Review of Playing the Hand You're Dealt by Trice Hickman

Playing the Hand You're Dealt

by Trice Hickman

Emily Snow is a gentle, kind-hearted young woman who plays by the rules, makes good decisions, and does all the right things. But her quiet and rather uneventful life soon changes when her mother dies--the only family she had left, leaving her devastated and grief-stricken. Ready to bury her sorrow, and with coaxing from her best friend, Samantha Baldwin, Emily decides to make a fresh start, moving from her hometown of Atlanta, to the power capital of Washington, DC. There, she fights to build a new life and tame a secret demon that's been gnawing at her for years--the one thing her heart has always desired....her best friend's father!..........Samantha Baldwin is an ultimate rebel, not necessarily with a cause! Wild and bold, she does whatever she wants without a second thought. From her poor choices in bad men, to her tumultuous and strained relationship with her mother, Samantha has always run from truth and straight into trouble. But when a chain of events threatens to spin her life out of control, she doesn't think things can get any worse...until her best friend betrays her in a way she never imagined. Now, Samantha must tap into an inner-strength she never knew she had, and hold on to a family she realizes is worth fighting for. (less)

Published August 24th 2010 by Platinum Books (first published August 9th 2010)

My thoughts:

I saw this book on the Black Expressions Blookclub website. It sounded like a great book, so I ordered a copy since it is a newer book. The cover really caught my eye, a picture of a black woman in kind of a sexy position with a dress cut low in the back and a necklace drapped down. She looks maybe like she is dancing or something or trying to get a man's attention. The woman in the picture is the main character, Emily Snow. Emily is in love with her friend Samantha's father, but nobody knows, not even Samantha's father. She is sure he doesn't feel the same about her. No man has ever made her feel the way she feels when she is around Samantha's father. Samantha's father's name is Edward and his wife is Brenda. Edward and Brenda really don't have a passionate marriage. They only had sex about once every 4 months. Brenda is all about status and he just wants something more than material things. Emily moved in with Samantha's family for a time while she was looking for a place of her own. She just had to get out of there. She couldn't stand how hot she felt for Edward when she was around him. She ended up getting her own place and finding a new friend in Ruben who is her neighbor. She finds out that Ruben can see the future, and he has some important news for her that scares her. He sees that someone may die, and she worries that it may be someone she loves. She will be surprised what comes about out of all this. I kept wondering how Emily could have such strong feelings for a much older man, who is her best friend's father. After getting to know his wife Brenda, I really was hoping that Edward would ditch the bitch and hook up with Emily. Yeah she is young and the best friend of his daughter, but he has to be able to live his life. I really felt like I got to know the characters and was sad to see the book end! 5/5 diamonds Highly Recommend! Disclaimer:  I purchased this book. I was not compensated for my review. My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author or publicist. They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel. © 2011, Cheryl of Black Diamond's Book Reviews. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Black Diamond's Book Reviews, Urban Image Magazine, or Cheryl's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.