Customer Reviews

Gotta Keep on Tryin': A Novel

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Although it's been a really long time since I put `Tryin' To Sleep In The Bed You Made,' down, even then I knew, like Michael Jordan to basketball and Jay Z with rap, we hadn't heard the last from Patricia Reid and Gayle Saunders, whose friendship solidifies what it truly means to have a friend.

With Pat's watchful eye and Gayle's creativity, the Ell & Me company has blossomed. More than an idea, a book, or a thought, it's now hitting the shelves in the toy department. While Pat knows that they have a goldmine, Gayle is continually in need of consulting for every new step.

Pat and Marcus are comfortably married. Both are busy, traveling and working to make it big in the business world. Marcus has his own sports agency. While Pat is far from motherly, Marcus is awaiting the pitter patter of little feet. Will a teen, paternity test and memories from the past, cause a rift in their future?

Gayle is still blaming herself for all of the things that went wrong sometime ago. Vanessa is no longer a little girl, but Gayle refuses to let go. Rebellious and determined to be free, Vanessa does all that she can to alienate her mother. Although Gayle knows she has to let go, she fears the unknown. With so much head bumping and secrets, Gayle is already too full to digest anything more. Can a mother and daughter reunite or will it be too late?

"Gotta Keep On Tryin'" revisits a valuable friendship. While in route, we journey through yesteryear, forgiveness, faithfulness, scuffles and familiarity. Fresh new characters add a cool new mix as readers embrace the past, the future, and what I personally hope is a trilogy in the making. DeBerry and Grant have been able to capture a flawed friendship that warms the heart, spirit and wrangles all of the craziness one thought they were unable to tackle. Like "Tryin' To Sleep In The Bed You Made," it's ancestor, "Gotta Keep On Tryin'" speaks volumes to women, friends, and love everywhere!

Definitely recommended reading!!!
Reviewed by: Crystal
Tryin' to Sleep in the Bed You Made (Trying to Sleep in the Bed You Made)

Sometimes life is not perfect and things do not go the way we want or expected. Sometimes there are forks in the road...twisted curves and turns, blind spots that we do not see. Sometimes life gives us lemons and it is up to us to figure out how to make lemonade. In their latest novel, Gotta Keep On Tryin', Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant show us that sometimes we Gotta Keep on Tryin' no matter what is thrown in our direction. Gotta Keep on Tryin' is the sequel to their 1996 novel, Tryin' to Sleep in the Bed You Made. DeBerry and Grant bring back familiar faces and introduce a few new ones along the way. As Gayle Saunders and Patricia Reid wade through business plans and prototypes, they must also deal with life outside of work. Sometimes they are thrown for a loop by difficult teens, spouses seeking more attention, surprise relatives, elderly parents and strangers from the past. It is easy to scream enough already, but that is not their nature. They are fighters...not cowards and moving forward is not an option, it is a requirement. But, at what cost?

DeBerry and Grant have done it again as they give us an entertaining, empowering and enlightening read with mature adults and realistic situations. They give us characters and situations that we can relate to and identify with. Memorable characters that we will not soon forget. Gotta Keep on Tryin' is recommended to readers of well-written storylines and fans of DeBerry and Grant who have anxiously awaited this sequel. Pick up a copy today...I do not believe you will be disappointed.

Reviewed by Yasmin
APOOO BookClub
Promoting Our Voices, Sharing Our Stories

Pat Reid and Gayle Saunders are back, and the passing of time has been good to them. They own a successful enterprise based on the Ell and Me stories Gayle use to make up for her daughter, Vanessa. It has become a profitable venture, which features children's books and is now introducing a doll based on Ell's character. Marcus Carter, Pat's husband has started a sports agency to recruit promising talents for baseball. All is well in their world - or so it seems.

Gayle's reservations concerning the growth and direction of their company and Vanessa's behavior is adding undue stress on her, which manifest itself in the worst way. Vanessa is acting out and making decisions Gayle is not pleased with, but she feels helpless trying to resolve them. A blast from Marcus' past comes back to haunt him and his reaction puts a strain on his marriage. It also forces Pat to rethink her stance on what she really wants in her marriage. Gayle and Pat's friendship even takes a hit as they are each harboring secrets from each other that can destroy them both. They have to get back to the foundation of their friendship before it's too late.

GOTTA KEEP ON TRYIN' the much-awaited follow-up to Tryin' To Sleep In The Bed You Made falls short of its predecessor. It is good to reconnect with Pat and Gayle to see their successes and how they learn to eventually appreciate each other. While the novel is very well written, I felt the characters were a bit disconnected and the story was rushed. Also, there were sub-plots that added very little value to the story. I also did not get the closure I anticipated which leads me to believe there may be sequel. Hopefully, if there is one in the works, the wait will not be as long.

Reviewed by Paula Henderson
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers

African American single mom Gayle Saunders knows she has come a long way since her homeless days caused by her gambling husband Ramsey (see TRYIN' TO SLEEP IN THE BED YOU MADE) as she raises her beloved teenage daughter, Vanessa alone. She and her long time best friend business partner Patricia Reid have made a success of their Ell Crawford children's books and related merchandise. Whereas Gayle is the artist, Pat is the business; together they have turned Ell & Me into a thriving firm.

