Fans of Interracial Romance discussion

This woman has got me goid snd SPRUNG on her male leads. The writing is well edited and flows in a way that actually makes SENSE so that I can't put her books down even when I don't like so
ryhing about the story. The females are horribly insecure in the first two I've read (The Beauty Within and Trolling Nights) and it bothers me to see them continually doubt the interest the guys sre showing them but its still believable and overall something I think many women can relate to. Just comes a point where I know I'd personally just go with it and hope for the best, but I do get it lol.

Anyway, this is just me being happy to find a writer whose work I really do appreciate. I honestly think I am crushing on both "Gunnar" and "Tim". I can see myself rereadng both books now and then and I plan to purchase anything else from her I come across.

****excuse the typos! on my phone at work lol!

LOL! I love getting on goodreads while at work!

I really need to read more of her novels. I've already read Being Plumville. Which one do recommend reading next?

I just finished Trolling Nights, Michelle. And I sm just in LOVE with Tim so I say try that one. But I finished both that and The Beauty Within in two days
..couldn't put em down! I just bought the Beauty Within Interludes this morning and its like follow up novellas abiut the couple. killed my break reading it lol. can't wait for lunch!

Savannah wrote: "I just finished Trolling Nights, Michelle. And I sm just in LOVE with Tim so I say try that one. But I finished both that and The Beauty Within in two days
..couldn't put em down! I just bought th..."

I love it!!! If that's good that you're giving up your break, I know I'll like it. Hopefully, I can read my butt off and start this weekend.

girl...its good. perfect balance of hot and romantic. even though these females will make you want to slap the mess out of 'em.

SJF is definitely on my favorites list. I will buy any book she writes. She's a lovely person as well.

I totally concur. My first book that I read of Ms Frierson's was Being Plumville and I had to congratulate SJF with a personal email! It was exquisite. I've also read Trolling Nights and the Interlude and they were excellent stories. I love the believability of her stories. She is an excellent writer. After that book, I wanted to buy ALL of her books at the same time, but funds preclude me from doing so, but I will eventually have all of her books in my collection. I love that she gives interludes after the story to give the reader a little bit more about the characters that we have come to love after the epilogue.

I think that Trolling Nights got a little bit....well, it got to be a bit much with all the family involvement toward the end. Its one thing to be close to one's family, and I loved it that they embraced Tim. But to have them be there for some of the things that they were was just kind of ridiculous and STRANGE to me. There were no boundaries. And theres only so much mama and daddy need to be involved in the intimate conversations between two new lovers. Some of it creeped me out, I admit. lol

What I'm noticing is that SJF is a master at creating men that you can absolutely adore as a reader. I'm just hoping the next book of hers that I read showcases a strong female lead. I get it how damaging low self esteem can be or how a person can be demoralized by someone's actions. I just don't want to keep reading about women who can't seem to accept Anything loveable about themselves. its hard to read that type of mindset, especially in the face of men who are written to be literally everything a woman could ask for. I get it that that alone would be cause for even more insecurity. Just..at some point, enough is enough, ya know?

Savannah wrote: "I think that Trolling Nights got a little bit....well, it got to be a bit much with all the family involvement toward the end. Its one thing to be close to one's family, and I loved it that they em..."

I guess that I can see where you are coming from with that Ms. Savannah about being strong women and the men that are around them. I think that we have to take each story as is. If you have read Being Plumville I don't think that Ben trumped Coralee or she didn't feel worthy of his love, but I think she just wanted an easier life. She knew what loving him was going to cost her and at first she wasn't prepared to deal with that. Then you have to think about that particular situation from a young person's mind.

As far as Trolling Nights is concerned, these people only had one daughter and I have seen all around me how involved parents can be in their children's lives especially when they only have one. Which part do you think is kind of creepy? When her father warns Tim?

I also didn't get that gibe from the Someone to Love which is a follow up to Trolling Nights.

Connie, it was the fact that her parents seemed all up in their intimate conversations. At the breakfast table and even after he proposed...it wad like the family gave her a Sex Send Off. And to be honest, I felt the initial discussion about what happened to her as well as his experience as a little kid should have been just between the two of them. I think it would be right to tell her parents, but seperately and after the two of them as a couple had time to talk it through and comfort each other as a unit.

