What do you think?
Rate this book
Sugar Pie Guy
It's 1977. Her friends run the funkiest disco in town. His family has the power to tear it all down. They're on opposite sides of a million dollar decision, but their soulful and sensual chemistry can't be denied. Who'll come out on top when passion and profits collide?
Roberta "Bobbie" Bell is the beloved niece of a successful black woman business owner. She finds a new sense of empowerment when a one-time fundraising party becomes a flourishing disco business in an unusual venue--a beautiful, historic shopping plaza, deep in the suburbs of Cleveland.
Randy Manucci and his brother Kevin are young, Manhattan-based shopping center owner-developers who are determined to build on their late father's legacy of success. In the Seventies, that means tearing down outdated plazas and putting up new shopping malls. Randy knows that business and pleasure can be a dangerous mix, but after one smouldering dance with Bobbie, he's working on ways to have his cake and eat it, too.
A mysterious message from an unlikely ally changes everything. Now, Bobbie's fighting for the heart and soul of her neighborhood, while facing her strong attraction to the sweet-talking guy who could destroy all she's worked for with a single stroke of his pen.
Seductive sparks are flying on the dance floor. Bitter betrayal is brewing in the boardroom. When the music stops, will there be heartbreak or sweet harmony underneath the mirrored ball? You'll find out in this fun and flashy, 1970s-style tale of family, friendship, love, lust, treachery, trust...and disco.
Roberta "Bobbie" Bell is the beloved niece of a successful black woman business owner. She finds a new sense of empowerment when a one-time fundraising party becomes a flourishing disco business in an unusual venue--a beautiful, historic shopping plaza, deep in the suburbs of Cleveland.
Randy Manucci and his brother Kevin are young, Manhattan-based shopping center owner-developers who are determined to build on their late father's legacy of success. In the Seventies, that means tearing down outdated plazas and putting up new shopping malls. Randy knows that business and pleasure can be a dangerous mix, but after one smouldering dance with Bobbie, he's working on ways to have his cake and eat it, too.
A mysterious message from an unlikely ally changes everything. Now, Bobbie's fighting for the heart and soul of her neighborhood, while facing her strong attraction to the sweet-talking guy who could destroy all she's worked for with a single stroke of his pen.
Seductive sparks are flying on the dance floor. Bitter betrayal is brewing in the boardroom. When the music stops, will there be heartbreak or sweet harmony underneath the mirrored ball? You'll find out in this fun and flashy, 1970s-style tale of family, friendship, love, lust, treachery, trust...and disco.
241 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2016
1 person is currently reading
15 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 4, 2016
I am not gonna lie, it was the cover that sold me on this book. Yes, I can be that cheap of a book date sometimes. LOL.
But in all seriousness, it is nice to see a romance novel set in a time period that is really very atypical for the genre. I lament that there are thousands or romance novels published each year and yet the time/place/setting these novels overwhelmingly represent is so incredibly narrow.
So a novel, set in the 70s that is really a love letter to disco is welcome diversity.
And make no mistake this is as much a romance with disco as it is between a hero and heroine. The chapter headings are song titles from the era that actually serve really nicely as thematic hints at the movement of the story.
The book is set in the mid-70s when disco was no longer an underground music form primarily played in gay clubs, but it hadn't actually reached a cross-over mass appeal yet. So it was still in its music purist form. The author, wisely, uses that as a narrative element allowing the characters to become a bit alarmed with the release of Saturday Night Fever and outright dismayed and disgusted with the commercial bastardization of it (Ethel Merman, Disco Duck). As the story moves along and gets to the ending there is a strong sense of having lived in a moment and needing to move on once the ideal ends.
So this was a fun book, the author has a great sense of time and place. The story was set in a Cleveland suburb, and even though I've never been there I felt like I was because the author used geographical markers and dropped what were assuredly local and regional name of businesses, landmarks etc. She also name dropped famous New York City clubs like The Loft and the Paradise Garage. I was spent many a weekend at The Paradise Garage right before it closed in the mid 80s, so this seeing it called out here was a squee for me.
