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Fool's Gold #8
Summer Nights
New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery's newest Fool's Gold story proves that wild hearts cannot be tamed... Horse whisperer Shane Stryker is done with passion. This time around, he's determined to meet someone who will be content with the quiet life of a rancher's wife. And the fiery, pint-size redhead who dazzles him at the local bar definitely does not fit the bill. Small-town librarian Annabelle Weiss has always seen herself as more of a sweetheart than a siren, so she can't understand why Shane keeps pushing her away. Shane has formed the totally wrong impression of her but only he can help her with a special event for the next Fool's Gold festival. And maybe while he's at it, she can convince him to teach her a few things about kissing on hot summer nights, too-some lessons, a girl shouldn't learn from reading a book!
381 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 26, 2012
846 people are currently reading
3935 people want to read
About the author
Susan Mallery
865 books15.5k followers#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming and humorous novels about the relationships that define women's lives—family, friendship, romance. She's best known for putting nuanced characters into emotionally complex, real-life situations with twists that surprise readers to laughter. Because Susan is passionate about animal welfare, pets play a big role in her books. Beloved by millions of readers worldwide, her books have been translated into 28 languages.
Critics have dubbed Mallery "the new queen of romantic fiction." (Walmart) Booklist says, "Romance novels don't get much better than Mallery's expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling," and RT Book Reviews puts her "in a class by herself!" It's no wonder that her books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list.
Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her most popular series, the Fool's Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.
Susan lives in Washington state with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.
Critics have dubbed Mallery "the new queen of romantic fiction." (Walmart) Booklist says, "Romance novels don't get much better than Mallery's expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling," and RT Book Reviews puts her "in a class by herself!" It's no wonder that her books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list.
Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her most popular series, the Fool's Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.
Susan lives in Washington state with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 491 reviews
November 15, 2015
This was a tedious story. Most of that is Shane, but some of it is choices the author made to "further" the story. Annabelle is okay, but I thought I'd like her way more than I did.
This is deep into the series, and the author really relies on the reader having read most of them. Main characters from previous books pop up like popcorn and Mallery pretty much relies on you remembering who they are and what their situation was. It's a little sloppy and I couldn't shake the feeling that the studio audience was getting an applause cue every time one of them appeared on stage. This was the mildest annoyance of the book.
The biggest annoyance was the idiot Shane. That guy needed a clue in the worst way. Sadly, he was practically a fish swimming in a sea of clue and he still wasn't able to catch on. That boy was denser than a planet made of depleted uranium. When every person you talk to tells you the exact same thing, you might want to consider taking that message to heart...
So that was bad, but then this is the clumsiest I recall Mallery being with a story. I don't know what's in the water in Fool's Gold, but And then there's Annabelle's ex, Lewis. This dork shows up for ten minutes for the stupidest reason possible, tells lies so stupid even the idiot Shane sees through them, and then leaves. If you're going to go to the trouble of digging up an ex that hasn't been a factor in Annabelle's life for years, then at least have him contribute something to the story! He was a great potential source to draw things to a head with Shane and yet it went nowhere.
But the worst authorial intrusion was giving Charlie the exact same brain damage that infected previous books about deliberate single motherhood. It's like Mallery can't think of any other way for a single woman to express dissatisfaction with her single state than to manifest a strong desire for a baby. This is so out of the blue for Charlie that I can't even begin to fathom what it's doing in this book. It's an obvious setup for the next book and I shudder to think that it's going to be yet another dive into maternal selfishness. But the biggest blunder for this is that Mallery has Charlie expressing the exact same motives and reasoning as Dakota and Pia before her—i.e. solely focused on herself and her emotional needs and completely absent any consideration of the welfare of the child. The next book got a really solid rating from friends I normally trust so I'll probably give it a try despite all this. I really hope Charlie diverts from the selfish single-mother brain damage, though, because that'll smother that hope right fast.
Anyway, I actually liked Annabelle, but all these other elements undermined my enjoyment of the story to the extent that I couldn't really immerse in her world. She's all that kept this at two stars in the midst of the damage done by these other elements. That charity persisted despite feeling a bit chafed that Mallery has her putting up with Shane way more than I thought she should (the whole "chemistry overwhelms my better judgement" bit that Mallery seems to like so much).
A note about Steamy: Two explicit sex scenes and they were alright. It's the low end of my middle tolerance, though mostly because I didn't really care that much.
This is deep into the series, and the author really relies on the reader having read most of them. Main characters from previous books pop up like popcorn and Mallery pretty much relies on you remembering who they are and what their situation was. It's a little sloppy and I couldn't shake the feeling that the studio audience was getting an applause cue every time one of them appeared on stage. This was the mildest annoyance of the book.
The biggest annoyance was the idiot Shane. That guy needed a clue in the worst way. Sadly, he was practically a fish swimming in a sea of clue and he still wasn't able to catch on. That boy was denser than a planet made of depleted uranium. When every person you talk to tells you the exact same thing, you might want to consider taking that message to heart...
So that was bad, but then this is the clumsiest I recall Mallery being with a story. I don't know what's in the water in Fool's Gold, but And then there's Annabelle's ex, Lewis. This dork shows up for ten minutes for the stupidest reason possible, tells lies so stupid even the idiot Shane sees through them, and then leaves. If you're going to go to the trouble of digging up an ex that hasn't been a factor in Annabelle's life for years, then at least have him contribute something to the story! He was a great potential source to draw things to a head with Shane and yet it went nowhere.
But the worst authorial intrusion was giving Charlie the exact same brain damage that infected previous books about deliberate single motherhood. It's like Mallery can't think of any other way for a single woman to express dissatisfaction with her single state than to manifest a strong desire for a baby. This is so out of the blue for Charlie that I can't even begin to fathom what it's doing in this book. It's an obvious setup for the next book and I shudder to think that it's going to be yet another dive into maternal selfishness. But the biggest blunder for this is that Mallery has Charlie expressing the exact same motives and reasoning as Dakota and Pia before her—i.e. solely focused on herself and her emotional needs and completely absent any consideration of the welfare of the child. The next book got a really solid rating from friends I normally trust so I'll probably give it a try despite all this. I really hope Charlie diverts from the selfish single-mother brain damage, though, because that'll smother that hope right fast.
Anyway, I actually liked Annabelle, but all these other elements undermined my enjoyment of the story to the extent that I couldn't really immerse in her world. She's all that kept this at two stars in the midst of the damage done by these other elements. That charity persisted despite feeling a bit chafed that Mallery has her putting up with Shane way more than I thought she should (the whole "chemistry overwhelms my better judgement" bit that Mallery seems to like so much).
A note about Steamy: Two explicit sex scenes and they were alright. It's the low end of my middle tolerance, though mostly because I didn't really care that much.
February 1, 2013
Synopsis: A librarian and a cowboy must learn to trust and love again after divorce. The community of Fool's Gold gives them a hand.
The Good: Mallery, in a recent speech, expressed her favorite thing about romances: the relationships between an ensemble--not a focus on the main couple, but one on the connections that surrounded them: family, community, etcetera. If you are reading for community, this might be the book for you.
Personally, I found myself frustrated, hearing about people I didn’t know: and we hear so much about them: their education, their plans for businesses, their wedding dresses, their reading habits...
