Customer Reviews

Too Much of a Good Thing

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

 

 

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

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

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.

I have read many of his books. This style is new, but it was GREAT! It is a true romance..dealing with the factors of chance, fate, children, work, race, LIFE in general. It was just an awesome piece of work! DO IT AGAIN JJ!!

This is a heart warming love story about 2 people that love the lord. Shawna reaches out to Joe who just lost his wife. She prayes with him and they speak via internet. She is a african american widow and he is a white male. Both have children and their story gives you a view of families that love the Lord and depend on him to meet their needs. I love this story.

This overall alright story told int he first person style which i personally don't like. Honestly this is more a religious book then a love story every page is a reference to God and God will provides..the Lord will take care etcs. If you are a individual who is very religious you will definitely enjoy this book.

it started off kinda good but then it started getting way too corny and unrealistic. the couple didn't seem like they gradually fell in love they seemed like one day they woke up madly in love with each other. most of the middle was boring and some chapters should've just been removed. the very end was rushed and her daughter being pregnant was random. i was expecting a totally different book but i still like jj murray this just isn't one of my faves.

The book wasn't terrible but definitely not one of my favorites. It was too slow in some parts and pretty much dragged on and on. I almost stopped reading it. I'm going to read Renee and Jay by this author and see if I like that one better.

A tender, funny, realistic and at times sad story of a blended family led by two widows who randomly meet over the internet. I wouldn't classify this as a romance because the author didn't sugarcoat the issues and wrap it all up in a bow. Initially I thought they declared their love too soon, but I recalled that they talked via email for months leading up to meeting. They were drawn to each other by fate and their relationship was based on something deeper than a nice body and cute face, so who I am to judge?

With six kids between them they had many challenges, including grief, money problems, lack of space, and behavioral issues, which made the tale believable. The couple's love and devotion to their children was a high point in the book, along with their faith in God and each other. Too Much was solidly written and the characters were well developed. Each chapter alternates between Shawna's and Joe's perspective which, in my opinion, made it more interesting.

I don't know how he does it but JJ Murray is so good at writing from a woman's point of view; something a lot of male authors don't do well. This book reminded me of why I love JJ Murray. I've been a fan since Renee & Jay and I'm looking forward to reading more from him.

Shawna Mitchell starts helping Joe through the grief of losing is wife and raising 3 kids alone. Shawna lost her husband eight years ago and is raising three kids of her own.
Through their nightly communication they develop a friendship and soon discover they live in the same neighborhood. They meet. Shawna is surprised to discover that Joe is white and Joe is equally surprised to discover Shawna is black, but this doesn't stop their budding relationship.
Soon they are talking about getting married and blending the two families.
The Reader gets a front row look at the ups and downs they go through to become a family. This book made me laugh out loud and cry a few times. It was really a heartwarming story full of love, faith and family. This is going on my list of favorites and I definitely recommend it to others.