Allreaders.com
Author Brenda Jackson booklist (click here)

Book Review By Sandra Calhoune
What A Woman Wants by Brenda Jackson

Faith Gilmore, Shannon Carmicheal and Monique Hardings are three best friends who are reeling from the suicide of their friend Cely. Although Cely left each of them letters before her suicide, none of the letters contained the reason for her sudden death. In order to bond and mourn their loss, the three African American friends decide to spend the summer living in a beach cottage on Hilton Head Island. It was on Hilton Head Island that the four friends formed their friendship as children. Faith, who is still jaded over her husband Virgil's homosexuality, desperately yearns for children of her own and a real relationship. When she meets sexy, 40 year old Shane Masters, who has recently purchased a vacation home on the island, she feels things she hasn't felt in years. Although attracted to Shane's brash charms, Faith has trouble letting her guard down after her ex-husband's betrayal. Shannon, who is a professor at Duke University, is all about sexual gratification and dating men who have achieved a certain status in life. Shannon practically melts when she meets gorgeous auto mechanic Adam Corbair. Never in her life has Shannon been so dangerously attracted to a member of the opposite sex. Although Shannon has the hots for Adam, she has no intention of dating a blue collar man. Shannon is only interested in having a summer fling with Adam, which she makes patently clear to him when she shows up announced at his place in sexy lingerie. Unbeknownst to Shannon, Adam is vacationing on the island and putting in a little work at his close friend's auto shop while in the area. In actuality, Adam is a well known Memphis attorney from a prestigious family. As Adam and Shannon burn up the sheets and forge a relationship, Shannon's beliefs about loving a man of a certain class are put to the test. Monique, who was widowed at a young age, has never managed to find a relationship that could hold a candle to her deceased husband. Monique's main summer goal is to train for a marathon while on Hilton Head. When Monique runs into her childhood friend Dr.Lyle Montgomery while running on the beach, it opens a door to a new, dynamic relationship. Although Lyle was friends with Monique's older brother, Lyle always nurtured a crush on young Monique. Lyle deliberately held off on stating his feelings for Monique in the past due to her young age. Unfortunately for Lyle, by the time he was ready to make his move, Monique was engaged to someone else. Lyle, who has never stopped loving Monique, is determined to show her that she can love again. Meanwhile, the three women strike up a friendship with a female doctor named Adrianna Ross-Fuller, who is living in the cottage next door. Adrianna, who is part Asian and part black, has a tie to the three woman of which they are unaware. Adrianna was the doctor who desperately tried to save Cely's life after her suicide. As the women find romance and passion during their summer hiatus they continue to explore the reasons behind Cely's death in order to move forward with their lives.


Plot & Themes
Time/era of story
Searching/Rekindling love? Yes
Lost Lover:
Inner struggle subplot Yes
Struggle with...
If one lover chases another... - they alternate

Main Male Character
Profession/status:
Age/status: - 20's-30's
Sex makes him
If he's not white he must be... - black

Main Female Character
Age/status: - 20's-30's
Profession/status:
Effect of sexing
If she's not white she must be... - black

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - Deep South
Misc setting - resort/hotel

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
What % of story is romance related? - 90%
How explicit is the sex? - vague references only - descript of kissing - touching of anatomy - licking - actual description of sex - Boob talk - Vagia talk - Weiner talk
Focus of story - many multiple characters
How much dialog - significantly more descript than dialog
How much sexing? - 3-4 sex acts
Back To Main Menu