Love Sick

by Autumn J. Bright

Overview

Reminiscent of story themes of Sapphire, B.A. Paris, Anna Quindlen and Colleen Hoover, Autumn J. Bright's Love Sick is a fast-paced, can't-put-down, psychological drama that questions how much one is willing to endure for love.

 

Toni Jones, Charleston's rising radio personality, has everything going for her: beauty, talent, a promising career, and now a handsome, ambitious husband on the move. The perfect catch! But when his business fails, his dark side is revealed, leaving Toni to endure a doomed marriage plagued with years of domestic violence, deception, and even murder. But for Toni, giving up the only man she's ever loved will be harder than she thinks. And in time, she'll discover her unhealthy attachment to her husband will make her… Love Sick.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940154956427
Publisher:	A Light Bulb Publishing
Publication date:	06/04/2015
Sold by:	Draft2Digital
Format:	eBook
File size:	679 KB

Editorial Reviews

03/28/2016
Early in Bright’s searing debut, set in Charleston, S.C., Toni Jones is stabbed by her spouse, Marvin, and taken to the hospital, where family members plead with her to leave him. Yet Toni slips back into familiar patterns, honoring her commitment to the man who was once a loving partner. As Toni’s career as a radio personality falters, Marvin begins victimizing a second woman. Flashbacks highlight the good times in Toni’s marriage as well as the early signs of Marvin’s abusive personality. Frequent movement between characters’ perspectives—including Marvin; Toni’s young daughter, Justine; and a well-conceived detective—detract somewhat from Toni’s personal development. Bright convincingly portrays the painful and conflicting emotions of a strong battered woman, but Marvin is reduced to a smarmy and predictable antagonist, and over-exposition drives home a message about escaping abuse with a force that flattens rather than lifts the narrative. (BookLife)

Publishers Weekly

"Debut novelist Bright impresses with a nuanced tale of a woman who can't break free of an abusive relationship. A successful portrayal of the complex psychology of an abuse victim and a gripping story of a love gone sour." -Kirkus Reviews

"Searing debut...Bright convincingly portrays the painful and conflicting emotions of a strong battered woman..."-Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

2016-02-10
Debut novelist Bright impresses with a nuanced tale of a woman who can't break free of an abusive relationship. DJ Toni Jones may be a rising star on Charleston, South Carolina, radio, but her cool, professional exterior masks a troubled personal life. She and her suave husband, Marvin, are the ultimate power couple—she has a show on radio station Q101.5, and he's part owner of the city's hottest nightclub. But when Marvin's dreams of a music production career collapse amid legal troubles, he turns violent, resentful of his wife's success and jealous of the attention that she receives from other men. One of his vicious attacks nearly kills Toni, but she refuses to press charges and takes him back, much to her family's dismay. Marvin cleans up his act (and skeptical readers may raise an eyebrow at this about-face), but the resulting period of domestic bliss is only temporary. His new job as a trucker keeps him away from home for days at a time, and soon, he's romancing a sexy stripper named Angela. However, Marvin hasn't lost his violent tendencies, and, eventually, Toni is forced to make a decision that will change her life forever. Bright's fast-moving, engaging novel shows how even a strong, successful woman can find herself a victim of domestic violence. Subtle hints about Toni's past illustrate how she learned to accept and justify violent behavior from men, and her rationalizations for taking Marvin back, though infuriating, make sense in the context of her character: "In the end, love and my determination to help him always overpowered me." Marvin, for his part, is equal parts despicable and attractive; when he's on his best behavior, it's easy to see why Toni might be lulled into a false sense of security. He also has his own demons that help explain, but not justify, his behavior. The dialogue is spirited, and although some situations are overly dramatic, they never cross the line into unbelievability. A successful portrayal of the complex psychology of an abuse victim and a gripping story of a love gone sour.

Kirkus Reviews