Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Can Love Conquer All?!!, September 3, 2008
"From Dusk To Dawn", is an ENGAGING debut novel by Niambi Brown Davis. With her first novel, she skillfully ENTERTAINS, educates and/or informs us with some "real-life" relationship issues; such as age difference, religious beliefs, feminine health, and family interference throughout. The cast of characters, main and secondary, are CAPTIVATING and memorable. When Ayodele Montgomery and Bilal Abdul-Salaam first meet the attraction is instant and VOLATILE. After their disastrous first encounter, fate intervenes; they meet AGAIN, and this time they HIT it off. Unfortunately their budding romance is filled with several conflicts, which they MUST attempt to work through in order to hopefully have a HAPPILY-EVER-AFTER. I was CAUGHT UP in this INTRIGUING and EMOTIONALLY charged journey with Ayo, Bilal, their family and their circle of friends. Ms. Davis provides very DETAILED and VIVIDLY descriptive passages of all the issues surrounding this couple. And she also throws in some SURPRISING twists and turns, that will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Although the romance and the intimate encounters are minimal, the few that exist are very sweet and PASSIONATE. I enjoyed this debut novel and consider it a worthwhile read. KUDOS, Ms. Davis!
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
From Dust To Happily Ever After, April 11, 2008
Niambi Brown Davis introduces readers to the life of Ayo Montgomery in From Dusk to Dawn. Ayo is mother of a college-aged son and she is a very successful entrepreneur of unique bath and body products. Having lost her husband twenty years earlier in an accident, she believes her life is complete and fulfilling.
On the recommendation of a friend, Ayo solicits the help of Bilal Abdul Salaam, an appraiser, to give her an estimate on her antique furniture. Bilal, with the complexion of dark maple syrup and the body of a gladiator, proved to be more than she was expecting. As sparks began to ignite between the two, they immediately took offense with each other. Days later, they realized they could not stop the attraction that had begun to pull them together.
Davis weaves a very interesting story of romance. As the characters become acquainted, they must face the stereotype of older woman/younger man syndrome and religious differences along with issues from family, friends and children. Davis does a wonderful job with her descriptive narrative, which puts the reader in the center of the story. She also gives wonderful explanation of the various religious practices of the Muslim faith that are unfamiliar to most people. I only wished she gave a little bit more romance between the characters. This book will definitely be recommended to everyone that enjoys a happy and loving ending.
Reviewed by: Priscilla C. Johnson
APOOO BookClub
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Edwina's review of From Dusk to Dawn, May 25, 2008
Niambi Brown Davis has masterfully crafted her storylines and characters into an awesome debut novel that is a "must read". Ayo and Bilal get off to an antagonistic start, but neither is able to shake the other from their thoughts. Thanks to a chance encounter, they reconnect and sparks fly. Love blossoms, but just as seasons change and the petals fall from the blossoms, so does the course of love for Ayo and Bilal find that true love is not without fallout. The first time Ayo meets Bilal's family is reminiscent of Stella meeting Winston's family in "How Stella Got Her Groove Back", but it carries over much longer in From Dusk to Dawn", impacting Ayo and Bilal's relationship in a much more profound way. I loved the way Ms. Brown gave us all of the problems that would be encountered in a Muslim-Christian, older woman/younger man, never-married vs single parent type of relationship. She didn't circumvent any of those obstacles in addition to developing the normal problems in a relationship. The dialogue was entirely realistic and the climax and resolution (I'm talking plot everybody) was poignant. So, Ms. Davis, when is your next book?"
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