Stealing Candy (42 page)

Authors: Allison Hobbs

BOOK: Stealing Candy

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And what about Bullet? Even he was a young man who fell victim to circumstances, having learned to have a blatant disregard for women from his old cellmate in prison, where he himself was coerced into having sex with other men. Another product of what happens when no one cares.

What difference can one person make? Saleema made a world of difference; she would not give up on Portia. Saleema understood about being a victim of circumstance and thus, she did not judge Portia. She only loved her. By teaming up with Khalil and rallying the neighborhood
together, it ultimately brought the ordeal to an end. Not a positive one for Skittles but at least Portia and Gianna had a fighting chance to begin their lives anew. Damaged but breathing, and free from the oppression forced upon them by Bullet.

I must touch upon two underlying messages in this book, masterfully executed by Ms. Hobbs; lessons that every woman must learn. One is that too many people do suffer from the Stockholm Syndrome. Not to the degree of Gianna, kissing up to a man who chopped off her finger and auctioned off her body; but by staying with men who demean them, physically and verbally abuse them, and keep them trapped in relationships and marriages out of pure fear. Unless they make the decision to get out—not often an easy one—that pain and humiliation will follow them every day of their lives.

The other message—and I love how Allison dealt with it—is that until a person is in the right place for a relationship, they should not set themselves up for failure. Saleema was feeling Khalil, yearned to be with him, but she realized that it could never work—not until she was ready. Every woman needs to do a serious self-examination and determine if they are emotionally prepared to love. Self-love is the greatest love of all. Without it, any other type of love will ultimately fail. I commend Allison for examining that fact.

I was already Allison’s biggest fan but now in awe of her talent. If you have not read her other books, you are not missing only great books, you are missing out on life-changing experiences.

Blessings,
Zane
Publisher
Strebor Books International

www.simonandschuster.com/streborbooks

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Allison Hobbs is the national bestselling author of thirteen novels and novellas:
The Sorceress, Pure Paradise, Disciplined, One Taste, Big Juicy Lips, The Climax, A Bona Fide Gold Digger, The Enchantress, Double Dippin,’ Dangerously In Love, Insatiable
and
Pandora’s Box.

She is one of the contributing writers of Cinemax’s
Zane’s Sex Chronicles.
Her novel
The Climax
was nominated for the 2008 African American Literary Awards Show.

Allison received a bachelor of science degree from Temple University. She resides in Philadelphia, PA where she’s working on her next novel.

Join the Stealing Candy Movement at Stealingcandy.net.

Visit the author at:
www.allisonhobbs.com
,
www.blackplanet.com/allisonhobbs
or
www.myspace.com/allisonhobbs

RESOURCES

Girls Educational and Mentoring Services (GEMS)

298 West 149th Street

New York, NY 10039-2741

(212) 926-8089

www.gems-girls.org

National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC)

(888) 373-7888

www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking