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Fool's Gold #1
Chasing Perfect
Welcome to Fool's Gold, California, a charming community in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. There's lots to do and plenty of people to meet, especially women. Because there's just one tiny problem in Fool's Gold: the men don't seem to stick around.
Maybe it's the lure of big-city life, or maybe it's plain old bad luck, but regardless of the reason, the problem has to be fixed, fast. And Charity Jones may be just the city planner to do it. Charity's nomadic childhood has left her itching to settle down, and she immediately falls in love with all the storybook town has to offer—everything, that is, except its sexiest and most famous resident, former world-class cyclist Josh Golden.
With her long list of romantic disasters, she's not about to take a chance on another bad boy, even if everyone else thinks he's perfect just the way he is. But maybe that's just what he needs—someone who knows the value of his flaws. Someone who knows that he's just chasing perfect.
380 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2010
1357 people are currently reading
19835 people want to read
About the author
Susan Mallery
862 books15.4k 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 1,002 reviews
May 25, 2017
4 Worthy Stars
This review and all reviews for this series are going to be short, and to the point since there are 19 books in this series. Unless there is one that I love so much or hate so much that I just have to rant or rave. Chasing Perfect was a sweet start to the Fool's Gold Series. I have heard such good things about Susan Mallery that I had to try her books, and I can say I wasn't disappointed. This was a very cute story. Lower on the angst, this was more of a chill read. I loved the theme of the series being that the town of Fool's Gold is almost all women and they are in need of men. I liked both the MCs and I liked the town folks. The ending was very sweet. It kind of reminded me of Robyn Carr so if you liked her books you would probably like Susan Mallery's Chasing Perfect. I can't wait to read each supporting character's stories.
“You’ve been talking about me.” Charity didn’t like the sound of that. It implied an interest she absolutely refused to acknowledge. “You’re difficult to avoid, what with the posters, screen savers and bobbleheads.” “Which is your favorite?” She immediately thought of the picture on Sheryl’s screen saver—the one showing Josh in the shower. Naked. His back to the camera. “I haven’t given it any thought,” she lied. “Can I get back to you?” “I can’t wait to hear the answer.” “I’ll bet. Does your ego ever get too big to carry around?” The grin widened. “Sure. That’s why I have fans. To help with the heavy lifting.”-Josh and Charity
This review and all reviews for this series are going to be short, and to the point since there are 19 books in this series. Unless there is one that I love so much or hate so much that I just have to rant or rave. Chasing Perfect was a sweet start to the Fool's Gold Series. I have heard such good things about Susan Mallery that I had to try her books, and I can say I wasn't disappointed. This was a very cute story. Lower on the angst, this was more of a chill read. I loved the theme of the series being that the town of Fool's Gold is almost all women and they are in need of men. I liked both the MCs and I liked the town folks. The ending was very sweet. It kind of reminded me of Robyn Carr so if you liked her books you would probably like Susan Mallery's Chasing Perfect. I can't wait to read each supporting character's stories.
“You’ve been talking about me.” Charity didn’t like the sound of that. It implied an interest she absolutely refused to acknowledge. “You’re difficult to avoid, what with the posters, screen savers and bobbleheads.” “Which is your favorite?” She immediately thought of the picture on Sheryl’s screen saver—the one showing Josh in the shower. Naked. His back to the camera. “I haven’t given it any thought,” she lied. “Can I get back to you?” “I can’t wait to hear the answer.” “I’ll bet. Does your ego ever get too big to carry around?” The grin widened. “Sure. That’s why I have fans. To help with the heavy lifting.”-Josh and Charity
June 8, 2011
Welcome to Fool’s Gold, the town where men don’t stay… except, of course, the incredibly gorgeous and wealthy ones who are going to marry the heroines of this series.
City planner Charity is hired to bring more men to Fool’s Gold. Though considering her past history with terrible boyfriends, perhaps she wasn’t the best choice. Certainly she doesn’t trust her attraction to local hero Josh--a famous sports figure could never be interested in an ordinary woman like her, right?
The perfect-rich-charming-athlete hero and the heroine who practically has a stroke every time he comes near put me off this book at first. When we find out things aren’t nearly as golden for Josh Golden as they seem, it got more interesting. But it always felt on the lightweight side, and there was so many niggling things that annoyed me. Word repetition. Plot repetition. (How many people in this town have lost both spouse and unborn child? No wonder men move away.) The fact that in a town supposedly short of men, there are three attractive single men interested in the heroine -- and most of the other women (except the sequel bait) are somehow conveniently married. Not to mention, Fool’s Gold seems like the Simpson’s “Springfield” -- the small town that nonetheless manages to attract every metropolitan amenity you could possibly want.
And then in major Pet Peeve territory, there’s the unprotected sex, which neither character even wastes a passing thought on. (When Josh is later accused by another woman of making her pregnant and the heroine thinks to herself “Josh was a lot of things, but he wasn’t irresponsible,” I nearly busted a gut. Sorry, there is not a lampshade in the world big enough to cover that scene with.)
I came very close to not finishing this one, but stuck with it since I was curious about the second book. If you're not otherwise interested in the series, I wouldn't bother.
City planner Charity is hired to bring more men to Fool’s Gold. Though considering her past history with terrible boyfriends, perhaps she wasn’t the best choice. Certainly she doesn’t trust her attraction to local hero Josh--a famous sports figure could never be interested in an ordinary woman like her, right?
The perfect-rich-charming-athlete hero and the heroine who practically has a stroke every time he comes near put me off this book at first. When we find out things aren’t nearly as golden for Josh Golden as they seem, it got more interesting. But it always felt on the lightweight side, and there was so many niggling things that annoyed me. Word repetition. Plot repetition. (How many people in this town have lost both spouse and unborn child? No wonder men move away.) The fact that in a town supposedly short of men, there are three attractive single men interested in the heroine -- and most of the other women (except the sequel bait) are somehow conveniently married. Not to mention, Fool’s Gold seems like the Simpson’s “Springfield” -- the small town that nonetheless manages to attract every metropolitan amenity you could possibly want.
And then in major Pet Peeve territory, there’s the unprotected sex, which neither character even wastes a passing thought on. (When Josh is later accused by another woman of making her pregnant and the heroine thinks to herself “Josh was a lot of things, but he wasn’t irresponsible,” I nearly busted a gut. Sorry, there is not a lampshade in the world big enough to cover that scene with.)
I came very close to not finishing this one, but stuck with it since I was curious about the second book. If you're not otherwise interested in the series, I wouldn't bother.
May 16, 2010
I liked this one but I didn't love it. I was hoping for something along the lines of Mallery's Buchanans or Lone Star Sisters, but this one fell a little short of that for me. It could be because it was the first book in the series, and there was a lot of setting up to do (the small town of Fool's Gold and its lack of male population; the huge amount of characters she introduced) or maybe it was the plot which wasn't all that compelling-- world class cyclist (Josh) tries to get over his fears of competing again after being involved in a race that had tragic results-- meets and falls for new to town city planner Charity, whose job it was to find a way to attract businesses to town that would add more males to the local population. Charity's looking for a place to belong and to establish some roots after living with a mother with a serious case of wanderlust and chasing after the wrong type of men. Local hero Josh is frozen in fear over an accident that took his protégé's life. Will Josh be content to stay in town if he gets over his fears or will he go back to chasing fame?
I think my problem with this one was the romance. It just didn't seem that Josh and Charity were all that crazy about each other in that I've-got-to-have-you-or-I'll-die way. Seemed to me that they were content to just mosey along in their relationship, have some sex when the spirit moved them, and then continue on with their lives. I never felt a sense of urgency that they really needed to be with each other. I just wasn't convinced that they shared a passionate romance. They were likable enough characters, but I didn't find them (or their problems) all that interesting. But Susan Mallery is a talented enough author to keep me reading, even if I found the romance somewhat lacking. There was some small town charm laced through the book, a few passages that had me cracking up (the scene in the local beauty parlor where a couple of old busybodies discussed Charity's love life), some humorous scenes between Charity and new pal Pia that had me smiling, and scenes of every day life that were easy enough to read. But this wasn't a book that I felt I couldn't put down until I found out how it ended. Mallery's writing style kept me hooked enough to finish, but I wasn't in love with the characters or the plot.
Will I continue with the series? I believe I will. Now that I know all the background stuff about the town and its people, I think the next books in the series are bound to focus more on the romances between the heroes and heroines. At least I hope so. 3 1/2 hopeful stars.
I think my problem with this one was the romance. It just didn't seem that Josh and Charity were all that crazy about each other in that I've-got-to-have-you-or-I'll-die way. Seemed to me that they were content to just mosey along in their relationship, have some sex when the spirit moved them, and then continue on with their lives. I never felt a sense of urgency that they really needed to be with each other. I just wasn't convinced that they shared a passionate romance. They were likable enough characters, but I didn't find them (or their problems) all that interesting. But Susan Mallery is a talented enough author to keep me reading, even if I found the romance somewhat lacking. There was some small town charm laced through the book, a few passages that had me cracking up (the scene in the local beauty parlor where a couple of old busybodies discussed Charity's love life), some humorous scenes between Charity and new pal Pia that had me smiling, and scenes of every day life that were easy enough to read. But this wasn't a book that I felt I couldn't put down until I found out how it ended. Mallery's writing style kept me hooked enough to finish, but I wasn't in love with the characters or the plot.
