Mom's The Word (Steeple Hill Cafe) (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

When her tall, dark, delicious husband joins their three kids in calling her "Mom," Karol Simons has an identity crisis. Sure she loves the pint-sized trio, but what's happened to her dreams of writing a novel? Determined to have it all, she turns to her neighbor for help.

Dyanne Thornton is thrilled to stand in as Mom for three weeks so Karol can write. Bursting with baby fever, the career-woman trades her glamorous clothes and four-inch heels for the playground and potty training. She hopes to convince her reluctant husband they should start a family of their own, right away.

Everyone's in for some big surprises....

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

About the Author

Marilynn Griffith is the author of eight novels including the Shades of Style series and the Sassy Sistahood series. Her novels have been featured in Charisma Magazine, Black Expressions Book Club, and Black Issues Book Review. Other credits include Chicken Soup for the Christian Woman's Soul, Cup of Comfort Devotionals and Momsense Magazine. She also serves as president of the recently formed SistahFaith Communications, LLC.

Raped at the age of thirteen and a first-time mother at age fourteen, Marilynn was all too familiar with secrecy and shame. But after becoming a Christian and marrying a good man, she now encourages women to lay aside the shame of secrecy and shares a message of hope and healing.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Steeple Hill (January 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373786417
• ISBN-13: 978-0373786411
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,175,021 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mom... Mom! Mom?, August 11, 2009

By	Sharel Love "Sharel E. Gordon-Love, Author" (Plainfield, NJ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Author Marilyn Griffith has penned a novel that captures whatt all mothers have felt at some point in their lives raising their children. If only the children did not say "Mom" for just a little while, mothers will not have to worry about who does not have something, need something, want something or all three. In addition to the children, motherhood is sometimes hard to balance with marriage and all the other things that come with running a household.

Karol and Rob Simons had to adjust to the fact that their next-door neighbors and best friends moved away, not to mention, the new couple who bought their home was destroying long held memories and fellowship built between the two families. Karol's safety net and support of her friends was gone, and doubt as to whether she could handle motherhood alone was put to the test. It seemed her three children were calling her more often, and the break she was used to receiving when the children would go next door was gone. How would she ever pull it together?

Once the new neighbors moved in, being neighborly would become another challenge for the Simon family, but God had a way of smoothing the waters, opening doors and making ways that neither family could have possibly imagined. They would soon come to learn that God had His hand in their lives and the lives of other family and friends all along, even through Karol's three-week hiatus from motherhood.

I really enjoyed the poetry throughout the book that allowed readers to feel what Karol was feeling as she grew and was strengthened through her trials and victories. I recommend this book to all others who have felt the need to take a break, if only for a little while, from the word "mom." At the end of the day, we learn to appreciate the blessings we have received (our children), and pray that we nurture the gifts that God has placed in each of them.


Review by Sharel E. Gordon-Love
APOOO BookClub

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I need a break..., July 15, 2009

By	Renee Williams "Renee Williams" (Huntsville, TX United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Karol Simmons, a stay at home mother, is at her wit's end! She has three rambunctious children who demand majority of her time, so finding moments of peace or precious time for herself to pursue her dreams are becoming a distant memory. When her next door neighbor and close friend Hope moves away, that adds to Karol's distress. It doesn't help matters any that the new neighbor is nothing like Hope.
Dyanne, Karol's new neighbor, is a career woman with a plan for her life and she intends to follow it to the letter, and no situation, person or circumstance will stop her. The friendship between Karol and Dyanne gets off to a rocky start. But thanks to Karol's children, eventually a stronger bond is formed; a bond that opens their eyes to the realization that they both must step out of the way and allow God's plans to unfold in their lives.
Even though Marilynn Griffith has several published novels under her literary belt, Mom's the Word was my first read by her. The story started slow for me, and I really didn't care for the poetry interspersed throughout. However, after the first few chapters, I became totally immersed in this novel. Griffith manages to capture the life and times of any mother who has felt unloved, unappreciated and just downright overwhelmed. She then takes those emotions and turns them into a testament of what can be achieved when God is allowed to show up and show out in our lives.

~~Renee Williams, a freelance reviewer at All the Buzz, is the CEO of Literary Signature Services, an event planning business specializing in literary gifts and events for authors, as well as the promotional assistant for TheGRITS.com

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Marilynn Hits a Homerun with Mom's the Word, January 13, 2009

By	Saved "Loves to Read Must be God" (Chicago) - See all my reviews

Mom's The Word


Mom's the Word takes us inside the life of Karol Simmons and her family. The characters are three dimensional, jumping off the page into your heart. This is the story of a mature love between a man and woman with some very interesting children. We see the impact of intense friendships and the necessity of moving on to the unknown. New neighbors create new challenges, but provide a chance to see God working in everyone to bring about His plan for their purpose. The book is hard to put down as Marilynn gives us a glimpse into the world of writing and publishing. The twists and turns she delivers keep this from being just another quick read. Marilynn forces us to take a look at ourselves while we meet some new folks from her amazing creative mind. Through poetry and a strong story we get a glimpse of Marilynn's heart, which is not unlike our own.