As Gayle struggles with the sudden rebellion of Vanessa who wants to become a professional dancer and moves into the home of her boyfriend, Pat struggles with the arrival of teenager Tiffani who claims that Marcus is her father. Although DNA testing proves otherwise, Marcus wants to help her make it while neglecting his wife Pat. Since kindergarten Pat and Gayle have been there for one another if only to listen, but this time neither can talk about the fears inside of their respective hearts.

Success does not necessarily bring happiness as Gayle and Pat learn the hard way in this fine family drama. Each of the key players, not just the Ell & Me two entrepreneurs are fully developed. Thus the audience understands why Marcus wants to help Tiffani; Vanessa needs to leave home although she does not slice the financial cord; Pat feel insecure Gayle feels all alone; and Tiffani manipulates the four of them. Although at times the story line dips into soap opera territory, readers will enjoy the sequel that follows the personal lives of two friends and their families.

Harriet Klausner

Tryin to Sleep in the Bed You Made was one of the best books I've ever read. That's been over 10 years ago and I still remember not being able to put it down and being sad when it ended. It was just that good. Naturally I looked forward to Gotta Keep on Tryin'. I'm giving this review 3 stars because I can only imagine the hard work it takes to create a novel. Therefore I tread lightly. The book wasn't a disaster however it does not live up to the brilliance of its predecessor. The authors touched many topics such as teenage defiance, bulimia, domestic violence, marriage, etc. It's as if there were too many topics and therefore the storyline of each was underdeveloped. There was also too much information regarding the doll company. I would just skim the pages whenever details were giving regarding the Ell & Me Company. It took away from the book instead of adding to it.

I listened to the audio book read by the authors. I was bored from the 1st chapter. I suggest the next time they hire an actress. The material wasn't that great. Gave it a 3 star because the authors were bold enough to read their material.

In the sequel to Tryin' to Sleep in the Bed You Made, authors Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant return with Gotta Keep on Tryin, where childhood friends Patricia Reid and Gayle Saunders return after a ten year hiatus. Now, as co-owners of the Ell and Me Company, a children's doll and book company based on a character Gail created for her daughter, Vanessa, the pair happen upon success in business while their personal lives are in disarray.

By outside appearances, Pat and her husband Marcus seem to be quite the power couple, living the high life as successful entrepreneurs, traveling and more. Both are very driven for success, and in business. However, something is missing from their relationship. Enter Tiffani, a young girl claiming to be Marcus' daughter. Will Tiffani be the missing link to the couples' relationship?

Meanwhile, Gayle and Vanessa are a poor attempt at recovery after life without Ramsey, Gayle's gambling ex-husband and Vanessa's father. Gayle is depressed and Vanessa is the rebellious teenager who blames her mother for practically everything. Gayle loses control of her daughter and herself. After Ramsey re-enters the picture, is he what's needed to make everything better again?

I found Pat and Marcus' relationship to be one that delved into what happens when a couple does not give their marriage the time and attention it deserves. Both driven to attain personal financial security, fulfill personal dreams and pursue only personal goals, Pat and Marcus find themselves on the edge. I was relieved when their relationship also proved what a relationship is able to endure.

At times I found myself upset over the fact that Gayle was not more firm with Vanessa. At other times I empathized with her because of the surmounting pressure of a growing business and not really knowing anything but the creative-side of it. I could understand her apprehensiveness in decision-making. I could see how being a single, working mother with a raging teenager and being under pressure to succeed as an entrepreneur overcame her. I found myself rooting for all to end well with Gayle and Vanessa.

Through a well-written storyline and engaging subplots with memorable supporting characters, topics such as infidelity, eating disorders, domestic abuse, celebrity and more are touched upon. Friends, Pat and Gayle, go through thick and thin together. Gotta Keep on Tryin was a very engaging read.

. . . but not quite.
For the most part I was pleased with the way the characters turned out, but I found the storyline in this book getting bogged down as the authors tried to fill readers in with the storyline of the the first book.
Still, I did enjoy Gotta Keep On Tryin', and I look forward to reading more about Gayle, Pat and Marcus, as well as the new characters introduced in this book, Tiffani and DeJohn.

This novel is definitely well worth the 10 year wait! I thoroughly enjoyed playing catch-up with Gayle, Pat & Marcus. DeBerry and Grant allows us to revisit with the best friends turned successful business partners. We also get a peek at Pat and Marcus' marriage, which has more or less just become a comfortable co-existence, as they have ceased being the loving, "happily married" couple. And Vanessa has definitely grown up with a chip on her shoulder and the all too familiar attitude of a spoiled and selfish teenager.~~~~~~~DeBerry and Grant also touch on several serious social issues throughout their sequel (eating disorders, domestic violence, infidelity, paternity and more) and they handle each in a very responsible, yet entertaining manner.~~~~~~~This sequel shows us how fame and fortune doesn't always equal happiness. It's was great to get reacquainted with past characters, but, I also enjoyed the introduction of the well-developed cast of new characters. They added quite a bit of intrigue and suspense to an already emotionally charged tale. As a fan I definitely wouldn't mind reading more about DeJohn and Tiffani...hint, hint...happily awaiting a follow-up novel...LOL! KUDOS to Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant on turning out a TOTALLY inspiring sequel!

As a long time fan of these ladies I was excited to learn they had finally written a sequel to "Trying to Sleep in the Bed You Made". Overall the book was pretty good but I got fed up having to constantly read about the particulars of the Ell doll and company. It appears that half of the book was devoted to discription, story or drawings of that darn doll. And for that I only rate the book three stars.