Would I Lie to You?: A Novel - Softcover

Thomas, Trisha R.

 
9781400049035: Would I Lie to You?: A Novel
Softcover
ISBN 10: 1400049032 ISBN 13: 9781400049035
Verlag: Crown, 2005

Inhaltsangabe

Spirited, successful Venus Johnston is back—in the long-awaited sequel to Nappily Ever After.

Venus feels history repeating itself, and she’s not loving it. She ended a relationship with Clint because he couldn’t commit, cut off her long, processed hair, and started on a new path with a new boyfriend. But she’s been with Airic for more than two years, and they still haven’t set a wedding date. When a temporary project takes her to Los Angeles, Venus welcomes the opportunity to spend some time with her family in California and to see if a little absence makes Airic’s heart grow fonder. But in L.A., savvy, ambitious Venus runs head-on into a new complication—the equally savvy and ambitious Jake Parsons, a former rap star turned clothing designer. Jake’s as suave as he is successful, and ten years her junior. Venus’s job is to create a marketing campaign for his urban wear. Jake’s job, it seems, is to distract her from her long-distance romance with Airic.

When Venus’s mother is diagnosed with breast cancer, her entire world seems to crumble. Everything she thought would make her happy—her new look, her successful career, her fiancé—can’t fix the sadness and emptiness she feels. But before she throws in the towel, she’s offered one more chance, a chance for change, for growth, and maybe even for a new love. Will she take it? Or give in to the notion that her life will always be close but no cigar? Moving, romantic and inspiring, Would I Lie to You? is one woman’s happy, lighthearted story of giving in instead of giving up.

Die Inhaltsangabe kann sich auf eine andere Ausgabe dieses Titels beziehen.

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Trisha R. Thomas is the author of the bestselling Nappily Ever After, the first installment of Venus Johnston’s story and a finalist for the Golden Pen Best Fiction and Best New Writer Award, as well as the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literature in 2001. She is also the author of Roadrunner and is at work on her fourth novel. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and children.

Von der hinteren Coverseite

Spirited, successful Venus Johnston is back--in the long-awaited sequel to "Nappily Ever After.
Venus feels history repeating itself, and she's not loving it. She ended a relationship with Clint because he couldn't commit, cut off her long, processed hair, and started on a new path with a new boyfriend. But she's been with Airic for more than two years, and they still haven't set a wedding date. When a temporary project takes her to Los Angeles, Venus welcomes the opportunity to spend some time with her family in California and to see if a little absence makes Airic's heart grow fonder. But in L.A., savvy, ambitious Venus runs head-on into a new complication--the equally savvy and ambitious Jake Parsons, a former rap star turned clothing designer. Jake's as suave as he is successful, and ten years her junior. Venus's job is to create a marketing campaign for his urban wear. Jake's job, it seems, is to distract her from her long-distance romance with Airic.
When Venus's mother is diagnosed with breast cancer, her entire world seems to crumble. Everything she thought would make her happy--her new look, her successful career, her fiance--can't fix the sadness and emptiness she feels. But before she throws in the towel, she's offered one more chance, a chance for change, for growth, and maybe even for a new love. Will she take it? Or give in to the notion that her life will always be close but no cigar? Moving, romantic and inspiring," Would I Lie to You? is one woman's happy, lighthearted story of giving in instead of giving up.

Aus dem Klappentext

Venus feels history repeating itself, and she s not loving it. She ended a relationship with Clint because he couldn t commit, cut off her long, processed hair, and started on a new path, with a new boyfriend.

But she s been with Airic for more than two years and they still haven t set a wedding date. When a new project takes her to Los Angeles for a temporary assignment, Venus welcomes the opportunity to spend some time with her family in California and to see if a little absence makes Airic s heart grow fonder. But in L.A., savvy, ambitious Venus runs head-on into a new complication the equally savvy and ambitious Jake Parsons, a former rap star turned clothing designer. Jake s as suave as he is successful, and ten years her junior. Venus s job is to create a marketing campaign for his urban wear. Jake s job, it seems, is to distract her from her long-distance romance with Airic.

But when Venus s mother is diagnosed with breast cancer, her entire world seems to crumble. Everything she thought would make her happy her new look, her successful career, her ?ancé can t ?x the sadness and emptiness she feels. Before she throws in the towel, she s offered one more chance, a chance for change, for growth, and maybe even for a new love. Will she take it? Or give in to the notion that her life will always be close but no cigar? Moving, romantic, and inspiring, Would I Lie to You? is one woman s happy, light-hearted story of giving in instead of giving up.


From the Hardcover edition.

Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

HERE COMES THE BRIDE

The light hum of the cello set the mood for the joyous day. A wedding. Venus Johnston, do you take this man as your awfully wedded husband? Lawful, not awful, as she'd always thought the preacher was saying during TV ceremonies when she was a little girl. Yes! Yes, finally she would get her chance. Lawfully wedded bliss. Clint smiled, but showed no teeth. His lips delicately turned up, a smirk. A grimace? No. He was truly in love and about to make Venus the happiest woman alive. Her man. Sexy. Successful. Fine. All three characteristics a girl could only fantasize about. But for Venus it was now a reality.

"If there is anyone who knows of a reason why this union should not take place, let them speak now . . ."

Venus hated this part. When the nightmare began. The most dreaded moment when the woman actually stands up and says, "I do. I know of a reason." Venus knows the voice. It's played in her head a thousand times. She turned around slowly to see the gorgeous actress, Vivica Fox, a picture of beauty in a stunning flowing wedding dress. A glorious shimmering diamond hung around her neck, almost blinding the guests.

