Daughter's of The Bride ~ Susan Mallery ~ New Release

With Joy, Love and a Little Trepidation, Courtney, Sienna and Rachel Invite You to the Most Emotional Wedding of the Year… Their Mother's 

Courtney

 ~ The Misfit ~

 As the awkward one, Courtney Watson may not be as together as her sisters, but she excels at one thing—keeping secrets, including her white-hot affair with a sexy music producer. Planning Mom's wedding exposes her startling hidden life, changing her family's view of her—and how she views herself—forever.

 Sienna

 ~ The Free Spirit ~

When Sienna's boyfriend proposes—in front of her mom and sisters, for crying out loud—he takes her by surprise. She already has two broken engagements under her belt. Should she say "I do" even if she's not sure she does?

 Rachel

 ~ The Cynic ~

 Rachel thought love would last forever…right up until her divorce. As Mom's wedding day draws near and her ex begs for a second chance, she's forced to acknowledge some uncomfortable truths about why her marriage failed, and decide if she'll let pride stand in the way of her own happily-ever-after.

GoodReads ~ Amazon

Elizabeth's Review

My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Would Recommend to a Friend

Review Copy Provided by Author

When I pick up a Susan Mallery book, I expect a wonderful story. She definitely delivers with Daughter's of the Bride!
Rachel, Sienna, and Courtney are all helping to plan their mother, Maggie's, wedding while also dealing with their own romantic issues.
This is a well written story that allows us to see inside three very distinct emotional situations that also weave together to tell a family story as well. We spend fairly equal amount of time with each of the sisters and get to know their stories, but it's not a deep dive.
There is enough information to feel like you know the characters, but there is still an element of "I want more" at the end of the day. With elements of familial love, romance, and forgiveness this is a wonderful tale to please any romantic at heart.

View all my reviews

Best of My Love ~ Susan Mallery ~ NEW RELEASE & REVIEW

An irresistible new love story from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fool's Gold series, set in a town Library Journal calls "so appealing, readers will want to start scoping out real estate." 

To overcome her painful past, baker Shelby Gilmore goes on the hunt for a friend—a male friend—to convince her stubborn psyche that men can be trusted. But where in a town as small as Fool's Gold will the petite blonde find a guy willing to not date her? 

Dark, charming Aidan Mitchell puts the "adventure" in Mitchell Adventure Tours…and into the beds of his many willing female tourists. Until he realizes he's inadvertently become that guy—the one-night Casanova—and worse, everyone in town knows it. Maybe Shelby's boy/girl experiment will help him see women as more than just conquests so he can change his ways and win back his self-respect. 

 As Aidan and Shelby explore the secret lives of men and women, the heat between them fires up the Fool's Gold rumor mill. If no one will believe they're just friends, maybe they should give the gossips something to really talk about!

Goodreads ~ Amazon

Elizabeth's Review

4 Stars - Would Recommend to a Friend

Review copy provided by Author

In Best of My Love, we head to Fool's Gold for the last (?) time and follow Shelby and Aidan, both of whom have appeared in other books as secondary characters. Shelby survived an abusive childhood and has flourished since moving to Fool's Gold, but her life is missing "something." Aidan grew up in the community, but had his own challenges. A bad run in with a former fling has him wanting to change things in his life. Shelby's plan that they be "just friends" so that they can learn about the opposite sex is just too good to be true!

The story that follows takes a fun and sweet look at the idea of if men and women can really be "just friends." I loved watching these two together. From the first awkward attempts to spend time together to the natural progression of a relationship neither of them even realized they had, we had funny and sweet moments. There were also emotionally revealing times as both Shelby and Aidan dealt with the family relationships that colored their views of love.

Best of My Love definitely ends the Fool's Gold series on a high note while also setting up a potential new series for the other Mitchell brothers. If you are new to Fool's Gold, you'll be able to read this as a stand alone and enjoy it. If you have been a loyal Fool's Gold reader, you will love the cameo appearances by several characters we haven't seen in a while.

The Friends We Keep ~ Susan Mallery ~ NEW RELEASE and REVIEW

In this insightful and compelling story from book club favorite Susan Mallery, three close friends test the boundaries of how much a woman can give before she has nothing left 

After five years as a stay-at-home mom, Gabby Schaefer can't wait to return to work. Oh, to use the bathroom in peace! No twins clamoring at the door, no husband barging in, no stepdaughter throwing a tantrum. But when her plans are derailed by some shocking news and her husband's crushing expectations, Gabby must fight for the right to have a life of her own.

Getting pregnant is easy for Hayley Batchelor. Staying pregnant is the hard part. Her husband is worried about the expensive fertility treatments and frantic about the threat to her health. But to Hayley, a woman who was born to be a mom should risk everything to fulfill her destiny—no matter how high the cost.

Nicole Lord is still shell-shocked by a divorce that wasn't as painful as it should've been. Other than the son they share, her ex-husband left barely a ripple in her life. A great new guy tempts her to believe maybe the second time's the charm…but how can she trust herself to recognize true love?

As their bonds of friendship deepen against the beautiful backdrop of Mischief Bay, Gabby, Hayley and Nicole will rely on good food, good wine and especially each other to navigate life's toughest changes.

Goodreads ~ Amazon

Elizabeth's Review

4 Stars - Would Recommend to a Friend

Review copy provided by publisher via Net Galley

If you are expecting a light-hearted, feel good romance along the lines of the Fool's Gold series, STOP NOW! Do Not Pass Go, do not collect $200. Other than being set in a beautiful California community with great characters, the stories set in Mischief Bay are very different from the Fool's Gold books.

Now that we've gotten the disclaimer out of the way, here's what you CAN expect from this visit to Mischief Bay in The Friends We Keep:
1) Excellent writing (okay, we wouldn't expect anything less from the talented Ms. Mallery)
2) Smart female leads who are each dealing with their own issues
3) Realistic friendships and relationships on multiple levels.
4) Bumps in the road that challenge relationships and the status quo, sometimes creating an unexpected, but welcome outcome.

The Friends We Keep is a book that I connected to on a personal level, especially the character of Gabby. Some of the issues she's dealing with are different than what I might face, but I could so easily slip on her stained "mom" t-shirt. I connected more with this book that I did the prior Mischief Bay story. I'm not sure why, but I definitely did. I loved how relationships, of all kinds, are the focus of the story. The friendship between Gabby, Nicole, and Haley is both supportive and critical as needed. The three women are sounding boards for each other, but always provide excellent mirrors to help see issues from a slight different perspective.

Marry Me at Christmas ~ Susan Mallery ~ New Release

Wish upon a Christmas star with New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery's sparkling Fool's Gold romance! To bridal boutique owner Madeline Krug, organizing a Christmas wedding sounds like a joy—until she finds out she'll be working closely with the gorgeous brother of the bride, movie star Jonny Blaze. How will a small-town girl like her keep from falling for the world's sexiest guy? Especially with mistletoe lurking around every corner! Jonny came to Fool's Gold looking for normal, not for love. Happily-ever-after only happens in the movies. Still, nothing about this quirky town is quite what he expected, and "ordinary" Madeline is the most extraordinary woman he's ever met. Refreshingly honest, disarmingly sweet. Achingly beautiful. Planning the perfect wedding leads to candlelit dinners and strolls through snow-covered streets. And Madeline finds Jonny in real life even more captivating than her celebrity crush. But will the action star be brave enough to risk his heart and step into the role of a lifetime?

Elizabeth's Review 

3.5 stars

Review Copy provided by Author

Marry Me at Christmas is the latest entry into the Fool's Gold series and follows Madeline as she helps her Hollywood crush, Jonny, plan his sister's wedding. Both characters have appeared in other entries of the series, so they aren't strangers to us, but we don't know either of them very well. There aren't any big surprises. Jonny and Madeline are likable characters and neither has any big secrets or horrible baggage getting in their way. The story is sweet and follows a friends to lovers path where fear is the biggest conflict. Ms. Mallery delivers the well written book that her followers expect and combines romance with a sense of humor. If you have been following the Fool's Gold series, you'll love this quick visit back to town. Even newer guests to Fool's Gold will fit right in. We get glimpses of characters we love, but the supporting cast isn't so large to overwhelm newer readers.

Find Marry Me at Christmas: Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble

Susan Mallery - Hold Me - Quick Review

I finally got Hold Me from the library and had a chance to read it, so I can say that I am completely caught up with Fools Gold again! Since this book has been out for a couple of months (April 2015), today's review will be a quick one. Have you read the Fools Gold series? Tell me what you think.....

New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery's classic blend of lighthearted humor and intense emotional conflict works its magic on two newcomers to the California town of Fool's Gold, which Library Journal calls "a setting so real and appealing readers will want to start scoping out real estate." Destiny Mills believes passion has its place—like in the lyrics of the country songs that made her parents famous. After a childhood full of drama and heartache, she wants a life that's calm. Safe. Everything that Kipling Gilmore isn't. Her temporary assignment with the Fool's Gold search and rescue team puts her in delicious proximity to the former world-class skier every day. Part of her aches to let go for once…the rest is terrified what'll happen if she does. Though an accident ended his career, Kipling still lives for thrills—and a hot fling with a gorgeous redhead like Destiny would be a welcome diversion. Yet beneath his new coworker's cool facade is a woman who needs more than he's ever given. With her, he's ready to take the risk. But love, like skiing, is all about trust—and before you soar, you have to be willing to fall.

