"Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever
a man soweth, that shall he also reap . . ."
--GALATIANS 6:7-8
HARLEM HOLIDAY's much-anticipated debut novel takes readers on a roller-coaster ride through the life and mind of 17-year-old Symone Harris, the victim of a violent sexual assault at the hands of a predator -- Detective Jack Fisher, her father's best friend and crooked partner in the New York Police Department.
The story unravels the beginning of Symone's dark, life-changing secret; the brutal assault and subsequent pregnancy. The rape, at the hands of a man she'd thought of as family, turns her life upside down. The embarrassment and guilt Symone feels lowers her self-esteem and sense of self-worth, sending her into a tailspin of bad choices.
When Symone goes to extremes to conceal the truth from her family and friends, it has a domino effect. As she spins a web of lies, trying to bury her dreadful secret of the rape and pregnancy, she is pulled deeper into deception as everything spirals out of control. Ultimately Symone's deceit causes heartbreak and suffering and destroys the lives of everyone she loves, one by one.
Symone must find the courage to tell the truth and stop Fisher from hurting anyone else and destroying her family, or she risks losing everything. But will she do it before it's too late?
About the Author :
HARLEM HOLIDAY, an Amazon Bestseller, born and raised in Harlem. She spent some time in the Highbridge section of the Bronx and found her Prince Charming in Brooklyn, where they courted and married a year later Valentine's Day. Harlem Holiday has been writing for over thirty years short stories and poetry, that she shared with family and her close friends. She went to Gotham Writers' Workshop to enhance my story writing skills. She attended an HBCU, Lincoln University in Pennsylvania where she pledged Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and briefly attended the New School where she studied film and screenwriting. On June 2, 1999, she graduated with a B.A. in Communications, Film, and Video from The City College of New York, and where she was honored for Outstanding Leadership and Services as a Peer Academic Advisor, and the recipient of the university's Civil City Project Award 1st Prize, for her poem, The Melting Pot.Harlem Holiday learned early on in her writing journey that authors of color often must work harder to get published. She also learned the importance of finding quality editors, graphic designers with exceptional visions to create book covers that sell, and powerful promotional book campaigns that attract a targeted market. As a result, she has come to understand that a writer not only must have the passion to write but a certain ability to grasp the business of writing. Harlem Holiday's trial and error experiences, she desires to bring not only quality books but also affordable publishing services for anyone serious about investing in the art of self-publishing. She started HARLEM WESTSIDE PUBLISHING LLC in 2019. Her mission is to provide exceptional publishing services and great literature: fiction, nonfiction, young adult, and children books that focus on issues and themes related to people of color.
Review :
"Harlem Holiday possesses a unique talent that is poignant yet gritty. She takes us to the streets of New York and inside her character's heart in a way few can achieve. Falling Petals: The Deception, The Deceit, And The Damned is a book every woman should read...and every man should take heed. You did your thing Big Sis. "
-KWAME "DUTCH" TEAGUE
Essence #1 Bestselling Author
Dutch I, II, The Finale (Dutch Trilogy)
