Shawan Lewis

Help Wanted by newcomer Shawan Lewis is “Waiting to Exhale” meets “Touched by an Angel.” Like Terry McMillan’s bestselling book, Lewis’s debut novel features four women who are dealing with their respective life struggles and relationship woes. Like on the Emmy-nominated television show, “Touched by an Angel,” characters in Help Wanted are blessed to have an angel on earth and they don’t even know it.

Hailee Shaw is a college student having trouble focusing on her studies show more because she always has to rescue her mother, Pashen, a former police officer turned drug addict. After a drug deal gone bad, Pashen’s boyfriend/supplier threatens her life. To keep her mom alive, Hailee offers herself to the drug kingpin and he graciously accepts. Hailee moves in with him and her mom and becomes his sex slave until he feels the debt is repaid.

Onyx Devoe dreams of becoming a famous R&B singer. By day she works as a claims adjuster and by night she works on her demo. One of her new clients happens to be NBA player, Wayne Griffin, whom she quickly falls for. He’s attractive, charismatic and shares her love for music. Before she knows it, she’s pregnant and living with him. She suspects he’s cheating, but nothing could prepare her for the devastation to come.

Paris Parker is a single mother with an out-of-work boyfriend. The respect level in their relationship has dwindled to nothing. When she lands an internship, her boyfriend is the least of her worries. Somebody at work is trying to sabotage her projects and get her fired. Meanwhile, her boss, a married man, has made more than one pass at her. When she comes home early from work and catches her man having sex, all hell breaks loose. What’s disturbing is the identity of “the other woman.”

Effie Peters has been married to Clarence for forty years. They’ve experienced many ups and downs. So when Clarence announces that he is leaving Effie for a younger woman, she laughs it off. However, when he moves out, reality sets in. Clearly, the young girl is only after Clarence’s settlement money, but he mistakes the attention for love. When he becomes ill, guess who’s at his bedside?

All of these women, though weathering different storms, share a common link. Discovering their heavenly bond will forever change their lives.

Help Wanted is a dynamic debut. At a time when street fiction is ever popular, this novel provides a nice change of pace. The author mixed Christian themes with urban issues and in so doing created a refreshing read. At times, the transitions from one character’s voice to the angel’s are abrupt and have the potential to confuse readers. That withstanding, I highly recommend this book. Shawan Lewis is definitely an author to watch. show less