Love Lessons
Terren Grimble
Madada Publishing
ISBN: 0974242306
Reviewed By Tracy Moore
Official Apex Reviews Rating: 
Love Lessons
reads like one of your favorite soap operas: a seemingly unending
roller coaster ride through peaks of drama and valleys of confusion,
all the while holding your breath in anticipation of the next sharp
turn just ahead…
Stacey Jackson is a senior finance major at
the esteemed Howard University. She has what every girls wants: a
supportive family, a promising career, and a handsome, charming
boyfriend, Patrick. Every one of her days is a living dream - but some
dreams eventually prove themselves too good to be true, and Stacey soon
finds this out the hard way. Having tragically lost his mother to
breast cancer, Patrick's grip on the world begins to unravel, and
things between him and Stacey soon reach a fevered pitch of rancor and
discord. Not sure just how much more she can take, Stacey starts to
reconsider if the prospect of staying with Patrick will maintain its
appeal...
Enter Ronnie Morgan, co-captain of the basketball
team: smart, musically-inclined - and, most importantly, possessing the
body of a god - he can have any girl he wants, and his eyes are
squarely on Stacey. As soon as the divide between her and Patrick
begins to widen, Ronnie gladly steps right in to fill the gap. The
chemistry between the two is instantaneous, and they're soon setting
off their own personal fireworks show every time they get together…
But
what would a good thing be without strings attached? Unbeknownst to one
another, both Stacey and Ronnie are harboring secrets from their past
that threaten to stunt their budding relationship before it even has a
chance to grow. As more and more of the truth is revealed, the young
lovers soon find themselves straining to hold fast to one another under
the weight of unimaginable new pressures - just how strong will their
newfound bond prove itself to be...?
Terren Grimble's tale of
lust, love, and lies is a fast-paced read that enlightens and
entertains. Like Terri McMillan before her, she takes you deep into the
mindsets of her protagonists, inspiring empathy for the decisions that
they make, regardless of whether or not they're doing the right thing.
Grimble does, though, also show the real consequences of deceit and
dishonesty, despite the fact that such acts are committed in the name
of love - giving new life to the old adage: "The road to hell is paved
with good intentions."
An impressive effort from an emerging literary talent. Be on the lookout for more from this engaging new author.
Official Apex Reviews Interview: Terren Grimble (Love Lessons)
Apex Reviews: Terren, thanks for joining us for this interview. We greatly appreciate having this opportunity to learn more about your book.
Terren Grimble: Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my debut novel with readers.
AR: First of all, the novel is very well-written, and the characters are very well-developed. How long did it take you to finish the manuscript?
TG: I actually started this story back in middle school. It basically started out as a short story about a girl who had a crush on a popular guy in school. Years later when I decided I was going to actually write the manuscript, it took about 6 months to complete the first draft. There were at least 5 additional drafts to follow over the next year or so. All in all, I would say it took a total of 2 years from start to finish.
AR: With all that he has going for him, why is Ronnie not a complete dog? Honestly, with all the women who want to get with him, how does manage to stay faithful to Stacey?
TG: Ronnie is fine, a star basketball player and can sing so he's never had a shortage of women after him. And like he's said, with so many women handing themselves to him on a silver platter, it was no way he would turn down all of them. But that doesn't make him a bad brother. Being faithful is a choice and when Ronnie found himself in love with Stacey, he made the choice to be faithful to her. The other women weren't an issue to him at that point.
AR: Despite how well things are going between her and Ronnie, why does Stacey wait so long before trying to break up with Patrick?
TG: Besides still harboring guilty feelings about having an abortion, Stacey felt obligated to try and stick by Patrick after his mother passed away. He always made her feel like she was the only person he could count on at that point in his life and though Stacey knew she wasn't in love with him any longer, she didn't want him to feel completely abandoned.
AR: Also, why does she hide what Patrick is doing to her for so long?
TG: Like with many women who are in abusive relationships, she feels ashamed. She never thought for a second that she would find herself in that situation.
AR: Do you personally condone the kind of low-key infidelity in which Ronnie and Stacey engage?
TG: I can't say I condone any kind of dishonestly in a relationship but I do understand how the situations can arise.
AR: Our reviewer noted a similarity between your writing style and that of Terri McMillan. Do you often get compliments like that?
TG: No, that is actually the first time I've heard that but I take it as a compliment. Terry McMillan is one of my favorite authors and I love her down-to-earth writing style.
AR: Love Lessons is your first novel. How does it feel to finally be in print?
TG: I was so excited to finally have the book in my hands! The first thing I did was sit down and read it. I wanted to see what it was like to read it as an actual book as opposed to sheets of loose paper.
AR: What kinds of reactions have you gotten to the book?
TG: I have had nothing but positive reactions to my book so far. Many readers like the positive images of the African American family as well as African American men.
AR: What's next on the horizon for you?
TG: I'm currently working on a sequel to Love Lessons where we will follow Stacey and Ronnie to Atlanta. We'll see how their relationship fares when the pressures of Stacey's job as well as Ronnie's skyrocketing singing career come into the equation. Will their true love survive?
AR: Any final thoughts you'd like to share with our readers?
TG: I hope everyone will go out and pick up a copy of Love Lessons. I know everyone will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
AR: Thanks again, Terren, and best of continued success to you in all your endeavors!