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Say Amen #2
Everybody Say Amen
Gold Pen Award-winning author ReShonda Tate Billingsley returns to the Houston congregation of her #1 Essence magazine bestseller, Let the Church Say Amen, in this warm and powerful sequel.
When her husband hears God's call to become a preacher, Rachel Jackson Adams is distressed -- she grew up a preacher's daughter, and knows how difficult life under the microscope can be for a reverend's family. But hot-headed Rachel has toned down her wild ways, and for the sake of her marriage and her two children, she is now the reluctant first lady of Zion Hill, unafraid to rock the boat with her unconventional ideas for revitalizing the church. When her son, Jordan, begins fighting at school, Rachel turns to the boy's father, Bobby -- Rachel's first love from years ago. Married now himself, there should be nothing between them except their concern for Jordan -- so why does seeing Bobby again feel so distractingly tempting? With her brothers facing dramas of their own, and her father, Reverend Simon Jackson, recovering from illness, Rachel must listen carefully to discover what God truly wants for her -- and to decide if Bobby is the lover of her dreams or the devil in disguise
283 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
13 people are currently reading
1057 people want to read
About the author
ReShonda Tate Billingsley
63 books1,481 followersReShonda Tate Billingsley is a general assignment reporter for KRIV-TV, the Fox affiliate in Houston, Texas. She is the author of the nonfiction book Help! I've Turned Into My Mother! and three previous adult novels: My Brother's Keeper, for which she received the prestigious Gold Pen Award for Best New Author from the Black Writer's Alliance and the Nova Lee Nation Award from the Greater Dallas Writing Association; the national bestseller Let the Church Say Amen, chosen for Library Journal's Best of 2004 list for Christian fiction; and I Know I've Been Changed, a Main Selection of the Black Expressions Book Club.
Her previous Christian teen novels are Nothing But Drama and Blessings in Disguise, both available from Pocket Books.
She is also a contributor to the story anthology Have a Little Faith.
Her previous Christian teen novels are Nothing But Drama and Blessings in Disguise, both available from Pocket Books.
She is also a contributor to the story anthology Have a Little Faith.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
May 22, 2013
The Jackson are back!!!!!!
Seven years has now past and this family is still on the roll.Rachel has turned her life around and became first lady at Zion Hill.Trying to stay on the right path ,she puts her past life behind her.While being a mother of two kids is hard she experience hard time with her son Jordan. She ends up seeking help from the boys father but with her being married and old feelings creeping back.With her father being sick and her brothers dealing with their own problems she realizes she need God more than ever.
This was also a great story,With it start starting slow and being that way for most of the book,i enjoyed it. Towards the end it picks up and boy the secrets that come out will shock you.I cant wait to continue on to part three.
Seven years has now past and this family is still on the roll.Rachel has turned her life around and became first lady at Zion Hill.Trying to stay on the right path ,she puts her past life behind her.While being a mother of two kids is hard she experience hard time with her son Jordan. She ends up seeking help from the boys father but with her being married and old feelings creeping back.With her father being sick and her brothers dealing with their own problems she realizes she need God more than ever.
This was also a great story,With it start starting slow and being that way for most of the book,i enjoyed it. Towards the end it picks up and boy the secrets that come out will shock you.I cant wait to continue on to part three.
September 15, 2017
Book 2 was needed because readers can now see First Lady Rachel as a mature woman. Mary had a tryst with Rachel's husband, announced her pregnancy before the congregation and did not get the basic beat down?! So yes, The First Lady has been changed for the better. I enjoyed every page of this book and happy to know there's a book 3.
September 4, 2017
Rachel, David & Jonathan definitely went thru changes with their kids & relationships in this 2nd part. Noticeable growth & maturity with David & Rachel. Great content in storyline
March 27, 2009
This is a good book!
September 21, 2023
Favorite Quote: “Romans 13:19. Lester stared up at his wife, confused. “Vengeance is mine switch the Lord? Just so you know, I’m not gon’ wait on the Lord.”~Rachel
The second book in the series picks up a seven years after the first one and does not disappoint. When telling backstories they also do it in an organic way that doesn’t read as boring exposition.
Rachel and Jonathan’s stories are my favorite to follow and I’m fully invested at seeing them as the best outcome for themselves.
The second book in the series picks up a seven years after the first one and does not disappoint. When telling backstories they also do it in an organic way that doesn’t read as boring exposition.
