The Best of Everything (Reverend Curtis Black Series #6)

( 61 )

Overview

Alicia Black Sullivan swore to never repeat the mistakes of her father, the Reverend Curtis Black: she would never tell lies, she would never break any promises. And most important of all, when she got married, it would be for good.

Alicia really does love her husband, Phillip, the assistant pastor of her father's church. She just happens to love money—and the things it can buy—as well. Alicia was born to the good life, she's entitled to the best, and she'll do anything to get ...

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The Best of Everything (Reverend Curtis Black Series #6)

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More About This Book

Overview

Alicia Black Sullivan swore to never repeat the mistakes of her father, the Reverend Curtis Black: she would never tell lies, she would never break any promises. And most important of all, when she got married, it would be for good.

Alicia really does love her husband, Phillip, the assistant pastor of her father's church. She just happens to love money—and the things it can buy—as well. Alicia was born to the good life, she's entitled to the best, and she'll do anything to get it. Even if it means piling up thousands of dollars in debt. Even if it means denying to everyone—even herself—that her love of shopping has gotten way out of control. Even if, deep down, she knows a whopper of an emotional bill is coming due. And all the regrets in the world won't change the fact that she may be more like her infamous father than she could have imagined—or feared.

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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Roby's disappointing sixth entry in her Rev. Curtis Black series (after 2008's Sin No More) focuses on Alicia Black Sullivan, his beautiful and spoiled 22-year-old daughter. Accustomed to getting anything she wants, Alicia shops like daddy still picks up the tab. This is a source of endless agitation for her new husband, young pastor Phillip Sullivan, a genuinely good man. Though he tries to set limits, Alicia stubbornly plows forward, and her self-centered ways result in deceit, infidelity and, finally, divorce. Unsurprisingly, Alicia learns nothing from her tragedy except that she should strive to marry a wealthier man. Roby's message of Christian forgiveness, a common theme in her work, doesn't succeed here: characters tolerate situations until they become untenable and then walk away. Alicia's selfish behavior is alienating, and her unwillingness or inability to learn from her mistakes leaves readers wondering why they should care at all. (Feb.)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Library Journal

In Roby's latest novel about the infamous Rev. Curtis Black family (after Sin No More), Alicia, the first-born child of Black, is the one who continues the family's drama. At 22, Alicia marries the man of her dreams-the handsome, educated assistant pastor of her father's church-and he treats her like a queen. The couple believes their love is enough, but Alicia has a stronger love-shopping. Born with a silver spoon in her mouth, she's used to the finer things in life, and she's not about to give them up because of her husband's meager salary. Alicia will find someone who'll support her habits, someone like Levi Cunningham, a big-time drug dealer who long ago was on the receiving end of her father's disapproval. But Alicia's growing debt and Levi's deep pockets draw her closer to him. This like-father, like-daughter tale is predictable and all too familiar. Still, fans of Roby and the series will embrace this addition to the Black family saga. Recommended for all public libraries and African American fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ10/15/08.]
—Carol Johnson

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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780061443077
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
  • Publication date: 1/5/2010
  • Series: Reverend Curtis Black Series , #6
  • Pages: 291
  • Sales rank: 272,670
  • Product dimensions: 5.30 (w) x 7.90 (h) x 0.90 (d)

Read an Excerpt


The Best of Everything

By Kimberla Roby
HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.
Copyright © 2009

Kimberla Roby
All right reserved.


ISBN: 9780061443060

Chapter One

Phillip drank the last of his coffee, set down the local section of the Chicago Sun-Times, and gazed across the table at Alicia. She looked back at him and could already tell he was about to start nagging her all over again. Last night, they'd had another major blowup, and for the first time in the six months they'd been married, they'd gone to bed not speaking. They'd turned their backs to each other and hadn't said one word ever since then and as far as Alicia was concerned, the silence between them could continue. She was fine with it, and even more so if he was planning to complain about her spending habits.

"Look," Phillip finally said. "All I'm trying to get you to see is that there's no way we can afford for you to keep spending money the way you have been. I mean, I know you've always gotten pretty much whatever you want, but, baby, things are different now."

Alicia leaned back in her chair and tossed him a disapproving look. "Different how?"

"Different because you're no longer in college and being supported by your father. Different because you're now a grown woman and you're now married to me."

"So, what are you trying to say? That because I'm married to you, I'm supposed to lower my standards?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying at all. What I amsaying, though, is that it's time you started being a lot more responsible than you have been and time you realize that we can't always have everything we want when we want it."

"I'm not trying to have everything. But at the same time, I'm not about to start living like some pauper just because you don't earn enough money."

Phillip shook his head. "Alicia, your father pays me seven thousand dollars a month and that's a pretty decent salary by anyone's definition."

"That may be. But if you'd do what I keep suggesting, you could be making so much more than that. When my dad was your age, he was earning three thousand dollars a week and that was nearly twenty years ago. So, imagine what you could be earning today."

"It doesn't matter, because I'm happy right where I am, working at Deliverance Outreach. I'm happy working for your father, and for the life of me, I don't understand why you have such a huge problem with that."

