Synopses & Reviews
The irony of a divorce-court judge getting divorced herself is not lost on Vanessa Colton-Kirk. After all, she's seen everything in her notorious Houston courtroom, where she's presided over the breakup of countless unhappy and disillusioned couples. Even her own sister, Dionne, is dealing with a relationship drama of her own, a betrayal that's left Dionne hungry for revenge on the man she hoped to marry. But when career-driven Vanessa chooses to work late on the night of her fifth wedding anniversary, her husband, Thomas, decides he's had enough of her putting work before starting the family he so desperately wants -- and he tells her he wants out.
In a last-ditch effort to save the marriage, their own judge orders Vanessa and Thomas to attend a spiritual retreat. She goes -- but not without a fight. And just when she thinks she's won, fate steps in and helps her see things in a whole new light. Now Vanessa and her sister face the toughest choices of their lives. Can Dionne untangle herself from a payback plan gone horribly wrong? Can Vanessa rebuild a bond that she had a big part in destroying? Will she learn from her own mistakes and her years of experience on the bench? Or will she need something else to keep a tide of bitterness from taking over her life?
Synopsis
#1 national bestselling author ReShonda Tate Billingsley goes to the heart of a marriage on the rocks--and turns one woman's anger and heartbreak into a triumph of the spirit. The irony of a divorce-court judge getting divorced herself is not lost on Vanessa Colton-Kirk. After all, she's seen everything in her notorious Houston courtroom, where she's presided over the breakup of countless unhappy and disillusioned couples. Even her own sister, Dionne, is dealing with a relationship drama of her own, a betrayal that's left Dionne hungry for revenge on the man she hoped to marry. But when career-driven Vanessa chooses to work late on the night of her fifth wedding anniversary, her husband, Thomas, decides he's had enough of her putting work before starting the family he so desperately wants--and he tells her he wants out.
In a last-ditch effort to save the marriage, their own judge orders Vanessa and Thomas to attend a spiritual retreat. She goes--but not without a fight. And just when she thinks she's won, fate steps in and helps her see things in a whole new light. Now Vanessa and her sister face the toughest choices of their lives. Can Dionne untangle herself from a payback plan gone horribly wrong? Can Vanessa rebuild a bond that she had a big part in destroying? Will she learn from her own mistakes and her years of experience on the bench? Or will she need something else to keep a tide of bitterness from taking over her life?
Synopsis
Award-winning and "Essence"-bestselling author Billingsley pens an inspiring new novel about love and finding strength during the most difficult of times.
Synopsis
#1 national bestselling author ReShonda Tate Billingsley goes to the heart of a marriage on the rocks—and turns one womans anger and heartbreak into a triumph of the spirit. No-nonsense divorce-court judge Vanessa Colton-Kirk has seen it all, presiding over the breakup of countless unhappy and disillusioned couples in her Houston courtroom. But now career-driven Vanessa is facing her own marriage crisis: when she chooses to work late on the night of her fifth wedding anniversary, her husband, Thomas, decides hes had enough of her putting work before starting the family he so desperately wants—and he tells her he wants out.
Thomas has a few more bombshells for Vanessa before they are court-ordered to attend a spiritual retreat. She goes—but not without a fight, and determined to emerge the victor. Then a twist of fate helps her see things in a whole new light, and Vanessa must face the hard questions: Can she rebuild a bond that she had a big part in destroying? Have her years on the bench made her wiser—or just bitter? Can she open her heart to the renewing power of love and forgiveness?
About the Author
ReShonda Tate Billingsley is the #1 national bestselling author of numerous novels for adults, as well as the Good Girlz teen series. She has won many awards for her journalism and fiction, including the Nova Lee Nation Award from the Greater Dallas Writing Association, the prestigious Gold Pen Award for Best New Author for her first novel, My Brother’s Keeper, and the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work—Fiction for Say Amen, Again. Her short fiction appears in the story anthology Have a Little Faith. She is also the author of the nonfiction book Help! I’ve Turned Into My Mother. ReShonda welcomes readers to her websites at ReShondaTateBillingsley.com.
Reading Group Guide
Questions for Discussion 1. Discuss the role of forgiveness in the novel. How do Vanessa and Dionne deal with the rough times in their romantic relationships, when they must learn to forgive their men? How do Roland, Henry, and Thomas deal with forgiveness when the tables are turned?
2. In one of the many sermons Aunt Ida delivers to her girls, she tells Dionne that "a man's only gonna do what you allow him to do, and you allowed him to play you..." (26) How was Dionne "played" by Roland? Do you agree with Aunt Ida that she allowed this to happen? Why or why not?
3. Rosolyn takes a turn at preaching when she comments to Dionne, "I don't know why we women do that....We get mad at our man cheating and want to jump the woman." (91) Why do you think Dionne and Vanessa feel anger toward Tasha and Alana instead of directing it at their men? Do you think that Rosolyn's assessment holds true in the real world?
4. Discuss Aunt Ida's advice to Vanessa and Dionne. What does she mean when she tells Vanessa to "get right with God"? (168) Is she right when she says, "Seeking revenge only deepens the hole in your heart"? (106)
5. Do you agree with Aunt Ida that everything good happens in God's time? What does the book seem to say about this belief?
6. "Get to know Dionne. Fall in love with Dionne. Then maybe you won't have a problem getting someone else to love you as well." (85) Rosolyn gives this advice to Dionne. Do you think that Dionne follows it? If so, how?
7. Dionne's friends and family make it clear throughout the novel that they don't like Roland. Do you think they are justified in their dislike? Do you agree with Dionne that Roland really loved her, or do you agree with her friends and family that he didn't?
8. Was Dionne right to seek revenge using her knowledge of Roland's business dealings? Would you have done the same thing in her shoes? How do you feel about the illegal actions Vanessa took to ensure the speedy finalization of her divorce?
9. Did your opinion of Rosolyn change after you learned the truth about her marriage? Did you gain or lose respect for Henry after his secret was revealed?
10. Throughout the book, Vanessa denies that she has contributed to the deterioration of her marriage. What do you think keeps her from acknowledging her role in the breakup? Has she realized her mistakes by the book's end or does she still hold Thomas accountable for their problems?
11. From the moment they meet, Vanessa is captivated by Shelly and the poems that the girl writes. What qualities about Shelly attract Vanessa to her?
12. Were you expecting the book to end like it did? Do you agree with Vanessa's and Thomas's final decisions? What do you think Dionne's future holds?