The Bad: Pressed by the minutiae of a huge cast, we learn little about the main couple. Mallery is so set on painting a mosaic, she fails at portraiture.
Everything is reduced to stereotype and cliche:You’re such a guy... you’re a man... I’m a typical female we hear over and over. Even motivations seem mere plot convenience. On the first page, a shy librarian finds herself suddenly dancing on a bar top, suddenly having an epiphany about a marriage that ended two years ago; she is suddenly going to change, and she is suddenly going to demand that someone love her for who she really is. The hero, of course, suddenly suffers a lust aneurysm due to “chemistry and fate,” and, later, he will suddenly have a change of heart and fix everything.
Fiction must hide that it is so, and Mallery uses little craft to do so. Instead, she attempts to rely on the genre itself to prop up her universe.
The Ugly: Seemingly random references to native peoples in a half-hearted attempt at feminism. Worse, a non-central character, who was brutalized and date-raped years ago, is told by another character (a trained and licensed psychologist) that she can recover easily by either a few sessions of therapy or by having sex!
Let us not forget the cover, shall we? The Cover. Oh, the cover...
We’ve all been there. We’re wandering through a bookstore, or maybe aimlessly searching suggestions, looking at random lists on Amazon.com for something to read. Happily, we traipse through booktopias convinced that we’re going to find something wonderful to read and then… We are greeted with this:
Before I begin, I feel I must point out one very simple fact:
Most authors get absolutely no input in their covers, or, if they do, it’s mostly a kind of courtesy. Publishers rule. Authors weep and hope for reprints.
Challenge accepted. Unleashing Mockery…
The cover artists didn't like this book either... because they clearly didn't read it. The couple from the great land of stock photos looks nothing like the characters described in the book. And there is no snogging on a beach in the novel.
The ennui of the cover artists spread to the photo-people. They care not for grand ocean vistas or for each other. Miss Tyra would be very disappointed! They have no connection. Only the little sand crabs hold interest for them.
Forgive the cover artists, for they know not what they do.
As posted on http://bookswithbenefits.com
The Good: Mallery, in a recent speech, expressed her favorite thing about romances: the relationships between an ensemble--not a focus on the main couple, but one on the connections that surrounded them: family, community, etcetera. If you are reading for community, this might be the book for you.
Personally, I found myself frustrated, hearing about people I didn’t know: and we hear so much about them: their education, their plans for businesses, their wedding dresses, their reading habits...
The Bad: Pressed by the minutiae of a huge cast, we learn little about the main couple. Mallery is so set on painting a mosaic, she fails at portraiture.
Everything is reduced to stereotype and cliche:You’re such a guy... you’re a man... I’m a typical female we hear over and over. Even motivations seem mere plot convenience. On the first page, a shy librarian finds herself suddenly dancing on a bar top, suddenly having an epiphany about a marriage that ended two years ago; she is suddenly going to change, and she is suddenly going to demand that someone love her for who she really is. The hero, of course, suddenly suffers a lust aneurysm due to “chemistry and fate,” and, later, he will suddenly have a change of heart and fix everything.
Fiction must hide that it is so, and Mallery uses little craft to do so. Instead, she attempts to rely on the genre itself to prop up her universe.
The Ugly: Seemingly random references to native peoples in a half-hearted attempt at feminism. Worse, a non-central character, who was brutalized and date-raped years ago, is told by another character (a trained and licensed psychologist) that she can recover easily by either a few sessions of therapy or by having sex!
Let us not forget the cover, shall we? The Cover. Oh, the cover...
We’ve all been there. We’re wandering through a bookstore, or maybe aimlessly searching suggestions, looking at random lists on Amazon.com for something to read. Happily, we traipse through booktopias convinced that we’re going to find something wonderful to read and then… We are greeted with this:
Before I begin, I feel I must point out one very simple fact:
Most authors get absolutely no input in their covers, or, if they do, it’s mostly a kind of courtesy. Publishers rule. Authors weep and hope for reprints.
Challenge accepted. Unleashing Mockery…
The cover artists didn't like this book either... because they clearly didn't read it. The couple from the great land of stock photos looks nothing like the characters described in the book. And there is no snogging on a beach in the novel.
The ennui of the cover artists spread to the photo-people. They care not for grand ocean vistas or for each other. Miss Tyra would be very disappointed! They have no connection. Only the little sand crabs hold interest for them.
Forgive the cover artists, for they know not what they do.
As posted on http://bookswithbenefits.com
May 29, 2012
I loved it!
I have been reading Susan Mallery books for quite a few years now and this lady knows how to tell a good romance story. I know that I will never be disappointed or regret reading one of her books. I haven’t been following this series I have only read the last few, but I now want to go back and read them all from the start.
Both Shane and Annabelle were divorced and had scars from bad marriages. Shane’s scars were deeper and it took a long time for him to begin to trust Annabelle, but as soon as the trust started to build something else came along and crumbled the fragile beginnings. Annabelle fully understood why Shane struggled with trust and that he had been deeply hurt by his ex-wife but she could only forgive him so many times and take so much rejection and hurt. All she wanted was a man that loved her and accepted her as she was but unfortunately Shane had already made up his mind what sort of woman she was when he saw her the very first time. This is a classic case of the wrong first impressions at the start which gives us lots of angst and tension between the H/h.
In this we also get to catch up with some of the other characters in the Fool’s Gold community and I especially loved catching up with the Stryker matriarch, May, who I think is great! Reading about the animals was great too, finding out what antics they had been up to was very funny at times. I am looking forward to reading more about Khatar the horse, Reno the donkey, Wilbur the pig, Priscilla the elephant and not forgetting the goats!.....I wonder if May will go ahead and get a zebra too? :)
The foundations for Charlie’s story was laid and I am looking forward to reading about her and her journey in overcoming and getting past her fears.
ARC kindly provided by Harlequin via Netgalley
I have been reading Susan Mallery books for quite a few years now and this lady knows how to tell a good romance story. I know that I will never be disappointed or regret reading one of her books. I haven’t been following this series I have only read the last few, but I now want to go back and read them all from the start.
Both Shane and Annabelle were divorced and had scars from bad marriages. Shane’s scars were deeper and it took a long time for him to begin to trust Annabelle, but as soon as the trust started to build something else came along and crumbled the fragile beginnings. Annabelle fully understood why Shane struggled with trust and that he had been deeply hurt by his ex-wife but she could only forgive him so many times and take so much rejection and hurt. All she wanted was a man that loved her and accepted her as she was but unfortunately Shane had already made up his mind what sort of woman she was when he saw her the very first time. This is a classic case of the wrong first impressions at the start which gives us lots of angst and tension between the H/h.
In this we also get to catch up with some of the other characters in the Fool’s Gold community and I especially loved catching up with the Stryker matriarch, May, who I think is great! Reading about the animals was great too, finding out what antics they had been up to was very funny at times. I am looking forward to reading more about Khatar the horse, Reno the donkey, Wilbur the pig, Priscilla the elephant and not forgetting the goats!.....I wonder if May will go ahead and get a zebra too? :)
The foundations for Charlie’s story was laid and I am looking forward to reading about her and her journey in overcoming and getting past her fears.
ARC kindly provided by Harlequin via Netgalley
July 25, 2012
This was an absorbing story but suffered from too many phrase repetitions. I think this series is getting churned out too quickly.
Pretty much every single character from the previous books in the series turned up, all heavily laden with pregnancies and/or babies; at one point the hero even wound up at the hospital for the childbirth of two people he'd never even met. That was supposed to be cute, but was just weird.
And what's with every unmarried person in a romance novel who wants to have a baby going straight to IVF? IVF is expensive and invasive and it's a treatment for infertility, not for single motherhood. At least try IUI first, geez.
Pretty much every single character from the previous books in the series turned up, all heavily laden with pregnancies and/or babies; at one point the hero even wound up at the hospital for the childbirth of two people he'd never even met. That was supposed to be cute, but was just weird.
And what's with every unmarried person in a romance novel who wants to have a baby going straight to IVF? IVF is expensive and invasive and it's a treatment for infertility, not for single motherhood. At least try IUI first, geez.
September 29, 2016
I saw how many stars people have given to this book and was confused. Still am. Did I read another book with the same title? I guess not. My thoughts are all jumbled and I'm sad I wasted money buying this book. It really is time for me to learn, but I was so sure this book would be better than the last one. Well, it wasn't.
I began to understand why there was a lack of men in this town when the series started. All independent and rebellious males escaped and the few others were leashed and tamed. Poor lost souls.
I was disgusted by the women of this community. I understood their pride about their roots and history, but it did not give them the right to herd the men like cattle or treat them as three-year-old toddlers. I truly believe that sometimes women have to use their charm and be a little bit sneaky but a relationship can't be all about women ruling men or vice versa.
Well, in Fool's Gold it's all about girlpower and women controlling the town, the children and the men. It's a norm and a man who stands up, is squashed like a bug. Why do I write something like that about a well-loved romance series? Hm, let's see...the heroine used town to get even and the town women repeatedly pressured the hero into doing things they wanted. And of course because his "dear mama" raised him to be a gentleman, he couldn't send them to hell and behaved like a trained monkey.
Where was the respect and partnership which should be the base of a healthy relationship? For once I wanted the women and men to talk things through. What I got was - the women (the heroine, his "dear mama", the mayor, other mamas from town) turned up, said "this is how it's going to be" and the hero just stood there like a lump, sighed heavily and did what the women told.
When the series started it was fun and fresh but now it just makes me mad. Every book follows the same path - the main characters meet, they begin their relationship, which has its ups and downs. Then about ten pages before the end both characters suddenly "lose their minds" and break up. Then there are a lot of tears from the heroine and guilt from the hero and on the last page they reconcile, kiss - and it's over. You know, epilogue wouldn't be a bad idea. I would welcome it with both hands.
There were other things which really made me mad - like a psychologist saying to a rape victim to find a man and have sex to solve her trust issues. Or a mother who is overjoyed because her family is together, ignoring the fact she has a daughter she hasn't seen and spoken to in years. Or how all these women gather to watch a goat giving birth. Next time one of them gives birth let's round up some people and sell tickets. I bet they will love it.
Susan Mallery is still writing the series and I have marked them as "want to read". No I'm not so sure any more. It's possible I'll visit Fool's Gold once more to read Clay and Charlie's story. I really hope it's going to be better than this one.
Read the Estonian translation
I began to understand why there was a lack of men in this town when the series started. All independent and rebellious males escaped and the few others were leashed and tamed. Poor lost souls.
I was disgusted by the women of this community. I understood their pride about their roots and history, but it did not give them the right to herd the men like cattle or treat them as three-year-old toddlers. I truly believe that sometimes women have to use their charm and be a little bit sneaky but a relationship can't be all about women ruling men or vice versa.
Well, in Fool's Gold it's all about girlpower and women controlling the town, the children and the men. It's a norm and a man who stands up, is squashed like a bug. Why do I write something like that about a well-loved romance series? Hm, let's see...the heroine used town to get even and the town women repeatedly pressured the hero into doing things they wanted. And of course because his "dear mama" raised him to be a gentleman, he couldn't send them to hell and behaved like a trained monkey.
Where was the respect and partnership which should be the base of a healthy relationship? For once I wanted the women and men to talk things through. What I got was - the women (the heroine, his "dear mama", the mayor, other mamas from town) turned up, said "this is how it's going to be" and the hero just stood there like a lump, sighed heavily and did what the women told.
When the series started it was fun and fresh but now it just makes me mad. Every book follows the same path - the main characters meet, they begin their relationship, which has its ups and downs. Then about ten pages before the end both characters suddenly "lose their minds" and break up. Then there are a lot of tears from the heroine and guilt from the hero and on the last page they reconcile, kiss - and it's over. You know, epilogue wouldn't be a bad idea. I would welcome it with both hands.
There were other things which really made me mad - like a psychologist saying to a rape victim to find a man and have sex to solve her trust issues. Or a mother who is overjoyed because her family is together, ignoring the fact she has a daughter she hasn't seen and spoken to in years. Or how all these women gather to watch a goat giving birth. Next time one of them gives birth let's round up some people and sell tickets. I bet they will love it.
Susan Mallery is still writing the series and I have marked them as "want to read". No I'm not so sure any more. It's possible I'll visit Fool's Gold once more to read Clay and Charlie's story. I really hope it's going to be better than this one.
Read the Estonian translation
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2017
what's with this bullshit about only being able to be happy if you have babies. ugh.
October 16, 2019
Summer Nights
4 Stars
Burned in the past by passion, Shane Stryker has sworn off sexy women, so the fiery red-head at the local bar is definitely off-limits. Small-town librarian Annabelle Weiss has no idea why Shane keeps pushing her away, but she is nothing if not determined, and the cowboy doesn't stand a chance.
Series note: There are numerous references to characters and events from previous books. As such, it is recommended that the series be read in order.
Fool's Gold has been hit/miss for me, but Shane and Annabelle's story is one of the better installments with very little angst in the relationship although Shane does tend to jump to conclusions a bit too often. Nevertheless, both are appealing characters and their romance is engaging with strong chemistry and entertaining banter.
The subplot focusing on Charlie's past is heartbreaking and I look forward to her getting her own HEA, which is appears will be with Shane's sexy brother, Clay.
4 Stars
Burned in the past by passion, Shane Stryker has sworn off sexy women, so the fiery red-head at the local bar is definitely off-limits. Small-town librarian Annabelle Weiss has no idea why Shane keeps pushing her away, but she is nothing if not determined, and the cowboy doesn't stand a chance.
Series note: There are numerous references to characters and events from previous books. As such, it is recommended that the series be read in order.
Fool's Gold has been hit/miss for me, but Shane and Annabelle's story is one of the better installments with very little angst in the relationship although Shane does tend to jump to conclusions a bit too often. Nevertheless, both are appealing characters and their romance is engaging with strong chemistry and entertaining banter.
The subplot focusing on Charlie's past is heartbreaking and I look forward to her getting her own HEA, which is appears will be with Shane's sexy brother, Clay.
June 21, 2012
This is my second Susan Mallery read, I started with Summer Days which was the first Stryker brother Rafe, and I think I’ve been hooked into the Fool’s Gold world. The town is just so quirky and fun it’s hard not to get sucked in. Shane is returning after spending part of his childhood in Fools Gold, he always had fond memories of the town, its where his love of horses started. Now, he is back and starting his dream, his own ranch and breeding program of thoroughbred race horses. Annabelle is a librarian, she found Fools Gold after her disastrous first marriage, the town soothed her open wounds and now she is ready to possibly find love again, if that man can accept who she really is.
Shane, oh Shane, so incredibly sexy, so incredibly sweet, so incredibly a cowboy, so incredibly almost perfect if only you weren’t so dense. Shane was once married to a not so nice female who cheated mercilessly and always had to be the center of attention. So now he’s looking for a nice sedate woman who doesn’t set his blood on fire. So when he see’s Annabelle dancing on a bar, he knows she’s not the woman for him. Then when she shows up in his barn and sets his blood on fire he’s even more convinced this girl is nothing but trouble. Now, if only Shane could get his head out of his arse and see a good thing when it’s staring him in the face, even his horse is smarter than him! A one minute impression clouds the next several hundred pages of the book, which I understand we need some conflict but geez. Despite the fact that Shane has his head up his arse, I still loved the dolt, I just couldn’t help myself, he’s just such a nice guy. He tries to find a companion for an aging elephant, he gets roped into riding lessons for young girls, he teaches his million dollar horse to dance for Annabelle, you just can’t steel your heart against that kind of kindness, you just can’t and add to that, he’s a cowboy and you’re sunk. There is just no helping it. You’re in love before you know it, just like Annabelle.
Annebelle is cute, feisty and stubborn, once she gets her claws into an idea she does what she needs to see it through. Right now she wants a bookmobile and the way to achieve that is at the next Fools Gold festival, the only problem is she needs a dancing horse and a willing male sacrifice. Having never even sat on a horse before, she doesn’t know how she is going to get a horse to dance in front of a crowd let alone stay on top of one to do it, but she is determined. Enter Shane, the resident horse whisperer and her best friend’s fiancés brother. What she doesn’t know is the first time Shane see’s her, she’s on the top of the bar dancing, so now he sees her as a wild woman which couldn’t be further from the truth. What she realizes almost immediately following her impetuous dance is that all of her life she has been molding herself to fit someone else’s needs to be loved and decided that she would no longer do that again. So when she meets Shane at first she is attracted but doesn’t act on it but as time moves on they get closer and true to her word she does remain true to herself and who she is, which I was proud of her for, but this time she made a completely different mistake and decided she had to “prove herself” to him. Which come on, let’s face it, is just as bad as changing herself to please her current whatever. She shouldn’t have to prove herself to anyone. Despite this setback she does come to her senses by the end, yay Annebelle! As a character I really enjoyed Annabelle, she was a breath of fresh air, she was positive, upbeat and genuinely cared about everyone. She is someone you would be proud to call one of your best friends and would never let you down. I wish she would have smacked some sense into Shane earlier but hey no one is perfect, not even Annabelle.
Overall, it’s a light fun read, great for the summer. There is nothing not to like about this charming book, you’ll be sucked into Fools Gold like everyone else. If I was keeping a list of great beach reads this one would be towards the top of the list. Check it out and be prepared to be charmed I sure was.
Rating: 4.5
Shane, oh Shane, so incredibly sexy, so incredibly sweet, so incredibly a cowboy, so incredibly almost perfect if only you weren’t so dense. Shane was once married to a not so nice female who cheated mercilessly and always had to be the center of attention. So now he’s looking for a nice sedate woman who doesn’t set his blood on fire. So when he see’s Annabelle dancing on a bar, he knows she’s not the woman for him. Then when she shows up in his barn and sets his blood on fire he’s even more convinced this girl is nothing but trouble. Now, if only Shane could get his head out of his arse and see a good thing when it’s staring him in the face, even his horse is smarter than him! A one minute impression clouds the next several hundred pages of the book, which I understand we need some conflict but geez. Despite the fact that Shane has his head up his arse, I still loved the dolt, I just couldn’t help myself, he’s just such a nice guy. He tries to find a companion for an aging elephant, he gets roped into riding lessons for young girls, he teaches his million dollar horse to dance for Annabelle, you just can’t steel your heart against that kind of kindness, you just can’t and add to that, he’s a cowboy and you’re sunk. There is just no helping it. You’re in love before you know it, just like Annabelle.
Annebelle is cute, feisty and stubborn, once she gets her claws into an idea she does what she needs to see it through. Right now she wants a bookmobile and the way to achieve that is at the next Fools Gold festival, the only problem is she needs a dancing horse and a willing male sacrifice. Having never even sat on a horse before, she doesn’t know how she is going to get a horse to dance in front of a crowd let alone stay on top of one to do it, but she is determined. Enter Shane, the resident horse whisperer and her best friend’s fiancés brother. What she doesn’t know is the first time Shane see’s her, she’s on the top of the bar dancing, so now he sees her as a wild woman which couldn’t be further from the truth. What she realizes almost immediately following her impetuous dance is that all of her life she has been molding herself to fit someone else’s needs to be loved and decided that she would no longer do that again. So when she meets Shane at first she is attracted but doesn’t act on it but as time moves on they get closer and true to her word she does remain true to herself and who she is, which I was proud of her for, but this time she made a completely different mistake and decided she had to “prove herself” to him. Which come on, let’s face it, is just as bad as changing herself to please her current whatever. She shouldn’t have to prove herself to anyone. Despite this setback she does come to her senses by the end, yay Annebelle! As a character I really enjoyed Annabelle, she was a breath of fresh air, she was positive, upbeat and genuinely cared about everyone. She is someone you would be proud to call one of your best friends and would never let you down. I wish she would have smacked some sense into Shane earlier but hey no one is perfect, not even Annabelle.
Overall, it’s a light fun read, great for the summer. There is nothing not to like about this charming book, you’ll be sucked into Fools Gold like everyone else. If I was keeping a list of great beach reads this one would be towards the top of the list. Check it out and be prepared to be charmed I sure was.
Rating: 4.5
July 24, 2013
The books are getting progressively worse
January 20, 2021
ESP/ENG:
ESP:
Si alguna vez he dicho que Mallery no me parecía especialmente machista en libros anteriores: lo retiro. He perdido la cuenta de la de veces que se hacen comentarios del estilo "te gusta diseño de interiores porque eres una mujer", "es que los hombres no entienden a las mujeres porque son muy complicadas", "los hombres son incapaces de elegir qué grifo quieren para su cocina", "tendrías que ___ porque eres una mujer". Y así. Que quizás no sea el peor comentario de la historia. Pero creo que era super innecesario meter todas estas frases casposas de las mujeres esto y los hombres aquello.
Y por si no fuera suficiente la autora tiene una obsesión con que todas las mujeres de esta historia procreen. Dios nos libre de que haya una pareja en la flor de su vida y que no empiece a formar una familia (planeado o no, porque esto es totalmente irrelevante). Y aunque no tengan pareja pues está claro que todas tenemos el reloj biológico que nos vuelve locas.
A parte de eso, tenemos al protagonista que básicamente es gilipollas :) resulta que él estuvo casada con una "zorra" (palabras textuales) que solo estaba contenta si tenía la atención de todos los hombres presentes en la sala y que le puso los cuernos mil veces. Y esto es relevante porque el prota decide que la protagonista "le recuerda" a ella (pese a que se parezcan en el blanco de los ojos) y por eso no puede confiar en ella. Pese a que es un argumento pésimo y que no se sostiene va a ser el problema central de la novela. Y, ¿sabéis porque le recuerda a su ex? Porque una noche la vio bailar en la barra del bar. OMG. Y esto se le recuerda a la prota como una decena de veces por el prota y por el resto del pueblo.
