What Readers Are Saying!
November 29th, 2008
I do hope everyone had a festive Thanksgiving! Now, it’s on to buying and wrapping gifts for your family and friends. With the economy what it is, big item purchases are on a sharp decline and everyone is feeling the pinch. Might I interest you in one of the following romance novels? Other People’s Business, The Trouble With Luv, Her Kind of Man, or Love T.K.O? They’ll make great stocking stuffers and won’t break the bank! This is what people are saying about this years releases.
***Keren Childers from Romance In Color wrote: (Love T.K.O. 4++)
Yasmin Ohaji is an educated marriage counselor . She’s sophisticated and loves helping the less fortunate; but she doesn’t date and little time for herself. She finally takes her sister’s advice and goes on a blind date only to see it was a mistake. While at the restaurant she runs into problems with some men only to be rescued by this gorgeous hunk. Reshawn Bishop is having a business dinner with some clients when he observes a commotion. Both Yasmin and he are at a loss of words by the immediate chemistry they have. Will two people from totally different sides of the track find true love?
Ms. Yaye introduces two discriminating characters in her book. Yasmin Ohaji is a very talented, smart woman who has been through tragedy and is afraid to love again. She comes from an upper middle class family with money. Rashawn Bishop is a boxer who’s been through rough times growing up. His mother worked hard for him and his brothers, and his father was not always around. Rashawn is ambitious and knows what he wants and goes after it.
I didn’t think these two could be compatible at all, but Ms. Yaye pulled this off. Yasmin is a bit controlling, but has a kindred spirit and looks like a Nubian princess. Her character is fascinating. Rashawn is, by far, a man after a woman’s heart. He’s fine, a charmer and knows how to work his skills on a woman. He knew Yasmin was out of his league but, it didn’t stop him from pursuing her; and he did an excellent job doing it. Their chemistry together is magnificent. I kept rooting for them to work out their differences. I wanted these two to make it happen.
The phrase “opposites attract” is true in this situation. The storyline is excellent, the pace is on point and the plot connects very well to the characters. It definitely keep you turning pages, anxious to see what’s going to happen next. The love scenes come toward the end and add fuel to the fire. The secondary characters bring the energy needed to keep the story flowing. Rashawn’s family is energetic; they definitely come from a different background and I could relate to their story. Yasmin’s family is articulate, educated, and caring; I enjoyed all of them.
I commend Ms. Yaye on an excellent read. LOVE T.K.O is a must read.
***Debbie Sims from Romantic Times said: (Love T.K.O. 4 Stars)
Pamela Yaye does a great job of contrasting her characters’ personalities with their professions in Love T.K.O. (4). The story is entertaining, moves quickly and allows readers to see how difficult it can be to reconcile one’s past experiences with one’s present-day life. Family counseling consumes Yasmin Ohaji’s life. She spends her days listening to people complain about each other and is unknowingly affected by it. Up-and-coming boxer Rashawn Bishop is a source of pride for his mother and a meal ticket for his brothers. Despite his profession, he’s gentle and caring and defies his manager and Yasmin herself to be with her. But Yasmin doesn’t trust easily, so Rashawn has his work cut out for him. When he finally has what he’s been fighting for, he must decide if it’s what he truly wants.
***A Review posted on Barnes and Noble: (5 Stars)
I am so enthused that I have gotten the opportunity to read this book. This was an amazing and charming story. It had so much character and thoughtfulness to it that I didn’t want it to end. The two main characters Rashawn and Yasmin were so good together that you didn’t pick-up or they didn’t let show that they were totaled opposites. I felt their love and passion for one another and the sparks was definitely in the pages.
I also enjoyed the secondary characters such as Yasmin’s sister Imani. She was such a trip. She added a flavor to the story and I liked how she was not only Yasmin’s sister, but also a great best friend that let Yasmin see another momentary look in the different situations that arose for her. Furthermore, I loved the manly presence Rashawn had in the story. I appreciated how he treated Yasmin as a queen and how he never gave his dream up of becoming a world renowned boxer. In my opinion, the fact that Rashawn had a condition really didn’t bring anything to the story and I wish it could have been emphasized more. I can understand and accept that he wanted a career and he will do what is necessary to succeed. I also agreed with Yasmin to some extent, but not to the point where she will want to break-up with Rashawn for it.
In addition, Rashawn is a man I would want to have. He was not the typical male character that I have read in a story. He brought substance in the story because Yasmin was so surprised that she would fall for a guy like him. Some reviewers may think she was a snob, but I think she was a delightful character with a giving heart. Out of the three other books that Pamela Yaye has written, Yasmin was the best. I really thought she was going to get on my nerves and make me want to skip pages because I thought she was going to just make Rashawn wait and wait for him to give up the chase. It really felt incredible when she finally let Rashawn in her life. She let someone else in after Eric’s death in which I thought Eric wasn’t right for her anyway. I thank Pamela Yaye for not dragging Eric in this book because that would make five stars turn into two star rating. I really hope that I can read a story on Imani or Katherine that would be interesting to see what Pamela Yaye would do with these two characters. Pamela Yaye, keep up the good work!
* **A Review by Misherald “Missy” Brown: (5 stars)
LOVE T.K.O is a refreshing novel that reminds us of what love is really about. Pamela Yaye does it again bringing two individuals from different world into a blissful relationship.
Dr Yasmin Ohaji is a South African beauty who is a popular marriage therapist who has worked her self into a place that romance does not fit into her life but when she meets Rashawn Bishop after he came to her rescue she finds herself fighting the temptations that he presents. Rashawn Bishop is an up and coming boxer in Miami when he comes across Yasmin he sense that she is a woman that he wants in his life. When a group of young men steps to her improperly, he steps in and saves her from having to become unruly. After taking time to really get to know her he finds himself unable to focus because he wants her.
The couple run into some bumps in the road when assumptions are made instead of talked about but when Yasmin relives a part of her past she begins to react in a manner that sends Rashawn into his corner and he does what any man would do he comes out fighting. The relationship takes a rocky turn but as always Pamela finds a way to conclude the relationship with happiness.
Pamela Yaye had me rooting for Rashawn from the beginning of the book as well as wanting to see Yasmin happy. She brings back the idea of what a relationship should really be about and how a man should treat a woman. LOVE T.K.O is defiantly one of my top reads this year.
***A Reviewer at SisterFriendBookClub (4 Sistah Hugs)
Wickedly naughty, erotic, hot, passionate, and juicy to the very last drop! For the hopelessly romantic, this book is for you. In this tale, a love affair emerges between two people who could not be more different. Her Kind of Man touches on a very sensitive subject: self-image. The main character, Makayla Stevens, was overweight during her teen years, and although she was a knockout by the time she met her prince charming, she still battled with some self-image issues.I truly enjoyed reading this book, and I would highly recommend it because it was ummm..ummm…good!