Jade (Shades of Style, Book 2) [Paperback]

Marilynn Griffith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2006

Lily Chau, the happenin', young pattern-maker for Garments of Praise, would love to break onto the stylish New York fashion scene. She has the talent and sass to make it big, but something is holding her back: a devotion to her aging mother. How can Lily pursue her dream if she feels called to stand by her family? Then she meets Doug LaCroix, a missionary on furlough who wants nothing more than to return to the mission field. When the two meet, sparks begin to fly. Soon they are both caught in an intricate web of dreams and obligations, neither knowing if they should follow their dreams or their responsibilities. One thing is for sure: there are no easy answers and no cut-and-dry patterns for matters of the heart. Combining rich, multicultural flavor with the excitement of New York City, Marilynn Griffith delivers another entertaining read in the Shades of Style series.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Having the perfect life isn't all it's cracked up to be. Designer Lily Chau doesn't know if she's finally got it together or if life is starting to unravel. With a successful boyfriend and a great job at up-and-coming fashion house Garments of Praise, it seems she has the perfect pattern for success. But her mother's health is failing, her boyfriend just won't pop the question, and being a pattern maker is a far cry from having a clothing line of her own. Lily is sure her hands are just too full to draw her deepest dreams. Raya and Chenille, Lily's pals at Garments of Praise, offer plenty of advice and sympathy. And Jean, Lily's co-worker and second mom, even goes behind Lily's back to boost her chances of success. When she's chosen for the reality show The Next Design Diva, it seems like the chance of a lifetime for Lily. But the mysterious designer chosen to mentor her sends her spinning. He's fresh, fine-and way off limits. Suddenly Lily's life goes from carefully patterned to nothing but a tangle of threads. Praise for the Shades of Style series: "The Shades of Style series combines multicultural characters with heartache, drama, humor, and romance."-Charisma "Griffith's debut Shades of Style series features four women in the fashion industry: Raya, Chenille, Lily, and Jean. The women fight to save their struggling business and learn some important lessons about people, life, and faith."-Library Journal

About the Author

Marilynn Griffith is a freelance writer and conference speaker whose online columns and blogs reach thousands of women each year. Her recent writing credits include Pink, Chicken Soup for the Christian Woman's Soul, Proverbs for the People, and For Better or for Worse. Marilynn lives in Tallahassee, Florida, with her husband and children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Revell (June 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800730410
• ISBN-13: 978-0800730413
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,381,586 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Thanks for reading my books. Contact me by email at [e-mail]. Visit me on the web at marilynngriffith.com or sistahfaith.ning.com. Thanks!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Read, June 6, 2006

By 

Hope for Women Magazine "S. Goss, Entertainme... - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jade (Shades of Style, Book 2) (Paperback)

Jade is the second book in the Shades of Style series. Lily Chau is an aspiring fashion designer struggling with the desire to succeed and family obligations. Lily is given a chance to appear on a reality TV show, The Next Design Diva, but debates with her friends on whether or not she should compete. Once she makes a decision to participate, she almost backs out when she runs into the mysterious and intriguing Doug LaCroix. The chemistry between the two is so thick that you could cut it with a pair of scissors. Doug has his own set of issues to deal with and is surprised by the immediate attraction to Lily. Lily and Doug's relationship is tested many times. Only when they both grow in their faith in God will they be able to look past each other's faults and follow their personal and professional destiny. Griffith has penned a tale that shows the importance of trusting God in all areas of your life.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Green is my second favorite color, November 27, 2006

By 

Deborah "Books, Movies and Chinese Food" (Fairfax, VA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Jade (Shades of Style, Book 2) (Paperback)

Lily Chau is the next member in the Garments of Praise team that we get to meet. She's in her late thirties, taking care of her sick mother, trying to get her foot into the fashion industry and trying to figure out her relationship with her boyfriend. She gets invited to compete in a Project Runway-like reality show with the help of a famous designer. Little does she know that the designer is the mysterious stranger that she keeps running into and finding a growing attraction with. Lily has to decide how she will manage her mother, her fashion, her boyfriends, and her life.

This is one of the first Christian fiction novels where there is an Asian American female lead character. AND she happens to not be an immigrant or someone living in the 1800s . There aren't many Asian Americans portrayed without any sort of stereotypes in books in general so this was a welcome relief. I felt that Lily's character was very real. I understand her insistence of taking care of her mother. Family is very important in Asian culture. Like in Pink, I enjoyed seeing the going ons behind the fashion industry. And I also loved that while Lily is slightly bothered at being almost 40 and still not married, she's still managed to create a name for herself and not be bothered too much by it. I liked the contrast in Doug and Ken. Lily's mom's story with her dad was very moving and sad. The only thing I didn't get was when Lily and Doug first met. The way it was written, Doug looked like a homeless person and Lily falls head over heels for him like that. Now maybe I'm just being paranoid, but if I was alone on a street and a stranger looking like that came up to me, I'd be a little scared. Lily just seemed like she had let her guard down completely which is not a safe thing to do in a city at night.

I really enjoyed this book. The series is great as it focuses on different ethnicities. I'm really looking forward to reading Tangerine.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sacrifice, February 14, 2007

By 

Jennifer Coissiere "The Tough Critic"... (Georgia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Jade (Shades of Style, Book 2) (Paperback)

There are some cultures that sacrifice in ways, some will never understand. Then there are children that make sacrifices for their family because of a promise they made while young, even if it means their own happiness. Jade by Marilynn Griffith is book two of the Shades of Style series. Jade is the story about Lily Chau.

Lily is Chinese-American and as a young adult she made a promise to her mother to always take care of her and never leave her. Lily works for Garments of Praise, where her co-workers, her friends, see more in Lily than she sees in herself. Jean Guerra thought it would be good to enter Lily into the Next Design Diva reality show. Will she allow her promise to get in the way of her happiness in creating clothes?

Lily has been dating Ken, a doctor for two years, and she hoped and dreamed for him to one day propose, but that was her dream not his. With Lily's mother, Su, having dementia and what seem to be signs of Alzheimer's, he did not want her to live with them, but Lily would never put her mother into a home. She made a promise that she intended to keep. When he tells her that he just could not take on the struggles of her mother, Lily realizes maybe love is not for her and she is destined to be alone.

Doug LaCroix is the mentor placed with Lily for the Next Design Diva program. Doug is a doctor, a missionary and a designer that disappeared after 9/11. He renewed his faith in God and went to different places trying to help and make a difference. However, returning to his designing days was not part of what he had planned. Then he meets Lily and realizes that they have more in common than just clothing design. Can he handle the new feelings that are running through his body?

I recommend this book to a reader that does not realize in order to fulfill a promise, you sometime have to accomplish your dream in order to feel complete. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series.

Jennifer Coissiere
APOOO BookClub
www.apooo.org