"I only have a problem with it because you could be doing so much better. I mean, Phillip, just think about it. You've got a degree in business and also one in theology, so you could easily apply for senior pastor positions at much larger churches. Actually, you should be doing it on a regular basis because if you did, you'd definitely get hired at one of them. Not to mention the fact that once any of those churches see who your father-in-law is and that he highly recommends you, it'll be a done deal, anyway."

"But that's just it. I don't want to be hired because of who I'm now related to. I want to be hired because I've learned a lot about ministry and because I'm truly knowledgeable enough and ready to lead a megasize congregation."

Alicia scooted her chair back and stood up. "Well, you do what you want, but don't expect me to be okay with it. Don't expect me to live with a lot less than what I've always been accustomed to."

Phillip pushed away from the granite-topped island as well. "You're wrong. You're as wrong as can be, and all I can do is pray that you eventually start to see it."

"Whatever," she said and walked over to the kitchen sink and set her glass and plate inside it. "Because it's not like I've been spending your money, anyway."

"No, that's true, but it's only a matter of time before that money your father gave you is gone, and that's why I'm trying to get you to see that you have a problem."

Alicia jerked her head toward Phillip and raised her eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

"I'm serious, Alicia. Because how much do you actually have left in your account?"

Alicia loved her husband, but right now she didn't like him very much. As a matter of fact, at this particular moment, she couldn't stand him. She knew he was referring to the twenty thousand dollars she'd had left over from her wedding budget but that was her money and how dare he inquire about it.

"How much?" he repeated.

"Why?"

"Because I wanna know."

"But why do you wanna know?"

"Because I'm trying to make a point."

"Phillip, I'm really getting tired of this, so why don't we just agree to disagree."

Phillip folded his arms. "You've spent every penny, haven't you?"

"No. For your information, I've still got ten thousand of it," she lied.

"Yeah, right."

"Oh, so now you're calling me a liar?"

Phillip slipped on his suit jacket. "I have to get to work."

"Fine. Do whatever you want," she said and headed up the staircase. A few minutes later, she heard him back out of the driveway, and she was glad he was gone. She hated lying to him, but he hadn't left her any choice. And it wasn't like she hadn't tried to save the money left over from her wedding budget, because for the first three months of their marriage, she hadn't spent one dime of it. She'd tried her best to live the way Phillip wanted them to live, but it hadn't been long before she'd started driving over to Chicago and frequenting upscale department stores the same as she'd been doing since she was a child. She'd been shopping at Saks, Neiman's, and Marshall Field's flagship location on State Street for as long as she could remember, well before Marshall Field's was bought out by Macy's, and she didn't see why Phillip had a problem with it. Maybe the fact that she'd spent five thousand dollars of her money every month for three months straight, and the fact that she only had five thousand left, hadn't been the best decision she could have made, but the most important fact still remained: It was her money. It was all hers, and she had the right to do whatever she felt like doing with it.



Continues...

Excerpted from The Best of Everything by Kimberla Roby Copyright © 2009 by Kimberla Roby. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 61 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(29)

4 Star

(11)

3 Star

(10)

2 Star

(6)

1 Star

(5)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 61 Customer Reviews

  • Posted December 17, 2008

    more from this reviewer

    A thought provoking tale

    Reverend Curtis Black¿s daughter twenty-two years old Alicia Black Sullivan expects to be handed anything she wants on a gold platter. Her wealthy daddy always took care of the bills. Her spouse pastor Phillip Sullivan pleads with her to stop running up expenses they cannot afford for purchases they do not need. However, Alicia ignores her husband¿s beseeching.<BR/><BR/>Alicia ignores him living her life as if she still was daddy¿s little girl. Phillip struggles to corral his wife, but her infidelities prove too much. He divorces her. Alicia learns a lesson from the end of her marriage; her second husband will be richer than daddy so he will not care about her spending habits.<BR/><BR/>Turning from Reverend Curtis (see SIN NO MORE, THE BEST KEPT SECRET, CASTING THE FIRST STONE and TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING) to the next generation, THE BEST OF EVERYTHING contain intriguing twists. This time Alicia is so self centered, Phillip realizes the zillion times he forgave her transgressions only lead her to repeat her negative egotistical behavior; thus recognizing he is no Job, he walks. The other message of redemption can only occur if the person truly in their soul means it to happen; God will know. Although fans of the series will struggle with Alicia¿s attitude, Kimberla Lawson Roby puts readers to the test: can they forgive such an unrepentant sinner whose only lesson learned from her marriage is to wed someone much wealthier?<BR/><BR/>Harriet Klausner

    4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 21, 2009

    Great realistic story line

    This book is great just as all of Lawson-Roby's work. The shopping addiction story line is very realistic and puts its affects on marriage into perspective. Any of us who find our thinking about finances difficult to align with that of our spouses truly understand Alicia and her husband's dilemma.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted April 22, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    Predictable

    I am a fan of Kimberly Lawson Roby however I did not love this book. The storyline is about Curtis Black's daughter Alicia who marries a man who makes less than she is used to having so she begans to hide money and cheat. The plot is very predictable and not a lot of twists and turns. I have read many books about the dear reverend Black that was much better in action. The overall message is good which is money does not buy happiness. There is a sequel out Be Careful what you Pray for. I am debating if I will purchase it to continue reading about Alicia. If you are a Kimberly fan then you should read it to keep up with the crazy Black's Family. If you are not then this is not the best book to start reading from here collection.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted March 16, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    Too Much of a Good Thing (Reverend Curtis Black Series #2)
    Irresistible Forces
    Casting the First Stone (Reverend Curtis Black Series #1)
    Sin No More (Reverend Curtis Black Series #5)
    A Taste of Reality

    Great Read!

