked this book. It felt like such a rabbit hole while getting pieces of information and trying to figure out what in the world was going on. All I know is mama Irish has some loose bolts.
Pepper Pace is an amazing writer that really knows how to create an unpredictable and wonderful tale filled with mystery, drama, comedy, and romance. What I loved about this story is how invested you get in every single character, not just the hero and heroine. In fact, for me, the romance was secondary to how interesting the characters' lives were. When romance came into the fold, it added to a great story; it wasn't the backbone which I love. Too often, romance novels just focus on sex and forcing a plot to fit into the love story the author is trying to develop. This one flowed naturally; it was believable and completely satisfying. Great job, Pepper Pace!
This had some common tropes in a nice package. The love story needed a bit more basis but it wasn’t bad. The writing and plot was good. the story had some lagging spots but was overall good. I liked the main characters but Matthew was the star. I would love to see a continuation of his story.
This was my first book by this author and I am interested to read more.
4.5 stars. This was a well-written story. All of the leading characters were likable. Marco was my favorite as he was the most real and street wise. I still did not ever find out why he was addressed by just Marco instead of grandfather or granddad. The same for Edina since it was never “Aunt Edina” by Matthew. The informality of it all goes with the storyline though.
The first half of this book was really engaging and well paced. Though the second half maintained the steady pacing of the book, once the revelation was made about the male protagonist, the story took an absurd turn. Not for the better. Overall I recommend this for IR romance readers with a note of caution about the uninspired ending.
Colorism is still very prevalent in our communities. Unfortunately, Edina's plight was relatable and contributed to her lack of confidence. Her life changed once she started to believe she was worthy of love. Irish's amnesia made it appear that we were experiencing his rebirth.
This book was really, really good ! Great and intriguing storyline. Amazing characters. It was funny, heartbreaking and the love story was sweet.
I could have give 5 stars, but the ending felt I don't know rush. I wish you had more informations about what happened after, the epilogue was too short for my liking and not really focused on Irish & Edina and the rest of their family.
The story had you engaged and held nothing back. It told the tales of the consequences of a dangerous life. It was funny how the small town knew the main characters personal business and she was able to continue to keep the biggest secret of them all.
Pep I thoroughly enjoyed this story because it was not a fairy tale. I could visualize the characters. I appreciate the conflicts within the black community being woven in the story and I appreciate the education about black Appalachians
I'm not gonna give anything away...Sorry,! This author is one I've enjoyed reading so much so that I can read it a month later and still feel the weight of emotions from each character. Beautifully written.Buy the d-m book!
I selected this story after reading a reviewer comments that Awakening was better than Beast. I totally disagree.
Just random thoughts:
First I thought Chapter 12 (Edina’s and Fayard backstory) was too long and that it could have been a lot shorter.
There’s not enough background story on Irish/Daniel or how his family ended up in the ‘fixer’ business. His mother is crazy af. Lol
I really enjoyed thinking about the trajectory of the story and how things would come to an end. Until it was revealed that Daniel was a hit man. I like that surprised.
Glad that the racists got doubled crossed.
The author did warn us that this story is not really a romantic story, but I held out hope that it would make me jump up and cheer like I had done with ‘Beast’.
Marco is a person I would love to meet IRL. He’s one bad SOB. In a good way.
I would give this story 3.5 maybe even 4. But it’s not better than Beast.
Family is the most important thing in the universe to them!
I loved this mysterious drama story. Marco thought he was leaving a legacy for his family with his secret breed of marijuana. It turned into a danger for his granddaughter and great-grandson. It seemed that Edina and her herbal practice caused more jealousy than she ever realized. The man that she thought was the love of her life broke her heart. She vowed to never give her heart to another man again.
Her sister Olivia was a free spirit and did what she wanted and ended up paying a high price for it. It seemed as though the entire family had an awakening and it started with a nearly dead man that Edina saved from death itself with the herbal knowledge that her mother and grandmother taught her. This strange man had a connection with Edina that neither of them could explain. It was like when he woke up from his coma he just knew that Edina was the final piece to his life's puzzle and she was the perfect piece. Matthew turned into the son he didn't know he needed. That little homestead and its family became the true family he desired and needed, especially Adina, even though he was not the man they thought he was. They were now his family and he was theirs and he would do anything to protect them all even going against his crazy mother.
Irish awakened to what he truly wanted in life and Adina awakened to the woman she truly was. Marco awakened to the fact that he no longer needed his Rasta skills for his legacy.
The sequences in this story were well-plotted and unfolded just at the right time. I love the way Pepper Pace wrote this book.
Pepper Pace is a brilliant storyteller as evidenced in many of her previous writings. Her ability to construct a well-defined narrative allows the reader to carry this story from our heads to our hearts. In this small insulated community where gossip, innuendo, jealousy and corrupt powers that be are a mainstay, Edina learns to overcome adversity through the love of family and a strong mythic connection to a stranger (Irish). This story is resonant with passion, laughter and small town radical justice. It is hauntingly beautiful holding the reader in thrall. Ms Pace, you are one of my favourite authors of this genre. As always an enjoyable read.