And definitely was not feeling her mama coming in there and sittin on the side of the bed when he slept over. Fully clothed or not-grown folks need boundaries lol. Lots of things like any time they got around her folks.

Saving Plumville for the weekend since I know it has a more serious vibe to it. want to be able to give it my full attention:)

Well her family sounds like mine where nothing is particularly private. :) Maybe that's. Why I feel like it's no big deal. Well I don't know, if they are staying in her parent's house, their rules you know? Some things we just have to deal with. :) That's what my dad always told me!

BTW let me know when you get done with Being Plumville so we can discuss.

Oh I def get the house ruled thing...its just the open discussion about their sexual decisions and such.

If my mama was ok with him sleepjn in my room (which she wouldn't be unless we already lived together, then she would treat us accordingly and not come in in that situstion. I dunno...just felt like they were behaving more like Bevin was 18 vs. 28 yetthey were constantly referring to sex openly. It came off weird to me but I still enjoyed the book.

I loved that book! Hopefully SJF will come out of the shadows with a new book... Looking forward to that day...

I think SJF tries to break out of the 'strong black woman' stereotype. I feel that authors go overboard with this super-duper, butt-kicking black woman all the time. Frankly, it can be alienating, especially if you're sick of the whole Angry Black woman stereotype. I like that SJF can write softer, vulnerable characters who also have fortitude. I connected both with Bevin and Coralee in that they had to be sentinels that showed strength, but also struggled in other ways.

The only thing that bothers me about SJF's novels (of the three I've read so far anyway) is that she seems determined to put her heroine's in the mold of unattractive to the world. The women have been ladies who are evidently attractive but the only person to see it is the man that falls for them. To me, that's a little...I don't know. Not a great message? Because its always a body thing. She never gets size specific, but its always made known that she's not thin and she's usually short lol. Like those two things preclude beauty. And ya, I know...the media, the world, blah blah blah. But overall, I think that's a stigma that isn't NEARLY as common any more as it used to be. Rail thin in normal society is kind of over to some degree and its definitely not prevalent enough to force someone into the type of self image that some of these ladies are displaying. I get meeting a guy whose just SO unbelievably gorgeous that even a woman with healthy self esteem would think he was playing with her. I get that. So I think its just that its not left AT that, ya know? Like its not enough just to say "he's model gorgeous" or whatever. THAT would explain a woman being insecure about how the guy feels about her as far as I'm concerned. So why compound it with "no one has ever noticed her". And keep driving that point home over and over. Then theres always the gorgeous, thin'ish sister who gets all the attention while the shorter chubbier one has never been noticed and THATS why she can't believe he's interested. It bugs me a little.
And the giggly, shy thing..ugh. I am over the overly aggressive alpha freakin strong black woman in IR's too, don't get me wrong. But wheres the middle ground? Wheres the NORMAL?

I like that she does that because she taps into the insecurity that many women face. I really don't connect to perfect, perfectly happy characters in fiction. Why, because I need real life, and I need flawed characters who have a journey to go on, and some evolution to achieve.

I don't know any woman who thinks she looks perfect, even if she has healthy self esteem. You're either too tall, too short, too curvy, too flat, your hair is too curly or too straight. There will always be something you see wrong with you.

I have only read two of her books so far, but I didn't see her male characters being perceived as perfect, but just very attractive to the heroine.

Maybe that is the case with the books by her I haven't read yet.

If I may interject my two cents here, I don't believe All of the heros were necessarily handsome, but they are attractive because of the confidence that they exude. Now, Ms. Savannah I could say in Being Plumville Coralee had plenty of confidence in her physical appearance and the men both black and white thought so. I mean there was one part in her book where the football coach said that he didn't want Ben to work with her because she would make upstanding white men look at her twice and be didn't want Ben to ge caught up. I agree sometimes the "I can't believe he's mine because I don't fit the stereotypical beauty mold" gets a little old, but it doesn't have to detract from the story.

I like her because she's ''real.''

Just like Lady Danielle, I like flawed characters, because I can relate.

