What do you think?
Rate this book
After Last Call
Lola is ready for a change. She’s blown the first half of the eighties drifting aimlessly through Miami’s cocaine-fueled nightclub scene, so when a sweet-talking stranger comes to town she allows him to sweep her off her feet and clear across the country.
Predictably, things in California don’t go according to plan, and Lola finds herself on her own for the first time in her life. A new job offers her a second chance at a fresh start, but just as things begin to fall into place a reckless workplace affair leads to a friend’s disappearance, exposing two dead girls with one man in common.
Ensnared in a web of deceit and danger, Lola must decide whether to run from her troubles once again or take a stand and fight for her new life—only this time, she’s threatened with more than just the loss of her newfound independence.
Predictably, things in California don’t go according to plan, and Lola finds herself on her own for the first time in her life. A new job offers her a second chance at a fresh start, but just as things begin to fall into place a reckless workplace affair leads to a friend’s disappearance, exposing two dead girls with one man in common.
Ensnared in a web of deceit and danger, Lola must decide whether to run from her troubles once again or take a stand and fight for her new life—only this time, she’s threatened with more than just the loss of her newfound independence.
Kindle Edition
First published March 24, 2015
2 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Derrolyn Anderson
9 books375 followersHello Goodreaders. About me:
I'm a mom of three, artist and author.
Always working on the next big thing ;)
Like romance?
FREE BOOKS AVAILABLE HERE ↓ ↓ ↓
✓At Amazon for Kindle : http://www.amazon.com/Derrolyn-Anders...
✓At B&N for Nook : http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/derro...
✓At Smashwords for all e-book formats : https://www.smashwords.com/profile/vi...
Visit me on Instagram where I post something new almost every day:
http://instagram.com/derrolyn/
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 27, 2015
Lola meets Randy in her hometown of Miami. He sweeps her off her feet by partying and flashing money around.
He professes his undying love for her and NEEDS her to come with him to his home in LA. So Lola packs up and takes off with the love of her life.
Once she gets there they hit the partying scene wide open.
Then Lola starts to realize that the drugs and party girl lifestyle is not all it's cracked up to be. Then she finds out dork ass is cheating.
She gets a job and decides to stand on her own two feet.
This is a romantic thriller and it's a new genre for Derrolyn Anderson but that doesn't slow her down at all. She makes the dip into the 80's fun without over doing the subculture. I would probably have but I'm a dork.
It's a fun light book. No smexy scenes with all the dirty talk that became the norm in the romance world and it works well.
AND thanks Kelly because the whole dang book I pictured Sam as this hot little potato.
He professes his undying love for her and NEEDS her to come with him to his home in LA. So Lola packs up and takes off with the love of her life.
Once she gets there they hit the partying scene wide open.
Then Lola starts to realize that the drugs and party girl lifestyle is not all it's cracked up to be. Then she finds out dork ass is cheating.
She gets a job and decides to stand on her own two feet.
This is a romantic thriller and it's a new genre for Derrolyn Anderson but that doesn't slow her down at all. She makes the dip into the 80's fun without over doing the subculture. I would probably have but I'm a dork.
It's a fun light book. No smexy scenes with all the dirty talk that became the norm in the romance world and it works well.
AND thanks Kelly because the whole dang book I pictured Sam as this hot little potato.
March 27, 2015
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
When I heard there was a book that focused on the magic and majesty which was the 1980s – well, I was so happy I could’ve gyrated all over the top of a sportscar . . .
In what may have been a Goodreads first, I even spammed the author asking for the release date in order to obtain a copy ASAP.
After Last Call focuses on a 20-something named Lola. Spoiler alert: She’s not a showgirl nor does whatever Lola wants automatically become something that Lola gets. In fact, after moving all the way from Miami to California with her boyfriend, she can’t even manage to get him to keep it in his pants . . .
That’s what I said!
Anyway, after finding out her skeevy cokehead beau likes to take a tumble in their bed with the local valley girls Lola packs up, moves out, and moves in with a co-worker who does what any good girlfriend does when their bestie has a break up – she takes her out to get loaded and laid . . . .
It works and Lola has herself a one-nighter with a super stud from the Northeast . . .
(Okay, the dude she bangs is from Boston not Jersey, but COME ON you gotta let me use a Springsteen butt gif when I have the opportunity!)
The story progresses and Lola gets herself a promotion from cocktail waitress to bartender . . .
And discovers that a new co-worker’s reckless lifestyle choices may have led to her untimely demise.
After Last Call was so different from most books I read. Although there was a bit of a mystery, it was A-okay to know the whodunit part and, if you’re a heartless b*&^h like me, you didn’t even feel particularly sorry for the victim. This was also a romance, but not a pukey non-stop bang session, more of a slow buildup with the “fade to black” kind of lovemaking that is rarely used, but that I sometimes prefer. At the end of it all, it was simply a fun read . . .
DISCLOSURE: As I stated above, I approached Derrolyn Anderson in order to purchase a copy of this book for review. In the land of Goodreads most users have experienced everything from the minimum of watching sockpuppets bump ratings for authors to being trolled by authors (and/or their family members) to the extremes like having nutters show up on doorsteps or pen actual STORIES about the “reviewer who dared do them wrong.” I had followed Derrolyn (but she had not followed me) for quite a long time due to her hilarious status updates. She is an author who does not review and does not spam others with read/review requests (but somehow has managed to get herself labeled a “bully” anyway – welcome to the club, Derrolyn, we have alcohol here). In light of the most recent BBA, I decided I wanted to do something to counteract all the awful . . .
Okay, that’s a little extreme. Instead I decided to read more stuff by indie authors who are simply awesome members and Derrolyn’s new book instantly came to mind. Bonus that it worked out for me and I liked it, ‘cause y’all know I’m honest. Additional bonus is that I asked where to buy a copy and Derrolyn sent me one for free. Because she’s amazing.
Derrolyn, here’s your badge. You earned it!
And even John Bender has to raise his fist in tribute to your ability to write a story set in the 1980s that managed to be entertaining and have a plot rather than just barfing the 1980s all over the place . . .
Oh, one more thing. After Last Call may be a standalone novel, but I think there is plenty of opportunity to continue this as a series and follow more of Lola’s life. Maybe in the next installment she can get a pet ; )
When I heard there was a book that focused on the magic and majesty which was the 1980s – well, I was so happy I could’ve gyrated all over the top of a sportscar . . .
In what may have been a Goodreads first, I even spammed the author asking for the release date in order to obtain a copy ASAP.
After Last Call focuses on a 20-something named Lola. Spoiler alert: She’s not a showgirl nor does whatever Lola wants automatically become something that Lola gets. In fact, after moving all the way from Miami to California with her boyfriend, she can’t even manage to get him to keep it in his pants . . .
That’s what I said!
Anyway, after finding out her skeevy cokehead beau likes to take a tumble in their bed with the local valley girls Lola packs up, moves out, and moves in with a co-worker who does what any good girlfriend does when their bestie has a break up – she takes her out to get loaded and laid . . . .
It works and Lola has herself a one-nighter with a super stud from the Northeast . . .
(Okay, the dude she bangs is from Boston not Jersey, but COME ON you gotta let me use a Springsteen butt gif when I have the opportunity!)
The story progresses and Lola gets herself a promotion from cocktail waitress to bartender . . .
And discovers that a new co-worker’s reckless lifestyle choices may have led to her untimely demise.
After Last Call was so different from most books I read. Although there was a bit of a mystery, it was A-okay to know the whodunit part and, if you’re a heartless b*&^h like me, you didn’t even feel particularly sorry for the victim. This was also a romance, but not a pukey non-stop bang session, more of a slow buildup with the “fade to black” kind of lovemaking that is rarely used, but that I sometimes prefer. At the end of it all, it was simply a fun read . . .
