I can appreciate the message Danielle Allen was trying to give here - to not settle for less and being self-aware enough to know that you deserve more and are worth more. Whether that is in life or relationships and to take the time to find yourself.
But the romance took somewhat of a backseat and that irked me. Especially since we had such a strong prologue and I instantly felt something for our main characters. But I did not care for the friendships, I did not care for the wedding they attended, I never care for when exes decide to make an appearance and I definitely do not care when a Karen shows up.
I did not care because it all felt underdeveloped. Had it been longer, these things could have had their page time. But it’s a novella.
It’s not the best I’ve read by Danielle Allen. The emotional beats I’m used to from her were missing for me.
Kofi, Kofi, Kofi!!! This man right here!!! I’m a sucker for a dirty talker and damn did Kofi deliver that in spades!! I loved this second chance romance so much! It had humor and tons of shenanigans!! It had some scorching public s** scenes that made me blush. This book was real, raw and honest. Kendra and Kofi were meant to be. It just took them a little bit to see the light. I’m so glad they finally did!!
“We were always a good fit, but I couldn’t be who you needed me to be until I became who I needed me to be.”
This was a second chance romance, but overall it wasn't really for me. I usually love Danielle Allen's books, but this one involved the heroine hooking up with her ex while she was at a wedding with a different date. We did get to see Kofi and Kendra break up in the beginning, but they don't reconnect for awhile. For such a short book, I wanted more time for them to be together and reconcile about why their relationship broke apart in the first place. I just wasn't hooked on this story and wasn't dying to continue reading.
I won’t say the reviews lied because, not everyone is going to like the same book. But, Plot Twist definitely didn’t give what y’all said it gave and this saddens me because, I really wanted to like this book. I was immediately drawn in from the prologue. That break-up scene had me knee deep in my feelings so, I just knew the rest of this book was going to be deliciously dramatic. It was not. It was actually rather boring. The mix of black and white characters put me off. It took me a minute to finally realize Jasmine and Mercedes were actually black but, I still don't know if Olivia is black or white. The author didn't do a good job with character descriptions. I didn’t like Kendra at all. I thought she was extremely self-centered and selfish. Their entire argument was all about her. Kofi’s not spending enough time with me. Kofi’s not communicating with me. Kofi’s not present even when he is here. At first, I was riding with Kendra but, then, I had to stop and think. This man has a career he’s trying to advance and you’re complaining because he missed y’all’s one year anniversary?!!! Girl, if you don’t grow TF up! I’m perfectly okay with Kendra not settling for anything less than what she expects from a relationship. I can even appreciate her knowing her worth and what she needs from her partner but, at the same time, you have to be adult enough to see the big picture. Sometimes, sacrifices have to be made and, at 23, Kendra was too young to understand that. She just didn’t get nor did she appreciate how good of a man Kofi really was. I was most definitely NOT a fan of the mircroaggressions from Kelly and her blonde cohort. The fact that Kendra, Jasmine, and Mercedes never checked them on their low-key racist comments pissed me off. I’m still trying to understand why Kelly took such an instant dislike to Kendra when there was no real reason for it. And, poor Dimitri. He deserved better. Overall, Plot Twist was a huge disappointment for me. Other than Kofi, I didn’t really care for any of the characters.
Plot Twist was everything I love in a Danielle Allen book and then some.
Without giving away the plot, this book made me feel so many things. The prologue really sucked me in with how realistic it felt and how emotional and hard being in that kind of situation is. Then straight into chapter one, Danielle had me feeling $exy as hell. It was HOT.
AND THEN CAME THE REAL KICKER FOR ME
We were then introduced to Liliko, who is Kendra’s best friend. And she is Tongan and Black. When I tell y’all, I SCREAMED…I SCREAMED. This was the first time I have ever read a Tongan character in a romance book and I felt so seen.
