Can I Get a Witness?

ReShonda Tate Billingsley takes us on a journey to Houston, TX into the lives of three sisters and their significant others. Sisters, Vanessa and Dionne seem to have trouble written all over them. Older sister Rosolyn seems to have the picture perfect life, but she's seen her share of deceit and lies too. To guide them all is Aunt Ida and with her words of wisdom she tries to assist as they try to get themselves in order. Vanessa is brutal in her courtroom. She has dreams and her marriage sometimes collides those dreams. However, when her husband Thomas is no longer capable of excusing her missing in action tactics, he begins an affair. Caught up with pride and having to learn to not only forgive, Vanessa must also learn to adjust her priorities. Dionne, the baby of the trio is hell bent on getting married and SOON. She's in love with Roland who hasn't vocalized his emotions for her. She knows he's married, but they are divorcing and his girlfriend doesn't bother her either.

This novel truly focuses on forgiveness and the need to love yourself. Rosolyn, Vanessa, Dionne and Aunt Ida were interesting characters. Overall,l it was a well written page turner and I would recommend the book to others.

Diva Reviewer - LaTosha Blackmon
www.divasread2.com

This is book was AEWSOME!!! I couldn't stop reading. I read this in one day.

Can I Get A Witness hits the floor running. Ms. Billingsley does a good job of throwing the reader into the story and you find yourself feeling for the characters and caring about what happens in their lives. The plot and character development are both thorough but it seems a bit too short and slightly rushed at times. When I finished the last page I found myself wishing certain points of the book were longer.

The story revolves around the lives of three sisters and the struggles they go through to cope with their relationships. The sisters are helped along by their Aunt Ida with her the well intended, sarcastic yet funny at times comments and advice. Aunt Ida raised them and encourages them to include God in their relationships.

Vanessa is a divorce-court judge whose marriage has been in trouble for a long time. Unfortunately, Vanessa was totally unaware of their marital problems, leaving her unprepared for the crazy ride she will have to take while dealing with her husband Thomas and his mistress.

Dionne, the youngest and brattiest of the sisters, whole life revolves around getting married before age 30. During her quest to find a husband, Dionne finds Roland; a not yet divorced man with doggish tendencies... which only the beginning of her troubles. Dionne has lots of growing up to do and doesn't seem to actually figure this out until it's almost too late.

Rosalyn, the eldest sisters, is the most level headed. With a happy marriage to a minister and a son - she comes off as the perfect sister with the perfect life. She is spiritually in tune with herself and seeks to help her sisters through their issues. But, she too has some drama of her own.

This book is a very fast read with strong characters. A story line that is crazy, funny, and serious. Ms. Billingsley delivers serious lessons with humor and care. I even found myself speaking out loud a few times at the audacity of some of the characters! A must read.

This is an excellent book. The characters are well developed and the plot is very interesting. You wont be dissapointed.

CAN I GET A WITNESS by ReShonda Tate Billingsley is an action packed story of two sisters and their troubles with men. Vanessa is a divorce court judge who finds herself suddenly in the same position as the people who come before her every day. Her husband, tired of her constantly putting work before their relationship, and even worse, of her putting work before what he desires most in this world, a child, has finally had it. He leaves her but she finds him, unfortunately, with another woman. Vanessa is outraged and heads for divorce court. The judge insists that she and her husband, Thomas, go to counseling before he will grant the divorce. Vanessa doesn't want to go, but knows that she must. Will the counseling help them get their marriage back together? Or is Vanessa too bent on revenge for reconciliation?

Her sister, Dionne, is dating Roland, a man no one in the family thinks much of, but that's okay with her because she loves him. Then she discovers he is cheating and the heat is on. There are other complications and she begins to seek revenge. Will it all turn around and bite her, rather than destroy Roland?

CAN I GET A WITNESS is a real page-turner that keeps your attention from the first page to the last. It covers numerous issues that are common to all human beings and it leaves lessons learned by the characters. It can certainly cause readers to take a hard look at their own life. It is well-written, loaded with suspense and tension. It certainly held my interest.

Reviewed by Alice Holman
of the RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers