Felicity, Rachael, Ione, Evelyn, Nina, Denyse, and Synthia are the girlfriends and storyline behind F.r.i.e.n.d.s. & The Choices That We Make. It's the story of six women who are friends with the integral character, Synthia. F.r.i.e.n.d.s. is the acronym for the names of all seven of these ladies ranging in age from their late 20's to 50's; who are quite diverse in nature from one another, yet they share the bond solidified by the love for Synthia.
"Idle chitchat with Robert is becoming more and more stagnating day by day. I sat there at the dinner table looking at my husband, trying to recall when my desire for him dissipated. The idea of making love to him doesn't appeal to me anymore. But because we're married, I feel obligated to perform my wifely duties...."
"I never knew tongue kissing could be so good. He unzipped my slacks and they fell to the floor with the other clothes that were quickly forming a pile. He ran his fingertips along the rim of my thongs, and caressed the curve of my ass. He slowly slid them down over my hips, as I spread my legs slightly apart to allow them to fall. The moisture from the cat had them sticking to my lips. My flesh was on '10' by this time."
Professional Reviews
A Wonderful Debut!
F.R.I.E.N.D.S. & The Choices That We Make is a moving story about seven women that experience various challenges in their lives; from infidelity, an abusive relationship, family drama, illnesses, death, and many other adversities. Some how these women manage to survive and end up in a state of contentment with their lives."
"This is truly a wonderful debut for Valerie A. Withers. She ingeniously created a story utilizing the letters in the word "friends" to name the characters involved."
"Valerie reveals the intricate details of the lives of each friend. Depicted in a conversational dialogue at times. Making the reader feel connected to the characters. This book is funny and sometimes sad, giving readers a dose of reality."
"Through out this interesting story the reader is reminded of the true blessing of having good friends and how important it is to maintain those relationships."
Books2Mention Magazine "Editor"
Hilarious, Heartfelt & True
Withers' novel is a powerful testimonial to the power & beauty of true friendship and a tribute for essence of woman truly blossoming through the turbulent moments of reality. This novel is basically a group of short stories that shares a common element: Synthia. And even though each character has her own story to tell, equal but separate is not an issue here, for F.R.I.E.N.D.S. is actually an acronym which represents the first letter of the first name of the seven major characters in this hilarious & well-orchestrated novel.
Felicity, Rachel, Ione, Evelyn, Nina & Denyse are the sustained medley (the concertos - if you will) that makes the grand composition of Synthia's opus a reality. Each lady has her particular storyline. Each lady represents an integral part of the melody which is weaved with the dexterity known by only the finest of craftmen; such is the skill of Withers' storytelling ability. Each is related by their relation to Synthia, whom incidentally is described as being an attractive heavy-set woman. I would propose having such a diversely fanatical array of friends would require having a little extra security (aka poundage) prerequisite for surviving the brouhaha that can often bloom in close relationships...
Withers entices the reader with a her flowering style of writing. We are often spoken to directly, as if a dear friend is recollecting a memory and sharing it through conversation. This conversational style is so very appealing and quite the pleasant surprise as Withers pulls it off perfectly with aplomb:
[pg. 46]
I had never been with a man who was so uninhibited in the bed before. With him is where I first experienced having my booty sucked and licked. Now for those of you ladies who are turning your noses up, you might want to skip this next part. But for those of you, who are true "freaks", keep reading...
At the very end of Withers' first attempt at fictional writing we are told Synthia's age, as a birthday celebration in a surprise locale - to make up for the festivities of the previous year due to the September 11 attacks in New York City & Washington D.C. - is planned by Nina. During a rare spiritually intense moment Synthia toasts friendship and tells each of her sister-friends how very much she is blessed to have them. At this culmination point Withers' intent shines like a brand-new penny:
[pg. 278]
"Cherish your friendships everyone. They are a dime a dozen and that much harder to come by."
Although the author tries flexing her poetic muscles (failing miserably) mainly Withers' masterpiece is a very lyrically humorous work. She even introduces a new word to my vocabulary: fyne (an adjective which means sexually attractive). The spelling is novel.
She stuns with her characters' bravado and wit... She intrigues with the blatant truth of her characters' realness. There is a vast amount of laugh-out-loud moments in Withers' narrative:
[pg. 134]
He was absolutely right. But I wasn't ready to go home yet. "Listen Carl, we can go on and on about this, but it won't change a damn thing [and] for that I'm truly sorry... I love you baby, and I love being your wife." He sat there for a minute, and then says, "I believe you [but] I will not tolerate you being disrespectful to me as a man, and cavorting around town with other men." Who the hell uses the word cavorting? And more importantly, what the hell does it mean?...
Interestingly enough, I was taken aback by the very last page which features the poem "One True Friend." The sentimentality was right on point and was a perfect fit for the perfect ending:
[pg. 134]
So the next time you feel alone and think there is know one to care
Remember this one thing; it's your girlfriend who will always be there
She's your one true friend!
4 1/2 stars - Hilarious, Heartfelt & True
Reviewed by:
Jacquii Cooke
Mahogany Media Review
Mahogany Book Club
Real Life
Felicity, Rachael, Ione, Evelyn, Nina, Denyse, and Synthia are the women of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. and The Choices That We Make. All of the women are in their late 30s with the exception of Evelyn who is 50. Each woman tells her story in her own words but they interact with one another throughout the novel. From a phone company sales rep living on the Southside of Chicago to a corporate lawyer living in an Atlanta suburb, these women come from a variety of backgrounds and situations.
This book is about real life choices. From drug addicted spouses, extramarital affairs, and unfulfilled dating experiences, F.R.I.E.N.D.S... has just the right mix of drama, comedy and spice rolled up into a neat satisfying package. Wither's conversational tone and writing style make this an enjoyable read. This book draws you in from the first page. What's interesting about this novel is that there is a brief introduction on each character before the actual story begins. You feel like the characters are your best friends sitting down having a gab fest. Each of the characters can easily carry a whole book on their own. F.R.I.E.N.D.S...also shows that the grass is not always greener on the other side. This is a great start to a hopefully long writing career for Valerie A. Withers.
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