Money Can't Buy Love [Hardcover]

Connie Briscoe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 27, 2011

Lenora Stone used to say if she didn't have bad luck, she wouldn't have any luck at all. At age thirty-eight, instead of socializing with Baltimore's A-list, she photographs them for Baltimore Scene, a glossy magazine filled with beautiful people who, unlike Lenora, never have to worry about car trouble and overdue bills. As much as she'd love to slam the door on her overbearing boss, quitting isn't an option. She's barely making her mortgage payments and, though her condo might not be a palace, it's hers. Lately even things with her boyfriend Gerald haven't been right. They've been together for three years but he can't seem to ask the one question she's been waiting for. But what Lenora doesn't know is that her luck is about to change...

Just when she thinks things can't get worse, Lenora wins the jackpot in the Maryland lottery. In a heartbeat, all her dreams become possible. She quits her job and indulges her every desire-starting with a shiny, silver BMW and a million-dollar mansion. Gerald is finally ready to put a ring on her finger and the city's most exclusive women's group is dying for her to join, officially moving Lenora from behind the lens, into the limelight. But in Lenora's lavish new world, all that glitters definitely isn't gold. Her old friend's are concerned about her sudden changes, and Ray, a sexy, young landscaper Lenora covered for the magazine is looking for more than a purely professional relationship.

As her life starts to come together, the things Lenora holds dear begin to fall apart. Has her world really changed for the better, or does fortune come with a heavy price?

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; 1 edition (June 27, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446534846
• ISBN-13: 978-0446534840
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1.1 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #783,243 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Known for her skill in developing realistic characters, Briscoe has outdone herself in her depiction of Lenora...Money Can't Buy Love is an excellent summer read..." (Philadelphia Inquirer )

"Fans of Briscoe, frothy chick lit, and African American pop fiction will enjoy this as a quick summer read." (Library Journal )

"It is an entertaining story that leaves you feeling pretty good about your cash-strapped existence." (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution )

"One of the spiciest novels of the summer... A talented storyteller on matters of the heart, Briscoe taunts us with the convincing and complex character, Lenora Stone." (Examiner.com )

"Money Can't Buy Love grabs the reader's interest and won't let go." (http://sweetsoulsisters.weebly.com/ )

"Riveting...lively...hilarious...three sisters who are remarkably different except in one respect: their men are driving them crazy." (Mademoiselle on SISTERS & LOVERS )

"Humorous, poignant, realistic, and romantic...finely crafted...[SISTERS & LOVERS] skillfully uses witty but realistic dialogue to keep the story moving along...recommended." (Library Journal on SISTERS & LOVERS )

"Entirely readable...Briscoe's message is a warm one." (The Washington Post Book World on SISTERS & LOVERS )

"Briscoe uses her skill as a talented storyteller to deliver just the right touch of intrigue." (Publishers Weekly on SISTERS & LOVERS )

"An entertaining romp...thoroughly and delightfully enjoyable...Briscoe paints a vivid picture of the haves, the have-nots, and the gonna-gets, as they mix and mingle in this social jambalaya." (Black Issues Book Review on P.G. COUNTY )

"Bubbles over with enough dirty dealings...drama ensues for one and all." (Honey Magazine on P.G. COUNTY )

About the Author

Connie Briscoe has been a full-time published author for more than ten years. Born with a hearing impairment, Connie never allowed that to stop her from pursuing her dreams...writing. Since she left the world of editing to become a writer, Connie has hit the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Boston Herald, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists.

Connie lives with her family in Maryland.

For more information visit www.conniebriscoe.com/

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; 1 edition (June 27, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446534846
• ISBN-13: 978-0446534840
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1.1 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #783,243 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Fiction:
--Money Can't Buy Love (Grand Central Publishing/Hachette)
--Sisters and Husbands (Grand Central Publishing/Hachette)
--Can't Get Enough (Doubleday)
--PG County (Doubleday)
--A Long Way From Home (HarperCollins)
--Big Girls Don't Cry (HarperCollins)
--Sisters and Lovers (HarperCollins)

Nonfiction:
Jewels: 50 Phenomenal Black Women Over 50

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast-paced June 15, 2011

By Monique VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Ooooh - I couldn't put it down. There's drama - Lenora's been dating her boyfriend for 3 years and he still won't commit. Her 2 best friends don't help - or maybe they do - since they keep telling her to find someone else who will. Lenora has a hard time making it to work on time and she's in trouble with her boss. So when she goes from living paycheck to paycheck to being a multi-millionaire, she expects for all of her troubles to disappear - but they only seem to magnify. With her help.

