Customer Reviews

Everything but the Ring

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
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BFF's Patrice, Sheila, and Cynthia not only share a common bond as best friends, they all share the same predicament: they are knocking 30 in the head, have no children, and Mr. Right has not come and swept them off their feet. It's not because they aren't `stunners', intelligent, or hard workers with dreams, but rather, their dreams and their real lives aren't traveling the same road.

Patrice has the voice of an angel, but she laid her dreams of stardom aside for a bigger prize. Assistant Minister Stephen Reynolds would be the ideal man for her. He's fine, he loves the Lord, and her parents would approve...so yes, he'd be quite a catch. The only problem is that Patrice is NOT the only one that thinks he sets the sun and the moon. Cynthia is the sassiest of the three. She works as a teller at a credit union and has changed her outward appearance in hopes of snagging one of the members with a fat bank account. Attorney Chris Nichols fits the qualifications, and Cynthia has a plan for such a fine man as he. Sheila can't seem to decipher what type of love she craves...simply to be loved or just to love someone that can provide her with financial luxuries. She broke Rashad Owens' heart years ago for a much bigger catch...NBA superstar Thomas Rose. But now Sheila feels the beginning of a crack in her heart as well as her dreams.

Like a diamond, love has many facets, and the clarity with which you delve may prove to be more complicated once you get past the sparkle of the radiance. The friends discover that the game of love may not be the fairy tale that they dreamed of when they were a child playing with Barbie and Ken. Will Patrice be able to share her `man of GOD' or will she choose her first love of music? Is Cynthia's makeover foolproof, or will the `real' Cynthia step out and be able keep this magnificent man in her lair? Is the life of the fab and famous truly suited for Sheila, or is it too expensive a price even for her?

Everything But The Ring was an enjoyable read by T.S. Jones. Great characters dealing with realistic life issues that engage the reader with each new scene. Character development was good, and the plot was relatable as well as appealing throughout the read. This is my first T.S. Jones novel and I have to say that I was satisfied in every aspect. Super job!

Reviewed by Tazzyt2bossye for Urban Reviews

In "Everything But the Ring" author T.S. Jones does a great job examining the lives of three unmarried women and the drastic measures each woman is taking in order to change her status.

For Cynthia, it seemed after breaking off her engagement with a cheating basketball player that she was destined to be single. However, when she comes home and meets up with her ex boyfriend, she's ready to give love another go.

Patrice is playing cat and mouse with the assistant pastor at her church. Unknowingly, she is not the only person seeking his attention. When his past, that she knew nothing about, comes out in the open, Patrice is uncertain how to continue. While putting some space between them, she rediscovers her love for music.

Cynthia, unlike her mother, does not plan to be saddled with some no good, broke, cheating man. Although Cynthia works, she's only looking for a benefactor to help her live an extraordinary life. When she meets a man willing to give her everything, selfishness keeps her from being able to recognize a good thing.

Each woman goes through her own personal incidents, triumphs and heartache. A good story, however, with the three women on the same path, the story does become somewhat excessive.


Reviewed by: Crystal
3.5

In T.S. Jones' Everything But The Ring, three girlfriends head on a journey of life once they hit 30. They feel like they have everything but the ring. Sheila broke up with her high school sweetheart to run off with a NBA player. She left her true love because he was not stable. Living the life of a baller's wife would provide her with the peace of knowing her man could take care of her. But what price would she have to pay? Cynthia has decided to let go of the idea of true love and find a man that can financially provide for her. She finds what she thinks is the man of her dreams but is not in love with him. Will she settle for not having that spark and connection with someone for financial stability? Patrice is saving herself for her pastor boyfriend. Her girls think she has hit the jackpot. But they do not know the strains Patrice has to go through with all the women at the church throwing themselves at him. Trying hard to trust her man becomes increasingly hard once she learns a secret about his past.

Jones dives deep into the lives of newly 30 year-old women and what their expectations of how their life would be. The reality is really different. You will feel their pain and joy as all three women are in search of something different but yet the same thing...love. I stayed up all night and finished this book. I could not go to sleep without seeing what would happen. I recommend this for a great read.

