Soulmates Dissipate [Hardcover]

Morrison Mary B (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2001

A Blackboard Bestseller
An Essence Bestseller

Mary B. Morrison's debut novel, Soul Mates Dissipate, became a word-of-mouth sensation. In a matter of months, readers sent this sensual and bittersweet story of true love tested to the top of the Blackboard bestseller list. Earthy and outrageously entertaining, it continues to win new fans every day.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This originally self-published novel replete with confusing point-of-view shifts, buppie stereotypes, clich‚d phrases, improbable plot lines, shallow materialism and perplexing descriptions ("Unexpectedly, her twenty-six-inch waist moved forward. Her shoulders and thirty-six-inch hips jerked backward, in unison"), and a penchant for italics barely reaches the amateur level. Morrison (who quit her 18-year government job to become a writer) starts off with an adequate premise: Jada Diamond Tanner, a flashy, sexy, high fashion photographer, has found her soul mate in Wellington Jones, a wealthy financial adviser with a sparkling personality and a mysterious past. The two share a passion for great sex, but the steamy scenes read more like hardcore porn than a showcase for romance or eroticism. Enter Melanie Marie Thompson, another sexy fashion photographer, who has her heart set on marrying Wellington, despite his already being engaged to Jada. The author is unable to play out a credible story and instead cobbles together unlikely scenarios. Would independent, possessive Jada, who really has the hots for her man, honestly consider a three-way romp with Wellington and the scheming vixen whom she knows is after him? And would Jada's jealousy truly play a major role in Wellington's decision to marry Melanie? Melanie is nearly killed in a car crash, forcing her to have a miscarriage, conveniently freeing Wellington from his commitment to her. There's also a subplot involving Wellington's scheming adoptive mother, and the book's inconclusive ending threatens a sequel. Morrison adds insult to injury with a "poem," a discussion guide and a primer on how to find your very own soul mate. (June)Forecast: Literature dissipates; so do sales.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

From the beginning of their relationship, Wellington and Jada know they are soul mates. Wellington Jones is the adopted son of socialite parents who belong to all the right clubs and associations and reared him to be financially savvy and independent, and fashion photographer Jada Diamond Tanner is the daughter of parents who taught her to be independent. But for Cynthia Jones, Wellington's mother, Jada isn't a socially acceptable daughter-in-law, and she manipulates her son by inviting an old family friend, bright, beautiful, talented Melanie Johnson, to be a houseguest. Melanie eagerly accepts Cynthia's challenge and determines to win Wellington from Jada. The soul mates then find their love tested beyond their wildest dreams, forcing them to make decisions about their relationship and the future. This story has enjoyed enough success as an author-published paperback to encourage Kensington to think it will be a hit in hardcover, too. Lillian Lewis
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 235 pages
• Publisher: Kensington (June 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1575669137
• ISBN-13: 978-1575669137
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (94 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #438,662 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

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Oh boy..., January 7, 2001

By 

Tiffany M. Davis "literary diva" (Maryland, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Soul Mates Dissipate (Paperback)

I was put off by not only the borderline pornography of the book, but also by the somewhat fragmented plot. I am a fan of erotica that is tastefully done (i.e. Zane, of Erotica Noir)...this wasn't it. The characters seemed to be overdone, especially Wellington (I kept thinking of Beef Wellington). The plot was, most of the time, predictable. Some of the minor characters shone through, like Jada's mother and her boyfriend, as they were very down-to-earth. On a positive note...Mary's poetry in the book was BEAUTIFUL. But overall, I was disappointed.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LOVE, LIFE, AND DRAMA STEAMS OFF THE PAGES, August 17, 2000

By 

Pamela Osbey - See all my reviews

This review is from: Soul Mates Dissipate (Paperback)

Ms. Morrison, I want to commend you on doing a well job writing such a good, strong story about the challenges in love relationships - specificially soul mates. I love your usuage of poetry in between the certain scenes (at the church) and at the end. Also, liked the usuage of Diamond's letter to Wellington at or near the end of the book. I really liked the fact that you tied up all the loose ends of the plots - Wellington's parentage, Melanie and Cynthia's deceit, and the resolution of Diamond and Wellington. I also liked the strong imagery. This book only took me 8 hours to complete. I almost never read a book that quick, but this was a compelling and interesting read. I am glad you used the erotic images as a platform from which to tell us the real deal between the soul mates (Diamond, Wellington, and Melanie). I loved this book, and look forward to your chat with the Prolific Writers Network and Good Book club Members next week. You definitely have a new fan.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars If You Like Porn...., December 16, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Soulmates Dissipate (Hardcover)

then this is the book for you. This was selected by my bookclub and all of 12 of us HATED IT! The characters are phony, the plot really stupid and it had too much explicit sexual situations that made us all barf! Then at the end does the author try to be a Iylana Vanzant and tell us how to find your "Soulmate." If you are into porn on the page, look no further, this is your book!