Four Guys and Trouble (Hardcover)

by Marcus Major (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
If you guessed Major's (Good Peoples) second novel would be just another "brotha-friend" saga, you guessed right but it's one of the better entries in the genre, crafted with a sense of style, insight, fun and a twist. A typical cast of four African-American male buddies live in a hothouse of sex, temptation, betrayal and false machismo. The friends Colin, Mike, Dexter and Ibn are a cross-section of black manhood, each with his own strengths and weaknesses, most of the latter manifested in their relationships with women. The young men have sworn to look after Erika, sister of a recently deceased friend, but lust lurks just below the surface as the 24-year-old medical student comes into her own as a woman. Ibn, the womanizer of the group, is comfortably established with his lover, Tiffany, in an exclusive neighborhood yet his roving eye keeps getting him into trouble. Health-conscious Dexter has found God after getting his steady, Denise, pregnant, and prays steadfastly for a miscarriage. The other two guys, Colin and Mike, are seeking to solve problems with their relationships as well, wondering if their pals are right to tease them about their timid ways with women. Major, unlike many of his fellow writers, is careful to pepper his melodrama with thoughtful discussions of serious contemporary social issues such as unwanted pregnancies and parental responsibility, making his points without excessive preaching. Entertaining, hip and charming but often as sexist as its title and slight where it shouldn't be Major's sophomore effort works best when he takes the reader into his characters' inner worlds and relies less on extended dialogue.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
When four young men make a pledge to their dying fraternity brother to take care of his little sister, Bunches, a delightful story unfolds. Each of these successful African American men takes his responsibility as a brother seriously, giving gifts and advice as well as compliments and scolding. As Bunches matures from their friend's little sister into a young woman, the men find it increasingly difficult to accept her independence. Ibn, the consummate lady's man, learns the hard way that the old double standard is only true for those who choose to believe it. Colin, the henpecked boyfriend, is dating a woman who uses negative energy to keep him in line. Michael, the romantic nice guy, rekindles a relationship with a college friend. Dexter, the man with the plan, is stopped in his tracks when his girlfriend becomes pregnant. But most central to all their lives is Bunches, the little sister that each of them loves. But, of course, she has to make her own love choices--even if all the "boys" do not agree. Lillian Lewis
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 309 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Adult (March 29, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525945687
• ISBN-13: 978-0525945680
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (93 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,574,562 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilariously Funny and Touching!, April 28, 2001

By	Yasmin Coleman (PENNSYLVANIA, USA) - See all my reviews

Marcus Major is back with his hilarious and entertaining second novel titled Four Guys and Trouble. Major's fresh and witty voice once again captivated me and held my attention 'til the very end. This book was such a delight to read that I finished it in one sitting.

In Four Guys and Trouble, Major introduces us to four young and very successful AA men who have much drama going on in their lives. Fraternity brothers (til the end) --Ibn, Colin, Dexter and Michael are bound by "frat" and by their love for "little sister" Erika aka Bunches. When Erika's older brother died the fraternity brothers promised him that they would help Erika's grandmother raise her. Erika is now grown, pursuing a promising career as a doctor and seeking her independence from the brothas...but they're not really trying to hear that. The brothas are as different as night and day but when it comes to Erika they have a vested interest and share the same creed/modus operandi--no male is going to get close enough to Erika if any of them can help it. Now mind you these brothas don't quite have their own personal houses in order...which is probably why they take such liberty in keeping the brothas who're interested in Erika in check and at bay.

Take Ibin, he's the eternal player; he's been living with his girlfriend, Tiffany for more years than some folks have been married but he has some extreme double standards. He figures since he showers Tiffany with expensive things such as a big house, fine jewelry, designer clothing and a nice ride that he can come and go as he pleases (uum he doesn't have a clue when he strolls in at 3:00am and Tiffany asks him to drop his pants...you will have to read the book just to experience this hilarious scene). Tiffany, of course, feels differently and she would give up all the material possessions if she could just be Ibn's one and only.

Colin is in love with Stacy but is she really in love with him? Colin is a guy who appears to have come out of his mother's womb with "dominate me/control me" written over his forehead. He's a good guy who it seems that everyone he's ever dealt with has stolen his heart and messed over him...uuummmm...including his mom. When will he ever learn to stand up to Stacy? Or will he find someone else who reciprocates his feelings?

Dexter appears to be a very religious brotha...at least a praying brotha. But why? Did I hear someone call "Daddy Dexter?" But Dexter isn't married, I wonder if that prayer had anything to do with him becoming a father. I wonder if he's really happy about becoming a father.

Michael is spending time with a former college friend who had quite a reputation when she was in school. Seems she's changed; she appears to have gotten saved in the last few years. And now rather than screaming "oh god, oh god" in the bedroom she's busy praising the Lord and trying to save her man. But will she hold Michael's interest?

While the boys are busy figuring out their lives, Bunches is growing up and moving on. She's falling in love and there's nothing they can do about it...or can they?

Four Guys and Trouble is a hilarious and entertaining look at friendship, loyalty, love and contemporary relationships. The characters are colorful and the dialogue is sharp and witty. Major paints a right-on observation about contemporary relationships. There are situations that will make you laugh out loud (lol), say "no they didn't go there" and others that will have you actually feeling empathy with the boys as they face soulstirring events. Major is back and his writing is strong (although at times the language might be a bit offensive/too candid for some). If you're looking for an entertaining, fast paced, vivacious page turner then I recommend Four Guys and Trouble for your reading pleasure. Yasmin M. Coleman

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just as good as "Good Peoples", January 16, 2001

By	Cydney Rax "rmn1994" (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews

"Four Guys and Trouble" is a unique and suitable title for Marcus Major's follow up to "Good Peoples." Ibn, Colin, Dexter, and Mike are friends who have taken on the task of overseeing a feisty and smart young lady called Bunches, the younger sister of a friend who died. They're also guys who talk plenty of noise about each other's business (like who the other is dating), and the guys are always eager to give their very graphic and impassioned viewpoints on the male/female relationship scene.

This book will keep you in stitches because there is page after page of hilarious lines and scenes. And although each character stands on his own, the amazingly arrogant and mouthy Ibn may garner the most attention; Ibn is a "character" in the true sense of the word who says and does some of the most outlandish things I've seen yet in print. The story is fast paced, filled with action, sex, romance, drama, and quite a few shockers. Simply put, fans of "Good Peoples" should find another winner in the unforgettable "Four Guys and Trouble".

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Definite Must READ!, May 23, 2001

By	Monica (Houston, Texas) - See all my reviews

I liked Good Peoples (Marcus major's first novel) but I love 4 Guys and Trouble! If you are looking for a book that is easy to read and is hard to put down, this is a definitely a must have! 4 Guys and Trouble is funny smart and offers a true to life depiction of friendship, love and relationships from a male perspective. But don't worry ladies, there is no female bashing here (or male bashing for that matter). It's simply a book that tells it how it is - the good, the bad, and the ugly- when it comes to both men and women.

Majors introduce Mike, Colin, Dexter, Ibn and of course Bunches. In the beginning, they are just characters, but by the end of the story, they are more like old friends. You'll understand Dexter's struggles, you'll pray that Colin gets a grip, you'll root for Bunches (she reminds me of the character, Scrappy, in the movie Rosewood who sets her eyes on Mister!) You'll fall in love with Mike, and you'll try with difficulty to hate Ibn, but find yourself liking him just because...

If I sound too excited, I can't help it - 4 Guys and Trouble is a book to get excited about! Read it, and I guarantee you'll be spreading the word about this book too. Cut up, Marcus Majors! Cut up!