Customer Reviews

Jamerican Connection

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Jamerican Connection, Sandra Ottey's debut novel, tells the stories of three women whose lives are intertwined by friendship, relationships, lies, infidelity, abuse, and a host of other dramas.

Rose Thorn dreamt of a life that included a college education and a successful career, but dropping out of high school to have a baby dashed those dreams. Now, Rose finds herself trapped in an abusive marriage with no way out...though more and more she vows to find one.

Laverne Fine is a cosmetologist and Rose's best friend. Her two main goals are to one, get a visa so that she may travel abroad and perhaps reap in the opportunities to blossom in her career; and two, to uncover the truth surrounding her lover's identity and nationality.

Wendy Arnold is beyond successful in her career. She has the degrees, the accolades and the prestige, but as she reaches the big 4-0, she finds herself panicking, wanting desperately to persuade her long-distance love, Miles to move from Jamaica to Brooklyn in order to live together, get married, and have children.

Jamerican Connection is a very interesting read. I enjoyed being immersed in both the American and Jamaican cultures. I quickly flipped through the novel to find out how Rose's intriguing story would go. As you read the novel, you will find yourself rooting for the women, who all have their own distinct voices. You will hate Rose's husband, and probably have disgust for most of the men IN the book, because you get the sense that they have no respect for women as they cheat and some even get the brass ring at the end after all of their cheating and lies.

Regardless of that, the novel is a fast-paced story that will pull the reader in to the web of drama that unfolds.

I read JAMERICAN CONENCTION:A Novel during my summer vacation in Greece. I really appreciate how the story flows fluidly from chapter to chapter. Although the story was based in Jamaica and America I always knew where I was because the writing style was superb and clear; (you don't always find that even in best-selling books). Also, people of all educational levels would enjoy reading the story. The characters still linger in my mind and I think that Ms. Ottey should probbaly consider writing a sequel???

As a Caribbean immigrant JAMERICAN CONNECTION really took me back home to the blue waters and white sandy beaches. As a high school dropout myself the book motivated me to go register for a course. The spousal abuse was so detailed, especially the rape scene and the abduction from the office. For a first book Ms. Ottey did a splendid job.

The author gives the account of a strong woman, who against odds triumphs! Rose Thorn, the main charactor, leaves Jamaica for the US, and a better life. She leaves a husband who has fathered half the children in her rural Jamaican town. A man she gave her heart to, but he cannot even give her the time of day. The author makes you feel the pain that she suffers with, when she learns of all his indiscretions.
She shows how Rose works hard to make her life better. Upon her arrival Rose realizes the streets in NYC are not paved with gold,nor a emerald city. But she succeedsby putting her past behind her even when her husband arrives in New York City to try and take her back to Jamaica. Once again the author shows the strength she has give Rose Thorn to succeed. This is a must read for everyone. This book would make a great Hollywood movie!!!!

My daugter gave me Jamerican Connection as a birthday gift. I really enjoyed the book. I read it in two days. Sandra has a very unique way in telling a story. You can get connected to the characters. Your heart pours out to Rose because she was young when she made decisions but she was determined not to remain in a bad relationship. She is naive and full of dreams that she seem to not be able to reach easily. She has great support in family and friends. They never force her to make decisions even though they hate the situation that she is in. Donovan was definately a Thorn. He was crazy and should have been stopped a long time ago. The other characters in the book were also active with their own story plot. Sandra did a great job on connecting the characters to each other without getting lost in the stories of each woman. I also liked the way she put religion in the story lines. It is good to show how people pray to get through a situation. How having a praying grandmother and have a strong background in the church can help you find peace in any situation. I think that you will enjoy reading Jamerican Connection. I look forward to the sequel and will be telling all my friends to read the novel.

Ironically, i grew up in Mandeville where the story took place. it was so real.... This surely hits home... Cant wait for her next book!!

Jamerican Connection is an intriguing debut novel from Sandra A. Ottey which intertwines the lives of three women into an engrossing tale of friendship, relationships, lies, deceit, secrets, domestic violence, infidelity and suspense.

While Ottey writes about three women and their relationships with each other as well as their male significant others, the story is really Rose's. It's Rose's story that compels the reader to continue reading this almost 400 page book into the wee hours of the morning. It is Rose and Donovan's relationship that will have you screaming and wanting to jump into the pages to shake some sense into Rose and to give Donovan the beatdown of his life for being so insensitive and abusive. Donovan preys on young girls and he elevated his manhood and self-esteem by marrying Rose when she was only 16, pregnant with his child and a high school dropout. Rose's idyllic marriage quickly turned into a living hell as she witnessed her husband have one two many affairs and one two many kids to go along with the multiple affairs. Rose desperately wants to get away from Donovan but nothing is beneath Donovan when it comes to keeping Rose dependent, barefoot and pregnant if necessary. The horrific acts that Donovan commits against Rose are at times so inhuman that one has to set the book aside for a moment and take a breather before moving forward with the story.

Sandra Ottey has written a heart-wrenching yet moving and riveting debut novel. One of her greatest strengths and weaknesses is the character development of Rose and Donovan, however, Laverne and Wendy's stories really paled in comparison...they were more secondary characters vs. characters on equal footing with Rose. In fact, if their characters weren't included the story still would have been a compelling one. Although, I didn't like the ending for Rose's character. I almost felt like she was proclaiming independence but she was still depending on a man to help her make it through the rough spots. I would have preferred if Rose moved on and became an independent woman who could stand on her own two feet without necessarily having the opposite sex around if she stumbled. Additionally, I felt the ending was a little rushed and had a few loose ends...but then maybe Ottey is going to grace us with a sequel. Overall, I really enjoyed the author's writing style. I liked the vivid imagery and descriptors as well as how she blended life on the islands with life stateside. I look forward to future books from this author.

JAMERICAN CONNECTION was a great read. I don't usually read romance novels but once I read the first page I just couldn't put the book down. The plot was great; lots of twists and turns; dramatic surprizes and lots of suspense. When the story begins, the central chatacer, Rose Thorn, a high school dropout, was very naive. But Ottey made a strong woman out of Rose Thorn. Ottey is an engaging storyteller. She kept me hook to the story. Now my wife is reading the book. What's next for you, Ms. Ottey?

This is a beautifully written novel that brings one up-close and personal to the intricacies of human relationships, sometimes painful.
In the process, it takes you there and back: from the peaceful home where we can never return, to the difficult but hopeful present. The descriptive style of this writer makes one feel the warm breeze, smell the sweetness of the tropical fruit, and feel the pain of a battered woman.
I have not read many novels lately, but I am glad I read this one.

Jamerican Connection is filled with much emotion from all characters. Lies from husbands committing infidelity and partners trying to make a relationship work when thousands of miles separate them and only one wants to close those miles. A wife and mother who became both too soon, realizes that she missed a chunk of her childhood and can never get it back.

This book is wonderful, some of the acts committed in it were horrific, I read it in one day and so will you. I found it hard to digest the controlling emotionless attitudes the men possessed. Nevertheless it was a page-turner and so real.
Whether we were travelling the white beaches of Jamaica or the pavement of Brooklyn, the writers' style was so exceptional you always knew what continent you were resting on.

Each character was in search of something within. By the end of the book they each realized that and began another journey. The connection that knitted three women together will be forever engraved in their heart and my mind.
I would love to read a sequel of this book.

Missy, RAW Reviewer