Cherished

Loneliness has a way of creeping up on you. When you least expect it, it pops up like a bad penny; often making you reflect on your life to see how you became so lonely. That reflection often involves looking around at family and friends who all seem to have found that elusive happiness; but somewhere along the way you were left out either by choice or by circumstance. In CHERISHED by Adrienne Ellis Reeves we examine the lives of two individuals as they reconcile and come to terms with their loneliness. Hurt and feeling inadequate from a failed marriage, Nerissa Ramsey is looking to begin a new life for herself in Jamison, South Carolina. Her search for a place to live leads her to Bill Denton, a local photographer with a place for rent. Although the two pick each other apart mentally and verbally at first, the attraction is there simmering just beneath the surface as the rental agreement is negotiated. The rental, which happens to be next door to Bill's home, keeps them in constant close proximity of each other; but misunderstandings keep them miles apart on a deeper level. It's nice to read a love story that is neither too complicated nor filled with heavy sex scenes. Ms. Reeves has written such a book. The story was simple, sweet and unblemished without the need for tawdry sex. The only thing complicated in this book was the two main characters' reaction to one another. They showed us just how easily miscommunication could play at discouraging a budding relationship if left unchecked. This was a book that I could easily share with my teenage niece and not worry about the message she would get from reading it. (RAW Rating: 3.5) Reviewed by Brenda M. Lisbon of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers