Rating: 
Summary: No Yellow Brick Road.
Review: The HONEY WELL is a shocking tale with unbelievable revelations. Esther
Rayford has achieved her dream; she is quite prominent and now owns the
Victorian Mansion where her mother once worked as a housekeeper. The
mansion is reverently called The Honey Well by the frequent patrons who
visit Esther's 'ladies-of-charm'. But the road to her affluence was
paved on the back of her daughter, Arnell. Arnell hates the mansion with
a passion. When Arnell was sixteen, naively thinking that her mother would protect
her, Esther rents her daughter out. Seventeen years later Arnell cannot
cut the umbilical cord to free herself from Queen Esther. She does
however physically move from the mansion, acquire a degree, and become
engaged to an up and coming politician. Although she is 33 years old, she
is still emotionally dependent on her mother, Esther blackmails her into
handling just one more client each time she tries to back away. Arnell
has very little self esteem, but she knows she cannot continue living
this life of shameful secrets. The love, hate relationship between mother
and daughter sometimes makes Arnell long to be motherless. Because Ester
is jealous of Arnell, this is not a situation where 'mother knows best.'
When Esther introduces yet another sixteen year old to the business of
the mansion; when snippets of Esther's past start to unfold; and when an
unforgivable night of lust at the Honey Well, involving Arnell's fiancé
surfaces, Arnell has had enough. She accepts that Esther will never be
the mother she has always needed and she prepares for the battle of her
life. This one charters new territory for Ms. Mallette. It is gritty,
melodramatic, and profane. Innuendo is out of place here; the action
is in your face. And as with all of Ms. Mallette's books, there is a
moral to this profound story, but your emotions will run the gamut before
you will be able to accept it. This is indeed a page turner, and each
turn ignites a fiery reaction. Reviewed by aNN
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers
Rating:
Summary: Gloria Mallette is a true writer.
Review: The Honey Well is another fine example of the talents of Gloria Mallette, a prolific writer who gives a solid performance through her engaging novel about a scandalous mother that pushes her young daughter into prostitution. Queen Esther is one of the most fascinating mothers in contemporary fiction. She is the ultimate Mommie Dearest type - ruthless, calculating, and thrives on power, not stopping until she gets her way. In the prologue, Arnell, Esther's daughter, is a teen, but is an adult in the story. Arnell is now engaged and wants nothing more than to come from under her mother's rule. But Esther is a hard-head, she constantly makes up excuses for keeping her daughter a part of the brothel. Arnell is determined to fight Esther every step of the way and goes through much drama before the end. With fast paced plotting full of twists and turns, The Honey Well is a page-turner that shows a fascinating side of the mother/daughter relationship. All the characters are well-developed, and the writing voice of Mallette is top-notch. She takes the reader on a journey that is similar to riding a rollercoaster, dips, turns, shockers, and eye-openers, all of which makes for another great, and highly recommended read.
Rating:
Summary: Sex, lies, and blackmail
Review: The Honey Well is the nickname for a brothel. The two main chararacters, Arnell and Esther, both have secrets that they don't want getting out. Arnell's secret may stop her from marrying her fiance and Esther (Arnell's mother) is using Arnell's secret to control Arnell plus she has some secrets of her own that could cost her to lose Arnell forever. The struggle for control between the two alone is enough hold your attention. Throw in sex and blackmail you won't be able to put the book down. This is a very good read.
Rating:
Summary: Strange Kind of Love
Review: The Honey Well was a one day read, You can't put it down. I found myself turning pages to see how Queen Esther was going to continue to pimp her daughter Arnell. All in the name of love.A excellent novel and the ending was unpredictable. A great book club selection.The story line will make you laugh, cry and so angry. I read Shades of Jade enjoyed it very much,but The Honey Well is the best I've read this year.
Rating:
Summary: Refreshing
Review: The Honey Well was an unexpected treat. The story of a heartless mother, Queen Esther, who prostitutes her own daugther, Arnell, for the sake of the almighty dollar, is well-written and filled with unexpected twists, turns, and exceptional dialogue. Although there is a queen in this honey well, this book is no fairy tale. The Honey Well takes a serious look at the responsibilities a mother, a parent has in raising her child and how at times, it is better to be a motherless child. The Honey Well is far from the usual, "he done me wrong," "dope dealing," "street life," "sex till she drop" novels written by so many AA authors these days. The Honey Well is not sweet and at times stings like a bee (Queen bee that is). There is nothing predictable about this book. The author did a great job in not only writing this book, but in putting the issue of child prostitution on the table. I've told all my friends, and now I'm telling anyone who reads this review: READ THIS BOOK. YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED. You will be talking about this book, long after the last page is read.
Rating:
Summary: Mama Dearest
Review: The Honeywell was an excellent book. This was the first book I've read by this writer, but after reading this one; I'm in search of her other ones. How can a mother do the things that Esther did? How could she prostitute her own child? She was scandelous. The book brings an entire new meaning to mother/daughter relationships. The book grabs your attention from the beginning. This is a good discussion novel and a "must have" for your book collection.
Rating:
Summary: Sex, Lies and No Videotape
Review: This book had me in awe of this messed-up mother-daughter relationship!!! What kind of mother prostitutes her daughter so she can pay the rent?!!!! At the young age of 16 at that!!!! It's also sad to say that these kind of relationships exist in the real word, hell how would you get the idea for fiction, from reality of course. Take the time to read this book so you can see how having the same blood running through your veins don't mean a thing. Later!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Great Story Line
Review: This book was awesome. I could not believe how dysfunctional this mother and daughter relationship was. Great Read You wont be able to put it down.
Rating:
Summary: Mother from hell
Review: This book was just too good. The pace and the believable way that Mallette laid out the story is testament to her powers as a writer. I shook my head at the evil ways of the mother. She should have been put in prison the things she made her daughter do. I know one thing, it's a sad day when mothers force their own daughters to be prostitutes.
Buy this one for when you need good solid escapism. It goes on my "Best of the Summer" list with THE DARKEST CHILD and FLESH AND THE DEVIL.
These are the books this year that you MUST read.
Rating: 
Summary: Honey, Honey
Review: This is Mallette's best book to date. Reminds me of Monroe's Red Light Wives in some ways. The lowest form a mother can take is to prostitute her children. Some of them feel if you're gonna give it way, you might as well get paid for it.
Check out another fantastic novel called LUST OF THE FLESH by Beverly Roylat. This book will literally blow you away and have you sitting on the edge of the chair screaming for more. It's a blockbuster hit. You'll enjoy it.
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