Gotta Be Destiny
Karamel Brown
Lulu Publishing
ISBN: 9781430327349
Reviewed By Linda Pearson
Official Apex Reviews Rating: 
Destiny
Reynolds is used to many good things: professional success, great
friendships, tight family bonds; unfortunately, she's also used to
something not-so-good: pain. Her heart has been broken in some of the
worst ways imaginable, most recently by a man who swept her off her
feet. He's the kindest, most tender and romantic man she's ever met -
but she soon discovers that he's also engaged to be married. Her heart
shattered into a thousand pieces, Destiny doesn't know when - or if -
she'll ever be able to open up and trust another man again.
Enter
Seth Martin: educated, accomplished, grounded - and, most importantly,
FINE - Seth is a catch that Destiny soon realizes she can't afford to
let get away. On top of everything else, Seth has a humble heart and
deeply-rooted spirituality that give him an immediate edge over many
other men looking only to satisfy their own desires. Having her own
checkered past regarding religion, Destiny realizes that she would be
remiss to pass up the chance to strengthen her own faith and make
long-needed changes in her own personal life.
The Seth-Destiny
fairy tale seems headed for the perfect storybook ending - until one
day Seth's ex-girlfriend shows up on his doorstep with a baby she
claims is his. All of a sudden, Destiny is thrown right back into the
same emotional chaos she swore she'd escaped, and all the peace and
security she thought she'd found vanish into thin air. Determined not
to let anything get in the way of their relationship, Seth fights hard
to win Destiny's trust back, but her tortured fate may be sealed for
good this time…
On the surface, the storyline of Gotta Be Destiny
appears similar to many typical "boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl,
boy-tries-to-win-girl-back" stories currently flooding the market; it
distinguishes itself, though, through the injection of such deeper
elements as religious intolerance, workplace politics, and the oblique
process of healing. Brown cleverly weaves these disparate fabrics into
a unified tapestry of emotion, all the while apprising the reader of
the greater role that small experiences play within the overall context
of life.
Also, in displaying the prolonged difficulty that
Destiny endures while trying to decide whether or not to trust Seth
again, Brown provides a template for the thousands of women who
similarly find themselves torn between listening to either their heads
or their hearts; and, as we see from Destiny's ordeal, sometimes
neither choice feels like the right one.
An inviting, engaging tale with clever twists and peppered secrets, Gotta Be Destiny
is a definite page-turner - and, if you're recovering from a break-up,
this story may just remind you of some things you've been trying to
forget...read at your heart's own discretion.
Official Apex Reviews Interview: Karamel Brown (Gotta Be Destiny)
Apex Reviews: Karamel, thanks for joining us for this interview. We appreciate having this opportunity to learn more about your book.
Are any parts of the story autobiographical?
Karamel Brown: This book is truly a work of my very over active imagination!
AR: Was it difficult for you to craft Seth's character as such a good, honest, loving man?
KB: Actually, I modeled Seth's character after my father. He's a Pastor who possesses all of these qualities.
AR: Have readers responded favorably to him, mainly by believing that good men like him really do exist?
KB: Yes, readers have loved, loved, loved his character. It actually gives them hope that good men are still out there, and not a myth.
AR: Likewise, why is it so difficult for Destiny to embrace his genuineness?
KB: It's difficult for Destiny to embrace Seth's genuineness because she thought she had all that in her ex-boyfriend Mike, but when it blew up in her face, it caused her heart to harden.
AR: Where did you get the idea to include the Rohypnol scene?
KB: Growing up I've watched many after school specials where a girl was drugged...and I knew I had to bring Mike's character back briefly, so that's how I quickly tied it into the story.
AR: Why is Malika so hell-bent on destroying Seth's life?
KB: You know the old adage misery loves company. Malika's character is actually based on many women I've encountered in life, who just have to bring other's down because they're not happy with themselves.
AR: Through the power of her own sacrifices, Cherri proves her true loyalty to Destiny in the end. Are her actions based on real-life experiences of yours?
KB: To be honest, Cherri is sort of based on me. Whether I'm involved in a relationship/friendship, I give it my all - no matter what. I always put others before myself. I also wanted to show the true bond of friendship through both women.
AR: You've loved writing since you were a child, but you didn't start writing seriously until after you graduated from college. Why do you think it took awhile before you officially launched your writing career?
KB: The reason it took me awhile to pursue my dream, is because I thought I was going to be an anchorwoman! I kid you not. In college I was an anchor, and I lived, breathed, and ate news, news, news until one night I was under the dryer and started crafting a story. That's when it hit me, but all my life my grandmother told me that I was going to be an author.
AR: How long did it take you to complete Gotta Be Destiny?
KB: It actually took me 7 months to complete this novel. I would've been done last January, but my brother was killed in Iraq so that in itself was a major setback. It was by God's grace and mercy that I was able tofinish it, and dedicated it to him.
AR: We noticed that you're working on your second novel. Care to share a sneak peek of it with our readers...?
KB: My second novel is called Between Love and a Hard Place...it's about two best friends, Zoe and Keith. Zoe is a successful wedding planner who just so happens to be planning Keith's wedding to this snotty drama queen, Adina. Keith is the CEO of his family's entertainment business and isn't too fond of Adina. But because his dying mother is blackmailing him -- marry her or you'll lose everything -- the brotha sort of doesn't have a choice... Anyway, Zoe is a true romantic seeking Mr. Right and happens to find him on MySpace IM...what she doesn't know is that the man she's been secretly pouring her heart to is Keith, who's been madly in love with her since college.
AR: Any final thoughts you'd like to share with our readers?
KB: I just want readers to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride while entering my characters' crazy worlds.
AR: Thanks again, Karamel, and best of continued success to you in all your endeavors!