Wife

Mistress #2

by Nia Forrester

Part II of the 'Mistress' trilogy. No longer a mistress to wealthy, much older men, Keisha Crawford isn't certain who or what she is anymore. But one thing she is sure of is how she feels about Jayson Holmes, the handsome-as-sin ex-con who gave her a reason--and the courage--to change. Jayson’s going through an identity crisis of his own. He wasn’t the kind the man who was supposed to wind up in prison, and now that he’s out, he’s serving a different kind of time—living in regret for all that he’s missed, the relationships fractured and opportunities gone for good. Now Jayson needs to make some changes and build a new life. But when he does, he just may find that Keisha shouldn’t be part of it.

Genres: Romance, African American Romance, African American

360 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 20, 2014

About the author

I live in Philadelphia, PA where by day I work on public policy reform, and by night I read authors who move me, and write woman-centered fiction.

Reviews

[Alexis *Reality Bites* · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is Rated W for Well Done
4.5 STARS out of 5
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Full Review Posted 11-4-14

‘Keisha had to be a choice. With her complicated past, unsettled present and uncertain future, Jay had to decide he was choosing her.’



Keisha is young, beautiful and though she has yet to realize it she is strong. Her confidence has taken a beaten after she chose to live a lifestyle that always placed her in second as ‘the other woman’ as ‘the mistress.’ No longer living off of rich older men Keisha finds herself living on her own, making her own money and paying her own bills. With Jay now back in her life she starts to want a little more… She desires to be his.

About a million times a day, he thought about it—just letting it happen. But after over a year of traveling and soul-searching, Jay was done with the “letting it happen” approach to life.’

Jay has kept things on a friendly level between him and Keisha. They hang out often but there is no sex involved. And with good reason; due to some of the internal struggles they are both battling he prefers to keep it platonic with Keisha. Only not everything can go according to plan.

Once the heart is involved is there really a reason to fight what’s right in front of you…

“Key?”
“Yeah?”
“What’re you thinking?”
She was thinking that a commitment like this was the thing she feared the most. And the thing she wanted the most. She was thinking that it would damn near kill her if it didn’t work out. And that she loved this man so much she couldn’t even begin to put that love into words. She was thinking that this couldn’t come at a better time because they were both getting to know each other and themselves in ways they hadn’t before.’

My Review for Book 1 Mistress: A Novella
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

My Thoughts
I don’t think there are enough words to describe how much I enjoy this author’s style I swear she writes solely for my taste buds. She explores life with her characters and gladly takes us for the ride. I actually never thought I would like Keisha as much as I do. I LOVE HER! I love Jay too and I CANNOT WAIT to read Mother!

My Ratings
Characters- Sweet, Sexy and determined
Writing Style- Excellent. My preferred cup of tea
Plot/Storyline- Keisha is out here making it on her own finally, she wants Jay to be hers but I don’t think she fully grasps what that means…problem is Jay is trying to keep their relationship in the friend zone.
Steam Factor- Med/Moderately Steamy On a scale of 1-10 I say 6.5
Entertainment Level- Lo-Med-Hi a few extra characters made this book very entertaining..Fiona being one of them though I prefer to never see her again
Overall- I loved it! I highly recommend you check it out!

Now go forth and read. Then come tell us about it on Goodreads!
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[LaToya Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Wife! 🖤

It’s the growth for me. As I journey my way through this series, I cannot believe that I’m rooting for Keisha. I also found myself being proud of her growth. She’s living a COMPLETELY different life and I could feel her happiness through the pages.

I really am enjoying Jayson too. After spending years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit at age 19 - seeing him navigate relationships was interesting. As a couple, we get to see Jay and Keisha learn to trust one another and communicate with words and not sex. They both need to do better with setting clear boundaries with “friends” (Fiona/Marcus).

[Metris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would have never imaged after falling in love with Shawn & Riley, and having a strong hatred for Keisha Crawford for all the drama she brought into their life, that I would now love her so much.

I have grown to love and appreciate Keisha. Watching her mature & actually find what she has been seeking all her life from a parent who never gave it to her "LOVE" has been refreshing.
Jayson Holmes a man robbed of his young adult life, has a lot at issues that he need to deal with but with the right person and encouragement he might be able to break thru some barrels.
However 2 people meeting and falling in love…. is truly enough for those 2 to live happily ever after for a lifetime?