Will I continue with the series? I believe I will. Now that I know all the background stuff about the town and its people, I think the next books in the series are bound to focus more on the romances between the heroes and heroines. At least I hope so. 3 1/2 hopeful stars.
April 1, 2010
I can honestly say that this was the hardest book to review for me so far. Don't get me wrong the book was fabulous in my opinion, but i had a hard time doing a review where i didn't spoil it for anyone. I was so happy with everything that i just wanted to gush about everything, so i put the review on hiatus. It has been quite some time since i enjoyed a book so much i couldn't stop thinking about the characters almost 2 months after i finished reading it. With the amount of books i have read before and since, it's quite the accomplishment for Mallery. Although i shouldn't be surprised because she's one of my auto-buy authors and i have read almost everything she has written so far, i was still impressed.
As noticed this is the first book in the author's new series Fool's Gold. Fool's Gold is a small town in California and this is the book where the town starts forming in the series. One of the most prominent characters that will help set the premise for future books is Martha. She is the town's unofficial matchmaker and the mayor in town. She also plays a vital role in Charity's life. There seemed to be some friendships between the women that I would like to see more of in future books. Pia the party planner who it seems suffered a backlash from family gossip. I admired how Pia handled one particular conversation with charity. She was a good friend who can acknowledge that men cannot read minds. I cannot wait to see what Mallery has in store for her. Josephine, is the bar owner whose mysterious past has everyone speculating why she moved to the small town. Poor Katie, was dumped by ex for her sister. I wonder if anything will develop with Howie “the nerd”. There is also Crystal, the widow fighting cancer. What roles will Desiree, Bernice the accountant and Tiffany the PhD student play in later books?
This story is about Charity who comes to the small town to gain something she never had growing up, stability. She wanted a place where she could grow roots; build a family, with a very "normal and safe" man. It's not until she's hired by the mayor that she discovers that the town is suffering from a shortage of men. Her role is to facilitate outside companies to relocate in Fool's Gold. The glitch is that the companies need to be those that employ more men than women. At the beginning of the book, the way she labeled Josh when she had not gotten to know him. Yet thinking the worst of him based on his looks, made me dislike her a little bit even with her family background. I can understand not wanting to make a mistake and fall for the wrong person, but to look at outer appearance and make a decision about someone just on face value seemed too shallow. I thought Charity needed a LOT of therapy. Why should someone control their feelings for someone when they are both available? How can someone ignore the chemistry they have with someone and try and be with a person they feel zero chemistry with? Thankfully she was fantastic when Josh bared his soul to her, redeeming herself in my eyes. I really like the way she handled it and how she responded to him. It put them at ease and gave them that level they needed to start connecting.
Due to the way Charity’s mother raised her, Charity wanted a man who was “nice, normal and safe”. In other words a boring accountant, what she got was a too handsome and popular Josh. Josh is a retired cyclist, business mogul and quite the celebrity due to his accomplishments as a cyclist. He has moved back to town after one of his teammates dies in a cycling accident, which prompts his early retirement. He is suffering great guilt because he feels there should have been more he could have done to prevent the accident. The struggles with poor Josh seemed so realistic I really felt for him, his personality really drew me in. We learn how almost everyone in Fool’s Gold had a hand in raising him, thereby he feels compelled to help the town prosper. He is estranged from Ethan, his foster brother and best friend, who used to be a cyclist himself. As the story progresses we find out the reasons why and how they renew it. Eddie, Josh's assistant had me laughing by how she treated him and her way of dressing.
The best part was that first kiss they shared which had me a bit breathless. Charity’s details of how she felt while doing so where so vivid…Then when they finally got intimate, I tell you I felt like I was on fire just picturing it. The sex continued to be oh so exquisite; I wondered if this was the same author I’ve read in the past. I don’t recall reading any other books by her where these scenes were so steamy; I honestly had to go in search of a toy. I sighed when Josh said “knowing what to do is the easy part. Finding the right person to do it with is a whole lot harder.” All in all it was fun to see how the main couple fell for each other.
The ending was delightful and the last scene with Ethan had me wondering what the author had in store for him. Who is that redhead called Liz? I'm delighted to have met and to continue to get to know the residents of Fools Gold. This quaint small town "sounds" like a great place to live, it was a nice touch. The history of the town sounded fascinating; from Mallery’s words I could picture the town quite vividly. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a small town, contemporary romance with a sense of community.
As noticed this is the first book in the author's new series Fool's Gold. Fool's Gold is a small town in California and this is the book where the town starts forming in the series. One of the most prominent characters that will help set the premise for future books is Martha. She is the town's unofficial matchmaker and the mayor in town. She also plays a vital role in Charity's life. There seemed to be some friendships between the women that I would like to see more of in future books. Pia the party planner who it seems suffered a backlash from family gossip. I admired how Pia handled one particular conversation with charity. She was a good friend who can acknowledge that men cannot read minds. I cannot wait to see what Mallery has in store for her. Josephine, is the bar owner whose mysterious past has everyone speculating why she moved to the small town. Poor Katie, was dumped by ex for her sister. I wonder if anything will develop with Howie “the nerd”. There is also Crystal, the widow fighting cancer. What roles will Desiree, Bernice the accountant and Tiffany the PhD student play in later books?
This story is about Charity who comes to the small town to gain something she never had growing up, stability. She wanted a place where she could grow roots; build a family, with a very "normal and safe" man. It's not until she's hired by the mayor that she discovers that the town is suffering from a shortage of men. Her role is to facilitate outside companies to relocate in Fool's Gold. The glitch is that the companies need to be those that employ more men than women. At the beginning of the book, the way she labeled Josh when she had not gotten to know him. Yet thinking the worst of him based on his looks, made me dislike her a little bit even with her family background. I can understand not wanting to make a mistake and fall for the wrong person, but to look at outer appearance and make a decision about someone just on face value seemed too shallow. I thought Charity needed a LOT of therapy. Why should someone control their feelings for someone when they are both available? How can someone ignore the chemistry they have with someone and try and be with a person they feel zero chemistry with? Thankfully she was fantastic when Josh bared his soul to her, redeeming herself in my eyes. I really like the way she handled it and how she responded to him. It put them at ease and gave them that level they needed to start connecting.
Due to the way Charity’s mother raised her, Charity wanted a man who was “nice, normal and safe”. In other words a boring accountant, what she got was a too handsome and popular Josh. Josh is a retired cyclist, business mogul and quite the celebrity due to his accomplishments as a cyclist. He has moved back to town after one of his teammates dies in a cycling accident, which prompts his early retirement. He is suffering great guilt because he feels there should have been more he could have done to prevent the accident. The struggles with poor Josh seemed so realistic I really felt for him, his personality really drew me in. We learn how almost everyone in Fool’s Gold had a hand in raising him, thereby he feels compelled to help the town prosper. He is estranged from Ethan, his foster brother and best friend, who used to be a cyclist himself. As the story progresses we find out the reasons why and how they renew it. Eddie, Josh's assistant had me laughing by how she treated him and her way of dressing.
The best part was that first kiss they shared which had me a bit breathless. Charity’s details of how she felt while doing so where so vivid…Then when they finally got intimate, I tell you I felt like I was on fire just picturing it. The sex continued to be oh so exquisite; I wondered if this was the same author I’ve read in the past. I don’t recall reading any other books by her where these scenes were so steamy; I honestly had to go in search of a toy. I sighed when Josh said “knowing what to do is the easy part. Finding the right person to do it with is a whole lot harder.” All in all it was fun to see how the main couple fell for each other.
The ending was delightful and the last scene with Ethan had me wondering what the author had in store for him. Who is that redhead called Liz? I'm delighted to have met and to continue to get to know the residents of Fools Gold. This quaint small town "sounds" like a great place to live, it was a nice touch. The history of the town sounded fascinating; from Mallery’s words I could picture the town quite vividly. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a small town, contemporary romance with a sense of community.
January 2, 2018
Chasing Perfect
Susan Mallery
CHASING PERFECT is the first book in the Fools Gold series. There are currently thirty one books in this series and I have been wanting to read it since it came out years ago. I'm so excited to finally read it. CHASING PERFECT is a very sweet beginning to this series and lived up to everything my reader friends were saying about it. I was instantly hooked on the story and read it in one day. It is the story of Charity Jones a city planner who is looking to put down roots and Josh Golden, a professional cyclist who is the big time celebrity of Fools Gold.
