Butterscotch Blues

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Summary: Will Capture Your Attention and Your Heart!
Review: Butterscotch Blues by Margaret Hodge is a multi-dimensional relational novel which details Sandi's(the main character/protagonist) life with family, friends and new beau Adrian. Butterscotch Blues was painstakingly emotional but oh so compelling, well crafted and a page turner from the onset so I was able to read this wonderfully told story in one sitting. So many thoughts ran through my head as I watched the relationship of Sandi and Adrian unfold and experienced heart-wrenching, soul stirring situations that made me wonder "could I express that type of unconditional love if I were in the same situation". I liked that Sandi's character had dimension and depth and as such we were able to see her beyond just her beau; we lived with her through sisterfriend and familial relationships. Girlfriends that we knew...and could call our friends...Brittany(the overweight sister who's the last one to usually have a man), Martha(the sisterfriend who only dates men with big pockets/wallets)and Janice(the friend who always has to have a man-any man-even a piece of man is okay). We're up close and personal with Sandi and Adrian's families as we explore issues of betrayal and skin color divisiveness in the AA community. Butterscotch Blues is a complex story filled with crafty dialogue, vivid imagery, realistic situations, well-developed characters and plot twists and turns; it's a story of hope, love and living each day to the fullest. Ms. Hodge is truly a wonderful storyteller as Butterscotch Blues is a story that you live and experience long after you've read the book. Butterscotch Blues was one of My Top 10 books for 2000 and its a book that I recommend for your reading pleasure. Pick Up Your Copy Today!

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Summary: Had its momemts but could have been better.
Review: Butterscotch blues starts off slow and is very difficult to get into. In the begining we meet Sandy, Britney, and Janice. Sandy meets her main love interest Adrian a wet indian with skin the color of butterscotch and they seem to fall in love instantly. As they grow closer together, Sandy learns about Adrian's issues: A dying wife with HIV ands the chance that her dream lover may be infected. While Ms. Johnson-Hodge handles the chapters dealing with AIDS incredibly the rest of the book falls flat. The subplots are tossed together and we barely get to know any of the supporting characters very well. The book gets disjointed trying to navigate the love lives of Britney and Janice, Their lovers, and the issues regarding skin color, race, and the cultural conflict between African-Americans and West Indians. I think this would have been a geat book if Ms. Johnson-Hodge had only dealt with Sandy and Adrian Dealing with AIDS and HIV. IMHO borrow it from a friend or buy it used.

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Summary: Mo' Butter Blues
Review: Butterscotch Blues was an engrossing tale of lasting love, lovers leaving, feeling worthy/unworthy and friendship. The characters ring with clarity and individuality and lure you into a story that could just as well be your own. Butterscotch Blues leaves the heartwarming taste of longing in your mouth! It will make you cry for the love you lost and the foolish games you've played and bring you to the understanding that... "tomorrow isn't promised." This was my first venture into Margaret Johnson Hodge, now I've gone back and read the rest. All of her books come highly recommended.

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Summary: Words cannot express
Review: Excellent book. This book has touched me in a way few books ever have. The characters seemed so real. I cannot say enough about this book except that it's a must read. You have to experience it for yourself. You will definately not be disappointed.

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Summary: Female Drama
Review: Fight's among best friends over 'guys' was just the wrong thing for me to read at this time. By the end of the book I was like SOOO done with all of them. But then I realized HEY I read the whole thing... In 4 hours! So it must have been good! (smile) It was just like old home week though. I know all those women (types) and they get on my nerves...They did in my 20's and 30's and tried to, in my 40's, until I said ENOUGH! They know they can't live without each other!But they need to start living without those MEN! Well, Sandy and Adrian... that was the story of the hour to me and probably most people that read this book. Ending the way you did...with the dread that stays with many who have loved someone new in the last 10 years... was very haunting. I'm just glad I'm an older woman without that constant worry of where love will come from next or even if it's GONNA COME. Whew... what a life that used to be. GOOD STORY. Sad reminder... real reality bite. I will pass it on to my daughter.

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Summary: A Subject Not Written About Nearly Enough
Review: I found this to be a difficult story to read. It was a painful subject matter and close to home for me for many reasons. I think all of our lives have been touched by the devastation of HIV/AIDS. I loved the all of the characters, particularly Adrian, Brittany and Sandy. This is a real story that's happening to men and women everyday. It also shows the importance of living each day to the fullest. I liked the fact that the story wasn't pretty. Just real. Even down to Adrian's family's dislike of Sandy until they knew the WHOLE story. I was sad that Sandy and Adrian wasted so much precious time trying to make a decision about whether or not they wanted to be together. In the end, hearts don't have eyes and the part we love is that part that we are unable to see or touch. That man or woman's spirit. Excellent book! I look forward to seeing more of this author in the future.

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Summary: Tru Love Comes in Many Forms......o
Review: I thought that this book was very interesting. It started with four friends and ended much different. Their was love, excitement, new relationships being formed, AIDS, & death! The main character in the book had issues with her skin color and was looking for something that she found in her lover Adrian, but the catch was that Adrian had been married before and had contracted AIDS from his wife. Anyway the two hooked up and they shared a wonderful minute together dispite the fears that each member of their family an dfriends feard Sandy married Adrain and prayed for many night that they would remain that way forever and a day, but the love that they had quickly came to aan end after the honeymoon! Ladies this is a tear jerke rand it will really touch your heart becasue some of us stand by a man, but none of us are going to stand beside a mna when he is HIV positive! Be safe and careful wrap it up all the time.

Rating:
Summary: Tru Love Comes in Many Forms......o
Review: I thought that this book was very interesting. It started with four friends and ended much different. Their was love, excitement, new relationships being formed, AIDS, & death! The main character in the book had issues with her skin color and was looking for something that she found in her lover Adrian, but the catch was that Adrian had been married before and had contracted AIDS from his wife. Anyway the two hooked up and they shared a wonderful minute together dispite the fears that each member of their family an dfriends feard Sandy married Adrain and prayed for many night that they would remain that way forever and a day, but the love that they had quickly came to aan end after the honeymoon! Ladies this is a tear jerke rand it will really touch your heart becasue some of us stand by a man, but none of us are going to stand beside a mna when he is HIV positive! Be safe and careful wrap it up all the time.

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Summary: Talk About Awareness
Review: This book opens your eyes again about HIV/AIDS. This disease is not gone but is forgotten by many. This book made the characters so real to me that I actually wept. Very moving story. My best friend is from Jamaica and although Adrian is Guyanese some of his family lifestyle was almost identical to her family. These characters will stay with me for awhile. I also think that they should let high school read this for extra credit. The story is so real that maybe when they are put in a precarious situation they will think about Adrian,Genifer and Sandy.

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Summary: It's a Novel to Remember...
Review: This book was a great book to read. I have read this book two weeks ago but I just didn't have a chance to seat down to write my review till now. The main character of this book is Sandy and Adrian it deals with their relationship and the issue which they had no choice but to face when Aids surprisly came between them. Surrounded by thier friends and family such as Martha (Stern woman with wheels), Britney (full and warm), and Janice (clueless and a bit gulibal) who are also looking for love of their own. In the area of this book you will found lots of laugh, drama, and heartaches. This is the only book that I have ever read by Margaret and I think she did a great job putting it toghter. It's a book that makes you think of how strong your heart or love is when it comes to a situation like this.