Danielle has a great talent when writing friend group scenes because she writes it in a way where you feel like you are part of the friend group. I was smiling, laughing, and also got angry with them when it came to a certain side character lol
The praise and dirty talk in this book is HOT. I absolutely loved it. Just know when you get to a scene that involves a maintenance room or a Ferris wheel….it’s gonna give what you need it to give.
I loved this book and it really had me thinking about life and how things work out. LOVE!
I’m liked the chemistry between Kofi and Kenni but I didn’t like the damage Kenni did to others. I wasn’t comfortable with her behavior at the wedding and I also understood where Eric was coming from.
The character building could have been stronger. But I loved Kenni’s relationship with Bird, her bestie. That was actually my favorite parts of the book, the scenes with Bird.
Kofi seemed like a good guy who was very passionate about establishing his career. I don’t doubt that he loved her though. So I’m pulling for them.
In a lot of the Black romance stories I read, I am drawn to the male protagonist adding book baes to my collection. This author has a gift for allowing me to celebrate my sistah girl protagonist. Whether it's Work Song, Broken Clocks, or Truth or Dare, her female leads are Sistah Girl Boss Diva personified. She maintained that magic by delivering Kendra, a sistah girl who was courageous to love herself enough to not settle causing her to walk away from the love of her life. When she was able to reconnect years later with Kofi, it was well worth her self-love journey. Their chemistry ignited the pages and with every plot twist their connection was further sealed. This author will remain on my "one-click" list and I am grateful for it! Do yourself a favor and add this to your TBR immediately!
I want to start by saying how much I love this gorgeous cover! The natural hair goals, beautiful deep brown skin couple and the sun shining on their kiss. Love 🤎
This is quite the popular novella, but it just didn’t do it for me. Starting with the MC. From the first chapter, It was very hard for me to like Kendra, and my distaste for her lasted the entire book. She was just very selfish, immature and inconsiderate in her relationships.
The initial reason for the breakup had me like, girl, what? No understanding, working things out or nothing? Just throw in the towel and make hasty decisions in the heat of the moment? On the flipside, it’s always good to know when it’s time to move on, but in this case…
Kofi seemed like a real loving & genuine guy, and I would’ve loved to have learned more about him. He said all the things any woman wants to hear and was ambitious and hella sexy!
I didn’t really feel heart eyes for them as a couple because I didn’t give get a true sense of foundation for their love, just Kendra’s self-centeredness.
There were a couple pretty spicy sex scenes…
This is a late addition to the #indiespinesreadathon to #supportindieauthors.
I loved the characters in this book. It felt like a really good episode of Insecure. Kendra was the fun sister-friend that we all need. I was a fan of all of her men! Of course Kofi was the top dog. His love for her was so endearing. Their chemistry was amazing. This book seamlessly went from funny moments to sexy moments. The drama was juicy. The fragility of the male ego was like an extra character in the book. I enjoyed it all.
They say if you love something let it go and if it comes back then you know its for sure! Finding out who you really are and preparing yourself to be better for your partner is always important. It worked out best for Kofi and Kendra.
The Sister in Law and Eric ugh! But the Plot Twist at the end was interesting. This was another amazing book from Danielle Allen. I always just wish they were longer because I would love to see where things went afterwards.
Tropes: second chance romance, exs to lovers, soul mates
TW/CW: mircroaggressions
Representation: black romance
Favorite quote: Kofi: Some things never change. Kendra: Some things do. Kofi: The best parts of you haven’t. Kendra: The best parts of me? Kofi: Your passion, your intelligence, your strength, your energy, your heart, your beauty… I smiled at the sweetness of the message. I started to type a response, but another message of his popped up. Kofi: Another best is how your pussy tastes, feels, and grips for me.
