cover image Un-Nappily in Love

Un-Nappily in Love

Trisha R. Thomas, . . St. Martin's Griffin, $13.99 (276pp) ISBN 978-0-312-55763-8

In this latest entry in the juicy Nappily series (Nappily in Bloom , etc.), the unflappable and always proudly nappy-haired Atlanta florist, Venus Johnston Parson, discovers once again that life with former rap artist, Jake, can't always be a bed of roses. When Jake becomes a budding film star, appearing with his first love, Sirena Lassiter, in their hit movie, True Beauty , the thorns are unusually sharp. Venus, the mother of cute five-year-old Mya, fears Sirena is after Jake even though she's engaged to Earl Benning, CEO of Rise Records. As the co-stars create a media frenzy, Venus, home in Atlanta, tries to enjoy a visit from Pauletta, her mother, who's still fighting cancer, and be supportive of her friend, Miriam, whose husband's having an affair. Venus realizes she's going to have to fight for her man when the gossip escalates and Sirena reveals a shocker from the past. Thomas portrays a believable young family tested by real-life concerns and enhanced by the shiny celebrity angle, but it's her wry humor that keeps this delightful series blooming. (June)