Forced Perspective

New Heights #1

by Christina C. Jones

Sometimes, you just need someone to help you see things in a different light.

A shift in the angle.

Forced Perspective is a New Heights Novella.

Genres: Romance, Novella, African American Romance, African American, Audiobook, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary

ebook

Published July 29, 2022

Reviews

[Annette Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brooke was the epitome of a strong black woman trying to forge her way into the photography industry on her own terms and she was determined to do it without any help from Kyir. Because of a rumor that was incorrectly put out on social media when she and Kyir previously worked together, Brooke wanted no misconceptions whatsoever. Which is why she insisted on keeping their FWB arrangement a secret from everyone and refused any help from him. Kyir just wants Brooke to thrive, and he doesn’t understand why she won’t let him help her since he has the resources to do so. I completely understand where Brooke is coming from. She’s worked hard to get where she is in her career, and she doesn’t want people thinking she got there on her back because of her connection to Kyir. The tug of war between these two was hilarious and fun to watch. When Kyir sneakily handed her an opportunity to work with Nick Davison, Brooke wanted to go upside his head so bad but, she was not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Brook and Kyir were the perfect couple. The chemistry and passion between them were amazing. I loved how they evolved from FWB to romantic partners with such ease. It was a sweet process because, it was truly unexpected for the both of them. I’m always giddy with excitement when we get to travel back to The Heights and visit with old friends. We got to catchup with Jules and Nick. Yes, I know Nick doesn’t live in The Heights but, he was there for a project with Kyir. Some of our faves got honorable mentions (Blue Garret, Nubia Perry, Des Bryers, Logan, Noah, and Chloe McKenna). I really enjoyed Forced Perspective. It was sexy and sensual with a little bit of humor thrown in. I thoroughly enjoyed reading every minute of this book and I highly recommend you add it to your TBR. Thank you to Christina C. Jones for this ARC and the opportunity to read Forced Perspective ahead of its release date in exchange for an honest review.

[Lette Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this audiobook!!

[Dahyana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brooke x Kyir

Kyir and Brookie were absolutely perfect. They were in a situationship together with lots of feelings involved. Brook is climbing her way to the top in her career. She has a connection in Kyir, but she doesn’t want or take the help, which is why she’s trying her best to keep him at arm’s length and behind closed doors. I get it. Society can be brutal, especially to a black woman.
Kyir's cool and laid-back demeanor was panty wetting sexy and giving BDE. When he said his favorite dessert was Brook…swoon🤤😍
He was patient, he was loving and so gentle with Brooke. Despite how much he wanted her and wanted the world to know about them, he moved at her pace, accepting whatever she was able to give. I definitely wanted more of these two.

Narrators-⅗
Myles is still cringey

[*Ebony I* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Opening to love

Let me first say this cover is breathtaking, it's literal artwork.

Brooke and Kyir are in a situationship of sorts. Brooke, a photographer and budding film maker, is a head strong hard worker that refuses to have her work ethic questioned. She wants no parts of hand outs and doesn't want to be "put on" by connections she's made. Especially connections from Zyir. Zyir is a rapper that she admired and admittedly had a little crush on. When her photography work causes them to cross paths, she keeps him at arms length and rumors still ensue. Zyir was enthralled with her and pursued her even after her initial rejection. He felt connected to her and wanted to see where it could lead. I liked Zyir, he was famous but very clear on his purpose. Giving back to the Heights and just making music that he loved. He wasn't in it for all the bs and he respected Brooke for not wanting to be a part of the fame or hate train. You could tell he was a little hurt by it though, because he was more than feeling her and he didn't want to hide it. It wasn't lost on me how he played her body like a flute, he knew exactly how he affected her and he used it to his benefit. As perspectives and feelings change they realize they are ready for more. Although Brooke is hesitant she realizes she deserves Kyir's love that he is trying so hard to give.

Novelettes are hard because there are often parts that we are "told about" instead of experiencing them with the reader. I wanted to experience them talking about her anxiety, his album release party where ish hits the fan, her reaction to all the mess. Instead it was mentioned and we missed out on experiencing Brooke and Kyir as an actual couple. Kyir had so much BDE potential, but we needed just a bit more of his development to really feel it.
Definitely well written and a solid read though.

