The Gist:
You might know Demetria Lucas from her super popular blog A Belle in Brooklyn or from her 9 to 5 (Ha! As if a writing/editing job is ever 9 to 5.) as the Relationships Editor at Essence. In the book, Lucas uses her own dating adventures to illustrate the peaks, valleys and possibilities of dating for the modern young black woman. She is a black woman and many of her devoted fans are black women, but really, the book’s basic points about love, heartbreak, triumph and tough learned lessons are transferable to any lady interested in matters of the heart.
A Passage I Love:
“Demetria Lucas, do you want to take me home with you?” he asked. “I will if you want me…to,” he added when I didn’t answer for a full fifteen seconds.
I was someone’s girlfriend—not his. And just because I slipped down a slope didn’t mean I had to go tumbling down a mountain.
“No, I’m good,” I said, shaking my head. I didn’t mean it, but I tried to say it as if I did, if only because it was the right thing to well, say. Sometimes that’s half the battle.
He smiled.
Thump-thump went the traitor in my chest.
Why You Should Read It:
Lucas gives it straight no chaser. She provides brutally honest bits of her personal life–from a frightening sexual assault by a “friend” to laugh-out-loud/this-can’t-be-real-life moments (Suge Knight? Comedy.) to those so familiar and almost indescribable pangs of like, love and lust. Oh and for aspiring writers, the story of how she came to the job she has now is very interesting and noteworthy. Want to be great? Get in those 10,000 hours. Read up on your Malcolm Gladwell if you don’t catch that reference.
Often referred to as a real life Carrie Bradshaw, Lucas does have some endearing quirks and perspectives that make you want to know more about her, just like her fictitious counter part. Because she’s a writer and I swear all writers have this trait, Lucas is moody at times and so, you might find yourself reading about certain interactions she has with men and go “Really, D?,” and other times you’re nodding your head in agreement because you did that exact same thing. Either way, she pulls you into her world, which for other young cosmopolitan women navigating the single life, offers an interesting emotional mirror as well as solid advice on how to enjoy singledom. Dating doesn’t have to be a chore. The titles of her chapters (“Would You Date You?,” “Cast a Wide Net,” etc) give a good indication of how she blends her personal experiences with advice to her readers.
Fans of Lucas’ blog will be familiar with many of the stories she shares, but even the hardcore Belleionaires will get new tidbits and long awaited updates on what ever happened to people like TLA and Mr. Ex. Those new to the life of our Belle, as some of her fans call her, will meet a new friend in their heads.
I’ve read this book twice and I love it. You can pick it up today if you want! “A Belle in Brooklyn” is in bookstores and on Amazon. Read and come back to the comments and tell us what you think. Are any of you Belleionaires?
