Living Right On Wrong Street
Titus Pollard
ISBN: 9781601629692
Urban Christian Books
Reviewed By Latonya Franklin

Official Apex Reviews Rating: 


Joseph Bertram Wright is living the charmed life. After struggling to get their fledgling real estate firm off the ground, he and his business partner, Delvin Storm, suddenly attain meteoric success of astronomical proportions, culminating with a feature on the cover of Black Enterprise Magazine. Blessed with a beautiful, devoted wife, the respect of his peers, and a financial status the likes of which he could have never imagined, Joseph is soon enjoying the kind of life that others spend their entire lives dreaming of.

But Joseph isn't nicknamed "Job" for nothing, and, just as fast as his success comes to him, it departs just as quickly, and he soon undergoes countless trials that leave him and his wife, Monica, reeling. The source of his downfall? The shady, underhanded dealings of Delvin, who engages in reckless criminal activity behind Job's back with the corporate earnings they worked so hard to obtain. For his illicit actions, Delvin ends up behind bars – but not without a lasting grudge against Job, who emerges from the scandal relatively scot-free, not having to serve jail time or have his liberties curtailed in the same manner.

Looking to start over, Job and Monica relocate to Phoenix, Arizona, where Job secures a job as a high school teacher and Monica herself obtains gainful employment at a plush golf resort. Just as the couple's fortunes appear to be on the upswing, though, their lives, both collectively and individually, are severely tested by threats from within and without their marriage as sinister forces from the past and present remain resolved to exact some form of payback for wrongs not yet made right…

Such is the focus of Living Right On Wrong Street, the aptly titled new work from Titus Pollard. Through the ups and downs of the Wrights' union, Pollard effectively takes the reader on a vicarious ride of just how difficult life can be, no matter how "rightly" you think you're living it. Despite the conviction of Monica's faith and the steadfastness of Job's loyalty to her, the couple often struggles with the basic elements of trust and communication, which are the keys to any successful relationship. True, even though some of their wounds are self-inflicted, there is no healing balm like what honesty and forthrightness can provide, and Pollard illustrates that point both directly and indirectly throughout each of the various episodes that the Wrights endure.

More than just granting a panoramic view of relationship dynamics, though, Living Right On Wrong Street is also a stirring testament to the power of salvation. Whether in the redemption of the Wrights' marriage or the ultimate submission of Delvin's vengeful spirit, the reader is exposed to the real consequences that the damning spirits of spite and selfishness can foster, as well as just how liberating true forgiveness can be.

Fans of the Christian Fiction genre will surely find Living Right On Wrong Street an engrossing and edifying read, as well as look for more from this promising new literary talent.