Reviewed by
Romance in Color
 When
I'm With You by LaConnie Taylor Jones
Indigo/Genesis Press, Inc.
ISBN: 1-978-58571-250-2
Published: Nov. 2007
Caitlyn Thompson was placed in
foster care at the age of five after her mother died
unexpectedly. She’s recently relocated to Oakland, with the help
of her friend Victoria (Vic), after escaping an abusive
relationship. Her only concerns now are her safety and finding
the money to help keep the neighborhood youth center she manages
a float. Marcel Baptiste is a wealthy philanthropist who runs
his family’s automotive dealerships in and around the Oakland
area. He is passionately intrigued when he is receives a
proposal to fund a youth center. He is overwhelmed with feelings
he can’t explain when fate places him face to face with Caitlyn.
Marcel then embarks on a campaign to make her his. As their
romance begins to bloom, Marcel and Caitlyn must come to grips
with secrets from their past, and one that threatens to tear
them apart.
WHEN I’M WITH YOU is a story
about the damage caused when someone is in an abusive
relationship, and what happens when the person suffering the
abuse is too scared to tell their loved ones what’s going on. It
showcases the difficulties one faces when learning to trust
after having suffered the shame, embarrassment, and betrayal
during the relationship, and the importance of being able to
forgive and forget while moving forward with your life. There is
also a lesson about why you should know your family history.
This is a fast-paced story with
a plot that focuses on family, trust, and redemption. It was
interesting to see the history of abuse and the similar
reactions that the abused characters had. There were also parts
that are heart-warming and funny.
WHEN I’M WITH YOU is a quick
and enjoyable read, and Ms. Taylor-Jones handled a distasteful
subject well. |
