4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Modern Day Brady Bunch, January 30, 2009
This review is from: Too Much of a Good Thing (Paperback)
Shawna Mitchell lost her husband eight years ago and has had to raise her three kids as a single mother. She often helps other widowers seeking advice on a Web site dedicated to dealing with death. Joe Murphy logs on to
the site in search for some help. He recently lost his wife and is too raising three children on his own. Shawna's responses to his post have helped Joe's family tremendously. They go on talking online for months. They then realize that they live in the same neighborhood and their kids attend the same school. After sharing so much, they decide to meet only to see that Joe is white and Shawna is black. But their feelings for each other are too far gone. They try to figure out how to combine the two families. It is hard enough dealing with the interracial aspect, but to also deal with six children who want little or nothing to do with this situation is horrible. Do they go with their hearts? Or try to please everyone else?
Too Much of a Good Thing by JJ Murray is the modern day Brady Bunch. There were tons of laughs that brought on tears. Tears of bittersweet joy. The story is real and not some fairy tale. Murray shows the real truth when it comes to blending families. You so much want for this to work. You will be moved by their persistence and love for each other. I definitely recommend this to those that want to read a feel good book.
Donnica Copeland
APOOO BookClub
Sista Talk Book Clun
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
(RAW Rating: 4.5) - The Color of Deliverance, April 22, 2009
This review is from: Too Much of a Good Thing (Paperback)
Shawna Mitchell was widowed eight years ago. She has kept her family together, has provided basic necessities for her three children, and has established a forum online to assist other people dealing with loss. She provides compassion, advice and spiritual guidance; she could not have made it this far without God.
Joe Murphy's wife has been gone six months and he is drowning in grief, and the lack of parental guidance for his three children. Joe sends out a plea, online, for prayer. Shawna is touched that Joe asked for prayer before he asked for help. Her compassionate e-mails become Joe's lifeline, and their tentative conversations turn personal, as they begin to connect on a different level. Finally, they get the nerve to ask about physical locations and discover they both live in Roanoke, VA, only blocks away from each other. Because of their faith in God, they know this connection is not a mere coincidence.
But, life has its mountains; Shawna is black and Joe is white. When they meet, they are amazed to find their offline connection is more rewarding than anything the internet offered. Joe and Shawna find themselves contemplating a future that's new, different, and totally unpredictable. But, how do they tell their kids? The plan is to share family outings, which will allow the families to bond. They refuse to let God's blessing default because of pigmentation.
TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING is tender, illuminating, and even sexy as Murray weaves this tale of two very different souls whose prayers were answered in a surprising way. The lessons shared are bittersweet as the story, which somehow rang with a candid truism, emphasizes the many obstacles encountered when trying to blend families. The characters are believable and they make the obstacles more pronounced because of their diverse backgrounds and eclectic personalities. A plus for me was the persistence and dedication Shawna and Joe had to their own happiness without sacrificing the happiness of their children. Murray makes readers feel this story.
Reviewed by aNN
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A True LOVE story!, February 22, 2009
This review is from: Too Much of a Good Thing (Paperback)
I loved this book. Joe is your average Joe, with a heart of gold, a love of the Lord, and a steadfast commitment to raise his three children when he loses his wife to cancer. His desperation for help leads him online where he discovers Shawna who has traveled a very similar path, some time ago. A God driven union results and a blended family is created in more ways than one. This is an interracial romance, but while race is a factor, it's not over done or overemphasized as it is only one factor of many that the families have to face. I have read other JJ Murray novels, but found this to be the BEST of all of them. It's a true love and romance story, that involves characters that you will love and admire. I would recommend this to all lovers of romance.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
