Customer Reviews

If I Could

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the first book I have ever read by Donna Hill. I enjoyed the book, but I feel that it could have been less narration.

The story is of 3 sista friends who have known each other since college. They basically have everything---except happiness. Regina is caught in a bad marriage and ends up divorced and then decides she is unhappy with her job and up and quits. Everyone thinks that Regina has totally "lost" it. Little do they know she is about to find happiness in the form of her own businesss and also a new man.

Toni is so caught up in her work and helping others, that she doesn't see her marriage and her son slipping away. When her son is arrested for selling drugs--it is an eye opener for both Toni and her husband.

Vicky is the bank president and social climber of the group. She has emotional scars that stem from when she was a young child that prevent her from truly being happy. She has the perfect job, perfect husband and pretty much a perfect life--except she is not happy. It takes a near tragedy to make her realize that she needs to put the past behind her.

Continued success and blessings to Donna Hill. Peace!!

Donna Hill is well known for her sizzling romance novels. Well, Donna has done a wonderful job in this book, If I Could. Regina only wanted respect and support from her family and friends, but all they did was tell her how wrong she was about everything in her life. Only Regina herself could make her life what she wanted it to be. Sometimes in order to grow we have to stay away from people that have a negative influence.

Regina's friends Toni and Vicky had major issues of their own. They could never see their problems, but was always telling Regina what was wrong with her life.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I know a couple of people that are just like the characters in this book. All of us at some point in our lives think IF IF COULD.....

Great story Donna.

Everyone who looks at Regina and Russell Everette feel the African-American couple has the perfect marriage. Obviously, they care for each other and together they are raising two wonderful teens. Both are reasonably successful at their jobs.

So what caused Regina to file for divorce and quit her job as a reporter? Hidden from the public view of the couple is Russell, an old fashion chauvinist who expects his spouse to feed him, do the laundry, and clean the house even if he happens to be home all day. Regina has since grown from the person who cherished her husband's every word, but he has not seen her changing needs. As two of her best friends also go into relationship crisis, Regina decides to set the tone by no longer asking what IF I COULD, but by doing.

Best-selling author Donna Hill writes an inspiring drama centering on the changing needs of middle aged African-American women that actually holds up for any fortyish female regardless of race. The story line encourages individuals to think positive and do what they feel is right. Although the plot reads at times somewhat like a motivational prescription for change, the tale works. Readers can empathize with Regina while understanding that Russell is not a bad person, just unable to hear what his wife asks of him.

Harriet Klausner

If I Could Is Donna Hill's mainstream debut novels. The storyline tackles issues such as self-worth/acceptance, class, race relations and identity and introduces us to memorable characters. Regina is the protagonist of the storyline and the storyline centers around her relationship with her husband, friends and meddling mother. Regina's closest friends include Victoria and Toni girlfriends she met in college and now some 20 years later events of daily living and smothering fires force them to confront each other and their personal situations. Ms. Hill did a wonderful job in developing the characters as we can see a little of ourselves in at least one of them; these were women in their late 30s/early 40 facing real life situations...some of them situations that we all face on a daily basis. Women from all walks of life can closely identify with the crossroads or transitions that each of these ladies faced.

Regina-appeared to have it all a good husband, good job, wonderful home but happiness and inner peace appeared to be lacking. All her life she did what others told her to do..she was the proverbial good gurl. For years, Regina put everyone-husband, mother, children, friends-before herself but gradually overtime she snaps out of her stifling existence and awakens to find herself. Regina is really the only one who sees things for what they are and when life starts to fall apart for those around her...they realize that Regina was just always herself and that she didn't play games and she accepted you as you were. Victoria-scarred by evil sisters, her mom and society always felt that she wasn't good enough because of her skin color. She overcompensates and appears to be together on the outside but step inside and you see an individual who has low self-esteem, and is full of fear, insecurities and inner turmoil. Toni-realized that she couldn't help her illiterate and unemployed family in the heart of the Deep South but she succeeded in her mission to become a social worker and a darn good one. The only problem was while she was out saving all of mankind she forgot to include her husband and her son. Will she be able to save her marriage and her son?

If I Could captured my attention and my heart; its an inspiring piece for anyone who looked up one day and thought If I Could...I Would. This book was a page turner and when I finished I felt satiated and good. Pick Up a Copy of If I Could today...and post the affirmations from the back of the book somewhere that you will see them often so that you can follow them. Yes they're applicable to real life situations.

This book didn't appeal to me at first, but was recommended by a friend, so I thought I would give it a try. She thought because the book was about a "Stay-At-Home Mom" that I could relate to it. At first, I thought Regina was spineless and ordinary just like the author described her to be, but then as I read on, I realized that it was the personalities that surrounded her where the ones that were ordinary and they were trying to put Regina down to boast themselves. Regina's life took a 360 when she divorced her husband, Russell, of 14 years and everyone elses life went downhill. Regina could really inspire someone to look within themself and find their strength. Regina left the "comfortable" lifestyle of a husband and a home to challenge herself. She quit her job because of an instinct and went out to see what she was made of. All of her family and friends doubted her efforts, but in the end, they found that she was the winner and was made of some pretty EXTRAodinary material. NOt that I am going to leave my husband, but this book has inspired me to see what I have to offer this world other than being a mother and wife. I recommend this book for a good read and something that will make you feel good when you are done reading it. You will walk away feeling rejuvenated, I guarantee it! Thanks Donna Hill.

Regina was the woman who always followed the rules. The nuns at her Catholic school put the fear of God into her at an early age, and her mother, Millie, ran her entire life. Millie controlled everything about her from how she would dress to whom she would marry. So when Regina met Russell Everette during college, she fell completely in love with him. He was his own person, knew exactly what he wanted and never allowed anyone to stop him from getting just that, unlike her who was never given a choice and submitted to everyone else's wishes for her. Regina didn't think she'd have to submit to Russell as well. They wanted the same things out of life and their marriage. But when her plans changed and she decided to go back to school and become a reporter for the Daily News, Regina soon realizes Russell isn't too different from the nuns and her mother. His relentless and unyielding ways begin to take control and hinder her from living the life she truly wants. Finally, Regina gets tired of hearing Russell tell her she'll never succeed at her career and that it's ruining their family and marriage. When Gina finally decides enough is enough, stand back. She is determined to reach her long-overdue freedom and happiness, and no one is safe. She scandalizes her two best friends, shakes up her relationship with her mother, quits her job and divorces Russell after 14 years of marriage. Donna Hill has certainly quenched the thirst of millions of yearning readers. "If I Could" empowers both male and female readers to get the courage to live for themselves. Hill took the characters through a mirroring phase where they looked deep into their own souls and pasts to begin finding answers to the problems they were dealing with. Hill attacked a lot of pertinent issues in the lives of many of her readers such as abortion, teenage drug use and self-healing. Hill veered from her usual, single woman story road and ventured onto the avenue of familial affairs in "If I Could." This story dealt with more family topics and concerns than her previous novels did, but she never lost her zealous and passionate writing style. Regardless of their longevity or brevity, each of Hill's characters in the story, like in real life, dealt with real issues and she brought all of those issues to the limelight. Hill never sacrificed depth for good storytelling. Fans of Terry McMillan, Bebe Moore Campbell and Eric Jerome Dickey will enjoy Hill's latest novel. She masterfully fuses that charm, wit and sisterly camaraderie she and the other award-winning authors are known for. Hill has outdone herself once again. She completely filled the hearts and souls of her readers, and she leaves them yearning for more. And if Hill's reputation proceeds her, she'll do it again and again.

Excellent character development; it was explained why the characters behaved the way they did. I almost always enjoy stories about two, three, or four friends (I won't use the term "girlfriend" because there's a negative connotation attached to it, for reasons I don't really understand; it's been around since "Little Women" in the 1800s) provided their problems interest me.

I did start getting a little restless around the middle of the story. I don't know if the narration was excessive, as some readers have pointed out below. What did frustrate me was the constant point of view changes throughout the book. One minute I was in Regina's mind, being told how she felt, the next, in the same scene, I was in Russell's. I did not get the feeling that the story was being told by an omnipresent narrator; there was no real distance between myself and the characters.

Anyway, I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading about girlfriends, (just remember this is about a trio of fortyish women whose problems are those of the more mature. This is NOT a story about women looking for mates, which has probably been done to death!)

When I started this book, I wasn't sure I would be able to finish it. Besides the narratives, the author kept delving backwards in time and I wondered if any of it would have relevance to the story. I was so very glad that I continued reading. This book takes off on a journey of self identity, filled with enriched dialogue and unforgettable characters, some of whom are facing what appears to be life crisis. You will get to know the characters and want for more with each and every chapter. You will find that this story is about re-evaluating "self" and not just doing what's right, but about doing what's best.

"If I Could" is a very compelling story and a must read.

To some one of the many joys of womanhood is being a wife and a mother. Donna Hill, depicts Regina Everette who wants more from life than taking care of the kids and other wifely duties. Married to a man she once thought she needed, Regina decides to seek more for her life and makes some changes. Only problem is her insecure husband and meddling and controling mother don't agree with these sudden changes.

Then there are her two best friends Toni and Victoria. These women have more drama than an ABC soap opera. Toni has skeletons that finally come out of the closet and falls to pieces trying to keep her family together. Victoria learns acceptance and self love through tragedy.

Donna hill has written a beautiful story of love, relationships, and the courage to change all in one. I recommend this book, especially to book clubs, If I Could!!!

"If I could" strikes a cord with every individual who has achieved material status, but still aches for something more. Regina, Toni and Victoria all enjoy the trappings of success with loving husbands, luxury cars and beautiful homes, but have unfulfilled longings that constantly resurface. I found that within this text none of the characters were bad people, some just had a longer paths to travel to ultimately attain happiness.

Regina is married with an unsupportive husband, and demanding children. She quietly suffers through a marriage where her only obligation is too cook and clean, and raise the family. She finally ends the relationship after realizing that her spouse is unwilling to accept her for what she is: a woman with her own career aspirations. Regina's decision to leave what appears to be "a good man" is met with negative comments from her meddling mother, and overly opinionated girlfriends. Toni and Victoria are so busy throwing rocks they don't protect their own glass houses, which crumble around them with lies and deceit.

Overall, this books captures character evolvement, and self-reflection at its best. "If I could" confirms that we cannot expect others to shed happiness on our lives, unless we are open and communicative about what we want- and go after our dreams!