Customer Reviews

Not Guilty of Love

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Not Guilty of Love is a very engaging and interesting read. It is actually a Love story - God's Love. It is written, "My Sheep Know My Voice." The story's main characters are Hallison (Hali) and Malcom. The plot begins with Hali being pulled by God to return to Him. In returning she is asked by Him to choose - Him or Malcom, the love of her life. She chooses God and ends her relationship with Malcom; a man who loves her, can provide for her and is handsome, financially stable and faithful. The only problem is Malcom is not saved - "Be ye equally yoked." This story is one where as a woman you are screaming on the inside "Is she crazy?", she needs a second opinion here or the girl needs to seriously clean out her ears (chuckle) at the same time as a Christian you know God's will is best and that she is doing the right thing, yet you are pondering whether of not you would have ended the relationship. Malcom doesn't give up easily - but soon offers his own ultimatum to Hali - me or God? He warns her that he is successful, handsome and basically can have any woman he chooses. Feeling defeated he does just that and chooses another woman - enters, Lisa. She is "hot," business like, and piques his curiosity. She "appears" to be the one that he could see himself with and be happy. Fast forward, enters Trey - a handsome officer who is saved, and a man after God's heart who is attracted to Hali and she sees him as God's blessing to her. Especially since she was obedient and surely God wouldn't have asked her to give up her first love and leave her hanging - right????

But wait a minute, God's thoughts are higher than ours and boy does He have a plan for these lives. The author Pat Simmons was truly directed by God to write this story, because only He could have orchestrated this story with the many twists and turns - peppered with scriptures and with such an explosive and dynamic ending. This story will have you questioning your own behavior and whether or not you would truly "listen" to God and be obedient. Whether or not you would go along with God's plan or abandon what your heart is saying and "listen" to your head or what we deem "common sense." This story has it all, God's love, drama and more drama, sadness, a crazy grandma - affectionately known as Grandma BB, laughter, joy and God's school of hard knocks! You will not be able to put the book down out of plain ole curiosity and the "having to know" how this is going to end! It is truly an annointed story and well worth the read! Remember, it's a love story - God's love!
Enjoy.

In NOT GUILTY OF LOVE by Pat Simmons, Hallison Dinkins and Malcolm Jamieson are head over heels in love and engaged to be married. That is, until God takes a hold of Hallison's heart and makes her choose Him or Malcolm. Hallison breaks off their engagement and focuses on her renewed relationship with Christ. Malcolm is not happy about it. He wants absolutely nothing to do with God. But, he and Hallison were so intertwined in each other's lives that it is hard to just walk away. Hallison has become best friends with Malcolm's sister-in-law, Cheney. Cheney and Park VI, Malcolm's brother, are shocked at the broken engagement, but support Hallison with her decision to love the Lord. This causes MAJOR problems in the Jamieson family.

Malcolm decides to move on to someone new when he meets a potential client, Lisa. Lisa is very sultry and seduces Malcolm from the beginning. Everyone sees that she is not the one for him, but what can he do when Hallison has moved on as well? Hallison meets Trey, a handsome officer that is as passionate about Christ as she is. Will God bring Hallison and Malcom back together? Or have they found their destiny in other people? Will Malcolm surrender his life to Christ?

Every character has their own interesting storyline. Simmons developed the characters so that I was drawn into their stories. I could feel every emotion. I laughed, cried, and wondered with each of them. It kept me glued to the pages. This was my first time reading Simmon's work, but I look forward to others.

Donnica Copeland
APOOO BookClub
Sista Talk Book Club

Hallison Dinkins is definitely a woman of God. She prays for a mate to be a man of God, but does not receive that in Malcolm Jamieson. "Not Guilty of Love" is a book that portrays the true meaning of "waiting on God." Both Hali, as she is called throughout the book, and Malcolm, have several aspects of their lives in common including their professional careers and genealogy. The author provides a profound history of African culture dating back as far as the 1700s to show the true meaning of family. I was very impressed with the history she provided.

A walk with God is all that Hali yearns for in Malcolm and when he chooses not to deliver, both go their separate ways. I was pleased with how the author threw monkey wrenches in each individual's lives to give the reader insight that no one is perfect. Humor is thrown into the story when Grandma BB steps onto the scene, which is Hali's best friend's Cheney's surrogate grandmother, and described as a "gangster in heels". But even gun-toting grandmas have their own skeletons in the closet.
Everyone in the book has issues, but most are willing to give it to God like Malcolm's God fearing brother Parke VI and his wife Cheney, who encounter their own issues. Malcolm faces the ultimate battle as he fights for Hali, but if he had just "listened", he would not have had to go through such turmoil.