[--karen Green-berry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This started out a little slow for me, but being a fan of the author, I'm glad I continued reading. Jay and Keisha's transformation and soul searching has been heartwarming. Both had troubled past and sought to make better decisions and a better life for themselves and worked really hard to do so. I love watching them come together, mature and work towards their goals individual and together. Their story will continue in a third novel and I'm looking forward to it.

[Msfontan · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this may come off as slightly over dramatic I must say that it seemed like I waited a lifetime for Wife to be released. After reading Mistress and discovering that the next installment in the trilogy was named Wife I became consumed with questions of what was to come for Jay and Keisha. Could I actually take the title to heart and believe a happily ever after was in sight? Was it just wishful thinking that both of them could finally get to a place of self forgiveness and love?

I am literally shaking my head at my thoughts. Just the fact that I would want Keisha to find any type of contentment speaks volumes about the level of talent Nia Forrester has as a writer. To be able to take a character that was hated by everyone who was ever introduced to her and make the reader want to root for her is a feat within itself. Yet that is exactly what Ms. Forrester does so well. Her characters are human and they are most oftentimes flawed, making them relatable to the reader. So when they are in pain, in struggle or in love you feel ever nuisance of their emotions. By the end of Mistress I felt I understood Keisha and wanted her to finally have the love that would heal her scars and chase away her demons.

Did Wife deliver? Yes it did! This is another well written, pull you in so you can't put it down tale! Without giving too much away I will say that losing a few years of my mortality was well worth it for this story. In Wife we continue to see Keisha grow in maturity and come to realize she has value. She begins to evolve, leaving the mistress behind her, moving towards a woman who could be a valued wife. Is her and Jay's relationship still a bit dysfunctional? Yes and the way they resolve issues is a bit disturbing but they love and need each other and that is most evident when they are in the midst of their issues.

So now I try to patiently wait for the final installment titled Mother, which is already causing me anxiousness based on little signs I picked up in Wife. As with the one I know the next will be worth the wait!

[Deloris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keisha was a character that I never expected to like but know I consider her one of my book friends . Her and Jayson have a story about more than love , to me they show that their is hope in the world . They are becoming who they are meant to be , not limited by their mistakes I love that. In "Mistress" they seemed to be limited by their fears and hopes , in "Wife" they find the strength to go for what they want. We had a chance to watch them learn to open up to each other and other people , some for the good and bad of their relationship. This book took me through a range of emotions I have come to expect when I read a book my Nia Forrester, she makes me feel when I read her books, I was mad , sad, I cried, it was sexy and I was happy ,but most of all I was not sure, I never know what to expect in her books , they are not predictable, she makes me feel anxious. I love her writing but I'm always a little scared because I know what I want to happen, but you never know what route she will take to get you there. I will wait for the next book in this trilogy, I can not wait to read it ,I know I will enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed "Wife."

[Christiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book..I gave it 4 stars because a few things irritated me...I can get over dramactic about characters sometimes...but this is my opinion & my review lol...I felt like I wanted to hear more about the cousin that Jay was so angry at...and since that crazy chick Fiona was coming around so much she should have done something crazier...I just got so tied of reading about Fiona or whatever her name was popping up..I felt like if shes gonna be crazy do something crazy already...her role seemed blah to me..but this was still a good book ..I love the relationship between Key and Jay...There were times reading i felt like I didn't really know Chloe....so i look forward to hearing more from these character's in the book "Mother" ..Mrs. Forrester does have a nice writing style and I will definitely be reading more of her books!

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was great to read the somewhat evolution of Keisha. In Mistress we got a glimpse of the new her, but in this book she really came into her own. This was a complete story. We really got down to the meat and potatoes of her abs Jayson's relationship and it was something else. I felt connected to these characters like Marcus could have been my brother, and Keisha my best friend. Their issues were everyday issues that normal couples go through. This book wasn't fantasy filled but real. With Keisha's hang up about kids it'll be interesting to see how the next book goes.

[Tiffanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wife

Wife

I never thought I would be rooting for Keshia. Jason seems to balance her and she finally gets that life is more than material things and she needs and wants love. i love how Nia gave her a second chance. watch for that stalker Fiona! Great Story Nia Forrester!

[Byron Washington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really Really Good

The second book of a three book series continues the developing story of a damaged man and damaged woman trying to find their way as a couple while fending off a multitude of challenges from the outside and the inside.

