Review of Destiny Lingers by Rolonda Watts

    I must issue a disclaimer: Rolonda is a friend of mine. But I don't think I'm being biased when I say you will like this story. Rolonda as, Maya Angelou says, is a good writer and a good story teller. She pays great attention to the very fine details of life. Her description of the perfect martini is mouthwatering. A woman wiping excess lipstick off the corners of her mouth after application is visual art. The nuances of the culture of women's restrooms in night clubs.

    Character development is fantastic. The cheating husband got on my motherfuckin' nerves. Not just because he was unfaithful to Destiny, but because he's a rude asshole. I wondered why she liked him in the first place.

    This is a juicy story. That bitch Eve got the choking and hair-snatching she so richly deserved.

    I like how Rolonda refers to the sun and the sea as "she". The ocean is "frisky", but "nowhere near the pouty little girl she was last night." Or "Mother Ocean."

    This is a good drama, it has everything. Racism, kidnapping, hostages, shooting, island life, hurricanes, infidelity, and taboo love. I was caught up in the story right away.

    It's a good thing Destiny has her good friends, Kat, with her colorful language, and Hope who keeps her grounded. Though, I had to remind myself that the story is set in a time before cell phones.

    I haven't read a romance novel in a long time. I would probably read them more often if they had characters like Kat, who say things like, "Girl, you better getcho happy ass off that island!"

See what I mean?