Rachel and Jonathan’s stories are my favorite to follow and I’m fully invested at seeing them as the best outcome for themselves.
July 26, 2022
Oh the drama!
August 12, 2024
This is the 2nd book in the " Say amen" series. It was a great follow-up to Say Amen. Although you can see the growth in the characters, there is still plenty of drama to keep you intrigued.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2012
Patience is a virtue and Lester Adams has much patience. He has begged, pleaded and FINALLY won over the love of his life Rachel Jackson and they are now married for five years. Life is going pretty good for the Adams until Lester drops a bombshell on Rachel that she is not willing to deal with! Will they be able to maintain their marriage or will this be the end of Rachel and Lester?
Angela Brooks is trying to move on with her after Jonathan Jackson but is having trouble because Jonathan will not leave her alone. Jonathan wants to see his and Angela's son, Chase, but Angela has too much hostility to allow that to happen. What is Jonathan to do? Can they work out something for the sake of the child or is this just a hopeless cause?
Despite the fact that David Jackson is now drug free thanks to a promise that he made to his mother before she died, he is still running into trouble and MAJOR drama with Tawny his longtime girlfriend/drug buddy. How is he going to deal with this next blow and will it affect his sobriety?
Simon Jackson seems to be the only Jackson that is not having and drama but he is having health issues that have his children all on edge. The women from Zion Hill are still pining away for him since the death of his wife Loretta seven years ago but his love and loyalty lies with her. No one will ever live up to Loretta and the love that she gave to Simon, or will they?
Everybody Say Amen is the perfect successor to Let the Church Say Amen with keeping you in tune and in touch with the characters and the ups and downs and around and around of their lives. So many emotions are involved with these characters that you are worn out from the shenanigans but you can not possibly put the book down, you find yourself saying "just one more chapter!" ReShonda Tate Billingsley did an excellent job with this book and I look forward to reading the next installment! Kudos ReShonda!!!!!
Angela Brooks is trying to move on with her after Jonathan Jackson but is having trouble because Jonathan will not leave her alone. Jonathan wants to see his and Angela's son, Chase, but Angela has too much hostility to allow that to happen. What is Jonathan to do? Can they work out something for the sake of the child or is this just a hopeless cause?
Despite the fact that David Jackson is now drug free thanks to a promise that he made to his mother before she died, he is still running into trouble and MAJOR drama with Tawny his longtime girlfriend/drug buddy. How is he going to deal with this next blow and will it affect his sobriety?
Simon Jackson seems to be the only Jackson that is not having and drama but he is having health issues that have his children all on edge. The women from Zion Hill are still pining away for him since the death of his wife Loretta seven years ago but his love and loyalty lies with her. No one will ever live up to Loretta and the love that she gave to Simon, or will they?
Everybody Say Amen is the perfect successor to Let the Church Say Amen with keeping you in tune and in touch with the characters and the ups and downs and around and around of their lives. So many emotions are involved with these characters that you are worn out from the shenanigans but you can not possibly put the book down, you find yourself saying "just one more chapter!" ReShonda Tate Billingsley did an excellent job with this book and I look forward to reading the next installment! Kudos ReShonda!!!!!
August 25, 2011
Will the Drama Ever End?
It’s been seven years since we congregated with the Jackson family, and, boy, have things changed. Rachel Jackson-Adams, former deviant and preacher kid, is now the first lady of Zion Hill, the very church she grew up in. Though she’d been reluctant at first when Lester, her husband, told her about his calling, she is trying very hard to play her position. Unfortunately, Rachel still has a lot of growing to do. With so much stress from the church, Jordan, her son, and her brothers and their children and her father’s possible romance, Rachel finds herself praying more and more. Will she trust God at His word or try to take matters into her own hands?
EVERYBODY SAY AMEN by ReShonda Tate Billingsley is comical, rousing and a quick read. It is good to see how the family has grown in the last seven years and learned to lean on one another, just as their mother would’ve wanted. As the drama steadily climbs, the Jacksons find themselves standing together in the face of adversity.
I am so looking forward to reading SAY AMEN, AGAIN.
It’s been seven years since we congregated with the Jackson family, and, boy, have things changed. Rachel Jackson-Adams, former deviant and preacher kid, is now the first lady of Zion Hill, the very church she grew up in. Though she’d been reluctant at first when Lester, her husband, told her about his calling, she is trying very hard to play her position. Unfortunately, Rachel still has a lot of growing to do. With so much stress from the church, Jordan, her son, and her brothers and their children and her father’s possible romance, Rachel finds herself praying more and more. Will she trust God at His word or try to take matters into her own hands?
