From Booklist
Preacher Jakes makes his first novel the latest medium for his message of spiritual hope and inspiration. He interweaves the lives of four very different women--three black, one white, young and old, rich and poor--who must face harsh self-truths and search for spiritual comfort as they confront painful issues. Michelle is an ambitious young career woman who is pulled back into the self-defeating patterns of an abusive past. Tonya, older and somewhat wiser, still has much to learn about living life to its fullest. The two women clash on the job as Tonya is charged with responsibility for getting Michelle to shape up or face dismissal; however, Michelle strongly resents Tonya's faith-based approach. Mrs. Judson, their rich white employer, has little patience with either woman until a scandal forces her to question her reliance on wealth and power. Miz Ida is Michelle's elderly neighbor, a woman who has served as surrogate mother and spiritual counselor, keeping the young woman on track. Incorporating each character's perspective, Jakes highlights the different seasons of women's lives--from Michelle's youthful reliance on beauty and sensuality through Miz Ida's appreciation of an eternal hopefulness that defies aging. Vanessa Bush
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FROM OUR EDITORS

Bishop T. D. Jakes, bestselling Christian writer and champion of women's self-esteem, makes a foray into fiction with the inspiring story of four women from different classes and cultures who find their faith tested by life's challenges.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Renowned pastor Bishop T. D. Jakes knows the struggles of real women, the disappointments that rob us of confidence and hope, and the losses that make us wonder whether it is worth going on. Now the bestselling author of Woman, Thou Art Loosed brings that compassionate insight and deeply felt wisdom to a powerful first novel about four very different women confronting the biggest challenges of their lives....

COVER GIRLS Michelle, Tonya, Mrs. Judson, and Miz Ida. African-American, white, rich, poor-they seemingly have nothing in common. Yet every day they face the complex realities of twenty-first-century urban life as they try to balance their needs with their belief in God.

Michelle, a driven career woman and survivor of abuse, swears she'll never again be used by people close to her. She's determined to take control and call all the shots-no matter what the cost...

Tonya knows what it's like to have a happy marriage shattered by unimaginable tragedy. She feels her faith is the only thing she can count on-until a hard choice forces her to gamble on someone she never thought she could trust...

Mrs. Judson believes her wealth, influence, and successful business can protect her against all harm. Then a family scandal threatens both her hard-earned reputation and the values she's made the center of her world...

Miz Ida has dedicated her life to God and giving others a shoulder to cry on. Soon she'll need all her faith to help herself and these women at last find themselves-and each other.

A novel about coming to terms with the past, discovering who we truly are, and recognizing the unexpected joys, friendships, and small miracles that reveal God's all-encompassing love, this book shows us the many paths that stretch before us at every season of life. Honest, inspiring, and unforgettable, COVER GIRLS proves that T. D. Jakes is not only a gifted preacher, but a born storyteller.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

When a well-known preacher and bestselling nonfiction author (Woman, Thou Art Loosed!) tries his hand at fiction, the result is unfortunately predictable-a heavy dose of sermonizing. Jakes frames his contemporary novel around the seasons of life, telling the story from the perspectives of three African-American women who work together in an office, and a fourth, older woman who acts as a mentor to the youngest. The hip, well-manicured Michelle swears she will "never be under any man's thumb," yet her abusive past is revisited upon her by the men she finds attractive. Tonya loves the Lord, but the death of one son and the trials of single parenting have taken their toll. Delores is in control at the office, but her 13-year-old granddaughter's heartbreaking troubles are about to wreck her own carefully constructed facade. Meanwhile, the aged Miz Ida has her hands full as a sounding board for Michelle and helping any "strays" who cross her path. The novel is marred by overwriting, heavy dialogue, long sermons, an annoying use of footnotes (including a citation of Jakes's own nonfiction work) and the author's self-promoting product endorsements (one character gives another a Woman, Thou Art Loosed! Bible). Also, it's ironic that a novel that's supposed to be about strong women shows those women almost always being rescued or straightened out by men. However, the book offers sound moral lessons for Christians and encouragement for single mothers. (July) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

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