Elizabeth's Review

4 Stars

Going into a Fools Gold book, you know there is going to be a happy ending. The only question is how is the couple going to get there. In Hold Me, the focus is on two newcomers to town, Kipling Gilmore who is running the search and rescue team and Destiny Mills, who is just in town to get the program going. These two both have issues to deal with regarding their outlook on love that they can think their parents for, but they take different approaches to dealing with those issues. It was a lot of fun to watch them circle each other and fall in love without realizing it. One of the things I enjoyed about this book was the sub plot around Kipling opening the Man Cave. This allowed a lot more of our favorite characters from other books to make a cameo appearance and it was funny to see just how much these very Alpha men bowed to their wives. It was also great to see how dealing with the Man Cave issue along with a sibling related issue helped Kipling see what he was doing wrong with Destiny. Overall, a great addition to the Fools Gold series.

Where to find Hold Me:

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes and Nobel

Thrill Me by Susan Mallery - NEW RELEASE

Susan Mallery's latest addition to the Fools Gold series, Thrill Me, released today. Read on to see what we thought and where to buy the book!

Meet the Mitchell brothers of Fool's Gold, California—five gorgeous men who've left a trail of broken hearts in their wake… Maya Farlow learned the hard way to depend only on herself, so when she fell too deeply for the bad-boy charms of Del Mitchell, she did the only thing she could—she ran. Stunned, Del left Fool's Gold to make his name and fortune in extreme sports. Now ten years later, Maya's been hired to promote her hometown's new slogan, The Destination for Romance. The celebrity spokesman is none other than Del, the man she dumped but never forgot. Awkward! Although Del's not the type to hold a grudge, he's determined to avoid falling a second time for the woman who broke his heart. He's a daredevil, not an idiot. Trouble is, in all his adventures, he never found a rush as exhilarating as Maya's kiss. Maybe risking his heart will prove to be the biggest thrill of all…

Elizabeth's Review

Review Copy provided by author

3.5 stars

Thrill Me takes us back to Fools Gold to get to know Maya, who first appeared in Kiss Me, and her first love Del. I like Maya and Del, they were a fun couple and I liked the fact that they dealt with how their relationship ended the first time like adults. They addressed the issue and moved on without a lot of excess drama.

This book definitely seemed to be about who Maya and Del were individually in addition to being about them as a couple. It was nice to see Maya realize that she had been reacting to life versus actually making plans, but I got frustrated with her waiting for Del to make a move. I also liked seeing Del mend fences with his brothers, it would actually have been nice to see a little more of those interaction. As much as I enjoyed Thrill Me, I didn’t love it. The book was well written and the characters were great, but everything felt a little predictable. It almost seemed like it was more of a “transition” book to introduce the Mitchell family to Fools Gold than really a story about the two main characters.
If you have been following the Fools Gold series, I would definitely suggest picking this one up. Favorites from other stories make brief appearance and you learn a little more about the family coming up in future books.

Where to find Thrill Me:

GoodReads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble 

Kiss Me - Susan Mallery - New Release

New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery creates the small-town destination for romance in charming Fool's Gold, California—where a loner cowboy finds the one woman who can capture his heart... After Phoebe Kitzke's kind heart gets her suspended from her job in LA, she swears off doing favors—until her best friend begs for help on the family ranch in Fool's Gold. Unfortunately, sexy cowboy Zane Nicholson isn't exactly thrilled by the city girl's arrival. Thanks to his brother's latest scheme, Zane has been roped into taking tourists on a cattle drive. What Phoebe knows about ranching wouldn't fill his hat, but her laughter is so captivating that even his animals fall for her. One slip of his legendary control leads to a passionate kiss, but she's exactly the kind of woman a single-minded loner needs to avoid. In his arms, Phoebe discovers she's a country girl at heart. Yet no matter how much the small town feels like home, she can't stay unless Zane loves her, too…but is this cowboy interested in forever?

Elizabeth's Review

3.5 Stars

Review Copy provided by author/net galley

In Kiss Me, Susan Mallery takes us back to Fools Gold, CA this time to meet rancher, Zane Nicholson. Zane has appeared in other Fools Gold books, but he is still pretty much an enigma. It was a lot of fun getting to know him through the course of the story.

We also meet Phoebe. She is friends with Zane’s former step sibling, Maya, and comes to the Nicholson Ranch to escape the trouble in her life back in L.A. Phoebe is incredibly sweet and a little naïve, she definitely leads with her heart.

Phoebe’s view of the world and her outsiders view point, helps shed a lot of light on what is going on with Zane and it helps make him much more likeable. The overall story in Kiss Me, is very sweet. Several of the characters experience heartwarming personal growth and you get a front row seat for these forming relationships.

Zane and Phoebe’s relationship seems to move more quickly than I would have expected, but it worked for them and the story being told. I am curious to see more of them in future Fools Gold books.

Kiss Me is a solid entry in the series, but other than Edie and Gladys, you don’t see too much of the Fools Gold community. If you are new to Fools Gold, this book would definitely be a good place to start. If you have come to visit before, you will enjoy the visit and getting to know a little more about the ranches around the town.

Where to find Kiss Me:
Goodreads
Amazon