EVERYBODY SAY AMEN by ReShonda Tate Billingsley is comical, rousing and a quick read. It is good to see how the family has grown in the last seven years and learned to lean on one another, just as their mother would’ve wanted. As the drama steadily climbs, the Jacksons find themselves standing together in the face of adversity.
I am so looking forward to reading SAY AMEN, AGAIN.
August 31, 2015
Great follow-up to Let the Church Say Amen. I enjoyed reading about the (mostly) progress of Rachel, David, and Jonathon. Rachel has come a long way, but still has a ways to go! There was some surprising twists and turns throughout. All the turbulent relationships had me shaking my head, but I am glad that resolutions were met. And, don't get me started on Mary!! I look forward to seeing what will happen in the next installment.
April 27, 2015
Loved it. This book pulled me in from the beginning and kept me going to the very end. Reshonda Tate Billingsley is becoming one of my favorite authors. It was a great continuation from the first book. I would highly recommend this book.
August 17, 2010
An Excellent Book. Please read!! You will not be disappointed!!
March 17, 2016
Another awesome book by, Reshonda Tate Billingsley!!!! :)
September 3, 2017
An amazing sequel. .hope there's a 3rd book!
January 14, 2020
Although this 3 book series is by far a GREAT read... It is FULL of drama and sin! I can not stop listening. I have dosed off and started back. I left the computer and put it on my phone.
The Former Pastor Simone Jackson's family is something else. Him in remission of Prostate Cancer, Wife is deceased, daughter (Rachel) is a Ghetto Hoochi Diva full of drama, son (Johnathan) is gay, and son (David) drug addict. The home/family is broken.
The plot twists Rachel is married now and her husband wants to become a preacher. She is not pleased by this decision being that she was a pastor's kid. She finds she is more adaptable than she or anyone else knows. All while they are having problems with Jordan, Rachel's son, and her husband's infidelities and her lusts for Bobby coming back. She finds her self in the middle of God's tests. She turns to him in prayer as she realizes she cant do this with out him and needs him more than ever. David is finally clean and is battling his own demons. Such as the crackhead girlfriend. Johnathan's boyfriend ,Tracey, helps bring the family back together. Its as if they take two steps forward and back step all the way back to the beginning.
I listen to these books on audible and the narrator is amazing a well!
The Former Pastor Simone Jackson's family is something else. Him in remission of Prostate Cancer, Wife is deceased, daughter (Rachel) is a Ghetto Hoochi Diva full of drama, son (Johnathan) is gay, and son (David) drug addict. The home/family is broken.
The plot twists Rachel is married now and her husband wants to become a preacher. She is not pleased by this decision being that she was a pastor's kid. She finds she is more adaptable than she or anyone else knows. All while they are having problems with Jordan, Rachel's son, and her husband's infidelities and her lusts for Bobby coming back. She finds her self in the middle of God's tests. She turns to him in prayer as she realizes she cant do this with out him and needs him more than ever. David is finally clean and is battling his own demons. Such as the crackhead girlfriend. Johnathan's boyfriend ,Tracey, helps bring the family back together. Its as if they take two steps forward and back step all the way back to the beginning.
I listen to these books on audible and the narrator is amazing a well!
February 24, 2025
Just when I thought Rachel had grown up, here she goes again! I’m glad the older pastors' wives of the city were there to mentor her—not just as peers, but in the absence of her mother.
I also appreciate Rachel's father for holding her accountable for the role she played in the troubles within her marriage. But when Mary showed up and pulled her stunt, I wanted the old Rachel back. Kuddos to the OG's of the church for standing up for Rachel, or shall I say "Our First Lady".
I loved how Rachel and Jonathan stepped up to help David with his son—a great example of how it truly takes a village.
Now, Jonathan... As much as I’m an advocate for a father being in his child’s life, I’m not mad at Angela’s decisions, emotions, and reactions. That said, I do think her family’s interference delayed her acceptance and healing process.
I’m really enjoying the series and can’t wait for Book 3!
I also appreciate Rachel's father for holding her accountable for the role she played in the troubles within her marriage. But when Mary showed up and pulled her stunt, I wanted the old Rachel back. Kuddos to the OG's of the church for standing up for Rachel, or shall I say "Our First Lady".
I loved how Rachel and Jonathan stepped up to help David with his son—a great example of how it truly takes a village.
Now, Jonathan... As much as I’m an advocate for a father being in his child’s life, I’m not mad at Angela’s decisions, emotions, and reactions. That said, I do think her family’s interference delayed her acceptance and healing process.
I’m really enjoying the series and can’t wait for Book 3!
September 27, 2025
As a PK this was extremely relatable. Wow, I appreciated this story, it definitely reads like a Tyler Perry play. I am mad at how it ended, but I am assuming there’s another book after this. I lowkey want to read the first book too. I resonate deeply with Rachel. I am disappointed in Lester tho. Not shocked, just mad. Nevertheless I loved the last scene where the church mothers finally came around, and said that we may not like our First Lady but we love her. That spoke volumes — also I appreciated the development of Rachel on display, I’m sure if I read the first book too, this (her growth) would have been even more amazing & on display.
So wow.
So wow.
March 5, 2024
Listened via Scribd 4/5 stars
Rachel and Lester made a great 1st couple.
Book 2 was all about growth for all characters.
Jonathan taking an active presence in his son's life.
David fighting to take primary custody of his son while Tawny still battles with her addiction.
Simon finding a new love.
Rachel listening to her heart, taking her role as 1st lady seriously, and being committed to her husband.
Lester did something that is likely unforgivable, but his love for Rachel, Nia, and Jordan was profound.
Rachel and Lester made a great 1st couple.
Book 2 was all about growth for all characters.
Jonathan taking an active presence in his son's life.
David fighting to take primary custody of his son while Tawny still battles with her addiction.
Simon finding a new love.
Rachel listening to her heart, taking her role as 1st lady seriously, and being committed to her husband.
Lester did something that is likely unforgivable, but his love for Rachel, Nia, and Jordan was profound.
February 22, 2018
Oh my goodness. I am enjoying this series much more than I expected! Rachel is a mess, and at times a hilarious mess. She has grown quite a bit since "Let the Church Say Amen", but there are people who keep trying her patience and her faith. There were a couple of times when I had to close the book and walk away while chanting "I can't. I can't. I can't." I paid $3.79 for this book at www.thriftbooks.com. It was well worth the purchase.
January 1, 2021
Will the drama ever end? The second installment in the Amen series was as messy as the first. Rachel grew up significantly, but still has some maturing to do. She should've been a better wife to Lester. Lester is a good husband, however made a mistake. Also, I felt somewhat of a cliffhanger with Jonathan and David's stories. Guess, everything will fully evolve in book #3. Billingsley sure knows how to keep her readers wanting for more.
March 14, 2025
Characters are ratchet AF - as usual. I'm Black & know ZERO Black people that act like this. I rooted for divorce SO hard. Simp girly weak men & masculine ratchet women. Sounds like the degeneracy we're facing today. Wow! I've noticed only Black women authors write like this. Further proof WHO championed feminine men, promoting masculine women & destroying Black families - Black Women. NO. BROKEN Black women.
November 29, 2021
When reading please acknowledge my grammar is not the best as I am dyslexic.
This book is a bit repetitive. It’s like at times the author forget she had already explained something to us.
But as always these books are lovely. The character growth is just amazing especially Davids and Rachel (Although I like Rachel when she’s bad).
It’s just a beautiful book to read.
This book is a bit repetitive. It’s like at times the author forget she had already explained something to us.
But as always these books are lovely. The character growth is just amazing especially Davids and Rachel (Although I like Rachel when she’s bad).
It’s just a beautiful book to read.
January 28, 2024
This was so good I read it in one sitting. I didn’t know it was the second book in a trilogy. The drama, the banter, the life lessons were so real! I loved this book. I will be reading more by this author very soon!
August 13, 2017
Awesome read. Definitely kept me wanting more. I can't wait to see what Rachel and the family gets into next...
October 24, 2019
Lord have mercy!...will the drama ever end?!?🤔🤦🏾♀️🤷🏽♀️
November 18, 2019
I can’t deal. I wanted strangle Mary and Lester throughout this book. 🤦🏾♀️
September 2, 2022
Great read.
April 10, 2023
Good read. Reminded me of the Reverend Curtis Black series but without the same mess
July 19, 2024
Second book in the Amen series… loved it too. Not so predictable storyline. I enjoyed the continuation from the first book.
November 13, 2025
She knows how to write drama in the church! Quite entertaining.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews