Kiss the Year Goodbye [Paperback]

Brenda L. Thomas (Author), Tu-Shonda L. Whitaker (Author), Crystal Lacey Winslow (Author), Daaimah S. Poole (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 2005

Kiss the Year Goodbye

New Year's Eve is the time to make a naughty resolution, so shed your inhibitions and indulge in this sultry collection of escapades from four of the hottest writers around.

In Brenda L. Thomas's "Every New Year," a shoot-out lands a respected doctor in the hospital with a bad case of amnesia, and in the care of a man too sexy to resist.

In "Whatever It Takes" by Tu-Shonda L. Whitaker, a sassy older woman tries to break off her steamy relationship with her best friend's twenty-three-year-old son, but he shows her he's man enough to fulfill her needs.

Crystal Lacey Winslow proves you can be "Dangerously in Love" when a prim and proper young woman's wild side takes over after the man she's dating slips up with another woman.

In "My Boo" by Daaimah S. Poole, a Philly girl's long-distance boyfriend never has time for her -- not even around the holidays. So when her ex-roommate's latest lover comes knocking, she's ready to get the party started.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Brenda L. Thomas, a Philadelphia-based marketing professional, is the Essence bestselling author of three previous novels, Threesome: Where Seduction, Power & Basketball Collide; Fourplay: The Dance of Sexuality; and The Velvet Rope. She has also contributed short stories to the anthologies Four Degrees of Heat and Kiss the Year Goodbye. Visit her website at phillywriter.com.

Tu-Shonda L. Whitaker's work has appeared in Grub Street Writer literary magazine and Black Literary Journal. She is the author of two novels, Flipside of the Game and Game Over, and contributed a short story to the anthology Cream. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and two daughters. Visit her website at www.tushonda.com.

Crystal Lacey Winslow is the author of the Essence bestsellers The Criss Cross and Life, Love & Loneliness, as well as a book of poetry, Up Close & Personal. Her upcoming novel, Sex, Sin & Brooklyn II, is the sequel to her short story in the Essence bestselling anthology Four Degrees of Heat. The founder of Melodrama Publishing, Crystal operates her bookstore, Melodrama Books & Things, in Queens, New York. Visit her website at www.melodramapublishing.com.

Daaimah S. Poole wrote her first novel, Yo Yo Love, when she was nineteen, and it became an Essence bestseller. She is the author of two other novels, What's Real and Got a Man. Visit her website at www.dspbooks.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Books; Original edition (November 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743497074
• ISBN-13: 978-0743497077
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,162,938 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars One out of four ain't bad, April 5, 2006

By 

K. Kimbrough "kkimbr7" (Bakersfield, Ca United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kiss the Year Goodbye (Paperback)

Everyone looks at the end of the year with great anticipation. Many resolutions are made about love and life. This is no different in the four-story anthology, Kiss the Year Goodbye.

Four authors pen four unique stories where the end of the year is fastly approaching and changes in their lives are inevitable. In Brenda Thomas' contribution, "Every New Year", a young doctor, newly engaged, is more dedicated to her work than her fiancé. In a random shootout, she loses her memory and opens her heart to another. In "Whatever it Takes", Tu-Shonda Whitaker plays out a May/December romance to the background of a Jill Scott song named "Whatever." Crystal Lacey Winslow shows another side of love with "Dangerously in Love" proving nothing is ever as it seems. And "My Boo" by Daaimah S. Poole, gives insight to the effects of long distance relationships.

Out of the four, this reader enjoyed "Whatever It Takes." This was an engaging story of a thirty-six year old woman who is forced to consider a twenty-three year old man as her possible Prince Charming. Adding to the issue of age, the young man is the son of one of her friends. This story was intriguing to me for a few reasons. Ms. Whitaker deals with the struggle of age differences realistically while not sacrificing the electricity that is evident between the two characters. She was also able to share the comedy that is surely going to come from a situation like this. My only issue is that there were some points in the story where their behavior made me wonder who was actually thirty-six and who was twenty-three.

With the remaining three, while I was entertained, they did not engage me like the aforementioned. In "Every New Year" I was not convinced why the character was dissatisfied with her fiancé or her fascination with the new man. In "Dangerously In Love", it was a story designed to have an "oh my" twist which was a bit predictable and contrived. And in "My Boo" there was quite a bit of drama and trifling behavior in a short story and I had trouble believing its resolution.

With all that said, I will say that the stories were readable and entertaining enough. It would be a good commuter read.

Kotanya
APOOO Bookclub

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Goodbye Yesteryear!!!!!, January 13, 2006

By 

Lady K "Babygirl" (Savannah, Ga) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kiss the Year Goodbye (Paperback)

This book was excellent. This was the first time I've read a book by Tu-Shonda L.Whitaker, but she is truly a gifted writer. Her book focuses on the relationship between a younger man and a older woman, it was good from beginning to end. Brenda L. Thomas's book was good, it could have ended differently, but maybe that means the story will continue. Her story focuses on a doctor that ends up in the hospital, and develops feelings for the doctor that's attending to her. Crystal L. Winslow's book was very good, it focuses on a female that has some serious mental issues, but devolps a relationship with a guy who has been hurt before. The ending will suprise you. Daaimah S. Poole's book was good also, it was the story of a female and male involved in a long distance relationship, when the female starts to feel lonely she seeks pleasure outside the relationship, and soon learns, sometimes what you need is right in front of your face, if you just exercise a little patients.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars YOU FOUR LADIES RULE!, April 12, 2006

By 

AndreaDenise (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Kiss the Year Goodbye (Paperback)

Tu-Shonda's, "Whatever it Takes" was absolutely hilarious! I'm a huge fan of Tu-Shonda. Her writing skills are magnificent.

Brenda's "Every New Year" was pretty good. I wanted just a little bit more to happen at the end.

"Dangerously in Love" was spooky to say the least. Crystal did a brilliant job writing this one. I loved her other two books as well. I can't wait until Sex, Sin & Brooklyn II is released.

Daaimah S. Poole's, "My Boo" was good too. Those long distance relationships can be awful.