Patricia Reid and Gayle Saunders have been best friends
since childhood. They've weathered the storms of life
together—except for that ten year period when they didn't
speak at all. But that's behind them. Now, their growing
doll company, for all its professional blessings, tests
them personally in ways that will bend, and maybe break,
the bonds of friendship.
Can Patricia continue to focus all her attention on the
Ell & Me Company only to ignore Marcus's desire to start a
family? What is she really afraid of? Can Gayle continue
to take on the guilt of Ramsey's departure and Vanessa's
subsequent abuse in silence?
GOTTA KEEP TRYIN' is a sequel that definitely stands on
its own. I didn't read the preceding book yet I had no
problem getting to know the characters and the ins and
outs of their lives. Ms. DeBerry and Ms. Grant have a
light, enticing yet sassy style such that the words wrap
themselves around and pull in the reader, like a down home
hug from a long lost friend. When I should have been
doing other things, all I wanted to do was turn the pages
of this book. At one point, I found myself frustrated by
Patricia's failure to deal with her marital issues while
the story focused primarily on Gayle. But I realized that
the story split paralleled some of the conflict between
the characters, in terms of the amount of attention given
to each character, a masterful touch.
I first read these authors some years ago but got away
from them. Shame on me! I'll be keeping up with the
writings of Ms. DeBerry and Ms. Grant from now on.
From the bestselling authors of Tryin' to Sleep in the
Bed You Made comes a heartwarming tale of how true
friendship can overcome life's obstacles.
Gayle
Saunders and Patricia Reid have been lifelong friends, as
close as sisters. When they were teens their dreams led them
down separate paths and away from each other. But they
reunited as adults, drawn back together by a bond of
friendship that stood the test of time.
Now Pat and Gayle
co-own the Ell & Me Company, a business they founded based
on a character Gayle created years ago for her daughter.
Things are going well, but real-life dramas ensue as each
must face issues from the past in order to protect the
future.
Pat and Marcus look like the perfect
twenty-first-century couple -- smart, talented, each at the
helm of a high-profile enterprise and at the top of their
game. But behind closed doors their marriage is challenged
by the stresses of a two-entrepreneur household. Will their
professional pursuits leave them time for each other and a
family, or carry them into the arms of others? Will a
paternity claim prove to be too much of an obstacle to
overcome?
Gayle faces her own family drama and struggles
to maintain control of her life. Despite dating other men,
has she ever really gotten over her ex-husband, Ramsey, the
gambler who left her and their daughter, Vanessa, in
financial ruin? Gayle bends over backward to provide a
stable, comfortable home for Vanessa, and support her dream
of becoming a dancer. And Vanessa, a rebellious and hurtful
teen, seems just as devoted to making Gayle pay for every
mistake she has ever made. And what ever happened to
Ramsey?
In Gotta Keep on Tryin', Virginia DeBerry
and Donna Grant bring us heroines who remind you, for better
and worse, of women everywhere -- women who know that true
friendship keeps us grounded. And when things get rough the
bond between women can be stronger than any trials we face.