This is the
first contemporary short story I’ve read by Emily Josephine and I found her writing
style engaging. The storyline revolves around Rachel and her two kids who are
staying at her cousin Joe’s house for the past month while waiting on her
husband to return and pick them up. 

She’s enjoying
Marilyn’s (Joe’s wife) mid-summer pool party when she’s approached by some snooty
and condescending country club woman who immediately start judging her appearance—her
sloppy ponytail, lack of makeup, no nail polish, and unshaved armpits. They
even question whether her kids are adopted based on their skin tone and their
names (Natalia and Diego). 

Their
mean-girl vibes are enough for Rachel to want to roll her eyes, but she squeezes them
instead during the awkward conversations. However, when a song by pop star
Julio Estrella plays on the radio and the women start swooning over how hot he
is, she can’t help but smile inwardly—because she knows something they don’t.
She patiently waits for the perfect moment to deliver her revenge when her
husband arrives. 

Overall,
this was a quick and enjoyable read that scores one for women who are judged for
their looks rather than who they truly are. I loved the ending, and without
giving anything away–the revenge was absolutely perfect! Two thumbs up!

Rating: 4 stars

Some of my favorite lines:

Feigning ignorance of Danielle’s insinuations,
I ask, “So, describe your perfect man.”

Danielle turns to lean back against the lounge
chair back, nearly pressing her feet against Melanie’s backside. “Drop-dead
gorgeous, for one.” She looks at her fake red fingernails and flicks an
imaginary piece of dirt out of one of them. “Muscular. Commands respect
wherever he goes. Has a stable career that pays him good Money.” She lifts her
head and meets my gaze. “Has eyes only for me.”

Her own eyes fill with pain, communicating in
a couple of seconds a lot more than she would ever voice to me, then she breaks
eye contact. A pang of sympathy twinges in my gut. Hurting people hurt
people, I once heard. 

Originally Published on https://vocalexpressions.blogspot.com

Deliah Lawrence Attorney, Author, Blogger, Workshop Facilitator

Deliah Lawrence is a Maryland-based attorney and award-winning author of two romantic suspense novels (Gotta Let It Go and Gotta Get It Back) set in Baltimore. She’s also a blogger and workshop facilitator who writes poetry and short stories.

When Deliah isn’t writing, you can find her reading a book, indulging in her addiction to investigation discovery shows; or painting her yet-to-be exhibited oil artworks of landscapes, portraits or whatever else comes to her creative mind. Constantly on the go, she is also a member of the Black Writers’ Guild of Maryland and Sisters in Crime.