In the Arms of One Who Loves Me

by Jacqueline Jones LaMon

From fabulous new author Jacqueline Jones LaMon, a sexy page-turner that follows the lives of two young, black professionals as they navigate career and romance, ambition and heartbreak. Two paths... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345447190
• ISBN13: 9780345447197
• Release Date: June 2002
• Publisher: One World
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.3" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

life happens

In the Arms of the One Who Loves Me was a book not only about finding that special someone, but about finding yourself. The two main characters, Nia and Seth, are attempting to meet their goals in life. Opposition, however, is constantly in their way. The novel essentially deals with each character separately, allowing the reader to become intimately involved in both Seth and Nia's lives. It leaves you with a feeling of hope -- that everything will eventually work out in your own life -- and a sense of knowing that no one can affect your life more than you. I loved the book and can't wait for more from Mrs. LaMon. I highly recommend this book.

More Than Meets the Eye

In The Arms Of One Who Loves Me, the debut novel by poet Jacqueline Jones LaMon, has a very sexy cover. It appears we have opened the door on two lovers and yanked them apart, mid-kiss. Inside, we meet the two--Nia Benson and Seth Jackson-- but well in advance of that smooch. And what we find are two believable and very human characters, so much so at points that the urge comes to slap them. Vulnerable and yet arrogant, hopeful and driven, Nia and Seth move in their respective worlds, showing us how head and heart converge for these black early '80s professionals. Humor, popular music, and the "nouveau buppy" values that sprinkle the lives of the characters add memorable turns throughout the novel. LaMon's particular gift is dialogue, and the plot advances most effectively in her precisely drawn scenes. Because of her attention to detail, several of the secondary characters also enrich and season the novel without bogging it down. Seth, however, seems the more fully-realized character, perhaps because he is an extrovert. Some plot details get cloudy toward the middle, but LaMon uses structure to keep us engaged in the unfolding dramas of both Seth and Nia. There are many novels on the market framed around a black heterosexual love match. And LaMon makes a memorable contribution. The book has its well-developed erogenous zones.But ultimately, In the Arms... offers more. It is more a chronicle of emotional struggle toward wholeness than a predictable sex romp by idealized soap-opera types. It takes us to authentic sites of pain, looks beyond surfaces, and shows us --repeatedly-- that there are ways out of the suffering we bring on ourselves. In the Arms of One Who Loves Me gives us love not simply as destination, but as a journey, likely to bring our passionate fantasies to fruition, if we stay on the path.

Yipeee for JJLamon

I was on the edge of my seat. Having been a young adult in the 80's, I could relate to all of the imagery....the language and the songs.. oh my...I could taste the early 80's. As I read, many times people heard me laugh out loud or go " OH SNAP!!!!!"...it was like a new surprise around every turn...JJL is my new fav author. ...

BEAUTIFUL writing, though story missed SOMETHING - 3.5

In the Arms of One Who Loves Me is the debut novel from author, Jacqueline Jones LaMon. The novel introduces us to Nia Benson and Seth Jackson, two people who are trying to figure out the career and romantic paths of their lives in order to get to that place where they can exhale; through coincidental circumstances, the two always manage to see each other, if only briefly.Nia is in an 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' relationship, has a friendship with a woman she really knows nothing about, and has aspirations to run her own public relations firm. When office politics leave Nia jobless, she finds herself trying to piece together a life that is slowly falling apart at the seams.Seth is a man who loves the ladies, but at the wedding reception for his best friend, he falls in love with a mysterious sister named, Lauren. As he tries to build his budding music career, Seth finds himself reliving old ways as a naughty friend/neighbor seduces him and leaves him struggling to keep his relationship with Lauren intact.In the Arms is a well-written novel by Ms. LaMon. She uses her skills as a poet effectively, and she definitely has a way with words that can move the reader. I read the first chap of her novel on her website and CRAVED to read the entire novel. As I did, however, I found some things that hindered my reading. One of those hindrances was the time sequence of the novel. Each chapter goes back and forth between Seth and Nia, and I had a hard time trying to figure out where, as a reader, I was in the story. This problem fixes itself towards the end. Other things that gave me pause can be grouped into one thing, the "unsurprises" of some of the surprise situations. I don't want to go into detail because I hope everyone will buy this book and experience it for him or her self, but there were situations in the story that just seemed "planted" and not grown organically through the story.Overall, I would highly recommend that people pick up this novel. Despite my own sidetracks of the story, I believe people will enjoy LaMon's writing style. Reading her makes me anxious to see what she comes up with next.Shon Bacon

Intelligent Fiction

I didn't know what to expect when I bought this book. I was pleasantly surprised to discover a fresh voice, intelligent writing, and keen insite of the trials and tribulations of modern black professionals hitting against that glass ceiling. Not to mention a breathtaking romance. I loved this book. I'd recommend it to anyone. Enjoy!