Clint loved Vivica, that's what he always used to say. But she could never be a real threat because she was only in the pages of glossy magazines and in Hollywood movies. Yet, here she was, extending her elegantly gloved hand to Clint. "Come along, dear. You've played outside long enough. You know you need a real woman, someone who's going to love you and take care of you and put you first at all times. Tell her, sweetie. It's time for her to let you go. How many times must we go through this?" Vivica's voice echoed off the church walls.

"Please no . . . not again." Venus couldn't tell if she was thinking it or saying it out loud. Her panic was rising. Boy, it's getting hot in here. The music switched abruptly. She looked over where the cellist was replaced by a hip-hopper with a bandanna and a gold tooth. It's getting hot in here . . . so take off all your clothes. "Shut up, shut up." She felt Clint release her hand and start toward Vivica Fox.

"Wait, no!" Venus grabbed his sleeve. He shook her off and began walking again. "Somebody stop him!" Venus screamed. "Clint, she's no good for you. Can't you see through all that Maybelline . . . it's not real, can't you see that she's fake? She's not real."

Clint put up his hand, "It's too late," he said with ease. "You had your chance and you blew it." He turned and slipped his hand into Vivica's glove-covered one. They began to walk away, waving like the king and queen of the ball.

Venus hiked up her wedding gown and chased them outside.

"Clint!" she screamed. She turned and watched Vivica and Clint climb into a shiny white Range Rover with a bunch of cans tied to the back and the words Just Married! But Not to Venus spray-painted all over.

"NOOO, not again!" she tried to scream, but the words smothered her, making her struggle for air.

"Hey, you all right?"

She snapped out it and found herself staring into Airic's face, concern and panic written all over him. The rest of the wedding party stared at her with confusion. She was confused too, standing next to Airic with the scent of gardenias and star gazer lilies fragrant in the air, listening to the light hum of the cello. The sun was high above their heads and the breeze was gentle enough to keep a nervous bride cool.

Wasn't it perfect? What wedding isn't? Regardless of the amount of money spent, the blood, sweat, and tears, for the bride all that mattered was walking down the aisle seeing the light in her future husband's eyes. The small details, like her satin heels sinking into the grass, the cake arriving slanted, or the ice statue of cupid's bow melting into a dripping phallic symbol, or the mother of the bride chanting, "Thank you, Lord," were inconsequential on this monumental day. Getting to the altar, hearing that last "I do," and the crowd cheering as if a touch down had been scored . . . that's what it was all about. Venus, the maid of honor, and Airic, a groom's man by default, were the only ones not clapping or throwing rose petals when the minister announced, "You may kiss the bride."

They ignored the organ pressing out the cue for them to fall into procession with the rest of the wedding party. Instead, they remained standing opposite one another, Airic pulling at the black satin noose around his white starched collar; Venus twisting the engagement ring hidden underneath the small bridesmaid bouquet she held, unable to shake the nightmare that had haunted her like a black cloud for the last two years. Each and every time she went to some else's wedding, she felt cursed. And the conversation she and Airic had on the way to the ceremony hadn't helped matters.

Riding along the edge of the Occoquan River in the northern valley of Virginia, they'd traveled quietly most of the way. Swaying green grass surrounded the tall stretch of trees for miles along the highway. Venus kept her attention on the serene view, trying to remain calm. ". . . all I'm saying is that we're not getting any younger. By the time I finally get to walk down the aisle, I'm going to need a cane."

"Why is it my fault?" Airic responded without a pause. "How many times have I told you, name the time, name the place, I'm there. I think you're the one with cold feet." He steered with one hand while his slender fingers pushed relentlessly on the tuning, unable to get a radio station to come in clearly. He shut it off, giving her his complete attention. "Name the date," he said almost as a dare, cutting his eyes in Venus's direction. "What's wrong? Calendar a little tied up?"

Her frustration came out in a completely opposite form, putting her hand over her mouth to stifle the laughter.

Airic gripped the steering wheel until his pale knuckles lost color in his already fair skin. "I'm serious. Name the date."

"Sure, I'll name a date and then the week before the ceremony, you'll say, 'Oh, I thought you were talking about 2002. You meant April of this year.' " Venus deepened her voice to mock his. 'Can you reschedule, dear?' The sun beamed relentlessly on the passenger's side. She was hot. She was irritable, and not just from the dress pinching her in the back where the zipper stopped. Her hair was so tightly pulled back from her face to create a bun effect that her eyes hurt. One more of the bride's many requests, including the heavy layer of fake pearls that felt like a knotted rope around her neck. She tried to adjust the cheap necklace and snagged a wispy strand of hair that was too short to stay put. "Shit."

"Name the date, Venus!" Airic thought the expletive was directed toward him.

"No . . . it's--"

"Name the date," he demanded again, his graying temples creasing at the sides, the skin tightening around his eyes.

"Right, pencil me in for June first of 3003." Venus responded with as much sarcasm as possible, no longer just pissed at the uncomfortable dress, the snagged hair, or the necklace choking her.

Airic's foot pushed harder on the gas, speeding into the opposite lane to pass a small white Jetta. Venus always checked when she saw the small foreign car, looking for the personalized license plate that read, BABYDOC. Of course by now Clint would have moved up in the world, driving something a bit more sophisticated, but she always checked. Always.

"See what I'm saying? Happens every time I tell you to pick a date. This is what I get, silence."

"Right." It came out...

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Verlag
Crown
Erscheinungsdatum
2005
Sprache
Englisch
ISBN 10 
1400049032
ISBN 13 
9781400049035
Einband
Taschenbuch
Anzahl der Seiten
304
Kontakt zum Hersteller
Nicht verfügbar
Verantwortliche Person
gpsr@libri.de
gpsr@libri.de

Friedensallee 273
Hamburg
22763
Deutschland

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