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Between Friends
Two friends in their late thirties, one Black and one white, fall in love with the same man, forming a triangle of desire and deception
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 1, 1998
22 people are currently reading
190 people want to read
About the author
Sandra Kitt
56 books237 followersSandra Kitt is the author of more than twenty novels, including The Color of Love, Significant Others, and Close Encounters, as well as numerous short stories.
Her work has been nominated for the NAACP Image Award and has appeared on theEssence and Blackboard bestseller lists. She is the recipient of the Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award and the Zora Neale Hurston Literary Award.
A native New Yorker, Kitt previously worked as a graphic designer, creating cards for UNICEF, illustrating books, and exhibiting her own work, which is included in the collection of the Museum of African American Art in Los Angeles. She formerly served as the managing director of the Richard S. Perkin Collection in Astronomy and Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History.
Her work has been nominated for the NAACP Image Award and has appeared on theEssence and Blackboard bestseller lists. She is the recipient of the Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award and the Zora Neale Hurston Literary Award.
A native New Yorker, Kitt previously worked as a graphic designer, creating cards for UNICEF, illustrating books, and exhibiting her own work, which is included in the collection of the Museum of African American Art in Los Angeles. She formerly served as the managing director of the Richard S. Perkin Collection in Astronomy and Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
September 10, 2016
First time reading Sandra Kitt and it nearly drove me mental bananas; yet I could not stop (It was like a train wreck that I couldn't help but watch... What can I say). However, it was too much; just too much.
It's like Sandra drew a list of ALL the issues that African-Americans have to deal with and decided that she, in a subtle yet totally obvious way, had to solve each and every one of those issues with this book. *We hear you, Sandra*
There were way too many things happening in this book. Normally I wouldn't mind a book that has several layers and complexities but this was only 380 pages and the layers just didn't fit . The main characters had a convoluted conflict and so, it seems, did every minor supporting character. There were just too many issues vying for resolution and honestly I have no idea why they were there other than as filler.
,,,,..It was exhausting and once I finished reading, I needed to decompress with a cool cloth to my brow!
On to the story.
Spoiler Alert
So Dallas, the h, is bi-racial while Alex, the H, is Italian and he saves her from a truly heinous situation when she was 15. Fast forward 15 years and they meet again under stressful circumstances but Alex also meets Dallas's supposed "BFF" and for whatever reason decides to date the BFF. Of course this deters neither Alex nor Dallas from developing feelings for each other thereby providing the author with plenty of time to fu@& with our minds becos, while they sluggishly meandered towards each other, Sandra drew on every black-white race issues and attempted to solve them, achieve world peace and might have possibly ended human suffering if given more pages. Anyways, Alex eventually realises he has feelings for Dallas, breaks it off with the BFF and blah blah blah. It was exhausting and by the time they got together, I was uninterested in their HEA.
p.s. Although Dallas was the h, she was unremarkable in everything except in her role as godmother to aforementioned BFF's daughter and I disliked her immensely.
If you want to read amazing IR stories, may I suggest anything written by Latrivia Nelson/Latrivia Welch and J.J. McAvoy's Black Rainbow.
It's like Sandra drew a list of ALL the issues that African-Americans have to deal with and decided that she, in a subtle yet totally obvious way, had to solve each and every one of those issues with this book. *We hear you, Sandra*
There were way too many things happening in this book. Normally I wouldn't mind a book that has several layers and complexities but this was only 380 pages and the layers just didn't fit . The main characters had a convoluted conflict and so, it seems, did every minor supporting character. There were just too many issues vying for resolution and honestly I have no idea why they were there other than as filler.
,,,,..It was exhausting and once I finished reading, I needed to decompress with a cool cloth to my brow!
On to the story.
Spoiler Alert
So Dallas, the h, is bi-racial while Alex, the H, is Italian and he saves her from a truly heinous situation when she was 15. Fast forward 15 years and they meet again under stressful circumstances but Alex also meets Dallas's supposed "BFF" and for whatever reason decides to date the BFF. Of course this deters neither Alex nor Dallas from developing feelings for each other thereby providing the author with plenty of time to fu@& with our minds becos, while they sluggishly meandered towards each other, Sandra drew on every black-white race issues and attempted to solve them, achieve world peace and might have possibly ended human suffering if given more pages. Anyways, Alex eventually realises he has feelings for Dallas, breaks it off with the BFF and blah blah blah. It was exhausting and by the time they got together, I was uninterested in their HEA.
p.s. Although Dallas was the h, she was unremarkable in everything except in her role as godmother to aforementioned BFF's daughter and I disliked her immensely.
