After Care

A Romance for the Over 40

By: L.B. Dunbar

Narrated by: Coleen Marlo

Length: 9 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's Summary

Breast cancer survivor Edie Williams is ready to live. Divorced. Mother of two. She's planned the vacation of a lifetime for a reboot, only to encounter an awakening adventure - Tommy Carrigan.

Manager of the band Collision, Tommy Carrigan has his plate full. Independent. Carefree. He's on an annual holiday with his band family, when the unexpected happens - Edie Williams.

Love might be just what the doctor prescribed, but can it survive the world of rock-n-roll?

Contains mature themes.

©2018 Laura Dunbar (P)2018 Tantor

After Care

I picked up this book because it had characters who were over 40. I have read other books with mature characters and I loved them because their need for unnecessary drama is low. You can have conflict without the childishness.

This book, for the most part, had that until it didn’t. I get it angst/drama sells and that’s great but sometimes I would just like to enjoy a well rounded story without all that.

I loved the characters Tommy and Edie are great, I loved them together. I do love that the “drama” was mostly caused by side characters and not them that helped. I was rooting for Edie she deserved to be happy after everything she has been through.

This was a first for me by this author, I liked the older characters so I will try more books by L.B. Dunbar but sadly I am not a fan of the narrator I liked her man voice the best. But I won’t seek out this narrator.

A refreshing falling in love after 40 romance!

★¸¸.•*¨*•★Minor Spoilers Alert★•*¨*•.¸¸★

Cover gush: I wish I met more men aged 40 and over in my daily Los Angeles life who looked like this Tommy cover model. He’s so fit and yummy looking! 😉
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These two weren’t looking for love while on their respective vacations but indulging in a bit of lusty companionship never hurt anyone. Edie certainly deserved a bit of fun after the medical battle she had to fight and luckily survived. I enjoyed how Edie and Tommy’s vacation fling turned into a much more meaningful relationship even if it was initially a long distance one.
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What did I love about this contemporary romance novel?
Easy-to-read / Entertaining / Vacation destination setting / Wonderfully complex characters / Original / Romantic / Steamy / Realistic / HEA / Excellent narration by Coleen Marlo!
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Would I recommend this book?
Yes, absolutely! This was my 2nd read but first time listening to it. In the Kindle format, I had 196 notes & 216 highlights. I have trouble bookmarking while listening to audiobooks, but I enjoyed this romance in this format just as much. It's a definite winner for those of us curious about romance for well-developed fictional characters aged 40 and older.
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What other book might you compare this novel to and why?
I love that this author has chosen to write another romance featuring characters who are over 40 years old. I automatically compared it to her novel The Sex Education of M.E. since it was the first novel of hers I read. It compared well although the former is still my favorite of her novels that I’ve read so far, and I'm still bummed it hasn't been released in audiobook format yet.
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Would I read more from this author? Yes!
The next in the Sexy Silver Foxes standalones is Mid-Life Crisis (released on May 20, 2018 in e-book format), another romance for the over 40 crowd like me. I’m also slowly working my way through this author’s previous book releases and really enjoying her story telling ability. I hope that Audible decides to produce Mid-Life Crisis and The Sex Education of M.E. for those of us who are primarily audiobook readers.

DNF

A lot of people really liked this book but I couldn’t get into it. I wanted a story with characters that were in their 40’s. On that, this book delivered. However, I don’t know how early 40’s (the MC is 42, same age as me) is considered “silver fox” age. In what I listened to, there was too much grey hair, “at my age” comments, wrinkles, etc. even the narrator sounds like she’s in her 60’s, not 40’s. This book doesn’t make romance at 40 seem sexy, quite the opposite, it makes 40 seem downright geriatric.

Refreshing Stroke of Realism

I love the romance genre. I read for escapism mainly, and I recognize the escapist value of a finely written romance. That being said, I laugh to myself frequently and admit that I want to be a woman in a romance novel just so I can live a life where I don't have to worry about: 1) shaving my legs, 2) having a headache, 3) eyebrows, bikini line, or chin hairs, 4) being a bit "bloated" 5) wearing the holey underwear, or 6) a really gassy love interest.

