Review of Deceptive Calm

Emmanuel Osmond · Post by **Emmanuel Osmond** » 17 Sep 2024, 06:28

[Following is a volunteer review of "Deceptive Calm" by Patricia Skipper.]

5 out of 5 stars

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When a young lady and her friend decide to do an experiment and obtain a fake ID and birth certificate, little did they know that that experiment would end up endangering the life of one of them. Vanessa Condon and her best friend Trisha have the ambition of becoming journalists, and while at the public library one day they get the idea of obtaining a fake birth certificate for Vanessa, who was raised in an orphanage. Vanessa goes along with the plan of her best friend and then gets a birth certificate and social security number under the name of Vanessa Vaughn. Vanessa gets to fulfill her dream of being a journalist, and it all begins to seem like she is having the perfect life, but what if things are not as they appear to be and there is more that has not yet been revealed?

Deceptive Calm by Patricia Skipper is a story about love, heartbreak, lust, race, history, and the complexities of life. Vanessa, the protagonist of the story, is a beautiful black woman who has the complexion of a Caucasian. Though she is beautiful and intelligent, she suffers because of her skin color, which is not usual for someone of African American ancestry. She was brought up in a black orphanage but couldn't get anyone to adopt her because they felt she looked too white for an African American. When she took up the identity of Vanessa Vaughn, a White baby who had died in childhood, no one questioned that she was not who she claimed to be because her skin tone and appearance were like those of a White woman.

My two favorite characters in the story were Vanessa and Trisha. What I enjoyed most was the bond they shared as friends that transcended race. I admire Trisha for her loyalty to her friend and her support right from childhood till they became adults. In a period when racial discrimination was still very obvious, Trisha did not discriminate against her friend because of her race, and she stood by her and was loyal throughout their friendship. I admire Vanessa for her courage and determination.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The characters all played their roles well, and I commend the author for the development of such beautiful characters, especially sister Rosalie, who made me know more about the history of Charleston than I would have cared to know. The book also contains a lot of history lessons that are told by the characters in the book.

There was nothing to dislike about the book. I rate the book 5 out of 5 stars. The book deserves nothing less than a perfect rating; it was such a captivating story filled with intrigues, one that actually moved me to tears while reading the book. The character development, the history lessons, the love story between Vanessa and Barry, and the beautiful friendship between Vanessa and Trisha all make the book worth reading. I recommend this book to lovers of romance novels, history buffs, lovers of historical novels, and fiction lovers, though I won't recommend the book to children because of some of the sexual content in the book.

******
Deceptive Calm
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Post by **Joshua Sawders** » 28 Oct 2024, 11:09

The plot in this story sounds relatable, and I enjoyed your opening into the review. I'm already interested in reading the book to know the outcome of Vanessa's life journey.

Lawrence Stein · Post by **Lawrence Stein** » 28 Oct 2024, 11:12

Wow! I love the way you presented the story. The fiction sounds very realistic, and I can easily follow Vanessa's world. Thanks for sharing this review.

Kalisha Brown 1 · Post by **Kalisha Brown 1** » 28 Oct 2024, 11:43

I love the themes depicted in this book. I think I would also appreciate the friendship between Vanessa and Trisha once I read this book. Great job in the review.

Gerry Steen · Post by **Gerry Steen** » 28 Oct 2024, 13:58

Emmanuel Osmond wrote: ↑17 Sep 2024, 06:28 [Following is a volunteer review of "Deceptive Calm" by Patricia Skipper.]

5 out of 5 stars
Share This Review

When a young lady and her friend decide to do an experiment and obtain a fake ID and birth certificate, little did they know that that experiment would end up endangering the life of one of them. Vanessa Condon and her best friend Trisha have the ambition of becoming journalists, and while at the public library one day they get the idea of obtaining a fake birth certificate for Vanessa, who was raised in an orphanage. Vanessa goes along with the plan of her best friend and then gets a birth certificate and social security number under the name of Vanessa Vaughn. Vanessa gets to fulfill her dream of being a journalist, and it all begins to seem like she is having the perfect life, but what if things are not as they appear to be and there is more that has not yet been revealed?

Deceptive Calm by Patricia Skipper is a story about love, heartbreak, lust, race, history, and the complexities of life. Vanessa, the protagonist of the story, is a beautiful black woman who has the complexion of a Caucasian. Though she is beautiful and intelligent, she suffers because of her skin color, which is not usual for someone of African American ancestry. She was brought up in a black orphanage but couldn't get anyone to adopt her because they felt she looked too white for an African American. When she took up the identity of Vanessa Vaughn, a White baby who had died in childhood, no one questioned that she was not who she claimed to be because her skin tone and appearance were like those of a White woman.

My two favorite characters in the story were Vanessa and Trisha. What I enjoyed most was the bond they shared as friends that transcended race. I admire Trisha for her loyalty to her friend and her support right from childhood till they became adults. In a period when racial discrimination was still very obvious, Trisha did not discriminate against her friend because of her race, and she stood by her and was loyal throughout their friendship. I admire Vanessa for her courage and determination.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The characters all played their roles well, and I commend the author for the development of such beautiful characters, especially sister Rosalie, who made me know more about the history of Charleston than I would have cared to know. The book also contains a lot of history lessons that are told by the characters in the book.

There was nothing to dislike about the book. I rate the book 5 out of 5 stars. The book deserves nothing less than a perfect rating; it was such a captivating story filled with intrigues, one that actually moved me to tears while reading the book. The character development, the history lessons, the love story between Vanessa and Barry, and the beautiful friendship between Vanessa and Trisha all make the book worth reading. I recommend this book to lovers of romance novels, history buffs, lovers of historical novels, and fiction lovers, though I won't recommend the book to children because of some of the sexual content in the book.

******
Deceptive Calm
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

You and I both agree that Patricia Skipper wrote a great story: "Deceptive Calm", and that it deserves a 5-star rating. I too, learned a lot about Charleston and its history. Even though she was not the protagonist, my favorite character was Sister Rosalie. Great review!

Joe Alex 2 · Post by **Joe Alex 2** » 23 Jan 2025, 01:29

Deceptive Calm by Patricia Skipper is a powerful story about identity, friendship, and the choices we make to shape our futures. Vanessa’s journey is both heartbreaking and inspiring, showing how deeply our past can influence our present. The book blends history, love, and personal struggle in a way that feels real and thought-provoking.