[Toya Davis-Stokley]

Whew! I could truly understand where Brooke was coming from, wanting to make her way completely on her own; without help from anyone. But ma'am, that is the way of the world. People get those big opportunities in life sometimes, by just knowing the right person. Keeping her situation with Ky under wraps, was her way of having some sort of control over this complicated thing they got going on.

I loved how Ky moved like he was unbothered, but he was a bit hurt that they couldn't live out loud. He had the resources to address all of her concerns, however, he followed her lead. He cared so much for Brooke, that he allowed her the time and space to get herself together and realize that THIS was going to happen at some point. The back and forth between these two was hilarious, and I know she got on his nerves, but he took it all in stride.

I know it is a novelette, but I needed a bit more. What happened at the album release party? What was the backlash? How were the conversations that Brooke had with Ky about her condition?
All in all, still a good read.

[WellReadRuby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listen I want my name to be Brooke and a man to tell someone his favorite dessert is Brookie too 😭❤️

[Jahda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good short read. I just wish we got more of Kyir and Brooke but I did love the plot.

[ReadnliftwithShar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forced Perspective focused on two characters, Brooke and Kyir. Brooke is a rising photographer and Kyir- an established lyricist’s favorite dessert. Brooke wanted things to be surface level, but Kyir wanted more. He wants all of her and for everyone to know. I understand Brooke’s way of thinking but girl- how does it feel to be one of God’s favorites? She has an established, self sufficient, gentle, and empathetic man at her fingertips. 🥰I love Kyir’s character, while he wanted more, he was willing to give Brooke what she wanted just to be in her presence. And when he told her he loved her, I was like yesss, Get Yo’ Woman!! He was such a tease! And he knew his way around the bedroom! These two had a chemistry that was out of this world. They matched each other’s energy and I appreciated that. I loved Brooke’s independence and need to show others that she, “got it out the mud” and made it on her own- but everyone can use a hand- Kyir was that for her. Loved this one! ❤️5✨

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come. Very quick read and I enjoyed it quite a bit for the brief look at the characters here. A photographer (Brooke) attempts to keep her relationship with a well-known rapper (Kyir) on the DL, and things don't necessarily go as she expected. The chemistry between these two is quite realistic, and I enjoyed seeing them interact with other as well as on job, particularly when Kyir shows up at a moment Brooke isn't expecting. Great audiobook read as well. Strong 4 stars.

[Sheronda H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and short book. I enjoyed it.

[Katie ratherbereadinggg · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4 stars

[Camryn O'Conner · Rating 5 out of 5]

period story telling !!! love CCJ DOWNNNM

[Wind · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good cute short read of Brooke & Kyir…F buddies turned lovers.

[Keesha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The reread helped me love this one. I love Ky! He was giving smooth, reformed bad boy with that soft spoken sexiness. I loved how he was just all about his Brookie! I loved how even when he was frustrated by her approach to their relationship he was very clear that being without her wasn’t an option.

I appreciate CCJ for always taking the opportunity to point out how hard society is on women (specifically Black women). Her catalog is sprinkled with bright, ambitious women that have to truly weigh the effect of their romantic entanglements on their careers in a way that their male counterparts do not. I love how CCJ can always write a complicated, layered romance that still feels so good.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ established couple romances can be hard to pull off but obviously CCJ kills it. I loved their chemistry and this was surprisingly romantic for such a short book. But I almost felt like I was missing context? Idk if a lot of these characters came from other series and I was just out of the loop or what 😅 but there were so many mentions to side character couples.

[The Love Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars - I liked the friends you lovers aspect of this novella. Brookie and Kyir were hot together, but overall it was too short. It was one of those where there was too much going on in just a few pages.

[Ciru · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the cover. It is what attracted me to the book, then it's written by CCJ, then it's poetic, lyrical, beautiful, heartfelt and realistic writing.

“I’m still mad at you,” I declared as he buried a hand in my hair, drawing my face to his.


