Lawson’s review of Dinner First, Me Later? by Candy Halliday
What would you do if your fantasy celebrity crush moved in across the street from you? What if he offered a night of passion and promised no one would ever know? What would you do?
Alicia Greene has these questions to answer when Jake “The Rake” Sims, a retired Cubs first baseman buys the house across the street from her. Though he was her teenage crush, she became disillusioned after seeing him womanize his way through Chicago after a messy divorce. Alicia knows he’s one bad boy she doesn’t want anything to do with.
Jake is trying to be a new man after finally winning custody of his daughter from his controlling ex-mother-in-law. He wants to give his daughter a good childhood and make up for the many years he missed out as her dad. Alicia throws a kink in those plans, and Jake doesn’t want anything to mess up his chance at finally being a father.
After a dinner party things change when Jake jokingly offers Alicia and offer she can’t refuse: One night of passion and no one would know. No strings attached. But the next day Alicia and Jake can’t deny they have feelings for one another nor can they forget about how wonderful it could be.
Within the first few chapters of this book I liked, didn’t like, was disgusted by and then liked again, Alicia. She’s had a rough time of it, sure, she found her ex-husband cheating with the pool boy. But then it’s all plopped on the reader that Alicia is a trust-fund baby, she’s so beautiful that she hated dating when she was younger (men were always trying to grope her under the table) and she’s insecure because of all this. Huh?
It really doesn’t make much sense and when Jake ignores her she gets real bitchy. At least it doesn’t last long and she confesses that she wants him to hit on her so she can write him off as a bad boy and he was her teenage celebrity crush. Which brought me around to liking her again.
Jake is a pretty likable guy. I have a soft spot for baseball players and he’s working hard to be a good father after so many years of thinking his daughter was in better hands. Jake has the idea that he should take life as it comes and making others happy instead of himself is the way to go. It causes him to do a couple of stupid things, but he comes around and makes amends.
Jake’s daughter, Danielle, is a typical teenager, and is rather well adjusted considering she’s been raised by an evil, selfish, self-serving grandmother in LA. Her grandmother, Ranatta Harper, is out to get what she wants and doesn’t care who she hurts in the process, including her daughter and granddaughter.
One of the unique things about this story is the sex scenes are half real, half fantasy. Alicia and Jake want to keep their relationship secret and have a bit of phone sex, which works because they role play and have some great knight/princess fantasy moments as well as some pretty steamy scenes.
This is also the second book in a series, the Housewives Fantasy Club, and the housewives from the first book are part of this one as well. I haven’t read the first one, but I might pick it up if I see it after reading this one. It was witty, and steamy and a quick read, after you get through the rocky start that is.
Grade: C+
Every Saturday night, best friends and neighbors Zada, Jen, Tish, and Alicia heat up their quaint little cul-de-sac with the infamous Housewives Fantasy Club. Everyone has a secret fantasy to share. Some have better ones to hide.
Imagine! Retired baseball star Jake “The Rake” Sims living here–in the flesh! Well, he won’t find Alicia Greene an easy conquest (she does not do bad boys). So what if his chiseled pecs and grand slam physique–displayed nightly in sexy underwear commercials–once made him her “most valuable” fantasy lover. His wild lifestyle squelched that dream. Now Jake swears he’s reformed, Alicia’s not buying it, and their matchmaking neighbors are doing their best to foil the couple’s “good” intentions. They may be on to something. After one fabulous dinner, Jake takes Alicia in his arms and discovers how forbidden passion–more tempting and sweeter than dessert–can fulfill all her secret fantasies.
