A Taste for More

by Phyllis R. Dixon Narrated by Patricia R. Floyd

Overview

From rural Mississippi in the Jim Crow era through the transformative 1970s, this sweeping novel tells the tale of a mother's sacrifice, relentless ambition, and against-all-odds success. But the one dream she can't stop chasing may cost her everything ...

Money is security. Always. Margo Dupree has lived by that rule since childhood, when her father's death plunged her and her mother into poverty. Marriage brought only disillusionment and struggle. But it also gave Margo the determination to migrate north in search of a better life for herself and her young daughter, Lana.

The north, however, isn't the panacea she expected, and Margo finds herself contending with the all-too-familiar obstacles of racism and prejudice, not to mention the new stresses of urban living. But things change once she realizes that what was once her greatest shame is now her greatest asset-the skills she learned from her mother's job as a cook. Using her tasty recipes, personality, and relentless hustle, Margo begins to build a successful restaurant chain. Yet despite her ever-more desperate efforts, she can't earn her heart's deepest desire: Lana's forgiveness for her early absence.

As Lana becomes a beautiful young woman with an increasingly mercenary temperament, Margo wonders if she knows her daughter at all-and if she can save her from the bitter and frighteningly dangerous mistakes that may shatter both of their worlds ...

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Praise for Phyllis R. Dixon:

“A fun, sexy read.” – Ebony on Intermission

“Dixon gives her characters distinctive voices, exploring their inner lives and motivations, and her conversational style gives readers a front-row seat to the Diamonds’ sparkling reunion. Fans of Kimberla Lawson Roby and ReShonda Tate Billingsley will be enthralled.” – Booklist on Intermission
 
“If you were a fan of girl music groups from the 1990s, you’ll love this story about the fictional girl group the Diamonds.” – AARP’s Sisters Newsletter on Intermission
 
“A glamorous, nostalgic ’90s story begins in this fun novel following four women.” – Woman’s World, Book Club Pick, on Intermission
 
“There's a whole lotta of shakin' going on in this book! Ms. Dixon produced a rich drama with all the ingredients to hold our attention.” —Dwight Fryer, Author and NAACP Image Award Nominee on Down Home Blues
 
“A riveting Southern family drama. Down Home Blues delves into many serious issues that affect our families and our community.” —Evelyn Palfrey, Essence Magazine bestselling author on Down Home Blues
 
 
“Down Home Blues does a fantastic job of exploring how individuals and families interrelate and how their choices influence wider events in the greater world, making it a recommendation for novel readers who want their action driven by strong characters and their views of life's winding directions tempered by a better understanding of psychological motivation.” —Midwest Book Review on Down Home Blues
 
“Educational, thought provoking and captivating. Forty Acres will inspire you.” —RAWSISTAZ Reviews on Forty Acres

Library Journal

05/01/2024

By 1961, Margo Dupree has had enough of life in Mississippi. Even though the Civil Rights Act was recently signed, changes in the attitudes toward Black people in her hometown have yet to shift, and Margo, who is Black, has limited job opportunities. With a dissolute husband and a child to support, Margo leaves baby Lana with her mother and heads to Wisconsin, as did many Black people from the South during the Great Migration. Though she finds a position as a cook in a café there, Margo continues to face obstacles to her plans. Years later, Lana finally comes to live with her. A sense of guilt influences Margo's parenting decisions as an overindulged Lana causes rifts in Margo's relationships with their family and friends. Margo's realization of her naiveté and misguided trust in others, especially with her deceptive daughter, comes to a boil as Margo is again faced with life-changing decisions for herself and Lana. VERDICT Dixon (Intermission; Down Home Blues) has created a solid story exploring family relationships, filled with flawed, yet relatable characters and peppered with historical references, as in the novels of Mary Monroe.—Joy Gunn

Product Details

BN ID:	2940191414577
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	06/25/2024
Edition description:	Unabridged

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