Customer Reviews

Distant Lover

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

DISTANT LOVER is a passionate, emotional story encompassing the perils of Tandi Crawford's efforts to live a normal adult life even though examples of normalcy was never within her grasp. Tandi grew up without the presence of a mother's love and in the presence of a father who displayed hostile indifference. Additionally, her father offered no input about the mother she never knew.

In spite of her past, Tandi strives to share a conventional life with her husband and son. But how do you trust when your life has been founded on lies, evasiveness and non-commitment? This questions looms paramount in Tandi's mind when after fifteen years of a pallid marriage, she discovers her husband is having an affair. She accepts his indiscretion, but her emotions shut down, and three years later Tandi cannot take anymore of their union. She leaves her marriage in search of her past. Although she vowed to never live in her father's house again, she finds herself and her eleven year old son back in his gloomy environment. Tandi's wants to recapture days long gone with her first love, and to finally get answers about the mother she never knew. But, her father suffers a stroke and again, she catches her husband in bed with another women - this time her best friend. Suddenly she feels totally disconnected. When she becomes privileged to some surreal family revelations, Tandi realizes nothing in her life is as she imagined and wishes she had left the past in the past. Tandi finally realizes she is the master of her fate.

DISTANT LOVER is the sixth published work by Gloria Mallette, and with it comes the realization for me that she is indeed a story teller possessing the gift of sharing life's dramas in a profound way. She writes a sympathetic story of secrets, betrayal and forgiveness and weaves this complex family tale with a definitive flair. Captivating, suspenseful, and solidly written, this one gives a different look at redemption and an in-depth look at emotional fallout when consequences are manifested.

You don't know what you got til it's gone or until you try someone else. Didn't curiosity kill the cat? Tandi was a curious soul who just had to know. She had to know how it feels to be with her ex-love and she had to know the surroundings of her birth. But when she finds them both out boy is she in for a shocker! I think she should have left well enough alone, but things between her and her husband may have not improved if she didn't do what she did. That's a plus. Sometimes you have to rattles the chains to get some action. This was my first read by Gloria Mallette and it was truly a good one. Full of suspense, and the ending was not a typical one which makes it stand out.

Distant Lover is the story of Tandi Crawford, a thirty-seven year old married mother of one, who must come to grips were her issues in order to move forward.

After being married for over ten years, Tandi finds herself feeling unloved and unwanted. Is her marriage irreparable? Is a divorce the answer? Or maybe she can find what she's looking for in her first love - a man she's been thinking of more and more with the decline of her marriage.

In addition to her marital problems, Tandi has a strained relationship with her father Sporty, a bitter man who never gave her the love and attention she needed growing up. Why is their relationship so hostile? And why won't he tell her and her brother anything about their mother that died several years earlier?

Readers find themselves pulled into Tandi's world, feeling her pain, as she travels the road of self-discovery. Ms. Mallette delivers a captivating novel.

Reviewed by
Savvy Sista Sophia

Distant Lover is a page turner from start to finish! The characters in the book starting with the protagonist, Tandi are so lovable, realistic, exciting and wonderful! You will find yourself yourself not being able to put the book down!

This story had me going, while I was focusing on Tandi and Jared's relationship the sub-plot centered on Sporty (Tandi's father) and Lorraine Belson (deceased mother???) was the kicker!

Secrets that are kept for years will certainly come out eventually and when they do there is no telling what might happen!

Ms. Mallette you are a superb storyteller and you certainly did your thing with this one! You have got to add this one to your library!

May God continue to bless you with many more stories to tell and I am looking forward to reading each and every one of them. Now I have to go back and read "When We Practice" as I am sure that I will not be disappointed!!!!!

An Avid Fan!
Darlene

Distant Lover is the fifth novel of Gloria Mallette. Although Mallette's last novel, The Honeywell, was a tough act to follow, Gloria has once again risen to the occasion.

Tandi Crawford is in a dead end marriage that she is has been desperately trying to save. Finally convinced that her work-a-holic husband is not putting in the relationship as much as she is, Tandi is ready to throw in the towel. Jared, Tandi's husband feels that as long as he is bringing home the bacon he is doing his part. When enough finally becomes enough, Tandi decides to take her son and leave. Due to her father's declining health she is forced to move back to the childhood home that she has always despised. Sporty, her father has never been good to Tandi and she is mortified that she will have to once again live under his roof. The bright side to all the things going on in Tandi's life is that she has reunited with her first love, Brent. But he winds up not being half the man that he used to be. During this period of change for Tandi she has some serious soul searching to do. Although the many unanswered questions are the main things standing in the way of Tandi's real happiness, some things are best left unanswered.

Gloria Mallette has the touch when it comes to stories on dysfunctional families. Giving her novels a touch of warmth while allowing her readers to feel for even the most sinister characters Ms. Mallette has a gift that many writers will never understand. Distant Lover is definitely a novel that will make you appreciate the family that you have.

When I saw this title, I thought it was a romance and started to not buy it. But having read other Gloria Mallette books, I figured there had to be an edge to the book and I was right. Distant Lover is more than about the relationship between a man and a woman as lovers, but more about all the relationships in the life of Tandi Crawford. Be it her husband, her father, her brother, her girl friends, her first love from high school, Tandi had to come to terms with each of these people and realize that none of her relationships were as she thought, the misconceptions of who she thought each of these people were turns Tandi's life upside down. Distant Lover is food for thought and that old adage, never judge a book by the cover pertains to this title and its characters. Good read. Highly recommended.

I loved this book from the beginning to the end, never a dull moment, while reading I kept thinking "oh I see why its intitled Distant Lover" boy was I wrong until I got almost to the end is where I realized the meaning of the title then later in the book my instincts were confirmed. Great story line she is a very gifted writer I haven't read a book she wrote that I wasn't pleased with. Five stars is not enough for this book it is a page turner.

Gloria Mallette emotionally snatches you inside her books. Using real and honest emotions, she paints her characters with a compelling hand using strokes in which we can relate. With Distant Lover, the story involves Tandi, a married mother of a young son, and she's having problems with her husband and her father. The story follows her journey of self-discovery as she contemplates what to do about her trouble marriage. Should she nix the relationship to join forces with a former lover, or should she give her husband another chance, so they can rebuild their life and raise their precocious son together. And if only she could understand her dad, a man with whom she fights on a regular basis, maybe then life will be all right. Readers may be surprised by the ending of Distant Lover, a novel packed with enough emotion and action to keep the pages turning.

"Distant Lover" by Gloria Mallette is a tale of love, betrayal, family and friendship. We are introduced to Tandida "Tandi" Belson, her husband Jared and son Michael Jared. Due to the recent demise of their mariage - circumstances that Tandi blames Jared for - their family goes through the throes of a separation. While in the midst of trying to figure out what went wrong Tandi must now contend with her cantakerous father "Sporty". Sporty and Tandi's relationship has never been other than what it is now - strained and full of Sporty's unknown hatred towards Tandi, a hates that puzzles her to this day.

One family tragedy leads to another forcing Tandi to become primary care giver to Sporty, a situation that pleases neither of them. During this time, Tandi begins to find out answers to some questions that have plagued her for over 2 decades.

Meeting up again with her high school love Brent proves to be more than Tandi can handle. Their relationship forces her to reassess her position in the lives of her family and friends.She's finally allowed herself to figure out that the grass is not always greener somewhere else. It also give credence to the saying "All closed eyes are not asleep" giving her the ability to reassess the true meaning of friendship, family and love.

I highly recommend this novel by Ms. Mallette - BRAVO! - she has done it again. Mallette introduced us to characters who are rich and real - making even the reader wonder and think about the importance of many of the things we all take for granted - life, love, family and friends. Much kudos Ms. Mallette!

Michelle Henley
RealReviewers

For those you enjoy my reviews I am sorry I have been away so long, but I gave birth to my beautiful daughter Tynique Jaz on November 7th @ 5:34 a.m.

Okay, getting to the book....

This book was very enjoyable, it had lots of family drama just like I like it. Suspense right down to the end and a light touch of romance sprinkled in.


This book touches on infidelity in a very tasteful way and how to forgive.

Gloria Malette doesn't fail with this one either.

Later the baby's crying......