Buy it..🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾

[Ladyamelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew! This book definitely had a more pensive/melancholy vibe than Nia’s other works but as I continued reading I realized that it fit perfectly with the story. This was a story about two broken people, two works in progress trying to make their relationship work while working on themselves in the process. I really liked how Jayson and Keisha���s journeys mirrored one another throughout the story. There were many similarities in their respective relationships with Marcus and Fiona, and then their familial issues with Chloe and Rey. I really enjoyed that aspect of the story.

As I learned more about Keisha and her background, my heart truly broke for her. To lose her mother the way she did at such a young age had to be traumatic – it’s no wonder she had so many issues. And Jayson, although he was older, he was so naïve about many things…namely the games Fiona was playing. I SO wanted him to stand up to her several times in the story but I guess he was too much of a gentleman to put her in her place.

Although the story ended somewhat happily, I think both characters have a lot of growing up and maturing to do to make their relationship last. And it seems that Marcus may present a problem for them in the future, though I hope not. I really want Keisha and Jay to have their happy ending.

P.S. I know that Nia tends to explore the secondary characters in her stories but I truly hopes she leaves Fiona alone…that girl was just a mess (and what she said about her ex husband’s mother !?!) I’m not sure she can redeem herself.

[NT · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sigh... I give this book 3.5 stars. I enjoyed book 1, so I was looking forward to reading this follow-up, but I was left feeling... underwhelmed. It was a sweet story and I liked it, but it was unnecessarily drawn out. This book didn’t need to be 300+ pages long. I think if were shortened and some of the fluff removed, I would have enjoyed it more. The back and forth between Jay and Kesha and the constant tit-for-tat was stretched longer than it needed to be. By the time I reached about 60% of the book, I was ready for the story to conclude. I was invested in the characters and the conclusion of the story so I saw it through to the end, but it was a struggle for me to finish the remaining 40%. I am not even sure I want to read the third installment of this series because it is another 300+ page book and I feel it will be another drawn out story that should end at least 100 pages sooner than it actually does. But we shall see...

[Kiesha Richmond · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can I say about Ms or should I say Mrs. Keisha.I really believed this women deserved everything she got in the beginning of this trilogy because "we reap what we sow" but later as I got to really know and understand her better I started to believe that even though she made a bad descion didn't make her a bad person. What she did to Shawn & Riley was horrible and I'm not convience anymore that she would have let the verdit stand had he been convited but the reasonings behind her motives really shows how damage she really was. I just really hope there's a HEA for her and Jay because at this point in there live I think they really deserve it.

[sunsetdn · Rating 5 out of 5]

When it comes to a Nia Forrester book, I patiently wait for the publication because I know it's going to be good. Once I get it, I eagerly dive into reading wanting to gobble up the story and at the same time not wanting it to end too soon. And when it does end, I feel completely satisfied. This has been my experience with all of her books since I first read Commitment, and Wife was no exception. Just a wonderful story that was masterfully written. I'm now patiently waiting again.

[Rosemarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful!! Magnificent!! Nia has done it again. I never thought I would say it, but I'm actually liking Keisha. She has matured a lot and is overcoming her fears of not being able to love someone(Jay) due to her past life. I love the way Nia writes with so much emotion in all of her stories. I've read all of her books more than once. I'm looking forward to part 3 of the trilogy "Mother".

[Bonita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book!!!! In this book, Keisha redeemed herself. She showed considerable growth from the first book, Mistress. I'm anxiously looking forward to the next installment, Mother. Can hardly wait! Awesome read.

[Tia Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.50 Stars

I made a conscious decision a while back not to write any more reviews. I felt like it would be unfair to share my opinion as a reader when in the back of my mind I am also a writer. Nia Forrester just yanked me out of retirement.

I, like many others, checked Amazon for this release every single day. Ms. Forrester shared excerpts of Wife on her website, but the words could have led this story in any direction… so I waited for the entire story. Anxiously.

Here’s why… I loved Keisha after reading about her in Mistress. Please note: I couldn’t stand the girl when she was in Commitment… you have to be some kind of extra to like who she was back then. I guess I should explain that the Mistress trilogy (Mistress, Wife, and yet-to-be-released Mother) fast-forwards us several years into the life of a young woman that once falsely accused a celebrity of rape in another novel (Commitment).

