The third volume of the Invisible Life trilogy picks up the characters' lives a few years after the conclusion of Just As I Am. Raymond Tyler and his partner, Trent, are living together comfortably in Seattle, until Raymond's nomination for a position as a federal judge brings to light some troubling incidents from their past. Meanwhile, Raymond's former lover, Nicole (now happily married to his best friend, Jared) is starring in a touring company of Dreamgirls, although a sinister understudy is willing to stop at nothing to take the role for herself. And former pro football player Basil Henderson, who's proved himself over the years to be perhaps Harris's most compelling fictional creation, is regularly attending therapy (although it doesn't seem to be helping him deal with either his denial of his bisexuality or his emotionally abusive behavior towards others). While readers unfamiliar with Harris's previous stories will be able to follow the latest plot developments without much trouble, having the first two volumes of the trilogy under your belt is a definite advantage towards knowing where the characters are coming from.


From Publishers Weekly
In the conclusion of his trilogy that began with the novels Invisible Life and Just As I Am, Harris continues to demonstrate his inarguable skills as a master storyteller. He recounts the triumphs and travails of Raymond Winston Tyler Jr., a bisexual African-American attorney, whose lovers, friends and family both enrich and ensnarl his life. Raymond, at 37, has just been nominated for a federal judgeship. His parents are elated. His boyfriend is proud. But the necessary background checks may raise some squeamish issues surrounding his sexuality. The events unfold like a serial soap opera, a series of artfully constructed vignettes that always convey a strong sense of setting and are driven by emotionally charged dialogue. It's these qualities that make Harris's work so nimble as spoken audio: his writing comes across as almost scripted. His characters, such as the sexually conflicted pro football star John "Basil" Henderson (who is portrayed through a series of sessions with his therapist), are also highly appealing. Harris clearly knows how to work the heartstrings of his audience. Simultaneous release with the Doubleday hardcover. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
This trilogy follows Raymond Tyler Jr. from his college days through his years as a successful young attorney. It is in college that he encounters his first homosexual experience, at a time when he has a steady girlfriend. When he takes his first job in New York City, he settles into a bisexual lifestyle but becomes engaged to Nicole, the other central figure in the series, who ambitiously pursues a show business career while searching for the perfect man. Raymond ultimately chooses a gay lifestyle but unlike some of his friends, who are comfortable with their sexual preference, he reflects on his choice. Harris (And This Too Shall Pass) has created a body of diverse characters, a group of friends and family members who admirably demonstrate a continuity of love and support. This is a work about young middle-class black people who, regardless of sexual preference, are looking for the perfect partner. For those who are gay or bisexual, there is the added pressure of disapproval from many corners. Michael Boatman's reading in all three novels is dynamic. He ably portrays the author's colorful characters, while Brenda Braxton takes the role of Nicole in Just As I Am. The story moves along and keeps the listener absorbed. The three tapes would make an interesting choice for adult fiction collections.ACatherine Swenson, Norwich Univ., Northfield, VT Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Kirkus Reviews
The lives of five thirtyish African-Americans are updated in this final installment of a trilogy (Invisible Life, 1992; Just As I Am, 1994) that doesnt stray from the soap-opera conventions that also govern the first two. The cast will be familiar to readers of the series: Raymond, Trent, Nicole, Jared, and Basil are all educated, successful, fairly well-off professionals who eat sumptuous meals and spend time with expensive therapistsa deft by-the-numbers strategy that excuses Harris from having to develop their characters himself. Ray and his old frat brother Trent live happily in their gorgeous Seattle home; Nicole and Jared, still childless in New York, enjoy immaculate marital bliss; Basil, also a Big Apple denizen, is a handsome ESPN sports commentator. All the men have excellent pectorals and exquisite butts; all the women are shapely and beautiful. Not that they dont have problems. When Ray is nominated for a federal judgeship, his love for Trent is challenged by an FBI background check that reveals Trents criminal record. Nicole wins a part in the show Dreamgirls, but her success is threatened by a scheming understudy. Basil internally rages against his uncle while nonviolently abusing a variety of men and women. Still, in the end anyone who is driven by hatred is thwarted; anyone who embraces love and forgiveness prevails; and most reconciliations are sealed by hot tumbles in the bedroom. Only friendless loner Basil fails to right himself, though the close offers some hopepresumably for another installment. Harris is a writer with a passable talent for pacing and dialogue, but his characters fail to evolve and their changes of heart are wholly predictable. More of the same from an unadventurous conception. -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.


Review
"Harris populates his novel with marvelously written, complex characters who engage readers on many levels."  --Orlando Sentinel

"[E. Lynn Harris] rounds out his blockbuster series with this inventive book...filled with sensuality, deception, friendship and love."  --Ebony

"What's got audiences hooked: Harris's unique spin on the everfascinating topics of identity, class, intimacy, sexuality, and friendship."  --Vibe

"Harris's books are hot, in more ways than one."  -The Philadelphia Enquirer

"Breezy, bighearted entertainment."  -Entertainment Weekly

"Harris's talent as a writer has increased with each of his books.  His stories have become the toast of bookstores, reading groups, men, women, and gay and straight people."  -Atlanta Journal and Constitution

"With a signature style that has thrilled and satisfied millions of readers, E. Lynn Harris again deftly explores the intertwined topics of sexuality, friendship and family."  -Seattle Gay News

"This book grabs you from the first page and nags at you until you finish reading it.  You will go on an emotional roller-coaster ride."  -Spokesman


Review
"Harris populates his novel with marvelously written, complex characters who engage readers on many levels."  --Orlando Sentinel

"[E. Lynn Harris] rounds out his blockbuster series with this inventive book...filled with sensuality, deception, friendship and love."  --Ebony

"What's got audiences hooked: Harris's unique spin on the everfascinating topics of identity, class, intimacy, sexuality, and friendship."  --Vibe

"Harris's books are hot, in more ways than one."  -The Philadelphia Enquirer

"Breezy, bighearted entertainment."  -Entertainment Weekly

"Harris's talent as a writer has increased with each of his books.  His stories have become the toast of bookstores, reading groups, men, women, and gay and straight people."  -Atlanta Journal and Constitution

"With a signature style that has thrilled and satisfied millions of readers, E. Lynn Harris again deftly explores the intertwined topics of sexuality, friendship and family."  -Seattle Gay News

"This book grabs you from the first page and nags at you until you finish reading it.  You will go on an emotional roller-coaster ride."  -Spokesman


Book Description
In this hotly anticipated conclusion to his popular Invisible Life trilogy, E. Lynn Harris delivers a masterful tale that traces the evolving lives of his beloved characters Nicole Springer and Raymond Tyler, Jr., and reintroduces readers to their respective lovers, best friends, and potential enemies. Abide with Me moves between the worlds of New York City, where Nicole has recently settled in order to pursue her dream of returning to the Broadway stage, and Seattle, where a late-night phone call from a U.S. Senator is about to change Raymond's life dramatically. Relationships and ambitions are tested as Harris deftly guides us toward this entertaining novel's conclusion.

Sexy and heartwarming in equal measure, Abide with Me will thrill new readers as well as fans already familiar with Harris's unique take on the universal themes of love, friendship, and family. E. Lynn Harris has truly done it again.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
In his four previous novels, E. Lynn Harris has taken on the controversial issues of race and class, bisexuality, and AIDS within the African-American community, acquiring both an enthusiastic readership and critical acclaim for his efforts. Now, in the eagerly awaited conclusion to his Invisible Life trilogy, Harris returns to the unforgettable characters of Invisible Life and Just as I Am for a new round of professional challenges and personal heartbreaks.

Abide with Me finds Raymond Tyler and his lover, Trent, happily settled in Seattle, their respective legal and architectural careers in full swing. But when Ray is nominated for a federal judgeship, disturbing secrets from Trent's past resurface that threaten their relationship. Meanwhile, Nicole and Jared have moved from Atlanta to New York City, where Nicole is on the verge of fulfilling her lifelong fantasy of performing on Broadway. But she is forced to reevaluate her own career when an overzealous understudy jeopardizes her return to the stage. Here, too, is the sexy and unpredictable John Basil Henderson, whose successful job as an ESPN sports commentator cannot conceal his fundamental loneliness.

With depth and sensitivity, further revealing the intricate and intimate relationships of the beloved cast of this trio of novels, Abide with Me is sure to remain with the reader long after the series has come to a close.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

At the end of Just as I Am, Raymond Tyler, Jr., was beginning a relationship with Trent, a fraternity brother from his college days, while Nicole had found love with Jared, Raymond's buddy from Atlanta. As Abide with Me opens, Raymond and Trent are settled in Seattle, where Trent's career as an architect has bloomed and Raymond's law practice is booming. All seems well. Then, late one night, Raymond gets a call from a United States Senator that threatens everything he's built. Raymond, facing a crisis of faith, travels to New York hoping for the support of his best friend, Jared, who's moved North after five years in Atlanta. His wife, Nicole, is performing in a revival of Dreamgirls, her lifelong fantasy at last coming true. Nicole is thrilled to return to the stage, but when things start to go wrong, her young and beautiful understudy, Yancey Harrington Braxton, steps into the spotlight a little too smoothly. And Nicole, far from achieving her dream, is suddenly forced to reevaluate her life and her marriage.

FROM THE CRITICS

Entertainment Weekly

...[B]reezy, bighearted entertainment.

Advocate

Harris has woven a truly complex and realistic fabric within which his characters come to self-actualization through forgiveness and the enduring human spirit.

Publishers Weekly

In the conclusion of his trilogy that began with the novels Invisible Life and Just As I Am, Harris continues to demonstrate his inarguable skills as a master storyteller. He recounts the triumphs and travails of Raymond Winston Tyler Jr., a bisexual African-American attorney, whose lovers, friends and family both enrich and ensnarl his life. Raymond, at 37, has just been nominated for a federal judgeship. His parents are elated. His boyfriend is proud. But the necessary background checks may raise some squeamish issues surrounding his sexuality. The events unfold like a serial soap opera, a series of artfully constructed vignettes that always convey a strong sense of setting and are driven by emotionally charged dialogue. It's these qualities that make Harris's work so nimble as spoken audio: his writing comes across as almost scripted. His characters, such as the sexually conflicted pro football star John "Basil" Henderson (who is portrayed through a series of sessions with his therapist), are also highly appealing. Harris clearly knows how to work the heartstrings of his audience. Simultaneous release with the Doubleday hardcover. (Mar.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Entertainment Weekly

...[B]reezy, bighearted entertainment.

The Advocate