Customer Reviews

Someone's in the Kitchen

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

WOW!! what a breezy, awesome and gripping book to read. Eric Pete has done it again and you won't be disappointed. If you haven't read this one, you're in for a delightful and edgy treat. Eric chose a colorful mix of characters for this book, that you won't soon forget. The book is centered around Houston and New Orleans and tells the story of two bestfriends, Reggie Collins and Neal Wallace and all the drama that comes with being an adult, single, married, being a man, etc.. Other characters you won't soon forget include, Shenita, Me-Me, Trina, Mr. Wallace(Neal's dad),Kelly,Lila and Loretta. I won't give the book away for those still looking and eager to read it. Once you start it though, you won't be able to put it down. The Sistah Circle Book Club(Dallas, Houston, New York and Denver) choose, Someone's in The Kitchen as it's chapter-wide selection and it won rave reviews across the board with all of us. I can't wait to share my copy and buy more for my family/friends back home(Detroit)Continued blessings and success ...

I enjoyed "Someone's in the Kitchen" by Eric E. Pete. The main focus of the story is Reggie and Neal who are close friends. They both live in Houston, TX. Reggie is a ladies man, or a "dawg" who is afraid of commitment. Neal is a married man who loves his wife, but his marriage is in trouble. The book opens with a scene that is supposed to give the reader some insight as to why Reggie treats women the way that he does. The author's minor characters are well drawn and interesting. Lila, MeMe, and Shanita are not the stereotypical women characters that you find in most relationship novels. I enjoyed the insight on the friendship between Neal and Reggie. The story kept moving, but toward the end a betrayal takes place that I did not see coming. After that, the ending is kind of rushed. I am looking forward to reading Eric E. Pete's first book, and coming novels. This is a four star novel.

Reviewed by Sandra P.

Someone's In the Kitchen explores the effects of our childhood on our adulthood relationships. Highlighting the friendship and relationships of Reggie and Neil, Someone's In the Kitchen is a page turning book filled with the daily escapades of the main characters.

Reggie is a player who refuses to commit to one woman until someone comes along and flips the script on him. Will he commit? Neil's desire is to be committed to his marriage but his wife refuses to cooperate. Will he stay in his marriage? Reggie's player ways often land him in trouble with the women in his life and his job. Unfortunately, Neil's dream of entrepreneurship is something that is not shared by his wife.

Told in alternating chapters of Reggie and Neil, we travel through their daily routines that not only deal with their relationships with the opposite sex, but we also get a peek at Reggie and Neil's relationship with each other. While different as night and day, you have to wonder how these two remain friends, or do they? Told in voices that are entertaining, coupled with a somewhat surprising climax, Someone's In the Kitchen is a recommended read for the drama-filled enthusiast. Reviewed by Dawn R. Reeves, APOOO BookClub

Make room gentleman, Eric E. Pete is back with a bang! Claiming his territory in African-American fiction, Eric E. Pete's sophomore novel, Someone's In The Kitchen, is a fresh, hip and often humorous read. Houston, Texas, better known as H-Town is the milieu for thirty-something Reggie Collins and Neal Wallace as their amorous entanglements are challenged and friendships are compromised.

Memories, evocative of his mother's blatant infidelity and subsequent abandonment are prelude to Reggie's disingenuous behavior. Two women are a constant in his life: MeMe, a deceased friend's sister and longtime "bed-buddy", Lila. When Lila proposes they attempt a monogamous relationship, Reggie toys with the notion; but there is one stipulation--he must tie up all his loose ends in two weeks. As Reggie proceeds to sow his wild oats, his life spirals out of control, on the job, in the bedroom, and the confines of his heart.

A mediocre marriage was not what Neal had envisioned. Witnessing one too many altercations between his parents metamorphosed Neal into an easy-going amenable husband. With eager aspirations of becoming Houston's premier restaurateur, his wife Shenita scoffs, and implicitly blames Neal for their drowning financial state and Neal's inadequate provision as husband. Lacking support from Shenita, Neal confides in Reggie's lil' sis MeMe; but this newly discovered comradeship could lead to the resolution of Reggie and Neal's friendship.

Told in first person by both male protagonists, Eric E. Pete has
penned a sharp-witted, urban story resonant with entertaining
dialogue and a surprising conclusion. I highly recommend Someone's In The Kitchen and embrace Eric E. Pete as a promising voice in contemporary African-American fiction.

