Customer Reviews

Near Perfect: A Novel

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Near Perfect" opens with feisty Roxanne happily married to famous football player having everything she could ever want, except one thing....a baby. Everything seems near perfect until unexpected tragedies strike. In true sister-friend fashion her girls are there for support; but this time, Roxanne needs the support of her childhood friend more. Roxanne knows her friendships are strong, but are they strong enough to withstand all this and more?

"Near Perfect" is authored in true Sharon Mitchell style. It is well written and entertaining. As usual, she pulls you into her characters lives, has you experience their happiness and heartaches, desires and disappointments. This book will take you through relationships that have thrived on deception and jealousy and a world that is filled with illegal marriages, illegitimate children and ironically love.

"Near Perfect" was labeled and promoted as the "long awaited follow-up" to "Nothing But The Rent", so Sharon Mitchell fans waited anxiously to find out what happened to that sassy foursome of friends. Unfortunately for us, it didn't quite meet its claims to notoriety. For example, in the opening chapters not only did Ms. Mitchell introduce new characters (Roxanne' husband and her best friend); she started writing about them and their connection with the "familiar" characters as if we (the readers) knew there had been a preceding relationship. I actually had to re-read "Nothing But The Rent" to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything.

Fortunately for first time Sharon Mitchell readers, they will be able to read a wonderful book about friendship and love. Unfortunately for those who are adept Sharon Mitchell readers "Near Perfect" wasn't quite as perfect as it should have been.

Near Perfect the semi-sequel/follow-up to Nothing But The Rent by Sharon Mitchell grabbed me from page one. I recall that I didn't really care for Nothing But The Rent and was a little skeptical about reading a sequel so I was pleasantly surprised when I was drawn into the read so quickly. I've read all of Mitchell's book and I must say that she continues to show growth as a writer with every book as each book from her is better than the previous one.

Mitchell reunites us with Roxanne Steele who appears to have the "perfect life"-phine and loving husband, luxurious and large home, money in the bank, great job and all the material possessions she could ever want. However, she is still unfulfilled in one area of her life and that is being a mother. She's almost obsessive about having a child to round out her happy home and perfect life. Unfortunately, her idyllic life will be turned upside down by a tragic event. It's at that junction in the road that she's slapped hard in the face regarding her husband and her marriage.
Roxanne's friends and mother rush to her rescue to help her pick up the pieces and move on but it's Linc, her handsome and protective friend since childhood who helps her to move on and in a new direction. As Roxanne journeys forward, we ache, we cry and then finally we smile again and we rejoice as Roxanne discovers that life and living is near perfect at best.

Near Perfect is a wonderful relationship novel that combines fine writing with suspense and intrigue. Mitchell's tone was engaging, warm, friendly and heartwarming as she allowed the characters to bring the story to life. I must admit that she really threw me for a loop regarding Jamal's character as I was caught completely off guard. However, once I got over the initial shock that twist just added more to the compelling nature of the storyline for me. Near Perfect is an endearing story about love, friendship, family, committment, trust, betrayal and redemption and I highly recommend this novel to others.

I just enjoyed the storyline of this book. In real life, there is so much drama with athletes being unfaithful to their spouses with "groupies" but this had a surprising ending.And it exposed an African American couple who were in the limelight as positive people which, at times can be very lacking in our community. I say positive because they were not just characters who lived the "rich and famous lifestyle" but were also involved in community service, assisting those less fortunate. But the fact that the media tends to try to dig up the worst when tragedies happen is very realistic. Sharon Mitchell is a wonderful writer. I have read all her books, and like the way she makes her stories so realistic that you can relate to the characters and the settings.

What does a happily married wife do when her seemingly perfect world crumbles, when the stability that she shares with her spouse is snatched from her, and the dreams she's had for her life disintegrate with some of the troubles ending up as front-page news? Roxanne Steele, a sassy, loving, and vivacious woman who is married to Jamal, a wealthy and famous football player, deals with this and more in this delightful story about love, commitment, friendship, trust, betrayal, and family.

Fortunately, Roxy doesn't have to bear her troubles alone. First of all there is Lincoln, her handsome and protective best friend that she's known since childhood; Linc has also become Jamal's teammate and good friend. Then there are her female buddies, Cynthia, Monique, and Gayle. And let's not forget her mother who is dealing with her own troubles but tries to be there for her daughter.

Near Perfect, the sequel to Nothing But the Rent, is a solid and magnificent effort from writer Sharon Mitchell. It's filled with everything I love in a novel: Humor, suspense, an array of emotions, tension, romance, eroticism, believable dialogue, fully developed, vibrant and realistic characters, a unique plot with several twists, and fluid action. Each of these characteristics makes it easy for me to declare that, thus far, Near Perfect is my favorite read of 2001. It's the kind of story where you wish you did know the characters, not just the men, but the women too. These people are smart, upwardly mobile, sassy, go-getters, and they're human, prone to err, yet lovable. It's a feel good novel, one that makes you regret you've come to the story's end, but glad you were fortunate to read such a wonderful novel in the first place. It's highly recommended.

"Near Perfect", a 325 page novel, is a good read. I read it because it was my book club selection of the month and really enjoyed it. I have been told that it is a follow-up to "Nothing But The Rent" which I have not read. I did not get the impression while reading it, that it was a sequel. It ended with a strong possibility for a follow up book...probably titled "The Other Side of Perfect".

"Near Perfect" finds Roxanne and Jamal happily married for 5 years. The only thing missing is a bouncing bundle of joy...which they are having trouble conceiving. Jamal does not have the usual characteristics of most NFL stars. After one night out at a strip club, Jamal combines alcohol, medication and fatique...which are ingredients for disaster. I was hanging on the edge of my seat as the story unfolded. Did Jamal actually have sex with the stripper, Honey Brown? Did he father a child from a questionable one night stand? Did the stress from his deadly secret lead to his untimely death? Do we women really teach men how to treat us without realizing it?

As the story did unfold, Roxanne needed all the support she could get. Her dysfunctional family fall short, but her girlfriends pick up the slack. Eventually the story takes a suprising twist as Roxanne's best friend Linc (also her husband's best friend) has to decide what to do about his strong attraction and desire for her. Can best friends become lovers and grow together? Well, if there is a follow-up...that would be the central issue and why I previously stated it could be titled "The Other Side of Perfect."

I really enjoyed this book, the only reason why I gave it four stars is because I thought it somewhat left you hanging at then end. One plus is that Ms. Mitchell draws you into the characters. You feel like you could be Roxanne. You actually start to feel what she is going through. It's wonderful...I love books that draw you in that way, but then at the end you want more. The other thing is that I wished Roxanne had found out what happened that night. OHHHH the other thing I really wished would not have been included is the one line when she asks herself was there a medium available at the spa since she was confused and needed consultaton. I would have jumped for joy if Ms. Mitchell would have made Roxanne consult God in addition to everyone else under the sun. Near Perfect's entire plot is summarized in about 2 1/2 pages in the last chapter. Don't get me wrong I would recommend this book to everyone, but I sure hope there is a sequal. I would really want to know what happened to the main characters after all was said and done. Near Perfect really was a good book.

"Near Perfect" opens with feisty Roxanne happily married to famous football player having everything she could ever want, except one thing....a baby. Everything seems near perfect until unexpected tragedies strike. In true sister-friend fashion her girls are there for support; but this time, Roxanne needs the support of her childhood friend more. Roxanne knows her friendships are strong, but are they strong enough to withstand all this and more?

"Near Perfect" is authored in true Sharon Mitchell style. It is well written and entertaining. As usual, she pulls you into her characters lives, has you experience their happiness and heartaches, desires and disappointments. This book will take you through relationships that have thrived on deception and jealousy and a world that is filled with illegal marriages, illegitimate children and ironically love.

"Near Perfect" was labeled and promoted as the "long awaited follow-up" to "Nothing But The Rent", so Sharon Mitchell fans waited anxiously to find out what happened to that sassy foursome of friends. Unfortunately for us, it didn't quite meet its claims to notoriety. For example, in the opening chapters not only did Ms. Mitchell introduce new characters (Roxanne' husband and her best friend); she started writing about them and their connection with the "familiar" characters as if we (the readers) knew there had been a preceding relationship. I actually had to re-read "Nothing But The Rent" to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything.

Fortunately for first time Sharon Mitchell readers, they will be able to read a wonderful book about friendship and love. Unfortunately for those who are adept Sharon Mitchell readers "Near Perfect" wasn't quite as perfect as it should have been.

BREATHLESS...That's exactly how I felt after completing this novel. Boy, I tell ya...That's a welcomed feeling.

A little skeptical about purchasing this one, since it was the follow up to "Nothing But The Rent", which was not one of my favorite or most memorable reads, to say the least. But I was curious all the same.

To the reviewer that got discouraged, when the story-line stopped going in the direction she wanted it to, simply remember that not only is this a work of fiction, it mirrors actual day to day life for the average person. Things don't always turn out the way we would like.

To the author, if she get the chance to read these...this stems from you previous novel "Nothing But The Rent", but focuses primarily on Roxanne....Does that mean we can look forward to future novels based on the other three main characters?? Also, can a sista get a follow up to Sheer Necessity?? I loved that one also.

This was truly a pleasurable read. Actually one of my favorite reads for 2001. I highly recommend this to everyone.

Many blessings to you Ms. Mitchell...I look forward to your future endeavors!

Near Perfect
I would highly recommend this book. This book is realistic, suspenseful, funny, and exciting. It only took me 2 days to read it, because I could not put it down. I have read a lot of books from many authors, because I am in a book club that reads 1 book a month. This book was different. It didn't contain the same boring story. It takes you from one emotion to another, and yes I did cry. I don't know if anyone else has experienced reading a book and something happens in the book where you just have to put the book down for about 20 minutes or read a chapter in the book over again because you just can't believe what you just read. Well this is THAT BOOK!!!

I have enjoyed reading every single book Sharon Mitchell has published. They have all been very enjoyable reads. I really wish she would come out with some more.