The Ex Factor: A Novel [Paperback]

Tu-Shonda Whitaker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 26, 2006

This emotional, erotically-charged novel follows three half-sisters and their complicated relationships with one another and with the men in their lives.

Celeste thinks all she wants in life are her family and a nice home in the suburbs. Yet lately she’s got a hunch that her sexy husband, Sharief, a New York City policeman, is patrolling more than just the streets. Celeste is sure he’s cheating on her. When she finds out that the home-wrecker is none other than her own sister Monica, all hell breaks loose.

Monica never intended to fall in love with her sister’s husband. But who knew that Sharief would make every inch of her body tingle with a single touch? Monica knows she should have righted her wrong before Celeste found out, but she’s in too deep–in more ways than one.

Imani is not pleased that her low-life boyfriend, Walik, just got out of the slammer and wants her back. Sure enough trouble comes knocking. But when a fine Puerto Rican DJ named Kree seduces her and showers her son, Jamal, with attention, Imani finally gets a shot at happiness and ghetto-free love.

Fielding the curve balls tossed their way, Celeste, Monica, and Imani learn that it takes more than sisterhood to cope with love, life, and men–the ones they’ve got, and that elusive ex factor.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Three half-sisters whose mother made some questionable choices suffer endless drama via the repetition compulsion in Whitaker's raucous, Jerry Springeresque third novel. Celeste Winston, a spiteful, self-pitying shrew, spends every waking moment fretting over whether her husband, Sharief, is being unfaithful. Monica, the only sister with a job and no children, sleeps with other women's men—including Sharief. Imani, a single mother who lives for her next welfare check and her next high, has a six-year-old wannabe thug and can't let go of the cheating, low-life father of her son. Starr, the matriarch of this highly dysfunctional clan, has finally found a man she considers worth marrying (and it isn't any of her daughters' fathers). Whitaker (Flip Side of the Game) effectively infuses humor with wildly animated supporting characters and creates some tension around the revelations (early) and resulting fallout (extended) of Monica's up-to-no-goodness. In the end, lots of sex and self-destructive behavior, and frank scenes during which the characters discuss their mother's many boyfriends, or ex-factors, can't patch over the lack of plot and character development. (Dec.)
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Review

“A literary journey filled with passionate sex, to-die-for love, traitorous adultery, bitter jealousy, and the challenges of loving one’s self.”
–Keisha Ervin, author of Mina’s Joint

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: One World/Ballantine (December 26, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345486668
• ISBN-13: 978-0345486660
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.8 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (69 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #502,571 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Tu-Shonda L. Whitaker is the award winning, Essence bestselling author of Flipside of the Game and Game Over. She is also a contributing writer to the anthologies: Cream and Kiss The Year Goodbye. Whitaker was awarded the Ella Baker and W.E.B. Du Bois International Award for fiction writing. Her most recent title, The Ex Factor has been featured in several magazines such as Vibe Vixen and Romantic Times Book Review as one of the hottest, sensual, and humorous tales released this year. Whitaker lives in New Jersey with her husband and their children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Drama for DAYS!, April 25, 2007

By 

Donnica Carter "AKA DCSquared" (Marietta, GA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Ex Factor: A Novel (Paperback)

APOOO Rating- 4.5

Ex-Factor by TuShonda Whitaker is a story of three sisters, Monica, Imani, and Celeste. They all have different fathers and the cycle seems to continue. One does not want to settle down, one has three children and two babies' daddies, and the other just cannot seem to get out of a toxic relationship. They all seem to want a man to define them. One after the other, they have issue after issue.

Celeste is married and appears to have it all; three children, a husband, and a big house in the suburbs. But all that comes to a halt when she suspects that her husband, Sharief, is cheating on her. She tries to do all that she can to make her husband want her again. When she finds out that her husband IS cheating and that he is cheating with her sister, Monica, the real drama begins.

Monica has finally fallen in love. Only it is with her sister's husband. She knows that she is wrong and that the relationship should stop, but she just cannot seem to keep him away. When her sister finds out, she is shunned by the family and now all she has left is Sharief. Which is something that she did not really bargain for.

Then we have Imani, the baby sister. She is trying to hold her boyfriend and baby daddy, Walik, down while he is in jail. She is taking care of their son on her own, with minimal income. That is until she finds out that he was cheating on her during his jail time, AND got another woman pregnant. She tries her best to leave him alone. It was hard at first, considering they were together for ten years and they have a son, Jamal. But she finds it becomes easier when she meets a Puerto Rican papi, Kree.

All of the sisters lives are intertwined and held together by their mother, Starr. They try to cope with all the mess going on in their lives and realize that, in the end, they are still sisters. It was very interesting to see the different views from three women coming from the same family. I really enjoyed laughing, crying, and wanting to darn near curse them out. I recommend this for a great read.

Donnica Copeland
APOOO BookClub

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW!! Tu-shonda Does It Again!!, January 5, 2007

By 

hunnigurl "book junkie" (alexandria, louisiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ex Factor: A Novel (Paperback)

tu-shonda tells the story of three sisters: imani, monica and celeste whose drama-filled lives rival that of a daytime soap opera. celeste is a desperate housewife whose tired of dealing with her husband sharief's infidelity. imani is trying so hard to be a that ride or die chick, for her cheating baby daddy, walik, that she neglects the more important things in her life. monica is so caught up in her love affair with her married boyfriend and doesn't care who gets hurt in the process. add a few more colorful characters like their mother, starr and her fiance redtonio, mama byrd and her portable potty, and imani's little hood star, jamal and you have the ingredients for a perfect novel. you will not be diappointed with this book. kudos ms. tu-shonda, can't wait to read your next book.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE BEST BOOK OF 06 !!1, January 1, 2007

By 

T. simmons (desoto,tx.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Ex Factor: A Novel (Paperback)

TU-SHONDA WHITAKER YOU DONE IT AGAIN! THIS BOOK HAVE ME LAUGHING OUT LOUD AND IT ALSO MADE ME CRY. I COULDN'T STAND MONICA, SHE JUST MADE ME SO SICK,I'M WAS GLAD WHAT HAPPEN TO HER AT THE END.I WAS SO SAD WHEN THEN BOOK CAME AN END.HATS OFF TO YOU TU-SHONDA WHITAKER YOU DID YOUR THING.