Customer Reviews

What a Woman Wants

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Faith, Monique, and Shannon have been friends since they were teenagers. When their close friend commits suicide, they decide to spend the summer at a Hilton Head beach house. The friends vow to make the most of their summer and to live life to the fullest. But meeting a man was not a part of their summer plans. Faith is very cautious with the men she meets until a sexy man name Shane offers to give her tennis lessons. Will she let her guard down? Monique lost her husband too soon and is still trying to move forward with her life. Monique becomes confused when a family friend Lyle wants to become more than friends. Shannon wants to do nothing but find her next conquest with no strings attached. Shannon may have met her match when she meets a mechanic name Adam that's willing to give her the tune up that she's looking for.

What A Woman Wants is a warm, titillating tale by Brenda Jackson. Jackson expertly weaves an excellent novel about hope, friendship, and love. I liked how each of the women in this story came to the beach house expecting one thing but the end result was totally different then what they expected. This author did a wonderful job of showing the gradual process of how each woman had to figure out what she wanted from a man and if she was ready for it. What A Woman Wants is a romantic and breezy read.

Cecilia Graham, for reasons unknown, decides her life was not worth living, so she commits suicide. Before her demise, she writes her three best friends letters admonishing them to "live each day to the fullest and do whatever they want to do to enjoy life and not live up to others' expectations and standards." The three friends decide to spend the summer at the place where their friendship began as teenagers, Hilton Head, SC. The beauty of the island and the quest to comply with Cecilia's wishes is Brenda Jackson's foundation in her latest novel, What a Woman Wants.

Once on the island, each of the women sets a goal to accomplish during their six-week stay. Widowed Monique decides that she would train for a marathon to be run at the end of the summer. Commitment shy Faith decides to learn to play tennis and Shannon decides on an affair to remember. Each woman claims they did not come to the island to find love or a man, but fate intervenes. Monique meets up with a doctor friend of her brother's whom she had a crush on since high school. Faith finds her tennis instructor to be irresistible. Shannon finds there is more to her mechanic than mind-blowing sex.

The ladies befriend their neighbor, Anna Ross Fuller. Readers of Brenda Jackson who remembers Anna and Zack Wainwright from the Ties that Bind will be happy to know the couple finds love in this novel. Dr. Lyle Montgomery, the brother of Lance Montgomery from the Playa's Handbook and No More Playas, also finds love on Hilton Head. Some of Jackson's minor characters in her other books make cameo appearances. Technically, this story was to be contemporary fiction, but in my opinion, it was more of a romance. I actually rated the book a 3.5, because at times I found the novel to drag. I am sure Ms. Jackson's fans as well as romance lovers will enjoy this book.

[...]

I really enjoyed this book. I especially enjoyed revisiting characters from Ties That Bind, that is my all-time favorite BJ book. I agreed with the other review that stated that Shannon and Adam jumped into something a little too fast without knowing all the facts but I do admit it was HOT!!!! I wish we had spent a little more time with Zach and Anna, there story was good but kind of rushed compared to the others. But all in all it was a great book.

Don't get me wrong, Brenda Jackson is my FAVORITE author. But this book seemed really rushed to me. The synopsis states that four women who have grown up together are now down to three, due to one committing suicide. Well, not only did we have to keep up with the three, plus their men. We had to keep up with Anna and Zach, who I feel should have had way more time than they were given. It's not only Brenda Jackson, but when authors want to write one book about 4 couples, of course the story lines are rushed and not as realistic. For instance, Shannon and Adam's story did not seem too realistic. I'm sure there are plenty of women like Shannon but showing up at a man's door for the first time in the middle of the night is too over the top for me. I just wish that we could maybe knock the number of characters down some. By the time you get to another couple you have to try to remember what happened with them when you last read about them. By the end of the book, each couple seemed to be rushing to reveal their true feelings and finally consumating relationships. To me....not too enjoyable. The Playa's Handbook and No More Playas were much better written.

Still love Brenda Jackson, but not the multiple character books!