The weird thing about Fools Gold is that there is a huge shortage of men. One of Charity's first tasks is to bring new business in and along with that more men. CHASING PERFECT doesn't have constant drama, just many laugh out loud moments and twists to the story that will have you flipping the pages like crazy! Charity's new boss, Marsha, plays a huge role in Charity laying down roots in Fools Gold and I love how Susan Mallery put that story line right out there. That's all I can say without spoiling it. I felt every emotion Charity was feeling and I love when an author does that to me. That along with the mystery going on, had me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning.
Oh, did I mention that Marsha is the town matchmaker? Oh and that Fools Gold is a small town where everyone knows everyone else's business? If you like small town romance you will not be disappointed in CHASING PERFECT! I'm so excited to continue the Fools Gold series and learn more about my new friends. I felt such a sense of community while reading all about Fools Gold California and wish it were a real place. I'd be packing my bags in a heartbeat. That's how vivid Susan Mallery's descriptions are of Fools Gold. CHASING PERFECT isn't just a story filled with romance. It's also about letting go of the past finding yourself again and realizing just how important family is.
Susan Mallery
CHASING PERFECT is the first book in the Fools Gold series. There are currently thirty one books in this series and I have been wanting to read it since it came out years ago. I'm so excited to finally read it. CHASING PERFECT is a very sweet beginning to this series and lived up to everything my reader friends were saying about it. I was instantly hooked on the story and read it in one day. It is the story of Charity Jones a city planner who is looking to put down roots and Josh Golden, a professional cyclist who is the big time celebrity of Fools Gold.
The weird thing about Fools Gold is that there is a huge shortage of men. One of Charity's first tasks is to bring new business in and along with that more men. CHASING PERFECT doesn't have constant drama, just many laugh out loud moments and twists to the story that will have you flipping the pages like crazy! Charity's new boss, Marsha, plays a huge role in Charity laying down roots in Fools Gold and I love how Susan Mallery put that story line right out there. That's all I can say without spoiling it. I felt every emotion Charity was feeling and I love when an author does that to me. That along with the mystery going on, had me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning.
Oh, did I mention that Marsha is the town matchmaker? Oh and that Fools Gold is a small town where everyone knows everyone else's business? If you like small town romance you will not be disappointed in CHASING PERFECT! I'm so excited to continue the Fools Gold series and learn more about my new friends. I felt such a sense of community while reading all about Fools Gold California and wish it were a real place. I'd be packing my bags in a heartbeat. That's how vivid Susan Mallery's descriptions are of Fools Gold. CHASING PERFECT isn't just a story filled with romance. It's also about letting go of the past finding yourself again and realizing just how important family is.
October 26, 2015
This is a pretty good romance, in a by-the-numbers kind of way. Indeed, I spent much of the novel waiting for it to make an original or unconventional move and was steadily disappointed. Not to say that it isn't entertaining. It's a quick read and with some genuinely laugh-out-loud moments.
Charity and Josh are fine, but again, rather standard—and with rather standard hang-ups. Her trust issues up against his commitment issues and with a small town set to watch the fireworks. And yes, I'm being a little unfair, here. They were fun to spend time with. I really did like them both. I just couldn't help feeling like there should have been more somehow. And the big development in the last quarter? Yeah, completely clichéd...
Anyway, the setup and even execution is good enough that I'll probably seek out the next in the series. Mallery's good enough that I have confidence it'll be worth the time and there's always hope there'll be more.
A note about Steamy: I don't know if this is standard for Mallery, but it's a standard mainstream romance two explicit sex scenes; so the middle of my tolerance. They were a touch gratuitous in that they weren't really needed for the emotional arc of the characters, but not over-done or anything like that. Again, I could have done with less predictability, but at least it was competent.
Charity and Josh are fine, but again, rather standard—and with rather standard hang-ups. Her trust issues up against his commitment issues and with a small town set to watch the fireworks. And yes, I'm being a little unfair, here. They were fun to spend time with. I really did like them both. I just couldn't help feeling like there should have been more somehow. And the big development in the last quarter? Yeah, completely clichéd...
Anyway, the setup and even execution is good enough that I'll probably seek out the next in the series. Mallery's good enough that I have confidence it'll be worth the time and there's always hope there'll be more.
A note about Steamy: I don't know if this is standard for Mallery, but it's a standard mainstream romance two explicit sex scenes; so the middle of my tolerance. They were a touch gratuitous in that they weren't really needed for the emotional arc of the characters, but not over-done or anything like that. Again, I could have done with less predictability, but at least it was competent.
May 2, 2010
Really a 4.5 star read for me! Just awesome!
Susan Mallery delivers a small town romance story that will leave readers anticipating the next book in the series. A combination of whit, charm and steam provides a delightful and entertaining read.
Chasing Perfect is about Charity Jones, who is a young, vibrant go-getter. Having spent the majority of her life taking care of herself and moving around, she’s determined to find a place that is quiet and peaceful so that she can settle down. Her whole life she had to go wherever her mother migrated to. She was always the new girl in town. Charity had to be the adult for most of her life and when she finally gets a new offer for a job as a city planner in a small town in California named Fool’s Gold, she knows this is the right fit for her to finally to settle down and maybe even start a family. However, her whole plan goes up in smoke once she sets eyes on Josh Golden.
Josh is the golden boy in the town of Fool’s Gold. A famous retired cyclist he is every woman’s dream. He has the gorgeous looks, smoking hot body and charm. He also has a huge responsibility to the town and its people because they all look to him as some sort of God like figure. Little does every one know, Josh is not the man they think he is. He’s not the self assured, confident celebrity they want. After a cycling accident that left one of his team mates dead, he’s battling more than one demon. Hiding out in Fool’s Gold seems to be the perfect way to solve his problems but some problems you just can’t run from. The last thing Josh needs is an affair with Charity but he can’t seem to fight his attraction.
Charity is the only one to see Josh for the man that he really is. She sees past the Tour de France winner and the womanizing reputation to the kind, genuine and scared man that Josh really is. She’s not afraid to embrace that. I really liked how Charity dealt with a situation with a particular woman. She dealt with Josh’s fame realistically. While they struggle with their relationship each has to deal with certain circumstances that arrives, leaving them wonder if love can conquer all.
I found the premise to be interesting. Once Charity arrives in Fool’s Gold, she is presenting with helping the town resolve its issue of bringing men to town. The women outnumber men in the town and the town is slowly drying up. Mayor Marsha Tilson, Mallery has already set her up to be a key character in this series, is desperately trying to save her small town. At first I found the idea of a town filled with mostly a female population, amusing and silly but as the story progressed I realized the different angles the series could go. There were also some secrets and a mystery thrown in the mix. Though quite obvious, the mystery added a new element to the story.
The love scenes were nicely done. Their first encounter was hot. I loved the way that the writer poured Charity’s emotions through every word. My only problem was that it took too long for the characters to interact romantically. While I felt that they were attracted to each other, there was no romantic interaction for a long time. The communication was stiff at the end when I felt they should have understood each other better.
Susan Mallery built a quaint small town with secondary characters that I can not wait to read about, Pia the fun event planner, Jo the mysterious bar owner, Crystal the young window suffering from an illness and Kate the hip woman who ex dumped her for her sister. I anticipate Ethan’s story as well, especially after reading the ending.
Overall, this was a wonderful read full of promise and hope. I fell in love with the town and all of it’s people. Chasing Perfect is the perfect blend of overcoming obstacles and finding love.
Susan Mallery delivers a small town romance story that will leave readers anticipating the next book in the series. A combination of whit, charm and steam provides a delightful and entertaining read.
Chasing Perfect is about Charity Jones, who is a young, vibrant go-getter. Having spent the majority of her life taking care of herself and moving around, she’s determined to find a place that is quiet and peaceful so that she can settle down. Her whole life she had to go wherever her mother migrated to. She was always the new girl in town. Charity had to be the adult for most of her life and when she finally gets a new offer for a job as a city planner in a small town in California named Fool’s Gold, she knows this is the right fit for her to finally to settle down and maybe even start a family. However, her whole plan goes up in smoke once she sets eyes on Josh Golden.
Josh is the golden boy in the town of Fool’s Gold. A famous retired cyclist he is every woman’s dream. He has the gorgeous looks, smoking hot body and charm. He also has a huge responsibility to the town and its people because they all look to him as some sort of God like figure. Little does every one know, Josh is not the man they think he is. He’s not the self assured, confident celebrity they want. After a cycling accident that left one of his team mates dead, he’s battling more than one demon. Hiding out in Fool’s Gold seems to be the perfect way to solve his problems but some problems you just can’t run from. The last thing Josh needs is an affair with Charity but he can’t seem to fight his attraction.
Charity is the only one to see Josh for the man that he really is. She sees past the Tour de France winner and the womanizing reputation to the kind, genuine and scared man that Josh really is. She’s not afraid to embrace that. I really liked how Charity dealt with a situation with a particular woman. She dealt with Josh’s fame realistically. While they struggle with their relationship each has to deal with certain circumstances that arrives, leaving them wonder if love can conquer all.
I found the premise to be interesting. Once Charity arrives in Fool’s Gold, she is presenting with helping the town resolve its issue of bringing men to town. The women outnumber men in the town and the town is slowly drying up. Mayor Marsha Tilson, Mallery has already set her up to be a key character in this series, is desperately trying to save her small town. At first I found the idea of a town filled with mostly a female population, amusing and silly but as the story progressed I realized the different angles the series could go. There were also some secrets and a mystery thrown in the mix. Though quite obvious, the mystery added a new element to the story.
The love scenes were nicely done. Their first encounter was hot. I loved the way that the writer poured Charity’s emotions through every word. My only problem was that it took too long for the characters to interact romantically. While I felt that they were attracted to each other, there was no romantic interaction for a long time. The communication was stiff at the end when I felt they should have understood each other better.
Susan Mallery built a quaint small town with secondary characters that I can not wait to read about, Pia the fun event planner, Jo the mysterious bar owner, Crystal the young window suffering from an illness and Kate the hip woman who ex dumped her for her sister. I anticipate Ethan’s story as well, especially after reading the ending.
Overall, this was a wonderful read full of promise and hope. I fell in love with the town and all of it’s people. Chasing Perfect is the perfect blend of overcoming obstacles and finding love.
May 17, 2010
I must confess, I read up until a certain point and then sort of just skipped to the end. Well not "sort of", because that's exactly what I did.
First things first, I want to say that it got off to a HILARIOUS start. For your pleasure, I took down some of the lines that made me snort tea out my nose (attractively, of course):
- "When she made the mistake of meeting his hazel-green eyes, she
could have sworn she heard the theme from Gone with the Wind playing softly in the background."
- "...her curiosity seemed to be enough of a distraction that she could control her reaction to him. Or at least keep it more manageable. The tingles were still there, as was the awareness. But she wanted to know what was going on nearly as much as she wanted to rub against him and purr. Progress, she thought happily."
I liked the plot of the heroine adjusting to being in a new area. The plot about the family ties she had in the community was weird, unexpected and unnecessary (or at least grandma shouldn't have hired her - erm tad unbelievable "We hired you because you were the best for the job". Well, grams, truth be told, your committee would have hired a man seeing as you are all so concerned about the lack of men in the town...in real life that is).
I lost interest in the H/h's story and wasn't pleased to see (once I skipped to the end) that a well timed pregnancy is what brings everyone to their Happily Ever After. I hate when that happens.
So, all in all this book ends up with a 2.5 star (sorry Susan). I am hoping the next books in the series will be better (because, regardless of the low rating I will be reading the next book). Ethan's story seems promising and the story after him stars the kid that was taken in by the bakery sister in the 2nd book of that series (oooo! cross-over!). We get to see him all grown up and clearly not still with the football player's daughter who wanted to get teen-pregnant (remember that?). Hmm, how things don't work out as you thought they would when you were a teen...
First things first, I want to say that it got off to a HILARIOUS start. For your pleasure, I took down some of the lines that made me snort tea out my nose (attractively, of course):
- "When she made the mistake of meeting his hazel-green eyes, she
could have sworn she heard the theme from Gone with the Wind playing softly in the background."
- "...her curiosity seemed to be enough of a distraction that she could control her reaction to him. Or at least keep it more manageable. The tingles were still there, as was the awareness. But she wanted to know what was going on nearly as much as she wanted to rub against him and purr. Progress, she thought happily."
I liked the plot of the heroine adjusting to being in a new area. The plot about the family ties she had in the community was weird, unexpected and unnecessary (or at least grandma shouldn't have hired her - erm tad unbelievable "We hired you because you were the best for the job". Well, grams, truth be told, your committee would have hired a man seeing as you are all so concerned about the lack of men in the town...in real life that is).
I lost interest in the H/h's story and wasn't pleased to see (once I skipped to the end) that a well timed pregnancy is what brings everyone to their Happily Ever After. I hate when that happens.
So, all in all this book ends up with a 2.5 star (sorry Susan). I am hoping the next books in the series will be better (because, regardless of the low rating I will be reading the next book). Ethan's story seems promising and the story after him stars the kid that was taken in by the bakery sister in the 2nd book of that series (oooo! cross-over!). We get to see him all grown up and clearly not still with the football player's daughter who wanted to get teen-pregnant (remember that?). Hmm, how things don't work out as you thought they would when you were a teen...
July 30, 2017
No me convenció que ella cayera tan rápidamente hechizada por Josh. ¡Ni siquiera se plantea cómo sabía lo de la reunión, las tierras, etc.! Simplemente sale de allí advirtiéndose a sí misma que es demasiado guapo para ella, que no quiere ser como su madre, etc. pero vi poca resistencia real :\\
July 3, 2015
I’ve previously red some of the later books in the Fool’s Gold series but going back to the beginning to see how it all started has been absolutely unforgettable. This was a brilliant introduction to Fool’s Gold. Readers get to know the town alongside its newest resident. Mallery’s easy going yet absolutely captivating writing style melds with her unique yet realistic romance for a seamless whole. At the same time, plot twists abound, keeping you on your toes. I love the allusion to the next book at the end of this one. Getting a sneak peak at who’s coming next both gave me a warm feeling inside & had me reaching for the next book. And Mallery did this all without revealing more than a pair of names.
Mallery’s writing gets deep into the inner thoughts of her characters, giving readers an up close & personal look at things. Life is so real in Fool’s Gold that you feel like you’re living it right alongside them. Mallery introduces readers to an entire town, rather than simply the main characters in the novel, giving a sense of belonging to something so much bigger. And the main characters are absolutely phenomenal in their own right as well. The way in which they were developed in depth, their inner secrets revealed, was breathtaking.
Mallery has penned a story that will make you laugh & cry, sometimes at the same time. My suggestion for this one? Go Grab a blanket, curl up in front of the fire for a few hours and take an unforgettable trip to Fool’s Gold inside the pages of this book.
Mallery’s writing gets deep into the inner thoughts of her characters, giving readers an up close & personal look at things. Life is so real in Fool’s Gold that you feel like you’re living it right alongside them. Mallery introduces readers to an entire town, rather than simply the main characters in the novel, giving a sense of belonging to something so much bigger. And the main characters are absolutely phenomenal in their own right as well. The way in which they were developed in depth, their inner secrets revealed, was breathtaking.
Mallery has penned a story that will make you laugh & cry, sometimes at the same time. My suggestion for this one? Go Grab a blanket, curl up in front of the fire for a few hours and take an unforgettable trip to Fool’s Gold inside the pages of this book.
July 4, 2017
My first book by this author, and honestly, I was sort of dreading it. I've heard mixed reviews about her, saw an interview with her, and although she seemed nice, not the sort of lady who comes to mind when thinking of the books I want to read. But then again, I should know better than to judge a book by its cover. I did that too, wasn't crazy about the cover either. In consideration of everything, I really think I'd give this book 3.5 stars, and if a few things were tweaked, I'd probably give it 4.
One of my GR friends, Willaful has a category called 'Springfield.' I hadn't gotten around to asking her yet, but I read her review of this book, and she explained it, and I have to say I agree. This so-called small town has everything, including a second hospital being built, but it's still small enough for the main characters to walk around? That was almost too distracting for me. Little details are my thing, and I can't ignore them if it strikes me as something strange or weird. I just can't get past them!
For the most part, I really liked all the characters, and thought they were interesting. I felt like maybe there was a little missing from each, as if they weren't all rounded out. The details of their lives that pertained to the story were solid, but other parts were not quite fully formed. And even when backgrounds or past events in their lives were discussed, it all sort of felt flat and more like info dumps. The past relationships in Charity's life, we're told repeatedly that they affected her and her thinking, but how? In what way did they make her feel uncomfortable, not worthy, or that she had terrible taste in men? One guy abused her, hit her once, and she ran. Okay, but how did that affect her emotionally with the next guy, or how did it make her feel around men period? The most previous relationship was terrible, so she says, but we don't know why, or how. It's the pieces that make the whole, and some big pieces are missing. I can sort of get the picture, but I like to see the whole thing. With Josh, we know his mother left him, but it's not until the end that we find out how much it bothered him. He blows it off, accepts it as fact. We don't get enough POV from him to know early on that he fears not being good enough for anyone. Because of that, I don't get why he's not crazy about Charity and ready to jump into a relationship without any hesitation. I just felt a little cheated. If the author had spent another 50 or so pages explaining such things, this would definitely be a 4, maybe even a 4.5.
