CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT
RHONDA JACKSON JOSEPH
ISBN:(13)9780979430503/(10)097943050X
March 2007
Tea and a Tome Publishing
P.O. Box 14804, Houston, Texas 77221-4804
Trade Paperback
$14.95
266 pages
Contemporary
Rating: 3 Cups

Cishawn "CeeCee" Simpson is a school teacher who is an interior designer on her summer vacations. The only problem is, this summer she happens to catch the Chicken Pox as an adult. As a very independent woman of color, she is not about to let anyone help her thru her sickness, let alone a brotha who she still has feelings for.

Tonzell "T.J." Jones is best man at his friend's wedding when he sees her; CeeCee, the one that got away from him in college seven years before. He has kept up on her life from all their mutual friends, but he has never seen her since that one night they got together and had the best sex of their lives.

Shawn cannot bear being around T.J., but she can feel herself just ripening with him so close to her after all these years apart. She is so outspoken and aggressive she scares off most men, or those that cling she has to get rid of, and fast. Unfortunately at their best friend's wedding both T.J. and CeeCee are together once more when she is sick and can just barely make it thru the wedding and the reception. T.J. decides since he is the obvious choice he will escort her home and make sure she is okay before leaving. The problem is, with all their friends leaving after the wedding for vacations and honeymoons there is no one else to really care for her except him, especially when it is discovered she has Chicken Pox and cannot be around anyone for at least two full weeks. The fun is now just about to begin when he remembers why they never got together again after their one night together all those years ago. She is a mighty fine woman with a big mouth and a wide defensive streak to fend off anyone that shows real compassion or desire, especially Tonzell.

I liked this story, but I found it a bit confusing with the first person constantly changing from Shawn to T.J. and back again, wondering who was talking about whom at times. That aside, it is a very good book and has a very good message for everyone. Sometimes we ladies, myself included, might be a bit too independent and let us want or need to rely on a man for anything, other than sex of course, that is a given. This has a very definite flava to it so it should appeal to all readers of that genre. I know I do not like to be beholden to anyone but to have someone care and watch out for us makes us feel special. This shows us the extreme emotions on both sides; male and female and how in the end to make love work we come to a compromise.

Lainey
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance
Reviewer for Karen Find Out About New Books