Reading this novel brought back memories of "Ties That Bind", "No More Playas", "The Savvy Sistahs", and "A Family Reunion". I loved those books(especially Ties That Bind"), and I really enjoyed reading this one. There was one problem I had with Shannon and Adam's storyline. These two didn't know each other from a whole in the ground and they go at it like jackrabbits. He wants to use protection, she stops him by saying that she's on the pill, they tell each other "I'm safe, let's get into trouble". That's a no-no. In today's society, we have to practice safety precautions when it comes to sex...but I forgot, this is fantasy. Zach, Shane, and Lyle are my kind of guys and Adrianna, Faith, and Monique are my sistahs.

This book finishes what was started with the characters in the book 'Ties that Bind'. The first book was about the parents and their friends and this one involves their children and grandchildren. I can also see the connection in 'Family Reunion', 'The Playa's Handbook', 'No More Playa's' and 'The Savvy Sistahs'. I love continuing stories and Ms. Jackson writes some or the best that I have read. Wonderful story from the beginning to the end!

I love this story of sisterhood, and love coming to each of them is ways that they where not counting on. Mrs. Brenda did a great job in letting the readers revisit pass characters and meeting new ones as well. The idea of combining characters from her other story line was pure genius. A great read and reread for all Brenda Jackson's fans.

The story of three childhood friends who grow up and later reunite to overcome a common tragedy is a tried and true formula. There is nothing new here.

Thirty somethings - Cely, Faith, Margaret and Shannon have been sister-friends since childhood. When Cely suddenly commits suicide the three remaining friends struggle to make sense of her death. They decide to take the advice Cely leaves in letters to each of them - live life to the fullest with no regrets. The women take time off to spend the summer on the island of Hilton Head, where they forged their friendship- and where each woman will sort out her own brand of baggage.

Shannon who is shall we say ... sexually liberated, embarks on a self proclaimed man hunt. After being disillusioned by her parent's sham of a marriage, her approach to men is wham, Bam - thank you Sam. She is a high powered professional who intends to keep men in their place. She definitely meets her match in Adam Corbain. This relationship was HOT! It was enough to keep me turning the pages until the end.

Faith, who is cautious about men and avoids them at all costs - after being humiliated and devastated by her down low ex-husband - intends to make this and introspective endeavor. When she meets Shane Masters who is immediately drawn to her, her resolve falters and his work is cut out for him.

Monique, who has been celibate since her husband's death three years prior, is "sustained" by memories until she reunites with family friend Dr. Lyle Montgomery, who is determined not to miss this chance to make her his own.

The author manages to tie in yet another romance via the neighbor, Adrienne Ross Fuller who is staying next door to the summer house the women are in on the island. Her story, for me, was totally superfluous and made the book drag on a little. Although the backdrop of the story is set on a beautiful island, you don't get much of a feel for the scenery, which is surprising for a romance novel - and disappointing. There is a hint of mystic connection between the deceased Cely and the girls but if you blink you may miss it.

Each of the characters was interesting in their own right but their stories were not developed enough for me. I got the feeling that I was reading individual harlequin romance novelettes that left something to be desired. Later I discovered that Brenda Jackson does publish under Harlequin and she actually writes continuing family sagas and sequels. I totally get it now... I can and will read more about Adam Corbain (with his virile self) and the Corbain family. I found this book to be entertaining enough to recommend for a light summer read if you enjoy fluffy romance.


Terri E. Williams
Reviewer
Sisters Sippin'Tea Literary Group- Tulsa Inc.

Mrs. J reminds us that many times we (woman) really don't know what we want or need. It is time however, that we live life to the fullest everyday because next year, next month, next week or even tomorrow is not promised. I loved this book. It's so interesting the way Mrs.J ties in characters from her others novels. It was good to visit with them again. This too is a must read. I'm just sorry it had to end!

This book started off kinda slow. Then I got to a point and I just could not stopped reading. I just loved the story between Adam and Shannon. They were sizzling together and Mrs. Jackson did not miss a beat with their storyline. Then there is Monique and Lyle which made the story tender with the history between the two characters. The beginning of the book goes in a direction which pulls the story together along with living life to the fullest. I would and do recommend this book as it was an excellent read. This was indeed a wonderful book Mrs. Jackson.