Caught in the Mix

I was in my local bookstore, browsing for my next literary fix, when WHAM!, I was caught off guard by a beautiful woman staring at me from the cover of a book. Not usually one to fall for a good looking cover, I casually flipped it over to read the book's description. Mmmmh... relationship stuff... but interesting premise... this could go either way. I check the authors name and don't recognize it. Feeling the need for further investigation I flip it open and check out a couple of lines. Good use of language, what the heck, I decided to give it a shot. It was the best decision I made that day. This is what a story is supposed to be. So many people talk about character development, Ms. Dow must have been paying attention, because these are some of the best characters I've read in months. I love when the characters make me feel something. I don't care if its: anger, love, frustration, happiness, it doesn't matter as long as I don't feel indifferent. Caught in the Mix is peopled with the types of characters you can sink your teeth into. At one point I wanted to shake Clark by the shoulders and tell her to Wake Up! Just a few pages later I wanted to hold her and tell her everything would be alright. I sometimes found my fist clenched waiting for an opportunity to knock some sense into Devin, while at the same time relating to his confusion. Simply put the thing that makes these characters so great is that they are human-in all their passion, greatness and flaws. They are intelligent yet needy, determined and afraid, carnal but looking to be more. This is also a great story. In my humble opinion one of the marks of an exceptional writer is the ability to write a story that doesn't reveal where it's going until you get there. Caught In The Mix is anything other than predictable. There is a new surprise around each corner, so much so, that the pages seem to fly by while waiting for the next jaw dropper. My only small criticism is that I felt like the author used just a few too many analogies, at least early on in the book. I'm not sure if she cut down as she went along or if I became so engrossed in her vivid story that I didn't notice. It's of little consequence because everything else about this book was absolutely on point. Not to mention some readers feel like the more analogies the better. Candice Dow is a talented writer and in the beginning I felt she was trying too hard to prove it. But then again as Ms. Dupree would say: She got the gift and she got to use it!! I am definitely feeling caught in the mix about this novel. Candice Dow has proven that one doesn't have to have several books under their belt in order to become great at delivering an outstanding story. Take a chance on this one and join me in being able to say I found this writer back when she was first getting started. I'm telling you, she's going to be big in the industry. It's just a matter of time.

Caught In The Mix is a must-read!! This book chronicles the life of Clark and Devin, two college-sweethearts, and the issues they face as they try to love one another in life after college. The challenges presented are real-life issues that we all deal with everyday in our relationships with friends, family and lovers. The author has a way of making you feel as if you're directly intertwined in the lives of Clark and Devin. At times, she'll have you crying, laughing, and just downright "stunned" as the story unfolds. "Caught In The Mix" is definitely a winner!!! Hope to see it on the "Big Screen" someday!!

Clark is a senior year student at Hampton University. She's very smart and good-looking and she has a job awaiting her when she graduates. Devin is a handsome sophomore in law who has been waiting for the day to chat up with Clark. Finally, when they meet, they go to Devin's apartment and after hours of getting to know each other, they both suddenly realize they have found their ideal soul mate. What could possibly go wrong? When Devin has to move to NY for his studies, Clark is horrified. She can't quit her well-paid job, as she needs the money. In desperation to move to NY and stay with Devin, she tries to look for a job but it's hopeless and she has no choice than to give up. Meanwhile, Devin tries so hard to concentrate on his studies but their long-distance relationship brings up several difficulties they have to deal with. They have to learn to trust each other when they are so far away and even though they feel lonely, they have to learn not to give in to lurking temptations. The first thing I can say about Caught in the Mix is like WOAH, how can a debut be THAT good? While it's just her debut book Candice Dow masters her writing like no other! The story is written so realistically; it's really like you're in the middle of it all. The story develops into other stories on its own and I could not help but wonder about everything that happened. It's a sad, well-written story that mentions some of the most important issues in life, love, sex and wrong judgments of family and friends. Not forgetting, betrayal, trust, pregnancy and even murder. I like the urban writing style and influences, and this book really made me feel like I was watching an African-American movie. I never knew books could be as good as the movies, or even better as they pass less fast! To cap it all, it's a real tearjerker from beginning till end! Candice has talent and that's a fact. I'm sure anyone who reads her work will think the same! Reviewed by Eveline for Euro-Reviews: http://euroreviews.r8.org

Candice Dow does a wonderful job of creating characters that are real. She introduces us to people like ourselves with problems that we face. After reading Caught In The Mix, I was literally "Caught In The Mix"! I became an engrossed sideline watcher of the well written script that was called life for Clark and Devin. You will laugh, scream, want to slap sense into characters, and remember your own love story after reading Dow's first novel. I am just interested to see what happens next to my new character friends. I can't wait until the saga continues. You will TOTALLY enjoy this novel!!!

Caught in the Mix is awesome. The dynamics in the various storylines and characters adds to the depth of the novel. I journeyed throughout Clark and Devin's tangled yet intriguing relationship and yearned for more every time I flipped the page. Some of the characters will be loved and some will be hated with a passion. But, when the novel is over, you will find yourself questioning why certain storylines veered in the directions that they did and then wondering where their tales will lead us in the future. I look forward to my next installment in my Candice Dow Collection. Kudos Candice on your first novel! It is definitely a must read!