Near Perfect - fiction reviews - Review

Near Perfect by Sharon Mitchell Dutton, October 2001, $23.95 ISBN 0-525-94621-7

The burners are on high, and there's a large pot cooking up a tasty dish of liar's brew. Its ingredients include a cup of Jamal Steele, a few ounces of Lincoln Weaver, a tablespoon of Dot and a touch of Honey for flavoring.

In the sequel to Nothing but the Rent, the witty and sassy Roxanne "Miller" Steele returns with everything a woman could possibly desire, including a "near perfect" husband. The handsome football star Jamal Steele is kind, loving, sincere, thoughtful and inhales every breath his wife exhales.

Roxanne has been burned so many times that she holds high expectations for the men in her life. When a vicious scandal concerning Jamal threatens to destroy his family, he dishes out a trail of lies. Lincoln Weaver, a teammate and best friend to both, becomes an unwilling party in Jamal's deception. However, he will do whatever it takes to protect his longtime friend Roxanne.

Enter Dot Miller, whose number one priority during her children's upbringing was partying. She attempts to redeem herself by becoming the attentive and supportive mother Roxanne always yearned for, but she brings excess baggage along.

Last but not least, there's Honey Brown, an impious, conniving, gold-digging stripper who is tired of living like a second-class citizen. She skillfully devises a plan and will stop at nothing to see it through.

Sharon Mitchell creates a colorful and vivid story. Her ability to replace rhetorical and tawdry dialogue with spirited and vibrant descriptions is masterful. Although Near Perfect tends to move like sand in an hourglass, it builds and finishes with a worthwhile ending.

Nancy Flowers Wilson is a freelance writer and author of A Fool's Paradise.

COPYRIGHT 2001 Cox, Matthews & Associates
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group