If There Be Pain

by Gloria Mallette

Book Overview

A beautiful home, a successful business and more women than most men encounter in a lifetime - Kyle Lawson seems to have it all. But when his Native American grandfather dies, Kyle begins experiencing terrifying dreams that leave him in both physical and mental pain. Suddenly, everyone in Kyle's life wants something from him. Desperate to regain control, he severs ties with all the women in his life, but quickly learns it's not that simple. And if...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0758211597
• ISBN13: 9780758211590
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: Dafina Books
• Length: 310 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Lessons to Learn

I enjoyed reading this book. This is the kind of book that takes time to read but is well worth it. The author present issues of disrespect, selfishness, egoism, and immaturity. It takes some bad things to happen to a man, who believes he is man, to finally see that he needs to grow up. I was very impressed with how the author used the Native American way of life to teach important lessons to the main character, Kyle. Since many African Americans have Native American Ancestors, this would be an excellent book to read.

"This compelling story is gripping and provokes deep reflection."

"If There Be Pain is a fabulous read. This compelling story is gripping and provokes deep reflection." "Kyle Lawson is living a wonderful life. He is a successful business owner, attractive and a ladies man. Everything is going great until Kyle's grandfather dies and begins appearing in his dreams. Eventually those dreams turn into nightmares." "Kyle's business begins to suffer, his relationships are unraveling and the three women he is intimately involved with begin to cause havoc in his life." "Desperate to stop his nightmares he seeks help from a surprising source. This unfortunately opens Pandora's box and will change his life forever." "Gloria Mallette has written an enticing suspenseful read."

Painful Lessons

Kyle Lawson is a successful businessman that has everything a man could want. His biggest flaw is his arrogance and his ability to string three women in his life along without a conscience. Kyle sees absolutely nothing wrong with his scandalous behavior but his family wants him to stop playing around and be a responsible adult. Kyle wants everyone to leave him alone. Things go from bad to worse for Kyle when his beloved Native American shaman grandfather dies. After his traumatic death, Kyle begins to have terrifying dreams that causes physical and mental pain. He runs to a tarot reader that tells him that one of the women in his life will put him in danger. Kyle thinks that cutting ties with all of his lovers will end his nightmares but he finds out that it's not that simple. He better pay attention to the meaning of those dreams before it's too late. If There Be Pain is an exceptional novel by Gloria Mallette. Mallette brought us an engaging storyline and characters that her fans have come to know and love. But what I really loved about this book was how this author incorporated a supernatural element into this story. The Native American shaman, tarot reader, and Kyle's nightmares added a whole new level to this already wonderful novel. Fans of this author's previous books will find that this story is truly unlike anything she's ever written and will be pleasantly surprised. There also a valuable lesson to this story: You can't go through life disrespecting people without consequences. If There Be Pain is enthralling and dynamic. Gloria Mallette has taken her writing to even greater heights.

A manly man?

Gloria Mallette takes readers on a new journey each time her pen flows across paper, and If There Be Pain is no exception. This is her first book where the story is told through the emotions of a man, and with an added touch of paranormal. As Kyle Lawson grew into manhood his actions became selfish, almost disrespectful to the feelings of women. His weakness is the 'sweet, intoxicating scent of a beautiful woman', and to that regard women were mere pawns in his ruthless game. But is that a badge for manhood? At odds with his family because of his cavalier attitude, Kyle makes himself an outcast. The one person who could reach him was his grandfather, a descendant of the Tuscarora tribe and a shaman. But his grandfather's illness threatened Kyle's egotism and altered their bond. After his grandfather's death, Kyle's life becomes a bit surreal. Recurring dreams about faceless women, and visits from his grandfather's spirit have him afraid to sleep at night. As the dreams intensify, Kyle becomes desperate. Completely out of character, he visits a tarot card reader trying to determine the messages from his REM sleep. Kyle has danced to the music, is he now man enough to pay the piper? Ms. Mallette will have readers internalizing as they try to understand the sometimes fragile emotions of an insecure man and as they view the strength and the fragility of the human spirit. All of the characters add depth to Kyle's painful struggle to face himself. Backdrop stories to If There Be Pain are how each person's life is a mixture of fear and obscurity, and the candid view of how friends and love ones really see us. Kudos to Ms. Mallette for an empathetic, even compassionate view of man whose actions could have easily evoked a different emotion from readers. I would love to hear a male point of view about this story.

Awakening!

If There be Pain serves as a wake-up call and a reality check for men and women, who use the opposite sex for personal gains. Kyle Lawson was wrapped up in "his world" and did not care about anyone--his family, his best friend, his employees--and especially not the many women in his life. He did not care about how anyone felt, as long as he felt good. He did not care about the pain that he caused others, as long as he felt good. His life motto: If there be pain--oh, well! Kyle used many women, but dated three main women. Kyle was recklessly leading his life down a path of total destruction. Then his grandfather died. He was very close to the Native American Shaman. His grandfather came to him repeatedly in painfully real dreams--to get Kyle to see the dangers of his lifestyle. Kyle seemed to never truly understand and learn from his life lessons. Kyle and death had a face-to-face encounter! But he continued to treat women with disrespect and his grandfather knew that he had not learned from his pain and his wrongs. Kyle learned almost too late that to do what is right takes strength of mind and character. Mallette takes us on a nightmarish tale that startles the reader into reality!