Thoughts: * I received this book as an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion* i went into this book not totally knowing what to expect, but I’m so glad that i read this book. I loved reading about Kendra and Kofi. But more so i loved reading about a black women who put herself first despite loving a man. Also i loved that she spoke on what she not only needed but what she wanted and was honest with herself that Kofi wasn’t giving it to her. I also love seeing the strong female friendships in this book, and how much they knew Kendra needed to make that phone call she did at the bachelorette party! I will say Olivia’s family in laws were getting on my nerves with the dang microaggressions. And i will say i wish i saw more of Kofi in this book, and i do get why we didn’t but it would’ve been great to get to know him better!
I’m a firm believer that the heart wants what the heart wants but Dimitri and Eric didn’t deserve the hurt they got because Kendra was trying to fill and void that she KNEW could never be filled. Kendra was irresponsible in that regard and while she did try to take responsibility for the part she played she was still wrong.
With that said Kendra and Kofi were destined to be together. Sometime you have to take a step back and take time to grow as an individual so that you’re stronger as a unit. I’m glad they found their way back to each other.
Kelly Kelly Kelly…. She deserved a few feet up her @$$.
I loved the friendship and the sisterhood amongst the ladies and I’m glad Kendra’s friends pushed her to see what she was in denial about all along.
The heart wants what the heart wants! Kofi and Kendras love for one another never faded. After 4 years they reconnected in the naughtiest way 😜 Kendra broke a few hearts on this journey to true love. But it was all worth it
Not much is given from Plot Twist’s blurb, so I wasn’t sure what to expect going in. Plot Twist starts off with heartache, and you can feel the emotion and tension in the opening scene. Kendra has reached her boiling point in her relationship with Kofi. The only way to fix their issue is to do the hard thing: choose yourself by breaking your own heart and walking away. You can hear Kofi and Kendra’s hearts shatter as they come to the realization that even though they are perfect for each other, the timing just isn’t right.
Four years later, Kendra is thriving and living her life. But, Kofi still has her heart. After a bachelorette party, many drinks, and a forgotten hour-long phone call, life decides to throw Kendra the curveball she needed to finally get the love of her life back.
This was a great story. I love Kendra and Kofi’s chemistry; no one could deny that they belonged together. I applaud Kendra for choosing herself, even though it hurt. Sometimes it’s not worth staying in a relationship when you are not getting what you need, even if you are in love. Kofi was such an amazing man. He made it his mission to show Kendra the way she should’ve been loved and he made up for the year they were together. He swept me off my feet and I’m not even in the story. Kendra is a very lucky woman. Aside from the romance, Danielle Allen made sure to include strong female friendships which I am always here for. Kendra’s friend group was hilarious, but they were always honest and frank with her when she needed it.
I felt bad for Dimitri, he truly didn’t deserve how things played out. He was a genuinely good guy and I hope he finds the girl for him. And I kind of felt bad for Eric in the end too. I understood his anger, but at the same time, he needs to come correct. Olivia’s sister-in-law Kelly, on the other hand, was asking for these hands and I would’ve gladly obliged with all the slick crap coming out of her mouth.
All in all, Danielle Allen delivered yet another beautiful story, her 41st book to be exact. 41! I am at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to her backlist. If you love second chance and exes-to-lovers romances, then this one's for you. Definitely check Plot Twist out!
Though the reviews were few, the ratings were in favor of the book. So, because of that, I decided to indulge. Well, books are subjective, cause I couldn't get into this story like the other readers said in the reviews. I wanted to like Kendra but I struggled to do so. I love that she knew her worth, Iove that she refused to settle, however, some of her actions, I didnt care for. Even though she didn't owe Dimitri absolutely nothing, she owed him respect. She failed to do that. Koffi was super likable. Even though deep down he knew he couldn't give Kendra what she deserved, he didn't wanna be apart from her. This was an ok read for me. I've read other stories by D.A. and I've loved them. This one just didn’t do it for me, but definitely give it a try. 3.5⭐
Breaking up with the love of your life is one thing — falling back in love after heartbreak is another — and Danielle Allen handles that tightrope beautifully. Plot Twist gave me all the warm, awkward, and tender moments I crave: friends who are a vibe, a reunion that’s perfectly uncomfortable, and characters who feel lived-in. I was laughing at their antics one minute and tearing up the next. A line that stuck with me: “But meaning well and actually putting the meaning into action were two different things.” That tiny truth pulses through the book — intentions aren’t enough without follow-through — and it’s the kind of line that made me pause and think. I enjoyed this one so much!!
The first thing I want to address is the title of the book. The second thing is how exquisite this storyline was for this couple. I kind of guessed the plot twist would involve Kofi, and I hoped upon hope that his relationship with Kendra would be the twist. On another note-Olivia's wedding drama with the stepfordlike sisters had me wanting to hand check those bs... The college roommates getting together for old times sake at Olivia's wedding was fun. The girls had me cracking up with laughter. And in the end the twist was cool.
i did not know my kindle would be outing me like this 😖 this was ok i don’t think novellas are ever going to do it for me, personally. half of the book they aren’t even together as in interacting in the same space and that’s fine in a full length book, but it just felt rushed when there’s so little material. “sexily” might be the funniest way to describe a groan, though
This was okay, it could’ve been better it started amazing! I was ready to see where Kendra and Kofi’s story went. Unfortunately this story felt like it was all over the place for me.
I saw where the author was trying to go it just wasn’t executed very well. I did really enjoy the spice in this book.
This was okay, not my favorite. I just wish I could see more of Kendra and Kofi, him coming in over halfway through the book made it hard to get their relationship also I wish he would’ve groveled more, Kofi also didn’t understand what he did wrong and then 5 minutes later he did.
first of all we didn’t get any interactions with kofi and kendra until about the 50% mark and that made no sense to me
i get the message this book was trying to get across (that you shouldn’t enter a relationship until you know what you really want and that you should honor yourself by not settling) but i didn’t care for it. i don’t think kendra and kofi are compatible and i didn’t feel anything for them. i also found them insufferable
they had a conversation about what went down between them (more like they screamed over each other but anyway) and then they got to fucking in some maintenance closet while kendra’s date dimitri was looking around for her. that was fucked up and i never recovered from that. kendra totally deserved dimitri telling her to lose her number because there shouldn’t have been even a sliver of hope on her part that they would ever talk again
i get that kelly was in the book to ultimately set up how dimitri found out about what kendra did but i didn’t care for her (she was weird af) and kendra should’ve been the one to tell him as a show of her maturity. because if it didn’t happen that way i doubt she would’ve ever told him
also, talking about fiancée after only 2 weeks of dating? let’s be real. i refuse to believe these 2 know each other like they think they do. (and mind you they only dated for like a year the first time around and according to kendra only 2 months of that was good)
that ending part when eric and kendra met up again served no purpose and i also didn’t care for it
other than that, the smut was good
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
So I enjoyed Plot Twist. It's a quick second chance novella length read.
Kendra and Kofi reconnect after a four year break up. Kendra didn't think Kofi was giving her the time she deserved in their relationship which I understood but I also was side eyeing her a bit because it wasn't like he wasn't trying and I kind of felt she was almost wanted him to choose between her and his career and it's like girl...
But after one of her college friends bachelor party and something like a dare. Kofi is again the topic of a conversation Kendra wants to avoid. And after a drunk night of bachelorette partying.... Kendra is forced to deal with a past she has been so desperately trying to run away from. This past is also keeping her (imo by choice) from having any future romantic relationships and she is pushing away any man in the name of "she not ready". Chile, Kofi had a chokehold on her. But what does their reconnection mean? Do they still have a future? The title was the story was perfect because yes, Plot Twist.
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Now as much as I enjoyed Kendra on page because her POV is a majority of the story, I have to say that I LOVED when both she and Kofi were on page together. They had truly stellar energy and as a reader, you get to understand them after the break-up. Especially once they have "the" conversation.
There are some side stories that I liked too: The wedding and the grooms family (listen that sister? ass kicked and at the wedding too), Kendra's friendship with her college mates especially Bird. But I do wish we had gotten more of just her and Kofi.
For the most part, I liked this read. Danellie Allen gives us hot sex and also some topics of discussion that need to be had when it comes to relationships and our expectations of them. And her representation of full size Black women is always excellent. This is a good read to add to your tbr.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This is the first time I was a little disappointed in a book by this author. It started out cool but then it kind of drifted.
I was not a fan of Kendra. I dug that Kofi reappeared. But so many things were fuzzy or felt unfinished to me. Why did Kelly act like that towards Kendra? What exactly was it that Kofi did as a career? If that's going to be such a point of contention, at least as far as being part of the reason he and Kendra initially split and it being mentioned so much, a little more detail would've been nice. It was just so ambiguous. Things just seemed to be thrown in, even the stuff about Kendra's job or Eric's reappearance. It just seemed a little forced. And a lot of the dialogue was repetitive and didn't flow very smoothly, to me.
And then, bam, it was over. The ending was super abrupt. I'm still wondering what the 'plot twist' actually was. I just feel the story and the characters could've been flushed out better.
This won't stop me from reading more from this author but unfortunately, this one just didn't do it for me.
Well, okay Kendra! Gotta admire a woman who is bold and brave enough to speak on her feelings to her man, while breaking her own heart! As much as she loved Kofi, she loved herself more! When the relationship was no longer serving her, she bowed out! I felt bad for Kofi, as I knew he was doing all he could to be the boyfriend Kendra needed, but he had goals and dreams of his own! Loved Kendra's friend group, but Olivia's sister in law was asking for a beat down! That heifer was just vile, in every way! Poor Dimitri! Thought he was on a come up, but the let down was brutal! In walks Kofi like a dream, and all bets are off! He and Kendra had those tough conversations, but through it all the loved they shared was still front and center! That twist with Eric was a shocker! But, Kofi does not play about his woman, so Eric walked away fuming, with his tail between his legs! 😂 Good read! 👍👍👍
After reading the prologue, I had to step away from this one for a few minutes. It hit entirely way too close to home, but that's to be expected at some point when reading black romance. Especially those love stories about us, written by us. They always hit different. The feelings reading the prologue brought forth however, were exactly why I knew I wouldn't be able to put it down once I picked it back up. Not yet have I come across a Danielle Allen publication that I didn't want to read again, almost immediately. Even the ones that make you too emotional to even think about reading a second time. Thankfully, this wasn't one of those and I will absolutely partake in the journey of Kendra and Kofi again. “If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it's yours. If not, it was never meant to be.” This book personified this quote and gave us a reminder to let go and trust in a bigger plan. Danielle did her big one with this.
As always, Danielle Allen had me emotionally involved with all of the characters. The prologue was unfortunate, but I commend Kendra for making such a hard and painful, it necessary decision. I appreciated that Kendra knew her worth and what she wanted and needed and refused to settle, no matter how much walking away would hurt. This book illustrated self-reflection and growth and proved if something or someone is for you, then nothing or no one will permanently get in the way of what is yours. This story also illustrates how individuals can misinterpret information, have very different perspectives of the same conversation, and how emotional immaturity can delay what should have happened months prior. Nevertheless, I love 2nd chance tropes and this one was no disappointment except that I wish the story was longer. I didn’t want to stop reading Kofi and Kendra’s love story.
Kendra and Kofi met after college and were each other’s true love. But where they were in life and what they needed from each other weren’t lining up. Kendra needed her lover to be present and make time for her in his life. Kofi was chasing his career but even though he loved her she wasn’t his top priority. More than love was needed to keep them together so they parted, forever being in each other’s hearts.
Fast forward and life has been happening, growth has happened, and they’ve both matured.
“You said you couldn’t be who I needed you to be until you became who you needed to be for yourself.”
Now the possibilities are endless, the path back to one another was worth it.