Somebody's Gotta Be On Top [Paperback]

Mary B. Morrison (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"A page-turner that will keep readers’ attention and entertain them in the process." —QBR, The Black Book Review on He’s Just a Friend

"Morrison delivers a deep, passionate story that holds readers from beginning to end." —Black Issues Book Review on Never Again Once More --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Kensington (July 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0758207255
• ISBN-13: 978-0758207258
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,289,516 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mary B. Morrison, New York Times best-selling author also writes as HoneyB. She has thirteen novels including her newest release, Unconditionally Single.

Writing for both Kensington Publishing Corporation as Mary B. Morrison and Grand Central Publishing (formerly Warner Books) as HoneyB, Mary is at the top of the African-American fiction genre. In her novels, Mary addresses social and sexual issues that impacts relationships. Mary is pro-female empowerment and believes all women are worthy of living free from abuse and states in her novels, "Educate don't Procreate. No teenage girl should become a mother."

Mary received her Associates Degree in Liberal Arts from Vista (now Berkeley) Community College. She worked 18 years for the government. Earning nearly six-figures, Mary resigned from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development on June 3, 2000, and withdrew her retirement to self-publish her debut novel Soulmates Dissipate.

October 2008, Mary began sponsoring a monthly relationship venue now called Tell It All Thursdays to provide a place where adults can openly dialogue about relationships and sex. Mary created this venue because generations of African-Americans have suffered from physical, emotional, and sexual oppression and it's time to break the cycle. The venue is held at Maxwell's in downtown Oakland every third Thursdays and promoted via KBLX.

In 2006, Mary sponsored an anthology publishing 33 students entitled Diverse Stories: From the Imaginations of Sixth Graders.

Mary currently resides in Oakland, California. Her wonderful son Jesse Byrd, Jr. attends the University of California at Santa Barbara.

To contact Mary visit www.MaryMorrison.com or call 866.469-MARY/6279 or email [e-mail].

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Darius is not on top, not like he thought!!!!!, March 22, 2005

By 

S. M. Anderson "sma331" (Lithia Springs, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Somebody's Gotta Be On Top (Hardcover)

Somebody's Gotta Be On Top is the FORTH book in the series. To fully enjoy this book read

1. Soul Mates Dissipate
2. Never Again Once More
3. He's Just a Friend

Darius is back and he has his own business after being fired from Black Diamonds. His business is Somebody's Gotta Be On Top, and he wants to be on top no matter who he hurts. Darius wants to be awarded the contract to for the screenplay for Soulmates Dissipate that Jade's friend Candice has written about her life. Jada is none to pleased about her business being put out there and wants to stop this movie from being made. When Darius is not given the contract he schemes a way to partner with Ciara who was given the contract. What he really wants to do is take over the contract and her company. Darius is still holding serious resentment for all the lies his mother told, and still wants his revenge on her as well. Darius is so angry with his mother it affects how he relates to women. He is in love with Ashlee, marries Ciara, and having physical relations with Kimberly and one night stand with someone named Desire.

Darius brother Kevin wants to live the life that Darius has and manages to get a job working at Daruis' company. Darius has no idea that Kevin is embezzling money from him.

I enjoyed this book a lot, even though Darius got on my nerves. He is so spoiled, selfish, and he claimed he loved Ashlee, he does not know how to love!!! He was always trying to scam someone, trying to be on top and it bit him in the butt. Karma Darius, KARMA!!!! Kevin was no better. Jealous of his brother, and doing what he did made him no better than Darius. I'm from New York, I don't know anyone who says Man like Mein. That irritated me. Kevin had such resentment for his brother, especially when Darryl starts to bond with Darius. I'm looking forward to the next book because the way this book ended has me anxious to find out what happened to Darius' father. They were finally getting along, I really wanted to see them heal their relationship further. I really felt sorry for Ashlee, she got caught up, but she really should have stayed strong, and never allowed Darius to get his hooks in her. She knew he was no good!!! Did she really think that he would do right by her?

Darius is so busy hating his mother that he can't truly appreciate women. He feels women should not be in business, they are only meant to have children and take care of the home. He marries Ciara only to take over her business, little does he know Ciara is on to him. There is a certain line in the book that really cracked me up. "Darius is trying to fill Ciara's life with Love. That is HILARIOUS. How can he fill someone's life with love when he does not truly know how to love, especially himself. Darius does not deserve a woman like Ashlee, he would never appreciate her.

The fact that he possibly has three women pregnant? He obviously did not learn his lesson from "He's Gotta Be A Friend" he should have to deal with another STD scare in the next book. It's a miracle Kimberly did not come up pregnant too!!! I applauded when Wellington tried to give Darius a dose of tough love. Jada really baby's Darius too much, and she needs to let him fall on his face!!! There were so many times I wish I could reach into the pages and slap Darius. He was such a hypocrite. It's okay for him to cheat, but the idea of Ciara cheating on him really set his blood boiling. Darius is so pathetic, I could not feel sorry for him. Maybe he will change in the next book. I certainly hope so.

This book is full of surprises, and Jada has yet another secret that gets revealed. Jada needs to stop with all the secrets!!! You would think she would learn.

I'm looking forward to the next book!!! There are so many loose ends that I'm looking forward for Morrison to tie up.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Morrison is always on top!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, November 5, 2004

By 

NOTHING BUT THE DIRT "VAL" (Columbus Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Somebody's Gotta Be On Top (Hardcover)

I was looking for a new book to read on Amazon and I came across Somebody Gotta Be on Top. I was extremly excited because I have read all of Mary's books. The book was awesome! This is a must read but you have to read them in order as they follow:

1.Soulmate Dissapate
2.Never again Once More
3.He just a Friend
4.Somebody Gotta Be on Top

Morrison will have you addicted and wanting more!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars 5 Stars...NOPE!, December 31, 2004

By 

True Reviews (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Somebody's Gotta Be On Top (Hardcover)

I will say this. Mrs. Morrison has a flare for erotic writing. She's damn good at that. Her storylines however are not that great. I couldn't finish this book. It was slow and tormenting. And I must add VERY CONFUSING AT TIMES. It's not fair that a reader has to read ALL of her books just to know what the hell is going on with ONE. That makes no sense to me. Mrs. Morrison you can definitely write, but it's time to break your series of events up. Last, I will also say the Somebody's gotta be on top was a lot better than He's just a freind.