Into the Sunset

by Donald Capone (Goodreads author!)

published	June 7th 2007 by iUniverse, Inc.
binding	Paperback
isbn	0595451276 (isbn13: 9780595451272)
pages	242
description	Wayne Benson doesn't require nursing care. He's not a senior citizen. He isn't even retired. But this healthy 30-year-old bachelor believes the comfor...more [close] Wayne Benson doesn't require nursing care. He's not a senior citizen. He isn't even retired. But this healthy 30-year-old bachelor believes the comfortable life of The Sunset, an assisted-living retirement community, would be a soothing alternative to his hectic lifestyle. Everything he desires-gourmet meals, laundry services, camaraderie, tranquility-is available for one all-inclusive monthly fee. The only problem? He isn't the required minimum age of sixty-two. So, he dons theatrical make-up and gray wig to age himself forty years, and is accepted into The Sunset. Will everything go as smoothly as planned? Of course not! His elderly love interest becomes suspicious of his under-cover-of-darkness-only lovemaking, his neighbor wants to go to strip clubs and experiment with Viagra®, the head of security is more interested in extortion than security, and the woman who runs The Sunset may be onto his scheme. [close]
date added	06-20-07 edit book

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Mary rated it:

04/02/08

Read in February, 2008

Wayne Benson is tired of living a complicated life. His needs are pretty simple—quiet time to write, three square meals a day (preferably prepaid and prepared for him), and comfortable surroundings. But where to find all of these things in one place? Enter The Sunset—a retirement community he once toured with his parents, prior to their move to Florida. The only problem? He’s thirty-two years too young. Enter Wayne Senior, his alter ego and aged doppelganger, courtesy of a grey wig and sta...more Wayne Benson is tired of living a complicated life. His needs are pretty simple—quiet time to write, three square meals a day (preferably prepaid and prepared for him), and comfortable surroundings. But where to find all of these things in one place? Enter The Sunset—a retirement community he once toured with his parents, prior to their move to Florida. The only problem? He’s thirty-two years too young. Enter Wayne Senior, his alter ego and aged doppelganger, courtesy of a grey wig and stage makeup, complete with cane and a stooped, halting gait (he’ll learn not to run for the bus when late).

For a time, Wayne’s plan works great. But what he hadn’t planned on was the complications of falling for a sexy fellow resident (yes, sixty can be sexy!) and becoming friends with his cranky next-door neighbor. Add a suspicious landlady and a blackmailing security guard, and things soon get way more complicated than Wayne’s former young life had ever been.

Perhaps the best part of the book for me (and so much of it was great fun) was moving through Wayne’s emotional maturation as he goes from viewing his fellow residents as obstacles to insightful, interesting people. His initial, skeptical view is evidenced by this passage:

“Eventually, the van would arrive in front of the supermarket and park. The driver would stay inside with the engine running and the A/C downgraded from arctic blast to cold front. Slowly the seniors would stir and with the help of a couple of Sunset staffers begin to vacate the vehicle. The legs of walkers and the tips of canes would emerge first, like the tentacles of some strange space creatures trying to blend in with humanity, they would descend on the store, sporting wraparound sunglasses, shawls, light-weight summer sweaters, and fistfuls of double coupons. Aisles would be congested, workers berated, and cashiers interrogated.”

Into the Sunset is a lively, engaging, romp-of-a-read, and by the end of the book, Wayne’s attitude and understanding have greatly softened—a truly older, wiser and more sanguine Wayne has emerged for us, his readers, and we welcome his rebirth into old age....less

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Donald rated it:

03/12/08

bookshelves: books-i-designed

Read in June, 2007

I wrote this book! Designed the cover too.

Romantic Times Book Reviews Magazine gave it 3 stars in their Feb. 2008 issue:

Capone has a vivid imagination and a unique voice. Written in the first person, his book reads like an autobiography, though the younger man and much older woman plotline may make some readers uncomfortable.

Summary: Wayne Benson is a 30-year-old bachelor who's tired of working hard all day and then shopping for groceries, making dinner, doing laundry and clea...more

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Kirsten rated it:

02/22/08

Read in February, 2008

I loved the premise of INTO THE SUNSET from the moment I heard it: a young man disguises himself as his own father in order to enjoy the good food and relaxing lifestyle of a retirement community called The Sunset. What a great movie it would make! I could see the story play out on the big screen as I read about the hilarious adventures (and misadventures) of Wayne Benson, who attempted to balance a job and crush with his new life and new romance at the old folks home. We learn about both the sh...more

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Donna rated it:

02/01/08

Read in January, 2008

Don Capone’s Into the Sunset is entertaining comedy at its best. Even the madcap premise makes you smile. Thirty-year-old Wayne Benson disguises himself as a senior citizen and moves into a retirement community in Westchester to enjoy the easy life. Soon enough plenty of cleverly-plotted complications set in, and it’s a bumpy ride for Wayne, but the pages seemed to glide right by as I followed him on his adventure into premature maturity. Although Wayne is living a lie, his voice ...more

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