Customer Reviews

Between Friends

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This book is one about being lost and subsequently found: there is lost identity and found acceptance; there is lost life and found family; there is lost respect and found dignity; there is lost history and found truth. In BETWEEN FRIENDS, people who have lost their way manage to find their way back and teach the reader about the differences between looking and seeing or hearing and listening.

Another record was set with BETWEEN FRIENDS. I read it in 11 hours. To summarize: print journalist, Dallas Oliver is a person who has had a hard time and been made better because of her trials. Because of being perceived as a Black person, she has been vilified and victimized. Because of being perceived as `not Black enough,' she has been ostracized and criticized. Ex Navy SEAL, Alex Marco can understand Dallas' feelings of isolation, shame and confusion as a poor kid from Brooklyn and illegitimate son. And when Alex intervenes to protect a young Dallas, a foundation is laid for a connection that no amount of time apart can erode.

If you are expecting a traditional romance, then I think you might not be pleased with BETWEEN FRIENDS. It is, in the final analysis, a story that explores a bond between two people-and amorphous feeling of connectedness and intimacy between them. While there are very steamy love scenes, many of them may not feature the characters that you might hope or expect. For me, this did create a sense of...dissatisfaction as I reflected upon the book.

It doesn't quite make sense to me (although there is an attempt to clear this up toward the end of the book) that Alex becomes...`distracted' by another woman during much of BETWEEN FRIENDS. "What he wanted and what he got seemed to keep missing each other []" Sandra Kitt writes. Alex, by his own admission was getting "...only some of what he wanted []" with the other woman. And yet, he doesn't make a direct beeline for Dallas. This troubles me.

He had been fascinated with Dallas, had felt some strong emotion for her in the aftermath of fulfilling her teenage proposition, and felt protective and intensely close to her upon meeting her again as an adult. It is clear that he found her attractive, easy to talk to and was ostensibly unaffected by her perceived Blackness.... Why then, would he start something with another woman? With her friend.

On the other hand, Dallas has her own unfinished business to sort through when her childhood protector comes back on the scene. This is maybe what helps keep the reader `distracted' from what could fester into true disappointment with the book. And though the soulmates in this book spend too much time apart for my tastes, I was satisfied that the book ends up with the lovers on the precipice of a completely new relationship.

Also, Dallas is a wonderful example of feminism-a woman trying to be what she wants to be and do what she wants to do without being punished for making choices or being barred from making those choices. Maybe feminism isn't the word: she lives to find a way to be who she is-both Black and White, a woman, a professional-without being boxed in by others' expectations of her.

And I think that Kitt is trying to press the envelope regarding prejudice coming from any group of people...against any person. Any person who says that "all Black women" or "all" anything should act and think and look and talk in certain kinds of ways is trying to lay a top-down model of their options on them.

Maybe because of what Dallas refers to as an expectation to pull `double duty,' she is probably one of the only characters to accept that the violence she has endured, the losses she has racked up, who she should love and whether she is a good writer has nothing to do with her skin color or hair texture. She seems to be well aware that good and bad actions and beliefs come from people of all colors.

Liked it A lot, But I Could See Why Others Might Not.

I feel this book was very good because it really has a person wondering about friendships and relationships between friends & lovers, and is it worth the testing.

Sandra Kitt did it again with another great book. Alex and Dallas are such great characters and they're so good together. I thought it only natural that they end up together. He's been with her through some of her toughest times and he's truly the bestest friend she's ever had. Dallas helped Alex to realize his worth while Vin continued to deny him the love he always wished to receive. Valerie really pissed me off. I thought she was fake,rude,insecure, and Dallas deserved a better friend than her. All in all, from start to finish, you'll want to read more of this book.

I don't know how she does it but whenever I read any of her books, I can actually SEE the action in my head like a movie; she writes THAT clearly and concisely! Plus, no matter WHO the guy is, I always manage to wind up getting a "crush" on that character! Yup, no doubt! Sandra Kitt IS my all-time favorite author---hands down!

THIS BOOK WAS VERY EXCITING THE CHARACTERS WERE VERY WELL DEVELOPED. THIS BOOK WAS FULL OF FRIENDSHIP, LOVE, HATE, AND JEALOUSY. I LOVE HOW THE BOOK EXPLORED FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN A BLACK AND WHITE FEMALE . AND THE LOVE TRIANGLE BETWEEN THE TWO FRIENDS AND A WHITE MALE. THE ENDING WAS THE BEST BY NOT LEADING US TO BELIEVE IN A FAIRYTALE ENDING WITH SUCH A SERIOUS ISSUE.

I thought that the book had plenty potential but it left you with so many questions, there should be no questions at the end of a book unless it has a sequel to it and you know there is one coming. Like what about Alex mother, what happened to her or was I browsing so much I skipped that part all together!? NOT!
Why was it so difficult to let her so called friend Val know that Nick tried to hurt her and Alex saved her as well as what transpired when she was 16! I think she allowed those secrets to be kept to build up the story line but it was not a good story line, like why was Vin & Alex so heated at the funeral and why would he treat Nick better than Alex considering their blood lines? Again, who & where was Alex mother? I was half way expecting him to reveal that his mother was black or half black or something, which would explain Vin's behavior other than the one that they gave.
Danny wasn't as good of a friend as she proclaimed herself to be, with friends like her (or Val) who needs enemies!

Reading the reviews one would think this book was awful. I decided to borrow it from my local library and try it for myself. It was pretty good. There was nothing misleading about who would end up with whom. It progressed well for the most part. Dallas was not too caught up with woes about being biracial. In the time period the book was set and the experiences she had, it was perfectly acceptable behavior. it would've been nice if Dallas had more zest but that's just my personal like. I didn't give it five stars because I would have liked if certain things had progressed much sooner, and if certain things where discussed further. Also it isn't the best I have read. But all in all it is a good read.

I must say I truly enjoyed Sandra's story. Between Friends was a page turner. Also, just when I thought.....Sandra threw me for a loop. I loved the way she bought out the hidden truths of the characters. As an author myself, I must say Sandra is a very good descriptive writer; however, there were times when I thought the story was a little too descriptive. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed the book. This was the only book I've read of Sandra's and I look forward to reading other books she's written.

I enjoyed the book very much. The story is no different then what some people out here in socity have to face everyday. It show how love can conqure a lot of things if you let it. The relationship between the characters are better then reading a romance book. I love the book and I think you should read it, you might be surprise that you won't put it down. Sandra Kitt is a good writer.

ok...this wasnt a boring book to me...i actually liked it although i wouldnt mind putting valerie in her place...she was too insecure and if she was my friend i'll been told her where she can send that funky attitude but it wasnt all about her which was nice to read..the other characters were interesting...i have to say that ms kitt did a good job with the mystery on who was megan's father....and who was alex to the marco's...the other lines just fell in place to make it interesting and well who said that happy endings are always long...*S*