You Dropped a Blonde On Me (Ex Trophy Wives #1) by Dakota Cassidy
Contemporary Romance
December 7, 2010
Trade Paperback, 368 Pages
Berkley Trade

Reviewed by Tori

Favorite Quote: "How nice that two lonely people in the world had clearly made a connection. Now there’d be two less lonely people in the world. How very Air Supply."

Maxine (Max) Lou Anne Henderson Cambridge didn’t know how low she had sunk until she physically threatened a teenager for getting hired over her at the Cluck Cluck Palace. But when your cheating scum sucking husband trades you in on a new and much younger model, leaving you with no money, no home, and no dignity, you pretty much use the humiliating moments as high points in your life.

Living with her mother and son at the Leisure Village retirement community, Max struggles to make ends meet without depending or over burdening anyone with her problems. When an old high school friend, Campbell Barker, shows up looking good enough to lick and showing much to much interest in Max, she tries to show him that the Max of old isn’t around anymore. But the more Campbell pushes, the more Max realizes that she may well be getting some of that old mojo back. As Max slowly gets her groove back, Campbell decides that she’s the one for him. But will Max stop long enough to admit he’s the one for her?

Dakota Cassidy’s newest release, You Dropped a Blonde On Me, gives us an intimate ring side seat into the life of Maxine Cambridge as she tries to deal with a particularly nasty divorce and an even nastier soon to be ex husband using a lot of humor, snark, and unsolicited advice. Filled with more one liners then a Vegas comedy show-I laughed from page one and didn’t stop till the very end. I have always been a HUGE fan of Dakota Cassidy’s ability to combine urban slang and humor into enjoyable stories that draw you in and keep you hooked.

Her characters are all delightfully flawed and has you thinking, “OMGoodness, I know someone like that.” Her story lines are fast paced with an enjoyable conversational writing style but with an under current of realism as her characters react and engage as you or I might.

Max is hilarious with her slightly bi polar reactions and her raging inner monologue. A pretty 40 something woman, she has been dealt a hard blow and at times my heart hurt for her as we watch her pick herself up again and again as she tries to gain back some of her lost dignity. Campbell comes on the scene in time to witness her at her lowest point, but he all sees is the beautiful beauty queen he crushed on in high school. He shows remarkable patience and perseverance as he tries to help Max through her feelings of grief, anger, and helplessness. The relationship develops slowly but the chemistry between them blazes white hot from their first scene together. They fit together perfectly and it showed.
There is a secondary romance involved that is almost as enjoyable to watch as Max and Campbell’s. It blends well into the main arc with a surprising twist towards the end.

The secondary characters are all well fleshed out as they add delish snarkiness and humor to the story. Max’s mother Mona is wonderful as she tries to help her daughter adjust all the while doling out tough love advice. Conner, Max’s son, stands by his mom through it all and never wavers in his love or respect for her. Max’s BFF Len lends an always available shoulder to cry on and sometimes a metaphorical smack in the head. Fin is the perfect villain you will love to hate.

At times I found I did find Max’s over reaction to things to be a bit overwhelming as she kept doing it over and over but at the same time I understood where she was at in her state of mind. Having been through an ugly divorce myself, the craziness she emitted wasn’t all that unusual. I give Ms. Cassidy kudos for going there and not glossing over Max’s emotional distress. She honestly shows all of Max’s facets-the good and the bad.

The ending is predictable but excellent in how it plays out. You Dropped A Bomb On Me is a hilarious and engaging romantic contemporary that will have you howling with laughter and fist pumping with joy as you watch Max navigate her way through divorce, friendship, love and Walmart. I look forward to the second of this series, Burning Down the Spouse, release date to be announced.

Rating: B
Goodreads

This Series Includes
You Dropped a Blonde on Me
Burning Down the Spouse – July 2011

Author’s Website.