Customer Reviews

Nappily Married: A Novel

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Nappily Married, by Trisha R. Thomas, brings back Venus Johnston-Parson with the latest drama going on in her life. The book begins with a salon scene in which Venus is about to make a big transition to rid herself of the thick, natural mane she sports to a relaxer. Everyone in the salon is about to have a fit and asks her why she wants to do something like that and so begins the story.

Venus is now "nappily" married to her rich husband Jake, who was a one-hit rap wonder that turned his fortune into a multimillion dollar fashion empire. On top of that, they have a beautiful daughter, Mya, for whom Venus decided to stay home and care for as a full-time mom and wife. Lately, staying home playing wife and mother has not been cutting it for Venus and after a serious car accident and ending up in the hospital, she runs across her ex-fiancé Clint Fairchild unexpectedly. He tells her of an opening at the hospital and she contemplates leaving her at-home status to apply for it which starts a cyclone of events in her life.

Jake hires an old childhood friend, Trisha, to be their nanny and she begins to get close seemingly TOO close to Jake and Mya, and Venus begins to feel left out. Trouble is also brewing at the hospital. They are being sabotaged on the inside and the media is relentless with its reporting of it. The hospital is now faced with being closed and added to that drama is Venus is now in competition with Clint Fairchild's wife, Kandi Treboe, for the coveted PR position. On top of that, Jake is dealing with personal issues and insecurity concerning his wife working with her ex and also internal trouble with his fashion empire. He mostly keeps this to himself and shuts Venus out.

Will Venus survive this cyclone of events? Was it worth leaving her comfortable at-home status in search of satisfaction and fulfillment? Will this put her marriage and her life in jeopardy of staying "nappily married?" And what will become of her chopping off her thick, healthy hair? Is that to be a transition to literally making her life smoother and straighter?

This book was a very good read. It had quite a few twists and turns and went "everywhere" at times, but the story kept moving and all tied in together very well at the end. I highly recommend it and it is a welcome addition to the Nappily Series.

Reviewed by Coulee Eidos
APOOO BookClub

I read the first NAPPILY book because I indentified with the character's first major act of freedom -- cutting of the long, relaxed hair. As a professional black women, people look at the decision to go relaxer-free and think that you are out of your mind. But that was just a part of her complicated story about a professional black woman looking for and trying to believe in love.

I admit that I almost gave up before I even got to page 100. The idea of a grown woman competing with the rival(Kandi) who stole for ex (Clint), and for a job that she really does not need (hospital PR), really tried my patience. I thought to myself, "Why doesn't Venus peddle her skills somewhere else?" By 170, I actually put the book down!

But the last few chapters won me over again. The best thing about NAPPILY is that none of the books present a fairy tale. Venus learns that love, like black women and hair, is complex and requires bravery, patience, understanding, and forgiveness. The marriage was really tested, but they loved each other enough to get past the hurt and pride. NAPPILY MARRIED really had some twists and turns that really surprised me, and I am glad I followed through. For me, it has been the best book of the series.

And I can't cheer loudly enough for a book with a black heroine who has education, ambition, and good sense!! Go Venus!

I absolutely LOVED the Nappily series of books. I was in the bookstore a few weeks ago and picked up "Nappily Married." I could not put the book down and finished reading it in 2 days. I am an avid reader but I had not yet read "Nappily Ever After."

I immediately started looking for the book because I HAD to find out how the story of Venus, Clint, Airic, and Jake started out.

As I approached the end of the book, I realized that there was a 2nd book in the series, "Would I Lie to You."

I loved all three books, but "Would I Lie To You" was my favorite because I absolutely loved Jake's character. Venus is a character I think many women will connect with because they have been in her situation or felt the way that she does about hair, men, life, family, or workplace issues.

Excellent story and character development. Add this series to your must read list.

I loved this book so much! It was great from beginning to end! I would definatley recommend it.

