Between Lovers [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Eric Jerome Dickey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2002

With each new novel, Eric Jerome Dickey has established himself as one of the freshest and most exciting writers on America's contemporary fiction scene. His latest book is no exception. Set in the San Francisco Bay area, Between Lovers brings together three irresistible characters. The novel's narrator a Los Angeles-based writer is still reeling from being dumped by Nicole after seven good years followed by an aborted trip to the altar. Nicole grew up during their time together, and changed—she became a successful career woman, moved north to Oakland, and fell in love with another woman. But she's still not satisfied. She likes what she has, but misses what she had, and wants to find out if she can have it all. She's playing with fire, not to mention the feelings of the two people who love her most in the world, but Nicole lures her former fiancé back into her new life, opening the floodgates of anger, passion, pain...and refreshing honesty. How these three fascinating people handle this unusual and complex love triangle makes for one of Dickey's most provocative and unforgettable novels.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Dickey (Liar's Game) shows a skillful hand once again with sensational relationships and heady sensuality in his lively fourth novel, another winner. Exploring the dynamics of a complex and emotive love triangle, he injects some autobiographical detail into the mix by making his unnamed protagonist and first-person narrator a popular L.A.-based African-American author. This author is riding the wave of a book-signing tour in Oakland, Calif., but is still reeling from the repercussions of being stood up at the altar by seven-year lover and secretly budding lesbian Nicole. The runaway bride abandons the ceremony for some much-needed self-exploration, and though she's still in love with her ex-fianc‚, she quickly moves in with female lover Ayanna, a fiery, cynical attorney. A year later, Nicole gets busy alternating dates with both partners; this proves complicated and emotionally draining for all three. When they all finally come together, there is a dialogue-heavy, war of the roses-style battle for Nicole's heart (sandwiched between some particularly vigorous erotic play, Dickey-style). A tragic turn of events forces both Ayanna and the novelist to reexamine their narcissistic motivations and reconsider their capacity to love without limitations. The pace of this character-driven novel is unhurried, highlighting Dickey's celebrated contemporary vernacular, thinly veiled social commentary and comedic sarcasm. While his somewhat shallow emotional portrait of Nicole might not fully convince readers that she's worth all the trouble she causes, at the same time he manages to demonstrate just how blind and blissfully numbing true love can be. This is another spicy slice of African-American dramatic fiction from an author who seems only to get better. (July)Forecast: Jacketed in the familiar, brightly colored Dickey style, this quality crowd-pleaser will leap off display tables. Chances are it'll hit bestseller lists early, given an extra boost by a 20-city author tour.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

The author of best sellers like Liar's Game sets up an unusual triangle. After seven happy years, Nicole has dumped her boyfriend (who narrates) and fallen in love with a woman. But she can't help trying to entice her former love back into her life.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 406 pages
• Publisher: Wheeler Publishing (March 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587241722
• ISBN-13: 978-1587241727
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (269 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,624,210 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Eric Jerome Dickey is the author of twelve novels, including the bestsellers Genevieve, Drive Me Crazy, Naughty or Nice, The Other Woman, and Thieves' Paradise. Dickey writes full time and is developing a six-issue mini-series of comic books for Marvel Enterprises featuring Storm (X-Men) and the Black Panther.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Told with Intensity...................., July 21, 2001

By 

Janeth C. Walker (VAFB, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Between Lovers (Hardcover)

I've had the opportunity to read 54 reviews of EJD's latest addition to the contemporary market and felt compelled to give my opinion on the book in hopes that it might assist other potential readers to understand Between Lovers. Simply put, the novel is "fiction". It's imaginative with creativity and not necessarily written based upon any real truth.

Between Lovers is a "love triangle" that happen to be narrated by a man who allowed himself to love openly. Was he a wimp? I don't believe so. What I do believe is that "he" believed he loved Nicole more than life itself. He gave her his heart and the depth of love that's infinite. We may not all believe this to be possible in our "real worlds", but perhaps to this character, he actually loved her that deeply "and" without boundaries. Love is not something that you turn on and off when you have a bad day or your mate disappoints you. The narrator truly knows and understands "his" degree of love.

Are some of the scenes in Between Lovers.........out there? That depends on what you like. But when considering the narrator and again his depth of love for Nicole..............absolutely ANYTHING was possible for him. Was it intense? Without a doubt............but intensity is what you make it.

