Customer Reviews

Nothing But Trouble

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Dana, Norell, and Cecile are friends who are about to become business partners and open their home-based business CDN but their friendship will be tested when jealousy, drama, and insecurity threaten to pull them apart.

Dana, an unexpected widow at 38 has endured tragedy all her life starting with the tragic deaths of her mother and sister in a car accident but that accident also placed a wedge between Dana and her father-a relationship that has yet to be repair but the ultimate shock is when her husband Kenny is killed in a tragic accident. Now on the verge of bankruptcy, Dana asks her two closest friends Norell and Cecile to go into business. Norell appears to have it all, beauty, happily married and financially secure. She has all the material possessions but desperately wants a baby. When Norell finds out she is unable to have a baby, it sends her on a path of self-destruction and it threatens those closest to her especially when Cecile winds up pregnant unexpectedly. Cecile, happily married to her second husband and happy to have her version of the "Brady Bunch" is ready to move to a bigger home but when she finds out she's pregnant and her estranged and trouble-maker sister Micheline comes to town, her life is about to be forever changed. Micheline is looking for the big pay-off but she gets more than she bargained for after a chance meeting with Norell's husband that may lead to the end of Cecile's friendship with Norell.

Nothing But Trouble is an endearing and touching story about the bonds of friendship as these 3 women find out what it truly means to be a friend. While the story is predictable, it is still enjoyable, as Bettye Griffin has become one of my favorite authors starting with "The People Next Door" and now, "Nothing But Trouble". I give this book 4 stars. Reviewed by Shay C of PeoplewholoveGoodBooks.

I read this book a few months ago. It was enjoyable and at times funny.
Dana tried so hard to make a life for herself and her daughter after the sudden death of her husband. I was glad she was able to move on. Micheline was a... (you know the word that rhymes with witch)....Self Centered. Egocentric, and just made me want to slap her. The others Cecile, and Norell were nice I felt bad that Norell was struggling with infertilty, while Cecile was fortunate enough to have another child despite already several children. I am glad that despite the drama these friends were able to keep their friendship/sisterhood in tact. Good job Ms. Griffin.

Bettye Griffin's tenth novel, Nothing But Trouble follows three friends faced with adultery, infertility, unwanted pregnancy, death and jealousy.

Dana, Cecile and Norell are three women who struggle to make the most out of their careers, family life and friendship. Dana's world is turned upside down when she finds herself a widow and instant single mother. In an attempt to get back on solid financial footing, she invites Cecile and Norell to join her in starting a transcription business. Norell is a newlywed with a fierce desire to start her own family. Her husband has children from a previous marriage and does not share her enthusiasm causing a rift in their young marriage. Norell's unhappiness is increased when she learns that Cecile is pregnant with yet another child. Cecile and her husband struggle to accommodate their growing family of eight. The unexpected pregnancy brings Cecile added tension to her marriage and her relationship with Norell. To make matters worse, Cecile's self-centered, younger sister Micheline relocates to Jacksonville. She enjoys her new life at the expense of Cecile and her friends.

Bettye Griffin's characters are real people. They are honorable, upstanding women that wrestle with feelings like jealously, envy and fear. They have a vulnerability that resonates with all women struggling to balance family, career and friendship. Griffin goes a bit overboard with details but the picture that she paints is clear and easily imaginable. Book discussion questions are included to stimulate conversation. It is a good choice for bookclubs because it invites plenty of discussion. Nothing But Trouble is a good read for the modern woman.

Reviewed by M.P. McKinney
APOOO BookClub

This is my first time reading anything from this author. I truly enjoyed this story. It was almost like reading about people that you are friends with or that you work with, I would like to see what ends up happening to these characters in let's say five years. Norrell, Dana and Cecile were three close friends that met in the work place all three end up taking part in a work at home program but remain close they help each other get through their family problems. And as we all know when you have a family there is always life events that knock you down. The good thing is when you have good real friends like these they can help you to see that it doesn't rain all the time the sun will shine in the morning. I recommend this book for any avid reader.

This was a good book to read. I really enjoyed it. I liked the characters and the storylines as well. This is the second book of Ms. Griffin's that I've read and she didn't disappoint. I was surprised that Norell's hubby Vic,who didn't want anymore children, goes out and gets another woman pregnant, but can't do the same for his wife. I wish I could've seen the look on Vic's face when he found out that it was Cecile's sister he knocked up. Ms. Griffin could've given Irene more problems to inflict on Dana and Gil's relationship, you know what they say, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. I also liked how the children in this book address their elders as Mr./Ms. so and so. This was a good book Ms. Griffin, what's next?

Best friends Dana, Cecile, and Norell each crave a happy life. But there is something missing from their lives that keep them from being totally fulfilled. Dana longs for financial stability. Cecile desires a larger home to accommodate her blended family and Norell desperately wants a child of her own.

Having recently lost her husband in a freak accident, Dana finds herself in a financial bind. She comes up with the idea of opening a medical transcription business and partnering with her two friends.
Although the trio forms the company, Dana still has to obtain a full-time job and take in a tenant in her garage apartment to make ends meet. Cecile's sister Micheline has just moved to town and needs a place to stay so this seems to be the perfect arrangement.

The drama starts when Cecile finds that she is pregnant again even after undergoing a tubal ligation. This is the catalyst that fuels Norell's jealousy towards Cecile. Dissatisfaction with her barren state sends her into depression. At the same time, Dana decides she is ready to start dating again with some interesting consequences. Their business is going really well leaving the friends very little time to be supportive of one another. Actions are taken and decisions are made that affects both family and friends. Will they survive the curves that life sends them?

NOTHING BUT TROUBLE is a very entertaining read. Griffin provides a very thorough look into each character's situation that vividly portrays their emotions and thoughts. The book was very well written. The copy I read is an uncorrected proof and there are very few typographical errors. This is definitely a book to share with friends.

Reviewed by Paula Henderson
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

I loved the book all the way through....but the ending is horrible!!!! Nothing happens! Check this book out from your local library, I wouldn't spend too much money on it. Maybe there will be sequel.

"Nothing but Trouble" was ok, but nothing I would recommend. It's a light read, the kind of book you can read if you have nothing else to do.
I didn't care for any of the characters in this story.
Also a lot of the stuff that went on was predictable.

I love her writing, esp. if you happen to be over 30 like me! She always presents a book full of drama, but not smutty .