I loved it. I initially purchased the first book, Nappily Ever After after hearing that Halle Berry was considering starring in a motion picture based on this book. The first book was a pager turner, but this second one, Nappily Married, I couldn't put the book down. I read it in a matter of days and immediately bought the 3rd book to the series, Nappily Faithful. If you're looking for a book that's well written, definitely purchase this series.

We read Nappily Ever After and thought it was hilarious and a bit tragic. This time, there was laughter, tears, and mouths left hung open. The ending scared us. We can't wait for Nappily Faithful to find out if Jake did what he's accused of. The man can do no wrong far as I'm concerned.
Tamia Walker

Venus is back, married to hip-hop mogul Jake Parsons, and a stay-at-home mom. Jake is a wonderful father to Mya, and a fantastic husband to Venus; all is well on the home front until a car accident lands Venus and Mya in the hospital...and worse yet, directly into the arms of Dr. Clint Fairchild, Venus's former fiancee. Clint is head of Pediatrics at Jackson Memorial Hospital, a community hospital with a horrific reputation with regard to patient care. Threatened with closure, Jackson needs someone to turn around its reputation....and Clint thinks that Venus, with her background as a successful public relations professional, is perfect for the job. Unfortunately, neither Jake nor Kandi (Clint's wife) agree. But finally Venus convinces Jake that she loves the challenge that the opportunity presents....and that the fact that Dr. Fairchild would soon be a part of her daily existence as a result has nothing to do with it. But will Venus be able to run her house, manage her man, and keep Jackson Memorial from going under? Worse yet, there is a maniac running loose determined to wreak havoc on the hospital and its patients....and finally, what exactly IS on the mind of Dr. Clint Fairchild?
Fastpaced, this is a tale filled with hot men, hot sex, and a hefty helping of suspense thrown in for good measure. And of course, it opens with Venus in a personal struggle regarding her hair...hence, the title...which as always is a direct result of a personal struggle or catastrophe at home. A good read, with a great cast of characters. 4 stars only because I found the opening to be a bit confusing, and I felt that the author would have better served the reader by doing a quick recap on the first book.


DYB

Venus Johnston is happily married and a stay-at-home mother, but it's not as fulfilling as the time she spent in Corporate America. After injuring herself, her rapper-turned-entrepreneur husband encourages her to get a nanny to assist her until she's back on her feet. The arrangement is so convenient, she feels the nanny is capable of more control with her daughter and the household, so Venus decides to go back to work. Her husband owns a multi-million-dollar clothing company and wants to provide for his family, so he's against her going back into the workforce. When she sets her sights on a PR position at a hospital in a poor community across town, he pretty much demands she look for something else. He doesn't want her to work, and definitely not with her ex-boyfriend, who is a doctor at the hospital. Not to mention, the hospital is under fire because of recent mishaps and improper handling of patients. Venus is sure she can help turn things around and make a difference for the people who need the hospital to stay open. Amidst the disagreements going on with her husband and his new lack of interest in their marriage, she is thrown into working with a woman from her past.

NAPPILY MARRIED, Trisha Thomas' follow-up to Nappily Ever After, is a must read for those who enjoy relationship novels or who are in similar situations in regards to going back to work after having a child. It also allows fans of the previous books to catch up on Venus and friends, and how the title relates to growth and standing strong in the midst of chaos. NAPPILY MARRIED is a story many women will relate to and appreciate. Thomas also adds an extra dose of suspense that pulls the reader along to find out who is sabotaging the hospital and why. The characters are well-defined, the situations are realistic, and the plot is tightly woven, making it an intriguing read.

Reviewed by Tee C. Royal
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

It is anohter good book to add to the others in the nappily series. I have read all of them and i like them all i really cant pick just one that is the best.

Nappily Married is a great addition to the nappily series. I enjoyed the story from begining to end, a true page turner. It was very entertaining, filled with love, laughter and sadness. The characters were very realistic and interesting. I was a little bit tired of Venus at times and dissapointed at Jake. However, The story was great and the ending was lovely. I highly recommend this book and all the other books in the Nappily series, it is worth your money.