Customer Reviews

The Business Of Love (Arabesque)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"The Business of Love" was a good book. Maya Woodson was involved in her deceased father's business of running a hotel chain along with her father's partner, Jerome Newman. Jerome was not only a partner, but Maya considered Jerome as family, her mentor, whom she thought of as her second father.

Trajan Matthews is hired to help Maya and Jerome publicize the Pharaoh Hotel Corporation chain in other cities. Maya and Trajan get off to a bad start, each getting the wrong impression of the other. However, their feelings gradually change from dislike to love for each other while working in the business together.

Angela Winters has combined suspense with romance in the form of what is originally thought to be one murder, but turns out to be several murders.

Maya's life is changed dramatically not only with meeting and working with Trajan, but with the murder of an elderly friend, Elaine, who lived in the hotel. Maya is not satisfied with the way the case is going, so she becomes involved in finding the murderer. Maya's searching takes her onto a path that is unbelievable to Maya and when the truth is displayed to Maya, she still has trouble accepting it.

Trajan's friend he grew up with in the neighborhood, George, is now a detective and is working on Elaine's case. George and Trajan renew their relationship. Tre (Trajan) at first cannot think of anything except business and keeping the image he has managed to make for himself since escaping his original life of poverty. However, when he becomes involved with Maya, he realizes that there is more to life than money. He has developed feelings of love, support, and protection for Maya.

Maya and Tre's relationship is steamy, but eventually, they both have to face their true feelings for each other.

"The Business of Love" is a good book and the suspense will keep the reader turning the pages to see how the story eventually end. Also, the relationship between Maya and Tre will keep the reader enthralled.

I still don't quite understand why Arabesque/BET still publishes books with 250 pages. It seems the authors are forced to include so much territority in such a short length of time. Well, based on the 250 pages that I read of this suspense romance story by Angela Winters, I enjoyed it very much.

The plot: I enjoyed the combination of the private owned company deciding to go public with its stock. Although it seemed at times throughout this book, the authors' technical details of the business dynamics was over-bearing. But upon completion of the story, I appreciated the through work because it gave me a better perspective. The major characters: Maya Woodson and Trajan "Tre" Matthews, I thought they definitely matched well especially for the overall plot itself. The hard driven career oriented man Trajan really works the nerves and patience of Maya.

The minor characters: I loved George, the police-officer who is the good friend of Trajan and the significant role he plays for always providing the right advice he gives to both Tre and Maya. George, Alisa and even Jerome all enhance this story so well with the major characters.

If you don't mind dealing with the technical parts about the world of stocks, which takes up alot of space in this story, you will be able to deal with the developing sparks and relationship between Maya and Tre; solve the murder that takes place; figure out who-done-it and why? and finally the after-math of it all. You should enjoy this book, hey it's a short read and has some interesting twists.

Ok, I really liked this story. It had mystery, passion, and a love out of this world. Trajan and Maya are crazy together. In the beginning, I was wondering how these two people are going to fall in love with each other! I for one personally liked Trajan's name. But I must say at times during the novel it was hard to follow. But overall it was an enjoyable read!

Maya Woodson was trying to find out who killed an elderly woman who lived in the hotel she owned. Never in a million years did she think finding the woman's killer would reveal the truth about her own father's death. Maya worked with her father's partner in getting the company to go public. Along with that she had to work with the handsome Trajan Matthews. Maya despised this man.

Trajan came up poor. His mother loved him, but all she had for him was love. Trajan decided he would make something of himself and leave the neighborhood he grew up in and never look back. He was a successful investor relations expert. He thought he had everything he needed until he met Maya.

After the inital denial of being attracted to her, he gave into his feelings. I think this book could have been longer. It seems something was kind of missing. I did like George the police officer who grew up with Trajan in the old neighborhood.

I have read all of Angela Winters books and this one was the best so far. The characters and the pacing of the book were great. I just couldn't put this book down! I highly recommend this one.

I loved these two characters. They butted heads alot but this was to conceal a burning ache for each other. These two were meant to be, although Maya, the heroine, fought it the most. This book is filled with action and a surprise, block parties, murder etc. Liked it alot.

I did not see a piece of romance or spark between the two main characters. They had nothing in common for one and the 98% of the book focused on the crime or the IPO or something else.
Even when the author tried to insert some conversations between the two heroes, it was fight after fight- or in the rare cases when they don't fight, they keep quiet (eg: not exchanging a word after they made love twice only to start fighting as soon as they start talking).

What a very tiring book! The beginning was boring, there were a lot of technical terms that can be hard if you are not familiar with all the business jargon. Half way it was still ok but once I figured out who the murderer was I didn't really care about what happened afterwards.

I wanted to give 1 as rating but since the mystery part was interesting I gave it 2. I really expected a lot of romance. I've read other Arabesque books in which the authors blended in the mystery well with the romance. Here I feel like she wanted to add too many elements and got lost in the way of doing so.

I was disappointed by this book but I think I will give the author another try however not soon in the future.

This story about Maya and Trajan was pretty good, although it could have been longer. Maya took over her fathers hotel business after he has died. Maya and her partner (her father's best friend) decided to take the hotel investment public. This is when she meets Trajan. I will not say it was love at first sight but there were sparks.

Trying to find out who murdered her friend in her hotel suite reveals some hidden issues of not only the murder victim and her family but also Maya's family.

There were some unanswered questions with this book. I think that if the book was longer Trajan's past could of been explored deeper.