One other thing I had issues with is the way some characters talk to each other, and it's blown off as no big deal. I like Pia, and I can't wait to read her book, but the comments she made while drunk about Charity's clothing, they were harsh. Granted, Pia is drunk when they are said, but they really hurt Charity's feelings, so much she wanted to bolt from the party. When Pia apologizes and admits she was rude, Charity blows it off, admits her clothes were old-fashioned. Um. . . didn't she explain to herself she wore them because she worked with mostly men in the past, and they didn't take her seriously until she toned down her wardrobe? Clothing is personal, and obviously Charity took it personally because she went right out and bought a ton of new clothing. I just didn't like it. Another person's way of talking I didn't like was Robert. Everyone thought he was a nice guy, (why, I can't see) even though he says rude things, such as when he confronts Charity about seeing Josh, and basically says I'll be around when he dumps your ass. She chalks it up to hurt feelings. Whatever. The ending where Charity can't tell Josh how she really feels, and vice versa, it was super annoying. They go from spending tons of time together, to her dropping the pregnant bomb, and no talking. It seems very childish to me, especially from Charity. She's convinced he wants to go back racing full time, but I don't remember him saying that at all, just that he was going to take it a little at a time. Where is she getting this from?
The whole 'this town needs more men' thing was a bit too much for me, but I guess if the reverse can be said about Alaska, why not. Everything else was pretty good, I enjoyed most of it and would recommend if you want a light read with interesting characters. I probably won't read it again, but I will try more from this author. On to the next one!
One of my GR friends, Willaful has a category called 'Springfield.' I hadn't gotten around to asking her yet, but I read her review of this book, and she explained it, and I have to say I agree. This so-called small town has everything, including a second hospital being built, but it's still small enough for the main characters to walk around? That was almost too distracting for me. Little details are my thing, and I can't ignore them if it strikes me as something strange or weird. I just can't get past them!
For the most part, I really liked all the characters, and thought they were interesting. I felt like maybe there was a little missing from each, as if they weren't all rounded out. The details of their lives that pertained to the story were solid, but other parts were not quite fully formed. And even when backgrounds or past events in their lives were discussed, it all sort of felt flat and more like info dumps. The past relationships in Charity's life, we're told repeatedly that they affected her and her thinking, but how? In what way did they make her feel uncomfortable, not worthy, or that she had terrible taste in men? One guy abused her, hit her once, and she ran. Okay, but how did that affect her emotionally with the next guy, or how did it make her feel around men period? The most previous relationship was terrible, so she says, but we don't know why, or how. It's the pieces that make the whole, and some big pieces are missing. I can sort of get the picture, but I like to see the whole thing. With Josh, we know his mother left him, but it's not until the end that we find out how much it bothered him. He blows it off, accepts it as fact. We don't get enough POV from him to know early on that he fears not being good enough for anyone. Because of that, I don't get why he's not crazy about Charity and ready to jump into a relationship without any hesitation. I just felt a little cheated. If the author had spent another 50 or so pages explaining such things, this would definitely be a 4, maybe even a 4.5.
One other thing I had issues with is the way some characters talk to each other, and it's blown off as no big deal. I like Pia, and I can't wait to read her book, but the comments she made while drunk about Charity's clothing, they were harsh. Granted, Pia is drunk when they are said, but they really hurt Charity's feelings, so much she wanted to bolt from the party. When Pia apologizes and admits she was rude, Charity blows it off, admits her clothes were old-fashioned. Um. . . didn't she explain to herself she wore them because she worked with mostly men in the past, and they didn't take her seriously until she toned down her wardrobe? Clothing is personal, and obviously Charity took it personally because she went right out and bought a ton of new clothing. I just didn't like it. Another person's way of talking I didn't like was Robert. Everyone thought he was a nice guy, (why, I can't see) even though he says rude things, such as when he confronts Charity about seeing Josh, and basically says I'll be around when he dumps your ass. She chalks it up to hurt feelings. Whatever. The ending where Charity can't tell Josh how she really feels, and vice versa, it was super annoying. They go from spending tons of time together, to her dropping the pregnant bomb, and no talking. It seems very childish to me, especially from Charity. She's convinced he wants to go back racing full time, but I don't remember him saying that at all, just that he was going to take it a little at a time. Where is she getting this from?
The whole 'this town needs more men' thing was a bit too much for me, but I guess if the reverse can be said about Alaska, why not. Everything else was pretty good, I enjoyed most of it and would recommend if you want a light read with interesting characters. I probably won't read it again, but I will try more from this author. On to the next one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 6, 2013
I wanted to like this, and tried to give it a fair chance because I'm looking for a new series to dive into, but it fell way flat for me.
I like the most of the ideas in Chasing Perfect, but the execution was a problem for me. I'm not sure if I'll continue reading this series or not, if they are going to all be like this.
I like the most of the ideas in Chasing Perfect, but the execution was a problem for me. I'm not sure if I'll continue reading this series or not, if they are going to all be like this.
September 11, 2025
First listen: I have loved reading and re-reading this series and now I'm enjoying listening to it!
OK, I'm getting a little obsessed with this series!!! Perhaps I need a support group!!! LOL :-) Having read through the whole series once, I love how she usually previews the storyline of the next book with a mention of the next couple and their love story. I also love how she continues to include characters from previous books so we get to find out what's happening with them. Anyway, 3.5 stars on the third reading. It's not great literature, it's just fun and romantic and makes me laugh out loud. Nothing like a good fairy tale for grownups to help keep me sane during these "interesting times"!
Second reading: I've upped my rating to 3 stars on this book. In this time of COVID-19, it's just nice to relax with a fun, steamy romance and get wrapped up in the trials and tribulations of the main characters. Mallery doesn't always have the snarky dialogue that I love with Jill Shalvis' books but Mallery's storylines are similar to Shalvis' "Lucky Harbor" series.
.75 stars. A bit silly and vapid in some ways but still enjoyable. I didn’t like it as much as Mallery’s stand alone novel, “Already Home” and I’m not sure I’ll continue reading the rest of this series. However, I do like her writing enough to try some of her other books.
Susan Mallery’s stories are similar in style to Debbie Macomber with more sex and without the spiritual element.
Good for a nice, fluffy, semi-hot read.
OK, I'm getting a little obsessed with this series!!! Perhaps I need a support group!!! LOL :-) Having read through the whole series once, I love how she usually previews the storyline of the next book with a mention of the next couple and their love story. I also love how she continues to include characters from previous books so we get to find out what's happening with them. Anyway, 3.5 stars on the third reading. It's not great literature, it's just fun and romantic and makes me laugh out loud. Nothing like a good fairy tale for grownups to help keep me sane during these "interesting times"!
Second reading: I've upped my rating to 3 stars on this book. In this time of COVID-19, it's just nice to relax with a fun, steamy romance and get wrapped up in the trials and tribulations of the main characters. Mallery doesn't always have the snarky dialogue that I love with Jill Shalvis' books but Mallery's storylines are similar to Shalvis' "Lucky Harbor" series.
.75 stars. A bit silly and vapid in some ways but still enjoyable. I didn’t like it as much as Mallery’s stand alone novel, “Already Home” and I’m not sure I’ll continue reading the rest of this series. However, I do like her writing enough to try some of her other books.
Susan Mallery’s stories are similar in style to Debbie Macomber with more sex and without the spiritual element.
Good for a nice, fluffy, semi-hot read.
July 15, 2025
I'm shocked to say this but the romance wasn't my favourite part here. I know, I know, I can't believe it either! I'm a romantic through and through! But what really caught me here was Fool's Gold and Charity, our FMC 🥹 She's looked for somewhere to settle, to truly be home, all her life and she finally found it. Mallery describes the town and life there so beautifully, I would move there in a heartbeat. The MMC was nice enough and I understand why Charity fell for him but I'm glad this was as much of a literary (?) novel as it was a romance because the city deserved that focus! I'm so glad this is such a long series and I'm ready to devour it!
March 24, 2019
I've read a lot of Susan Mallery's newer work, and am finally going back to this series of hers that is SO prolific. Chasing Perfect is the first romance I've ever read with a professional cyclist as one of the leads, so that was refreshing to read! Overall, the story is sweet and I'll be continuing the series. Nothing earth-shattering but not all books need to be that. I'll be slowly making my way through the series as comfort reads for a long time to come.
May 4, 2010
Rating: 4.5 / 5
I almost decided to skip this series by Susan Mallery. I usually tend to like her series, but not love them. And considering how bit my Mt TBR is, I just thought I'd pass on this one. But the setting of the series and the storyline intrigued me and I figured I'd give it a try. I'm really glad I did because I loved this book.
Series Note:
First book in Mallery's new "Fool's Gold" series.
Summary:
Charity Jones has been looking for a place to call home her entire life, and she thinks she's found that home in the small California town of Fool's Gold - where the women outpopulate the men by a large margin. It's just what Charity's always wanted. But everywhere she turns she's running into retired cyclist Josh Golden - whether in person or a lifesize likeness or a naked butt picture on her assistant's screensaver. She can't escape Josh or what he does to her hormones. Charity doesn't want to want him; he's exactly the kind of man she told herself she would never get involved with. She wants home and hearth, not a too sexy celebrity about to make a comeback.
But Charity has misjudged Josh. He's a much deeper person than she thought and soon the two are an item. Charity's got other stuff to deal with, though - a shocking truth revealed to her, embezzlement in the city government, and dealing with issues instilled in her since childhood. Charity and Josh both have a lot to work through before they're ready to settle down.
Review:
First off, I love small town stories. There's something so endearing about them. Maybe it's because I'm a small town girl myself that I find them so appealing. Either way, it's one of the things I loved about this story. Fool's Gold is a nice small town...not too small, but not a bustling metropolis either. Everybody knows everybody, streets are quiet, you can walk most places. It's just such a great type of story to read and I thought Susan Mallery did a wonderful job with how she wrote the small town aspect of the story.
On top of that, there's a great cast of characters. I liked Charity...didn't love her, but definitely liked her. She's nice, very good at her job...just likable. And Josh...he turns out to be such a genuinely nice guy. I really liked him a lot. I was worried he'd turn out to be arrogant and annoying, but he was a fantastic character. I wanted to give him a big hug for all the internal turmoil he was going through.
And I loved the way the romance progressed in this story. Charity and Josh don't fall into bed two seconds after meeting. They actually spend some time together, get to know each other a bit first...before having spur of the moment up-against-the-wall sex one night. Really, though, great progression on their relationship. It came off very real to me.
Another thing I loved about this book was that you kind of get immersed in the town and the characters (and the romance). You get to understand Charity's job (and the sudden realization that someone is embezzling money), you get to understand the town and the people, meet ones you'll be getting to know more about later, and just generally feel like a part of the town as you read. In that sense, this book reminded me a bit of Robyn Carr's "Virgin River" series where you're sucked into the nuance of the town. Definitely a plus for the book. I just wanted to keep read and reading. Finished it in less than a day.
I'd give this book five stars except for a couple minor things. One was that at times Charity's hang-ups are harped on a little too much. At times it seemed like every time you turned the page you were hearing Charity think about how much she didn't want to be like her mom. Got a little old. Also, Charity got on my nerves a bit at the end. She was being kinda stupid...not TSTL stupid, but just dumb. Jumping to conclusions, having no faith in Josh. I wanted to shake her. So those two things kept this from being a 5-star for me, but it was very close.
I'm really looking forward to reading the upcoming books in this series...Ethan comes next, then a novella with Katie, and then Pia's story (with Raoul from the Bakery sisters series). I think Mallery has a real winner with this series and I'll be rushing out to buy the others as they are released.
I almost decided to skip this series by Susan Mallery. I usually tend to like her series, but not love them. And considering how bit my Mt TBR is, I just thought I'd pass on this one. But the setting of the series and the storyline intrigued me and I figured I'd give it a try. I'm really glad I did because I loved this book.
Series Note:
First book in Mallery's new "Fool's Gold" series.
Summary:
Charity Jones has been looking for a place to call home her entire life, and she thinks she's found that home in the small California town of Fool's Gold - where the women outpopulate the men by a large margin. It's just what Charity's always wanted. But everywhere she turns she's running into retired cyclist Josh Golden - whether in person or a lifesize likeness or a naked butt picture on her assistant's screensaver. She can't escape Josh or what he does to her hormones. Charity doesn't want to want him; he's exactly the kind of man she told herself she would never get involved with. She wants home and hearth, not a too sexy celebrity about to make a comeback.
But Charity has misjudged Josh. He's a much deeper person than she thought and soon the two are an item. Charity's got other stuff to deal with, though - a shocking truth revealed to her, embezzlement in the city government, and dealing with issues instilled in her since childhood. Charity and Josh both have a lot to work through before they're ready to settle down.
Review:
First off, I love small town stories. There's something so endearing about them. Maybe it's because I'm a small town girl myself that I find them so appealing. Either way, it's one of the things I loved about this story. Fool's Gold is a nice small town...not too small, but not a bustling metropolis either. Everybody knows everybody, streets are quiet, you can walk most places. It's just such a great type of story to read and I thought Susan Mallery did a wonderful job with how she wrote the small town aspect of the story.
On top of that, there's a great cast of characters. I liked Charity...didn't love her, but definitely liked her. She's nice, very good at her job...just likable. And Josh...he turns out to be such a genuinely nice guy. I really liked him a lot. I was worried he'd turn out to be arrogant and annoying, but he was a fantastic character. I wanted to give him a big hug for all the internal turmoil he was going through.
And I loved the way the romance progressed in this story. Charity and Josh don't fall into bed two seconds after meeting. They actually spend some time together, get to know each other a bit first...before having spur of the moment up-against-the-wall sex one night. Really, though, great progression on their relationship. It came off very real to me.
Another thing I loved about this book was that you kind of get immersed in the town and the characters (and the romance). You get to understand Charity's job (and the sudden realization that someone is embezzling money), you get to understand the town and the people, meet ones you'll be getting to know more about later, and just generally feel like a part of the town as you read. In that sense, this book reminded me a bit of Robyn Carr's "Virgin River" series where you're sucked into the nuance of the town. Definitely a plus for the book. I just wanted to keep read and reading. Finished it in less than a day.
I'd give this book five stars except for a couple minor things. One was that at times Charity's hang-ups are harped on a little too much. At times it seemed like every time you turned the page you were hearing Charity think about how much she didn't want to be like her mom. Got a little old. Also, Charity got on my nerves a bit at the end. She was being kinda stupid...not TSTL stupid, but just dumb. Jumping to conclusions, having no faith in Josh. I wanted to shake her. So those two things kept this from being a 5-star for me, but it was very close.
I'm really looking forward to reading the upcoming books in this series...Ethan comes next, then a novella with Katie, and then Pia's story (with Raoul from the Bakery sisters series). I think Mallery has a real winner with this series and I'll be rushing out to buy the others as they are released.
May 6, 2016
Threw in the towel at page 32 - when the heroine mentioned for the third time that she just wanted a nice steady guy. That's once every 10 pages. Jesus. Does she have other aspirations in life or is she slowly reduced to her desire for Mr Staid and Stoic?
Romance books have a formula. I get it. It works, and for some readers it must be comforting. Take sassy (on the inside) yet conservative chick. Throw in man whore with a heart of gold. Put them in a situation where she acts like a bumbling idiot bc "omg he makes her heart pound and her palms sweat! But she's never felt this way before." Next make sure he has a "secret that would tear their world apart." And write all of this in a manner that shoves everything in your reader's face. Make sure that you assume that your audience is so stupid that they can't grasp anything from context or action. Spell it out for the simpletons for whom who write. "Jane had been burned in the past. Jane only wants a nice quiet man. Jane's mother was a tramp who had her heart broken so many times that Jane could only love someone gentle named Stanley. Jane was short - with sparkly blue eyes and brown hair that danced across her shoulders." Gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Romance books have a formula. I get it. It works, and for some readers it must be comforting. Take sassy (on the inside) yet conservative chick. Throw in man whore with a heart of gold. Put them in a situation where she acts like a bumbling idiot bc "omg he makes her heart pound and her palms sweat! But she's never felt this way before." Next make sure he has a "secret that would tear their world apart." And write all of this in a manner that shoves everything in your reader's face. Make sure that you assume that your audience is so stupid that they can't grasp anything from context or action. Spell it out for the simpletons for whom who write. "Jane had been burned in the past. Jane only wants a nice quiet man. Jane's mother was a tramp who had her heart broken so many times that Jane could only love someone gentle named Stanley. Jane was short - with sparkly blue eyes and brown hair that danced across her shoulders." Gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
June 10, 2019
I really enjoyed the writing in this. It was a bit slow at the start, but once it got going, it was good. I loved seeing the relationship blossom between Charity and Josh. They both had similar childhoods, but my heart broke for Josh especially. The only downfall was that Charity kept insisting that she does not want to get involved with a celebrity because he always wanted the fans, being in the spotlight, money... and he never once showed her that that was what he wanted. He always said it was overrated and that he didn't want it. It was just annoying after the 50th time she said or thought it. I love the quirkiness of the city that is mainly women. Men don't tend to stay in the city and women are jumping all over anything that might attract lots of single men. It was cute, and I definitely will read more of this series.
October 13, 2020
Hubo cero conexión con los personajes :(
May 2, 2010
This was my first read by Susan Mallery, and it definitely will not be my last. CHASING PERFECT is the first in a new small town series set in Fool's Gold, California. The heroine, Charity Jones, is a city planner, who comes to the little town to take a new job with the city and to escape a bad breakup. When her first presentation is interrupted and helped considerably by a handsome stranger, she has no idea that he is world-famous cyclist, Josh Golden, the town's favorite son. Having sworn off unreliable men, Charity immediately pegs him as an ego-driven celebrity type who enjoys his fame a little too much, but the zing of attraction between them is tough to resist. What follows is a sexy, funny, and sometimes poignant romance between two people who have to get past their own misconceptions and self-doubts to get to their HEA. Charity's realization that she's been dressing down because of her career and her subsequent mini-makeover is handled particularly well, without the "ta-da" moments that so often accompany these kinds of plots. The glimpses into the dark side of Josh's celebrity are disturbing, and go a long way toward explaining Josh's distrust of women. The only problem I had with the story was with Charity's continued distrust of Josh after they had both declared their love. Even after she was told twice by two friends that he couldn't read her mind and guess what she wanted from their relationship, she continued to turn him away. It felt like an artificial roadblock that Mallery used to prolong the conflict and didn't ring true. Otherwise this is a well-written, charming story that fans of Rachel Gibson and Toni Blake should enjoy.
