Twenty-two (22) Short stories of romantic, confession short stories for the modern world.
Excerpt
Lies By Association
I was so miserable I wanted to puke my insides out. I was sitting in my dining room. Surrounded by my loving husband, Sethi, his sister, Vicky, and her date, Miguel.
Everyone was talking, laughing, and eating. I was playing with my salad and Lasagna. I wanted everyone to leave so I could be alone to wallow in my self-pity. I deserved it and then some.
"I'd love another cup of coffee," Vicky replied. "I'll make a pot."
I stood up eager to break away. "I'll take care of it." I hurried into the kitchen glad the kitchen had a door for privacy. I leaned on it, closing my eyes for a few seconds. It was so good to be alone. The guilt was eating me up alive. I couldn't go on much longer. I heard a knock on the door. Quickly opening my eyes moving away from the door, I immediately reached for the coffee pot when the door burst opened. Miguel walked in. I was absolutely surprised to see him as I stopped washing out the coffee pot and gazed at him.
Miguel was a very handsome 30-year old Hispanic creature. Sethie's father, hired him to work for him. He was doing a fantastic job, so far.
I wished Miguel never walked into our lives. He was trouble in every way possible. He was a sexy man who turned my head for one night of passion; I couldn't get him out of my mind; the fact that I betrayed my husband.. When Miguel started to date Vicky I was livid with rage. Why did I care so much about their relationship? I had a loving husband and two beautiful children. Miguel was just passing through, but Vicky was very smitten with him. I didn't want that combination at all...
Professional Reviews
THE RAWSISTAZ™ REVIEWERS BLACK BOOK Reviews
Reviewed: May 30, 2005
I Confess: A Collection of Romantic Confession Short Stories
By Carol Ann Culbert-Johnson
PublishAmerica, December 2004
296 Pages, Paperback, $24.95
ISBN: 1413737560
Genre: Romance
RAW Rating: 4.0
Confessions of the Heart
I CONFESS: A Collection of Romantic Confession Short Stories by
Carol Ann Culbert-Johnson consists of a variety of relationship stories
that incorporate the lies, deceit and innocence of people in love. The
stories are also representative of a revolving cycle of lust, love and bad
choices of people whom dwell on earth looking for the perfect relationship
avoiding reality that there is no perfect in a relationship.
You ever wonder why people fall in love and everything appears perfect
until someone’s lies and deception comes knocking at the door? Each
story gives you a different scenario but the outcome is forgiving, hurtful
or bitter defeat. For example, “Lies by Association” is a story of a wife
cheating on her husband with her sister-in-law’s boyfriend. Although she
felt she was getting back at her husband for his infidelity in the past, she’s
not sure if it was worth it after all. “Rejection” is a story of self-esteem and
true love. Sometimes we will do anything to please the person we love not
realizing that we are not pleasing ourselves. Rejina, a full-size model, must
face some hard facts about herself and being in love. I enjoyed this story
because it goes to the heart of what society expects everyone to look like
in order to get a man and be happy. But society misses a very important
point, you must love and respect yourself first.
The other stories were equally entertaining about interracial love, choices we
make in being a slave to the man we think we love, always taking the cheating
spouse back time and time again and putting pride aside in accepting help when
necessary. I CONFESS, left no stones unturned and reminds us that love is not
so easy to take for granted, but to cherish and be mindful of the things we do
could hurt and effect other’s lives forever.
I must confess that I love reading stories consumed with drama of love, trust,
cheating and getting what you deserved. I CONFESS by Carol Ann Culbert-Johnson
fits the bill because her collection of short stories satisfies the worldly drama of romantic
relationships with the ups and downs that come with being in love.
Reviewed by Kalaani
----
Kalaani is an avid reader who enjoys mystery & suspense novels as well as romance.
She is an advocate for domestic violence & juvenile prevention programs and resides