If you want to read amazing IR stories, may I suggest anything written by Latrivia Nelson/Latrivia Welch and J.J. McAvoy's Black Rainbow.
February 11, 2012
Book #19 read in 2007
I really enjoyed this book. It had and intricate plot, and I cared about the characters. Kitt is a great author and I want to check out more of her books!
I really enjoyed this book. It had and intricate plot, and I cared about the characters. Kitt is a great author and I want to check out more of her books!
February 20, 2015
A divorced mid-thirty African American journalist Dallas Oliver has always felt torn between the worlds of her black father and her white mother she can hardly remember. Dallas Oliver refuses to let color stop the friendship that began in grade school with her white friend Valerie Holland. Until both Dallas and Valerie fell for Alex Marco, an ex-Navy SEAL haunted by a tragic death. As the secret of Dallas’s rose, a triangle of deception and desire begins to threaten Dallas’s deep bond with Valarie. Now, Dallas has to face love either walking away from it or stay if she wants to keep that strong friendship with Valarie.
I would rate Between Friends a four out of five because it was filled with great detail that made you feel as if you were in the book with them. This book dealt with so many situations such as racism, friendship, and finding out who is really there for you or not. Characters in this book such as Dallas figured out how to grow through tough situations like racism. She’s been bullied about her skin color ever since she was a little girl, but she didn't let that overcome her. Once you start reading this book, it’s going to become hard to put it down. The plot would lead you thinking to yourself saying, “Is this really what happened!”
I definitely recommend this book to anyone interested with racism and friendship. This book helps you perceive the situations going on with the world today. If anyone has done anything to you uncomfortable, this book would make you realize that you don’t keep it a secret, talk to someone. Between Sisters helps you figure out who your true friends are. This book is by far the best book I have ever read. If you loved the help this is right up your alley.
September 1, 2007
Sandra Kitt is a very thorough writer who tackles interracial relationships in their entirety. Between Friends depicts Black and White relationships at every angles. Its underlined message of the importance of love and friendships is apparent in this book as well as throughout all of her works. This book mysteriously keeps you guessing and unfolds wonderfully. The book is entertaining and easy to read. The story line will hold the interest of the reader. It has the right amounts of conflict, plot twist and a good dose of romance for Dallas, Valerie, Alex and Russ. I did not want the story to end; because, love knows no color line. Life would be more enjoyable if we could accept people as human beings, rather than scone each other if we choose to date, mate and marry across racial and ethic lines. The only complaint I have about this book is that the ending did not provide closure for me in the relationship between Valerie and Dallas.
July 6, 2021
This was my first book by Sandra Kitt, and I enjoyed it. I read other reviews before posting this one, and I agree with some points, but not all of them.
There were a couple of predictable things, but there were surprises as well that weren't brought to light until near the end.
This book delves deep into issues when Dallas was younger, which makes it a nice coming-of-age plot. She seems reserved one minute and has no filter the next, which is certainly human.
I was confused a few times, but all in all, a great read.
I think my favorite character was her father, and my mind sees them much closer after the book ended. Like so many people, too bad things couldn't have been shared with Dallas when she was younger, her life could have been so much easier.
I would read a sequel to Between Friends.
There were a couple of predictable things, but there were surprises as well that weren't brought to light until near the end.
This book delves deep into issues when Dallas was younger, which makes it a nice coming-of-age plot. She seems reserved one minute and has no filter the next, which is certainly human.
I was confused a few times, but all in all, a great read.
I think my favorite character was her father, and my mind sees them much closer after the book ended. Like so many people, too bad things couldn't have been shared with Dallas when she was younger, her life could have been so much easier.
I would read a sequel to Between Friends.
April 20, 2021
Great Read!
A wonderful story with many twist and turns. Brought forth many diverse subjects that are often difficult to deal with. Color, sex, mixed couples, single parenting. This story brought many difficult topic to light. It showed us that people not issues is where our focus should be.
A wonderful story with many twist and turns. Brought forth many diverse subjects that are often difficult to deal with. Color, sex, mixed couples, single parenting. This story brought many difficult topic to light. It showed us that people not issues is where our focus should be.
November 8, 2025
I read this book years ago. I rediscovered it through Kindle. It is wonderful and still touches issues relevant to bwwm relationships today. Alex is sexy. His aura is dynamic. Dallas is relatable and rather stoic. Valerie's life is best characterized as calm chaos. The story is woven together beautifully. As I navigate my own interracial relationship, this book makes me ponder different issues. Excellent book. I hope Ms. Kitt has another one coming soon. I've read several of her more recent books. But, Between Friends is hands down my favorite.
