Missed Understandings

Have you ever had a a colleague at work that you enjoy spending your lunch breaks with? Or even laughed and joked with that person whilst shopping around for the latest deals in nearby shops?

Then out of the blue, the two of you clash over a trivial matter that on reflection doesn't mean as much as your daily friendship? Who knows, this new friction could be attributed to some form of office gossip or snide remark from a jealous bystander.

                     

Would you allow a sweater to come between you and your buddy?!

That exact scenario occurred at Christmas time in the novel Reindeer Wars by author Liese Sherwood-Fabre. Tina met a nice gentleman Brian at her workplace. Her budding interest in him turned to rage after seeing him bedecked in her sweater.

I completed this review on 8 September 2014.  I do encourage you to not let reality mirror fiction. It's only a sweater!  Here is my review:-

Reindeer Wars by Liese Sherwood-Fabre is a delightful romance surrounding Tina, a claims adjuster. Tina literally bumped into Brian Foster, a new salesman at the firm Judicious Insurance. Tina immediately felt an attraction to Brian. He invited Tina on a date which she accepted. Unknown to Brian, Tina was the reigning sweater queen. Each year at the Xmas party, Tina won the sweater competition. At the current Xmas party, Tina turned cold after seeing Brian in her sweater with the reindeer face affixed to it. She was livid with rage and assumed that Brian was the one who beat her bid on the auction website Ebids. Brian ended up winning the competition. Tina was deflated. Brian’s Aunt Sue, who met Tina, turned up at Tina’s door. Will her explanation be enough?

Reindeer Wars is an enjoyable book. The plot revolves around an office setting. The language is colloquial and easy to understand. I love the competition scenario in the book. What is also interesting is the competition within a competition as portrayed by the two main characters. This gives the reader an idea about the office politics of the firm. This book also portrays the thin line between love and hate that occurred with the two main characters. What is also evident is that misunderstandings can likely occur when persons make assumptions. Author Sherwood-Fabre cleverly displays this theme in her book. I also love the illustration of the reindeer on the cover. It is very colourful and endearing and blends in with the overall storyline. I love the traditional way that the characters dated for the first time. Nowadays, most persons have strayed away from really getting to know each other’s personality while dating. This a refreshing move on the part of the author. This book is a good read and one I recommend it to all lovers of romance.

Reviewed for Readers' Favorite

B Outstanding!

Are you feeling depressed? Do you think that you should hide behind closed doors and refuse to go into the city and buy yourself a nice cologne or a new dress?

It's time to take off those ungodly clothes that hide your stunning figure and start to approach your life with zest!  Just because you had a bad break in life does not mean that it is the end of the world!

Find a good friend that you can trust and get moving.  You can think about starting small and do a little jogging in the neighbourhood and get the blood pumping a bit.

Or you can visit that art exhibit you saw advertised in the newspaper and maybe meet a new friend!

Well, I am sure that it takes a lot of encouragement for persons who endured some form of abuse to seek help and slowly learn to love themselves again.  It is not easy to get out of the blame game and see life with rose coloured glasses again.  

The heroine in Stanley Buford's book entitled Selena You're Beautiful!was a victim of abuse.  Selena had difficulty bonding with her boyfriend Trent due to her hesitancy in opening up to him about what happened to her in her childhood. 

If you suffered abuse like Selena, I encourage you to seek help. Remember that you are special!

Here is my review which I completed on 7 September 2014:-

Selena, You’re Beautiful! is a short story focused on the issue of incest. Selena and her current boyfriend Trent went out for dinner one night. Trent realized that Selena was being rather distant with him and wasn’t letting him get close to her emotionally. She finally opens up and confides in him about her uncle who sexually assaulted her when she was young. When her father had to work long hours, he left her with his brother. Selena had also confided in a pastor at that time, but he only told her that she had to make a choice - either keep it a secret or confront both her uncle and her father. What will Trent's reaction be and how will Selena face the future?

Selena, You’re Beautiful! is an emotionally charged novel. Author Stanley Buford did a good job in highlighting the main character’s personal relationship. The language used is simple and the average reader can understand it. I love the beautiful picture of the female on the cover page. It really stands out. Despite the fact that the book only has two chapters, it is very interesting and revealing. As the adage says, good thing come in small packages. The sensitive topic that the author presented indicates his creative prowess. It was delicately handled and I appreciate his bold move in exposing this serious issue. The plot is easy to follow as well as being entertaining. I believe that the novel displays the importance of having a caring person intercede on your behalf in situations which are emotionally difficult. This extra boost to your morale can help to alleviate the stress as well as lighten the mood. I applaud the author for writing about this serious topic. I recommend it to all readers.

Reviewed for Readers' Favorite