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Fool's Gold #18
Thrill Me
Meet the Mitchell brothers of Fool's Gold, California—five gorgeous men who've left a trail of broken hearts in their wake…
Maya Farlow learned the hard way to depend only on herself, so when she fell too deeply for the bad-boy charms of Del Mitchell, she did the only thing she could—she ran. Stunned, Del left Fool's Gold to make his name and fortune in extreme sports.
Now ten years later, Maya's been hired to promote her hometown's new slogan, The Destination for Romance. The celebrity spokesman is none other than Del, the man she dumped but never forgot. Awkward!
Although Del's not the type to hold a grudge, he's determined to avoid falling a second time for the woman who broke his heart. He's a daredevil, not an idiot. Trouble is, in all his adventures, he never found a rush as exhilarating as Maya's kiss. Maybe risking his heart will prove to be the biggest thrill of all…
Maya Farlow learned the hard way to depend only on herself, so when she fell too deeply for the bad-boy charms of Del Mitchell, she did the only thing she could—she ran. Stunned, Del left Fool's Gold to make his name and fortune in extreme sports.
Now ten years later, Maya's been hired to promote her hometown's new slogan, The Destination for Romance. The celebrity spokesman is none other than Del, the man she dumped but never forgot. Awkward!
Although Del's not the type to hold a grudge, he's determined to avoid falling a second time for the woman who broke his heart. He's a daredevil, not an idiot. Trouble is, in all his adventures, he never found a rush as exhilarating as Maya's kiss. Maybe risking his heart will prove to be the biggest thrill of all…
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 28, 2015
875 people are currently reading
4067 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 576 reviews
October 27, 2020
3 Estrellitas. No ha estado mal, pero tampoco ha sido para tirar cohetes, lo mismo no es el mejor libro de Susan Mallery, o puede que la culpa sea mía por haber leído el 18° libro de ésta serie sin haber leído los anteriores.
Ésta serie ocurre en el pueblecito Fool's Gold, en California, y en él tendremos la historia de Maya y Del. Diez años antes nuestros protagonistas fueron novios y hasta iban a casarse. Pero en el último momento, Maya se asustó, decidió romper con Del y abandonó Fool's Gold.
Maya tuvo una infancia triste e infeliz junto a una madre egoísta que la culpaba de su existencia. Ante tamaña falta de amor, es un milagro que Maya pudiese amar a un solo hombre, pero ¿y si era igual que su madre?
Del Mitchell es el mayor de los hermanos Mitchell, la suya es una gran familia alegre y bulliciosa cuyo centro neurálgico es su maravillosa madre, y su padre, un artista egocéntrico y endiosado. Pero la familia Mitchell es especial en algo, está llena de secretos.
Han pasado diez años y Del y Maya vuelven a encontrarse en Fool's Gold. Ella fue a Los Ángeles a estudiar y ahora trabaja en la producción de programas televisivos y eventos, y la alcaldesa de Fool's Gold la ha invitado para dirigir un programa de proyección turístico del pueblo. Solo habrá una condición, y es que trabaje con la cara del famoso y archiconocido Del Mitchell, quien ha trabajado en los deportes más extremos y acaba de llegar al pueblo para quedarse una temporada.
El lector puede pensar que al haber sido Maya la que rompió la relación de ésa manera, Del pudiera guardarla odio o rencor, pero no es así. Del aprendió por las malas que Maya podía ser cobarde o mentirosa, y sí, aún le duele lo que le hizo porque estuvo muy enamorado, pero verla de nuevo tras diez años aflora todo lo que Del sintió por ella siendo un adolescente.
Por otro lado, Maya está asustada por las consecuencias de lo que hizo y no le extrañaría que Del le guarde algún reproche. Pero al igual que le pasa a él, Maya no puede evitar enamorarse de nuevo de Del. El problema que esto conlleva es que Del no volverá a confiar en ella, tras el secreto que Elaine, la madre de Del, le obliga a cumplir a Maya. Elaine y Maya son muy buenas amigas, a pesar de la ruptura de la relación de Maya y Del diez años atrás. Pero la historia de Elaine y Maya será decisiva para el desarrollo de la trama y para el romance de sus protagonistas.
En líneas generales la novela está bien y se deja leer. Es pausada, entretenida, pero por otro lado se me ha hecho algo aburridilla o tenía la sensación de que no pasaba nada. Si es cierto que los personajes están bien construidos, aunque no me ha gustado mucho el desenlace que ha metido la autora en los dos últimos capítulos, demasiado rápido y precipitado.