September 25, 2019
Main stream is that Dallas who suffers a lot in her past met someone but he is interested in her best friend. Besides that lots of problems happen between friends, families and couples. Struggles as black people. but in the end everything is settled down. You can easily imagine how it ends. No excitement, no twisting. Two stars is because it was just not my taste.
August 23, 2022
Excellent story. It took me through all of it, the insecurity, love, friendship, betrayal. All I have to say is I just lived life with Dallas and Alex. Now I want more of them. Their love story was years in the making and didn't come without a few bumps along the way. This book was so well written. I'm glad I have now discovered this author and look forward to reading more from her.
December 20, 2016
5 stars
Loved, loved it! 5 stars all the way. Beautiful written. I truly enjoyed all the characters, wish I could read more about Alex and Dalls' relationship. My only complain is that the book ended.
Loved, loved it! 5 stars all the way. Beautiful written. I truly enjoyed all the characters, wish I could read more about Alex and Dalls' relationship. My only complain is that the book ended.
December 8, 2024
Really good. I love Dallas’s outlook on race which I’ve not come across before in IR books. I don’t know if it’s cause this is an older book but it didn’t need a lot of spice to make it interesting either. Really well written. A new author for me
June 11, 2024
🌶️🌶️
I read a lot of Romantasy and so every once in a while I go on a book reading cleanse of “normal” books 😂 I come back to this book every few years. It’s such a good romance novel, but it deals with deep issues. This is a friends to lovers book. It is told through multiple POVs, mostly in the present with a few flashbacks. It deals with some deep topics such as racism, rape, single parenting, interracial relationships, abuse, misscarriage, and death.
The main focus is on Dallas Oliver, a divorced woman who has a white mama and a black dad. Her mama died when she was 5 and she came to live with her daddy and his new black wife. They lived in a mostly white neighborhood and had quite a few struggles that the book flashes back to throughout the novel. The book tracks Dallas’ struggles at work, with family, and with men. She doesn’t have a good past with the men in her life, except one. An unexpected older friend she met as a teen—Alex Marco—when in a bad situation. That big secret kept them close through the years. That friendship grew strong through the years without them even trying. I loved how easy it was for them to be friends without even talking or seeing each other much!
The character development is good. You slowly see as the characters learn lessons and improve their way of living through it. The storyline is great with lots of twist and turns, including one big mystery that is eventually solved at the end. This is such a great book and I definitely recommend!
I read a lot of Romantasy and so every once in a while I go on a book reading cleanse of “normal” books 😂 I come back to this book every few years. It’s such a good romance novel, but it deals with deep issues. This is a friends to lovers book. It is told through multiple POVs, mostly in the present with a few flashbacks. It deals with some deep topics such as racism, rape, single parenting, interracial relationships, abuse, misscarriage, and death.
The main focus is on Dallas Oliver, a divorced woman who has a white mama and a black dad. Her mama died when she was 5 and she came to live with her daddy and his new black wife. They lived in a mostly white neighborhood and had quite a few struggles that the book flashes back to throughout the novel. The book tracks Dallas’ struggles at work, with family, and with men. She doesn’t have a good past with the men in her life, except one. An unexpected older friend she met as a teen—Alex Marco—when in a bad situation. That big secret kept them close through the years. That friendship grew strong through the years without them even trying. I loved how easy it was for them to be friends without even talking or seeing each other much!
The character development is good. You slowly see as the characters learn lessons and improve their way of living through it. The storyline is great with lots of twist and turns, including one big mystery that is eventually solved at the end. This is such a great book and I definitely recommend!
January 2, 2023
Going through my overflowing shelves of romance novels in preparation for a move and pulled this book off the shelf to re-read. Not sure what I originally thought of the book but a re-read was disappointing.
*******Spoiler alert*******
The bi-racial heroine has no backbone (she continually allows her White friend/frienemy Val to insult her, demean her, tell her she is not attractive and to remind her that she needs a 'black man'; she is not welcome in white-neighbors Lilian and Vin's home by Vin yet she continues to help Lilian; her black step mother hates her and everyone else) and the black men in her life are horrendous (father still has no tenure at his age, brother is a struggling musician, ex-husband an entitled beneficiary of affirmative action, boyfriend is a cheater who says she is a whole lot of yelluh wasted wft?) and her savior is the white man who she lost her virginity to at age 15 (a man who was an adult at the time) and who then disappeared from her life.
