Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I read some of the rave reviews for this book and eagerly added it to my library on my Kindle. Finally got a chance to read it and wish I hadn't wasted my time. First, a compliment. I loved a few of the supporting characters. Big Roy, Davinia and Aunt Sylvia were wonderful to read about. I only wished there was more pages filled with them. They were relatable and well-drawn. While there is some great writing and lines that are really insightful and powerful, the story itself is very bland. Not much goes on and it progresses quite slowly, building to a very weak climax. The book spends quite a bit of time on background of ancillary characters that didn't add up to much. I did not like any of the main characters at all. As the POV switches between Roy, Celestial and Andre, they all sounded much the same to me. And, they all have traits that aren't very redeeming. I found myself not caring how the story ends or who "wins" in its closure. Now what is American about this marriage? If lying and cheating (by both spouses) is what the author thinks constitutes a modern marriage in the US, then I guess I get it. But this union does not look like any marriage that I have witnessed in my day. Roy is arrogant and there were seemingly transgressions made by him early in the marriage. Celestial is also egocentric, and though were made to believe she is the epitome of a strong, black woman, I found her to be weak. I could never get a true feel for her as a person, just a caricature of what the reader is to believe she is. None of the character's motives were ever laid bare. The reader is just told this is what they do. In terms of the basis for the story itself, I found everything about it to be so convoluted. Roy is sent to prison for a rape he didn't commit. While I understand that, tragically, this does occur, the reader is to assume that they only reason he was convicted was because he's black. Again, I am aware of racial profiling and that in some parts of the country a black male does have a target on his back. But how is a married, educated, articulate man with no criminal history convicted of a crime without DNA or fingerprints to pin on him? This is never answered. So again, the reader is to assume that it was a he-said/she-said scenario, and his solid alibi and lack of physical evidence doesn't matter because he is black and in the south. I found this a bit far-fetched. My final critique of this book is this: the author seems to have written this for a very specific reader. There seemed to be the assumption that the reader is black and from the south. If you are neither of these things, there will be some parts that are unidentifiable to you. I love to learn about other cultures and lifestyles through my reading. That is done when the author actually illustrates that through their writing. This book sometimes felt like an inside joke that I couldn't relate to because it wasn't explained. The point of publishing a book is to invite readers in to enjoy your story and characters. This is not possible when the author writes hints about the characters traits, identity and the story's setting that leaves the reader hanging and not understanding. I wanted to like this book, but couldn't.