The author provides great lessons for someone going through any aspect of their life in terms of health, relationships, bearing children and family values. She truly deserves an encore for this story as she distinctively uses faith as her theme for the book. I look forward to the continuation she has in store!

After reading "Guilty of Love I have waited with great anticipation for the release of "Not Guilty of Love"! I was one of Pat Simmon's readers that insisted she had to write a sequel to "Guilty of Love". She did not disappoint with "Not Guilty of Love". The story of Hallison and Malcolm was wonderful. Pat Simmons did an excellent job developing the characters and the storyline was well written. At times I found myself laughing at Grandma BB and Kami, and other times I wanted to knock some sense into Malcolm. Like the Word states, "It's hard to kick against the prick", which Malcolm found out! I enjoy when a novel is like a movie in my mind. Pat wrote this novel so well, that I could visually see the facial expressions the characters made!

I recommend all of Pat Simmons' novels including "Not Guilty of Love", to all lovers of Christian fiction and fiction in general you won't be disappointed! Pat Simmons is clearly one of my favorite authors; warm weather and "Still Guilty" can't get her quick enough for me!

How strong is your faith? Is God in complete control of your life? Could you let the love of your life go, if God told you to so? Well, Hallison did. She loved Malcolm Jamieson with every inch of her being but after she re-dedicated her life to Christ, God had a different plan. To say that Malcolm was upset and stunned would be an understatement. As they went their separate ways, Hallison's prayers seemed to keep their hearts connected. Family drama, new death shooting, witchcraft and engagement to another person all work in concert to keep the couple apart.

Simmons seems to have a direct connection with God as the scriptures guide the storyline. The love, honesty and faith capture the characters changing lives as they grow throughout the story. The supporting characters - Parke, Cheney, Grandma BB, Lisa and Trey - bring varying dimensions of understanding God and His divine plan for our lives. Simmons has written her best work with this sequel to GUILTY OF LOVE. The richness of the characters and foundation of the word not only brings the story to life but will encourage you while renewing your faith in God. This is a Christian fiction work of art.

Deltareviewer
Reviewing for Real Page Turners

4 STARS from RT Bookreviews magazine:
"This follow-up to Guilty of Love will speak to anyone whose friends and love ones do not understand their faith. The characters are well drawn, and Simmons has a real ear for dialogue."
Dee Y. Stewart

Not Guilty of Love

By Pat Simmons

This is the first book I've read by Pat Simmons, but I'm headed out to get her other two books. She is a winner! Her books are real and heart felt. You'll want to know more about the people who populate her books.
Pre-order your copy of Not Guilty of Love today.

Not Guilty of Love by Pat Simmons is an adventure in to the real lives of our friends, family and associates. Her characters are so real; I expect to see Malcolm Jamieson, the warrior prince handsome and arrogant in his self-confidence, come storming out of his office. A man, who knew what he wanted and felt he deserved no matter what God had said about it. My heart went out to Hallison, Halli for the position her faith put her in. They have the chemistry and in fact the true love need for happy-ever-after of a life time, if they could just get past God's rules.

Halli can't avoid the messages the Lord is sending her and she finds even though she love Malcolm with all her heart she doesn't want to disobey. She is sure to not follow the Teachings will poison their love. She has to be strong for him and herself.

The family provides many occasions for Halli and Malcolm to be exposed to each other. Halli would love to just avoid that strong stimulating body she craves. Malcolm is convinced that he and his love will overcome This Religious problem. Family secrets muddy the waters further, as more crises erupt.
Halli and Malcolm go separate ways only to find that that wasn't the universe's plan. God will have the final say in all things. Pat Simmons brings you true real life love, family, history, religion and unforgettable characters in one short, Not Guilty of Love.

Reviewed by: Naomi Giroux, [...]
Not Guilty of Love
Pat Simmons
Available Aug 25, 2009
Publisher: Urban Books
ISBN 10- 1601629311

Christian Author Pat Simmons has written a wonderful sequel to her debut novel, Guilty of Love in her third release, Not Guilty of Love. The main characters, Cheney and Parke Jamieson are back joined by the previous supporting characters, Malcolm Jamieson and his fiancee Hallison Dinkins.

This time although the storyline centers on Malcolm and Hallison's relationship; the Jamiesons with their strong family ties are an integral part of the story. Despite being diagnosed as barren, unable to conceive a child due to an abortion with complications when she was a college student, Cheney is now pregnant with her miracle baby. The Jameison family is elated; but the family's joy is wasted on Parke's brother Malcolm.

Malcolm is devastated by Hallison's conversion to her Christian roots. Raised in the church, Hallison had reverted to a more secular lifestyle as an adult. As happy as she was living her life as she pleased, she was constantly in conflict with her early teachings as a Christian. The inner turmoil reached a climax for her in a Sunday morning service when she and Malcolm visited Parke and Cheney's church.

That morning Halliston re-commits her life to the Lord. God instructs her to give up the most important person in her life to follow Him. She had been taught that obedience is better than sacrifice so has no other alternative than to break off her engagement to Malcolm, cold turkey. Malcolm has his doubts about her total spiritual conversion. Although he doesn't mind going to church; he doesn't believe in the perfect Christian life and is unable to commit himself to God on what he considers such an extreme level.

Malcolm loves Hallison and wants her for his wife; yet he is unable to convince her to turn away from God's instruction. As Hallison becomes more involved in her spiritual life, Malcolm becomes even more determined to follow his own destiny for his life. He is wrought with pain and loss. A man who can basically have any woman he wants, Malcolm starts dating a business associate who seems to be on the same page as he is, when it comes to God. This woman seems like a good fit but as he gets to know her, he has doubts that his false pride will not let him explore. In the end, that proves to be a grave error in judgment, But he just needs to get over Hallison, in any way that he can.

Meanwhile; a spirit-led man comes into Hallison's life and he believes she is the wife that God plans for him. Hallison is confused, yet still determined to follow God she becomes friendly with Trey, her new friend. This totally enrages Malcolm and he makes a fool of himself on more than one occasion.

What transpires is a story about the differences between right and wrong, the faith walk that most people struggle with and the complexity of family ties and unconditional love.

I found the same superb writing in this novel, that impressed me in the author's previous work. She paced the story well, giving the reader a few surprises along the way. The very well developed characters were a delight, especially the re-appearance of Grandma BB, the hilarious senior citizen with a grudge. Grandma BB proves that Christians aren't perfect people.

Romance readers will enjoy this novel because it's not your usual Christian fiction. It's a real love story. Many times, Christian fiction is too preachy and full of literary fluff with a happily-ever-after storyline that only Christian folk can relate to. This is not the case with Not Guilty of Love. Simmons takes the time, the creativity and the imagination to give readers a story that almost everyone can relate to. I'm looking forward her next book.

I finished reading Not Guilty of Love and this book was amazing. I was very interested because I live in St. Louis, MO where the author talked about situations and places that I could relate to. Pat Simmons writing is timely and she has inspired me to read because her writing style talks about todays living. Malcolm Jamieson and Hallison Dinkins are the main characters in this book and as you read you can related to everyday life experiences. I have fallen in love with Ms. Simmons writing style and cannot wait for her next book which is due out in March 2010. I am one of her biggest fans and will continue to support her books. I have read all 3 and I highly recommend all 3 to the readers. Be inspired to read and please pass her name on to your friends and family members because I have and they have fallen in love with her to. Be Bless.

Malcolm Jamieson and Hallison "Halli" Dinkins are head over heels in love. They are just days away from getting married...that is, until God steps in. Before she can truly be happy about marrying Malcolm, God starts to pull at Halli's heart and she has to decide between God & Malcolm. She chooses God and breaks off her engagement to Malcolm, but of course Malcolm is not giving up without a fight. He tries to appeal to her heart and how much she loves him. The only problem that Halli has is that Malcolm is not saved. He tells her he can give her the world, but God can give her eternal life. God will always come out to be victorious. Malcolm does not believe in a "Higher Power," and that he and Halli are meant to be together. Halli on the other hand, believes that a marriage without the Lord is not a real marriage at all.

Don't forget that God has a plan for all of us, and he definitely had a plan for Halli. His plan came in the form of Trey, who is a police officer that is looking for God's love and mercy. Halli sees Trey as her blessing from God, and since she has been completely faithful to God, she knows that He would not forsake her again. On the other hand, Malcolm was trying to find a way to win Halli's heart back. That was until he met Lisa. Lisa was beautiful, smart, and a force to be reckoned with. Unbeknownst to Malcolm, Lisa was sent by God to be his distraction.

With all the distractions and things changing in Malcolm and Halli's lives, will they find their way back to each other or will God's love keep them apart?

Author Pat Simmons has done it again. Not Guilty of Love is a love story that brings a fallen Christian back to love Him again. Sometimes you have to lose love to find the right love, and nothing gets better than the love of God. When reading this book, you will see that Ms. Simmons had a little help from above. She has developed each character with such detail, it feels like you know them or someone like them. This storyline will keep you reading until there's nothing else to read. If you are looking for a true love story, you will not be disappointed with Not Guilty of Love.

Reviewed by Jackie
for Urban Reviews