Charisse Ellison is a beautiful twenty-nine-year-old single woman who is new to her faith, but convinced that her relationship with God is the only way to have the truly fulfilling life she desires—one that includes a husband and children.
Stefàn Cooper is a thirty-three-year-old bachelor who has no desire to change his ways. Tall, muscular, and strikingly handsome, Stefàn is used to getting what he wants from the opposite sex but is intrigued by Charisse’s seeming indifference to his charms. The couple’s intense romance leads them on a journey that challenges the bravado Stefàn has held on to for most of his adult life and forces Charisse to see that God’s answered prayers don’t always come packaged the way we expect.
Who Said It Would Be Easy? is a story that offers hope in situations that, at first seem hopeless, and shows that through faith in an all-powerful God, even the most painful experiences can culminate in true joy and peace.
AAMBC Reviews 5 Stars *****
If you are looking for a novel that captures the joy and pain of various types of love, look no further. Through the lives of Cherisse and Stefan, Cheryl Faye, engulfs the reader with emotional struggles and lessons between families, friends, husbands and wives, and God and humankind. Stefan and Myra learn to love after having their heart broken by a teenage girlfriend and a father, respectively. When Stefan meets Cherisse, his lifestyle and everything he swears against comes to a screeching halt as he allows his heart to overrule his head. When Myra meets Barretto, she experiences her first attachment to one of the opposite sex; her relationship with Barretto completely changes her demeanor and aspirations. Julian helps Stefan, his best friend, through his struggles and coming to his own realization that his ex-wife is his life partner. Cherisse, with unwavering faith in God, falls in love with Stefan and helps him to establish and maintain a relationship with God. Through their trials as a couple, including their inability to conceive, Cherisse is Stefan’s rock.
The novel is abundant in life lessons and religious expressions which often came across as too preachy and repetitive. Cherisse, took a vow of abstinence when she became saved, a few months before meeting Stefan. This fact was mentioned several times, until the couple was married. I wanted to shout, “I get it! She is celibate; that’s great. Let’s move on!” There were also instances when the author told the story instead of showing and letting the reader experience the story. This usually happened with the author was trying to pass time or advance the story months or weeks ahead. I felt cheated because Faye does an excellent job in setting the scene and capturing emotional tendencies.
This is the first work I’ve read by the author, but I wouldn’t hesitate to read another and tell others about her.
Natasha R. Hines
AAMBC Reviewer
Sounds interesting….