Skip to main content

A Review of The Root of all Evil by Joylynn M. Jossel


Meet Klarke Taylor, a mother of two and happily married until her husband blew up her world with his lies and infidelity. Now, she has a pile of bills and creditors breathing down her back. So she devises a plan along with her two besties, Jeva and Breezy to get her a man to bail her out of her financial situation. Reo Laroque is the man who fits the bill. He’s a bestselling author and is looking for a woman who can be his wife. However, all doesn’t go so smoothly as he is caught up in a twisted case of love, lust and lies.

This story had too much going on. Not only did Klarke have drama with her ex-husband, her boss and her new husband but her besties had issues with their men as well. While there were some interesting moments in this book, I felt the story would have been better served if it had fewer subplots. I perked up toward the end when Reo’s six-month-old daughter drowned in his pool and Klarke confessed to the crime but there was no hard evidence to put her away in jail. I was left wondering who did it and it was also unclear whether Harris played a part in it or not… then the book ended. Otherwise, it was an enjoyable read.

My favorite lines:

My beef has always been with you, Tionne. What’s strange is that I probably wouldn’t have even been mad at you if you were just the other woman. But when you decided to take on the role of my friend—laughing in my face, going out with me, coming over to my house and having me baby-sit your and Harris’s love child, you crossed the line. Otherwise my only beef would have been with Harris. Harris took vows and made a commitment to me, not you. You didn’t owe me shit. Harris did. I’m not like most women who fly off the handle and set out to beat the mistress down. But you, Tionne, you pretended to be my friend. You played me and that hurt.

Rating: 3 Stars



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Interview with Jacqueline Seewald, Author of THE INHERITANCE

Author’s Bio: Multiple award-winning author, Jacqueline Seewald, has taught creative, expository and technical writing at Rutgers University as well as high school English. She also worked as both an academic librarian and an educational media specialist. Sixteen of her books of fiction have previously been published to critical praise including books for adults, teens and children. Her short stories, poems, essays, reviews and articles have appeared in hundreds of diverse publications and numerous anthologies. What inspired you to write your book? I enjoy writing romantic mystery fiction. The idea for this particular novel just seemed to evolve organically from my imagination. Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult? I would have to say reading the Bible was influential. As far as regular books go, I’m a big fan of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Is this your first book? How long did it take to start and...

National Poetry Month’s Feature: Poet Cherrie Amour

Poet’ s Bio: Cherrie Amour aka Cherrie Woods is a Baltimore-based, award-winning poet known for her candid, narrative verse exploring love, identity, relationships, and the layered complexities of belonging. Her work is featured in her poetry collection, Free to Be Me: Poems on Love, Life and Relationships.   She is the creator of the Words, Wine & Wings Poetry and Open Mic Show and has been featured by FOX45 News, The Baltimore Beacon , and Baltimore City Paper . Her poetry has appeared in Paterson Literary Review , Understorey Magazine , Poet’s Ink , The Pen Woman , The Fire Inside: Collected Poems and Stories from Zora’s Den , America’s Future Anthology , Yellow Arrow Journal , and Maryland in Poetry .   She is currently submitting her new poetry chapbook manuscript, Sit Comfortably Elsewhere , to publishers—a deeply personal collection exploring her life and perspective as a double immigrant.   Deliah Lawrence: When did you first realize poetry was a p...

National Poetry Month’s Feature: Poet Buddah Desmond

Poet’ s Bio: Buddah Desmond aka BDEZ (he / him / they / them) is an award-winning author, poet, artist, and singer based in the DMV. His writing shares lessons from adversity to triumph and offers messages of hope, love, faith, and persistence. He ’ s the author of multiple poetry collections, including the most recent releases  Everything I Miss(ed) At Home  (2023),  Coming Up From the Downside: Finding Joy in Our Song  (2024), and  Exotic Shifter: 11th Anniversary Edition  (2025).   His writing has appeared in  Creative Currents ,  Rebel ’ s Zeitgeist ,  Liquid Cat Quarterly ,  MelaNation ,  Mixed Mag , and  The Sound of the Collective Pen: A Poetry Anthology by Emerging Voices . He served as a healing leader in the DC-based arts + faith + social justice organization, The Sanctuaries. He ’ s currently a National Board of Trustees At Large Member (Beta Chapter) for the professional arts fraternity, Gamma Xi Phi. ...