DISCLOSURE: As I stated above, I approached Derrolyn Anderson in order to purchase a copy of this book for review. In the land of Goodreads most users have experienced everything from the minimum of watching sockpuppets bump ratings for authors to being trolled by authors (and/or their family members) to the extremes like having nutters show up on doorsteps or pen actual STORIES about the “reviewer who dared do them wrong.” I had followed Derrolyn (but she had not followed me) for quite a long time due to her hilarious status updates. She is an author who does not review and does not spam others with read/review requests (but somehow has managed to get herself labeled a “bully” anyway – welcome to the club, Derrolyn, we have alcohol here). In light of the most recent BBA, I decided I wanted to do something to counteract all the awful . . .
Okay, that’s a little extreme. Instead I decided to read more stuff by indie authors who are simply awesome members and Derrolyn’s new book instantly came to mind. Bonus that it worked out for me and I liked it, ‘cause y’all know I’m honest. Additional bonus is that I asked where to buy a copy and Derrolyn sent me one for free. Because she’s amazing.
Derrolyn, here’s your badge. You earned it!
And even John Bender has to raise his fist in tribute to your ability to write a story set in the 1980s that managed to be entertaining and have a plot rather than just barfing the 1980s all over the place . . .
Oh, one more thing. After Last Call may be a standalone novel, but I think there is plenty of opportunity to continue this as a series and follow more of Lola’s life. Maybe in the next installment she can get a pet ; )
April 7, 2017
She paused in the bedroom doorway, turning to look down at the violated bed, knowing that she could never sleep in it again.
Whoever had left the earring behind had forced her hand. The nonstop partying was bad enough, but there was no way in hell she was going to turn a blind eye to cheating. Lola could handle a lot of things, but infidelity was definitely not one of them.
This is a fun '80s book which is a kind of romance/mystery hybrid. Lola leaves Miami on a whim, caught up in the sweet-talking whirlwind romance of Randy.
Ugh, Randy. I have no idea why Lola was attracted to this suit-and-silk-shirt-wearing, Rolex-owning, different-car-every-day-driving, gold-chain-necklaced, lying, cheating cokehead-in-training. Ew. He treats her like a possession and is always comparing her to his Nagel prints. ANYWAY, luckily she comes to her senses when she finds an earring in her bed, and leaves Randy for good - shacking up with a fellow cocktail waitress and trying to stand on her own two feet.
...
Anderson's writing is not very emotional, it isn't until about 40% when I realized I actually cared about Lola and what happened to her. This is good. I like the slow burn. Once Sam shows up again, and Lola is having an emotional crisis about it, my heart was breaking for her. That's when I knew I cared.
Also, Anderson writes good women. I know, I know. You are like, "Of course she does. She IS a woman." Okay, but a lot of women write shit female characters. Just saying. Here in this book, I could really see Lola's thought processes and motivations, and while I often times thought she was being an idiot, I could understand WHY she was being an idiot. (Usually.) Anderson also is great at showing the crap women have to deal with everyday re: skeezers. Ew. Poor Lola is always having to deal with assholes trying to hit on her. Very true to life. Anderson also captured the complicated and often grey nature of relationships, in which you realize there are always two sides to every story. Anderson does some great psychology in the story, and I loved when Lola would frequently psychoanalyze herself and work stuff out.
Lola fights her attraction to Sam HARD, but I could understand why she was doing that. Even though sometimes it annoyed me.
The Eighties is definitely a strong flavor here, but not overwhelming. I found the time period very well done.
...
THE LOVE INTEREST
The love interest is Sam. There were things about him that made me angry, and things I really liked.
What made me angry?
1.) When he first meets Lola, he gives her a little crap about being a smoker. Which is not cool. Don't date smokers if you don't like smokers. I'm fine with this policy. But it's not cool to make someone feel like shit for being a smoker. This is very rude.
2.) "Stop acting like a child." I will never forgive you for saying this.
///
What I liked about Sam:
1.) He resists teasing Lola about her name when they first meet.
2.) He's sweet, caring, and affectionate.
3.) He has no temper and is patient.
///
There were two things he did that were really making me swoon.
What? The kissing?
No.
The sex?
No.
Oh, I know. How he keeps giving her his jacket when she's cold.
No.
When he tackles and disarms people with guns twice in the novel, saving Lola, acting like a boss.
No.
Okay, I give up.
ONE: This scene:
"Don't worry. It's only me," he said.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice shaky.
Even in the dim light she could see the surprise on his face. "Are you afraid of me?"
"Should I be?" she asked.
"Hey." He backed up with his palms raised. "I just wanted to make sure you got out of here okay."
I love this 'back up with hands up' move. Very good.
TWO: And this scene was a heartstopper with its sexiness: Lola's car has been spray painted with the word "slut." And without even telling her, Sam goes to the store...
He got down on his knees and pulled out a roll of shop towels and a can of paint thinner, proceeding to start cleaning the spray paint from her battered little car.
"You don't have to do that."
"Yes, I do."
"At least let me help," she said, holding out her hand for a towel.
He looked up at her from his crouch. "Naw. You don't wanna get this stuff on your hands."
OMG So much hotness. Acting like a man and just being so yummy. O.O "Nah, I got this. I'll take care of this." So attractive.
HANDS
"I'm Sam. What's your name?" She put her hand in his gingerly. It was big and warm, hard and coarse where Randy's was smooth.
Well, they're going to have sex. I can always tell when people are going to end up in bed together in romance novels because the heroine starts going on about the man's hands.
CONDOMS
They don't use condoms! Are you crazy!?!?!? Use condoms!
He swallowed hard. "Wait - I don't have any protection with me."
"I'm on the pill," she informed him, pleased that a lingering remnant of her past relationship was going to come in handy.
The Pill won't protect you from STDs! Moron!
SEX
These characters do not fuck, they make love. And it is romantic and not explicit. If you want explicit sex, go elsewhere.
Oh, and I want to mention that Anderson uses the "traitorous body" trope, which really annoys me. You know, the heroine is so angry and upset with the hero - but then he kisses her and her traitorous body responds? Oh, please. *rolls eyes* This trope needs to die.
CHEATING
For someone who was very upset about her Boyfriend's infidelity, Lola seems pretty blasé about the idea that she'd just slept with someone's Boyfriend or husband. o.O I was rather surprised.
She ticked off his attributes: Beautiful body, handsome face, heart-melting smile. Good in bed PLUS he smelled nice. Definitely too good to be true. He's probably taken, she thought with a rush of shame, reminding herself that none of it mattered because she was never going to see him again.
Um, yes, it matters. It matters if you are sleeping with a man who is in a committed monogamous relationship. What is this, if you cheat in a different area code it's not cheating? Who are you, Ludacris?!?!?! Get your head on straight.
SNEAKING OUT
I have ZERO respect for anyone who has sex with someone, especially first-time sex, and then *@^#ing sneaks out of the @#%$ing bed so that their partner wakes up alone in a cold bed. DISRESPECTFUL. This is very rude. Either a.) say 'goodbye' and leave before the person goes to sleep. Or b.) wake the person up and say goodbye. Or c.) wait till the person wakes up, eat breakfast together, and then leave - you know, like a normal person. I don't care which. This is basic sexual etiquette, people. You should've learned this shit by now. Bad form, Lola.