That's precisely why I loved this story so much. This novel, featuring the tale of Edie, an over 40 divorced mother of two, and a silver fox named Tommy is positively ripe with the truisms of re-entering the dating scene unexpectedly, suddenly, and with no mental preparation for the realities of those things our brains had allowed us to forget. It's kind of like the things mothers put out of their heads after we leave the delivery room with our bundles of joy. If we didn't file some of these memories some where deep in our brains, every one would be an only child!

But I've digressed again... back to Edie and Tommy. They're a hoot. They sizzle, they pop (yeah, I went there), and they're so passionate they scare themselves. Tommy is a dream. Edie is a reactionary, emotional mess quite often. But Tommy's calm demeanor smooths the ruffled feathers and sets them on a flight neither expected. It's beautiful, sensuous, emotional, and completely fun. The peripheral characters, which include Edie's nearly grown children and Tommy's rock band (he's the manager) are a whirlwind of chaos, humor, and sometimes frustration. It's like a traveling circus and someone's left the monkey cage open. Don't bother to try and close the cage now, though. Just prop your feet up and check out dating for the over 40 set. If you're there already, you'll LOL as you recognize the pain. If you're still young, read this as a precautionary tale and remember to enjoy yourself now!

just what I was looking for.

I love the 40 to 45 books, I enjoy the fact that they are my age and more realistic to what happens in every day life. With a little possess in a little exaggeration here there. But still down-to-earth.
and a litte Steamy as well.
I'm waiting for the next book.

Everyone Needs A Tommy

L.B. Dunbar has outdone herself with this book. The struggles, growth, and love of the characters in this book take ahold of you and make you feel as though they are your own. The feelings, insecurities, and dreams of them make you want to reach thru the book to soothe and cheer them on. Everyone needs a man like Tommy, someone that makes you thrive and grow, laugh and cry, and brings out the things inside you that no one else can.

After Care - Romance for the Over 40 Inspired Me!

I needed this book, thank you LB! I'm a single, 55 year old mother of two and grandma of 3. Maybe there's hope for this old lady after all LOL! But I would like to make one suggestion. I like to read/listen to a series in order, it helps me get to know the characters and develop a fondness for them. I started our with Midlife Crisis, which I suspect may be the second book.

It would be helpful if Audible could number them, book 1, 2 etc.

Readers, if your interested in this series START WITH THIS BOOK, it explains a lot. After listening to the samples and reading the introductions I think I may have the list in order, although this is only the second book I've listened to. I'm going to take a shot at it...below is a list of how I am going to proceed, unless Audible numbers the series LOL! Off to listen to Restored Dream now. Enjoy!

After Care
Midlife Crisis
Restored Dreams
Second Chance
Wine And Dine

An enjoyable mature romance

I owned this ebook forever so it’s excited that I could listen to it rather than read it. First of all I think Coleen did an amazing job voicing Edie and the rest of the characters. She brought much needed emotion to this book. Maybe it’s because it’s a single POV romance or maybe it’s the way the romance developed but I wish there isn’t so much mistrust and misunderstanding. Tommy came across as rather immature for his age. I do love the friendship between Ivy and Edie and the love Edie has for her children.

I loved it

I love the fact that the main couple in the story are over 40. It’s a great book I look forward to more of them ❤️

Mature romance with immature characters/themes

I was excited about a romance with “over 40” characters, because I was hoping it would mean I wouldn’t be listening to the same “complaints” or drama as with the NA genre. Unfortunately, that wasn’t really the case here. Edie is 43, has a child in his 20s and an 18yo daughter graduating high school soon. While on vacation in Hawaii she meets and has a fling with Tommy Carrigan.

I get the real insecurities of starting a new physical relationship with someone, especially after having been married for 20 years. But Edie’s insistence on harping her physical
imperfections as well as her unwillingness/inability to have decent communication with Tommy carried on for way. too. long.

I think if some of the interpersonal drama had been curbed in favor of some other type of angst/plot driver ~ I would have enjoyed this more.

I liked Coleen Marlo’s narration. She’s a great fit for a mature voice/setting. Tommy came off as overly creepy sometimes, but I’m not sure if that was the writing or Marlo. I would definitely listen to something she narrates again.

This was on Audible Escape and despite a little disappointment, I enjoyed it. Worth the borrow.