"He placed a half smoked spliff between his lips. She removed it and put it back in the ashtray. 'Don't smoke in front of me. I value my health.' Ashley laughed. 'I respect that.' 'I doubt that.' He looked at her seriously for the first time. 'You think you can ease up a bit so I can get to show you how much I like you, and you can get to know me and maybe even like me?' 'I'm not interested.' 'Why? You have someone?' 'Well, whether I do or not, it's not your concern.' 'You know, the reason I asked Fatty for an introduction to you is because I was scared to ask myself. I see I should have been a lot more scared. You're even more wonderful than I thought' he chuckled warmly. Honey looked at him and wished she could believe him."
I absolutely love this book; I felt like I understood the main characters and could empathise with their pain. Love Again was published by Jacaranda as a part of their Twenty in 2020 scheme. It has been going so well, and the books they have produced have been excellent.
This one centred around a young black woman in her late 20s called Honey Fontaine. She is trying to avoid her mother's misguided attempts of setting her up by enlisting a pretend boyfriend; Ashley Elliot. His attempts to win her at the start of the book are highly unsuccessful. Some might call her stush, but I just thought that she had sense. He was a persistent flirt, but her sharp wit and sass were as equally unrelenting in his presence; until she needed his help. Honey Fontaine is the definition of a strong, independent woman, and everyone knows it; Ashley included. But as always, the more she rejects him, the more intrigued he is by her. Honey is the first women that had caught his eye since his ex-girlfriend cheated on him. But as one of the most successful businessmen in the London entertainment industry, owner of a thriving night-club with a Porsche parked outside; he had his pick of women. But Honey was the only one he saw, but she wasn't having any of it. However, after consistent pleading to her best friend Fatty, she finally gave in. When he was finally introduced to the infamous Honey Fontaine who lived rent-free in his head and made his heartbeat quicken, she was less than impressed.
"His sleep was frequently interrupted by Honey creeping into his head, and he kept reliving her disapproving gestures, her frowns and negative response to him, removing his spliff from his mouth like she had the authority. Thinking about her made him smile, laugh even."
But soon, the lines began to blur between acting and reality; dislike turned to like, which developed into love. Despite spending one passionate night together, they did not trust each other with one another's hearts, and as a result, they were both left confused.
I have to admit; this is where it started to get interesting. Up to this point, everything was reasonably on track, and we understood how this was going to pan out.
But after they ended their pretend relationship, Honey decides dating someone else will help her move on from Ashley; enter Kevin. Hmmm. What is there to say about Kevin. Because this wasn't a To All The Boys, I've Loved Before situation. Kevin wasn't Honey's version of John Ambrose. Kevin was about as much fun as a plank of wood to the face. Okay... I might be exaggerating a little, but he just wasn't Ashley (which made Honey's mum over the moon). Kevin was a banker, financially stable (*cough* but not as well off as Ashley *cough*), serious, demanding at times but very supportive later in the book. I think I disliked how forceful he was with his emotions at the start and demands on Honey to stop talking to Ashley. It was RED FLAG type of behaviour.
But overall, he was a nice guy and loving towards Honey. But just not for a free spirit like Honey.
"He was the one who blurted out "Marley," when the registrar became impatient with his silent mother. It was the only name he could think of and, because Bob Marley was his hero, he thought it very fitting. Ashley was left to fend for the family: to put the weekly wash in the machine, cook, look after Marley and shop. He wanted dearly to bring the smile back to his mother's face, the smile he remembered before Marley. There was a time when every weekend she used to teach him to cook and clean a house, and in the evenings she'd sit and listen to him play the piano. He would often play Many Rivers to Cross. She told him it was the only song she could dream to. That was before his father left, walked out on her for another woman twenty-two years his junior."
While this was all going on, Ashley has been taking care of his family. Mainly his mother, who became depressed and suicidal after their father walks out on her when he finds out that she is pregnant again. The reader, as well as Ashley, are led to believe that their father is the villain for walking out on them to go off to the US with his mistress. But we soon learn his motivations; Marley wasn't his child. It was a "do as I say, not as I do" type of situation. He was a hypocritical man and left his wife and children because of her mistake. But if you ask me, they were both in the wrong, and they were both equally to blame for the situation. But Ashley's mum didn't see it that way; she blamed herself, and Marley for her husband walking out on them. She was never the same afterwards, and she broke down. The only person that could bring her happiness was Ashley, and he was laden with that job since the age of 10, along with looking after his baby sister who their mother hated. It was all so heartbreaking.
But on a slightly lighter note; Honey is pregnant. Yes, she found out when she was with Kevin. Yes, she is still with Kevin. No, it's not Kevin's child. And how long did it take for Honey to go to the doctors? Too flippin' long. For chapters, she had been throwing up, fainting, craving chips with avocado and cucumber. And still, she had no clue. I swear, characters in tv shows, films and books need to be better educated because they are always so shocked when they find out (as if they haven't been throwing up for the past two months straight). Anyway, rant over. Honey is pregnant with Ashley's baby, and he is shaken. Kevin and Honey's mum wants him to have nothing to do with the baby. Ashley wants to be involved with the baby's life, and after they spend a night together, he asks Honey to move in with him. But Honey is still too scared to trust his sincerity; to trust if he is really over his ex and will put her and the baby first.
But Honey has options now; Kevin has proposed to marry her, and she has to choose who will secure the happiness and security of their child; Kevin or Ashley.
At this point in the book, she has just given birth and decides now is the time to choose, before things get even more complicated. The choice was largely down to the fact that she had to live her life no knowing who her father is and she doesn't want that for her daughter. She chooses to trust that Ashley is genuine and does genuinely love them... which he does.
And they live happily ever after!
It really did have that sort of feel to it. Ashley and Honey are together with their child, and they are planning to get married too. It seems like alls well that ends well.
Several other side stories were explored in equal detail, such as Honey's best friends Zhara and Fatty. I honestly would love to read what their stories and see how their journeys develop; Fatty with her new husband and their fertility struggle. Also Zhara with the new man that she met at the airport and how their love story blossoms or sizzles out. There is definitely sequel potential here; it just depends if Ashanti Malcolm is willing to take that next step.