THE MYSTERY
Meh. I found this very far-fetched. Not but the idea of a Coast Guard swimmer and two cocktail waitresses going up against The Mob is laughable. LAUGHABLE. I really, really expected all of them to die. They are in NO WAY equipped to go up against an organized crime syndicate, and their idea of blackmailing a mafioso is really stupid. You might as well sign your own death certificate. When The fact that NO ONE - not Sam, not Nora, not Lola - puts up their hand and says, "This might be a really bad idea" when they are formulating their plans, just makes me think that everyone in this book is a complete idiot.
MERCY
I love when people are merciful, and really enjoyed the scene where If I was Sam, I would've fallen in love with her right then.
...
THE BEST PARTS
I forgot to tell you the best parts of the book!
Each chapter begins with a song title, the artist, and the year of the song. This is great! It's a soundtrack for the book. And each song fits what is happening in the chapter perfectly. I love this added dimension to reading, when authors put songs in their books. This is a wonderful bonus, and made my reading experience so much more exciting.
The other bonus is that the back of the book is filled with Lola's recipes! So fun!
...
Tl;dr - A fun read that takes place during the '80s in California. Good psychology on the heroine, a rather far-fetched but entertaining mystery, and some sweet, non-explicit romance.
THREE REAL STARS, THREE ROMANCE STARS
DISCLAIMER: Derrolyn Anderson is my GR friend. But I paid full price for this copy, boo-yah! And I hope y'all know I spared no snark in this review.
Whoever had left the earring behind had forced her hand. The nonstop partying was bad enough, but there was no way in hell she was going to turn a blind eye to cheating. Lola could handle a lot of things, but infidelity was definitely not one of them.
This is a fun '80s book which is a kind of romance/mystery hybrid. Lola leaves Miami on a whim, caught up in the sweet-talking whirlwind romance of Randy.
Ugh, Randy. I have no idea why Lola was attracted to this suit-and-silk-shirt-wearing, Rolex-owning, different-car-every-day-driving, gold-chain-necklaced, lying, cheating cokehead-in-training. Ew. He treats her like a possession and is always comparing her to his Nagel prints. ANYWAY, luckily she comes to her senses when she finds an earring in her bed, and leaves Randy for good - shacking up with a fellow cocktail waitress and trying to stand on her own two feet.
...
Anderson's writing is not very emotional, it isn't until about 40% when I realized I actually cared about Lola and what happened to her. This is good. I like the slow burn. Once Sam shows up again, and Lola is having an emotional crisis about it, my heart was breaking for her. That's when I knew I cared.
Also, Anderson writes good women. I know, I know. You are like, "Of course she does. She IS a woman." Okay, but a lot of women write shit female characters. Just saying. Here in this book, I could really see Lola's thought processes and motivations, and while I often times thought she was being an idiot, I could understand WHY she was being an idiot. (Usually.) Anderson also is great at showing the crap women have to deal with everyday re: skeezers. Ew. Poor Lola is always having to deal with assholes trying to hit on her. Very true to life. Anderson also captured the complicated and often grey nature of relationships, in which you realize there are always two sides to every story. Anderson does some great psychology in the story, and I loved when Lola would frequently psychoanalyze herself and work stuff out.
Lola fights her attraction to Sam HARD, but I could understand why she was doing that. Even though sometimes it annoyed me.
The Eighties is definitely a strong flavor here, but not overwhelming. I found the time period very well done.
...
THE LOVE INTEREST
The love interest is Sam. There were things about him that made me angry, and things I really liked.
What made me angry?
1.) When he first meets Lola, he gives her a little crap about being a smoker. Which is not cool. Don't date smokers if you don't like smokers. I'm fine with this policy. But it's not cool to make someone feel like shit for being a smoker. This is very rude.
2.) "Stop acting like a child." I will never forgive you for saying this.
///
What I liked about Sam:
1.) He resists teasing Lola about her name when they first meet.
2.) He's sweet, caring, and affectionate.
3.) He has no temper and is patient.
///
There were two things he did that were really making me swoon.
What? The kissing?
No.
The sex?
No.
Oh, I know. How he keeps giving her his jacket when she's cold.
No.
When he tackles and disarms people with guns twice in the novel, saving Lola, acting like a boss.
No.
Okay, I give up.
ONE: This scene:
"Don't worry. It's only me," he said.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice shaky.
Even in the dim light she could see the surprise on his face. "Are you afraid of me?"
"Should I be?" she asked.
"Hey." He backed up with his palms raised. "I just wanted to make sure you got out of here okay."
I love this 'back up with hands up' move. Very good.
TWO: And this scene was a heartstopper with its sexiness: Lola's car has been spray painted with the word "slut." And without even telling her, Sam goes to the store...
He got down on his knees and pulled out a roll of shop towels and a can of paint thinner, proceeding to start cleaning the spray paint from her battered little car.
"You don't have to do that."
"Yes, I do."
"At least let me help," she said, holding out her hand for a towel.
He looked up at her from his crouch. "Naw. You don't wanna get this stuff on your hands."
OMG So much hotness. Acting like a man and just being so yummy. O.O "Nah, I got this. I'll take care of this." So attractive.
HANDS
"I'm Sam. What's your name?" She put her hand in his gingerly. It was big and warm, hard and coarse where Randy's was smooth.
Well, they're going to have sex. I can always tell when people are going to end up in bed together in romance novels because the heroine starts going on about the man's hands.
CONDOMS
They don't use condoms! Are you crazy!?!?!? Use condoms!
He swallowed hard. "Wait - I don't have any protection with me."
"I'm on the pill," she informed him, pleased that a lingering remnant of her past relationship was going to come in handy.
The Pill won't protect you from STDs! Moron!
SEX
These characters do not fuck, they make love. And it is romantic and not explicit. If you want explicit sex, go elsewhere.
Oh, and I want to mention that Anderson uses the "traitorous body" trope, which really annoys me. You know, the heroine is so angry and upset with the hero - but then he kisses her and her traitorous body responds? Oh, please. *rolls eyes* This trope needs to die.
CHEATING
For someone who was very upset about her Boyfriend's infidelity, Lola seems pretty blasé about the idea that she'd just slept with someone's Boyfriend or husband. o.O I was rather surprised.
She ticked off his attributes: Beautiful body, handsome face, heart-melting smile. Good in bed PLUS he smelled nice. Definitely too good to be true. He's probably taken, she thought with a rush of shame, reminding herself that none of it mattered because she was never going to see him again.
Um, yes, it matters. It matters if you are sleeping with a man who is in a committed monogamous relationship. What is this, if you cheat in a different area code it's not cheating? Who are you, Ludacris?!?!?! Get your head on straight.
SNEAKING OUT
I have ZERO respect for anyone who has sex with someone, especially first-time sex, and then *@^#ing sneaks out of the @#%$ing bed so that their partner wakes up alone in a cold bed. DISRESPECTFUL. This is very rude. Either a.) say 'goodbye' and leave before the person goes to sleep. Or b.) wake the person up and say goodbye. Or c.) wait till the person wakes up, eat breakfast together, and then leave - you know, like a normal person. I don't care which. This is basic sexual etiquette, people. You should've learned this shit by now. Bad form, Lola.
THE MYSTERY
Meh. I found this very far-fetched. Not but the idea of a Coast Guard swimmer and two cocktail waitresses going up against The Mob is laughable. LAUGHABLE. I really, really expected all of them to die. They are in NO WAY equipped to go up against an organized crime syndicate, and their idea of blackmailing a mafioso is really stupid. You might as well sign your own death certificate. When The fact that NO ONE - not Sam, not Nora, not Lola - puts up their hand and says, "This might be a really bad idea" when they are formulating their plans, just makes me think that everyone in this book is a complete idiot.
MERCY
I love when people are merciful, and really enjoyed the scene where If I was Sam, I would've fallen in love with her right then.
...
THE BEST PARTS
I forgot to tell you the best parts of the book!
Each chapter begins with a song title, the artist, and the year of the song. This is great! It's a soundtrack for the book. And each song fits what is happening in the chapter perfectly. I love this added dimension to reading, when authors put songs in their books. This is a wonderful bonus, and made my reading experience so much more exciting.
The other bonus is that the back of the book is filled with Lola's recipes! So fun!
...
Tl;dr - A fun read that takes place during the '80s in California. Good psychology on the heroine, a rather far-fetched but entertaining mystery, and some sweet, non-explicit romance.
THREE REAL STARS, THREE ROMANCE STARS
DISCLAIMER: Derrolyn Anderson is my GR friend. But I paid full price for this copy, boo-yah! And I hope y'all know I spared no snark in this review.
March 10, 2015
It was the 1980's: the heyday of shoulder pads, leg warmers, Sony Walkmans and Miami Vice. And a time of cocaine-fueled partying, when AIDS had barely begun to pierce society's consciousness.
80's song titles introduce each chapter of this romantic suspense novel, cleverly echoing the theme of the chapter . . .
. . . and we're quickly hit with the seamy underside of the party scene.
Lola, a beautiful Cuban-American girl, is tiring of the drug- and alcohol-fueled lifestyle, and allows her latest boyfriend to convince her to move from Miami to California with him.
Sonny and Ricardo are sad to see her go.
Lola quickly realizes that she's brought most of her problems with her, and soon sheds her shallow, Rolex-wearing Ferrari-driving boyfriend. But Randy isn't quite ready to be cast off, and Lola's new job as a cocktail waitress and then bartender soon exposes her to more trouble. She meets another handsome guy who may not be all he seems to be, and meanwhile, the hotel manager is prowling around looking for trouble (when his wife's not around to cramp his style), and death and danger are just around the bend.
This isn't really a deep book, but it's fun and suspenseful. It's a good airplane book, or better yet, one for the beach. Preferably in Miami or California.
While listening to 80's tunes.
Content advisory: Adult content (some language, violence, and mildly explicit sexual content).
I was given an advance copy of the book for proofreading purposes. The final version may be different than the draft I read.
80's song titles introduce each chapter of this romantic suspense novel, cleverly echoing the theme of the chapter . . .
. . . and we're quickly hit with the seamy underside of the party scene.
Lola, a beautiful Cuban-American girl, is tiring of the drug- and alcohol-fueled lifestyle, and allows her latest boyfriend to convince her to move from Miami to California with him.
Sonny and Ricardo are sad to see her go.
Lola quickly realizes that she's brought most of her problems with her, and soon sheds her shallow, Rolex-wearing Ferrari-driving boyfriend. But Randy isn't quite ready to be cast off, and Lola's new job as a cocktail waitress and then bartender soon exposes her to more trouble. She meets another handsome guy who may not be all he seems to be, and meanwhile, the hotel manager is prowling around looking for trouble (when his wife's not around to cramp his style), and death and danger are just around the bend.
This isn't really a deep book, but it's fun and suspenseful. It's a good airplane book, or better yet, one for the beach. Preferably in Miami or California.
While listening to 80's tunes.
Content advisory: Adult content (some language, violence, and mildly explicit sexual content).
I was given an advance copy of the book for proofreading purposes. The final version may be different than the draft I read.
September 3, 2015
Karly's Authors Who Rock Challenge
3 Stars
Full disclosure: Yes, I am friends with Derrolyn Anderson here on Goodreads and no, that isn’t going to affect my review of this story in any way. If you think it would (or should) back away…. back away VERY quickly.
Even though I am a by-product of the 80’s rather than a by-stander within them, my mom definitely kept the 80’s alive in my house well into the 90’s. I remember having scrunchies with bobbing pony atop my head, the hair nightmare of ‘crimping’, and a mother who wore tights with shoulder-slipping sweaters, slouch socks and Keds EVERYWHERE! My dad sported the ill-advised blonde mustache (now, thankfully, clean-shaven) until I was seven or eight. And we aren’t even going to discuss men wearing cut-off jean shorts *brain-bleach required*. Probably the biggest hurdle for me to jump in After Last Call was the ignorance of things my generation grew up knowing (ie: that the pill is NOT efficient birth control).
Anyways, this book was a fun little romp. The MC, Lola, is extremely likeable. She’s just kind of floating through life when she meets Randy. She moves across the country with him after a couple weeks of whirlwind romance supplemented with copious amounts of cocaine and alcohol only to discover he’s cheating on her.
So Lola leaves his lying, cheating ass and gets a new place with her co-worker Nora. And life starts to get awesome. Lola switches from cocktail waitress to bartender after a fun little romp of her own with an out-of-towner and then things start colliding. And situations start getting confusing and tricky. I am not a lady who is a fan of drama created from lack of listening to each other. In fact it is one of those convenient plot choices that makes me just a little stabby. However, thankfully Anderson doesn’t draw it out TOO long here.
What Anderson has here would be somewhere along the lines of a romantic thriller. There’s some romance, some self-discovery and some murder-mystery mayhem going on. It all works well together; my issue is that I just found it fairly transparent. I know that I am one of those assholes who guess shit WAY too early in mystery novels and movies, so this is just a genre thing for me most likely. Another thing that niggled me was the typos, especially towards the end, which having been corrected could have tightened up the whole plot and kept me more invested in the story. I know this is a nit-picky thing, especially with indie authors, because we are all human and mistakes happen. However, it pulled me out of the story at some pretty key investment moments so I am noting it.
Overall, I quite enjoyed this novel and am delighted to see how much Anderson’s plot and character choices have improved since her first novel Between the Land and the Sea.
Category: A Book Published This Year
3 Stars
Full disclosure: Yes, I am friends with Derrolyn Anderson here on Goodreads and no, that isn’t going to affect my review of this story in any way. If you think it would (or should) back away…. back away VERY quickly.
Even though I am a by-product of the 80’s rather than a by-stander within them, my mom definitely kept the 80’s alive in my house well into the 90’s. I remember having scrunchies with bobbing pony atop my head, the hair nightmare of ‘crimping’, and a mother who wore tights with shoulder-slipping sweaters, slouch socks and Keds EVERYWHERE! My dad sported the ill-advised blonde mustache (now, thankfully, clean-shaven) until I was seven or eight. And we aren’t even going to discuss men wearing cut-off jean shorts *brain-bleach required*. Probably the biggest hurdle for me to jump in After Last Call was the ignorance of things my generation grew up knowing (ie: that the pill is NOT efficient birth control).
Anyways, this book was a fun little romp. The MC, Lola, is extremely likeable. She’s just kind of floating through life when she meets Randy. She moves across the country with him after a couple weeks of whirlwind romance supplemented with copious amounts of cocaine and alcohol only to discover he’s cheating on her.
So Lola leaves his lying, cheating ass and gets a new place with her co-worker Nora. And life starts to get awesome. Lola switches from cocktail waitress to bartender after a fun little romp of her own with an out-of-towner and then things start colliding. And situations start getting confusing and tricky. I am not a lady who is a fan of drama created from lack of listening to each other. In fact it is one of those convenient plot choices that makes me just a little stabby. However, thankfully Anderson doesn’t draw it out TOO long here.
