New review is now up.

*****

Isabel Beebe is back in Fool’s Gold to run her family’s bridal store while her parents are on vacation and to help get it ready to sell.  But she’s heading back to NYC as soon as she can, whe has big plans to start her own fashion business.  When Ford Hendricks was dumped by his fiance weeks before his wedding, he joined the Navy and hasn’t been back since.  Now home to help run the “bodyguard school”, he’s having problems settling in … especially considering his mother’s match-making attempts.  Isabel may have been the little sister of his former fiance and the girl whose letters kept him sane as a SEAL, but she’s all grown up now.  What seemed like a simple plan to use their friendship to fool his mother into thinking there is more going on quickly turns into something more.  But what can a man who doesn’t think he has the capability to love give a woman who already has one foot out the door on her way back to the Big Apple?

I can have more than one pretend boyfriend in Fool’s Gold, right?  We’ve had some great guys before and now there’s Ford … he’s just oh-so-yummy!  He’s sweet, sexy, thoughtful and caring.  He loves his mother so he talks Isabel into a fake relationship just so that he doesn’t have to hurt her feelings with his refusal to date any of the women she suggests.  And of course everyone knows where that is going to lead … yup, things stop being quite so fake.  I loved both of these characters.  They are fun and complement each other wonderfully.  I was hoping for a happy ending for them from the first chapter and of course, since this is Fool’s Gold, you know they’ll get it … with a few bumps along the way.  I think the ending is one of my favorites – there’s angst without being too angsty and things resolve themselves quicky but satisfyingly.

Oh, and I can’t forget the secondary storyline between Consuelo and Ford’s brother Kent.  Full of heart, even if it didn’t take up a bunch of pages, it too was super sweet and satisfying.  Kent is just as caring and sexy, without being quite as rough as Ford.  He’s had a softer life but Denise Hendricks raised good boys who turned into fantastic men.  (Is it ok to have both brothers as my fictional boyfriend?)  I almost wish that Consuelo had a chance at her own book because she has such an interesting past that leads to some unusual romantic troubles.  She’s tough but vulnerable and Kent finds all those soft, scary parts inside her.  It’s such a treat to watch her fight falling in love.

And of course we are given sneak peeks into the next books in the series coming in 2014 – more football players, people!  WooHoo, bring ’em on!  They are described as three gorgeous guys who have always been able to get or buy what they want … so they are a little spoiled.  I can just imagine what kind of trouble they are going to get themselves into with the lovely ladies of Fool’s Gold.  Luckily, to help us wait, we’re going to get Noelle’s story as a Christmas romance in a few months and she takes on Gideon’s twin, Gabriel.  I just know it’s going to be another winner.

If you’ve never read a Fool’s Gold book, or anything by Susan Mallery, pick up Three Little Words.  You’ll get a wonderful love story and a great introduction to the fantastic world Mallery has created.  (Of course if you have read any of her books, you’ve probably already got a copy of this one.)  As I’ve said over and over and over again, I absolutely love Susan Mallery’s books.  She always makes me smile, laugh, sigh and even occasionally cry.  And her stories never fail to delight – full of characters that are witty, touching and sexy, and dialogue that is smart, funny, flirty, and sweet.  It’s an irresistible combination that makes me happy every time.  So pick up any of them, all of them, it doesn’t matter.  Just go out, get one of her books and prepare to be hooked.