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Rating: 
Summary: "Brown sets the coals ablaze!" Moody's review team - SB
Review: Author Laurinda D. Brown sets the coals ablaze with her novel "Fire & Brimstone". Like a hot summer cook out, there are alot of things that will sizzle that aren't on the grill. Take your main character and add the following ingredients; love, sex, lesbians, men, babies, the church, troubled past, domestic violence, headstrong black woman and you have a sample of the heat Laurinda is putting out there.
Chris is a strong willed educated black looking for fulfillment and the love that can complete her life. In her exploration of her sexual and emotional needs with men & women, Chris makes some strange, brave, and twisted choices. Her love life is pure "Prime Time Drama." If the story wasn't interesting enough, along comes Gayle. She is a "playa" out for her next piece of "virgin snatch." Gayle brings her own problems and troubled past which adds creative twists and turns. I was shocked with some of the issues that arise from Chris & Gayle's interactions. Between "regularly burning the rug before church," then arguing, along with jealousy, and fighting, Laurinda keeps the story and dialogue compelling. Laurinda has done a good job keeping me interested in the book. Her portrayal of the characters emotional needs and desires add to some eye opening experiences. The sexual fore play and mind games are steamy and taunting. Congratulations Laurinda for a well-written steamy, disturbing and controversial topic.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't believe the hype
Review: Both Chris & Gayle were dysfunctional and deranged!There was so much pain that reared from both of their childhoods that lead them to believe that life as a lesbian would be more satisfying, NOT!Chris quickly learned the games that women play are the same as men. Overall the book did entirely too much flip flopping, there were lots of spelling errors and even one instance when the author referred to the wrong character. There was drama but no excitement. Don't get me wrong, I likes me some drama but I just couldn't get deep into it. The author did a good job at building up the drama only to leave you hanging and disappointed. I really didn't care to finish the book but I'm an avid believer in your finish what you start.
Rating:
Summary: Don't believe the hype
Review: Both Chris & Gayle were dysfunctional and deranged!There was so much pain that reared from both of their childhoods that lead them to believe that life as a lesbian would be more satisfying, NOT!Chris quickly learned the games that women play are the same as men. Overall the book did entirely too much flip flopping, there were lots of spelling errors and even one instance when the author referred to the wrong character. There was drama but no excitement. Don't get me wrong, I likes me some drama but I just couldn't get deep into it. The author did a good job at building up the drama only to leave you hanging and disappointed. I really didn't care to finish the book but I'm an avid believer in your finish what you start.
Rating:
Summary: Judgment Day
Review: Chris, a single mother, is somewhat inexperienced when it comes to lesbian relationships, but after accepting her attraction towards women, she places a personal ad. Gayle has vowed that she will never date a woman with children, but after responding to Chris' personal ad, she can't resist pursuing a relationship. Both women have volatile tempers and a lot of emotional baggage; as a result their relationship is tumultuous at best. Through the course of the book the author fluctuates between the past and the present, we learn about past hurts and present drama, and the result is a captivating and emotional read about two women searching for love. With a fresh storyline and ever-changing characters, FIRE & BRIMSTONE is indeed a page turner. Overall, FIRE & BRIMSTONE was an enjoyable read that delves into the lives of two women plagued by their past and struggling with the realities of their identities. There were times when the story had sequencing issues. One chapter would end and suddenly I would find myself reading about different times, places and characters and it would take a few moments for me to get oriented. I would have enjoyed the story more had there been smoother transitions between the various storylines and time periods. Laurinda Brown does an excellent job developing Chris and Gayle as characters, I knew enough about their pasts to empathize with and understand their actions. Their transformation was dramatic, yet believable. This story is about the spiritual challenges and growth of Chris and Gayle, yet the strong Christian messages don't become apparent until the end of the book. I really enjoyed this because it allowed the lives of the characters and their search for meaning, purpose, and happiness to illustrate the spiritual themes rather than being preachy. The author addresses any number of issues in the story including: child sexual abuse, dead beat fathers, domestic violence, sexuality, and religion. Even if you don't agree with the author's moral stances, you can't help but appreciate her execution of the story in this regard. One of the greatest messages I took from the book is that God's love is unconditional and omnipresent, even when we try to ignore it. (...)
Rating: 
Summary: AN EYE OPENER
Review: Laurinda does an excellent job in reminding people that things are not always as they seem. She also opened readers eyes to highly publicized gay issues and showed that they took have issues just like other couples. Her story captivated me from page one and I could not put it down. I read it in 4hrs and not once was I distracted. While this story does pull all the emotions out of you, it is one that is well worth putting on your bookshelf. WELL DONE LAURINDA!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Even Hard Boiled Gay Christians Could Be Appalled!