We're watching Lenora navigate the turbulent waters of post-millionaire status relationships, careers, and sense of self. She doesn't always react the way we'd like to, and at times it's like watching a train wreck - both the devastation and the voyeurism, but boy is this a compelling read.

I truly enjoyed the way Connie Briscoe puts the story together - the first chapter starts after Lenora has won the lottery, and in the second chapter the reader is taken back to her life before the winnings. I think all the elements came together in this one, although I wasn't sure how neatly it would be wrapped up in the end. But the characters were well-developed, the plot kept me guessing, although there were a few cliche scenes, and the dialogue was action-packed.

I haven't read Connie Briscoe in several years and I'm glad I chose to pick up another of her books. I can see the maturity of the author in this one. I liked it a lot.

Reviewed for Arms of a Sister

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars engaging morality tale June 26, 2011

By Harriet Klausner #1 HALL OF FAME

Format:Hardcover

Baltimore Scene magazine photographer Lenora Stone feels like a failure in her personal life especially when she takes pictures of the city's upper crust, which she wants to join. Instead she is living pay check to pay check pushing off bills due in a condo not much bigger than a closet. Her boyfriend Gerald refuses to move their relationship to a more intimate level and her boss Dawna is on her case to do more starting with her shoot of Ray the landscaper.

Although Lenora knows Dawna meant pictures, she wants to do more personally with the hunk. When Lenora wins $5 million in the Maryland lottery, she believes her luck has changed and she will be the one in the photos. Gerald asks her to marry her and Lenora has an affair with Ray. However, she runs through her winnings in rapid time as she buys a mansion and opens a studio as well as other high-priced luxurious items. While her long time friends worry about Lenora's changes, she kicks them to the curb seeking the rich and famous.

Although the plot is thin, readers will enjoy Connie Briscoe's morality tale of a woman who learns the hard way that money cannot buy happiness if one allows the glitter of gold to dump one's self worth values. Fans will dislike Lenora yet the talent of Ms. Briscoe is by the end, we will roots for the protagonist to discard her greed and regain her self worth. Mindful of pro athletes, fans will agree that Money Can't Buy Love, but also realize micro economics is a key factor in self esteem and long time relationships.

Harriet Klausner

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Author Missed The Mark!! October 18, 2011

By J. Blue

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I am a fan of Connie Briscoe, however this time, "she missed the mark." This book is not only predictable, the road map is laid out in the beginning, and the reader simply has to keep asking..."can this woman really be this stupid??" I personally hate to see African-American women (or, any women for that matter)portrayed as "low self-esteemed, mindless, sex-crazed buffoons" but if that is what you are looking for, this book will not disappoint.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected. October 21, 2011

By Mz.Kay

Format:Hardcover

HATED IT!!! Don't get me wrong, I am a Connie Briscoe fan and loved most of her books, but she's slipping on this one. I was excited that the book was chosen as my book club's selection for the month, but the excitement dwindled shortly after beginning to read this story. Lenora seemed to beg for punishment as she makes one frustrating decision after another. I hate STUPID and kept finding myself stating out loud "She is SO crazy." No woman should have self esteem this low. I'm a fast reader but I kept putting the book down and found myself skimming over pages because of its predictability. Title of the book should have been "What NOT To Do If You Win the Lotto." I was really disappointed as it was not the work that I've come to expect from Ms. Briscoe. It left a lot to be desired and I was sorry I paid the full price for this book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars The Price of Greed August 14, 2011

By OOSA Online Book Club

Format:Hardcover

We've all, at some point or another, fantasized about what we would do if we won, inherited or had a substantial amount of money. For me, I'm not greedy, I'd pay my tithes, God first; buy a modest home; set up college funds for my children; and help my immediate family, friends and my community. Sounds simple enough, right? But for Lenora Stone, it isn't so easy.

After months of dodging creditors, dealing with a boss she absolutely hates and dreaming of joining the ranks of Girlfriends, Lenora wins the Maryland lottery and life as she knows it is over. Before she can bask in her winnings, she can't stomach the thought of what this money may do to her life. After confiding in a few of her closet friends, her boyfriend, parents, and a client, Lenora is finally ready to claim her winnings.

As she upgrades her car, home and loses a few pounds, she is still on the fence about her job, her friends and even Gerald, her boyfriend. When Ray, the sexy, landscaper, starts giving her the time of day, Lenora can't help but appreciate all that he brings to the table. Is she willing to risk what she and Gerald have had for three years?

MONEY CAN'T BUY LOVE by Connie Briscoe was just all right. While predictable, it's interesting, but I felt so much of the story was skimmed over that readers would've benefited from.