I love interracial romances and they are successful when two people fall in love. There is no need to demonize all the black men in her life (though the white men in the book including the racist deceased Nick who tried to rape the teenage heroine and is revealed to be the father of her 'best friend Val's' child are not any better).
*******Spoiler alert*******
The bi-racial heroine has no backbone (she continually allows her White friend/frienemy Val to insult her, demean her, tell her she is not attractive and to remind her that she needs a 'black man'; she is not welcome in white-neighbors Lilian and Vin's home by Vin yet she continues to help Lilian; her black step mother hates her and everyone else) and the black men in her life are horrendous (father still has no tenure at his age, brother is a struggling musician, ex-husband an entitled beneficiary of affirmative action, boyfriend is a cheater who says she is a whole lot of yelluh wasted wft?) and her savior is the white man who she lost her virginity to at age 15 (a man who was an adult at the time) and who then disappeared from her life.
I love interracial romances and they are successful when two people fall in love. There is no need to demonize all the black men in her life (though the white men in the book including the racist deceased Nick who tried to rape the teenage heroine and is revealed to be the father of her 'best friend Val's' child are not any better).
March 2, 2015
I am a big fan of Sandra Kitt and this story did not disappoint. I first read this book when I was in my late teens and have probably read it well over five times since then. I didn't really find the main characters to be likeable (especially Dallas) but that didn't stop me from being drawn into their stories and actually sympathizing with them which I believe is a testament to Ms. Kitt’s writing ability. The book was also written with such vivid detail that I could actually envision most of the scenes while I was reading. I will say that I don't think this story can truly be classified as a romance per se so if you are looking for a classic love story you may be a bit disappointed.
January 14, 2017
Incomplete
The ending was anti climatic. The story had elements that definitely needed to be explored more. Valerie and Dallas relationship was peculiar to say the least. Ross was the element that I appreciated as he was the wild card. Still the story never quite finished and tied together. Thus the ranking of three stars. It plot development was striving to be great but then the different subject matters were not able to be developed properly. You have racial identity issues, parenting issues, friendship issues, workplace issues, all unresolved. Thus leaving readers to draw their own conclusions on some very complex subject matters.
The ending was anti climatic. The story had elements that definitely needed to be explored more. Valerie and Dallas relationship was peculiar to say the least. Ross was the element that I appreciated as he was the wild card. Still the story never quite finished and tied together. Thus the ranking of three stars. It plot development was striving to be great but then the different subject matters were not able to be developed properly. You have racial identity issues, parenting issues, friendship issues, workplace issues, all unresolved. Thus leaving readers to draw their own conclusions on some very complex subject matters.
September 28, 2015
This book is brilliant. I don't have enough adjectives in my vocabulary to tell you how much I enjoyed reading Between Friends. I loved the two main characters, Alex and Dallas. The narrative pacing was spot on. The plot and characters are well-developed and compelling right from the very beginning. I re-read this book approximately 1 x per year because it's simply an amazing story.
January 14, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. This book covered much more than the long-term friendship between two girls. It was also about other types of friendships and relationships. I found myself disliking Valerie. She came across as very selfish and self absorbed. I found a real affinity for Dallas and Alex. Very, very good read!
October 10, 2015
Sandra Kitt is know for writing great romance stories about interracial couples and she did not disappoint. It was an excellent read about an African American woman who is born with a Caucasian mother and an African American father, who falls in love with a Caucasian man. She also learned some secrets about her past and is trying to trust again.
June 21, 2022
This book is a lot like experiences that i have had and I really could relate to it. i think all of her books are well written and are very honest about relationships and love; I think anyone can relate to her books. Whether they are in the situation are not.
August 8, 2020
The sad thing is that I’m certain the kind of relationships that play out in this story are real but I’ve got no interest in existing in that narrative. Just messy and cruel. It was like A Separate Peace but there’s racism and anti feminism in addition to jealousy.
April 1, 2009
LOVED IT!
November 24, 2023
2.5-star read
January 14, 2015
As Sandra Kitt delivered an excellent and intuitive story... she has a great gift for storytelling... this is a look at the complexity of relationships between individuals their friends and family...
February 28, 2009
this book didnt grab me
March 29, 2019
I don't know what to say about this book. Some parts were very good, some parts left me with unanswered questions. Like did Valerie really like Nick? Was Alex mother dead or alive? If so did he ever visit her or just Lillian? Why did Lillian & Vin have to adopt Nick? What happened to his parents? Those are just to name a few, they might be irrelevant to some, but I would like to know.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews