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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Who Is Fooling Whom?, March 28, 2008
This review is from: After The Dance (Paperback)
After The Dance by Lori Johnson is a witty look at relationships that were not meant to happen. Faye Abrahams is doing just fine living without love. She has her books and cigarettes and that is enough for her. She is not interested in anything more than a good time with a fine man who will move on when it is over. She has had her share of love entanglements and is no longer in the market. Or is she? And what is she really hiding and running from?
Carl, a divorced father lives next door to Faye. He is a reformed playboy whose wife divorced him when she discovered another woman was pregnant with his child. Now he is a lonely divorced brother, who sees his kids occasionally and is interested in a real relationship. He has been checking Faye out for quite some time. She is not really his type, but he is intrigued by the fact that she always seems to have an attitude about something. He has a hard time accepting the fact that she will barely acknowledge him. Her friend, Nora, a good time girl will at least share conversation with him, but Ms. Abrahams will not give him the time of day. Or will she?
Carl decides he is going to invite Faye over to watch a movie. Initially she declines but finds her way to his door. Immediately they are involved in a battle of wills. Faye is determined to keep her distance and Carl is determined to wear her down. It was delightful watching the relationship develop as they got to know each other and as their lives and the lives of their families intertwined. After The Dance is a fast-paced fun novel with romance, secrets and laughter. I recommend this book to anyone interested in fun contemporary fiction.
Angelia Menchan
APOOO BookClub
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
(4.5 stars) Love Changes, March 26, 2008
This review is from: After The Dance (Paperback)
Dr. Faye Abrahams is a no nonsense woman who's tolerance level for men is simple: 3 strikes and you're out. No questions asked...none answered, nothing left to talk about. After the third time, the thrill is gone. So why put us both through anything more? This is her rule for any and every man, thanks to her first love Scoobie.
Carl is the 40-something divorcee with a set of twin girls by his wife and a 2-year-old son by a one night stand. Carl and Faye live so close to one another that they can hear what is going on in each others yards just by standing in their windows.
Chef Vernard "Scoobie" Payne, is the one and only man Faye has ever loved and hated so much it drove her nuts. After years of doing women wrong, Scoobie gets himself together, goes to culinary arts school, and becomes a famous Chef and author of his own recipe cookbook.
With the help of Faye's best friend and roommate Nora, Carl decides that he is going to invite Faye over just to watch a few movies one Friday night. Declining his invitation more times then she can count, Faye takes Carl up on his offer considering the fact that Nora is driving her crazy with the same Phyllis Hyman song being played over and over again. Not giving Carl a second glance for the last 6 months, Faye finds herself interested in Carl in more ways than one.
Faye runs into Scoobie after 12 years and it brings back all kinds of thoughts and feelings in her that she thought she had long put to rest. Now she is involved with Carl and willing to break her '3 strikes and you're out' rule and see what becomes of them. Scoobie professes his undying love for her. She leaves Carl for Scoobie to see if maybe they can try again, but it leaves Faye feeling worse then when she started. Now Carl is all messed up in the head. He knows he's made mistakes with his wife, but he's just really a one woman man now and would love nothing more than to prove that to Faye...if only she would let him.
I can honestly say I fully enjoyed After the Dance by Lori Johnson. Carl's awkward honesty and love of all things African-American was kind of refreshing. Going back in time with him reminiscing about times my parents had parties and we was up all night dancing to Al Green or Marvin Gaye or watching old school movies over and over as if I've never seen them before was also refreshing. The fact that Faye was a no-nonsense woman and stood her ground with Scoobie and any other man that came her way was cute. The way the story was told, it made you feel as if you knew all these people personally. Great job Ms. Johnson.
Reviewed by Angie
for Urban Reviews
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Script Is Flipped, March 15, 2008
This review is from: After The Dance (Paperback)
Faye is tired of the games played when it comes to men and women and relationships. A pharmacist, her motto is "three times and done", which allows for no dating, and no time to form a commitment. Faye's next door neighbor, Carl, is a divorcee with twin daughters, a son and a baby mama. Carl is definitely interested in Faye and her proposal piques his curiosity even more. With Faye fighting the attraction and Carl trying to break her rules, AFTER THE DANCE by Lori Johnson is a scintillating and amusing romance novel.
Faye's Friday evenings consist of reading and relaxing. When Carl's son visits and screams non-stop, Faye makes her way over to help calm the child down so she can get back to her peace of mind. Taken aback by her demeanor with children, Carl is even more drawn to her. Enter his twin daughters and the rapport she establishes with them and Carl is sprung. One thing leads to another as everyone from the children, to the ex-wife and Faye's best friend add their two cents. But, Faye has a secret she is withholding and along comes her ex-beau from twelve years prior.
The author allowed us to get to know the characters. We were introduced to their families, immediate and extended and the ghost of their pasts. AFTER THE DANCE is an enjoyable read and begs the question, can you spend time with a man, allow that same man to "rock your world" and not develop feelings beyond platonic? Seems like a simple question but it is loaded with innuendo and doesn't take into account the baggage involved with either player.
Reviewed by Dawn R. Reeves
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers
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