Rating: 
Summary: Great book club choice!
Review: I have a friend who is in a book club and she said her club read this book and that it was one of their favorites. So I recomended it to my book club, and we just finished it. Everyone loved it, and we had a great time discussing the intricacies of Reginald's betrayal, and the way he managed to pull off his deception for so long. I think you'll really enjoy this. Like I said, we all loved it. It gets you thinking, and it makes for a really lively discussion!I'd also recommend some other books we read recently that we also loved. The Time Traveler's Wife was great too, and so was My Sister's Country. Just all great reads.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Disappointment
Review: "The Great Pretender" is a great disappointment. Although its language is crass and vulgar it has none of the hard-core sex appeal of some of the classics of erotica/adult fiction. The plot is reminiscent of the worst junior high school comic book--one calamity after the other. The characters are flat in their depiction and horrible in their actions. I really did not want to know about Grandma's kidneys. The plot ending will leave you so depressed that you will need a pint of expensive ice cream and a half a pound of chocolate to overcome it. The writing suffers from too many cliches. The scream is "earsplitting." He "grated her nerves." It "planted the seed of suspicion." She "wiped the sleep from her eyes." Reggie has "the weight of the world on his shoulders." If you are looking for a great love story purchase something written by one of the Brontes. If you want a fine mystery read anything by Carol O'Connell or Laurie R. King. If you want a good book for an airplane ride try Stephen King. All of these writers craft books that contain clearer and more clever plots, richer and more inviting characters, and stronger and more engaging endings. I would give this book zero stars but 1 star was the lowest rating available.
Rating: 
Summary: Nasty Cast Of Characters. Questionable Plot.
Review: I saw "The Great Pretender" listed on Amazon.com, read the wonderful reviews and ordered it ASAP. I was terribly disappointed, especially given all the hoopla surrounding this novel, Millenia Black's first. My main problem is that in the entire cast of characters I cannot find one that I like. There is not one single fictional person I can relate to, or sympathize with, in the book's 303 pages. The storyline of a man, or woman, with a double life has so much potential. But all the folks involved in this "double life" scenario are totally self-centered - they're just plain shallow and, well, despicable.
Reginald Brooks, a marketing executive, has traveled every two weeks, for six years, from Miami, Florida to Orlando, Florida and back again to Miami. Fortunately he has a job that allows him to do this. Reginald is married to Tracy, with whom he has two children. Olivia is the eldest, who dislikes her father intensely because of his perpetual neglect, and Valerie, age 17, is a chronic snoop, who spies on everyone. Then there's Renee Jameson, Reggie's gorgeous trophy girlfriend, with a great body, who lives in Orlando with their daughter Denise. Renee believes that her man is single and that they will marry soon. Neither woman knows about the other family. However, Reg is getting tired of the commute. He wants to make a choice between families and live in just one city with one woman, one family. Middle age is really getting to him and he's tired of the travel, the airports, the planes, etc.. He will just have to dump someone. He loves Tracy but wants to raise Denise, since he missed child rearing with his first two daughters. Such problems! Such a decision!
Franklin Bevins is Reggie's best friend, the only person he confides in and depends on. Frank and Tracy Brooks, (Reggie's wife), are sleeping together, and have been lovers for some time. Frank has always been very jealous of Reg.
You can imagine all the convolutions the plot takes, more than a French farce, but with a sorry ending. It's all about folly and consequences. As I said before, I was just not able to relate to the characters. They were more like caricatures than three dimensional individuals. Ms. Black's writing is uneven, but I did stick with the novel enough to enjoy it sometimes, which is why the 3 star rating instead of 2. When I begin a book I rarely give up. This may be a bad habit, who knows?
In all honesty, I cannot recommend this novel. But if you are curious, check it out in your local bookstore before you make the purchase. There are many excellent reviews for The Great Pretender," and I am just one reader.
JANA
Rating:
Summary: Real INTENSE
Review: This book had me hooked from the first page. I don't know where to begin but I really enjoyed this novel. It had sad parts to it but this book definitely hits home. I am amazed that this author wrote a book like this. The only thing thats left for me to say is PURCHASE this book NOW !
Rating:
Summary: Never a dull moment!!!
Review: There was never a disappointing moment while reading this novel. Black delivered big time: mystery, suspense, passion, malice, and the realistic portrayal of the underground world of infidelity.
Reginald and Tracy were such a believable pair - he, perceived to be suave and successful in his duplicity against the family, and she, the abandoned wife left to raise the children and seek solace elsewhere. Is it hard to imagine something like this happening for real? No.
In my opinion, Black did a remarkable and effective job of masking what was to come in the end and throw the reader off the true scent. Overall, I loved it.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book!
Review: I wasn't too sure about this book but once I started reading it I could not put it down! a Must-Read book!
Rating:
Summary: Would love to see a prequel
Review: I loved the story Millenia Black created! It had great charecter development, in fact I hated most of them! Her book reminded me of Jackie Collins and Harold Robbins, just full of intrigue! I would love to see how Reggie began his adventure and ended up as The Great Pretender. I also think this would be a great movie to see! I think the hate and emotion would shine on the big screen, as it shone through the pages of this book. Just a bug in your ear Millenia, how about a prequel?
Rating:
Summary: A Complex Family Drama
Review: This was a fantastic book! Reginald and Tracy had a very complex marriage. This certainly had an impact on the kids, especially Olivia. The author did an excellent job drawing each scene to flow so you felt like you were watching their life decisions play out like a movie. After all that took place, what with Tracy getting "the call" from Renee and finding out about she and Denise, Franklyn brooding over his pride and ego, Olivia moving out, etc., I thought their marriage could survive because it seemed that Tracy and Reginald really did love each other, they just were messed up by too much time spent apart over the years.
The title of the book is perfect. It implies Reginald, but the truth is, everyone is a pretender in their own way. I do highly recommend this novel!
Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: The book was amazingly a good read. After reading this book, it makes me want to take closer look at what my husband is doing.
Rating:
Summary: A well written plot
Review: The plot to this story was very interesting to read. As to the ending it was totally unpredictable
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