Customer Reviews

One Better

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

I read Knowing and that was good but this was truly ONE BETTER. I laughed,cried,mourned,rejoiced (and argued)with every character. I couldn't put it down (nor did I want to). I was moved to tears by the tragedy,love and bonds of friendship.I think there's a little bit of Spice,Carmen,Sterling and Mink in all of us. This book let me know that no one is perfect, we all make mistakes, have regrets and its OKAY. God Bless You Rosalyn McMillan. (You did your sister proud)Terri is a wonderful writer in her own right but you did your thing (You GO Girl) I can't wait for the next one. I'll be waiting patiently.

I've read several of the reviews and feel that some people are a little harsh with their reviews. I've read all of Rosalyn McMillian books and must say she is getting better with each one.

I enjoyed reading Knowing and Blue Collar but I really got into this novel. I figured out that Sterling wasn't Spice daughter early on. She just didn't fit in with Mink and Spice. Spice was a real friend to take Carmens daughter and raise her. I found myself talking to the characters throughout the book. This was a well written and developed book that will make you feel as if you are on a roller coaster ride. But hold on and stay with the story because it will leave you in tears.

Rosalyn, keep the faith and hurry up and write another book. Be Blessed!

Girlfriend, girlfriend. What can I say. If you don't have this book , I encourage you to go out and get it right now. It is absolutely awesome. I read it in 3 days. Seems like I went to bed with it and woke up with it. I can remember my friends inviting me to lunch and I was like no I'm go read my book on my lunch. I loved this books. I don't understand why people keep so many secrets. And who does it end up hurting, only themselves. Through guilt, condemnation, agonizing pain of the heart and heartfelt longsuffering if anyone will ever find out. I don't know why Spice and Golden would ever make a pact like the one they made. I'm just glad Sterling didn't need a blood transfusion or vice versa. Now that would have been and extra bonus to the book. But you Sterling made me think of a thought when I was reading that book - we are find a way, make a way kind of women. We don't sit and watch things happen we make things happen. That's just what Sterling did. Although she let her pride get the best of her. My favorite character I would have to say was Mink. She wasn't perfect, but she had it going on. She was a very classy young lady. Though I'm 35 when I grow up I want to be just like her. I loved her ambition and drive. I can also relate to Spice, because I too am an excellent cook. I can dream of the day of having a 3 to 4 story home and the bottom two floors being a restaurant and coffee shop and banquet hall used for only the elite. I love reading it opens my imagination and makes me dream. And then I begin to dreams some more and put pressure on the Word of God. I don't think I could go through the extreme of getting money the way Sterling did. I'm too scarey. I fear God. I do admire her courage and her strength. She did inspire me to take more risk. I don't like living an mediocre lifestyle I believe I'm suppose to believe and live above the norm. Thanks Rosalyn, your writing are excellent. I love this books, it is definitely one I would recommend to friends. Every character have own way of making you love her. She pulls and tugs at your heart so much until you just got to love her.

I am not going to compare Rosalyn with Terri, because it is not fair and it is beside the point. The point is that is novel is substandard. It has been a long time since I have read a tale that is so superficial. There is more name dropping than the law allows! "One Better" is more like a cheap, old-fashioned Harlequin Romance. I know that fiction is an escapism but COME ON! I know...this book reminds me of a Judith Krantz or a Jackie Collins novel with the people reincarnated into African Americans and that doesn't really appease me! As an African American woman, I found the way she wrote these characters offensive. DIDN'T LIKE IT! Please, find something else to read.

ONE BETTER was like watching your favorite soap opera; the story never ended! Even after Spice got married to the good Reverend, there was Otis, the jealous ex-brother-in-law trying to throw a monkey wrench in the works, all to get Spice! Daughter Sterling fighting for the love of her drug-dealing boyfriend and her addiction to the trash he sells! Daughter Mink, wanting more from her marriage than her husband can give, attracted to another man who could give her that, but can't, because he's married! Best family friend, Carmen, can't excape her past fully, and because she can't, she's walking around carrying the biggest secret in the book! This should be on T.V. Who wouldn't watch? Good Job, Rosalyn!

I RECENTLY JUST FINISHED READING "ONE BETTER", AND I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT IT WAS A DECENTLY WRITTEN BOOK. I'LL ADMIT THAT I HAVE READ BETTER BOOKS BEFORE, BUT I WOULD STILL RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO SOMEONE. THE CHARACTERS MADE ME FEEL LIKE I KNEW THEM IN REAL LIFE. I ESPECIALLY LIKE HOW THE AUTHOR USED COLORFULL ADJECTIVES SO THAT THE READER COULD ACTUALLY PICTURE THINGS IN EXACT FORM. THIS BOOK WAS PRETTY DECENT AND I THINK YOU SHOULD READ IT.

I found this to be primarily an unsatisfying read. All of the characters were unsympathetic, not well fleshed out, and found themselves in improbable situations that challenge the reader's ability to empathize. Wealth is connoted by endless references to brand names and descriptions of opulent furnishings. If you are a fan of romantic potboilers, you'll probably enjoy this book. If you recognize good fiction, and prefer reading it, save your money.

I picked up Rosalyn's first book out of curiosity. Didn't move me. I picked up the second one again out of curiosity. While Ms. McMillian to describe a room with perfect clarity, I could care less it if's persian or outdoor carpet. Paint me characters, not the color and styles of the rooms they are dwelling in. And where did she get those names?

One Better , we truly hope so! Our book club, NIA ('nowledge in action) read this book for our April selection and out of the ten of us no one had a favorable response. Tell us who could we (would we) possibly reccommend this book to. The only people whom we believe would be interesetd in writing of this sort are guests of The Jerry Springer Show. Although we love to embrace books about African-Americans of all socio-economic backgrounds and upbringings, Ms McMillan left out the very thing that our community is based on and survives on ---FAMILY! Where did she find this trailer trash? And even more where is the writing technique? There was no character development, no resolution of issues, and the entire manuscript was redundant and (in spite of Mink, Sterling, Golden, and Spice) lacked all the luster of the lavish scenes and surroundings. We cannot recommend to anyone but we can recommend that Ms. McMillan find another profession; possibly interior decorating, gardening, or produce porno flicks . She seems to know a lot about the three. In writing Knowing and One Better she should have simply KNOWn BETTER than to try and pass this of on the followers of contemporary African-American literature.

Reading One Better was like watching a soap opera, which means it's filled with much drama. The book has excellent storylines, however, it tends to be unnecessarily detailed and at times unrealistic. I enjoyed the beginning of the book and the last two chapters, some of the middle was kind of lame. The only reason I finished the book was to find out how Sterling would turn out and I must say that McMillan wrote the hell out of the end. I really sympathized with Sterling even though she was a trip. Decent book.