Between Lovers

by Eric Jerome Dickey

Overview

Bestselling author Eric Jerome Dickey's creations “have enough sultry self-confidence to suggest, at their best, a Prince song on paper” (The New York Times). Now, he puts a twist on the love triangle in this sexy, searing, and wise novel.

Nicole made a bold move by dumping her fiance at the altar. From there, she's built a successful career, relocated north to Oakland, and fallen in love all over again—this time with a woman. But Nicole's still not entirely happy. Don't get her wrong—she likes what she has. It's just that she misses what she had. The question is, can she have it all? As she brings her ex back into her life and tests the boundaries between lovers, you'd better believe that the anger, jealousy, excitement, and passion of this triangle are going to run hot....

Nicole is playing with fire, not to mention the feelings of the two people who love her most in the world. How these three fascinating people handle this unusual and complex relationship makes for one of Dickey's most provocative and unforgettable novels.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780451204684
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	05/06/2003
Edition description:	Reissue
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	5.32(w) x 7.97(h) x 0.83(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Eric Jerome Dickey (1961–2021) was the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of twenty-nine novels, as well as a six-issue miniseries of graphic novels featuring Storm (X-Men) and the Black Panther. His novel Sister, Sister was honored as one of Essence’s “50 Most Impactful Black Books of the Last 50 Years,” and A Wanted Woman won the NAACP Image Award in the category of Outstanding Literary Work in 2014. His most recent novels include The Blackbirds, Finding Gideon, Bad Men and Wicked Women, Before We Were Wicked, The Business of Lovers, and The Son of Mr. Suleman. 

Hometown:

Los Angeles, California

Date of Birth:

July 7, 1961

Place of Birth:

Memphis, Tennessee

Education:

B.S., University of Memphis, 1983

Website:

http://www.ericjeromedickey.com

Read an Excerpt

Chapter Two
(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Between Lovers"
by .
Copyright © 2003 Eric Jerome Dickey.
Excerpted by permission of Penguin Publishing Group.
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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What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Lust and confusion collide in this supple novel about a woman who wants it all." —People

"Sensational… spicy… another winner from an author who only seems to be getting better." —Publisher's Weekly

"Provocative and complex." —Ebony

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Eric Jerome Dickey and Between Lovers

“Lust and confusion collide in this supple novel about a woman who wants it all.”—People

“Sensational; spicy; another winner from an author who only seems to be getting better.”—Publishers Weekly

“Provocative and complex.”—Ebony

“Dickey's done it again. A provacative, realistic love story with real characters that we root for.”—The Cincinnati Enquirer

“[O]ne of the most successful Black authors of the last quarter-century.”—The New York Times

From the Publisher

The Barnes & Noble Review
Eric Jerome Dickey -- a writer celebrated for his subtle depictions of the nuances of relationships -- continues to grow as an artist. Between Lovers, an extremely ambitious work that represents novelist at the height of his powers.

The story’s narrator is a successful African-American novelist involved in an intriguing love triangle. The object of his affections is a woman named Nicole, with whom he has been hopelessly in love for seven years. Despite the fact that Nicole left him waiting at the altar only to move in with another lover -- a lover who happens to be a woman -- he can’t get her out of his mind. All he knows for sure is that he loves Nicole too much to give her up with a fight. But his adversary, a tough-spirited, strong-minded, and passionate woman named Ayanna, is no ordinary adversary. As for Nicole, she wants them both, and her machinations pull the three of them along on a sensual but twisted journey, culminating in a tragedy that will forever change the way they view one another, as well as themselves.

Dickey’s prose is both evocative and provocative. The anguish of all the people involved comes across with crystal clarity. It’s tempting to search for a bad guy amid all the pain and confusion, but Dickey wisely fails to provide one. Instead, he offers up an achingly poignant, not-so-simple story about three people in search of a very simple thing -- love. (Beth Amos)

bn.com

Set in the African American community, Dickey's books (e.g., Cheaters) have explored such issues as fidelity, interracial dating, and the influence of career, family, and friends on one's love life. In the abridged version of Between Lovers, a provocative contemporary romance, Richard Allen's narration hits all the right notes. The novel's protagonist, an unnamed Los Angeles-based writer, was left at the altar by Nicole, his girlfriend of seven years. After moving in with her lesbian lover, Ayanna, a fiery and successful attorney, Nicole reestablishes a relationship with her jilted fianc and eventually persuades her two possessive lovers to join her in a love triangle. The triangle, which becomes spiritual as well as physical, proves first destructive, then healing. While Dickey's dialog sparkles, as usual, his characterization and plotting rise to a new level in this intense and imaginative work. While the explicit love scenes among the three characters could well offend some listeners, this thought-provoking production is recommended for most adult collections. The author's dialog and characterization also shine in the unabridged set read by Dion Graham, but the plot strains with the length. Public libraries with a strong following for this best-selling writer may want the unabridged tapes, while for most popular fiction collections the abridged program will suffice. Beth Farrell, Portage Cty. Dist. Lib., OH Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

Broken hearts, a menage a trois, and wry humor find their way into this sexy new story from the popular Dickey (Liar's Game, 2000, etc.). The unnamed narrator of this hip cautionary tale is still in love with Nicole, regardless that she literally left him at the altar, moved to Oakland from their home in L.A., and is now involved with a woman named Ayanna. But he won't give up on their seven-year relationship, believing this lesbian stuff is just a phase. A popular novelist on the road for lectures and book signings, he flies up every few weeks to visit. During one stopover, Nicole announces that she's worked out a plan to accommodate both her lovers and herself-though mostly herself. She asks the narrator to move to Oakland and get to know Ayanna, insisting that she loves both and can't choose between them. The story's action takes place during the few days of this visit, exploring the emotional anguish felt by the narrator and Ayanna, who both attempt to acquiesce to Nicole's wishes but understandably want her all to themselves. When the three spend an intimate night together, with the narrator and Nicole giving it their sexual all to impress, Nicole-not surprisingly-is the only one satisfied with the arrangement. Meanwhile, the parents of these successful, 30-ish African-Americans throw in their two cents. The narrator's father, a prominent civil rights figure, is disappointed that his son is frittering away his talent on popular fiction. Nicole's mother comes to visit, damning her daughter to hell until she changes her deviant ways. It becomes apparent that only sacrifice from the truest heart can free the protagonists from the emotional hell they've created. Steamy sex scenes andpop culture references aside, Dickey has created a thoughtful, albeit unusual, treatise on the lengths some will go to for love. Dickey ably straddles a fine line, offering light entertainment coupled with strong people making hard choices. Doubleday Book Club/Quality Paperback Book Club alternate selection

Kirkus Reviews