Review: “Defying Gravity”
I chose this book from an ARC program because I was feeling to read a romance that had a deeper story than the typical boy-meets-girl and happily-ever-after, and this certainly fit the bill.
The Premise
Belle has been acting as a mother for most of her life to her teenage brother TJ, who is on the cusp of a promising future — young, bright, smart and talented; everything she’s worked so hard to build him into. Still, as a black man, he attracts unwelcome attention one evening while walking home from school, and when a white cop gives him a ride home, Belle immediately assumes the worst. Sheriff Bently, “one of the good ones” on the police force, is instantly attracted to Belle. However, he has a reputation as a playboy, and his past trauma compromises his ability to be with anyone for the long haul. Despite their racial and cultural differences, Bentley soon charms both Belle and her brother TJ, and becomes intricately woven into their lives. But just as they begin to feel like love can conquer all, tragedy strikes — showing them both that the seemingly “colourblind” society of Shattered Cove is just a mirage; its seedy underbelly shows a much more insidious reality.
The Pros
I appreciated this story for its strong and detailed character development, as well as its cultural relevance which touched on a lot of issues that are often not focused on in romances, even interracial romances. The theme of abuse is powerfully executed here; both the hero and heroine have been through a lot in the past, and Belle’s triumph of survival is a road map for Bently to also find peace with his demons. There is a good balance of romance and suspense to keep the reader’s interest throughout, and enough heart-wrenching moments to completely gut you emotionally. The story is beautiful, poignant, and relevant in today’s society; a much-needed novel for our times.
The Cons
However, I felt like I would have liked to experience more of some scenes — particularly the culminating tragic event. It was a missed opportunity that we only got Belle’s view, rather than the in-the-moment view of Bentley’s side as well; and while this may fall into many readers’ “Pros” list, for me “less is more” with regard to the sexy scenes. A good bit of the book’s (fairly long) real estate was dedicated to panty-melting, dick-throbbing moments — and the story itself was much, much more interesting than that. Also, there were some moments of political relevance (hair touching, Juneteenth, not “seeing” colour) that I wish were more nuanced; instead they were dropped in almost like an “after-school special” (note: I am a reader of colour, and this may have influenced my preferences to want these to be done exceptionally, exceptionally well!)
Conclusion
Despite my personal preferences, I think this story on the whole is excellent. It takes the reader on an entire emotional journey from beginning to end, and it is easy to get lost in these characters. It makes you think and feel things, long after the last page. Though the eventual conclusion seemed entirely unlikely, it poses a what-if question to the reader — what if, just once, after a tragic error, the law gets it right? I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a story for today’s world, especially if you like interracial romances and damaged characters who triumph over adversity.
