A Deeper Love

Rating:
Summary: Simplistic writing is one thing, but...
Review: ...just plain bad grammar and careless mechanical errors are another. I had a hard time muddling through this book, for the countless compositional mistakes were extremely distracting; the "reading experience" practically becomes ruined. Honestly, I'm not even sure how this novel made it past the presses with such slipshod work.

In my opinion, one does not need anything akin to a magnifying glass or a college degree in order to detect said mistakes -- they practically jump out at you from the page.

It's a shame that this story becomes overpowered by typographical errors, for its message contains positive, inspirational themes regarding self-esteem and spirituality. Oddly enough, Brown's writing seems to come alive (and error-free) during the intimate love scenes, of which I did thoroughly enjoy. But after the thrill has gone, the reader is left cold again with stale writing, a rushed ending, and even more typos.

Rating:
Summary: Planning to read it again!
Review: A DEEPER LOVE is the story of unconditional love and acceptance. Taking place in Atlanta, Georgia, it is the story of Angela, a young Black lesbian woman, who finds herself alone on Christmas Eve. Recovering from a break-up, Angela ventures to a lesbian bar where she encounters Paula. Angela is comfortable with her sexuality, whereas Paula is still in the closet. The taunting of her mother also caused Paula's issue with her skin color and she comes to realize that black is beautiful.

A DEEPER LOVE is the well-written story of Angela and Paula's quest for a love that surpasses skin color, family, and sexuality. Shonia Brown has authored a compelling love story and has given the literary world insight to lesbian love.

Reviewed by Robilyn Heath
The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Rating:
Summary: Avid Reader
Review: Brown's work was both delightful as well as a quick read. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the characters seemed to come to life. The feeling of the book is both moody and energic that bring to life the novel making the characters resemble those of friends, family even characteristics that I find in myself. Everyone can draw a piece of themselves out of one or more of the characters in this book.

As a reader of who typically will read an author's collection, I am looking forward to reading anything that this author publishes.

Rating:
Summary: Avid Reader
Review: Brown's work was both delightful as well as a quick read. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the characters seemed to come to life. The feeling of the book is both moody and energic that bring to life the novel making the characters resemble those of friends, family even characteristics that I find in myself. Everyone can draw a piece of themselves out of one or more of the characters in this book.

As a reader of who typically will read an author's collection, I am looking forward to reading anything that this author publishes.

Rating:
Summary: Love Thyself + Love Another = A Deeper Love
Review: Issues, drama, and love abound in Shonia Brown's novel "A Deeper Love." In the novel, we meet Paula Travis and Angela "Angel" Reynolds.

Paula still relives the pain of her childhood as she was taunted for the color of her skin. Her self-esteem is shot, she trusts few, and she feels as though she's not deserving of love. Then she meets Angel.

Angel is an aspiring writer, who works for a local Atlanta theatre company. On Christmas Eve, she meets Paula at a lesbian bar and sparks ignite.

What transpires from this meeting is a journey that will teach both Paula and Angel about friendship, trust, letting go of demons, and love.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I read it in one sitting, in a little less than three hours. The narrator's (Angel) voice is entertaining and sharp, the pace of the writing is quick, and the tension builds nicely. I loved the multiculturality in the story, something that is, at times, missing in African American fiction. I enjoyed that though sex plays a part in the book, the true focus lies in the foundation of friendship and building relationships.

With all these good qualities, I did have one thing that caused me to jump up out of my seat and call foul and that was Angel's decision at the end of the novel.

I won't even tell you what that is because this book is good enough for you to read and find out for yourself.

Shon Bacon

Rating:
Summary: Love Thyself + Love Another = A Deeper Love
Review: Issues, drama, and love abound in Shonia Brown's novel "A Deeper Love." In the novel, we meet Paula Travis and Angela "Angel" Reynolds.

Paula still relives the pain of her childhood as she was taunted for the color of her skin. Her self-esteem is shot, she trusts few, and she feels as though she's not deserving of love. Then she meets Angel.

Angel is an aspiring writer, who works for a local Atlanta theatre company. On Christmas Eve, she meets Paula at a lesbian bar and sparks ignite.

What transpires from this meeting is a journey that will teach both Paula and Angel about friendship, trust, letting go of demons, and love.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I read it in one sitting, in a little less than three hours. The narrator's (Angel) voice is entertaining and sharp, the pace of the writing is quick, and the tension builds nicely. I loved the multiculturality in the story, something that is, at times, missing in African American fiction. I enjoyed that though sex plays a part in the book, the true focus lies in the foundation of friendship and building relationships.

With all these good qualities, I did have one thing that caused me to jump up out of my seat and call foul and that was Angel's decision at the end of the novel.

I won't even tell you what that is because this book is good enough for you to read and find out for yourself.

Shon Bacon

Rating:
Summary: Gay Black Female Magazine Review
Review: Love is supposed to be gentle and kind. Sometimes we experience what we think is love but that love can be a (...). It can drag you so far down you have to look up to see the bottom. Just when you think that love won't ever be good for you, you see light at the end of the tunnel. Then you are able to experience, "A Deeper Love".
In this novel we meet Angel. A young aspiring writer, who has just been dumped during the holidays by her long-time girlfriend for a white woman. All she wants to do id drawn her sorrows in drink. What she finds instead is the woman of her dreams, Paula.
On the outside, Paula appears to be a very positive confident woman who exudes sexuality. On the inside she is filled with lurking insecurities of love and a color complex. Angel and Paula soon go on a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows but eventfully wind up coming full circle.
Shonia Brown, an Atlanta writer, pours out her heart and soul throughout the pages of her first novel. She takes her readers on a journey of heartbreak, hope, love, self-discovery and forgiveness.
"A Deeper Love" examines the complexities of love in lesbian relationships and friendships. It takes you into the psyche of being a black lesbian who deals with a gay male friend's destructive behavior, the color lines that construct fences throughout relationships, and that familiar structure that can help make or break a relationship. It keeps you wanting more because it's sexual, sensual, thought provoking, and humorous.
As soon as I opened this novel, I was hooked. I advise everyone to go out and get this book ASAP. (...)

Rating:
Summary: Gay Black Female Magazine Review
Review: Love is supposed to be gentle and kind. Sometimes we experience what we think is love but that love can be a (...). It can drag you so far down you have to look up to see the bottom. Just when you think that love won't ever be good for you, you see light at the end of the tunnel. Then you are able to experience, "A Deeper Love".
In this novel we meet Angel. A young aspiring writer, who has just been dumped during the holidays by her long-time girlfriend for a white woman. All she wants to do id drawn her sorrows in drink. What she finds instead is the woman of her dreams, Paula.
On the outside, Paula appears to be a very positive confident woman who exudes sexuality. On the inside she is filled with lurking insecurities of love and a color complex. Angel and Paula soon go on a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows but eventfully wind up coming full circle.
Shonia Brown, an Atlanta writer, pours out her heart and soul throughout the pages of her first novel. She takes her readers on a journey of heartbreak, hope, love, self-discovery and forgiveness.
"A Deeper Love" examines the complexities of love in lesbian relationships and friendships. It takes you into the psyche of being a black lesbian who deals with a gay male friend's destructive behavior, the color lines that construct fences throughout relationships, and that familiar structure that can help make or break a relationship. It keeps you wanting more because it's sexual, sensual, thought provoking, and humorous.
As soon as I opened this novel, I was hooked. I advise everyone to go out and get this book ASAP. (...)

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: Marvelous, delightful, more fun that a pint of your favorite ice cream is the way to describe Shonia Brown�s wonderful page-turning novel, A DEEPER LOVE. I zipped through it in two afternoons.

The central character is Angela, known affectionately to her friends, as Angie, an African-American lesbian, who was kicked to the curb by her lover, Val. But Angie had fire and spunk. Our Angie wasn�t one to sit around, crying because she was left behind. Life was to be celebrated, and Angie did it with gusto.

She is definitely someone I�d love to hang out with. LOL!

Shonia Brown did not create a character with Angie, but a flesh and blood person, with an assortment of friends and family members. Some with very colorful backgrounds.

I particularly loved Angie's best pal, James, a delightfully smart mouth queen. Like Angela, James had spunk. His family disowned him because he loved men, but still, he retained his spirit.

To me, Angie and James were a black Will and Grace, only in A DEEPER LOVE, Grace was gay.

Angie later meets Paula, a lesbian with issues. Paula�s family does not know that she�s into women, and Paula�s mother didn�t love her because she wasn�t light-skinned. Yeah, you read that right.

A DEEPER LOVE appealed to me because Angie celebrated life and love.

Lesbians and open-minded readers should delight in this magnificent novel.

So, buy it today.

Pamela Hayes