What Anderson has here would be somewhere along the lines of a romantic thriller. There’s some romance, some self-discovery and some murder-mystery mayhem going on. It all works well together; my issue is that I just found it fairly transparent. I know that I am one of those assholes who guess shit WAY too early in mystery novels and movies, so this is just a genre thing for me most likely. Another thing that niggled me was the typos, especially towards the end, which having been corrected could have tightened up the whole plot and kept me more invested in the story. I know this is a nit-picky thing, especially with indie authors, because we are all human and mistakes happen. However, it pulled me out of the story at some pretty key investment moments so I am noting it.
Overall, I quite enjoyed this novel and am delighted to see how much Anderson’s plot and character choices have improved since her first novel Between the Land and the Sea.
Category: A Book Published This Year
April 11, 2015
You can read this review and more on my blog:
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This is my favorite type of Mystery novel. It kept me guessing until the very end and had a sweet romance on the side.
Although it is set in the 80’s it’s more a subtle nod to the era than an overindulgent stereotype. There were a few mentions of the crazy fashions and totally tubular way people spoke at the time, but it never got to be too much.
This is also a more adult novel than the author’s previous works. I have a hard time using words like “mature content” to describe it because that makes it seem like there is a lot of cursing, sex, and violence in the book. While there is more cursing, sex, and violence in After Last Call than the author’s YA novels, that makes sense because the book isn’t for young adults. However, the sex scenes are “fade to black”, the violence is never gory, and the cursing is at a minimum.
The story is about a young woman, Lola, who has just found out that the man she dropped everything for and moved across the country with a couple of years ago, is cheating on her. Lola is not the type of woman to simply accept cheating so she does the smart thing and leaves him. She is dead broke, but instead of curling up in a ball and accepting defeat, she uses the betrayal of her ex as inspiration to get her life back on track. She stops partying, goes back to school, and finds a great new job as a bartender to help make ends meet.
The author really painted a believable picture of what it must have been like to be a twenty something in the 80’s. For the first time, I really understand how cocaine could have become such a huge problem in that decade. People thought of it as a harmless status symbol instead of the addictive substance we know it to be today.
Even Lola used the drug at the beginning of the story, and she didn’t realize how much it was hurting her until she stopped. I felt like it was a little too easy for her to kick the habit, but I was also happy not to have to deal with reading about her withdrawal symptoms so I’m not complaining.
Now that the cocaine portion of my review is finished, let’s get to the good stuff, the romance and mystery!
The relationship between Lola and Sam goes from blazing hot to freezing so quickly that I was worried they would never get things together, but it ended up being pretty great romance. I got frustrated with Lola and felt like she was too hard on Sam at first. But when I considered that she was just getting out of a bad relationship and that she barely knew Sam, I was actually relieved to see a heroine protect herself for once. She made Sam work to earn her trust, and that’s exactly what she should have done.
The Mystery was very well done. I figured out a few things before they were revealed, but there was still plenty left to surprise me. I had no idea who the murderer was, and the ending was very exciting. This is not the type of Mystery that keeps you on pins and needles the entire time you are reading Instead, it lulls you into a false sense of security and then hits you with the intensity when you least expect it.
If I had to describe this book in one word, I think I would call it “cool” because it was very laid back, but never boring. It’s a wonderful blend of mystery, romance, and self discovery with just a touch of the 80’s to keep things extra interesting. The romance was passionate and fun without being too descriptive, and it’s a great book for a rainy day. There is also a bonus cookbook at the end of the book for all you foodies out there. It’s got some great Cuban dishes that I can’t wait to try myself!
P.S. I have been reading a ton of books that are a part of series lately so it was a real treat to read a standalone novel for once!
Because of violence, language, and mild sexual content, I would recommend this book for ages 17 and up. There are no descriptive sex scenes.
This is my favorite type of Mystery novel. It kept me guessing until the very end and had a sweet romance on the side.
Although it is set in the 80’s it’s more a subtle nod to the era than an overindulgent stereotype. There were a few mentions of the crazy fashions and totally tubular way people spoke at the time, but it never got to be too much.
This is also a more adult novel than the author’s previous works. I have a hard time using words like “mature content” to describe it because that makes it seem like there is a lot of cursing, sex, and violence in the book. While there is more cursing, sex, and violence in After Last Call than the author’s YA novels, that makes sense because the book isn’t for young adults. However, the sex scenes are “fade to black”, the violence is never gory, and the cursing is at a minimum.
The story is about a young woman, Lola, who has just found out that the man she dropped everything for and moved across the country with a couple of years ago, is cheating on her. Lola is not the type of woman to simply accept cheating so she does the smart thing and leaves him. She is dead broke, but instead of curling up in a ball and accepting defeat, she uses the betrayal of her ex as inspiration to get her life back on track. She stops partying, goes back to school, and finds a great new job as a bartender to help make ends meet.
The author really painted a believable picture of what it must have been like to be a twenty something in the 80’s. For the first time, I really understand how cocaine could have become such a huge problem in that decade. People thought of it as a harmless status symbol instead of the addictive substance we know it to be today.
Even Lola used the drug at the beginning of the story, and she didn’t realize how much it was hurting her until she stopped. I felt like it was a little too easy for her to kick the habit, but I was also happy not to have to deal with reading about her withdrawal symptoms so I’m not complaining.
Now that the cocaine portion of my review is finished, let’s get to the good stuff, the romance and mystery!
The relationship between Lola and Sam goes from blazing hot to freezing so quickly that I was worried they would never get things together, but it ended up being pretty great romance. I got frustrated with Lola and felt like she was too hard on Sam at first. But when I considered that she was just getting out of a bad relationship and that she barely knew Sam, I was actually relieved to see a heroine protect herself for once. She made Sam work to earn her trust, and that’s exactly what she should have done.
The Mystery was very well done. I figured out a few things before they were revealed, but there was still plenty left to surprise me. I had no idea who the murderer was, and the ending was very exciting. This is not the type of Mystery that keeps you on pins and needles the entire time you are reading Instead, it lulls you into a false sense of security and then hits you with the intensity when you least expect it.
If I had to describe this book in one word, I think I would call it “cool” because it was very laid back, but never boring. It’s a wonderful blend of mystery, romance, and self discovery with just a touch of the 80’s to keep things extra interesting. The romance was passionate and fun without being too descriptive, and it’s a great book for a rainy day. There is also a bonus cookbook at the end of the book for all you foodies out there. It’s got some great Cuban dishes that I can’t wait to try myself!
P.S. I have been reading a ton of books that are a part of series lately so it was a real treat to read a standalone novel for once!
Because of violence, language, and mild sexual content, I would recommend this book for ages 17 and up. There are no descriptive sex scenes.
March 26, 2015
First off, full disclosure. I was given a copy of this book by the author, but it was not with the promise of praise or even a review. I decided to review it anyway.
I'm relatively new to the romance novel genre and am still getting a handle on its storytelling conventions...however, this was one of the first books in the genre that I actually enjoyed. I sat down to give the first few chapters a glance to see what I was getting in for...
..and promptly got sucked in, forgetting that I had intended to work on my own stuff. Draw your own conclusions from that, but the book did hook me pretty hard.
After Last Call could technically be called a "period romance", set as it is in the mid-1980s. Is it campy? You bet, but this is a romance novel set in the friggin' 80s. if it wasn't served with a side order of ham and cheese, I would have been very disappointed.
That leads to my first bit of praise; as a period piece it works well. Too many books set in the recent past either forget about the setting (anachronisms aplenty, usually in the dialogue) or try way, way too hard to remind the reader of the setting with too many pop-culture references. After Last Call did neither, which was pleasant. I didn't catch any anachronisms, the 80s stuff never became obtrusive and I never forgot the time period.
The story opens with the heroine Lola navigating the cocaine-fueled Florida club scene, dealing with life in the fast lane and not caring for it much. This was what really hooked me, as the nightlife depiction was packed with the right amount of glam and sleaze and sprinkled with some weightier ruminations on the price of excess and addiction. Those were a nice touch, as they kept the book from getting too fluffy.
Second piece of praise; Lola works first as a cocktail waitress and then a bartender, and the depiction of bar culture was absolutely spot-on. After Last Call is at its best when Lola's at work; the banter/bickering between employees, the by-play with the customers, and Lola's thoughts on the various personalities who she stands across from are perfect. I used to work in a bar, and I spent most of those scenes laughing as I knew exactly the kind of people Lola was talking about - I guess bars haven't changed much in thirty years. I found myself thinking "holy crap, I've worked with/met/talked to/bounced that person!"
Anyway, this "been there, done that" authenticity really helped me connect with the character and the story.
Another thing I liked was Lola herself. She's a person, not a prop; she wants to establish and keep her independence and more to the point actually demonstrates that she can. She's a little emotional, but that's to be expected considering the subject matter. Furthermore, this agency and sense of self doesn't disappear after she meets The Guy, another common tripping point in romance novels that usually leaves me tearing my hair out.
Speaking of The Guy, I liked him too more or less. Sam's personality was a tad bland, but he's pleasant and respectful and the sexual tension/chemistry between the two of them never gets repetitive or excessive.
As to the sex, well...if you are looking for explicit or steamy, I'd look elsewhere. Other than that the sex scenes were fine as they didn't traverse into any goofy language and more importantly were well-timed. Also, like the depictions of their chemistry the bonking never got excessive or repetitive.
About the only thing I didn't much care for about their relationship was the drama between them that crops up midway through. I won't spoil it, but to me it came off as contrived, the narrative playing for time and casting about for an excuse as to why Lola is hesitant about him. Which is a problem with nice-guy male leads really; if he's decent, why not hook up with him?
Also, his constant pressure to make things right and her constant refusing to at least hear him out did get repetitive, becoming one of the few things about their relationship I didn't like. Lola had a reason to be a little put out, but her behavior crosses the line from "feisty" to "bratty" a couple of times.
The "suspense" part of this book was decently done; its a bit paint-by-numbers and saves too many twists for the end but other than that gave a nice framework to hang Lola's other activities (work, romance) on.
By and large the book is a slice-of-life story detailing Lola's attempts to get out of the bad place she starts in and build a future for herself...which leads to my first criticism of the story, in there are way too many "montage" scenes where we're told what Lola is doing rather than being shown what she's doing. Its something I've observed in other romance novels and is common enough that it might be a genre convention...if it is, its not one I enjoy.
In the end I gave After Last Call 3.5 stars, which for me means "very good in its genre". If you don't like romance novels Call won't change your mind but if you do I recommend it highly. This goes double if you like your romances pleasant and sweet, and don't care for testosterone-poisoned jerks.
Just remember; After Last Call might be as fluffy as a Cyndi Lauper tune...but its just as catchy as one also, so clear your schedule. It will get stuck in your head.
I'm relatively new to the romance novel genre and am still getting a handle on its storytelling conventions...however, this was one of the first books in the genre that I actually enjoyed. I sat down to give the first few chapters a glance to see what I was getting in for...
..and promptly got sucked in, forgetting that I had intended to work on my own stuff. Draw your own conclusions from that, but the book did hook me pretty hard.
After Last Call could technically be called a "period romance", set as it is in the mid-1980s. Is it campy? You bet, but this is a romance novel set in the friggin' 80s. if it wasn't served with a side order of ham and cheese, I would have been very disappointed.
That leads to my first bit of praise; as a period piece it works well. Too many books set in the recent past either forget about the setting (anachronisms aplenty, usually in the dialogue) or try way, way too hard to remind the reader of the setting with too many pop-culture references. After Last Call did neither, which was pleasant. I didn't catch any anachronisms, the 80s stuff never became obtrusive and I never forgot the time period.
The story opens with the heroine Lola navigating the cocaine-fueled Florida club scene, dealing with life in the fast lane and not caring for it much. This was what really hooked me, as the nightlife depiction was packed with the right amount of glam and sleaze and sprinkled with some weightier ruminations on the price of excess and addiction. Those were a nice touch, as they kept the book from getting too fluffy.
Second piece of praise; Lola works first as a cocktail waitress and then a bartender, and the depiction of bar culture was absolutely spot-on. After Last Call is at its best when Lola's at work; the banter/bickering between employees, the by-play with the customers, and Lola's thoughts on the various personalities who she stands across from are perfect. I used to work in a bar, and I spent most of those scenes laughing as I knew exactly the kind of people Lola was talking about - I guess bars haven't changed much in thirty years. I found myself thinking "holy crap, I've worked with/met/talked to/bounced that person!"
Anyway, this "been there, done that" authenticity really helped me connect with the character and the story.
Another thing I liked was Lola herself. She's a person, not a prop; she wants to establish and keep her independence and more to the point actually demonstrates that she can. She's a little emotional, but that's to be expected considering the subject matter. Furthermore, this agency and sense of self doesn't disappear after she meets The Guy, another common tripping point in romance novels that usually leaves me tearing my hair out.
Speaking of The Guy, I liked him too more or less. Sam's personality was a tad bland, but he's pleasant and respectful and the sexual tension/chemistry between the two of them never gets repetitive or excessive.
As to the sex, well...if you are looking for explicit or steamy, I'd look elsewhere. Other than that the sex scenes were fine as they didn't traverse into any goofy language and more importantly were well-timed. Also, like the depictions of their chemistry the bonking never got excessive or repetitive.
About the only thing I didn't much care for about their relationship was the drama between them that crops up midway through. I won't spoil it, but to me it came off as contrived, the narrative playing for time and casting about for an excuse as to why Lola is hesitant about him. Which is a problem with nice-guy male leads really; if he's decent, why not hook up with him?
Also, his constant pressure to make things right and her constant refusing to at least hear him out did get repetitive, becoming one of the few things about their relationship I didn't like. Lola had a reason to be a little put out, but her behavior crosses the line from "feisty" to "bratty" a couple of times.
The "suspense" part of this book was decently done; its a bit paint-by-numbers and saves too many twists for the end but other than that gave a nice framework to hang Lola's other activities (work, romance) on.
By and large the book is a slice-of-life story detailing Lola's attempts to get out of the bad place she starts in and build a future for herself...which leads to my first criticism of the story, in there are way too many "montage" scenes where we're told what Lola is doing rather than being shown what she's doing. Its something I've observed in other romance novels and is common enough that it might be a genre convention...if it is, its not one I enjoy.
In the end I gave After Last Call 3.5 stars, which for me means "very good in its genre". If you don't like romance novels Call won't change your mind but if you do I recommend it highly. This goes double if you like your romances pleasant and sweet, and don't care for testosterone-poisoned jerks.
Just remember; After Last Call might be as fluffy as a Cyndi Lauper tune...but its just as catchy as one also, so clear your schedule. It will get stuck in your head.
June 26, 2016
YA author Derrolyn Anderson tries her hand at the adult thriller genre with After Last Call. Crime, murder, shady affairs... big hair... this 80's crime story has all of it! You can see my full video review HERE.
October 21, 2015
Derrolyn doesn't fail to deliver an engrossing and twisting story.
Set in the 80s, Lola is a 20-something young woman who hasn't really worked out what she wants to do with her life, but when she meets Randy who offers her parties, a high-flying life and fun, well how could she possibly say no?!
Now, I liked Lola. She seemed like a genuinely nice character. Albeit a bit of an emotional one. At times she felt like she was a lot younger than she was meant to be, but perhaps some women are just like that.
