Ladies' Night Out [Paperback]

Electa Rome Parks (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2, 2007

Electa Rome Parks-acclaimed author of Almost Doesn't Count, The Ties that Bind, and Loose Ends-now explores the bonds among four women and the secret confessions that could put their friendship at risk.

Lexie, Meshell, Tonya, and Tracee are single and successful best friends. Devoted to each other since college, they've bonded over a monthly ritual to regroup and keep it real. With a little wine, drama, and laughs, they discuss their dreams, betrayals, families, and without a doubt, the men in their lives that come and go. But tonight, ladies' night out arrives with a twist- and a revelation that could threaten a longstanding friendship or bring four women closer to understanding themselves, their men, and their secret passions than ever before.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Parks's hardcover debut (after three paperback originals) follows Lexie, Meshell, Tracee and Tonya, four best girlfriends who think they know everything about each other. They don't, of course, and what they don't know might hurt them—or, at least, strain their bond. The women get together once a month for a night out in Atlanta, during which anything goes and (almost) everything is said. For fear of being judged, each harbors scandalous sex-centric secrets: Alexie, the clique's "conscience," meets a New York City firefighter on the Internet and has a fling with him; Meshell, the outspoken and overstressed attorney, unwinds with anonymous sex; Tracee has a wild exhibitionist streak; and Tonya, the materialist, is having an affair with her boss, a married man with two kids. Prompted by the ladies' revelations and emotional breakthroughs, Meshell and Lexie host an "intervention" instead of their usual night out. The erotic story makes for a fun and fast read, though the rotating first-person narration can get confusing and the ladies end up being more types than characters. (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Electa Rome Parks lives outside Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband, Nelson, and two children. With a B.A. degree in marketing, she is currently working on her next novel and fulfilling her passion as a writer. Author website: electaromeparks.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: NAL Trade (January 2, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451220250
• ISBN-13: 978-0451220257
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #538,792 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

After successfully self-publishing her debut novels, The Ties That Bind and Loose Ends, New American Library, a division of Penguin Group, bought the rights. Electa signed a three-book deal with New American Library. All three books were immediately chosen as Black Expressions Book Club main selections and embraced as Books of the Month by book clubs across the country. Dubbed a "book club favorite," avid readers have embraced Electa's true to life characters that tackle prevalent and heavy hitting issues.

Since then Electa has become a best-selling author of several mainstream and erotic novels, Almost Doesn't Count, Ladies' Night Out, These Are My Confessions (anthology), Diary of a Stalker, True Confessions and The Stalker Chronicles(dropping 2-1-12)with Penguin Group, HarperCollins and Kensington. Electa has been a frequent guest on radio shows, has been nominated for many industry awards and has been interviewed by newspapers and several national magazines.

Electa is currently following her passion and working on her next novel.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Keeping Secrets, February 13, 2007

By 

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

This review is from: Ladies' Night Out (Paperback)

Brought together in college, from different walks of life, four women became sisters, divas, friends for life. Meshell, Lexie, Tonya, and Tracee are single and successful in their career choices, but missing something. Electa Rome Parks' Ladies' Night Out is told from the first person's perspective. Each one of these women has a voice, but they do not always use it when they should.

Alexis is a psychologist and a preacher's daughter. She has an aura of innocence left from her upbringing. Even though she has had sex, she has never experienced the ultimate big "O". After one of their monthly ladies night, and everyone had a juicy story to share, she was missing something and was determined to find it. But would she find what she is seeking and still be safe?

Meshell, the ADA, comes from a family of lawyers, but is living on the edge. She thought that she had left this part of her life back at college, but she is quickly learning that she is out of control. Her drug of choice is very dangerous. Being in the career field that she is in, she should know this, but she does not care. Or does she?

Tonya comes from a family that was very poor, and vowed to herself never to have to work two jobs and do without when she became an adult. Tonya is a wine buyer, so she gets to travel all over tasting and buying wine. Even though she is very successful in her career, she still wants the American dream. How far will she go to get what she is trying to attain?

Tracee is now a beautiful college English professor. When she was growing up, she was an overweight teen. Right before going to college she had a wakeup call and that helped her to lose the weight that once held her back. Now she is flaunting it in ways that may one day cost her something very important, her life.

These four women are so close to each other but yet so far away from the true identity of each other. Can they still be friends once their secrets are found out? Will this be their last Ladies' Night Out?

I recommend this to a reader from all walks of life. This is truly a read that everyone that picks it up will enjoy.

Reviewed by Jennifer Coissiere
APOOO BookClub

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars (RAW Rating: 4.5) - A girl's best friend, February 9, 2007

By 

The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ladies' Night Out (Paperback)

LADIES' NIGHT OUT is more than just one night out on the town - it is a journey of four girlfriends as they balance their careers with the pursuit of happiness. Friends since college, Lexie, Meshell, Tracee and Tonya couldn't be closer, yet, each woman harbors secrets that remain closely guarded.

At one of their monthly meetings, Meshell poses a question to the group that sets Lexie on a risqué mission to conquer personal uncharted territory. Will this preacher's kid be able to step out of her comfort zone to realize true gratification?

Meshell is the seemingly fearless prosecutor who is haunted by the stress and violence associated with her job. The manner in which she chooses to cope sets her on a path of self-destruction. With the help of her friends, will she be able to overcome this negative behavior?

A connoisseur of the finer things in life, Tonya lives a lavish lifestyle that is afforded to her as head buyer for a wine distributor. Not always a candidate for the lifestyles of the rich and famous, memories of her disenchanted childhood fuel her desire for the excellent things in life. However, what price is she willing to pay to reach the top?

As the free spirit of the group, Tracee likes to have a good time and her all-the-time party mode concerns her friends. When one of her antics spells personal danger, will Tracee be compelled to clean up her act?

LADIES NIGHT OUT is a sizzling tale of true, nonjudgmental, long-standing friendship. It is a refreshing tale that neatly intertwines the lives of four professional women. Using detailed emotional scenarios ranging from tear-jerking to tantalizing scenes that sear off the pages, Ms. Parks is to be commended for this page-turning read.

Reviewed by Nedine
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sexy..., July 28, 2007

By 

Jason Frost "RubiconReader" (California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Ladies' Night Out (Paperback)

This book was definately one of her sexiest novels to date. I did find myself comparing it to 'These are my confessions' though. Maybe it's because I read it not to long ago or because 'Ladies' Night Out' was like a confessional for these women. I could have also used a little more story/plot to get me to and from the next sex scene! (Wait... did I just say that??) LOL!!

These women definately had some pretty interesting sex lives and some pretty interesting secrets!! I was wondering how everything was going to go down at the end. I can definately see a sequel if Electa chooses to do so. Bottom line, this book is worth your time. It's a fast and sexy read with not a whole lot of thinking needed to get through it.