K's Book Review of the Week!

Trust Issues: Let's Talk About It!

Forced to be a single mother by the selfish and deceitful acts of her ex-boyfriend, Aiyanna Hayden is finally ready to move on. During the last six years, she has built a good life for herself and her daughter. With a thriving career, supportive friends and family, and a quasi-relationship, she should be satisfied. But she is plagued by her fear of loneliness and never finding her one true love. She doesn’t want to be single, but she refuses to settle. While enjoying an overdue vacation with her closest friends, she meets the perfect man, all-star NBA player, Channing Alexander.

Within weeks, a relationship most women could only dream of becomes her reality. However, Aiyanna soon realizes that her celebrity romance is cursed by a barrage of internal and external complications. Can Aiyanna look past the women, the haters, and her own insecurities in order to find happiness with Channing? She may not find the answer until it’s too late.

Happiness, love, friendship, and forgiveness: Aiyanna wants it all, but is it even possible? Could the old adage be true; must all good things come to an end?

*Excerpt from Amazon review*

"No Tears, Just Tea"

Happy Wednesday readers! I am back this week with a new read that was sent to me for review called Trust Issues x Berchet! Woooo chileeee...let me collect my wig as this book read my entire life! I am usually typically nervous about stepping out of my comfort zone with reading new reads by new authors, but I am so glad that I stepped out on a little bit of faith and a sprinkle of Black Jesus because this book was actually pretty good! Trust Issues is everything a story is made of, and what I loved most about it was that it took me on a wild journey! I love a good drama mixed with some suspense to keep me on my toes of what will happen next! The characters were alive and engaging, and I connected with Aiyanna so well throughout the read. I am Aiyanna. Aiyanna is me. I found myself silently rooting for Yanna, Rece and Channing throughout the book, and really was excited to see how the stars would align with them, and how their relationship will intertwine in the future. I absolutely loved Holly who reminds me of what true friendship looks and feels like. Let me tell you something. EVERYONE needs a Holly. A friend that no matter what crazy idea or thought you come up with, they are riding for you and supporting you. No matter how many dumb mistakes you make, sis is THERE okay?! That's what friendships are for! 

​I think the biggest critique I have given authors that request my feedback is when creating your characters for your novels, make them come alive! I want to relate to the characters in some way, shape or form. I want to feel like I am there with them experiencing their journey. THAT is what readers want! We want to go through a series of emotions when reading your book whether that means to curse, cry, laugh, smile, whatever! We want to FEEL. The FEELING is what turns a good book into a GREAT book! If I can read your book and rave over it, finish it in a span of a day, pull life lessons from it, AND my good wig is snatched all at the same time? That's a GREAT book! Good books are books that you finish and you're like okay, that was cool. It's like an "ok" date. You didn't hate it, but you know you're going to leave them on read the next day type of vibe. Also, what takes a good book to a GREAT book is the ENDING! It's the last kiss at the end of the date! Pop that tic-tac and go for the kill! Endings make or break books! I can't express how many times I have read a book that was SO good throughout that I couldn't wait for the end, GET to the end, and think, "What the hell is this?" It's like eating some tired runny Velveeta mac and cheese at Thanksgiving! NEXT! (Have I struck a nerve?) We ALL know that the mac & cheese makes or breaks the Thanksgiving dish! Think of that as your ending! Will I be invited to cook the mac & cheese again next year, or am I one bite away from barely being allowed to bring the plastic plates? C'mon SIS! As readers, we want you on the mac & cheese committee with the grandmas and the aunties, so MAKE US PROUD! 

​Overall, this book told an excellent story. It had me on the edge of my seat, and was definitely a page turner! The storyline was not over the top, but was believable! Of all the characters, my favorite was Holly. I loved her loyalty to Aiyanna throughout! Definitely reminded me of my best friends and the bond that we share together! I also loved Channing, because it's rare that loyal black men are depicted positively in novels, and I thoroughly enjoyed that! When I review books, I believe in honesty. Honesty is what you need as a new author, because you have to develop the meat and potatoes first. You have to see what people like or don't like. You have to build your writing tone and take time to develop those characters and tell that story. The art of storytelling is what takes you to the next level. THAT is what takes you to NY Times Best Seller level! 

I would like to thank Berchet for allowing me to review this book and share my feedback! I definitely see amazing potential, and very curious of what she comes up with next! Thank you for allowing me to spill my tea and share my light with you! If you are into drama or romance, this book is definitely for you! Everyone has trust issues...what's yours? Thank you for reading! 

Meet the Author!

Berchet is a native of Norfolk, VA. She holds a bachelor of arts in legal communications from Howard University, and a master of science in educational psychology from George Mason University. While she is "Berchet" to readers, two little people, her son and daughter, call her "Mommy". She resides in the District of Columbia metro area, where she is also the owner of a company that provides publishing and professional services. She is currently working on her second release, Kissing in the Dark, a collection of erotic short stories. Trust Issues is her debut novel. 

"Writing has always been a passion. Over the years, writing has given me joy, healed my heart, and allowed me to express my craziest thoughts. I am a strong believer in the power of writing and reading. After reading my first Eric Jerome Dickey book, in ninth grade, I began to fall in love. What started out as a hobby, became something more. On my 24th birthday, I purchased a notebook from Target, and started writing my debut novel, Trust Issues. Working full-time, returning to school, birthing two children, and life in general, kept me from focusing on this dream for many years. But now, I'm ready."