Could EJD have done some things differently or told the story more to my liking? Maybe....maybe not............nonetheless it doesn't take away the level of creativity that EJD has to bring to his market of contemporary AA fiction. I believe that he touched on a subject that might be a little too close for comfort for some and non-affecting for others. Yet and still, it was intensly bold and very much an interesting read.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Between Lovers is an Enigma..., July 8, 2001

By 

Evita M Castine (Iowa City, IA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Between Lovers (Hardcover)

I have now read all of Eric Jerome Dickey's books and this one is the most racy. I commend Dickey for taking an artistic chance to explore a topic that not too many African Americans address.

There are several themes Dickey addresses in his latest novel, Between Lovers: Family Relationships in particular, father and son, mother and daughter, homesexuality, man and woman relationships, spirituality vs. religion, identity, addiction to a person, forgiveness, and civic duty. It seems like alot, but Dickey develops his characters and delivers messages with incomparable delicacy and openness.

There are many times in the book where you want to strangle the narrator or shout at him because you can't understand why he would chase this woman around and basically sacrifice his personal dignity in the name of love. But I couldn't help comparing it to the behavior of many women who relentlessly chase a man when it is clear that he is not emotionall available to them. In this book it is clearly from the inside of a man! It made me think twice about how I see men and their emotional capabilites. "Is he for real?" was a constant question I would ask myself while reading.

Dickey explored the underground and above ground world of sexuality between women. The relationship that his former fiance, Nicole has with a high powered attorney, Ayanna, is not based on sex. It is a relationship based on trust, honesty and intimacy. Any steretypes or opinions that people may have developed about gay women will be altered after reading this novel. It also challenges your beliefs about how love is shown and how it can be expressed in human relationships.

Another issue Dickey addressed is the issue of religion vs. sprituality. The ability to believe in God, but also to have other belief systems and question your own. For instance the women use reflexology to cure their hormonal issues. He also mentions many books on a variety of religions that Nicole and Ayanna read. The women as well as the narrator have questioned authorative figures in their own lives, much to their belligerent chagrin, who helped shape their belief system.

Family relationships was an extremely important theme in this novel. If you are like me than you have had issues with at least one of your parents in your lifetime. Dickey explores this and shows us that reconciliation can be achieved with acceptance. There is nothing harder than emotionally detaching from your parents, but Dickey tackles it. At the end there is a particularly moving scene in which the character is given acceptance by a father who for awhile disapproves of his "life force," writing.

As I bring this to a close, I will mention what I consider to be "negatives." The ending is dragged out and is almost too dramatic. You want to tell him, "to get over it" much quicker than he actually does. There are times you just want to get rid of Nicole yourself because you just don't get how she can so openly manipulate two people and they still adore her. His best-friend, Andre, I would have liked to see a plot unravel that involves him. Unlike his other books that intertwine many characters and their plots this book concentrates solely on his desire to break free from Nicole's "spell." But Dickey keeps the novel moving so quickly that you forgive him for omitting more "down to earth" charcters and for so blatantly adding in the probation cariacture of the accident witness, which was completely unncessary and degrading. Let's not forget the unhelpful references to the novel, "lolita." That book is about a child molester who obviously has mental problems. yet Dickey felt the need to keep referring to it throughout the novel as if it would help people to understand his obsession. As a woman and a survivor of abuse, I was highly offended.Unless you have read the book in a lit class somewhere it just takes up space.

But it is definetely a novel you want to carry with you in your purse until you finish!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Obsessive Love, July 3, 2001

By 

Dawn R Reeves "tamardi" (Harrisburg, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Between Lovers (Hardcover)

The narrator is left at the altar and discovers that his would be bride has another partner. Surprise-the partner is a woman.

This book is not a typical romance or contemporary fiction where you have a lover's triangle. This triangle involves a man and two women; One of the main character's wants both lovers. One of those lovers wants to complete the triangle thus making a circle. Another surprise, it is not who you would assume. What is so intriguing about this novel is that it is a deep, psychological look into sexuality and how some may question their own identity. With this novel you have betrayal, jealousy, deceit and self-discovery. Also, material wealth comes into play in the form of self-promotion.

You want to dislike one of the main characters, Nicole, because at first glance she is spoiled, hypocritical and selfish. But for some reason you cannot dislike her. I found myself cheering on the narrator wishing that he would come out the winner. In the end he was a winner. The feelings are also explored of the secondary characters such as the parents and friends of the main characters. Those secondary characters provide some insight into the behavior of your major players.

I've only read Sister, Sister, Cheaters and Friends and Lovers and was surprised at the level this book took on. It was not what I expected.

This reader is in awe! KUDOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!