“Nah,” he growled. “My dick is a no-anger zone. If you mad, you gotta get off.”

Brooke+Kyir are together...but apart, she wants to keep things under cover because their relationship would be out in public, he wants them to be out and about but the beautiful thing is that he was willing to wait for her, willing to listen to her and willing to help her get over the obstacles on their way.

The smut was good too... but their connection was just gorgeous.

“Are you disappointed?”


His eyebrows dropped in a frown. “That’s not… a thing.”


“What’s not a thing?”


“Me being disappointed to see you. It’s not… something that would ever happen.”

Being in love was not a fucking cure for anxiety, as much as I might wish that was the case.

I consciously try to keep away from musican/band related novels because you know the conflict is either the fans, touring or someone from their past. I appreciated the fact that the aspect of social media and anxiety when addressed in the story were done in a realistic manner.

Anyway, great, lovely, short but fulfilling book. Read it.

['The Book Queen' · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story was a refreshing way to believe in love from many perspectives. Brooke was afraid to fall in love with Kyir, an established artist. Brooke fought hard to keep their attraction for one another undercover. I wanted to call her naivete on BS, but then it was clear her fears had a foundation. Throughout the story, readers will discover as the layers unravel, love will always find a way—Goodreads excellence.

[hea booktubes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steamy novella. Being anxious about the fame and social media felt so realistic to me.

[Damilola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm trying to find the words.

What I enjoyed:
- Seeing cameos from other characters in her book.

- Easy, uncomplicated writing: CCJ pen just flows really well to where you either love, hate, or maybe want to shake the characters 😅

My Initial Thoughts after the last pg.:
- I really think that this book would have benefited from more pages - more pages of us actually getting to see them in a relationship or at least the origins of their relationship, just something that makes it more believable & not just a friends with benefits situation bc I don’t see the romance, the romance honestly wasn’t all that there, like yeah they had good sex and had that connection but where was the actual love? I didn’t see it nor did I believe it

- Additionally I could care less for Brooke wanting part of Kyir but not wanting to really go all in, it was completely unfair to him & made her seem selfish - like I get it, she didn’t want people to know that they knew each other intimately but to complain & accuse him of keeping his personal life away from her was just wrong bc like he said, he was simply matching energy !!!

- Wish we would have gotten to see Brook actually tell Kyir about her mental health concern, it being hinted at the end kinda came out of no where (loved the fact that he seemed patient with her but it would have been nice to have a bit of forewarning within the book or at least just more about that in general, especially since that was also one of the reasons she wanted to keep things hush hush.

All in all it was an okay read …

[sometimesrobinreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

“you up?”

it’s a simple question, right? but we’re all grown folks here and know the unbridled lust that dwells under that two worded question.

that’s how christina c jones’s new novella “forced perspective” starts. brooke, an up and coming photographer only has one thing on her mind. satisfying her itch for new heights hometown hero and getting out of dodge before she’s spotted.

but for kyir, that’s simply not enough. he wants brooke, real bad. not in the shadows. not in the confines of his loft and definitely not in the hallway of a photography studio (or maybe he does 😏).

sometimes in order to get the person you want, you have to stand on their side and see things from their perspective…like brooke + kyir.

[Samari · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I gave this book three stars because although it was good, a lot was left unsaid. The book was way too fast paced for it to be so short. I loved the situation ship to lovers trope. I felt like we did not get a chance to learn about Brooke or Kyir aside from that Brooke suffers from anxiety and is a photographer, and Kyir being a rapper.

Would have loved to see more character development and more of their relationship dynamic aside from the sex.

[Sharonda Isadora · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed Forced Perspective. I love how CCJones is always so respectful when it comes to conversations when her characters are dealing with mental issues. Here Brooke has cripling anxiety and being a woman who has made a name for herself on her own, she doesn't her work diminished beause of her ties to a relationship. Now this relationship is with Kyir who has already made a name for himself and is a very popular rapper; he and Brook have been a situationship for a while now..... Kyir wants more and he can't understand why "Brookie" doesn't. But see, its not that Brook doesn't, again see my explanation at the beginning of this review.

