Balancing Destiny [Paperback]

Michael Derrios (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 26, 2005

Balancing Destiny is a fresh, upbeat novel which explores a young woman

Product Details

• Paperback: 260 pages
• Publisher: Xlibris Corporation (January 26, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1413474411
• ISBN-13: 978-1413474411
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,360,902 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Kudos to this Freshman novelist........., November 18, 2006

By 

H. Legette-Hill "tigasinamon2" (New York USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Balancing Destiny (Paperback)

Destiny has mapped out her life. She'd always had an clear visual of what she wanted and where she wanted to go. On the day she is to finally move out of her parents home and begin this perfectly planned life she is dealt an life changing blow. She's adopted, and her parents never seemed to intend to tell her. Her perfectly planned life doesn't seem as important anymore, because she's wondering if it's what she wants or what she just thought was expected of her.

Destiny moves to New York with her cousin. She's hired to an small magazine and a job that is well below her creditials, while she's taking the opportunity to find her biological parents. At her new job she meets Anthony "Tony" who is immediately taken with her, but Destiny has a goal at the moment, and she also isn't too sure about dating a white man. Eventually she gives it a try, but she can't ignore the stares, the outbursts from her cousin, or the way the black community treats her. She also feels she can't take this relationship seriously herself, but she finds herself falling in love anyway, and that scares her even more.

She finally breaks it off with Tony after an altercation at a club that didn't feel the two should be "socializing". Although heartbroken, she continues her search for her parents, finding her father and finally her mother. She is shocked by what she finds in her lineage and not only that, an ironic twist comes into play that makes Destiny rethink her views on race and her reasoning for breaking up with a good man that actually loved her.

Mr. Derrios wrote a book that was full of characters with depth. His supporting characters were lightly placed and added to the story. It was a "drama" and "romance" all in one. His characters were likable and disliked, but they were human and you knew that their enviornments shaped their personalities. It was relistic in many ways and far fetched in another case, but it made for such good drama that you don't care. My only vice was the end of the book. The chapter should have been an Epilogue instead of an "fast forward". Also, I'm not into "drivel". Some women like it, but I'd soon read something else than wedding vows. Maybe I'll go back and read it, but I definitely enjoyed this book, immensely and hope much success to Mr. Derrios. I hope he doesn't let this be his only work. A great coming of age and finding one's place story.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Balancing Destiny, August 12, 2006

By 

RJoline "Book Lover" (Delaware) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Balancing Destiny (Paperback)

I could scarely believe this was author Michael Derrios's first book. It was sensusal, moving, romantic and thoroughly enjoyable. I love reading WM/BW interracial romances. There is just not enough of them. Mr. Derrios creates the characters, Tony, who is Italian and African-American Destiny as two strong people. They encounter all the pitfalls, highs and lows of an interracial couple. The vows spoken by Destiny and Tony pulled at my heart strings. I can't wait for the next one! I am telling you people this author has the sensitivity and knows how to use his pen just like author Nicholas Sparks.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not very good., February 10, 2007

By 

LoVe2ReAd (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Balancing Destiny (Paperback)

I am not going to rehash the synopsis, but I will only share my feelings. I was so excited to read this book. My library system does not have it in circulation, so I ended up purchasing it from here. I was extrememly underwhelmed by the story. I read many IR tales, but this is by far in the top 5 heavy-handed. At some point, it is nice to think you're just reading a story. Never the case with this book. I should have expected though after reading the author's acknowledgments. I didn't find a lot of depth in the story and most of it could be predicted.