Review: The relationship between Chris and Gale is the most ridicules I've come across yet. The violence ruin the story for me. Developed or not, what I at first considered too much back story on secondary characters turn out to be the way Brown chose to have this story unfold. For born and bred northerners, Brown depict an interesting view of contemporary southern Blacks & Whites. Though a confused lesbian, the character Chris is exceptionally portrayed as a cliché, sexually promiscuous, temperamental drama queen. If you prefer mostly narrated books apposed to dialog driven, you'll love this book. If this were one of my books someone would find it necessary to point out the fact that the scenes read out of sequence. But I respect an authors choice to sequence their scenes the way they see fit. It was at a recent book event where I thought I'd been handed an advance copy or new release by a notable nationally acclaimed author dubbed the queen of erotica. Not that it really matters but the copyright date is 2002. This notable author surprisingly personally strongly suggested I read this book. A book I otherwise would've never chosen, but her passionate enthusiasm peeked my curiosity. I'm still not sure what I was suppose to feel but according to the premise of this story, the genes of a blatantly philandering father can manifest in either a son or daughter. I came away thinking men and women are looking for the same thing regardless what gender their partnering with. They want to sit on their ass, be loved and taken care of. No matter how mean spirited they are or what negatives they must endure from their mate. This story may find favor with the emerging Black gay community and curiosity seekers. Once Chris had her second baby and Gayle considered herself to have a real family... the way the story unfold, at this point I felt no strong incentive to continue reading. Overall I think Brown has the potential to be a good writer. Love them or hate them, she brought her characters to life. But the hard boiled Christians I'm acquainted with would be appalled at the mere mention of a storyline such as this. Not to mention the lascivious ministers and church connection within the story. A growing trend in contemporary black fiction. What I feel on reading a heterosexual romance and what I felt reading this contemporary Black lesbian story is like night and day. No confusion there.
Rating:
Summary: Needs secondary character development
Review: The title pretty much sums up my opinion of this book. The main characters, Chris and Gayle, are well developed. But the secondary characters, and their interaction with the leads, could be a lot better. It almost seemed that the author wrote in and out the characters as she needed them.
Rating:
Summary: From an ACTUAL African-American Lesbian POV
Review: This book was recommended in a group that I am a member of, so I bought the book and actually had my girlfriend read it before I did. She was offended and appalled. I just finished the book and I just could NOT believe this. This just seems to be more propaganda that feeds into the homophobes' already disturbing and unfounded opinions on the gay community! Chris and Gayle had NO business being together whether they were 2 women or men or male and female. The back and forth jumps in time periods in the novel occurred wayyy to often and there was much information about the unnecessary things and WAYYY to much dwelling on the most insignificant of things. I know what the purpose of the book is. It sounded like it had MUCH potential. But it FAILED at best, with me! I hope that people research other books about lesbian and gay drama/love. But in the end, I hope that at least some people can realize that lesbians and gays are not as screwy as they are depicted in 95% of the novels I have read!
Rating:
Summary: Surprise Surprise Surprise.
Review: When I first started Fire and Brimstone, I assumed the main characters were male and female. I also assumed it would be about those "church members" that we know that don't practice what they preach. I was right about the practice what they preach aspect but I was so wrong about the identites of the main characters. What a shock, I thumbed through the pages trying to see if I missed something and I got pulled into the story. This book made me really look at gay and lesbian relationships. It made me think how difficult those relationships can be and the moral and spiritual conflict that exists in some that engage in them. As a homophobic I was ignorant of those conflicts but on a strange level I am still curious. You answered questions and sparked compassion in me.
I commend you Laurinda for telling it like it is and not sugar coating it. You told someone's story without fear and you should be commended. I can't wait to read your second novel because I like the way you are unafraid to touch topics that some people tend to shy away from. Keep up the good work.
Rating:
Summary: Surprise Surprise Surprise.
Review: When I first started Fire and Brimstone, I assumed the main characters were male and female. I also assumed it would be about those "church members" that we know that don't practice what they preach. I was right about the practice what they preach aspect but I was so wrong about the identites of the main characters. What a shock, I thumbed through the pages trying to see if I missed something and I got pulled into the story. This book made me really look at gay and lesbian relationships. It made me think how difficult those relationships can be and the moral and spiritual conflict that exists in some that engage in them. As a homophobic I was ignorant of those conflicts but on a strange level I am still curious. You answered questions and sparked compassion in me.
I commend you Laurinda for telling it like it is and not sugar coating it. You told someone's story without fear and you should be commended. I can't wait to read your second novel because I like the way you are unafraid to touch topics that some people tend to shy away from. Keep up the good work.
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