Customer Reviews

The Look Of Love (Arabesque)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you have either experienced or presently live the life of a plus-size woman and felt true love is just not for you. This is the book to read! Ms Jackson has taken the time to provide in this story all the necessary tools a woman must take when she takes the journey of discovery herself. The story offers hope, faith, a new and refreshing outlook, encouragement, strength of endurance, lots of laughs and lastly love. I truly enjoyed this story and how well it was written and thank Monica for doing a story such as this one, its a story that should make women who are facing this today feel real good about themselves after reading it.

This is the first novel I've read by Monica Jackson and I enjoyed every bit of it. This is the story of a woman named Carmel Matthews who in the process of running a nursing agency, meets and falls for a sexy Doctor named Steve Reynolds, but because she refers to herself as, and believes herself to be 'a fat pig' she feels she's not good enough for him. Little does she know Steve is very much attracted to her and all her healthy curves and feels she is the sexiest thing going.

After seeing a photo of Steve's former wife and photos of other women he's dated, she decides she's going to go on a diet, become supermodel size and have Steve panting over her. Only things didn't quite go as planned. She may not have lost any weight, but she gained the love of a handsome doctor and most importantly she gained the love and exceptance of herself.

This book is for any woman - or a girl on her way to becoming a woman - who feels insecure in any way. One famous line comes to mind.

"I'm a woman phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that's me." -Dr. Maya Angelou

I loved this book! I can't say it enough. You would be a fool to skip over such good reading.

...and Monica... YOU GO, MY PHENOMENAL SISTER!

Hats off to Monica Jackson! A great story about two wonderful people. Carmel Matthews had the nerve, as well as the sense, to realize that true love is just that -- true love. Love does not hurt and love is not unkind. Love is not based on how much an individual weighs or what an individual looks like.

Although Carmel was a full figured woman, she was still a beautiful person -- not only on the outside, but inside where it really counts. Carmel realized that she had to accept herself as she was -- weight and all -- if she was to respect herself and see herself as she wanted others to see her. Not only did Carmel's views affect herself, but her issues with her weight affected her family members also. Her daughter started seeing herself through Carmel's eyes and it almost resulted in ill health. However, through love, everything worked out.

Now, about Dr. Steve Reynolds! WOW! Dr. Steve turned out to be just what I thought he would be -- one kind, considerate, and nonjudgemental brother. Sure, he had a negative thought or two about Carmel's weight, but he was not thinking as himself, but Steve was thinking as others would think. However, Steve did not hold those thoughts for long. Steve knew what he wanted and went after it -- Carmel, along with her baggage -- her weight!

Ms. Jackson really captured the essence of true love in this one. It should be an inspiration to women, not only to the full figured women, but every woman. Everybody is somebody and if we will just be ourself, we can survive. As the saying goes, "If life gives you lemons, then make lemonade."

For the full-figured women out there, if you are feeling low or discouraged and you have not read Monica Jackson's "The Look of Love," get a copy, sit back, relax, and enjoy. It will truly be an enlightenment to you. And ... for those of us who are not categorized as "full-figured," this book is still an enlightenment. It lets us know that we are not the only females in the world that can turn a man's head -- even a fine man such as the likes of Dr. Steve Reynolds. Keep your chin up girls!

Again, good work, Ms. Jackson! A true eye opener!

Ms. Jackson has certainly given us a winner in this beautiful tale of love in the life of a "meat and potatoes kind of woman".

Dr. Steve Reynolds is the beholder and Carmel Matthews is the recipient of his admiration.

The main ingredient of this story involves the powerful attraction that a super fine plastic surgeon develops for a super fine, alebeit a size 20, registered nurse whom he's hired to care for his ailing, cantankerous father, Dr. Marvin Reynolds.

Though young Dr. Reynolds has a strong physical attraction to Carmel,and even goes as far as to ENERGICALLY prove it behind closed doors, a sort of "the proof is in the puddin" sort of action, he still has to deal with his own inner issues which will allow that physical attraction to transcend beyond the boundaries of society's definition of beauty; that which speaks of beauty beginning and ending in a size 10 or less.

This author allows us to take a ride on the highs and lows of our imaginations as to how this situation will end.

Ms. Jackson not only paints a great storyline with our principal characters, "young" Dr. Reynolds and Carmel, but the byplay she creates between Carmel and "ole" Doc. Reynolds is a story that can stand on its own merits as a novel that would be worth reading ova and ova again. Get ready to have some gut wrenching laughs as the relationship between these two characters develops. Especially when Carmel deals with "ole" doc's EX. Have tissues for the tears of laughter you won't be able to keep from flowing! Also have some snacks handy, so you won't have to interrupt your reading to run to the kitchen when Carmel throws down in the kitchen!

This is a good one Yall, worthy of adding to your "keeper's" library.

Needless to say, I've already ordered her other four books, and I am looking forward to reading the same degree of excellence as she has displayed in this perception of "The Look of Love."

I LOVED this book! I am so greatful for a book about a REAL woman. This book has touch in such a wonderful way there is not enough space to talk about. I am so tried of book telling me about this size six women having problems. I so glad that some has remebered that there are all size women that fall in love. This is one to keep and buy another copy for your friend.

"The Look Of Love" is unique and special. The characters are believable and real. I appreciated how Ms. Jackson demostrated the depth of the inner emotions of the characters. The ending was absolutely marvalous and a complete surprise. I couldn't put the book down until I was finished.

This critic give "The Look Of Love" Two high fives, two thumbs up and Five cherries in my diet Coke. Bravo! Ms. Jackson!

I'm so glad to read a romance about real people who live in the real world, the same world I live in. EVERY WOMAN IS NOT A SIZE SIX! This book has real characters with real problems, unlike these women in other books that are drop-dead beautiful and have perfect bodies and high-paying jobs and great families. What kind of problems are those? But this book still has a good romance with a great romantic ending. Carmel had to cope with problems the way people really do, and she had to work through them in a realistic way. It was heartwarming to see her life turn out alright. I recommend this one!

Finally! I am so glad that Monica Jackson tackled the issue of weight in a positive light in this book. The way Carmel gains the love of a good man not by her size but by her mind and personality is refreshing. After losing her business to ever increasing red tape; Carmel doubles duty for a private nursing case of a prominent doctor's fiesty father. After falling for the handsome doctor she tries to change her appearance through weight loss but to no avail. From there it's love and laughter. Mrs. Jackson weaves a wonderful tale that is oh so humourous. A wonderful book.

I was so happy to finally read a book about the woman not being a size six for a change. This book was well written and very funny and Steve's father,he made me laugh so hard especially when Carmen and his ex-wife had that fight. I thought this book was true to life because for some women it's not easy to lose weight as it was for Carmen, which started to affect her daughter. She tried all of these different diets and failed as we do in reality. Please pick this book up it's a good read especially if your dealing with issues about your weight. I wish more authors out there would write more stories like these.

This is the first romance novel I've read in almost 15 years (mind you, I'm only 28), and the first with an entirely black cast, and what a thoroughly enjoyable read it was. In "The Look Of Love" Monica Jackson tackles some very heavy (no pun intended) issues, including weight, acceptance, self-esteem, and bulimia. However, don't let those topics fool you, this novel is a hilarious joy ride where we meet some straight up funny characters. I loved how the relationship between Carmel and Steve evolved. He was sincere in his love for her eventually they were able to get over their issues and love each other back. I would highly recommend this book. Good work, Monica!