En otras reseñas he comentado que me gustaba la comunidad de Fool's Gold. Pues también retiro eso. Me parece que se inmiscuyen en asuntos que no les toca y encima que son relevantes. Y luego te das cuenta que cuando hay drama de verdad, uy, aquí nadie ha visto nada.
Lo siento, pero es que no ha tenido nada que yo valore. Las escenas de cama sin pena ni gloria y además parece que no repercutan en la intimidad de la pareja. Luego que están juntos pero no están juntos, pero se ponen celosos, pero se echan de menos, pero no quieren estar juntos ni comprometerse porque no quieren lo mismo (aunque no se han sentado a hablar de su relación seriamente ni una vez).
Miedo me da el siguiente con la historia de Charlie...
ENG:
I've read all the previous books of the series so far and despite coming across a casual sexist comment I kind of "brushed it aside". They were that type of unharmful and insubstantial comment. However, this book has changed my mind. This book WAS sexist. I lost count of the number of comments that were made. Both directed to females and males. Obviously, women just want to have children. ALL of them. It doesn't matter if it's planned or if the person is ready. Those are minor things to have in common. And obviously, a man is not capable of choosing the features of his own home. He's a maaan, he doesn't care.
About our story, it starts one night when she's dancing on the bar top and he's mesmerized. Would you believe everyone goes to her and says "well...you did dance on the bar..." like that meant anything at all. So the h/H start a relationship of some sorts, but he doesn't trust her. Why? Because she reminds her of his ex-wife, who was "a total bitch". And that drags until the very end.
I also used to like Fool's Gold as a community. Not anymore. They just sided with whoever they think is right, meddled and excluded the other part. And we're talking really petty stuff.
All in all, I think it was the worst book of the series by far. I'm going to keep going just to see what they do with Charlie. Fingers crossed.
ESP:
Si alguna vez he dicho que Mallery no me parecía especialmente machista en libros anteriores: lo retiro. He perdido la cuenta de la de veces que se hacen comentarios del estilo "te gusta diseño de interiores porque eres una mujer", "es que los hombres no entienden a las mujeres porque son muy complicadas", "los hombres son incapaces de elegir qué grifo quieren para su cocina", "tendrías que ___ porque eres una mujer". Y así. Que quizás no sea el peor comentario de la historia. Pero creo que era super innecesario meter todas estas frases casposas de las mujeres esto y los hombres aquello.
Y por si no fuera suficiente la autora tiene una obsesión con que todas las mujeres de esta historia procreen. Dios nos libre de que haya una pareja en la flor de su vida y que no empiece a formar una familia (planeado o no, porque esto es totalmente irrelevante). Y aunque no tengan pareja pues está claro que todas tenemos el reloj biológico que nos vuelve locas.
A parte de eso, tenemos al protagonista que básicamente es gilipollas :) resulta que él estuvo casada con una "zorra" (palabras textuales) que solo estaba contenta si tenía la atención de todos los hombres presentes en la sala y que le puso los cuernos mil veces. Y esto es relevante porque el prota decide que la protagonista "le recuerda" a ella (pese a que se parezcan en el blanco de los ojos) y por eso no puede confiar en ella. Pese a que es un argumento pésimo y que no se sostiene va a ser el problema central de la novela. Y, ¿sabéis porque le recuerda a su ex? Porque una noche la vio bailar en la barra del bar. OMG. Y esto se le recuerda a la prota como una decena de veces por el prota y por el resto del pueblo.
En otras reseñas he comentado que me gustaba la comunidad de Fool's Gold. Pues también retiro eso. Me parece que se inmiscuyen en asuntos que no les toca y encima que son relevantes. Y luego te das cuenta que cuando hay drama de verdad, uy, aquí nadie ha visto nada.
Lo siento, pero es que no ha tenido nada que yo valore. Las escenas de cama sin pena ni gloria y además parece que no repercutan en la intimidad de la pareja. Luego que están juntos pero no están juntos, pero se ponen celosos, pero se echan de menos, pero no quieren estar juntos ni comprometerse porque no quieren lo mismo (aunque no se han sentado a hablar de su relación seriamente ni una vez).
Miedo me da el siguiente con la historia de Charlie...
ENG:
I've read all the previous books of the series so far and despite coming across a casual sexist comment I kind of "brushed it aside". They were that type of unharmful and insubstantial comment. However, this book has changed my mind. This book WAS sexist. I lost count of the number of comments that were made. Both directed to females and males. Obviously, women just want to have children. ALL of them. It doesn't matter if it's planned or if the person is ready. Those are minor things to have in common. And obviously, a man is not capable of choosing the features of his own home. He's a maaan, he doesn't care.
About our story, it starts one night when she's dancing on the bar top and he's mesmerized. Would you believe everyone goes to her and says "well...you did dance on the bar..." like that meant anything at all. So the h/H start a relationship of some sorts, but he doesn't trust her. Why? Because she reminds her of his ex-wife, who was "a total bitch". And that drags until the very end.
I also used to like Fool's Gold as a community. Not anymore. They just sided with whoever they think is right, meddled and excluded the other part. And we're talking really petty stuff.
All in all, I think it was the worst book of the series by far. I'm going to keep going just to see what they do with Charlie. Fingers crossed.
August 28, 2020
This 8th book of the Fool's Gold series, and 2nd in the Summer triad, tells one complete story but it also begins the story for the next book. This book gives us quite a bit about Charlie, setting up book 9. I did not finish book 7, so I don't know how much setup I missed there, but my point is that I do not consider this a stand alone book.
Both of the main protagonists have major insecurities relating to childhood and a previous marriage. Yet both are likeable characters. I enjoyed the development of the characters and the relationship.
There are several funny situations. Among other things there is a menagerie of animals including an elephant, a pony, kittens and a pig. (Could there be a joke about all of them walking into a bar?)
The author has a way catchy phrases.
Unfortunately, SM seems to be sinking into too much of a pattern in her plots - this book has a very similar character development and ending as several previous books in this series. The creativity in the climaxes is declining.
Once again at least one protagonist's mother and/or father stink. Once again, at least one protagonist is seeking to belong and/or be loved. I haven't mentioned it before but once again lust is such an overwhelming driver in the relationship that one wonders whether it is love or lust bringing the two together. Shane acknowledges his lack of control because of lust. To be fair, I will say that a lot of space is spent showing the two spend time together doing other things and therefore developing a relationship, but over and over lust is shown to control their behavior.
Mature themes: There is explicit sex. Much of the story revolves around preparing for a parade reenacting a tribal ritual of cutting out a man's heart. Also, a women tells her friend that she was raped and then victim shamed afterwards. I seriously question how she and especially her friends, including a so-called professional, handle this situation. The emphasis in the story is on this victim metaphorically getting back on the horse. I do not like when fictional books either deal casually or even exploit the subject of rape. While the conversation with the so-called professional is trite, this book doesn't really get into the meat of the rape backstory. The following book deals with the backstory, the resulting scars, and the attempts to heal, in a serious way, albeit a bit salacious.
BTW: I'm pretty sure there is a solution for infertility between intercourse and IVF which requires a lot less effort. I know because - been there, done that.
