The Other Side of the Pillow by Zane

The New York Times bestselling Queen of Erotica, Zane is back with a new novel about a testy love affair that emerges between a woman who’s had enough and a man who’s had it all.

Jemistry Daniels is a bitter woman and not trying to hide it. Even though she is beautiful, intelligent, and makes six figures a year as a high school principal in Washington, DC, one man after another has failed her. So she decides to give up and join the party by adapting the entire “friends with benefits” mentality with a couple of men that she beds on the regular but refuses to hold any kind of real conversation with, in fear that she might actually catch feelings.

Everything is going according to plan until she meets Dr. Tevin Harris, a prominent vascular surgeon, one night at a poetry slam. Tevin listens to her deliver her male-bashing poem and instead of steering away from her like most men with any common sense would do, he asks her out. Tevin has been casually dating for years, ever since his failed marriage to Estella. They had suffered several miscarriages and the emotional pain had become too much for either one of them to bear and still wake up with each other every morning.

Opening up, gaining trust, tearing down barriers, and ultimately, having the audacity to love again is not easy for either Jemistry or Tevin. It takes a lot of transparency, emotional honesty, and patience to even begin to build a life together by helping each other rebuild what has been broken. The Other Side of the Pillow examines, explores, and exposes what it means to truly fall in love. It proves that true love stories do not have a happy ending. True love stories never end at all.

 

I am going to preface this review by saying that I have known of Zane or many years. She has written countless books and has had two series of her stories broadcasted on a premium cable network. Even with all of her notoriety I had never read one of her books. However, with the highly anticipated release of the film adaptation of her novel Addicted set to hit the silver screens this Fall, I was determined to add her writings to my literary repertoire. With that being said I was afforded the opportunity via Netgalley to receive an ARC of The Other Side of the Pillow in exchange for an honest review.

I must say that I was surprised by the story that unfolded in the novel The Other Side of the Pillow. The story was honestly a very timely and realistic approach to dating and a truth that many women have to deal with and work through. Jimistry Daniels is a career woman who is a walking encyclopedia recalling random facts at the most random times but she knows what she wants, doesn't want, but not quite sure how to go after and claim what's good for her. While on the other hand there is Tevin Harris who is just too dang gone good to be true. I read and waited and waited and read for this person to not be who he said he was and it turned out that he was exactly who he represented himself as.

Throughout the all of the  twists and turns their relationship took there was some steaminess that ensued but it was just enough that it didn't take away anything from the story that was being told. However, there were a cast of supporting characters that took the kink-foolery to an entire other level. I mean did Jimistry's roommate Winsome really have to do that thing she did with a brother and sister... at the same time. That chick took kink to an entirely different level.

I digress. I really, really, like this book overall. My recommendation is to run and read The Other Side of the Pillow by Zane. Oh and don't forget to checkout Addicted in theaters October 14, 2014.