May 5, 2017
First things first: I absolutely loved the Gilmore Girls reference in the beginning.
I loved Charity's character: smart, funny, determined. I loved when she stood up to Melrose, the reporter, and defended her position as Josh's woman. I did not expect to find that Marsha was her grandmother. I got frustrated that she kept thinking that Josh wanted to win at the end just for the fame.
I thought Josh was totally adorable and funny. I'd never read a book before where the hero was a cyclist and I thought that was interesting; it was cool to see into the world and mentality of a cyclist. I loved how cool-headed he was. One of my favorite parts, though, was at the end when he was about to finish the race and he stopped to talk with Charity, saying that he wouldn't finish until she agreed to marry him; then he wouldn't talk to the reporters until she was up there with him. The only thing that sucked was that he basically had a freak out when she told him she was pregnant, but I was glad when he got over that and came to terms with the pregnancy.
I loved Ethan, and I was glad when he and Josh went back to being friends. I'd like to learn more about his accident and I look forward to reading his book.
I was ridiculously happy when Josh overcame his fear of being in the pack. And I love that the town knew the whole time but let him think they didn't know and thought he was off having sex every night.
And that horrible Robert guy? I knew the whole time he was the one taking the money. There was just something about him that made it painfully obvious.
I loved Charity's character: smart, funny, determined. I loved when she stood up to Melrose, the reporter, and defended her position as Josh's woman. I did not expect to find that Marsha was her grandmother. I got frustrated that she kept thinking that Josh wanted to win at the end just for the fame.
I thought Josh was totally adorable and funny. I'd never read a book before where the hero was a cyclist and I thought that was interesting; it was cool to see into the world and mentality of a cyclist. I loved how cool-headed he was. One of my favorite parts, though, was at the end when he was about to finish the race and he stopped to talk with Charity, saying that he wouldn't finish until she agreed to marry him; then he wouldn't talk to the reporters until she was up there with him. The only thing that sucked was that he basically had a freak out when she told him she was pregnant, but I was glad when he got over that and came to terms with the pregnancy.
I loved Ethan, and I was glad when he and Josh went back to being friends. I'd like to learn more about his accident and I look forward to reading his book.
I was ridiculously happy when Josh overcame his fear of being in the pack. And I love that the town knew the whole time but let him think they didn't know and thought he was off having sex every night.
And that horrible Robert guy? I knew the whole time he was the one taking the money. There was just something about him that made it painfully obvious.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2016
Chasing Perfect es el primer libro de la serie llamada Fool´s Gold de la autora Susan Mallery y narra la historia de Josh y Chasity, ademas de ser mi primera experiencia con el trabajo de la autora, aunque reconozco que hacia un tiempo que queria leer alguno de sus libros.
Desde hace unos dias queria leer alguna novela ligera y bien desarrollada del estilo de Kristan Higgins y recorde que habia leido muy buenas criticas de esta saga, por lo que decidi empezarla.
La empece con bastantes expectativas, no solo porque la sinopsis me recordo a las historias de Kristan sino tambien porque estaba con ganas de leer este tipo de historia.
Reconozco que no alcanzo a cumplir todas mis expectativas, ni en cuanto a trama ni respecto a los personajes, algunos capitulos se me hicieron pesados, sentia que la historia no avanzaba, en cambio, otros se me hacian muy ligeros y rapidos de leer.
Josh me sorprendio como personaje, no esperaba que me cayera tan bien, al iniciar la lectura me imagine que seria de otra forma pero en general me gusto bastante y Charity me cayo bien a ratos, habia veces que no conseguia entenderla y en otras ocasiones no me parecia tan mala como protagonista.
En cuanto pueda empiezo a leer el siguiente, tengo mucha curiosidad por el libro de Ethan.
2.75 Estrellas!
October 4, 2014
2 STARS = It was okay. Don't be put off by my rating, it wasn't bad at all. I understand it's a first in a series so there were a lot of introductions to make, some parts could be boring and some parts could use more depth of emotions to be explored. This Fool's Gold grows on me, I'm sure..looking forward to next books.
August 4, 2015
Wonderful! I liked Josh and Charity.
August 27, 2023
“pase lo que pase, éste será mi hogar, Charity. No pienso alejarme de ti.”
🎾¡Que BELLA novela romántica contemporánea que he leído! Me la devoré en menos de doce horas. Gracias a la personita que me la recomendó. Me quedé enamorada de la localidad de Fool's Gold. Y nuevamente Harlequin me deja con el corazón calentito.
🎾Eso sí: es el 1er libro de una serie de veinte. Quisiera leer los que siguen pero no sé si podré porque los pendientes son muchos.
🎾 “Buscando la perfección” es una novela que cuenta sobre la vida en un pequeño pueblo de California, Fool´s Gold, un pueblo tranquilo donde nunca pasa nada importante, pero a su vez no existen los secretos porque toda la población lo sabe TODO de todos. Pero tienen un problema: escasez de hombres. Juro que no podía creer la trama de ésta historia😆 y es muy bonita porque tiene toques humor, intriga, y una sorpresa que yo no veía venir.
🎾Charity vivió toda su infancia y adolescencia viajando de un lado a otro por culpa de su madre, con el único deseo de asentarse en algún lugar al que poder llamar hogar y formar una familia, es por eso que cuando encuentra la oportunidad de aceptar un trabajo como urbanista en Fool's Gold convocada por el Ayuntamiento, no duda y viaja hasta el pueblo idílico. No termina de desarmar sus maletas, que en su primer día de trabajo debe convencer a un comité para que construyan un nuevo hospital en el pueblo pero el ordenador de Charity se descompone y aún así ella decide continuar explicando las ventajas al comité de expertos, cuando un desconocido llega tarde e interrumpe y logra convencerlos y así la reunión termina siendo un éxito.
🎾Éste extraño es nada más y nada menos que Josh Golden famoso ciclista que compitió en el Tour de Francia y reside en el pueblo. A Charity lo único que le interesa es establecerse y echar raíces y Fool's Gold es el lugar ideal, y pronto hace buenos amigos, pero el problema aparece cada vez que se encuentra con Josh porque su cuerpo reacciona contra ella quedándose muda y temblando. Charity lo único que quiere es poder quitarse de la cabeza al atractivo héroe local y como su vida amorosa fue desastrosa ella no está buscando a un hombre perfecto. Simplemente quiere a un tipo simpático que la amara tanto como ella lo amaría a él. ¡Ah! Y un hombre que fuera soltero, sincero y fiel, algo terriblemente difícil de encontrar, por lo menos dadas las experiencias que había tenido.
🎾Josh Golden por su parte, es EL CHICO DE ORO del pueblo (digo oro porque el pueblo tiene una historia relacionada con la fiebre del oro) encantador, y como hay escasez de hombres aún se destaca más, las mujeres suspiran por él y los hombres lo admiran. Cada noche se entrena en secreto porque hace dos años se retiró del ciclismo cuando un joven de su equipo falleció en un accidente de carrera; Pese a que nadie lo culpó, él se siente responsable y sufre ataques de ansiedad cuando está en medio de un pelotón. Luego sufrió el duro golpe de divorciarse de una famosa mujer, de modo que Josh tiene que superar sus miedos para volver a ser el hombre que de verdad fue y si en verdad quiere regresar al ciclismo competitivo.
🎾En el pueblo, el Josh que todos conocen es solo un mito, fue el segundo ciclista más joven en ganar el Tour de Francia, y era tan famoso que alguien como Charity que no le gusta el deporte, sabía de él. Pero Joseph después de todo lo vivido, ha cambiado y hasta que no supere esos fantasmas del pasado no podrá tener futuro con Charity, por más que a él le guste, ya que durante toda su vida de fama fue acosado y perseguido por las mujeres que su nueva vecina le trate con naturalidad es todo un reto para él.
🎾A Josh le encanta vivir en Fool's Gold, es dueño del hotel, tiene una tienda de deportes y desde la inmobiliaria le han ofrecido abrir una escuela de ciclismo. Es dueño de varias casas pero reside en una suite del hotel, donde se aloja Charity hasta poder comprar una casa.
💯Recomendado. Es una historia bonita donde un deportista famoso debe convencer a una mujer que huye de la fama y de los hombres como él, que no es lo que parece. “Buscando la perfección” muestra a dos personas que con un pasado difícil, se encuentran. Los momentos a solas entre Josh y Charity se irán sucediendo por “casualidad” con la presencia de Marsha, la alcaldesa de la ciudad, pero además en éste pueblo existen dos hermanas rivales que regentan sendas peluquerías y una secretaria mandona, lo que le da toques muy divertidos.
El final es de los que a mí me gustan: edulcorados y con muchas ganas de seguir conociendo a la gente de Fool's Gold porque Susan Mallery me transmitió el deseo de vivir en éste pueblo.
🎾¡Que BELLA novela romántica contemporánea que he leído! Me la devoré en menos de doce horas. Gracias a la personita que me la recomendó. Me quedé enamorada de la localidad de Fool's Gold. Y nuevamente Harlequin me deja con el corazón calentito.
🎾Eso sí: es el 1er libro de una serie de veinte. Quisiera leer los que siguen pero no sé si podré porque los pendientes son muchos.
🎾 “Buscando la perfección” es una novela que cuenta sobre la vida en un pequeño pueblo de California, Fool´s Gold, un pueblo tranquilo donde nunca pasa nada importante, pero a su vez no existen los secretos porque toda la población lo sabe TODO de todos. Pero tienen un problema: escasez de hombres. Juro que no podía creer la trama de ésta historia😆 y es muy bonita porque tiene toques humor, intriga, y una sorpresa que yo no veía venir.
🎾Charity vivió toda su infancia y adolescencia viajando de un lado a otro por culpa de su madre, con el único deseo de asentarse en algún lugar al que poder llamar hogar y formar una familia, es por eso que cuando encuentra la oportunidad de aceptar un trabajo como urbanista en Fool's Gold convocada por el Ayuntamiento, no duda y viaja hasta el pueblo idílico. No termina de desarmar sus maletas, que en su primer día de trabajo debe convencer a un comité para que construyan un nuevo hospital en el pueblo pero el ordenador de Charity se descompone y aún así ella decide continuar explicando las ventajas al comité de expertos, cuando un desconocido llega tarde e interrumpe y logra convencerlos y así la reunión termina siendo un éxito.
🎾Éste extraño es nada más y nada menos que Josh Golden famoso ciclista que compitió en el Tour de Francia y reside en el pueblo. A Charity lo único que le interesa es establecerse y echar raíces y Fool's Gold es el lugar ideal, y pronto hace buenos amigos, pero el problema aparece cada vez que se encuentra con Josh porque su cuerpo reacciona contra ella quedándose muda y temblando. Charity lo único que quiere es poder quitarse de la cabeza al atractivo héroe local y como su vida amorosa fue desastrosa ella no está buscando a un hombre perfecto. Simplemente quiere a un tipo simpático que la amara tanto como ella lo amaría a él. ¡Ah! Y un hombre que fuera soltero, sincero y fiel, algo terriblemente difícil de encontrar, por lo menos dadas las experiencias que había tenido.
🎾Josh Golden por su parte, es EL CHICO DE ORO del pueblo (digo oro porque el pueblo tiene una historia relacionada con la fiebre del oro) encantador, y como hay escasez de hombres aún se destaca más, las mujeres suspiran por él y los hombres lo admiran. Cada noche se entrena en secreto porque hace dos años se retiró del ciclismo cuando un joven de su equipo falleció en un accidente de carrera; Pese a que nadie lo culpó, él se siente responsable y sufre ataques de ansiedad cuando está en medio de un pelotón. Luego sufrió el duro golpe de divorciarse de una famosa mujer, de modo que Josh tiene que superar sus miedos para volver a ser el hombre que de verdad fue y si en verdad quiere regresar al ciclismo competitivo.
🎾En el pueblo, el Josh que todos conocen es solo un mito, fue el segundo ciclista más joven en ganar el Tour de Francia, y era tan famoso que alguien como Charity que no le gusta el deporte, sabía de él. Pero Joseph después de todo lo vivido, ha cambiado y hasta que no supere esos fantasmas del pasado no podrá tener futuro con Charity, por más que a él le guste, ya que durante toda su vida de fama fue acosado y perseguido por las mujeres que su nueva vecina le trate con naturalidad es todo un reto para él.
🎾A Josh le encanta vivir en Fool's Gold, es dueño del hotel, tiene una tienda de deportes y desde la inmobiliaria le han ofrecido abrir una escuela de ciclismo. Es dueño de varias casas pero reside en una suite del hotel, donde se aloja Charity hasta poder comprar una casa.
💯Recomendado. Es una historia bonita donde un deportista famoso debe convencer a una mujer que huye de la fama y de los hombres como él, que no es lo que parece. “Buscando la perfección” muestra a dos personas que con un pasado difícil, se encuentran. Los momentos a solas entre Josh y Charity se irán sucediendo por “casualidad” con la presencia de Marsha, la alcaldesa de la ciudad, pero además en éste pueblo existen dos hermanas rivales que regentan sendas peluquerías y una secretaria mandona, lo que le da toques muy divertidos.
El final es de los que a mí me gustan: edulcorados y con muchas ganas de seguir conociendo a la gente de Fool's Gold porque Susan Mallery me transmitió el deseo de vivir en éste pueblo.
April 30, 2021
Such a fun, entertaining read! I think it's the first time I've read a book quite like this, and I think I may be hooked now. There are some great characters, and their interactions and development work so well with the story. If you're looking for something not-too-heavy, entertaining, hot and steamy, and fun to read, this is for you.
January 1, 2013
Charity Jones is a city planner who just accepted a new job in the town of Fool’s Gold. She’s looking for a fresh start after a failed relationship and the recent death of her mother. Josh Golden is a retired professional cyclist who interrupts her first presentation but helps get the deal sealed. He’s gorgeous but is just the type of man she wants to steer clear of. Josh isn’t looking for a relationship either but neither can ignore their mutual attraction.
I found the town to be charming, the residents a bit quirky and the friendships between the women of the community refreshing. There’s a shortage of men in Fool’s Gold and the mayor is on a mission to have Charity target businesses that are typically male oriented. I think this is going to be one of the ongoing themes for the series, which should present some funny situations.
Charity and Josh made a really good couple, even if her baggage from her past often got in the way. I supported her point of view given her history until she issued a pretty stupid ultimatum near the end. It all worked out (of course) but it was a low point for the character. Josh was a pretty decent guy and he also had a less than stellar moment that put him in the doghouse but his redemption was pretty awesome. I liked how they related to each other even if I didn’t always agree with their points of view.
There was a little mystery accompanying the story, nothing spectacular or really substantive but a little something to spice up the plot. A couple of other surprises were pretty huge and made a big difference.
I liked this story and it worked pretty well for a first book in a series. I’m looking forward to continuing it, especially the next book as it’s the story for one of the more interesting secondary characters.
I found the town to be charming, the residents a bit quirky and the friendships between the women of the community refreshing. There’s a shortage of men in Fool’s Gold and the mayor is on a mission to have Charity target businesses that are typically male oriented. I think this is going to be one of the ongoing themes for the series, which should present some funny situations.
Charity and Josh made a really good couple, even if her baggage from her past often got in the way. I supported her point of view given her history until she issued a pretty stupid ultimatum near the end. It all worked out (of course) but it was a low point for the character. Josh was a pretty decent guy and he also had a less than stellar moment that put him in the doghouse but his redemption was pretty awesome. I liked how they related to each other even if I didn’t always agree with their points of view.
There was a little mystery accompanying the story, nothing spectacular or really substantive but a little something to spice up the plot. A couple of other surprises were pretty huge and made a big difference.
I liked this story and it worked pretty well for a first book in a series. I’m looking forward to continuing it, especially the next book as it’s the story for one of the more interesting secondary characters.
March 24, 2016
Este libro fue justo lo que necesitaba estos días en donde leer se me hace un poco difícil, y digo esto porque es un libro simple y sencillo, de esos en los que todos mas o menos sabemos lo que va a pasar pero aún así te engancha y te da ganas de seguir leyendo. Me gustó.
Particularmente me encantan esos libros en donde hay muchos personajes, en este caso, una ciudad muy peculiar, y los vamos conociendo a todos libro tras libro y mas cuando son lindo personajes y todos tienen una historia tierna que contar, porque si hay algo que se sabe es que todos van a tener su final feliz!! Me gustó esta ciudad y sus habitantes y quiero seguir conociéndolos.
Particularmente me encantan esos libros en donde hay muchos personajes, en este caso, una ciudad muy peculiar, y los vamos conociendo a todos libro tras libro y mas cuando son lindo personajes y todos tienen una historia tierna que contar, porque si hay algo que se sabe es que todos van a tener su final feliz!! Me gustó esta ciudad y sus habitantes y quiero seguir conociéndolos.
August 26, 2025
Fools Gold is my favorite series by Susan Mallery. Quaint, cute, friendly little town where apparently everyone falls in love. The books are in sets of three, almost like a small series in the middle of a larger series, but it all fits together. I haven’t read these books in years, but I enjoyed them so much that I read most, if not all of them, multiple times. Great series for those who enjoy lighthearted romance books.
Rating: a long time ago
Review posted 4/14/25
Added to past favorites (series as a whole) 8/26/25
Rating: a long time ago
Review posted 4/14/25
Added to past favorites (series as a whole) 8/26/25
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