Losing Romeo

BFF Novel #2

by A.J. Byrd

Best Friends Forever—that's Anjenai, Kierra and Tyler. Growing up together in an Atlanta housing project, the girls have always been there for each other. But high school is a whole new world, and the drama is just beginning.

New guys, new gossip, new rivals—Anjenai, Kierra and Tyler have plenty to occupy their time now that Romeo, the football star who almost cost them their friendship, is out of the picture. Or is he?

Straight-A student Anjenai's edgy new makeover is getting the attention of cool, hip-hop stylin' Kwan—and from Romeo, whose girlfriend, Phoenix, will do anything to keep him. Kierra's hectic schedule tempts her to try a dangerous pick-me-up. And Tyler's street-tough image is challenged by some real hardcore girls. Once, the BFFs vowed to stick together through anything. But can they still count on a bond of trust that's been broken before?

Genres: Fiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2010

Reviews

[Yolanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was really good. I always saw it on the back of kimani tru books as other recomendations but never wanted to read it because I thought it was so cliche. Best friends fighting over one guy. Yawn. Which is why I skipped the first books. I'm glad I decided to read this one because I kinda enjoyed it.
THe girls lives are so realistic and I felt so bad for their family situations. It made me appreciate what I have more.
I liked Anjenai's view the best and Phoenix because you get inside the mean girls head. I felt bad for Kierra the most because her guardian was her older sister who was a stripper and would leave Kierra and her younger sister for a long period of time.

Icould relate to Tyler because sometimes we do things to fit in and I think that what happened with Tyler so things ended REAL bad for her. It teaches you to not hang out with the wrong people.

I felt bad for Romeo because he really was a good guy. HE was SO nice to everyone ,except Kwan which was understandable. He was sweet to Nicole by increasing her confidence so she wouldn't try so hard to lose weight. I didn't think it was fair that he lost Anjenai because he didn't do anything wrong. He got Phoenix pregnant BEFORE he and Anjenai started dating, and Phoenix pretended to be pregnant when she lost the baby. Romeo never knew about the miscarriage so he had to stay with her.

I kind of felt bad for Phoenix. It was good how A.J Byrd let you in her head because when I read her side I kind of felt a little sympathy for her. SHe reminded me a bit of Terry from Glee.Her best friends Raven and Bianca were cliche popular sidekicks. They secretly hated Phoenix and started avoiding her when they found out she was prego.

Anjenai kept complaining about how Romeo embarrased her at a party when he actually didn't. Phoenix was the one who made the show. Romeo was trying not to embarrass her.
Anyways I can't wait for the third book. The author needs to huury up. it's been like 2 years.

[Williamsc12 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this book however there were a lot of holes and unfinished pieces that I missed were finished. We are hinted to what happened to Deborah, Kierra's older sister, but it is never really confirmed. Romeo was still really into Anjenai, but what did he do to try and win her over? Will Kierra and her sister be ok? What happened between Tyler and Billie? And what about Pheonix now that her secret is exposed? Then the ending was left hanging with all of the individual stories unfinished. I really wish there was a sequal or something to tie up the loose ended

[Moiram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three best friends were all in love with the same guy who is a football player in high school named romeo. The three best friends finds out that romeo has been dating all three of them. But at the end they find out that romeo is coming between there friendship. This book teaches you a lesson about friends and that you should not have a guy between a friendship.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can Phoenix hang on to Romeo by getting pregnant?

[Clanesha Munford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!

[Tiffany Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Losing Romeo
PLOT: The follow-up book to Chasing Romeo is Losing Romeo, and the story continues. The plot revolves around Phoenix's pregnancy and deceit, Romeo's jealousy, Tyler's rebellion, Nicole's self-esteem issues and experimentation with dangerous dieting, Kierra's pressure to take on too many roles, and Angenai's attraction and reluctance to move on to the next brother in line.

MY THOUGHTS: (By Character):
*(Anjenai) As much as I want to, I can never get this chick's appeal. Not going by the cover any way. I take it she's the one in the middle. I'm like Phoenix in that way. It's GOT to be something other than looks. Perhaps the smart thing and then being a good athlete. So the thing mostly in this is about Anjenai moving on so quick from Romeo to the new guy. I honestly don't see a reason why she should have waited around. If a guy doesn't man up for a mistake HE made in front of a bunch of people and make it known that he's there WITH you and a better one comes along and shows interest, then I ask you wouldn't you have done the same? So no I don't blame Anjenai
*(Debra): The sorriest character in the whole book. Are we supposed to feel sorry for Debra because a responsibility she wasn't prepared for got laid in her lap and now she can't deal with it? I'm not judging her for being a stripper. But you don't go off for days and leave your two (underage) sisters to fend for themselves. One of them considering selling to support them both. What happens if Kiera is caught? She goes to juvie with Tyler and Mckenya gets send off to foster care.
*(Michelle) Wasn't that the mother's name. In a twisted kind of way, I admired the hell out of this woman! Even though she got sent to jail, she didn't fuss, didn't cuss, she didn't make a scene. She just poisoned his sorry behind. Yeah sometimes men WILL make you wanna do that. I mean if I was the judge I think I would have had to excuse this one and just maybe give her the lightest sentence I could.
*(Tyler) Every single one of Tyler's scene's was INTENSE! Whether she was yelling at Leon. (Who I didn't know what to feel about). One minute it seemed like he generally cared about her like when he was trying to figure her out and in the jail when he was upset that they sent her away. But then the next he was bitching about how much time he was losing from not working. I wished he'd see that she needed more than him providing for her and that she was just crying out for him to give her more of his time and attention. ANYONE could have gotten that. At first I thought that ol boy (Kerosene) was wrong for her, but then it was decent of him to show up at her hearing. Not even the BFF's did that. Showed he liked her a little more than I thought he did and wasn't just out to get some quick booty. We'll see. The juvie situation was JACKED UP! They should have NEVER let her be in a room with Billie Grant or her cousins.
*(Kierra) All I can say is. I know what it's like to be scared out of your mind that you've been knocked up by a cocky asshole and relieved that you weren't.
*(Nicole) I also know what it's like to be the so-called "sister" of someone that doesn't bit more treat you like a sister and looks down their nose on you for not living up to where *they* think you need to be. Although the scene with Nicole and Phoenix was touching. Phoenix let down her ego long enough to show her vulnerability and let Nicole in for just a second. I actually thought it would have been a good twist for Romeo to start being interested in Nicole because he was trying to help her.
*(Bianca) I just wanna smack some sense into. Girl Kwan ain't studding you! GET A CLUE HONEY! And MOVE ON! To be the hottest girls at the school, the Redbones sure are insecure and chase after guys that don't want them.
*(Phoenix): Phoenix. Phoenix. Where do I start? Let's start with the good. On one hand I feel sorry for Phoenix. Yes she's supposed to be the bitch but think about it. She's lost her baby in the first few pages. Her girls are shady as hell and she knows she can't really trust them. Her father is too busy up in his mistress and working to give her his time and she makes her mother sound shallow. Then her man even when he agrees to be with her again can't even keep his eyes off someone else. Deep down I think Phoenix does love Romeo. And it's a bitch when someone swoops someone out from under you that knew that you have loved FOREVER! Especially your teenage love who you never quite lose feelings for (speaking for some not all). And you have history with them that the other person NEVER will. I can't speak for the things that Phoenix did in the past because the book doesn't go into them. But Romeo says she played games. And she probably did. She should have spoken up but then he didn't give her HALF a chance when he did get her back. Some people I learned aren't good at showing love the right way. I think Phoenix is one of those people. She never got love at home so she acts out and that's probably the best way she knew to keep Romeo. But don't get me wrong what she did was foul. She should have told Romeo up front she wasn't pregnant anymore and she lost the baby. Just I feel bad for her. And the scene where she broke down broke my heart. Still she put his hatred for her on herself.
*And then when you think about it how much different is Phoenix from the BFF's. Neither of them has functional parents. And she's as hood as they come.
*(Kwan) Really don't know if I like Kwan yet or what to make of him. Dating Anjenai because she reminds him of his DEAD GIRLFRIEND . Can we say CRAY CRAY? And he was a little too quick to claim her as "his girl".
*(Chris) I think absolutely NOTHING of Chris. He wins the worse male character in the book!
*(Romeo) This is hard. I wanna like Romeo. I really do. He sticks up for Kierra. He cares about Nicole. I really wanna give him a pass. But ok the worse news was sprung on him. I can't fault him by being dazed by this but to leave the girl he's with hanging in just WRONG! Phoenix did NOT give him a chance to talk to her in private, but he could have told Phoenix then what he tells her later. "Look I'll support you in this but I'm with her." If he would have just said that THEN. Maybe he'd still have Anjenai. Will she give him another chance in the next book (should there be one which I don't think there will) probably not. It's admirable he wants to fight for her but give Nicole a chance. You said you liked her despite her looks. On the plus side it'll eat Phoenix UP. Not that I think he's that guy. But Romeo might as well move on. His Juliet has.

RATING 10. SO GOOD! I loved each character's drama. When the book leaves you wanting another one its ALWAYS a good thing. And why isn't there another one? Too many unanswered questions? What happens to Tyler in juvie? Does she straighten out after all those beatdowns? Did Anjenai stick with Kwan or does she dump him after she finds out she's just a *Susan*? Does Romeo get her back or does he fall for Nicole? Does Keira turn into a drug dealer? And what happens with Tyler and Kerosene? Does Debra ever bring her ass back? I could go on and on.

[Savannah (Books With Bite) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok,very rarely do I every put down a book and not finish it. I was half way through and just couldn't take it anymore. One word, MAJOR DRAMA. Ok that was two.