I really want to see the conclusion to Charlie's story, but then I'm done with SM.
Both of the main protagonists have major insecurities relating to childhood and a previous marriage. Yet both are likeable characters. I enjoyed the development of the characters and the relationship.
There are several funny situations. Among other things there is a menagerie of animals including an elephant, a pony, kittens and a pig. (Could there be a joke about all of them walking into a bar?)
The author has a way catchy phrases.
Unfortunately, SM seems to be sinking into too much of a pattern in her plots - this book has a very similar character development and ending as several previous books in this series. The creativity in the climaxes is declining.
Once again at least one protagonist's mother and/or father stink. Once again, at least one protagonist is seeking to belong and/or be loved. I haven't mentioned it before but once again lust is such an overwhelming driver in the relationship that one wonders whether it is love or lust bringing the two together. Shane acknowledges his lack of control because of lust. To be fair, I will say that a lot of space is spent showing the two spend time together doing other things and therefore developing a relationship, but over and over lust is shown to control their behavior.
Mature themes: There is explicit sex. Much of the story revolves around preparing for a parade reenacting a tribal ritual of cutting out a man's heart. Also, a women tells her friend that she was raped and then victim shamed afterwards. I seriously question how she and especially her friends, including a so-called professional, handle this situation. The emphasis in the story is on this victim metaphorically getting back on the horse. I do not like when fictional books either deal casually or even exploit the subject of rape. While the conversation with the so-called professional is trite, this book doesn't really get into the meat of the rape backstory. The following book deals with the backstory, the resulting scars, and the attempts to heal, in a serious way, albeit a bit salacious.
BTW: I'm pretty sure there is a solution for infertility between intercourse and IVF which requires a lot less effort. I know because - been there, done that.
I really want to see the conclusion to Charlie's story, but then I'm done with SM.
June 20, 2012
http://myaddictionisreading.blogspot....
Those who have followed my blog for a while now know that I am a huge fan of Susan Mallery and her Fool's Gold series. I was extremely fortunate to get another ARC from the series!
First impressions can be detrimental. Annabelle lives up to the librarian name, she is sweet and reserved. Unfortunately, Shane catches his first glimpse of her during the worst possible moment. Annabelle is desperate to find someone to perform a sacred dance on a horse for the sake of her fundraiser. Out at a bar, but not drunk, she gets up on a bar to show the girls what it looks like.
Shane witnesses her dance and is immediately turned on by her. If he hadn't had enough of that TYPE of woman in his life, then he would definitely be all for her. Since he has dealt with the heartache a woman like her causes, he decides he needs to just ignore her.
Talked into training a friend of a friend to ride, Shane is shocked to meet Annabelle, a librarian?? He is determined to not have one pulled over on him and immediately gives the cold shoulder. Unfortunately Annabelle has a way or getting to him in the best possible way.
I just loved the premise of this book. I liked how Mallery had a slow and steady pace for their romance. They both have a lot of baggage from their divorces, so it's nice to see them working though their issues.
Shane is so stuck in his ways as a horse trainer that it is really sweet to see him open up and become a bigger part of the community. The way that Annabelle helps him and her passion for book and Fool's Gold is unparalleled. I really believe they compliment eachother perfectly.
Be ready for some steamy scenes in this one. Mallery does not dissappoint in that area! Another great addition to the Fool's Gold Series that you will not want to miss! Contemporary Romance at it's best!
Those who have followed my blog for a while now know that I am a huge fan of Susan Mallery and her Fool's Gold series. I was extremely fortunate to get another ARC from the series!
First impressions can be detrimental. Annabelle lives up to the librarian name, she is sweet and reserved. Unfortunately, Shane catches his first glimpse of her during the worst possible moment. Annabelle is desperate to find someone to perform a sacred dance on a horse for the sake of her fundraiser. Out at a bar, but not drunk, she gets up on a bar to show the girls what it looks like.
Shane witnesses her dance and is immediately turned on by her. If he hadn't had enough of that TYPE of woman in his life, then he would definitely be all for her. Since he has dealt with the heartache a woman like her causes, he decides he needs to just ignore her.
Talked into training a friend of a friend to ride, Shane is shocked to meet Annabelle, a librarian?? He is determined to not have one pulled over on him and immediately gives the cold shoulder. Unfortunately Annabelle has a way or getting to him in the best possible way.
I just loved the premise of this book. I liked how Mallery had a slow and steady pace for their romance. They both have a lot of baggage from their divorces, so it's nice to see them working though their issues.
Shane is so stuck in his ways as a horse trainer that it is really sweet to see him open up and become a bigger part of the community. The way that Annabelle helps him and her passion for book and Fool's Gold is unparalleled. I really believe they compliment eachother perfectly.
Be ready for some steamy scenes in this one. Mallery does not dissappoint in that area! Another great addition to the Fool's Gold Series that you will not want to miss! Contemporary Romance at it's best!
August 7, 2012
I'm not usually the cowboy type but this book is definitely making me re-think that...
Annabelle is done conforming to what men want her to be. Never again after her failed marriage. So she moves to the small town of Fools Gold to start her life over working as a librarian at the local library. She's not usually what you would consider a wild girl, in fact she might even be considered boring by most people, but that's not the impression Shane gets when he sees her dancing on a bar. After Shane's divorce he's decided he is done with the wild and carefree girls that remind him on his ex. He's ready for simple, boring, and uncomplicated, which is why he knows that fiery red head dancing on the bar isn't for him. But then why can't he stop thinking about her?
I absolutely loved this book! Annabelle is an all around awesome person. She'll make you laugh, she'll make you cry. She's just one of those people that you can't help but like right away. And the way she handles Shane and all his trust issues is so relatable you'll find yourself getting lost in this story. Then of course there is Shane...wow is he beyond swoon worthy! I'm not even the type to fall for a cowboy but I would take him home with me in a heartbeat. He's funny, sexy, polite, and perfect in his faults. The chemistry between these two was perfect, and at time very, very HOT!
This is my first book by Susan Mallery and you better believe I will be reading more. So if your looking for a book that will make you laugh, cry, and fan yourself then this is the story for you.
Annabelle is done conforming to what men want her to be. Never again after her failed marriage. So she moves to the small town of Fools Gold to start her life over working as a librarian at the local library. She's not usually what you would consider a wild girl, in fact she might even be considered boring by most people, but that's not the impression Shane gets when he sees her dancing on a bar. After Shane's divorce he's decided he is done with the wild and carefree girls that remind him on his ex. He's ready for simple, boring, and uncomplicated, which is why he knows that fiery red head dancing on the bar isn't for him. But then why can't he stop thinking about her?
I absolutely loved this book! Annabelle is an all around awesome person. She'll make you laugh, she'll make you cry. She's just one of those people that you can't help but like right away. And the way she handles Shane and all his trust issues is so relatable you'll find yourself getting lost in this story. Then of course there is Shane...wow is he beyond swoon worthy! I'm not even the type to fall for a cowboy but I would take him home with me in a heartbeat. He's funny, sexy, polite, and perfect in his faults. The chemistry between these two was perfect, and at time very, very HOT!
This is my first book by Susan Mallery and you better believe I will be reading more. So if your looking for a book that will make you laugh, cry, and fan yourself then this is the story for you.
December 30, 2020
Number 8 in the Fool's Gold series brings us Annabelle's story. Anabelle is a librarian who hardly ever actually works at the library. She wants to raise money to buy a bookmobile and her grand idea to do so is to learn how to ride a horse so she can ride in a parade, make the horse dance, and then pretend to cut out some guy's heart. This is supposed to simultaneously honor the local matriarchal Native American tripe that founded the town and raise money for the bookmobile because....reasons? So she asks Shane to teach her to ride. Shane is the super successful horse breeder who's the younger brother if Rafe from the last book. You know, the unreasonable one that was mad because his mom got bilked out of a bunch of money but somehow he was the bad guy?
Oh boy. These are getting ore and more ridiculous. I'm finding as I move back through these contemporary romance author's list, I'm liking them less and less. I guess that means they've gotten better as they wrote, but it's hard when I find someone I like and want to read more, only to find it...not so good.
Oh boy. These are getting ore and more ridiculous. I'm finding as I move back through these contemporary romance author's list, I'm liking them less and less. I guess that means they've gotten better as they wrote, but it's hard when I find someone I like and want to read more, only to find it...not so good.
July 1, 2012
Shane and Annabelle were cute sweet and a match. Both had been married and hurt in the past by their exes. Shane had a tough time moving on and trusting but he comes through in the end. I needed a straight forward no third party testing the relationship book and got it. I know you'll say the memory of a doing him wrong ex was the third party but I mean there wasnt another girl there dating him or trying to come between them etc...they met got to know each other and were drawn to each other....that was what I needed :) I love all the brothers and look forward to Clay's story...and maybe a mystery guy coming to Fools Gold named Gideon, hmmm I wondered what he will have in store? Thank you Susan Mallery for continuing to deliver The Fool's Gold series with characters I love and the loving story lines always looking forward to more :)
August 2, 2016
Noches De Verano es el octavo libro de la saga Fool´s Gold y tiene como protagonistas a Annabelle y Shane, personajes que conocemos brevemente en el libro anterior.
Es curioso lo que me sucede a veces, en algunas ocasiones espero con ansias leer una historia y cuando la termino resulta que fue una decepcion o no fue todo lo que yo esperaba, en cambio, otras veces empiezo una lectura mas por aburrimiento que por ganas y resulta ser un libro que sobresale, esta ultima situacion fue la que me paso con Noches De Verano, no lo comence con ningun tipo de expectativas y se convirtio en uno de mis favoritos de la serie.
Aunque reconozco que queria terminarlo cuanto antes para poder comenzar la historia de Charlie y Clay.
3 Estrellas!
April 20, 2021
This series is proving to be really rough—this author relies on unplanned pregnancies WAY too much. It's so exhausting and lazy. Not to mention telling a rape victim that the way to heal her trauma is to have sex with basically any guy she's attracted to?? How is any of this OK? (It's not, BTW.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2012
I didn't enjoy this at all, I thought it was as dull as dishwater with very little going on in the plot department.
December 14, 2014
While I still love the town and all of the characters, these books are starting to have less conflict in them. Resolving conflict is part of what makes romance so appealing!
October 30, 2018
Und ein weiteres Fool's Gold Buch ist zu Ende gegangen. Stille Küsse sind tief von Susan Mallery ist der achte Teil der Reihe. Hier geht es um die Bibliothekarin Annabelle, welche Reitstunden bei Shane Stryker nimmt um Geld für ihr Büchermobil zu sammeln. Shane findet Annabelle, wegen der Anziehungskraft, welche sie auf ihn hat, gefährlich. Um gemeinsame Ziele zu verfolgen müssen sie sich jedoch zusammenschließen und miteinander arbeiten. Was bei der hohen Anziehungskraft nicht so einfach ist.
Die Geschichte von diesen beiden hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Beiden tragen noch ein Päckchen aus ihrer Vergangenheit mit sich herum, welches sie noch verarbeiten müssen. Ich finde Annabelle ist eine gutmütige Frau und eine ruhige Bibliothekarin. Shane ist dagegen etwas impulsiver und braust schnell auf. Aber auch ihn muss man sofort ins Herz schließen.
Hier in diesem Buch erfahren wir auch mehr von Charlie, der Feuerwehrfrau aus Fool's Gold. Wie alle Geschichten miteinander verbunden sind und alle zueinander halten ist schön zu lesen.
Fool's Gold ist für mich schon eine kleine Heimat geworden. Man fühlt sich wie ein Bestandteil der Kleinstadt. Ich freue mich schon auf das nächste Buch.
Die Geschichte von diesen beiden hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Beiden tragen noch ein Päckchen aus ihrer Vergangenheit mit sich herum, welches sie noch verarbeiten müssen. Ich finde Annabelle ist eine gutmütige Frau und eine ruhige Bibliothekarin. Shane ist dagegen etwas impulsiver und braust schnell auf. Aber auch ihn muss man sofort ins Herz schließen.
Hier in diesem Buch erfahren wir auch mehr von Charlie, der Feuerwehrfrau aus Fool's Gold. Wie alle Geschichten miteinander verbunden sind und alle zueinander halten ist schön zu lesen.
Fool's Gold ist für mich schon eine kleine Heimat geworden. Man fühlt sich wie ein Bestandteil der Kleinstadt. Ich freue mich schon auf das nächste Buch.
December 21, 2018
Yay for librarians! Nothing better than a sec redheaded librarian and a sexy, smart cowboy. The fact the liked her mind as much as her body and looks thrilled me. The man was stubborn but I've been in her shoes fighting someone's assumptions because of a wicked ex. It's a hard battle worth fighting. This story was awesome. Can't wait to see what happens with Charlie!
August 28, 2017
You really can't go wrong with a Susan Mallery summer story.
Read
May 17, 2021Shane's looking for calm and steady without drama for his next romance. Then he meets Fool's Gold's librarian and all bets are off. Fun read.
January 16, 2022
My reviews are getting sooo boring because they say the same thing. This series is so good. You have love, loss, love again, and humor interspersed throughout.
Susan Mallery is so gifted. I absolutely love her writing.
Susan Mallery is so gifted. I absolutely love her writing.
June 26, 2024
It was a good read but wanted more from it.
January 13, 2021
Die anderen Bücher dieser Reihe haben mir viel besser gefallen.
July 19, 2012
Review written for www.books-n-kisses.com
Being back in Fool’s Gold is like coming home... Home to a city you wish really existed. This is the eighth in the Fool’s Gold series and the second regarding a Stryker Brothers.
Annabelle is a librarian who we met a few books ago. She decides to raise money for a bookmobile and will be a part of a parade and do a dance on horseback. However she has no idea how to ride a horse. That is where Shane comes in. Shane has been hurt before and after seeing Annabelle dancing on a bar he decides she is exactly what he does not need.
I have loved this series from book one and this book is no different. Mallery brings you right into her world of Fool’s Gold and makes you not want to leave. Mallery does not write Annabelle as the stereotypical librarian. There are no buns in her hair or glasses. And she does not write Shane as a typical cowboy. Yes he rides and teaches others to ride but he is not the lone cowboy. He wants to be in love and have a family but he wants to find someone reserved (like a librarian should be) but that is not Annabelle... well not exactly.
I was happy to see that Mallery brought back so many characters from the series. In the last book we did not get much of a glance of the previous characters but this book seemed to bring everyone back at some point. I loved the guys night out and would love to see more of that.
