Title: Up to No Good
Author: Carl Weber
Publisher: Kensington
Series: Church
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 4
Review:

"Up to No Good" by Carl Weber...

"There is always a man around the corner. Church trustee James Black should know--he's usually that man, carrying on adulterous affairs and sleeping with one conquest after another. But when he suddenly finds himself truly in love, the other women in his church have a thing or two to say about it--including his daughter, Jamie.
Jamie has every intention of dismantling the relationship--until she discovers a mystery woman has been secretly calling her lover, Louis. Meanwhile, James's son, Darnel, spirals out of control after he catches his fiancée cheating. James knows he's to blame for the turmoil that surrounds him and his loved ones. Now he'll have to find a way to bring peace to their lives. But he can only do it by facing some hard truths about himself and changing his scandalous ways."

What I liked from the novel.....

This was another one of this author good reads. "Up to No Good" was definitely one of this author types of drama novels that will keep you on the edge of your seat with a lot of drama and suspense and leave you wondering what will come next. You will be left saying 'what a story' that was a little predictable but yet not disappointing in any way with some characters that were simply off the chart. Some of the characters were greatly flawed while a few others were simply well developed, engaging and oh so real to give the readers a simply good character development with a excellent subplots along with a unforgettable story line. The ending will definitely leave thinking just how far would you go to help out a blood relative. That ending left me in awe...because even though I know that person had a lots of demons and definitely needed help....I never thought that would happen. I am still shaking my head about that ending. All that is left to say is wow what a interesting intensed read that still I have thoughts about long after this read. If you are looking for drama with a lots of pain and craziness you have come to the right place for "Up to No Good" will give it all to you and more! ( )

"Up To No Good" was my first Carl Weber book. While the book had an interesting start, I quickly became bored with some of the characters and their storylines.

I found the character James very interesting. He was an old-school player who laid his cards on the table before each intimate encounter. He made it clear he was not looking for a relationship simply a good time. All parties knew what they were willingly getting into. Suddenly, the character changes from a "no strings attached" lifestyle to a man stuck by puppy love - dating a woman for months with no intimate contact. This seems very unlikely for a player especially considering the woman was not only his daughter's age but a friend of his daughter. In order to not give the ending away, I will simply say that most players would not have allowed themselves to be played.

I found the character Darnel the most interesting and the reason I decided to finish the book. Darnel was betrayed by his fiancee and by best man the night before his wedding. The betrayal led Darnel to do some things that were totally unexpected as he swung back and forth between seeking revenge and reconciling with his fiancée. However, the ending of his storyline was a little far-fetched and not very believable.

I agree with some of the other reviewers who gave the book a low rating that the character Jamie could have been totally excluded from the book. Half way through the book I found myself briefly skimming through her chapters. Her interaction with her father (James) was interesting but her relationship with her brother (Darnel) and her boyfriend (Louis) were totally boring and unnecessary. The twists and turns with her boyfriend seemed out of place in the book and added nothing to the storyline.

After reading this book I vowed to not read any other Carl Weber books. But after reading some of the other reviews, it seems this was not one of his better books. Therefore, I am willing to give him another chance. ( )

I really liked this book. The ending too much for words and I don't want to ruin it for the next reader. I loved the multi narrators of the audio version of this book. It really kept me on the edge of the seat. I would like to see this played out on the big screen. I can see Kerry Washington in the role of Jamie. ( )