So like I said major drama. Not that I don't like drama I do, but man, I felt like I was stuck in bad novella and that nothing was ever going to end. It was one thing after another. Turn and turn! I just wanted to get some kind of peace for the poor characters in this book!!




They were sex, drinking, and lots of cursing. Major cursing. I do read book that curse here and there but there was a curse word in every other word. It was getting ridiculous!




I understand that this book is for use in school and libraries only. But seriously this is too much for a young reader to read. And only a reader like age 18+ would be find, but not anything younger. I was appalled at the things in this book.

[Shanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was clearly a series. But I know what happened in the first book because it was very deatailed. Each chapter had a characters point of view with was very interesting because you got to know and understand what the character saw and heard. This book had MAJOR DRAMA not the drama you would find in any other book but like true real drama. The people in this book was great but was kind of desperate at times. Otherwise it was kind of a great book. What really stunk was that they put a hold on the end and I was so mad because I wanted to know what happened to Romeo and Phonehix, Anje and Kwan, and Tyler. I am so going to read the 3rd book.

[Imani]

i just got this book tuesday july 26, 2011 but its good but there are two names that can get right in my mind but i think all gils for 12 - 21 shoukd read it because its really great so far it starts to teach alot and there is lots of drama going on. it by a.j byrd and i think i might stick with it for a while

[Gracie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book , I fell in love with it. It's not everyday where I can relate to a book, but with the first one: "chasing Romeo" it reminded me about myself & my friends we sorta dealt with the same exact situation . Lol I love love this book.

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this sequel to Chasing Romeo, the three BFFs deal with the aftermath of a party in which Romeo’s ex-girlfriend, Phoenix, essentially announced to the entire room that she is pregnant with his child. When Romeo seems to intend to break up with his new girlfriend Anjenai to get back together with Phoenix, a fight breaks out, leaving everything and everyone confused and angry. The novel features chapters with alternating character viewpoints, where we see glimpses of each character’s personalities and lives before moving on to the next. In this bit of Phoenix’s first featured chapter, we learn that the very basis for Romeo’s and Phoenix’s rekindled and tenuous relationship is shattering, and only Phoenix knows the truth:

"I get to the toilet and peel off my soaked panties only to hear clots of blood hit the water with sickening splashes. I can no longer hold back my tears, now that it’s clear to me exactly what’s happening.

No baby.

No Romeo." (22)

Although Losing Romeo is a sequel to Chasing Romeo, the book does a good job recapping everything that happened in the first book so that nothing major is missed by reading it on its own. The alternating perspectives are an interesting format choice for a book, leaving the chapters short enough that they can be read in short bursts and making the book a quick read overall. Losing Romeo deals with a lot of tough topics, such as teenage pregnancy and miscarriage, loss of parental figures, drug use, incarceration, eating disorders, and sex. It would probably not be suitable for readers under 14, although the main characters are in their freshman year of high school and dealing with a lot of difficult situations that readers may relate to at the same age.

I rate Losing Romeo 3 out of 5 stars. It is a relatively easy read but the storyline became a bit confusing for me when the perspective shifted every chapter. I have read books in a similar format before, but usually those books only alternated between four or five characters. I think in total, we experience the thoughts and actions of eight characters throughout Losing Romeo, even though two of those characters have only one chapter each dedicated to them, and one is a main character’s parent. The format could be more enjoyable for other readers, but it mostly just confused me and left me forgetting whose thoughts I was reading at any given time.

[Nicole Brinker · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and foremost, let's give Shadiq-who happens to be one of my favorite characters- major props for catching not one person, but two people in a lie- Phoenix and Chris.
Second, my hypothesis was correct when Romeo found out that Phoenix trifling ass lied to him about being pregnant- when really at the being of the book she had a miscarriage.
And last but not least, Tyler's troublemaking ways are going to land her dead smack in jail. And The Redbones friendship is going Crack and fade.

[Perfectly Imperfect · Rating 5 out of 5]

The end took a turnnnnn honey

[BCPL Youth Services Librarian]

Click to see book in BCPL's online catalog

[Yolanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

i really want to start reading this book

[Danielle]

this is a very good book

[Tayonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh my goddness this book has a lot of drama and i loooove drama books so this one is going to become my all time favorite

[Ariesterry08 Jacko · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book & the first one too, it's so real cause some teenagers do go through this. I hope the third series is going to come casue imma be the first to have hands on it. :)

[Marline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked how they all got over Romeo, though he did what's right in the begining he should've never left his girl high and dry for his ex. All in all it was a good read.

[stacie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm not sure how the average rating for this book is 4 stars, as I thought it was pretty horrible. There was no depth to the book at all. It had much potential but was a total letdown.

[Taylor Richardson]

Great

this book was great , but I hate the way it ended like is there gonna be another book about this

[Jolencie germain · Rating 5 out of 5]

really good

[Triece]

This book is so good I swear

[Imunique]

i love their series

[Tori Lopez]

i really love this book