As with all of this series you can read it as a stand alone but I have no idea why you would want to and reading this one will just make you want to read the others so you might as well start at book one and enjoy your stay in Fool’s Gold.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Being back in Fool’s Gold is like coming home... Home to a city you wish really existed. This is the eighth in the Fool’s Gold series and the second regarding a Stryker Brothers.
Annabelle is a librarian who we met a few books ago. She decides to raise money for a bookmobile and will be a part of a parade and do a dance on horseback. However she has no idea how to ride a horse. That is where Shane comes in. Shane has been hurt before and after seeing Annabelle dancing on a bar he decides she is exactly what he does not need.
I have loved this series from book one and this book is no different. Mallery brings you right into her world of Fool’s Gold and makes you not want to leave. Mallery does not write Annabelle as the stereotypical librarian. There are no buns in her hair or glasses. And she does not write Shane as a typical cowboy. Yes he rides and teaches others to ride but he is not the lone cowboy. He wants to be in love and have a family but he wants to find someone reserved (like a librarian should be) but that is not Annabelle... well not exactly.
I was happy to see that Mallery brought back so many characters from the series. In the last book we did not get much of a glance of the previous characters but this book seemed to bring everyone back at some point. I loved the guys night out and would love to see more of that.
As with all of this series you can read it as a stand alone but I have no idea why you would want to and reading this one will just make you want to read the others so you might as well start at book one and enjoy your stay in Fool’s Gold.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
April 12, 2018
4/6 - 4/11/18 - 4 stars - I'm not as huge a fan as I was the first time around. Somehow the idiosyncrasies of Fool's Gold bother me more now. The closeness of the townspeople is called support when in reality it's a large percentage of nosiness. And it bothers me that May takes such advantage of Shane. She goes ahead and buys whatever crazy animals she chooses, then she expects Shane to take over the care of them, leaving on vacation whenever she wants, and generally complaining if he doesn't care about them as much as she does. Overall, I did like Annabelle and Shane very much and was definitely rooting for them to get together. But some of their problems seemed manufactured, and I thought that Annabelle overreacted and basically set herself up for failure at the end, although it all worked out (of course). I'm looking forward to Clay and Charley's story in the next episode. Tanya Eby does a fine job of narration.
10/9 - 10/11/12 - 5 stars - I would actually give this one 4.5 stars. As always, I love the Fool's Gold experience (although I'm not sure I could handle the lack of privacy if I actually lived there). Annabelle and Shane are very likable and enjoyable characters. They're attractive, well-off, fun-loving, and generally pleasant to read about. Of course, they have typical romantic problems and seem to solve them (as often happens in Fool's Gold) in a very public fashion. The only drawback to Susan Mallery is that she sometimes takes the amusing comments a little too far. She's clever, and I get her sense of humor, but from time to time I think to myself...enough already. Other than that, I'm a big fan and will hang on with this series as long as she keeps 'em coming.
10/9 - 10/11/12 - 5 stars - I would actually give this one 4.5 stars. As always, I love the Fool's Gold experience (although I'm not sure I could handle the lack of privacy if I actually lived there). Annabelle and Shane are very likable and enjoyable characters. They're attractive, well-off, fun-loving, and generally pleasant to read about. Of course, they have typical romantic problems and seem to solve them (as often happens in Fool's Gold) in a very public fashion. The only drawback to Susan Mallery is that she sometimes takes the amusing comments a little too far. She's clever, and I get her sense of humor, but from time to time I think to myself...enough already. Other than that, I'm a big fan and will hang on with this series as long as she keeps 'em coming.
November 9, 2012
I was sold at the word “librarian,” being a librarian myself. From the bar-dance to the festival, we get to see that Annabelle is willing to put herself out there for what she is passionate about (in this case, her community). She appeals to Shane to help her see through the horse dance for the festival, which will raise money for a much needed library vehicle to bring materials and computers to those farther out.
Shane sees an attractive woman; one with happily-ever-after and wild-sex-fiend spelled out on her forehead, and does his best to avoid her. He’s working hard to bring to life his dream ranch, except Annabelle and the Fool’s Gold community keep changing the game. He doesn’t understand (or want) the sense of community that keeps pushing people at him, but he begins to realize that it might be exactly what he needs.
Annabelle and Shane have some serious sexual chemistry. Shane has a lot of relationship issues bestowed by his ex-wife, and even after they start something up he walks…and brings the wrath of Fool’s Gold on his head. I appreciated that this story was more than just them falling in love – it’s “real” world stuff like furthering your professional goals and having a personal life that doesn’t include your significant other. The secondary characters really add to this book, just like in any of the other books in the series- but you don’t have to read any of the others to appreciate this one, even if it is great to revisit much loved characters. I can’t wait to read more about the Stryker family!
Shane sees an attractive woman; one with happily-ever-after and wild-sex-fiend spelled out on her forehead, and does his best to avoid her. He’s working hard to bring to life his dream ranch, except Annabelle and the Fool’s Gold community keep changing the game. He doesn’t understand (or want) the sense of community that keeps pushing people at him, but he begins to realize that it might be exactly what he needs.
Annabelle and Shane have some serious sexual chemistry. Shane has a lot of relationship issues bestowed by his ex-wife, and even after they start something up he walks…and brings the wrath of Fool’s Gold on his head. I appreciated that this story was more than just them falling in love – it’s “real” world stuff like furthering your professional goals and having a personal life that doesn’t include your significant other. The secondary characters really add to this book, just like in any of the other books in the series- but you don’t have to read any of the others to appreciate this one, even if it is great to revisit much loved characters. I can’t wait to read more about the Stryker family!
June 25, 2012
Horse breeder Shane Stryker's first impression of librarian Annabelle Weiss is that she's an attention-seeker: just like his ex-wife. But when she shows up at his temporary ranch for riding lessons, he finds himself drawn to her. Annabelle is likewise attracted, but after the disaster of her first marriage, she's not willing to take a chance to someone who isn't willing to go for it all when it comes to relationships. Their relationship takes off in fits and starts, but the true test will be whether or not Shane can believe Annabelle really does prefer a drama-free life, and Annabelle can convince him that the few things that crop up after they meet really are out of the ordinary for her.
This is the premise of Susan Mallery's Summer Nights , the eighth book in her Fool's Gold series. The romance between Shane and Annabelle is sweet, and the love scenes are spicy, but the mere fact of this being the eighth book in a continuing series clutters the book too much. There are recurring characters from seven previous books to catch up with, as well as set-ups going on for future books, and while it may be nice for fans of the series to catch up with their favorite characters from earlier, it leaves little room to focus on the couple we're supposed to be focused on, and will confuse any reader coming in for the first time at book eight.
I received this book from NetGalley for review.
This is the premise of Susan Mallery's Summer Nights , the eighth book in her Fool's Gold series. The romance between Shane and Annabelle is sweet, and the love scenes are spicy, but the mere fact of this being the eighth book in a continuing series clutters the book too much. There are recurring characters from seven previous books to catch up with, as well as set-ups going on for future books, and while it may be nice for fans of the series to catch up with their favorite characters from earlier, it leaves little room to focus on the couple we're supposed to be focused on, and will confuse any reader coming in for the first time at book eight.
I received this book from NetGalley for review.
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