Customer Reviews

Extreme Circumstances

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

 

 

Chanel longs to settle down and marry her longtime boyfriend Donnell. 34-year -old Donnell has no intention of settling down when he's doing exactly what he wants to do...be a playa! Sleeping with different women seems to be something he will keep on doing regardless of who he hurts and as long as Chanel is clueless.

Janai and Jordan live together both work but Jordan is the one who pays all the bills. Jordan loves Janai to the fullest but Janai seems confused and has a drinking problem, she verbally abuses Jordan especially when she's under the alcohol. Janai works as a school teacher but that money isn't enough to satisfy Janai's need for designer clothes and expensive cars. So she cheats on Jordan and it's not even for sexual gratification; it's strictly for what she can get out of a man.

Read what happens when friends Chanel and Janai lives are turned upside down by some extreme circumstances that are brought on by lust and greed!

A decent quick read for me, a few editing issues need to be worked out and more background information on the characters could have been offered.
I really enjoyed Janai's character, although she was wrong for doing some of the things she did I found myself hopeful that she would get her act together

Locksie

ARC Book Club Inc.
Star Rating 3.5***

Has there ever been a time in your life that you thought you found the "one," and he or she turns out to be your worst nightmare? That is what happened to Chanel. Chanel had been dating Donnell for sometime now, and she just knew sooner or later he would pop the question, until she heard him on the phone saying he would be a "Playa for Life." With that being said, her life began to change. He begins to act differently towards her. There's always an excuse not to spend time with her. Finally, he betrays her trust, and now it's time for her to decide what's best for her. Even though Chanel was going through a lot with Donnell, she had nothing on her best friend Janai. Janai was a "true playa." She was living with her man, and dating everybody else's men at the same time. Janai thought she was living the high life. Her live-in boyfriend was paying all of her bills, plus his. She is dating a married man that is giving her the world as well. She thought she was living the high life until all of her misdeeds caught up with her. Will she able to redeem herself with the man she loves or will she suffer with all of the extreme circumstances she has encountered?

I would like to start out by saying that I would recommend this book to all of my friends. The book flowed freely from one scenario to another. While reading Extreme Circumstances, you will think of a couple of people that each of the characters will remind you of. Even though the book is fiction, there's certainly a little truth to it. There were some parts to the book that lost my attention for a second, but for the most part it was rather enjoyable.

Reviewed by Jackie
for Urban Reviews

Chanel is ready to settle down and marry her long-time boyfriend Donnell. However, Donnell has different plans. Not ready to settle down or turn in his "playa" card, Donnell has no problem sleeping around with other women as long as Chanel doesn't find out. Chanels knows something is not right, but instead of following her intuition, she is determined to stick it out with Donnell. But what happens when Chanel catches Donnell in a situation that he can't lie his way out of? Janai, Chanel's best friend has a good man at home but she is never satisfied. Janai uses what she got to get what she wants but what happens when one of her boy toy's wives comes after her?? Extreme Circumstances, the debut novel by Cereka Cook is an engaging story with interesting characters. Chanel appears to be the main character but you find yourself caught up in Janai's story. I finished this book in one day!! Join Chanel, Donnell, and Janai as they find themselves in situations with "extreme circumstances". Reviewed by Shay C of PeoplewholoveGoodBooks

256 Pgs.

Cereka takes you into the lives of two relationships in this page turner, Janai-Jordan and Chanel-Donnell. Janai and Chanel are assumed to be best friends and in every girlfriend relationship there is always one that seems superior, inadvertently. I'm sure we have all heard the lines from our best friend, "Girl you deserve better and you know you are wrong for doing that."

Chanel is in a relationship with Donnell and she feels (hopes) as though one day she will get to be his wife. Circumstances (DRAMA) arise within a period of 5 years of dating where the issue of cheating is obvious but forgiven. The wait is over when she makes a conscious decision whether she wants to be temporarily or continuously hurt.

Janai's relationship with Donnell is almost perfect from someone looking on the outside. Donnell is every females dream when it comes to a healthy union. He's loving, caring, handsome and most of all responsible. They share living quarters and he takes care of everything. In most cases where women seem to get all of this, there are always other things that are needed or longed for. Janai's ways of getting everything she wants outside of the things Donnell gives leaves her flat broke.

Extreme Circumstances could not have been the best selected title for this book.

Cereka Cook's freshman effort, Extreme Circumstances, follows best friends, Chanel and Janai on their road through love. In the novel you will meet Chanel, a fairly mild mannered, sucker for love and Janai, a cold-hearted two-timer. Chanel, although beautiful and intelligent is stuck on a no-good, self proclaimed player for life, Donnell, who after five years of dating, refuses to even think about marrying her, or putting his pimp card to rest. Janai is an alcoholic, school teacher with a few loving man friends, and a slew of pissed of wives/girlfriends on her heels. This story will take you through the ups and downs of both female characters, showing you just how far they are both willing to go for what they want. A fairly short read, with a few confusing spots; Extreme Circumstances is worth the time if you have it. Overall a decent try from first time author Cereka Cook.

1. What did you like best about this book?
The characters types in the story are all ones we have seen in real life, which made you identify with their lives a bit more.

2. What did you dislike about this book?
Although the characters were believable, there wasn't a lot of background given, which could have been helpful in understanding some scenes that seemed to come out of nowhere.

3. How can the author improve this book?
The author would have a better book, if all the formatting issues were squared away. The formatting inconstancies took away from the story by distracting the reader, and in some places leaving room for confusion.