I understood, Brooke's resistence with going public with Kyir. When dealing with what she does, most things that people think you're being "over dramatic" about will send you spiraling into a place that's hard to come out of so yeah. I love that Kyir was so sweet and understanding with he pacing of their uh...situationship. Ol boy almost dropped the damn bag, but I'm glad he caught it before it hit the floor.

This was a very sweet and well paced story. Kyir's patience with Brooke was a beautiful thing to see on page. His care of her body AND her feelings even when he was frustrated was amazing. He made my enjoyment of their story so much more.

Now this is probably the first time you'll hear my say this about a CCJ book and that is, I wanted more pages of this story. I wish we would have gotten a conversation of them on page discussing her anxiety and his reaction but I still enjoyed Forced Perpective.

It's always a beautiful thing to return to a CCJones world. All full of Black people and love.

[Frida · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

Brooke was the definition of a woman who refuses to be anyone’s footnote. She’s carving her space in the photography world on her own terms, and she’s not about to let a man with money, connections, or history hand her opportunities that people will claim she didn’t earn. Not even if that man is as handsome, talented, honest, and suave as Kyir.

And Kyir? He’s determined, infuriating, and impossible not to love. All he wants is for Brooke to thrive, and maybe admit she’s just as gone for him as he is for her. But Brooke knows how people talk, how hard women have to fight just to be taken seriously, and she’s not letting her success get reduced to whispers about who she slept with. So she keeps him at arm’s length, keeps their FWB situation under wraps, keeps her walls sky-high… until he sneakily lands her the chance of a lifetime, and she has to decide whether pride is worth more than possibility.

What makes Forced Perspective so good is the tug-of-war between them. It’s sexy and stubborn, funny and vulnerable...the perfect balance of passion and bite. Watching Brooke and Kyir circle each other, push and pull, and finally give in feels earned because it’s about more than just attraction; it’s about respect, ambition, and the fear of losing yourself in someone else’s shadow.

[N.G. Peltier · Rating 4 out of 5]

CCJ just hits it out the park every darn time I tell you! When i'm looking for a read that i know will hit I go to CCJ.

This is a novella so was a quick read but Kyir and Brooke bring the heat but the emotions as well. Brooke is a lil worried about people finding out about them because Kyir is a famous rapper and she's trying to get her career going. She's not about people thinking she slept her way to where she is. So we see her struggling with that and him taking in her concerns but wanting to be with her.

Now this series focuses on new set of people in the Heights buuuut we get some familiar faces if you've read some of the previous books. I enjoyed this and can't wait to get to the next couple. (I got all 3 books one time cuz I just knew i was gonna need the next books ASAP after the 1st one ;)

[Mrs Tee Booktique · Rating 4 out of 5]

MrsTee_Reads_Realtor

I had to process.... CCJ delivers, I just had to figure out what she was delivering. This is a good short that allows us to experience a situationship that changes the narrative. Being caught up in public opinion has ruined many...but if you made a few adjustments it could empower you. Brooke and Kyir shows us how. I want more of them...this felt like a prologue.

[Keeping.Volumes.Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is both enlightening and thought-provoking—exploring sex with a celebrity and everything that comes with it. There’s so much here to sit with and marinate on, told through multiple points of view that really add depth. It truly has a little bit of everything, with jusssssst enough spice 🌶 to keep things intriguing without overpowering the story.
The only downside? That ending. It definitely leaves you wanting more.

[Mybookscafe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast and cute story

Got me all in my feels, like for real. Kyir definitely came with the intentions of being the number Bae lol he had the moment he opened that damn door!

I love how gentle Kyir and Brookie were towards each other.

[Destiny · Rating 4 out of 5]

quick and entertaining

This quick read was just what I needed to feel inspired for my own writing goals. I loved Ky and Brookie’s chemistry and how CCJ still managed to create a little slow burn and yearning in such a quickly-moving story.

[Laurenlovesstories · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brookie + Ky 💞
5 🌟
This was a story of understanding, patience, and honesty. I’m so glad that the conversations were being had with friends. Teaching us the importance of intentional listening and connection. This was beautiful