P.G. County (P.G. County Series)($13.95Value)

Description

In the sprawling homes and upscale townhouses of the exclusive, largely African American Prince George’s County, the lives of five women intersect–and the secrets, scandals, loves, and losses that ensue are par for the course where power, beauty, and wealth reside. Barbara is the most influential woman in this swanky neighborhood, but she’s got her hands full–one hand is busy dealing with her husband’s wandering eye, while the other always needs a cocktail glass. Jolene is half of P.G. County’s number-two couple–and she desperately wants what she doesn’t have: namely Barbara’s husband. Pearl owns a hair salon and lives on the outskirts of the posh community with her son, Kenyatta. She’s not only juggling a growing business and a bad divorce, but now she’s has to cope with Kenyatta’s less-than-ideal girlfriend. Candice is white and liberal, but her daughter’s new beau tests her beliefs–and opens a can of worms she never knew existed. Lee is a runaway teen, a girl whose only connection to her father is an old photo and the belief that he’s well-off and waiting for her in . . . P.G. COUNTY “A big, dishy page-turner that will intrigue, amuse, and captivate.” –E. LYNN HARRIS Author of A Love of My Own “With P.G. County , Connie Briscoe has outdone herself. She has brought us lives that are too often ignored.” –FLO ANTHONY Black Elegance magazine and Jones Media Network “AN ENTERTAINING ROMP . . . THOROUGHLY AND DELIGHTFULLY ENJOYABLE . . . Briscoe paints a vivid picture of the haves, the have-nots, and the gonna-gets, as they mix and mingle in this social jambalaya. . . . [Her] quick wit and obvious love of language shine brightly in this twisted tale.” – Black Issues Book Review “SOAP OPERA AT ITS BEST.” – Upscale magazine “Engaging . . . Prince George’s County, Maryland, [is] one of the wealthiest enclaves in the U.S. and a breeding ground for juicy characters.” – Today’s Black Woman “[ P.G. County ] bubbles over with enough dirty dealings to fuel a season’s worth of soap operas . . . Drama ensues for one and all.” – Honey magazine “A comic satire . . . The lives of five very different women are dramatically revealed in a complex story of love, lust, and dirty secrets. . . . The author demonstrates consummate skill as she reels the characters into a hilarious denouement.” – Library Journal “Entertaining . . . A gossipy tell-all that goes behind the scenes of suburban life to reveal the secrets of the inhabitants of Silver Lake . . . Briscoe uses her skill as a talented storyteller to deliver just the right touch of intrigue.” – Publishers Weekly In the sprawling homes and upscale townhouses of the exclusive, largely African American Prince George's County, the lives of five women intersect-and the secrets, scandals, loves, and losses that ensue are par for the course where power, beauty, and wealth reside. Barbara is the most influential woman in this swanky neighborhood, but she's got her hands full-one hand is busy dealing with her husband's wandering eye, while the other always needs a cocktail glass. Jolene is half of P.G. County's number-two couple-and she desperately wants what she doesn't have: namely Barbara's husband. Pearl owns a hair salon and lives on the outskirts of the posh community with her son, Kenyatta. She's not only juggling a growing business and a bad divorce, but now she's has to cope with Kenyatta's less-than-ideal girlfriend. Candice is white and liberal, but her daughter's new beau tests her beliefs-and opens a can of worms she never knew existed. Lee is a runaway teen, a girl whose only connection to her father is an old photo and the belief that he's well-off and waiting for her in . . . P.G. COUNTY CONNIE BRISCOE is the New York Times bestselling author of Big Girls Don’t Cry. P.G. County By Connie Briscoe One World Copyright © 2003 Connie Briscoe All right reserved. ISBN: 9780345444134 Chapter One Barbara Bentley was sweating profusely and it wasn't the shakes this time. She hadn't had a drink in years. This time it was that philandering husband of hers, Bradford Bentley III, slipping out of bed at the crack of dawn to run to his mistress. Honestly. The man had no shame when it came to his uncontrollable sexual urges. She listened to him moving around in the bathroom-the toilet flushing, water running-and fumed under the bedcovers. Only seconds ago, she'd been tucked contentedly between her Egyptian cotton sheets, dreaming of the exquisite preparations for her daughter's upcoming wedding-of Beluga caviar and smoked salmon, of starched white tablecloths and lilacs and lilies. Then came the familiar bed tremor as her husband jolted her awake. But she didn't utter a word. She had long since learned not to question the man who slept next to her each night about these things, unless she wanted to be thoroughly dressed down. And lied to. He'd give her his 'how dare you question me' look and tell her to quit whining. He w