Gwynne Forster (1922–2015)

Bullet points because I don't want to have to think about this anymore than necessary:

*The writing was like reading someone's very first fan fiction (only technically proficient).

*The dialogue was beyond ridiculous. I shouldn't be thinking of Leave It to Beaver when reading a contemporary book. No one, no one speaks like that in real life in the 21st century. This was a complete and total failure to make these characters sound like believable human beings.

*They kind of read like old timey show more robots programmed to do improv. The dialogue was that stilted and their conversations would start off making sense, but one would end a sentence and jump to a non-sequitur literally in the same breath. I felt I was yelling, "WHAT?! WHERE DID THAT COME FROM, THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE!" every other page. They'd be having some ostensibly sweet moment and the next thing out of his mouth is something entirely random that set off a fight. 'Oh, Jack, this dinner was scrumptious!" (yes, it sounded exactly like that) "Thank you, Melanie. Why do you keep denying you have any feelings for me?" I AM NOT EXAGGERATING. This was constant.

*If you don't want to write cursing into your book, that's fine. Having adults in their 30's say things like "gosh", "gee", "heck" constantly makes them sound utterly stupid.

*There was no continuity. They'd have a conversation and a few pages later one of them would say something that completely contradicted the conversation. 'Why won't you commit to me?!' Okay, except you've had like ten conversations where you've each confirmed you'll only be with each other. "Unless she could tell by the, Porsche, she doesn't know how wealthy I am and she doesn't care." Uhmmm, what in the actual fuck? Let's say the Porsche actually didn't tip her off to his wealth. I think him having an office in the rich area of town, paying for this clinic in the poorer area on his own, the fancy-ass wealthy things he wears, buys, throws around, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. would freaking tip her off! Honestly, the whole thing was this nonsensical.

*Did an editor even read this?!

*Worst attempt at an alpha male. Ever. It's not all that cute to begin with, but when the author writes it with all the deftness of a toddler finger painting it becomes painful. He is the most over sensitive, YOU MUST TELL ME YOU LOVE ME. WHY, EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE JUST SHOWN ME AFFECTION TWO SECONDS AGO, WILL YOU NOT SHOW ME/TELL ME THAT YOU CARE ABOUT ME?! No lie, these are things that were said. Yet he was controlling to the point that he literally buckled her seat belt for her every time she got in his car. He would give her commands constantly. It was so clunky and awful.

*The Heroine read more like a teenager than someone who is 31 years old (and not because she only referred to her father as "Daddy"). Her behavior and reactions to things were so stupid. But so were his. I wish they wouldn't breed, their children will be dumb as a box of rocks and emotionally volatile. And the reason why she was only finishing up her schooling at this age was never addressed.

*The plot was so basic and clichéd. I still can't believe that this was somehow 300 freaking pages long. There was so much random crap. It makes no sense that it rambled on that long without really saying anything. No, seriously, so much of it didn't make sense! The character actions, reactions, interactions, and motivations were so dumb. Again, I spent way too much time stopping reading to exclaim how much what was going on made no damn sense whatsoever. HOW WAS THIS 300 PAGES?!

*No, seriously, how is it even possible an editor read this?!

Honestly, I could really delve deeper into all of these points and find new ones to bring up and give countless examples (which I kind of want to do because I want you guys to understand my pain) but I've already written more than I had intended. Apparently my abject frustration from reading this kind of poured out against my will. show less

When I first picked this book up, I really wanted to like it—a novel about a successful African-American woman who negotiates issues of body image and self-esteem, has a career as a journalist and finds love? Awesome! But after a page or two, I really wanted to be able to finish it, but in the end, I couldn't even manage that. A Change Had to Come is just flat out bad—the prose is awful, the dialogue is terrible ("What the devil do you mean by undermining me and grabbing my assignment?" show more Twenty-first century American man, or upper-class twit from London in 1854? You decide.), and the characterisation ham-fisted.

I abandoned this book on about page 30 or so, but not my search for good romance novels with PoC in the lead roles—any recommendations gratefully received. show less

Two pages into this mess, I knew I'd made a mistake and I wondered if it was too late to send it back to eharlequin.com. Let me just get it out now. The book sucked on so many levels. So many. I was damn near in tears through the second half of the book, because I wanted to finish it.
The story line is that of two people who've been bestfriends forever who suddenly find themselves in bed together. I love bestfriends who fall in love books, I really do. But I think that this one has spoiled show more them all for me It sucked.
Specifically, the male and female charactes were 35 and 29 respecively. They talked like they were 80 year olds. This became even more obvious, when they were actually speaking to a 90 year old man. I think that's becase the author is older than the characters (No offense) and doesn't know how our generation speaks and interacts.
On top of that, this was a part of a series. A 4 part series. They could not have ended this series any worse. Brenda Jackson opened it with a perfect story. Jacqueline Thomas almost ruined it with a mediocre story. Elaine Overton saved it with the cutest story I've ever read. Then comes Gwynne Forster to just destroy it worse than a 18 car pile up on a highway in LA. I mean come one. Kimani couldn't find anybody else to do this? No Maureen Smith, Tamara Sneed, Adrienne Byrd, A.C. Arthur. Nobody?
Anyway, she basically unraveled everything that the other three authors had weaved. She changed everybodys personality. There were 4 sisters, who all had the same personality? No. The youngest sister throughout the entire series had been known as the wild one, yet in this she was the melodramatic one? The book took place over a six month period, maybe even less. And you're telling me that she suddenly changed into this uptight married woman? I so doubt it. And then, the youngest sisters husband was all big and alpha male in his book, yet in this one he's scared to tell his wife that he doesn't want her to put them in debt by having a pool put in? Let's forget the fact that he was well off in his own book? Did the dow jones go down or something between these book? Basically, this book was a big disappointment. I'm going to stick to my guns now and remember my vow to never ever ever ever ever ever read another Gwynne Forster book. 4hrs 2mins show less

By: Gwynne Forester
Published By: Dafina
Age Recommended: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 4
Review:

"When the Sun Goes Down" by Gwynne Forester was a wonderful written novel about the Leon Farrell family. It was the death of Leon Farrell when it all came out about a family that looked good on the outside but when you are able to get inside this picture...my, my, my what will we find...a father whose life changed for his family in their treatment after his loss his 'beloved wife.' There were show more three children, Edgar, the oldest, next their was Gunther and then the baby sister Shirley. We find Edgar was the 'rebel' who lived his life by is own terms only leaving Gunther and Shirley more or less on their own due to the treatment of their father. What was so very important about this read is that from the opening of the story till the very end that there wasn't any love lost between the father and the children. Why was this?

Edgar was a guitarist, Gunther an entrepreneur software designer and Shirley was a PR specialist for a cruise line. The two younger Farrell children had worked their way through college and into successful careers while Edgar, well you will see from the read how he managed. Now, to really understand what all is going on with the Ferrell's you area going to have to pick up this amazing read to see what happens after their father dies and no one can find the will.
Who will be really concerned with this... the inheritance? Will they find this well hidden will? Be ready for some mystery, with deep secrets and lies with will be revealed in this drama of many twist and turns. Will the oldest sibling, Edgar finally grow up and stop depending on his brother and sister to help him out of his messed up life? One thing I will note about this novel is that their was love showed toward the brother, Edgar by his siblings. They truly had tried to help him out many, many times. "When The Sun Goes Down" will be a long novel but I feel the author did a good job at presenting it all to her readers the way she did and it was a easy smooth read.

The characters well developed and interesting maybe some I didn't like but that did not take away from the awesome story that was presented. I thought that the 'family dynamics' were very true to life in what could happen when someone loses a 'influential' family member especially when money is involved.

If you are looking for a good family story with a little bit of it all you have come to the right place for "When The Sun Goes Down" will give you some of it all. From death, secrets, lies, love, rape, deceit to romance....it's well covered between the book cover. Would I recommend? YES! show less