Would I Lie To You? The Journey of Venus Johnston

Would I Lie To You? The Journey of Venus Johnston by Trisha R. Thomas Crown Publishers, February 2004 $22.00, ISBN 1-400-004874-5

In this sexy sequel to Trisha Thomas's Nappily Ever After, Venus tackles her love life instead of her hair. In this next part of her journey, she struggles with her own commitment issues after a shady relationship with her ex-boyfriend, Dr. Clint Fairchild. The novel culminates in a will-she-or-won't-she struggle between settling down with her current boyfriend, the seemingly stable Airic.

Thomas continues to intrigue the reader with characters that are at once, evolving and stagnant, loveable and detestable. On the surface, the book seems to be about a woman's fixation with getting married and settling down, but beneath it all, the novel is a commentary on how bright, successful women are misled to believe that they will find happiness in something outside of themselves. Even if you haven't read Nappily Ever After, the sequel stands by itself as a soulful and romantic story that will make the reader fall in love with love again.

-Reviewed by Monique W. Morris