    Wow! Kimberla Lawson Roby has done it again. I am glad she continued the storyline with Reverend Black. His daughter is all grown up and just like her Daddy! If you enjoyed the books about Reverend Curtis Black then you will definitely enjoy "The Best of Everything". I can't wait to see what's coming next.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted February 19, 2009

    The Best of Everything

    this is truly a page-turner, Alicia is very selfish- like father, like daughter

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 28, 2013

    Couldnt get enough

    Great read. Finished it in 2 days.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted June 2, 2012

    Great book!

    Great book for married women!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 19, 2012

    Thumbs wayyyyyyyUP

    As usual...page turning....

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  • Posted May 7, 2012

    more from this reviewer

    Everyone should read the -"Reverend Curtis Black Series

    Kimberla Lawson Roby is an awesome writer. The characters are so real...you will read ans actually think this sounds like real people....I have come to love and not like some of the characters....
    Can't wait fo finish the series...

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  • Posted August 23, 2011

    Pretty good

    In my opinion, not as good as the others, but still a very good book with unexpected twists and turns. I will say it did make me decide to sit down and look at my credit/debit. Lol Too bad my daddy cant pay mine off, maybe Rev. Curtis would spot me 5K. Lol

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  • Posted June 20, 2011

    This book was ok

    I really couldn't relate much to this story...but I will say Alicia Black had some serious issues and she is her father's daughter...I'm still a fan of Mrs Roby's books but I had to force myself to finish this one because I simply could not relate but the story over all was good.

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  • Posted March 1, 2011

    Page Turner

    This book keeps you engaged all the way through. Sometimes I put it down because Alicia Black has a lot of serious issues. It really shows how money can really be evil when a person allows it to take over their life. Looking forward to reading book #7.

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  • Posted July 24, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    Changing Faces
    One in a Million

    A great different read to entertain you!

    I've always wanted to read about how people who have a lot of extra money spend it, because it's something I dont have.. Alot of the things she purchased was ridicolus! I looked them on google and Roby realy did do her research. The items she bought were the same prices as quoted in the book.I found that interesting!

    LOL I love Kimberla Lawson Roby because she is an experienced author. She gives you just enough to understand and entertain but not too much to bore you in one setting.

    This story was very realistic.For a change she shows how a man can be hurt by a woman and not a woman being hurt by a man. I felt the characters were very passionate about what they were going through. The wife had everything she need and wanted but it was never enough. I felt she should have spent more time getting to know her husband...afterall a good man is hard to find.

    I think in real life the husband would have cheated, yet in the story he was tested and remained faithful. The only thing I didn't care for was including the father....Roby continues to add the pastor in her books trying to continue the series from her first books. But if you didn't read the first books or if you weren't interested in the first books about that series..then it annoys you to keep hearing about it in all her books... but it's not a deal breaker! Enjoy

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 21, 2010

    Skip It!!

    The main character was empty. This book never lifted me away from reality. One of the worse books I've read. I didn't know it was a series of books...I won't be reading any of the others!

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  • Posted February 20, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    NEVER FAILS

    THE FIRST BOOK IN THE ALICIA BLACK SERIES A DEFINITE PAGE TURNER!

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  • Posted July 7, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    Ending was the best part

    The best of everything did not really pick up to a climax until the end of the book, when Alicia's shopping addication and other transgresssions catch up to her. I have read Kimberla Roby books since she began and it seems to me she has gotten kind of stale with her books. At times, you'll find some items in "The Best.." that provoke thought about your life and the way you live it but these parts do make up for the lack of a good story. I feel as though this story wasn't told properly because a sequel was already envisioned. Personally, I feel that Roby could have done a better job telling Alicia story and who she was before giving us this flawed being looking for husband number two. However, I was a Phillip fan too, so my unhappiness with the book could be due to that too.

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  • Posted June 8, 2009

    A decent read

    This one was "just okay". It ended with the opening plot for the next book for "Alicia".....she'll meet a wealthy man that will be able to buy her all of the material things she "deserves" but he will be a liar and a cheat and, just like her shopping addiction, won't see anything wrong because he'll keep reminding her that she can buy whatever she wants.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 30, 2009

    Ridiculous

    This book has no substance to it. The plot was fine but was not fully developed. The book was written at a third grade leval.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted April 6, 2009

    The Best of Everything

    This book was good I hope there will be another tale to this saga!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 30, 2009

    No better than a bad lifetime movie.

    Poorly developed characters. Poorly developed plot. I felt like the language was written for a 12 year old.

    0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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