Luis C C itibaren Trilok Chandpur, Uttar Pradesh 275201, India
“Open Spaces” pulls readers into the world of Mika and Sedari and doesn’t let us go. They are the perfect example of how happiness on the outside doesn’t equal happiness in reality. At the first glance, they are a seemingly happily married couple. As time goes on, we learn that they have allowed temptation of the flesh to shake the very foundation of what they have built over the years. Each of them are individually wrestling with demons of their past while trying to do what is best for their son, Corey. Sedari faces an overwhelming desire to give into the advances of Desiree, his brother’s ex-girlfriend. Having to deal with years of built up curiosity and attraction, Sedari finds it extremely difficult to resist the noticeably mutual feelings between him and Desiree. Desiree doesn’t have a problem making it known that she doesn’t respect Mika or their marriage; causing an immense amount of problems between the couple. When Mika realizes there is something more than a friendship between Sedari and Desiree, she is devastated. Soon, she turns to other outlets of coping with her heartbreak. Her worst coping mechanism, Lee, threatens to destroy her marriage as well. Having feelings of nostalgia and not caring to hide it, Desiree blatantly loses interest in continuing to honor her marital vows at times. Sedari and Mika are so wrapped up in dancing with their devils, that they almost don’t realize what they are doing to their son and their marriage. Will they forgive each other and move on from their past, or will it be too late? There is no doubt that writing and creativity is Keith Williams’ God-given gift in life. I found it difficult to set the book down from beginning to end. He has an incredible gift of using words to create vivid scenes and settings throughout the story. The characters in this book are so well-developed that one can’t help but feel every bit of the emotional rollercoaster ride. The plot and twists were executed with near perfection and flow to make for an outstanding read. Keith definitely leaves readers wanting more. After reading “Water Flows Under Doors”, Keith’s debut novel, I was instantly a fan of his writing style. “Open Spaces” shows the incredible amount of growth he has experienced as an author. I am very much looking forward to his future works and am certain fans of Urban Contemporary Fiction will feel the same way. 5 out of 5 Stars Reviewed and Edited By: Kenya Mack