Donnica Copeland
APOOO BookClub
Sista Talk Book Club

**This book was provided courtesy of the author.

Sheila, a single family therapist is successful except for in her love life.After ending a cheating relationship with NBA star Thomas looks for love in her high school sweetheart,Rashad.

Cynthia,a teller at a credit union is looking for a man with money...security is what she wants...she believes that love will come later and that every woman should have a life jacket,a man on the side.

Patrice asks God for the right man and He sends him in Stephen.An almost pastor of the church they attend.She finds herself choosing to pursue her career as a R&B singer or marrying Stephen.

These three beautiful friends have the same goal...to be married. Where is my 'Mr. Right'?,being 30 and over,they feel their time is running out.Read how they take a good look at themselves on the inside and the mistakes the make while trying to find 'Mr. Right'.

Ms.Jones did a very good job on her debut novel.I enjoyed how the chapters lined up with the scripture she quoted before each of them.You may find someone you know in these pages...maybe even yourself.

3.75* rating.

WOW.....Everyone will be able to relate to this book. There is a character that everyone will know oif someone that is like that or reminds them of a person they know.

Shelia, Cynthia and Patrice are all friends. Each has talent, success and beauty. All three are in or near their thirties. To the three friends it is so important to each of them to get married. To them it is the essence of their determination to marry before turning thirty. One who is a school teacher and wants to become an R & B singer. One who is dating a NBA star and wants to become his wife. One who is putting love aside and just looking for someone to marry to help her live an extraordinary life.

This book will make you think hard about relationship. Do you want love or happiness ? Is love or happiness more important to you ? Will you give up happiness for financial security ?

I found this book to be an enjoyable read. The book does an excellent job of showing the different paths of each women and what they went through to realize their final faith. I enjoyed how the heading of each chapter was a bible verse from the bible explaining relationship. I would recommend this book to indidivuals as well as book clubs. This book will be a great subject discussion.

Barbara Morgan

Sheila, Cynthia and Patrice are longtime friends who will do anything for each other. In their thirties, they are experiencing relationship woes as they long for the ring and the groom. Patrice put her dreams of becoming an R&B singer on the back burner when she became engaged to her fiancé, who is a minister. When the senior pastor of the church he attends passes away, he assumes his duties. Patrice starts to question whether the life of a first lady is for her, especially with all the attention he receives from the single female congregants.

Sheila is secretly dating her former high school sweetheart, whom she left for another man with a NBA career in his future. Both relationships sour and she wonders if she can endure more heartbreak. Cynthia, the gold digger in the crew, snags a very successful attorney and is set to get married in a few short months. Although he doesn't light her fire, she figures she can take a lover to fulfill her sexual needs while he caters to her material wants. She quickly learns her heart has a mind of its own, which will trump any of the plans she makes.

EVERYTHING BUT THE RING is a good read with a convincing story and interesting characters. This is the debut offering of T. S. Jones and while it's Christian fiction, it wasn't preachy and read like mainstream fiction. This book will be embraced by this all who believe in the power of love.

Reviewed by Paula Henderson
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers

If you looking for a good book about relationsip. This is a MUST READ. I love this book. This book every woman can relate to.

I'm not normally a fan of relationship based literature, but I found this book to be an enjoyable and easy read for fans of a wide range of ages, genders, and personalities. The book does an excellent job of chronicling the various life paths women in early adulthood take to realize their final destiny. The author accomplishes this through the creation of characters that are both three-dimensional and relatable to a wide range of readers.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the book is the author's willingness to take chances in creating characters that are not all redeemable figures and in many instances will frustrate you with their actions. These characters possess few if any commendable aspects to their personality, yet the book frames them in a light such that some will be tempted to take a sympathetic view towards them an irony that is often reflected in real life. What makes the characters so infuriatiing is that they so closely resemble people you have met or dealt with in your personal life adding a sense of authenticity to the reading experience. The writer challenges you to find a little piece of yourself in each character and confront the similarity in shortcomings you share with the men and women in the story.

In the end if you are a fan of literature that critiques the dating and relationship patterns of men and women in this society I suggest you give this book a read.

Also makes a great book for discussion at "book of the month" clubs.