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Choose Me
Jessica and Chris had their first chance at love when they were studying in Edinburgh. Away from the US for the first time in their lives, neither expects to bump into someone from their hometown, much less fall in love. But fate has a way of playing tricks with people. And the question is whether their love is strong enough to last even when they return to America, especially when race and their own insecurities come into play.
86 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 2, 2013
5 people are currently reading
66 people want to read
About the author
Kim Golden
23 books268 followersI grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and spent most of my summers in Smithfield, Virginia.
I first realized I wanted to be a writer while attending the George Washington Carver High School for Engineering & Science – yes, there was a time when I wanted to be an architect, at least I thought I did. Then, one day, I couldn't take the boredom of another chemistry class and decided to write a novel. It was passed around to all of my classmates, who loved it. I did this several times and realized I had zero talent in math, science, or architecture. I was much better at writing, so I focused on that when I went to university.
In 1995, I chucked living in the US for the good life in Sweden with my Swedish husband.
I first realized I wanted to be a writer while attending the George Washington Carver High School for Engineering & Science – yes, there was a time when I wanted to be an architect, at least I thought I did. Then, one day, I couldn't take the boredom of another chemistry class and decided to write a novel. It was passed around to all of my classmates, who loved it. I did this several times and realized I had zero talent in math, science, or architecture. I was much better at writing, so I focused on that when I went to university.
In 1995, I chucked living in the US for the good life in Sweden with my Swedish husband.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 26, 2014
Ahhh...So Enjoyable
Kim Golden is a masterful storyteller! Her writing is so rich in imagery that as the reader, you feel like you're in that time and space witnessing it all as it unfolds.
Choose Me is the story of Jessica and Chris-two American students studying abroad in Scotland. They meet in a bar and sparks fly. Chris is a photography apprentice and Jessica is studying for her thesis in literature. Their story is romantic and passionate without gratuitous or heavy sex scenes. What I also love about this story most is that it's not some idealistic tale of interracial love. Jessica has real concerns about how they're relationship will be perceived by her friends and family once they return home while Chris has a who cares attitude. This is what eventually leads to their breakup.
Flash forward two years and a chance meeting brings them back together. The love and the longing is still there, but will Jessica still let the opinions of others block her own happiness? Girl you better get your man!
I wish this story were longer because I wanted to know indeed if Jessica followed her heart instead of her head and how she dealt with the aftermath of her decision but a very good read nonetheless.
Kim Golden is a masterful storyteller! Her writing is so rich in imagery that as the reader, you feel like you're in that time and space witnessing it all as it unfolds.
Choose Me is the story of Jessica and Chris-two American students studying abroad in Scotland. They meet in a bar and sparks fly. Chris is a photography apprentice and Jessica is studying for her thesis in literature. Their story is romantic and passionate without gratuitous or heavy sex scenes. What I also love about this story most is that it's not some idealistic tale of interracial love. Jessica has real concerns about how they're relationship will be perceived by her friends and family once they return home while Chris has a who cares attitude. This is what eventually leads to their breakup.
Flash forward two years and a chance meeting brings them back together. The love and the longing is still there, but will Jessica still let the opinions of others block her own happiness? Girl you better get your man!
I wish this story were longer because I wanted to know indeed if Jessica followed her heart instead of her head and how she dealt with the aftermath of her decision but a very good read nonetheless.
September 15, 2013
A beautifully written book, poignant and emotional and yet funny at times. The characters are very well drawn out and I was with Jessica all the way, rooting for her. This book does something that few books achieve- tackles serious issues while also telling a great story. A superb read and I was left wanting more.
January 5, 2014
Main female character sabotaged her relationship with male protag over preoccupation with race. I found her and the book frustrating.
Full Review Here
Full Review Here
November 27, 2015
I LOVED IT. I don't understand why so many lower reviews,but I thought Chris and Jessica were believable characters, and that the writing was good. I would read more by this author. This was my first work by her.
April 26, 2020
Real
This story shares some of the challenges of being in an interracial relationship. I like that the author did not gloss nor try to make the heroine seem valid or invalid in her fears. Nor did she try to make the hero seem "woke." Each one had a choice in how they processed, reacted and communicated.
This story shares some of the challenges of being in an interracial relationship. I like that the author did not gloss nor try to make the heroine seem valid or invalid in her fears. Nor did she try to make the hero seem "woke." Each one had a choice in how they processed, reacted and communicated.
May 22, 2021
Real Love
Sigh. I stumbled upon this novella and...my heart aches. I literally had a Chris and let him go. I believe it was the right thing to do, but I still ache 27 years later. Thanks for reminding us that interracial love (or any love) is visceral, sometimes conflicted, and sometimes works out in spite of everything.
Sigh. I stumbled upon this novella and...my heart aches. I literally had a Chris and let him go. I believe it was the right thing to do, but I still ache 27 years later. Thanks for reminding us that interracial love (or any love) is visceral, sometimes conflicted, and sometimes works out in spite of everything.
August 28, 2019
3.95 Stars
January 22, 2016
Choose me by Kim Bolden tells the story of Jess a black girl from Philly who while studying in Edinburgh has a chance meeting with Chris, a white photographer also hailing from her US hometown. It’s love at first sight for both of them, and although they pursue their relationship abroad with gusto, Jess begins to develop serious doubts about their chances of surviving as a mixed race couple once they return to the USA. Kim builds these interracial tensions really well in her storytelling, drawing on a wealth of detail and subtle nuances about Scottish culture, and the interplay and tensions of racial difference, which pulls at the reader’s heartstrings. You empathize with Jess’s struggle to either follow her heart or give into the perceived pressures of conformity she interprets around her. I found myself feeling the pain of this frustrated love, where, on the one hand, you want to shout at Jess for being a coward, and curse Chris out for not having more balls to fight for what he wants. Beautifully told and illustrated, with lovely attention to the details of the living abroad experience, this is a rich read with a very sweet climax! This was my first Kim Bolden book, but it definitely won’t be my last!
October 25, 2016
Never Sure
I'm never sure how a story will end with this author. Although many readers like a happily ever after, I'm not one of them. What I will say is that each story is a view into race relations from her point of view. In this story a black woman and a white man met in Edinburgh and fell in love. They were both students there. Each was was Philadelphia. When they returned to the states she chose to broke up with him out of fear. Afraid about how others would feel about an interracial couple. Then three years later they met again.... You'll need to read to see what happened next.
I'm never sure how a story will end with this author. Although many readers like a happily ever after, I'm not one of them. What I will say is that each story is a view into race relations from her point of view. In this story a black woman and a white man met in Edinburgh and fell in love. They were both students there. Each was was Philadelphia. When they returned to the states she chose to broke up with him out of fear. Afraid about how others would feel about an interracial couple. Then three years later they met again.... You'll need to read to see what happened next.
August 12, 2015
Another Insecure female
At first I was loving the story, but then she started to develop insecurities and letting people get into her head that's when she started to piss me off. Jessica spent a semester abroad in Ireland. There she met Chris. For while things were good then she started to doubt her relationship and let the fact that their skin color were different and she started to act stupid. Almost put you in the mind of the movie Something New. I'm not even sure if it was HEA cause it ended weird.
At first I was loving the story, but then she started to develop insecurities and letting people get into her head that's when she started to piss me off. Jessica spent a semester abroad in Ireland. There she met Chris. For while things were good then she started to doubt her relationship and let the fact that their skin color were different and she started to act stupid. Almost put you in the mind of the movie Something New. I'm not even sure if it was HEA cause it ended weird.
November 28, 2015
Quite Unexpected
I was expecting the story I read of Jessica and Chris. I was expecting just a quick read but I became enraptured by the lives within the pages. First was, Jessica whose yearn for something more than her life in Philadelphia brought her to Scotland. Then appears Chris, who is instantly attracted to said damsel, is traveling/learning from a well-known photographer. Both from Philly find love far away from their home. Can it last? What do they learn from each other?
I was expecting the story I read of Jessica and Chris. I was expecting just a quick read but I became enraptured by the lives within the pages. First was, Jessica whose yearn for something more than her life in Philadelphia brought her to Scotland. Then appears Chris, who is instantly attracted to said damsel, is traveling/learning from a well-known photographer. Both from Philly find love far away from their home. Can it last? What do they learn from each other?
November 10, 2015
Loved the story
February 16, 2022
2021 Interracial Romance A to Z Challenge
Choose Me - 2.5 stars
Choose Me - 2.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews