This Fire Down in My Soul: A Novel

by J.D. Mason

When Faylene Watkins begins counseling women of her husband's congregation at Hope Filled Christian Center church, three women teach her the perils of love, sex and obsession. Choir girl Elise thinks she's found a good man in Jay, a truck driver who came blowing into her life one sultry night. Irresistible and sensual, he's caught up in romancing Elise. However, when she's ready for happily ever after, he realizes that he can't just walk away from his wife and two children. And Elise just can't seem to let him go. Everyone knows that singles ministry leader Renee is full of herself. When she starts her latest interior decorating project, she thinks her client's husband is hot, and together, they're on fire. Meanwhile his wife wants to be friends, and it's not long before a twisted game starts to unravel. For twenty-five years Tess's life revolved around her unfaithful husband (who sits on the deacon's board) and their two wonderful sons. But now the kids have left the nest and Tess wants to spread her wings. While busy seeking her first job and creating a new social life outside the church, Tess meets a new man—a most forbidden man—who rides into the picture to rock her world off its steady axis. All the while, First Lady of the church and counselor, Faye is keeping a secret of her own that is much deeper than any one of them could ever imagine.

Genres: African American, Romance, Fiction

404 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Yaaaayyyy! I FINALLY found my login info for Goodreads and can update my site!!!!!! Oh happy joy :)

Reviews

[Ms.Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love, Passion, Obsession – Intoxicating Drugs

Elise Clayton has found the perfect man. He loves her. CHECK. He has a good job. CHECK. He’s not gay. CHECK. He’s not married…

Renee Turner is confident, ambitious and focused. A decorator with a thriving business, she soon finds herself involved with a client, a very married client, whose wife has befriended her...

Tess Martin has devoted the last twenty plus years to her family. She’s turned the other cheek, dried tear after tear, and smiled through the years and the affairs. Maybe what’s good for the goose…

Elise, Renee and Tess all have one thing in common – Faylene Watkins. Faylene or Dr. Watkins is the First Lady of Hope Filled Christian Center Church. While her husband provides spiritual healing, she supplies mental/emotional healing. Does Faylene have more in common with her patients than she would like to admit?

“This Fire Down in My Soul” encompasses the lives of four very real women with real problems and real feelings. And J.D. Mason does a wonderful job with her depiction. Mason has quickly become one of my “go to” authors. Her books are always a guaranteed good read.

[Hyacinth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had everything! But for some strange reason Tess and Jesse's story got to me the most. When are we going to learn men and women that married people are off limits! J.D. Mason really knows how to tell a story. Through her writing, while laughing I thought about these fictional and yet feasibly possible scenarios. And of course, it would have to include church folks. The writing takes off immediately and you don't exhale until you close the book at the end. Raymone and Renee are a hot mess together. I am reading all of her books.

[Georgina · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a surprising twist. This was an awesome tale of 4 women - Faye, the pastoral counselor for her husband's church whose harboring a secret that may put all of her parishoners' to shame. Elise who finds out the the man she is seeing is married and has 2 kids; Renee who is pondering doing something with a client that she becomes friendly with, and Tess whose husband is a deacon in the church and chasing everyone in town but her. It's a book about the choices we make and how we affect ourselves and others as a result.

[Michael Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marital infidelity and its consequences are evident in this book. No one is immune. Truck drivers, preachers and successful business types. Most characters are not happy with their wives until their wives start noticing someone else. I liked Tess most of all. Her husband found her getting it in and really could blame any one but himself. Renee was smooth was Lewis crossed the line terribly. I love this author and her writing style.

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very well-written book. Two powerful lessons to learn in reading this book, NEVER have an affair with married person and NEVER sit in judgement of others, especially when your house is not in order. I give this book 3 1/2 stars.

[Francine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was awsome and would read it again later on down the road.
I would recommednded it this to a first time reader. Always something good going on never a dull moment. Lookinf forward to pick up something else from the author again.

[Joyce Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

J. D. does it again! I love the way she tells a story..speaking as a black woman, she gets us to thinking about our own issues and I cab really relate.

[DCbook•ish · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring, to say the least. Too much/Not enough going on.

I couldn't tell what each character had to do with the other, even if they were in the same room.

[Suma Lalitha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mix of dissatisfaction, dejection , desires, cheating and emotional journey of 4 women who share their personal problems for counseling and guidance while the counselor herself is a victim of cheating by her husband who dons a revered post of a preacher in a church. Story very much is inline with contemporary dark realities of most of the families. While I feel so sorry for Elise.. this story tells us strong women should not let their weak moments win over... Renee’s story describes how her first step towards nasty relationship ruined 3 peoples lives .entire story makes u hate jay to the core. Sherry remains innocent and blissful throughout. Only thing I liked about Tess is for taking a time out for herself in st Simmons island and be herself. Overall the novel makes us read without breaks. Good one.