When things in California don't go according to plan, Lola ends up working at a hotel as a cocktail waitress, and finally stands on her own two feet.
The 80s drug scene plays a prominent, but not major part in the story and I think, if you don't have enough personal knowledge of this time, Derrolyn wrote enough into the story to give you a strong sense of how things were at that time in history.
Moving on!
Enter Sam. Now the one thing about Sam that stood out to me (probably because Derrolyn mentioned it a few times) was Sam's gorgeous blue eyes. But I couldn't get past seeing something like this:
Every time Sam was mentioned. I love Bradley Cooper, especially when he's got NZT-blue eyes, but let's talk about something else other than his blue eyes, shall we?
I also liked Sam, but I hated what he did to Lola. And before you jump to conclusions, I'm not referring to any sleaziness or anything... I hated how crazy he made her.
One minute:
The next:
Ok, let's get to the story.
The web of deceit that Lola finds herself in, well it doesn't really start until about 60% of the way through the book. The first 60% is spent finding out about everyone that visits the bar, introducing the characters and generally filling in 80s detail.
Perhaps because of the time, the women seemed easier (and yes I mean that in the way it sounds) all a guy seemingly had to do was:
And women flocked to them. And then it was like rabbit mating season!
Ok, I'm getting off topic here...
The bad guys were, annoyingly bad, and I ended up feeling like:
Overall, the story was enjoyable, but it could have been set pretty much anytime and still worked. A lot of the bulk of this story was spent setting up the 80s scene and while it worked in this instance, I don't think it was needed. The story stood on its own merits, but was bogged down with lots of 80s references and the promiscuous, partying lifestyle of the era.
Oh, and I quite liked the little recipes at the end. A nice, unique touch. I think I might try some of them myself!
A few things I noticed:
38% - ...while hoping that that (delete that, insert at) least...
39% - ...gratitude in his eyes as she made small talk with (delete with) while he...
63% - Light bulb moment about Sam!! (It was the wrong idea, but it was close! I'd predicted the ending here!)
75% - He(r) face flushed hot...
**Note: I was provided an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**
Set in the 80s, Lola is a 20-something young woman who hasn't really worked out what she wants to do with her life, but when she meets Randy who offers her parties, a high-flying life and fun, well how could she possibly say no?!
Now, I liked Lola. She seemed like a genuinely nice character. Albeit a bit of an emotional one. At times she felt like she was a lot younger than she was meant to be, but perhaps some women are just like that.
When things in California don't go according to plan, Lola ends up working at a hotel as a cocktail waitress, and finally stands on her own two feet.
The 80s drug scene plays a prominent, but not major part in the story and I think, if you don't have enough personal knowledge of this time, Derrolyn wrote enough into the story to give you a strong sense of how things were at that time in history.
Moving on!
Enter Sam. Now the one thing about Sam that stood out to me (probably because Derrolyn mentioned it a few times) was Sam's gorgeous blue eyes. But I couldn't get past seeing something like this:
Every time Sam was mentioned. I love Bradley Cooper, especially when he's got NZT-blue eyes, but let's talk about something else other than his blue eyes, shall we?
I also liked Sam, but I hated what he did to Lola. And before you jump to conclusions, I'm not referring to any sleaziness or anything... I hated how crazy he made her.
One minute:
The next:
Ok, let's get to the story.
The web of deceit that Lola finds herself in, well it doesn't really start until about 60% of the way through the book. The first 60% is spent finding out about everyone that visits the bar, introducing the characters and generally filling in 80s detail.
Perhaps because of the time, the women seemed easier (and yes I mean that in the way it sounds) all a guy seemingly had to do was:
And women flocked to them. And then it was like rabbit mating season!
Ok, I'm getting off topic here...
The bad guys were, annoyingly bad, and I ended up feeling like:
Overall, the story was enjoyable, but it could have been set pretty much anytime and still worked. A lot of the bulk of this story was spent setting up the 80s scene and while it worked in this instance, I don't think it was needed. The story stood on its own merits, but was bogged down with lots of 80s references and the promiscuous, partying lifestyle of the era.
Oh, and I quite liked the little recipes at the end. A nice, unique touch. I think I might try some of them myself!
A few things I noticed:
38% - ...while hoping that that (delete that, insert at) least...
39% - ...gratitude in his eyes as she made small talk with (delete with) while he...
63% - Light bulb moment about Sam!! (It was the wrong idea, but it was close! I'd predicted the ending here!)
75% - He(r) face flushed hot...
**Note: I was provided an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**
May 3, 2015
I loved the ambience of this book. Set in the 80s? Yell yes. And I loved that each chapter was titled by a popular 80s song. It brought back so many fond memories of big bangs, acid washed jeans, and Doc Martens. I loved my Doc Martens.
The story itself was great. Lola is so very down to earth. She is an 80s girl looking for her place in the world (aren't we all?). She has big dreams but no real direction to get there. She is struggling to find herself and makes a few bad decisions, hoping they will take her where she wants to be.
I additionally loved each and every character in this book. The author did an excellent job of bringing them all to life, as well as creating a whodunit mystery type of storyline. There was plenty of action and plot twisting to keep me entertained from beginning to end.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story itself was great. Lola is so very down to earth. She is an 80s girl looking for her place in the world (aren't we all?). She has big dreams but no real direction to get there. She is struggling to find herself and makes a few bad decisions, hoping they will take her where she wants to be.
I additionally loved each and every character in this book. The author did an excellent job of bringing them all to life, as well as creating a whodunit mystery type of storyline. There was plenty of action and plot twisting to keep me entertained from beginning to end.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 31, 2015
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a honest review.
As I was reading this story I thought that I had the plot all figured out - what a revelation when I found out that I was completely wrong!! This is a great, unpredictable story with marvelous characters and a surprising plot. I highly recommend this book.
As I was reading this story I thought that I had the plot all figured out - what a revelation when I found out that I was completely wrong!! This is a great, unpredictable story with marvelous characters and a surprising plot. I highly recommend this book.
April 11, 2015
Review to come
March 27, 2015
Derrolyn Anderson did not disappoint with this stand alone novel. It was intriguing, contained the plot twists she is coming to be known for, and leaves you feeling good about the main characters at the end.
I really liked the playlist throughout the book with each song title at the beginning of each chapter acting like a chapter heading. Gosh, I haven't heard some of those songs in YEARS! It was really nice to be reminded of them again. The recipes at the end of the book were a great added bonus as well. I was hoping to see one for the caramel flan though.
If you are familiar with Ms. Anderson's books you'll enjoy this one as much or more than her previous books. If you are new to her work, she may become one of your favorite authors. Her books are pretty clean compared to most of what is out there. Cussing is at a minimum and the scenes of affection are not explicit. That all adds up to leave the reader with a well written story and very little distraction from the plot.
I really liked the playlist throughout the book with each song title at the beginning of each chapter acting like a chapter heading. Gosh, I haven't heard some of those songs in YEARS! It was really nice to be reminded of them again. The recipes at the end of the book were a great added bonus as well. I was hoping to see one for the caramel flan though.
If you are familiar with Ms. Anderson's books you'll enjoy this one as much or more than her previous books. If you are new to her work, she may become one of your favorite authors. Her books are pretty clean compared to most of what is out there. Cussing is at a minimum and the scenes of affection are not explicit. That all adds up to leave the reader with a well written story and very little distraction from the plot.
April 22, 2015
1st - I received this book in return for my review. This was a good book. I really liked the characters and tempo, and story, and where it all ended. Overall - this was a fast and easy read with a good story!
April 14, 2015
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Derrolyn's writing is fluent and makes me imagine that I was right there "watching" it as a live movie on the big screen.
It is a Mystery/Romance novel - It kept me on my toes, by thinking I had the plot figured out but each time I turned the page my guess was always wrong lol
I was born in the early 80's so I kinda had the "just" of what life was like. Derrolyn goes into great detail about how life was like for a twenty year old living in that time period.
This is the first book that I had the pleasure of reading by Derrolyn, and look forward to reading more of her stories in the future!
Derrolyn's writing is fluent and makes me imagine that I was right there "watching" it as a live movie on the big screen.
It is a Mystery/Romance novel - It kept me on my toes, by thinking I had the plot figured out but each time I turned the page my guess was always wrong lol
I was born in the early 80's so I kinda had the "just" of what life was like. Derrolyn goes into great detail about how life was like for a twenty year old living in that time period.
This is the first book that I had the pleasure of reading by Derrolyn, and look forward to reading more of her stories in the future!
April 29, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review.
I enjoyed this romance/suspense. It was interesting to see how Lola was able to change her life around after the sleazy boyfriend Randy, who by the way seemed to epitomize the things we'd rather forget about the 80's.The downside is that Sam is still a bit of a mystery... not much background or history to go on.The music was spot on... Well selected tracks for the storyline.The recipes featured were an added bonus! This was an enjoyable read and I look forward to more from Derrolyn Anderson.
I enjoyed this romance/suspense. It was interesting to see how Lola was able to change her life around after the sleazy boyfriend Randy, who by the way seemed to epitomize the things we'd rather forget about the 80's.The downside is that Sam is still a bit of a mystery... not much background or history to go on.The music was spot on... Well selected tracks for the storyline.The recipes featured were an added bonus! This was an enjoyable read and I look forward to more from Derrolyn Anderson.
April 25, 2015
This is a good read. It has a big slice of Americana that I enjoyed. It really takes you back in time. There's a lot of dialogue, and you could really get a feel for the characters, though they were not very likable. There's good description and interesting story twists. Overall, it is a worthwhile read.
July 21, 2015
A light easy read
Well written, in technical aspects. A little fantastical in its resolution, but I still enjoyed reading it. I like the addition at the end of the book.
Well written, in technical aspects. A little fantastical in its resolution, but I still enjoyed reading it. I like the addition at the end of the book.
March 9, 2016
As usual I am absolutely amazed by this author. I'm not generally a fan of romance novels because they rarely seem realistic to me. Instalove is always an issue, and rarely do I feel like the characters have actual personalities other than stuff you can bullet point:
She:
-likes books
-is quiet
-doesn't think she's pretty
-thinks she's awkward
He:
-is dominant
-is muscle-y
-has piercing eyes
-doesn't seem to have any hobbies
My point is, they're all pretty interchangeable. So when I get my hands on something like this, where the writing is beautiful and makes me legitimately care about the characters. I loved Lola because she was so real. She was an overall intelligent girl who let a blase attitude turn her to a life of easy living. She would party all day, doing drugs and going out with interchangeable guys. And when one of these interchangeable guys comes in to sweep her off her feet, she realizes too late that it was a poor choice.
I loved her growth, more than anything. She would realize her mistakes, make efforts to change them--then relapse. Then she'd kick herself in the butt and get back on the horse, slowly making the decisions that would improve her situation in life.
And it was this growth that made the love story that much better. Because the love interest isn't there to make her stagnant. He's there to provide another piece of her foundation, to be a person who she can rely on to help her make the decisions that are best for herself. I loved that, and I just can't get over how freaking amazing this author is at this.
And I loved the added bits! At the beginning of every chapter there was an 80s song to coincide with what was happening in the song. "Anything, Anything" by Dramarama was my favorite I think, but all of them were eerily accurate to what was going on within the chapter. And at the very end, we get all the recipes Lola used. It was a fun addition and I love that just everything in this book seems so real and legitimate.
The mob story is great, of course. Very well handled--I was so curious the whole time about how it was going to end up, and that climax is totally worth it. I was definitely satisfied with that, and that action compounded with the realistic love makes this a win-win.
She:
-likes books
-is quiet
-doesn't think she's pretty
-thinks she's awkward
He:
-is dominant
-is muscle-y
-has piercing eyes
-doesn't seem to have any hobbies
My point is, they're all pretty interchangeable. So when I get my hands on something like this, where the writing is beautiful and makes me legitimately care about the characters. I loved Lola because she was so real. She was an overall intelligent girl who let a blase attitude turn her to a life of easy living. She would party all day, doing drugs and going out with interchangeable guys. And when one of these interchangeable guys comes in to sweep her off her feet, she realizes too late that it was a poor choice.
I loved her growth, more than anything. She would realize her mistakes, make efforts to change them--then relapse. Then she'd kick herself in the butt and get back on the horse, slowly making the decisions that would improve her situation in life.
And it was this growth that made the love story that much better. Because the love interest isn't there to make her stagnant. He's there to provide another piece of her foundation, to be a person who she can rely on to help her make the decisions that are best for herself. I loved that, and I just can't get over how freaking amazing this author is at this.
And I loved the added bits! At the beginning of every chapter there was an 80s song to coincide with what was happening in the song. "Anything, Anything" by Dramarama was my favorite I think, but all of them were eerily accurate to what was going on within the chapter. And at the very end, we get all the recipes Lola used. It was a fun addition and I love that just everything in this book seems so real and legitimate.
The mob story is great, of course. Very well handled--I was so curious the whole time about how it was going to end up, and that climax is totally worth it. I was definitely satisfied with that, and that action compounded with the realistic love makes this a win-win.
February 19, 2016
After Last Call is a romantic thriller that follows Lola. Bored with her partying, cocaine filled life in Miami in the 80's, she meets Randy and falls in love. Randy convinces her to move with him to California, and she takes the plunge. Once she gets there, however, life isn't as wonderful as it seems, and when Randy cheats on her, she's on her own. She turns things around by getting a job at a bar and getting in touch with her passion for cooking. Soon though, a coworker's affair ends in death, and the investigation leads her to a charming stranger and some scary characters that lead her to make some intense decisions.
This book is a genre I'm not used to with Derrolyn, but somehow it works. It's pretty great. At some points, the story is a bit slow, with some sections that don't seem to add anything to the plot, but once you make it to the end, it all makes sense. There isn't needless sex, and the 80's setting isn't overly done. The story it definitely a good story. Though we knew who the bad guys were, the story just works. I did find that there was one plot line that didn't seem to have a conclusion. I wanted to see what ultimately happened with Randy. Still the story was good and I commend Derrolyn for trying this genre. I give this book 4 stars.
This book is a genre I'm not used to with Derrolyn, but somehow it works. It's pretty great. At some points, the story is a bit slow, with some sections that don't seem to add anything to the plot, but once you make it to the end, it all makes sense. There isn't needless sex, and the 80's setting isn't overly done. The story it definitely a good story. Though we knew who the bad guys were, the story just works. I did find that there was one plot line that didn't seem to have a conclusion. I wanted to see what ultimately happened with Randy. Still the story was good and I commend Derrolyn for trying this genre. I give this book 4 stars.
May 5, 2015
I received this book free for an honest review from Shut up and read group. This is a thriller romance book. The story is set in the 80’s. The author has a very visual writing style. The story revolves around Lola a young girl who falls for a loser boyfriend and moves in with him. She quickly realizes her mistake and sets out to make her own space in the world. The author writes well with various twists and turns in the story that left me guessing till the end.
May 30, 2015
This book is a 3.7 for me. Good story line and was enjoyable.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews