The Great Pretender

by Millenia Black

Do you really know the person you love? What warning signs are you willing to ignore? What can you forgive? In her smashing debut novel, Millenia Black puts a daring new spin on modern family drama by exploring its secrets and lies-as the perfect man comes undone by the consequences of a double life.

Let a new battle of the sexes begin.

Genres: Fiction, Book Club, Suspense, Audiobook, Drama

287 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2002

About the author

Bestselling author of the sizzling family dramas The Great Pretender, The Great Betrayal and the all new Favorite Things Trilogy! Book Three—When the Bee Stings—is on sale now!





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Reviews

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

One man - two families. Lots of secrets. A really enjoyable read

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a good read because you used your imagination to figure out the next steps of the characters, feel the emotions of each, and also and maybe not so important with other books but there was a need to figure out the ethnicities of each character. This book draws your imagination in from page 1.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good book. This book shows that what is done in the dark will always come to light. How lives can be drastically changed because of one person's selfishness. Reggie was that man. His betrayal hurt so many people it was crazy. I think the thing I liked most about this book is that I can really see this story happening in real life. A sad, crazy story. Would highly recommend.

[Lu Bielefeld · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐⭐⭐ - OK, or decent reads.
===========================

Reginald is a selfish piece of shit who leads a double life. A wife and two daughters in one city and a mistress and daughter in another.
The mistress has no idea that she is the other woman, she has been waiting for 6 years for him to propose. She is very naive and gullible.
As he splits into two to care for both families his life begins to unravel.
He ends up discarding his mistress and daughter like they were yesterday's trash and tries to make up for lost time with the family he really cares about.
But while he was away, his wife got into an affair of 4 years with his best friend. They fuck like rabbits and she is seriously thinking about leaving her husband and staying with her lover.
The daughters are without direction... the eldest is aware of their mother's extramarital affair and the youngest is suspicious and rebelling.
Abortion and sexually transmitted diseases occur in daughters' lives.
Meanwhile the poor mistress who was discarded has a serious mental breakdown with serious consequences. I was really shocked by the outcome.
The best friend who was screwing his wife is a selfish guy resentful of Reginald's success. He did it all as revenge for always being relegated to the background by the women in their lives.
In the end you finish reading with a sour taste in your mouth and the notion that the world is a shitty place with horrible people.

[Diana Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great storyline! Among my favorites! Would and will read again : )

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a story. Thank goodness it was fiction but I realize there are people out there actually living this way. Unbelieveable! Even though everything about it goes against my beliefs, the book was VERY well written and was quite the page turner. It had me from the beginning. I'm eager to discuss it with my book club this week.

[Kellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the realness of this book. Things don’t always turn out the way you want them to and sometimes you pay dearly for your mistakes. There isn’t always a happy ending.

[Kam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome, awesome read! I was so engrossed in this book. I couldn't wait for my breaks & lunch at work, and curl up with it at night! It was sooo good! A REAL fast-paced, intriguing, page turner.

[The Reading Cove Book Club ❦ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bonus Book - September 2005

[Candy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!!!!!!!

This book was so intense it had me jumping out of my seat. The writing is amazing and kept me engaged from beginning to end. I love an unpredictable book and there was nothing predictable about this book. Definitely a page turner.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book it had a lot of drama. I think the ending could have ended a little different

[Syieve Locklair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talk about a page turner! THE GREAT PRETENDER was gripping; an easy- and quick-read that was full of drama...and secrets!!! Just when you think you know your own family; what would you do if.....?

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was EXCELLENT. EXCELLENT I say!!!!

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just loved this book!

[Camille · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Holy Shit stars. This book meanders its way through some pretty intense infidelity across many layers of family and friends. It’s a tad too long and lingers over details I really didn’t care much about (home decor, fashion, nails, cars, restaurants, family chatter, towels, etc). It also takes one hell of a dark turn Really close to the end, transforming the whole shebang into a cautionary tale of epic proportions. In the clown car of tropes you’ll find abortion, scads of unprotected sex, and I do mean SCADS, marital infidelity, teen sex and infidelity, new adult infidelity, loads of women who look the other way, a surprise baby, an affair child, a Beta male who lies through his teeth for years, and a brutal tragic ending for some. Oh, and an STI for good measure.

[Venetta Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t re-read too many books but this was one I had to revisit. Everything about it was good!! How in the WORLD did Millenia come to this ending?!?! You just don’t see it coming.

[CJLuvsBooks! · Rating 5 out of 5]

After listening to the AMAZING audiobook “The Great Betrayal” by Millenia Black I knew I wanted to listen to her first book “The Great Pretender”. Although I didn’t love it as much as TGB, it was an amazing story that intrigued me from beginning to end.

I. COULDN’T. STAND. REGINALD. I have known people like Reginald, and they always think they can get away with everything unscathed. I very rarely enjoy a book when I loathe the main character, but luckily for me - that wasn’t an issue. The book was so good - I could easily ignore the fact that I thought he was scum. I couldn’t measure up one ounce of sympathy for him when things turned sour. Even when the worst thing imaginable happened, I felt sorry for everyone else but him. He was the reason it happened. A person cannot and should not go through life hurting people and thinking they can get away with it. There is a price to pay. His price was incredibly high.

Renee… Reginald’s other woman. *sigh* What could I possibly say about her? Stupid. Sad. Pathetic. Heartbreaking.

I initially liked his wife Tracy, and empathized with her in the beginning of the book - but then it went downhill and never recovered. Her adult daughter trusts her with a secret. So what does Tracy do? She blabs that secret - to not one, but two other people! Then to make matters worse she becomes the worst hypocrite by saying there shouldn’t be any secrets within the family, but she doesn’t want hers exposed! Ugh. I really started to feel she and Reginald deserved each other.

The character I liked the best was Reginald and Tracy’s oldest child Olivia. She knew her dad was a shady piece of work and she was honest about it. She had her own relationship problems separate from the ones she had with her parents, but she handled her business like a strong woman would. She also stood up to BOTH of her parents in a very exciting confrontation - that was riveting! I supported her all of the way… Kudos Olivia !

Just as she did in “The Great Betrayal” Millenia Black wove a story about the complexity of human emotions and family dynamics. It had me at the edge of my seat and I was satisfied with how it ended. If you like books with drama, illicit affairs, secrets, and lies…. then this is definitely a book for you!

[Savanes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Millenia Black's second book : The Great Betrayal ! I was not disappointed by The Great Pretender . I was hooked from the first words. I didn't put 5 stars because of the ending (horrifying for "Orlando" and a bit too fast for "Miami"). Also the theme with which the book starts (leading two separate lives without anyone knowing) made me uncomfortable. Especially since I believe anyone can do it. Would I know if it was happening to me? I hope so! Would I forgive? I hope not (the operative word being hope)... This is definitely a book that leaves me thinking...

[Destiny “ Dee” · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good book recommended to me by a friend. I listened to the audiobook. This was the story of Reginald living double lives and how his deceipt affected his loved ones. The main characters in this story consist of Reginald, Tracy, Olivia, Valerie, Frank, Renee and Denise. This book kept me engaged from the beginning. I couldn't wait to see how the deception would unravel. I was utterly shocked and disappointed by the ending, sort of traumatized. This book had me all in my emotions and thoughts. This was Millenia's debut novel. She did a great job with it. I look forward to reading more of her work.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. The drama started from the beginning. Reginald Brooks has been living a double life for the past 7 years. It has caught up with him and is now creating havoc. He wants thing to be simple again but everybody's life will be effected. His wife and children have gotten use to him not being home. His friend Franklin has been encouraging and advising him on what to do.

In the end all the secrets the characters have been hiding comes out. Will the family be able to keep it together. Go on the journey and see. I would recommend this book.

[Alan · Rating 2 out of 5]

"The great pertender" is all that the testimonials say it is It is "a real page-turner","compelling,fast-paced",and "emotionally charged". Yet for all of the above there is an obvious omission,namely, a principal character who rises above being one dimensional. what a bunch of self-absorbed and self-serving to inhabit one book.
Sure, enjoy a good read but done expect to find anyone reach a level above their genitalia. More's the pity it was a good plot-line.

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was awful! The characters were all two-dimensional, the plot was basic, the writing so/so, and the sex scenes made me feel like I was reading a porno! I'm not a prude and I generally don't mind a sex scene or two in a novel if it's well written and adds something to the book. These sex scenes fit neither of those criteria. Definitely don't recommend this one to anyone! I have no idea what we're going to talk about at Book Club- definitely not a worthy selection. Beach trash at best.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

From start to finish the book was intriguing; I could not put it down. A Successful business man with a wife, children, and a beautiful home"; everything is not what it seems. The author did an amazing job developing and expressing the characters in such a way that the reader feels the intensity of all the emotions. Love, betrayal, happiness and sorrow are just to name a few. You like drama.... You will love this book!

[Yo Bess · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a real page-turner. I loved the characters and read this in 2 days because I was so anxious to find out what would happen next. Thoroughly enjoyed from beginning to end. I wish Ms.Black would consider writing more along this style of writing.

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one. It had an interesting plot and a dramatic and unexpected ending. Emotions and deception run high. However, I felt there were a few too many sub-plots mainly with the oldest daughter and her boyfriend and also the investigator/detective. Neither added to the story.

[Ellowyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! This was a very dysfunctional family. This was my first time reading a book by this author. One lesson to learn from this book is you can't maintain two families without someone getting hurt. The author turner.

[Brelonda Mccrae · Rating 5 out of 5]

IT GOOD

[Lacey Budd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting story on a man living two different lives and how they collide. It was very entertaining and a fast read.

[Jerri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pure soap opera drama. Kept me turning the pages.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jaw-dropping ending—I loved this book!