Double Pleasure, Double Pain

I did an image search for Double Pleasure, Double Pain by Nikki Rashan and you can imagine some of the hits without a filter.  The actual cover of the version (paperback) of this work of "urban fiction," which is now a separate section at the library is eye catching enough. It has a sexy looking black woman covering her body with a big hat.  Another version of the cover has two sexy women (not quite representative of the characters) on it.  A third more restrained version is more accurate:  a woman with a child looking on as a woman and man are together, the woman furtively looking back.  The women are attractive but not "sexy" and it is a more simplistic looking picture, not glossy etc.

The recent DOMA opinion makes the book somewhat topical [the author, who uses a pen name, was married via a commitment ceremony recently], but that wasn't the reason why I picked it up.  It was a fun looking paperback and a down to earth, quick "beach read" sort of thing with characters that drew you in.  The author has her own "coming out" story, so could probably relate to the basic story -- a twenty-something black woman who has a nice enough life with a long term boyfriend is shocked when she falls for a woman, forming a connection that takes things to the next level. It goes on a bit long (and one "surprise" is really not surprising) and the character comes off a bit naive and unable to choose (suggested by years of being a "part time student"). 

I don't think it is laid on that thick though and it far from unbelievable given how some people are in real life.  There are various nuances to the characters that are interesting and real (the woman, e.g., has a child after being raped). The ending also is not quite what you might expect.  I plan to read the sequel and probably will check out the book that she is reading here, which examines the complications of social media in relationships. An interesting idea. Anyway, my paperback copy is dated "2007," so I wondered why things occurred a few years earlier. But, the above link is dated earlier, so I guess just that copy was so published.

The last "urban" like book I read was probably one where a woman who scopes out other women's husbands has a "road to Damascus" experience while trying to get close to a target's innocent wife.  I didn't read the sequel there, it was awhile ago really, but the story caught my eye. Quick reading fiction, including romances and "redemption story" type books (as this previous book was -- some Christian press type of thing)  can be as useful both as entertainment and moral advancement as more serious sorts of things.  This book was fairly serious, even with the bit too lucky main character (two real sexy well put together possibilities* ... then she not only wins a radio contest but wins the Grand Prize!) and other forgivable touches, but these sorts of books do tend to have some melodrama or over the top touches.

We are rooting for you Kyla!

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* If one that turned out to be something of an ass.