Men, Money, & Gold Diggers

February 9, 2009
A wealthy investment banker “with a swagger like Denzel Washington” learns that money can't buy love in a muted novelization of Johnson's stage play of the same name. Caleb Peterson has no trouble getting “fly-ass” ladies, but things never seem to work out: Kendra's after his wallet, Asia's just too sweet, and as for Miss Bud Light—well, Caleb doesn't even know her name until after they're in the buff (though he learns her 42 double-Ds are named Water and Melon). When beautiful former model Paisley Terrell enters the picture, things start to look up for Caleb, and soon enough he's giving his heart away yet again. His friends warn him not to give his cash away as well, so when Caleb makes an impromptu marriage proposal, talk of a prenup soon follows. Paisley protests, and complications, both romantic and economic, ensue. Johnson is a force in contemporary African-American theater, but without actors adding life to his words, the dialogue is stiff and the characters two-dimensional.

March 23, 2009
Verdict: Johnson mixes romantic and financial betrayal in this adaptation of his stage play about a fast tracker who stumbles in the romance department. Despite the middle-class setting, street-lit fans will like the authentic street dialog among the characters. Purchase both for African American romance and street-lit collections. Background: Caleb Peterson has a six-figure income with a trophy fiancee, ex-model Paisley Terrell. Straight from Houston's ghetto, Paisley claims she's interested only in finding true love. But what's up with her ex-boyfriend jetting her to Jamaica and giving her a Bentley? Why does Caleb insist on a prenuptial agreement? Love and money mixes like oil and water in this boy-meets-girl romantic drama.

Copyright 2009 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2009
Johnson tries to present both sides of the story by having the lead characters, the romantic couple of Caleb and Paisley, both speak in first person in alternating chapters, which proves awkward at first. However, it does allow us to get into the heads of the characters and better know their background and motivations, an advantage over those whove experienced only the original stage production of this story (which is credited to Johnson and Gary Guidry). A busy plot fills the scene with people and moves them along various twists and turns, in ways entertaining if not always completely plausible. Ultimately, there is exploration of the basic questionif youre a wealthy single man, are women approaching you coming to love you or just your money? But further, are you a man whom a woman can love or is it only your money that you can offer?(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)