But.... even though I loved the atmosphere and what felt like a bucket load of authenticity, I wasn't as in love with the romance. It was just ok. Bobbie and Randy were a sweet couple. But their romance felt almost anemic amongst all the other stuff going on in the book. Bobbie's aunt falls for a swindling scheme and Bobbie, with the help of some friends, decide to put on a one night disco to recoup the money. There is very much an Andy Hardy 'let's put on a show" vibe which the author absolutely acknowledges. In addition to that, Randy is the developer owner of the strip plaza where Bobbie's aunt owns her business and he and his brother are considering selling or razing the plaza because a big mall is siphoning business away. And there are a few other subplots. So yeah, I think the romance almost got lost a bit.
But like I said, this was fun and I liked the author's voice quite a bit.
But in all seriousness, it is nice to see a romance novel set in a time period that is really very atypical for the genre. I lament that there are thousands or romance novels published each year and yet the time/place/setting these novels overwhelmingly represent is so incredibly narrow.
So a novel, set in the 70s that is really a love letter to disco is welcome diversity.
And make no mistake this is as much a romance with disco as it is between a hero and heroine. The chapter headings are song titles from the era that actually serve really nicely as thematic hints at the movement of the story.
The book is set in the mid-70s when disco was no longer an underground music form primarily played in gay clubs, but it hadn't actually reached a cross-over mass appeal yet. So it was still in its music purist form. The author, wisely, uses that as a narrative element allowing the characters to become a bit alarmed with the release of Saturday Night Fever and outright dismayed and disgusted with the commercial bastardization of it (Ethel Merman, Disco Duck). As the story moves along and gets to the ending there is a strong sense of having lived in a moment and needing to move on once the ideal ends.
So this was a fun book, the author has a great sense of time and place. The story was set in a Cleveland suburb, and even though I've never been there I felt like I was because the author used geographical markers and dropped what were assuredly local and regional name of businesses, landmarks etc. She also name dropped famous New York City clubs like The Loft and the Paradise Garage. I was spent many a weekend at The Paradise Garage right before it closed in the mid 80s, so this seeing it called out here was a squee for me.
But.... even though I loved the atmosphere and what felt like a bucket load of authenticity, I wasn't as in love with the romance. It was just ok. Bobbie and Randy were a sweet couple. But their romance felt almost anemic amongst all the other stuff going on in the book. Bobbie's aunt falls for a swindling scheme and Bobbie, with the help of some friends, decide to put on a one night disco to recoup the money. There is very much an Andy Hardy 'let's put on a show" vibe which the author absolutely acknowledges. In addition to that, Randy is the developer owner of the strip plaza where Bobbie's aunt owns her business and he and his brother are considering selling or razing the plaza because a big mall is siphoning business away. And there are a few other subplots. So yeah, I think the romance almost got lost a bit.
But like I said, this was fun and I liked the author's voice quite a bit.
June 23, 2019
4.5 stars. This was such a charming love letter to a vanished time.
September 20, 2016
Really really enjoyed this book - the way it was written, the era it was written in and the romance. Fun romance. Some of the actions of the male protagonist were out there - way ahead of the era - but it is definitely a break from real life and a really fun read. Also the DISCO clubs - those sound like they were fun. Who doesnt like a man who can dance?
July 11, 2016
Loved it!
Very original story line! I liked how the romance developed slowly and sweetly over time. The prejudices of that time era were authentic. The 70s songs and products showed great attention to detail. Looking for more from this author!
Very original story line! I liked how the romance developed slowly and sweetly over time. The prejudices of that time era were authentic. The 70s songs and products showed great attention to detail. Looking for more from this author!
June 30, 2016
Good Stuff
This was a good Sid written story of a really sweet romance,with some real life dilemmas thrown in to make it believable.A really good story with likable characters.
This was a good Sid written story of a really sweet romance,with some real life dilemmas thrown in to make it believable.A really good story with likable characters.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews