All I Ever Did Was Love a Man by Sharon Denise Allison-Ottey

• Read an Excerpt

Read an Excerpt

It wasn't easy being a single mother. Sabrena worked hard to make her daughters happy, to give them a solid, secure home. Getting away from her cruel and abusive ex-husband was almost easy-compared to making ends meet and balancing a job with single parenting. But, finally, at long last, Sabrena felt her life was coming together. She had a good-paying job at a department store, two beautiful daughters who were growing up with love and security, and a wonderful friend, " Rach" who was more like the sister she never had. Even better, Sabrena had a man, Steve, in her life that she loved with her whole heart and dreamed of finally being complete with him at her side.

Except for one thing. Steve said he loved her, but he was unreliable, a liar and in her heart she knew that he was not 100% hers. There were countless nights that she was left sitting by the phone, waiting, worrying, praying and crying over the man that she loved. She freely gave love but where was the love that she desired in return, something just for her and her aching, broken heart.

She knew that Steve was no good. But when Sabrena was in his arms and he looked at her with his melt-on-the-spot chocolate brown eyes, all the problems, the half- truths, the lonely sleepless nights, the broken dates, were forgotten and her heart could not let him go.

Sabrena's world is turned upside down by a simple visit that ends up leading her on a frightening and unfamiliar path. She finds out what really matters to her the most and secretly still longs for unconditional love which now appears to be impossibility. Sabrena faces her challenges with courage and fear; tears and isolated bursts of joy, heartache and love for her daughters, anger and faith, and holds onto a thread of hope that somehow she can make it through despite the odds. Despite monumental challenges, she must courageously revisit her past in an effort to find the answers to looming questions that haunt her.