Original Love [Mass Market Paperback]

J.J. Murray (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2008

If you got a second chance with your original love, what would you do? An inter-racial couple driven apart by the prejudices of their families might just get another go at holding onto love in J. J. Murray's tender and touching romance. Peter Underhill was smitten by Ebony Mills from the moment she joined his street hockey team: a coal-eyed tomboy goddess, as dark and dazzling as he was pale and awkward. But despite a bond that grew into their teens, Peter's intolerant father and Ebony's meddling family finally forced them apart. That was 20 years ago - and Peter has been trying to write his way back to his first and true love ever since. As a novelist using the pen name Desiree Holland, Peter has paid tribute to their most intimate moments, all the while harbouring a secret wish that somehow, the girl he can't forget will read between the lines and recognise him. When she was a girl, Ebony said she would love Peter forever and she meant it. It didn't matter that they couldn't share milestones like the school dance together - what they had was the real thing. Even now, Ebony doesn't quite understand how she and Peter have disappeared from each other's lives. Has the hatred that surrounded them finally won? Ebony doesn't want to believe that, but she knows one thing: if ever she gets the chance to reunite with Peter, she'll never let him go. Because you don't want to throw away something that only comes along once in a lifetime. You don't mess with original love.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Homeless and broke, Peter Underhill shows up at his editor's office in New York City with an idea for a new book different from his pen-name books. A 40-year-old white man, Peter has had success posing as a sassy black woman writing romantic comedies. Now he wants to write an autobiography, but his editor wants no part of it. As Peter reflects on his life, he keeps coming back to his first and probably only love, Ebony Mills. Their unexpected romance grew from their seventh-grade friendship when Peter escapes the oppressive rules of his alcoholic, racist father and meets this unusual and beautiful African American. At college he loses contact with Ebony and ends up embarking on one mishap after another, but he always dedicates his books to his lost love: her. Now that Peter has hit rock bottom, he sets out to find the woman he longs for. Full of interesting characters, Murray's novel about a romantic journey of self-discovery is a true standout. Patty Engelmann
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Review

"An update of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, with a twist." --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Kensington Books; Reprint edition (September 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0758211651
• ISBN-13: 978-0758211651
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #927,308 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born on October 16, 1963, in Abington, PA, J. J. has lived in New York (Huntington), New Jersey (Plainfield), Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh), Missouri (St. Louis), Indiana (West Lafayette and College Corners), and Ohio (Marietta).

He graduated magna cum laude from Marietta College (OH) with a BA in English before settling in the Roanoke Valley of Virginia, just up the road from Virginia Tech.

The son, grandson, and great-grandson of preachers and teachers, J. J. taught public high school English for twenty years to students who sometimes actually spoke it. J. J. is currently lead teacher in a wilderness residential school for at-risk young men.

J. J. met his wife, Amy Renee, at a high school football game at Victory Stadium in Roanoke in the fall of 1989, and their four-year courtship forms the basis of J.J.'s first novel, Renee and Jay.

J. J., Amy, and their two sons, Joshua Malik and Jontae Emmanuel, reside in Roanoke, Virginia, the setting for Renee and Jay, Something Real, I'm Your Girl, Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Too Much of a Good Thing, and much of his poetry.

Visit J. J.'s website at JohnJeffreyMurray.com and join "Q&A (and brownies) with J. J. Murray" at Goodreads.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Art/Life imitating Life/Art?, October 20, 2005

By 

Black Butterfly Review (Maryland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Original Love (Paperback)

Original Love is at its core, a story of love lost and found. It centers on Peter and Ebony and follows them from adolescence to adulthood. The additional elements of time, race, and family are added to provide conflict along the way. Peter is a middle aged author who has made his mark on the literary world by publishing two popular novels under the pseudonym of a black woman named Desiree. Ironically, it is his pseudonym, Desiree, who serves as both his muse and his impediment. As his muse and the image of his first and only love, it has brought him commercial success but personal failure in the dissolution of his marriage. As his impediment, it keeps him from publishing a novel under his own name, which his publisher is loathe to allow him to do. After wrestling with writer's block, he flees to New York to recover personally and professionally. Part of his recovery includes the search for his first love, Ebony, the woman he has never gotten over. When he finally does find her, he is able to face the demons of his past, including a disapproving father along with the daughter that he never knew existed and move forward with the life and family he always dreamed of.

The author has incorporated a story within a story, paralleling the progression of Peter's emerging novel with his search for Ebony. Although the author has used different typefaces to distinguish between the two, at times the storylines and even the characters tend to get somewhat jumbled. The overall theme seems to be that his main character is actually his embodiment of the image foremost in his mind, namely Ebony, and he seems to be trying to fuse Ebony, his main character, and his muse into one person. This is an ambitious approach, and the author is somewhat successful as the book progresses. However, in the beginning, these three separate entities have a tendency to bleed into each other.

Interracial romance novels are an up-and-coming genre of their own. They range the gamut (like any romance novel) from realistic to "over-the-top". IR novels, by definition use race as an element, but it may be as prominent or secondary as the author wishes. Although Original Love was presented as an interracial romance, I had a difficult time discerning the impact of race. While Peter's father was presented as a racist, I found his actions tending less towards racist behavior, and more towards psychotic behavior. Although Peter and Ebony seem to enjoy each other, I frankly never understood the motivations of either one, either his fascination with her or her long-suffering with him. One of my pet peeves about IR novels is a tendency of some towards fetishism. Some women are athletic and sexual beings. Some of those women happen to be black. The two are only related by coincidence. Some men are passive aggressive with painful memories. Some of those men happen to be white. The author's attempt to link personality traits to skin color appear to be somewhat disconnected. I can appreciate a book about different people which attempts to do more than simply take a white couple and dip one (or both) in chocolate. I can also appreciate an author's attempt to infuse his characters with vivid personalities. However, it is a very narrow line that can be difficult to navigate between that and sliding into racial stereotypes.
Overall, I found the novel to be an entertaining read.
Reviewed By: Angela Hailey, Black Butterfly Review

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Love of a Lifetime, December 31, 2005

By 

The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Original Love (Paperback)

Peter Underhill is a struggling author who has hit rock bottom and as a result is homeeless. He is inspired to write an autobiography; however, his editor wants no parts of it. Peter, who is 40 and Caucasian, has been writing romantic comedies as an African-American woman. He is ready to finally publish something under his own name since using a pen name he is unable to get credit for the books he has written. While he is down in the dumps, he reflects back on his childhood and growing up with a racist alcoholic father. Although his family life wasn't the greatest, he does have fond memories of his first love, Ebony Mills, a sassy African-American woman to whom he dedicates all his novels.

After losing everything Peter decides to move back to his hometown and live on his deceased father's boat. While he is at home he begins a search for Ebony, determined to find his true love and hopefully rekindle what they once shared. Peter begins a journey of self-discovery and self-awareness, all in the name of love. He not only finds himself, but a few surprises along the way. Is there light at the end of the tunnel for this struggling author?

ORIGINAL LOVE by J.J. Murray is a touching soul-searching novel that pulls at your heart strings. Everyone has one true love and no one can ever replace him or her in your life. This novel makes you appreciate the love in your life and may turn you into a hopeless romantic. With colorful, entertaining characters this story is not only entertaining but enlightening as well. This is my first read by Murray, but definitely won't be my last. Do yourself a favor and add this novel to your personal library, you won't be disappointed.

Reviewed by Eraina B. Tinnin
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Original (First) Love, March 1, 2006

By 

Sharel Love "Sharel E. Gordon-Love, Author" (North Plainfield, NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Original Love (Paperback)

Author J. J. Murray has written a book that would ordinarily have me stumped and wondering where he was going with his story. But his transitions, flashbacks and memories have a wonderful way of meshing together to create a story about first love.

At one point, I thought I would have to brush up on my history. Author Murray uses classics; American History and mythology to create his story and take the reader on a complicated but enlightening journey.

Peter Underhill fell in love with Ebony Mills when they were junior high school age. The fact that Peter is white and Ebony is African American had nothing to do with what they felt for each other. The innocence of youth along with their curiosity and desire to explore their sexuality made their love story that much more beautiful.

Peter and Ebony grew up together through high school and separated while in college. Due to this separation, Peter ended up unhappily married to someone else while Ebony did what most African American women say they will never do: waited for that man to come back!

After years of separation, a bitter divorce, and attempts to move on, Peter and Ebony's paths crossed again and they began to share their lives anew, revisiting places they shared, talking about people they knew and coming to terms with many truths about themselves.

I would definitely recommend "Original Love" for anyone who enjoys romantic stories that are not predictable, but will cause you to want to find true love and address issues from your past.


Reviewed by Sharel E. Gordon-Love
APOOO BookClub