She Rode The Bus

She Rode The Bus by Akil Victor
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Description
She Rode the Bus is the story of Kaeshon “Kay” Anthony, an aspiring rapper walking a fine line between the music he writes about and the streets that provide his inspiration. Kay, after being on the issuing end of a car accident, is forced to temporarily use public transportation. That is when he meets a college student named Ronni, a gorgeous, yet guarded, Latina with an infectious smile, golden-brown eyes and penchant for sarcasm. 

Veronica “Ronni” Tomez is in an abusive relationship, which she finds herself cemented only for the love of a little girl: Melissa, her fiancé’s daughter. After the unfortunate accident that brought them together, Ronni finds a persistent Kay hard to get rid of. Each encounter bringing a new revelation that opens her eyes to the positivity and potential hidden under his hard exterior. 

A moment arises, which brings Ronni’s abuse to light, and catches the eyes of Kay, who decides to take matters into his own hands. The inevitable happens… Confronted with false camaraderie, betrayal, and the death of a best friend, Kay is forced to step away from the recording booth - and Ronni - to stand behind misguided determination and gun smoke. But unbeknown to him, he has solidified his place in Ronni’s heart and it sends her on a newfound mission to save his life. 

Book Review
This story was a subdued tale of young lives trying to find their place. Kay, an aspiring rapper and Ronnie, a young college student in an abusive relationship meet each other by chance. Through sheer persistence on Kay's part, the two forge an unlikely friendship that leads ultimately to a relationship.

I thought their story was touching overall. However, I could not particularly connect with the characters on an individual level enough to become invested in their outcome. I was never quite pulled into any particular storyline. There was a disconnect for me. I'm not certain if it was because I would be pulled out of a scene or character's monologue when a sentence's flow was thrown off by misplaced words, poor transitions between scenes or if because the character's Kay/Will, Kay/Ronnie, Will/Gina, etc.)emotions for each other failed to translate to me as a reader.

At any rate, it was an okay read and my first by the author. I look forward to seeing what else he has in his catalog.  Get your copy here and don't forget to leave a review.


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