Reviewed by Nicki Lancaster
APOOO BookClub

You know its gonna be a good read when the first page makes you draw the blinds and huddle in a corner, daring others to interfere with your experience. Mr. Pete's characters, Shenita, Reggie and Neal come to life. Poor Trina makes you sad. Girlfriend had issues. Their personalities and actions were enough to give anyone an attitude. I really felt like I knew Shenita, that chick was 'too' real. I found that Eric expressed a clear message of "You reap what you sow" -My own expression out of this is "you also keep what you grow" by learning from your experiences. This book is a clear case of how hard it can be trying to sleep in the bed you made. Not only that. He also showed how skeletons in the closet can make alot of noise and disturb alot of people. I kept waiting for Reggie to wreck himself. Then BAM! All injuries and no fatalities. There were broken hearts, broken trust and yes, broken egos. Nevertheless, Like Humpty Dumpty, Eric put it all back together again. He leaves no loose ends and the story is wrapped tight. You've got to read it to appreciate it. There are a few adjectives that I use to describe this piece. Captivating, Tantalizing, Invigorating and Stimulating. Mr. Pete shows you what's cooking in "Someone's in the Kitchen." I would like to see any or all of these characters reappear in another novel. They have quite a bit of potential. Thank you Eric! KUDOS to you, once again!

I have had Mr. Pete's first book on my shelf for a while but was never able to read it. One day I decided to go to the book store with my boyfriend and we decided to read a book together. He chose Someone's in the Kitchen (this is the first book he has has ever read for pleasure) by Mr. Pete. As he started to read the book it began to keep him interested and had him wanting to find out what happened in the end. After hearing this from him I began to read it.

This is a very good book. Once I started it I could not put it down, I read the book in two days while working sixteen to eighteen hours a day. I would read the book at the red light.

Reggie was a player's player, he thought he had it all together. Little did he realize every dog has it's day. After Reggie had decided to make his mind up he could not stick with it. I was happy to see Lila make a decision and stand by that decision.

Neal was the type of man any woman would want but his wife Shenita was not satisfied. Shenita could not appreciate Neal for the man that he was and she got what she deserved in the end.

I was sorry to see that Reggie did not meet the addition to his family.

All in all this book was very good and realistic. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Well done Mr. Pete.

Someone's in the Kitchen was a good read .

It's just not quite all that I had expected.

Having read the first three pages the first chapter had me running to get this book ! It felt like a 5* plus read all the way .

While Eric did not get back to that part of the story until the last page which have be some what disappointed.

I did enjoy taking a peek at the lives of Reggie and Neal two close friends and the friendship of their deceased friends sister.

Reggie crossed the line twice which cost him a lot in the end.
Maybe there was a great lesson he learned a little to late.

Good story good read just not quite what I thought 3.8 * in my opinon .

Someone's in the Kitchen is a definite page-turner. Once you start reading you can't put it down! Eric captivates the reader from page one and leaves you anticipating and trying to predict the outcome. A suspenseful outcome that leaves the reader yearning for more. I can't wait to read Eric's upcoming novels. Keep up the good work Eric, from a supportive fan!

This is the sophomoric book of Eric Peete and much better than the first one. You can really see his growth as a writer. This book will hold your attention to the very end. It has action, suspense and questions that will keep you turning the pages. Some of the story is predictable, and some you may say "this is nothing new", but this story is well written, has lots of details and good characterization. Told in the voices of the womanizing Reggie Collins and his best friend Neal Wallace. Each man is fighting his own demons from childhood which is now effecting his life as an adult.

Reggie finds it hard to make a commitment and finds himself following in his mother's footsteps. He finds himself falling for Lila, one of his many women, but he has baggage that he needs to get rid of first and learn about commitment.

Neal wants to have a good marriage, the opposite of what he witnessed between his own parents. This determination causes him to stay in a marriage that was not fulfilling and try to work things out. Only does his wife want to do the same?

I would recommend this book to my reading partners. An ending that might be surprising to some, was the climax to the book.

Jeanette
APOOO bookclub

Following on the heels of his stellar debut novel Real For Me, Author Eric E. Pete is starting from where he left off. His latest work, Someone's In The Kitchen is a delightful read, warm, and breezy that allows you to follow without being bogged down with excessive dialogue and unnecessary fluff. The story centers around two friends Reggie Collins and Neal Wallace who for all intended purposes are there for each other when angst intrudes, and adversity threatens to be more than just a bit player in their lives. Complete opposites of one another, the authors make an interesting case dealing with ethics, pride, and the element of time to concoct this story of betrayed loyalties.

Reggie is single, conceited, and outgoing. Neal is married but having matrimonial problems while trying to realize goals and aspirations. A prior set of events and what has happened in their pasts sets the stage for the author to define what it means to be a true friends and how each react to what is brought to the table to be dealt with. This is a classic example of the cliché of what happens in the dark will surely come to light...only this time we have Reggie and Neal living it out with frayed and fragile emotions that tests their friendship.

You know you have a good book on your hand when you are compelled to read despite the fact that there are other things on the agenda...but you just can't seem to put this book down! However, this can be deemed an adult read since it's somewhat heavy on explicit language, sexual content, and a theme relative to a matured mind. The main characters are perfect foils for each other with a vibrant supporting cast. There are no looses ends, no hanging metaphors where simile and hyperbole would tend to clash, and definitely no loss for innuendo to allow the author to come back with either a sequel or more of this thoughtful writing style!