[Jazzmyn Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ive had this book on my shelf for at least 7 years and never read it. One of those books from the old online bookclubs where i forgot to cancel the auto ship so i didnt have high hopes. Glad that i finally gave it a chance!! Great story line, felt for the characters and very well written. Theres at least one woman in this story that any woman today can relate to on some level. Cant wait to read more from this author.

[Demi Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good read by J.D. Mason🙌🏾
The sex was steamy, the characters were whorish and each story line left me wanting more. I'm definitely a fan and I'm ready to move on to the next the next good read by J.D. Mason.

[Charlene Downs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a first read by this writer for me. Loved how the story unfolded.

[Asha Kearney · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10. I could not put this book down. I had to know how each of the women’s story ended. Impeccably written and easy to follow story lines.

[Jannie Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I8 i8

[Charlene Downs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a first read by this writer for me. Loved how the story unfolded.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, I was suspect. I didn't think it would be good. The only reason I picked up the book is bc I thought she was another author I was familiar with. I chose to keep it since I had already purchased it. I was not dissappointed. It is a must read. This book barely left my hands last night. I put it down only to pick it up first thing this morning. JD Mason is a wonderful storyteller. She pulled me in right from the start and it was amazing from beginning to end. This is saying a lot since i usually don't write reviews.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lies, Cheating and Betrayal

Lewis & Trishelle Stevens was an interracial married couple who left Seattle because her husband was offered another job, so they moved but he didn't think about her career. They moved in this mansion that needed to be decorated so she hired an interior designer named Renee who eventually started sleeping with her husband and she left him and went back to Seattle with her son.
Tess and Jesse Martin- Jesse was on the Deacon Board and she felt this gave him a cover to continue messing around with other women. He was messing with Sandra who decided she didn't want to spend the rest of her life sharing another woman's man. But he ended up with Cancer and Tess had to see about him.
Jay and Sherry- He was messing around with Elise and by the time he decided to leave her she was pregnant. He told her he wasn't leaving his wife and family to get an abortion, but later that night she had a miscarriage.
Teddy the preacher and his wife Faylene the doctor. She knew her husband was cheating on her with someone name Lynette and one night she heard him talking on the phone buthe tried to explain but she knew if she left him that was the easy way out, she wanted him to suffer the way she did and this story ended with a bang. Have to read to find out.
Ladies be careful messing with another woman husband because you might end up six feet under.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

~A therapist seems to have the perfect marriage but is any marriage really perfect.
~Elise has fallen in love with the perfect man.....BUT he is married to another woman. Will she bring pain to his life the way he did to hers?
~Renee' appears to have it all but a new client offers her something she has been missing out on.
~Tess has been in an unhappy marriage for years. Her children are now grown and getting married themselves. Does this mean it is time for her to move on?

Mason weaves the tales of these four different women with four seemingly different problems together in her latest novel. It is well written and steady paced but not really a quick read. This doesn't make it any less enjoyable though.

[Belinda]

Belinda's Review

I really enjoyed this book. I believe what goes around comes around. Believe what's done in the dark will come to light. This book shows you why we should not look down on others thinking we got our lives in order and what happens to others won't or can't happen to us. Dr. Fay was a prime example of that. Thought she was exempt from what the other women she counseled was going through. In the end all the ladies got their lives on tract. They got rid of their cheating,two-time men. Elise was my favorite character. I wish I could rate this book 10.

[Tramika Chatfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really awesome. I was especially fond of Elise. I thought she was going to do something horrible, but she came thru on top. Renee kind of deserved that ass whoopin, but dude didn't have to be an asshole about the fight and play like he was innocent. Lewis pissed me off. This book was too good and it should most definitely have a sequel!! J.D. Mason hasn't dissappointed me yet!!

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow...what a goood read! If I didn't work I would have easily finished in a day.
These four women's stories were so engaging I wanted to charge forward and not finish all at the same time.
I loved that JD Mason made these characters come alive and be realistically relatable, flaws and all. I really ended with a bang and I loved it from the first page to the last.
I highly recommend this book!

[Schnovey · Rating 4 out of 5]

good book...i have read to books in the past by this author and found both of them fantastic. i did feel it could have had more detail, lasted a bit longer, and did like how the ending between elise and her "man"

[Kas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. I really enjoyed the characters and the writing.

[Carolyn J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kinda "churchy", but okay.

[Sheena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book.

[Veronica]

I have had this book for years and cannot finish it. It is not a bad read but for some reason I cannot finish it.

[Keshia · Rating 5 out of 5]

so far so good...

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this a while ago and oddly, I can't recall much of this book. But, I remember it was really good! I remember thinking there would maybe be a sequel.

[Ceej · Rating 3 out of 5]

Typical story about a cheating pastor of a mega church.

[chasey · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was hard for me to start reading at first. But midway thru the book it started to get interesting. Loved the ending.