Not every Black woman feels ab-fab about herself/her body, as a matter of fact, some are doing well 2 overcome 1 or more ''issues.''

It's just a fact of life.

But what I like, is that SJF's characters start off insecure, but at some point, they manage to get their stuff together.

Bevin is a great example of that, because initially, she doesn't realize her worth and value as a woman. And yes, the 'incident' does have a part to play with Bevin's dysfunction.

But tell me this, how many women do you know, that have not had a past 'incident' from childhood or young adulthood?

Connie wrote: "If I may interject my two cents here, I don't believe All of the heros were necessarily handsome, but they are attractive because of the confidence that they exude. Now, Ms. Savannah I could say i..."

Haven't read Plumville yet. I think its the last one of hers that I haven't gotten hold of. But of the three I've read, all three men were of the drop dead gorgeous variety. Still, don't get me wrong-I appreciate flawed characters. I just finished that Melanie Harvey book last week and BOTH of them were such a dang mess that it literally broke my heart. I especially appreciate a heroine that has insecurities that rear up at different stages of the relationship. As far as the physical I especially appreciate that it. Thats true to life and I definitely prefer that to some buff, toned paragon of feminity LOL.

What I'm saying is there is a difference between some insecurities and a total lack of self esteem. To me, that's sad and not something I enjoy seeing even through the eyes of a fictional person. I have a SLEW of insecurities, but I just can't identify with someone who at SOME point doesn't just say "eff it, I'm going with it until I see a reason not to." LOL Thats me and I gotta bring me to the table when I read. I can't leave her out of it, if ya know what I'm saying. I get FEELING that way but when it gets to a point where its a focal point in most every conversation between the two....too much.

Bevin was just childish to me. Maybe I'm too old to get into the mental space she inhabited as a character, I don't know. I already mentioned my dislike for how involved she got her parents in the relationship. Again-thats a me thing and I realize that, but "me" is the only person trying to get something out of reading the book so its hard to turn off. It has nothing to do with not identifying with having a traumatic event (though to be honest, I don't think every woman has). That wasn't the problem. I know women who have experienced worse than what was described as happening to her and it surely didn't lead to them being completely lacking in confidence in themselves. Does it have a lasting impact? Absolutely, without question. But it doesn't necessarily usurp all else and end up defining them in terms of a woman's personality. But I definitely would say that there can be different reactions to something like that. I just didn't like Bevin's LOL.

And again, my primary issue is the whole concept of ONLY this man finding them attractive when it becomes obvious that others actually do as well. At first, I read it as it being something just in HER mind...she didn't see the way other men responded to her. But then you've got every Tom, Dick and Harry telling the men who loved them "hey, what do you see in her?" basically telling them they aren't pretty enough. It was ...ambiguous to me. At first, everyone is so shocked and amazed that he can be attracted to "someone like her" but then all of a sudden its bee's to honey at some point lol. And ya, I know confidence is a turn on for people, both male and female, but it still doesn't fully explain the 180 to me.

To each their own. But for me, that was a drawback in a VERY well written story. I don't like everything about it, but I appreciate the writing, pace and delivery of the story. Like I said, I just hope to find the middle ground with the heroines. I want to read about what I consider to be a NORMAL woman. Not driven by her insecurities, but at the same time, she's got them just the same. Not so strong she rejects all aspects of having a man dote on her and cherish her, but not so soft that she's insecure, clingy and needy. There is an unexplored MIDDLE here that I'm trying to find.

SJF is one of my all time favorites! I have read all of her books. Being Plumville and AJ's Serendipity are my favorites by her if you've read Aliyah Burke's Navy Seal Team series then you'll know that AJ is the first cousin to Dimitri Melonakos the Greek Seal Team member. I can read Being Plumville over and over and never grow tired of it. This book is so good and so well written I believe it could be a made for TV movie on a network like Hallmark.

Does anyone know if she has any new books in the works? I would hate for her to stop writing.

A year ago she re released Being Plumville for Kindle and I bought it the same day it was re released. So now I have them both. She did announce that she has some new things in the works and I cannot wait.

Excited for more books by her!

I couldn't get into Trolling nights, I think it was because the lead female seemed more like a pimp than their friends. Everyone was involved in the leads relationship. Her mom and everyone even had a going away party for when he was taking her to a hotel, the mom was encouraging it. Didn't the mom eve give the daughter tips or something? she was a little too involved in her daughters sex life.

The way the mom flirted with the hero was strange.

In fact everyone and her mom had a say in the heroine's sex life.

I absolutely loved Being Plumville, it is one of my all time fav. books. It was so emotionally charged. I never once felt as though the author was using sex to show love between the leads.

I rooted for the couple, cared about them and when the book ended I knew these two were truly in love.

Recently, I noticed that Savannah & BJ Thornton had coauthored a book in April of this year: . I was tempted to buy it, but it seems like it's a little too kinky for my taste. Hopefully in the future, Savannah writes something even better than: & .

BJ Thornton is very talented writer as well. She has an awesome book The Way That You Play It. Really good book. The cover is nice too.

I noticed that book too Anino but passed it up for the same reason. I'm hoping for ones as good as or better than Being Plumville.

I also enjoyed Reconstructing Jada Channing.

Anino wrote: "Recently, I noticed that Savannah & BJ Thornton had coauthored a book in April of this year: . I was tempted to buy it, but it seems like it's a little too kinky for my ta..."

I saw that. I was confused if it was really a SJF book. I'm definitely not into menage, so it's a no for me.

Oh yeah, I read AJ's Serendipity and enjoyed it very much until Demetri showed. I tried to read the book where he was the character, but his actions made me not like him, He treated the girl that was suppose to be just a friend, I think her name was Africa, more like a girlfriend than the woman he said he loved, she drove his car, he had her picture all over his house. She had a brother in the same city but stayed with him instead and what got him out of bed when the heroine couldn't? Africa got undressed and jumped into the bed with him. I kept thinking, if the heroine only knew what helped him get out of that bed, she wouldn't have thanked her. In my mind I can see him cheating on her, and the job he had to seduce other women and do whatever it took to arrest them, even sleep with them if he had to, he was a hooker for the government. He had walked out on once, this time If I was that heroine, I would have ran not walked, away from him.

Sorry for my rant, but he seemed to always put the heroine last. Okay, I'll go hide again.

I just finished and it's definitely NOT going to be everyone's cuppa but I really liked it. It was edgy, thought-provoking and turned quite a few romance conventions on their ears (which always puts a smile on my face when done well). The interesting thing is, I didn't like Chakah the heroine as much as I liked Luz the other protagonist. In fact, Chakah seems rather emblematic/problematic of most of Frierson's heroines from what I've gleaned from reviews of her other books--the dark-skinned, big woman with no self-esteem until the hero comes along. I'm so not into that trope either. Anyway, my review if you're interested:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The triad thing and BDSM alone turns me off.

Thanks for your input and I'm very happy you enjoyed the book, but it's still not for me, I'm not into menage's and I'd rather my heroine and hero goes one way and the bdsm, whether light or not is just not my cuppa.
I have tried to read these kinds of book before but couldn't stomach them, that's how I know it's just not for me. I wouldn't be able to enjoy it at all knowing the kind of sex life they have, knowing there really is nothing special about the couple if they can so easily share themselves with others. It seems to me a menage can turn into more without any issues.

I can never take a menage relationship serious, no matter the issues or how emotional the author tries to make it.

I am a more emotional reader. I want the couple I read about to be emotional and mentally in tuned with each other before anything else and swings one way. No I'll never be interested in any book that has more than two people in a relationship or one where there is pleasure giving pain to others or enjoy receiving it. No matter how thought provoking the story might be those two things would spoil the story for me. I guess now I have to pay close attention before I pick up another of Frierson's books.

I really do appreciate your input though and I thank you for it. :)

Savannah, I totally agree with you about Trolling nights! Creepy parents.

Emotonal wrote: "The triad thing and BDSM alone turns me off.

Thanks for your input and I'm very happy you enjoyed the book, but it's still not for me, I'm not into menage's and I'd rather my heroine and hero goes..."

You're welcome! It's always interesting talking to you and getting a different point of view. I definitely made a point about the book not being to everyone's taste. It's not a value judgment, but it drives me insane that some readers knowingly go into a book they know damn well isn't their thing, only to pitch a tizzy fit about how "bad" it was. For instance, I know infidelity, unless handled in a non-glamorous and realistic way (and there are VERY few instances of that), isn't going to fly for me, so I'm not going to read a romance in which that scenario figures heavily.

I know you mean, I always try to research a book before reading it, but sometimes I run into a few that says temporary romance, no warning of anything I don't want to read and end up with just that. Sometimes the nooks aren't labeled correctly and there is no info to be had anywhere about it's content.

You know, you ladies are some kind of awesome. We can all have different opinions, likes and dislikes without judgement. I know I can get a little emotional about what I read but never once have I felt judged. Thank you for that:)

Emotonal wrote: "I know you mean, I always try to research a book before reading it, but sometimes I run into a few that says temporary romance, no warning of anything I don't want to read and end up with just that..."

I love that too, that respectful give and take we have here. Moreover, we have FUN in this forum. Reading IS an emotional experience. It's personal and each of us takes something different from it. And that's totally cool.

That's why I've stuck around. :)

Ms Frierson contacted me via Goodreads PM with an update on her writing. She's hoping she may have another project finished by the end of the year, so fans of her have some good books to look forward to.


LOOSE (with BJ Thornton, April 2014)
https://www.createspace.com/4842173

If fantasizing were a crime, Chakah DuBois would be locked away for life.

She's doggedly optimistic about her career as a physical therapist, the San Francisco condo she wants, and the love life she craves. However, being big, tall, and queer isn't easy, especially in a traditional family featuring a petite, compliant sister; a critical mother obsessed with keeping up appearances; and a doting, conservative father whose love Chakah is afraid to lose by coming out.

With a failed engagement already on her rap sheet, even Chakah's best friend has found her guilty of being naïve enough to long for unconditional, unbridled love with a person of any gender. Undeterred by naysayers, or the fact she has had to settle for fantasies instead of dates recently, Chakah continues to put her best foot forward.

Things begin to look up once she lands a plum home care assignment with Griffin Gray, the front man of her favorite band whose songs were the soundtrack of her most romantic imaginings, and his injured wife Luz, a bisexual fetish photographer whose unconventional ways have made their marriage as passionate as it is troubled. In the couple, Chakah glimpses a consuming love for which she would gladly serve a life sentence. She becomes close with kindred spirit Luz, which leads to intimacy with both husband and wife.

When the Grays offer her a chance to experience her fantasies, Chakah gambles on having the time of her life with the sexy, wealthy couple, and loses her heart in the process.

Is a three-way relationship worth being branded a wanton woman in the eyes of her family and friends, or would unraveling the social norms that bind her finally give Chakah the happiness she seeks?

Either way, Chakah is letting it all hang Loose.


TRUST FALL (August 2014)
https://www.createspace.com/4935594

Southern born and bred, Rosalyn Greer has worked too hard for too long to let an old flame stop her rise to the top of New York's PR world. But when Iolan "Patrick" Monahan returns to her life after a five-year hiatus as her new client, she feels as if she's falling without a net.

Irish-American Patrick Monahan had all but pushed Rosalyn out of his bed and door when she'd refused to take their relationship to the next level. Nevertheless, she'd not budged a centimeter from his heart. Now that she's back as his software company's biggest advocate, Patrick is determined to convince Rosalyn he will be there to catch her if she'd just take the chance.

Will Rosalyn be able to trust the fall, or will caution keep her tethered to the ground?

Super Awesome!

I agree with everyone here that Savannah J. Frierson is an exceptional author. The first book of hers that I read was Trolling Nights and I couldn't put it down. Then came The Beauty Within and by the time I finished reading it the sun was coming up.

Like Danielle I am glad her heroine's are not perfect and have some insecurities because I too find that most women including myself are the same way at some point in their life.

I still have a couple of her books on my TBR list and that includes the new one Trust Fall. I just need to make sure that I have nothing to do the next day and can sleep in because once I start her book I know I won't being able to put it down.