Brenda L. Baker

Won this as an ARC from Goodreads. Overall, I thought it was a good book - interesting characters, well developed plot. Unlike many other books that discuss issues related to women's rights and cultural dynamics, this one was refreshingly not preachy. The characters got to be people first, not just symbolizing the issues the author was describing. The book still needs some proof reading - my copy was missing 50 pages towards the beginning and there were some other minor linguistic inconsistencies throughout the book. The writing was clear, but lacked the polish and depth of a more experienced writer. It was a quick and interesting read, a good first step towards exploring the experiences of women in Southern India.… (más)

Posted on Romancing the Book's blog
Reviewed by Ashleigh
Review Copy Provided by the Publisher

This is the tale of a man carrying two licenses with two different first names and the same last name. But it’s not only about his real identity but the real identity of the two women in his life who both are absolutely astonished at the life he was leading unknown to both of them. Who is the real Mrs. McCoy? Is Eric or David McCoy a terrorist, a lawyer or just a total liar?

Kendra, an OCD plagued successful catering business woman who barely thinks about her husband when he isn’t home from his “government analyst” job. Now she’s not sure what he is and realizes her identity is so tied in his that she starts to fall apart without him. Her entire world is tied to this man who has lied from e beaning, which has her questioning everything about herself which causes her to snap. How will Kendra deal with the personal blow of her husband’s deceit and the blow to her self?

Then there’s Lesley who decides to use the pregnancy test before her husband returns home, although she knows she should really share the precious moment with him. Lesley has never truly been her own person, always the follower of her mother and aunt, and than her dependence on Dave for an identity has made her a weak woman. The idea that Dave may not be the man that she has fallen in love with is a blow that just may break her, but rising above is something that Lesley will have to learn fast otherwise this could end her. The process is more than worth the pain of the journey!

What a great story! Not only did Brenda Baker make this a tangled web within the lives of three people married, but also the growing of two women who need to rise above the man they are both married to. Having never read anything like this before the book grabbed me from the start and didn’t let go. If you are looking for a great book with tons of plot twists and strong female characters than this is the book for you.… (más)

The Elusive Mr. McCoy by Brenda Baker is a very intriguing novel. From the first page, it had me hooked. David/Eric McCoy collapses in a coffee shop in front of Jason Cheddick, who is a private investigator. Jason discovers two different ID's on this man when he checks for identification; one for Eric McCoy and one for David McCoy. Confused as to why someone would have two aliases, they contact the different address to hopefully find out the true identity of this stranger. At the hospital two women show up, Kendra and Lesley, who might be possibly married to McCoy. When they both are asked to identify this man they soon discover that not only is he married to Kendra, he is also married to Lesley. He has been leading a double life. McCoy is in a coma and unable to explain the why of it all. Kendra takes is upon herself to hire Jason to uncover the mystery of Mr. McCoy. Kendra and Lesley work together to try and figure out the pieces of this crazy puzzle.
There are four main characters in this book: Kendra, Leslie, Jason, and McCoy. Baker not only focuses on finding out who McCoy really is, but also focuses on the other three characters and their families. She gives you an inside look at the lives that McCoy has invaded. At times it almost seemed as if McCoy's story took a back seat to some of the families side stories. Although I did enjoy reading about them, I was more interested in finding out who the real slim shady is. Brenda Baker did keep me in anticipation throughout the novel, which made it all the more enjoyable. The way the characters reacted to finding out that McCoy wasn't who they thought he was, was very interesting as well.
Overall this book is very enjoyable. I like the characters and the plot. This is a great book for the summer. My imagination went wild trying to guess who McCoy really is. I was shocked to find out that he was . . . Only joking. I would never tell you the ending. You'll just have to read the book yourself.… (más)