More Nikki Rashan

I talked about Nikki Rashan's first book and checked out her next two "urban novels,"* which were quick reads as I tried to read more substantial fare with mixed results. 

Still, after a nice "beach read" that overall was actually quite good with complex characters (surely, given the genre) and a well structured story, the ending a surprise, I was disappointed with the results.  This includes Cyber Case, her third novel, which took on the intriguing issue of the problem of online networking and how that might interfere with relationships.  The online part was weakly tacked on, particularly the "dangerous" part, more focus on the pleasant enough (so it can be read like a pop tart of sorts; I rather a more tasty muffin) lesbian friendships/relationship goings on.  I was lead to think there would be more drama with the social networking plot. 

You Make Me Wanna (the couple had a tacked on cameo in Cyber Case) was a sequel to Rashan's first.  It was fun to see the heroine again, but it did not have the same complex story structure.  She found true love basically at first sight, which very well might be possible (who am I to judge?), but it took away much suspense.  We had even more of the too good to be true stuff here.  The first one made the love interest sound like some sort of goddess, but in effect she was a single mom in a middle class existence, a HR manager.  Here, there was a bit of 'just normal folks," but lots of rich people too.  I realize this is fantasy, like reading a Danielle Steel novel or something, but it got to be a tad much. 

The book had a few interesting touches.  As logical for a book focused on African American characters, there was a touch of their religious background (in the third novel, even the brother's new stripper girlfriend said grace at meals).  The gay cousin was a head security guard.  Kyla is a "big sister" here and a moment of drama occurs when it turns out her sexuality might interfere.  The girlfriend a few times seems to unfairly lash out because of her own insecurities though she makes a big deal that Kyla shouldn't be insecure.  And, in a particularly controversial to some readers I'm sure subplot, a woman decides not to continue exploring her bisexual side (and conveniently falls for another character) to protect her ability to see the son of her ex-husband.  In the real world, such sacrifices of our passions do occur, though we rather not think about that sort of thing.

So, it was not a totally uninteresting bit of reading, but I personally wanted it to have a bit more meat to it.  In effect, it was a series of "Kyra has mildly stressful but pleasant moments toward true contentment."  Rashan noted that her first novel wasn't really a roman-a-clef though she herself underwent a somewhat similar change in her life (if after being a mom).  But, her life (and maybe those of others she knows; she noted a minor character -- not saying what one -- at least was based on someone she knew) probably helped provide the complexity of the first novel.  She has not followed up with two novels as complete, but they are okay reads  for those who accept the limitations.

---

* You can see the covers of the three novels here on her website with a reference to the "traditional copy" of the original. In the acknowledgements section of the sequel, there is a brief reference to an edited version.  It sounds like the version I read (with the yellow hat cover) was a somewhat updated version (again explaining the publishing date v. the time period of the novel).

There is at least one more cover, not shown there, a non-sexual one of a woman with a man looking toward a woman.  There is a certain truth to that one, since the novels aren't as "sexy" as the promotional covers and titles (the the first one has a certain truth to it) might imply.  No surprise there, since sexing up covers is standard and these books are far from "G" rated anyhow.  Still, I like the Cyber Case cover's toned down look.