Any woman who has been run up on by a cheatah will appreciate the hysterically funny new novel the 'M.O.O.D. Lounge: Come As You Are...Come All You Want' by Zondra Hughes, editor of N'Digo, Chicago's largest African American alternative weekly.

The first of a three-part series, the M.O.O.D. Lounge, weaves the tale of three emotionally traumatized women: Eva James, an entertainment publicist, Fawn LaFollette, a porn star, and Drusilla "Dru" Vidal, a prosecutor, whose men subdue them into submission with steamy sex while cheating on them and spending their hard-earned cash on other women.

"From the very beginning, Dru encouraged Amaru to chase his culinary dreams, and now it came back to haunt her,'' Hughes writes. "Amaru's next conquest would be a restaurant tycoon Louisi-Ana Pompano. Dru had money, but Louisi-Ana Pompano had money and clout in the culinary society, and was now the biggest fish in his net...

"Amaru learned a lot in jail, and he was stepping up his game. He no longer slept with women for pleasure; instead, Amaru became a man-whore with purpose, and he only serviced women that could do something for him. And he was quite successful.''

Man, puh-lease!

That is what Dr. Pat Rizzo, a rebellious therapist, taught the three women to say. She added a dollop of extra attitude: I. Don't. Need. You. The women joined forces to create Multiple Orgasms On Demand, and let's just say it involves adult toys.

Hughes uses an innovative style that draws on her journalistic skills as an interviewer and feature writer. She recently burst onto the literary scene as co-author of Wendy Williams' 'Ritz Harper Goes to Hollywood!' 'The M.O.O.D. Lounge' is a fun read that will make cheatahs and tigers stay in the woods.

Full Disclosure: Zondra Hughes and Lynette Holloway worked together as associate editors at Ebony magazine. Holloway also is a freelance writer for N'Digo.