Last night when I read Wife, I watched this woman-child grow a little more and I understood why Ms. Forrester decided to shine a spotlight on the character so many readers hated (more like despised… I mean hate mail inspired loathing). Ms. Forrester doesn’t want to simply redeem a flawed character, she wants to show us that no matter what mistakes people make – big or small – life must go on. Keisha in Wife is older (sort of) and trying to become wiser in all aspects of her life – career, finances, family and even love. She has also forgiven herself, but there are still remnants of her past lingering.

I feel like the scarlet letter branded on Keisha’s chest in Commitment was a part of who she allowed herself to be off stage until we happened to meet up with her again in Mistress. That’s when the color started to fade as we got to know Keisha a little more. It probably helped me see other related novels taking place after Commitment. Although Keisha’s character is not part of Unsuitable Men, Maybe Never and Afterwards, these novels all showed the progression of characters Keisha affected through her immature, spiteful, selfish and adolescent behavior in their own stories. Those characters weren’t pining away because of a girl’s false accusation that shook their lives off course. If anything, the event was the catalyst to make those characters stronger when they moved on and let it go.

This trilogy is now the other side of the coin, the moving on moment for Keisha. And now Keisha has far greater issues to face than something that happened between her and Shawn. Keisha has to reconcile with an emotion she never felt before and one she longs to feel from others.

Ironically in Mistress, Keisha meets Jayson, a man that was falsely imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. Their pairing grabbed my attention because there was so much depth to it. Jayson wasn’t the only one adapting to life after a ten-year stint in prison. Keisha was forced to face her own incarceration demons – the not so luxe life and emotional confinement from being a kept woman. Together, Jayson and Keisha learned to accept their pasts. They no longer allowed what once was to define them and a friendship of sorts between the two ensued.

At the end of Mistress I didn’t know what to expect from Wife, because just as Ms. Forrester’s stories are unpredictable, so is Keisha. Within the first few pages of Wife, I did realize that Keisha was still very immature. I started doing the math in my head and noticed the events/decisions of her past were not those of a grown woman, but a child masquerading as an adult. Then it all started to make even more sense and I became invested in seeing this young woman find her way.

But age isn’t a deciding factor to rank maturity in this one. Jayson is in his early thirties. Where he appeared mature in some ways, he showed very little experience and sensibility in others. He was not ashamed to acknowledge that, but it was enough to demonstrate why Jayson was reserved about having more with Keisha. Keisha feeling the need to open up was the only good to come from Jayson’s mistakes.

That’s what made their friendship/relationship worth reading about. I could tell Jayson really wanted to get it right. I also felt anxious right along with Keisha. I thought on a few occasions they were ready too… Ms. Forrester is that good where she keeps the reader believing until those little things are finally recognized. Then you realize the author had been showing us even more than we wanted to see all along – just like people do in real life.

Do they find their way home together? I refuse to say. But the steps kept me intrigued along the way.

Jayson and Keisha weren’t alone in this dance on paper. Ms. Forrester tossed in a few wild cards, including Fiona (Jayson’s old classmate) and Marcus (Keisha’s hot neighbor). I will not share my opinion of Fiona, but I will say that I liked Marcus. I didn’t at first, but he grew on me. Marcus voiced what I was thinking, the little things I observed that Keisha was too young to see. Where I always wondered Marcus’s intentions for sharing his thoughts, I still appreciated the voice of reason.

I wanted to like Chloe because she was… well family. You always want there to be at least one good, solid family in a book. Chloe continues to struggle with wanting a relationship with her idea of what her brother should be instead of the man Jayson really is. Chloe represents those women that want to change a man and pretend the bad never existed. I appreciated how the author navigated the relationship between Jayson and Chloe. It felt like a real struggle anyone could easily face.

Now… why just 4.50 stars instead of five? Probably because no other Nia Forrester book can outshine Afterwards. Yeah, I'm woman enough to admit that one left bias in its trail. But seriously I struggle with the deduction in points, believe me I do. My only issue is not with the story… it’s something the couple does. More specifically, it’s the angry sex. A couple of times, Jayson would engage in this aggressive, punishment act and it felt like his quiet smug reminder that Keisha was a whore no matter how long she kept her legs closed to other men. I could forgive him for his slips with Fiona (not confirming nor denying that these are sex-based slip ups), because those were well timed and made sense. However, the punishment sex chipped away at my feelings for him. It made me see more of the dysfunction between Jayson and Keisha as a couple. It also showed me how much Jayson struggles with managing his own emotions. We witnessed Keisha’s mismanagement through her impulsive behavior and outbursts, but this gave us a glimpse at something beneath the surface in Jayson and I did not want that for Keisha. Wife confirmed what Mistress hinted… I now care about her.

I think Ms. Forrester did a superb job of making this title stand by itself in this trilogy, but left enough to keep me anxious for the final installment in the trilogy - Mother. It also reminds us that "every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future." Great job once again, Nia Forrester! This one demonstrates yet again why you are one of my favorite modern-day storytellers.

[Tsholonki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oooh, crazy girl, swoon with me for a bit.

Now this is what I call a rollercoaster relationship, quite tumultuous or in the words of Marcus "high school relationship. All this back-and-forth, not knowin’ what you about … it’s just, it sounds immature to me.” and in some sense you can't help but be understanding of both characters, Jay went to jail when he was 19 therefore he still is a kid to some extent whereas Key hasn't exlerienced an equally yoked relationship, so they are both learning and growing and we get to be taken on the ride with them. Seeing both their growth and alsk how they were willining to fight for each other and it is interchangeable, though a part of me feels that Key does a lot more bandkng and compromising then Jay does therefore not as "equally yoked" as I had indicated. I loved this book, it was both excited and frustrating, they both make such senseless mistakes.

[Nakhia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Character development is out of this world!

I am really enjoying this series. I didn’t think I would and put off reading t for a while because I couldn’t see myself rooting for or even being interested in this character after what she did in Commitment. But this author really digs deep into the psyche of this woman and how her experiences made her who she is. What I like most about this book and series is how those “little, innocent” mistakes we make everyday are highlighted throughout the book. It was extremely relatable and now I actually want this character to continue to grow and win. Kudos to the author! Very clever writing.

[NubianJoí · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing Pains

Hmmm 🤔, my quandary with this K&J canoodle concoction won’t last 🤷🏾‍♀️🤔⁉️ …they’re two broken vessels that desire to maintain a friendship (with benefits & conditions) without a stable foundation nor necessary tools to support or sustain a healthy relationship😖😖😖🤦🏾‍♀️‼️There’s never any verbal communication or conflict resolution between these two. …“Wife (The Mistress Trilogy - Book 2)” was a good read. I’m silently advocating for both Key & Jay’s personal growth, emotional healing & maturity. However, I’m simultaneously frustrated with the ancillary distractions of characters like Fiona & Marcus who had ulterior motives & covert agendas to manipulate & or sabotage Key & Jay. Please, for my sanity (🥴🤭‼️), address all the elephants in their orbit without the emotional Band-Aids, external distractions, pretenses or disingenuous horizontal gestures😉. Because a “wife” & or “husband” title is false security🤷🏾‍♀️‼️

[Trish Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Redemption

Loved this story of two individuals reconciling with the mistakes, hurt, pain, loss, and unfortunate circumstances of the past. I look forward to seeing where they go from here.

[Jazzmyn Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book of hers that i read in one day!!! Instantly bought Mother and cant wait to read it.

Keisha and Jayson's story is sooooo amazing and even more so relatable.

Can we get Kat a storyline though???

[Marlene Caldwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well,well,well

Nia Forrester is quite the story teller as usual. Jay and Keisha still seem a bit younger than their ages with their relationship. Headed to the next book with it’s title stating the obvious. I’m pleasantly hooked.

[Terra Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love don't come easy!

That was most certainly true for Keisha and Jayson! But I'm glad they were able to overcome past transgressions, and outside inference from third parties to get to their idea of what being together meant for them!

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can we make these books into full on television series

I couldn’t stop smiling as I read each chapter. The reader gets to grow along with each character and makes you empathize with their past. This author never disappoints. Love your work.

[Benita Cleaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crazy Love

I avoided this series for along time because I did not care for Kecia, due to her shenanigans with Shawn. Reading her story has me rooting for her know. Jay and Key are a work in progress, and I'm loving how their story is coming together.

[Chelley Rene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love them together so much, but wow tbeu are both not in a place to be dating. This feels like a coming of age and love story in one. I wish Keisha and Jey would take time
Apart and work on themselves but alas in to book 3

[ABrown Queen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mrs. Holmes

I had a feeling J would make K an honest woman. I love the story. I love their growth. I'm anxious to see what is in store next.

[Lorraine Darrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angry

I have enjoyed the series, but at different times I was cross at the characters, by the end had mellowed.

[Elayne Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always a Great Read

I love how this story is playing out and how the stories are tied into a previous series. The mysteries are endless.