Customer Reviews

Long Time Coming (Arabesque)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Tessa, a beautiful wedding planner, and Micah, a handsome attorney, meet when he has to step in for his sister, who can't make it to an appointment. They have instant chemistry and soon after they decide to try to be "friends with fringe benefits." Both have trust issues. Tessa's been burned by a past love. Micah has issues stemming from being abandoned by his biological mother. Though he was raised by a loving family, there are still emotional scars so he vows never to marry. They get along swimmingly much from start to finish. I liked these level-headed characters and the bridal business backdrop. There was romance, great love scenes and family bonding that give readers the warm fuzzies. Those who enjoy lush descriptive passages of wonderful food, clothing and decor will be very happy. But those who want a little more conflict or plot might find it a little harder to push through. This was a pleasant, but low tension read. However, I liked it enough to want to try the next one in this Whitfield series.

Tessa Whitfield, an A-list wedding planner, loves what she does. Since she is not ready for that magnanimous step, she is cruising along, helping to make other people happy. Her latest client is putting her to the test, she wants a formal wedding on New Year's Eve, a mere six weeks away, and Tessa has yet to meet the prospective bride. However, the bride has talked her brother into meeting with Tessa to put plans into motion.

Former NYPD officer, Micah Sanborn, now an assistant district attorney, loves his sister enough to suffer through the meeting; especially since he will never be in the situation for himself. His problem is not a spoiled relationship; he has had plenty good ones. His problem goes back into his youth, when he was abandoned by his biological mother. Micah has never said and does not want to hear again those three painful words, 'I love you'.

Minutes into their meeting, New York City experiences a black out and Micah has to spend the night at Tessa's home/business. This is probably the first platonic night Micah has ever spent with a woman, and it proves to be the most potent. Micah is captivated! Tessa, who has vowed to never mix work with pleasure, feels herself loosing the battle. Micah is behind door number one, with the kind of passion Tessa has only fantasized about. But is she up for the climb needed to reach Micah's heart?

LONG TIME COMING is a sensual romance about overcoming family and fear, and embracing love and a completeness he has never experienced. Ms. Alers again gives readers a mature story, embraceable characters and an excellent supporting cast. I enjoyed her descriptions of food, decor and attire; the family support and the main characters stance on life and love were more pluses. I loved even more how they were able to climb from the pits they unknowingly created. This is a classy, huggable read.

Reviewed by aNN
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers

I hate to be in the minority but I didn't really care for this book. I've looked forward to reading it ever since I read the reviews on here, however it bored me nearly to tears. I didn't find their relationship to be as wondrous as they must have found it or as believable as they did. I didn't sense any spark in their relationship and I don't remember any details about either one of their lives or personalities other than him being abandoned by his mother (which we're told several times) or her getting involved with the wrong guy. While these were important to know since it gives the reader insight as to why they feel the way they feel about love, I don't remember them learning anything quirky or anything even remotely natural for people to learn about each other. They supposedly talked on the phone a whole lot, but we never get to know anything said in their conversations. It was more of the author telling us why they feel this way and what happened between them, and less of her showing us what happened while it was happening. An example being that in one part of the book we are told he bought her breakfast in bed the next morning, but I feel that we would have gotten a better glimpse into their affection for each other had we had gotten to experience their first breakfast together along with them. Also, I didn't like the transitions in this book. I was confused at times because in one paragraph they would be going to bed at his house, but in the next paragraph she would be home alone and we'd just have to assume that they'd gotten up, did their morning rituals, he'd driven her home, etc. We should have gotten to experience these sometime awkward moments between a new couple together. Too much focus was put on small details of their careers. We didn't need to hear about his cases, other than the one that causes him to be mildly injured, and we didn't need to know about every single event she was planning to the very last detail. Also, his family is very multicultural but we're never told what race/culture all of these people come from. I only remember sometimes being told only their hair color. It was hard for me to draw any images of what some characters looked like at all. I'll most likely try and read the other two books in the series just because I want to find out what happens with Tessa's sister and cousin, I just hope they aren't as boring as this one. Also wanted to add that maybe you'll like this book since so many others did. It wasn't the worst book ever written, it just wasn't as believable or as easy to follow as I would have liked it to be.

Rochelle Alers pens a quirky yet loving romantic novel about two individuals who have been hurt the past and they are not sure how to overcome their love until they find each other.

Tessa Whitfield never thought she would find true love. Finding love or what she thought the first time turned out to be a devastating blow. When she found out that, her lover had a wife and was nothing but lies with those thoughts in mind she threw herself into running her business and promising herself she would never fall in love again. Tessa had rules when it came to clients, their families and her business there was no dating of anyone associated with a Signature Bride. However when Micah Sanborn walks into her life she finds herself having to go on the defensive because he entices her in a way that makes her considered her life.

Micah Sanborn always had issues when it came to women it started early in life and continued on with him but when he meets Tessa Whitfield she turns his life upside down. Knowing that he could never love her or at least that was his thought he continuously fought the feeling that he knew as love. When he finds himself falling in love he puts up his armor wall to force her away with both of their lives keeping them apart he begins to realize he misses her. When he finds himself feeling incomplete without her he digs deep within himself to find the ability to admit to her his feelings.

Long Time Coming is a quick and funny read that shows two families who are uniquely different but in so many ways alike. Full with laughter and love, this novel is a novel that is a quick and easy read.

I started backwards in reading the trilogy. I read Taken by storm first and LOVED IT! So I'm in the grocery store in the magazine section and I see this book so I said "Why not?" and bought it. OMG I'm in the middle of the book right now and I'm seriosuly struggling to get through it! Ms. Alers repeats a lot of the same dialog throughout the book which is irritating and there are countless other boring "scenes" that just don't interest me as a reader! I'm forcing myself to get through this book. I'm not a fan of the "lust at first sight" kind of books and then the love comes in AFTER they sleep together and that's exactly what this one is. Taken By Storm was the exact same way but at least they had interesting and fun dialog and took the time to get to know one another. I still feel they jumped in the bed too soon but that's just me. Love at first sight doesn't mean you have to sleep with that person the same day! That's not love, that's lust! I digress. If you like a slow, extremely boring read then this will do it for you. I still can't believe I paid money for this one........UGH!

I appreciate a love story that is a REAL love story, with no crazy dramatics, just people falling in love. I needed a book to read on a plane -- long flight there and back -- and I picked this one because I am getting married myself. I thought the story was really cute -- I wish they made black movies like this! If you enjoy black romance without the ghettofabulousness, this is the book for you!

Ms Alers has a lot of good books under her belt - e.g The Hideaway series, however this is not one of them. Considering this is the first of a trilogy better to borrow from a library than purchase. I started this last week and I'm struggling to finish the last few pages - yes it's that boring. If it was a first novel I would give it 5 out of 10, but for an experience writer its almost below par.

My fellow readers get this novel because I'm sure you'll enjoy reading it. You'll like the characters, the storyline, Ms. Alers' descriptions of scenery and food ..although they eat too much(smile).

Wow, a black out with a black knight in shining armor. I loved the fact that Micah had to chase Tessa and romance was in the air.

I enjoyed this book. Some what reminded me of the Wedding Planner movie. Always making preparations for weddings and the planner falls in love through her work and it is going to be her turn at the alter.