Customer Reviews

When Push Comes To Shove (Sepia)

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

 

 

I did enjoy this book. Mr. Sewell is a good writer who pens interesting and engaging dialogue. The only problem I had - and it is only my opinion - is that Cynthia was just too stupid for words. I did not like her and certainly had no empathy for her plight. Understanding that stories are stories and characters are written for a reason, I still could not imagine anyone being that dumb.

This was my first time reading a novel by Earl Sewell and I must say that I was impressed! The plot was great and the characters were very well developed,This book focused on real life issues and it was good to read something different for a change.And i cant wait to check out his other books!

I enjoyed this book and admired Cynthia. This was a very good read and I highly recommend it.

When Push Comes to Shove by Earl Sewell begins, Cynthia Clark is at the hospital seeking aid for her mother, Elaine. This is the first glimpse of their personalities. Cynthia seems like a young wife and mother trying to live her life and look after her own mother, even though she does not live at home anymore. During the visit to the hospital, the doctor tells Cynthia her mother needs to change her eating habits, either that or basically die. Elaine serves up attitude obviously out of denial. While Elaine is being treated at the hospital, Cynthia makes several calls to her brother asking him to come down to see about his mother. He ignores them.

When Push Comes to Shove continues on we meet Butch, Cynthia's husband. It is very evident that this man does not care about his wife and their newborn child. He has problems but Cynthia, for some reason does not see the clear picture. When her husband gets arrested and goes to jail, Cynthia goes straight to her mother to ask for bail money. Her brother ends up loaning it to her. Cynthia is in shock when the arresting officer tells her Butch was brought in because he was buying drugs. Once they return home, Cynthia wants answers from her husband. But he is livid and crazed, looking for his next high. From this point on, things really heat up in the Clark household. Will this marriage survive when push comes to shove?

This is the first Earl Sewell book I have read. When Push Comes to Shove is not a book I would necessarily read; but, I do not mind moving from my genre comfort zone. I actually enjoyed the aspect of the book when Elaine finally began speaking about her life. Cynthia was able to see that her mother had gone through similar experiences. In that, she saw her mother as a relatable figure. There was a section that I read which put me off to continuing the book, but as an avid reader I continued on. Thankfully, the character found her way out of that situation. For the most part, Cynthia Clark was a confused woman. She just never seemed to make the right decisions, at least ones that were honorable.

The way that this book jumped around was interesting. There were moments when the main character was reminiscing about how she got into a particular situation and there were moments when the years progressed quickly. In When Push Comes to shove, there were definitely instances that will have readers yelling at the characters to not do something or to get out of a situation. The book was a pleasurable read. Since When Push Comes to Shove embodies so many different genres, there are parts of this book for everyone to relate to and delight in.

Reviewer: Chantay W.
APOOO BookClub

I disagree with the reviewer who had no sympathy for Cynthia. Why because I have a good friend who married at this age to get away from a dysfunctional family. She didn't go through some of things that Cynthia went through but she was just as naive and allowed folks to run over her out of fear of being not liked or loved by doing things that were out of character but out of need to survive. This story will affect a lot of folks who can relate to what Cynthia went through and how she overcame it all and became stronger for it. Yes, she did some stupid things to some but we have all done some stupid things to try and cope 'When Push Comes To Shove'. Great title for a fantastic book!

When Push comes to Shove is another great novel written by Sewell and will have you wanting to read more.

Cynthia, once a naive, stubborn young woman dealt with everything from being beaten by her first true love to being betrayed by family. Cynthia, along with her family, finds herself caught in the middle of her scandalous and inconsiderate brother,Victor, and his debts. All of her disappointments leaves her with a cold and bitter towards men...that is until she meets Bryan. Will Bryan be able to earn Cynthia's trust?

Sewell has earned his spot on my bookshelf. When Push Comes to Shove is is by far, my favorite novel by Sewell. Keep up the good work and get busy writing!

If you are a Earl Sewell fan you will not be disappointed! He captivates the reader's attention with an emotional thriller that will tug at your heart strings. He smoothly guides you into the lives of the main character Cynthia and her family, her struggles of becoming a single mother after discovering her husband has a drug addiction. And if that isn't enough, her coniving brother's illegal activities turns the family's lives upside down.