Estoy segura de que volveré a leer a Susan Mallery, solo espero atinar para otra vez con la cronología de su obra.
Ésta serie ocurre en el pueblecito Fool's Gold, en California, y en él tendremos la historia de Maya y Del. Diez años antes nuestros protagonistas fueron novios y hasta iban a casarse. Pero en el último momento, Maya se asustó, decidió romper con Del y abandonó Fool's Gold.
Maya tuvo una infancia triste e infeliz junto a una madre egoísta que la culpaba de su existencia. Ante tamaña falta de amor, es un milagro que Maya pudiese amar a un solo hombre, pero ¿y si era igual que su madre?
Del Mitchell es el mayor de los hermanos Mitchell, la suya es una gran familia alegre y bulliciosa cuyo centro neurálgico es su maravillosa madre, y su padre, un artista egocéntrico y endiosado. Pero la familia Mitchell es especial en algo, está llena de secretos.
Han pasado diez años y Del y Maya vuelven a encontrarse en Fool's Gold. Ella fue a Los Ángeles a estudiar y ahora trabaja en la producción de programas televisivos y eventos, y la alcaldesa de Fool's Gold la ha invitado para dirigir un programa de proyección turístico del pueblo. Solo habrá una condición, y es que trabaje con la cara del famoso y archiconocido Del Mitchell, quien ha trabajado en los deportes más extremos y acaba de llegar al pueblo para quedarse una temporada.
El lector puede pensar que al haber sido Maya la que rompió la relación de ésa manera, Del pudiera guardarla odio o rencor, pero no es así. Del aprendió por las malas que Maya podía ser cobarde o mentirosa, y sí, aún le duele lo que le hizo porque estuvo muy enamorado, pero verla de nuevo tras diez años aflora todo lo que Del sintió por ella siendo un adolescente.
Por otro lado, Maya está asustada por las consecuencias de lo que hizo y no le extrañaría que Del le guarde algún reproche. Pero al igual que le pasa a él, Maya no puede evitar enamorarse de nuevo de Del. El problema que esto conlleva es que Del no volverá a confiar en ella, tras el secreto que Elaine, la madre de Del, le obliga a cumplir a Maya. Elaine y Maya son muy buenas amigas, a pesar de la ruptura de la relación de Maya y Del diez años atrás. Pero la historia de Elaine y Maya será decisiva para el desarrollo de la trama y para el romance de sus protagonistas.
En líneas generales la novela está bien y se deja leer. Es pausada, entretenida, pero por otro lado se me ha hecho algo aburridilla o tenía la sensación de que no pasaba nada. Si es cierto que los personajes están bien construidos, aunque no me ha gustado mucho el desenlace que ha metido la autora en los dos últimos capítulos, demasiado rápido y precipitado.
Estoy segura de que volveré a leer a Susan Mallery, solo espero atinar para otra vez con la cronología de su obra.
August 2, 2015
It didn't thrill me. It bored me.
At age eighteen, Maya broke off a relationship with her fiancé, Del, because she was afraid he would eventually leave her which would devastate her. She was in love with him but didn’t believe in HEA love or that she was lovable. Ten years later they are back in the same town and forced to work together on a film project. They each still feel the pull of attraction but don’t believe the other does. Del also feels betrayed because of her dumping him years ago.
Okay, although there are some side plots, this is mostly a one-note song, and that song is “they both still want the other but don’t believe the other does and don’t believe things would ever work between them” storyline. Yes, there’s the subplot about his mother---Maya’s friend—having cancer and Maya helping her; the subplot about the couple developing some excellent film work together; and, the subplot about Del’s family’s secrets and feuds. The subplots in this one, however, aren’t that engaging and can’t prop up the main plot which mostly consists of lengthy ruminations about wanting and not feeling wanted, about being frightened to care again, about trying to disguise feelings.
For me, the killer problems with this novel were 1) insufficient high-tension action/interactions and/or high-tension dialogue and 2) a lot of boring repetition. There just isn’t enough dramatic tension in the novel. The last Fools’ Gold novel, about Zack and Phoebe, had much more tension. In it, Zach acted like an Ahole a lot, he was brooding and wanted to be left alone, there were good subplots about various dangers they had to go through, about animals and about orphaned children---all of which ramped up the tension a lot higher than this one.
Del, in contrast to Zack, is Mr. Sensitive and Mr. Nice guy as well as a one-woman man who wants to find a wife. That’s not necessarily a bad thing but it does reduce the overall tension level compared to brooding men who don’t ever plan on marrying.
The repetition in this novel is not only repetition of lengthy and trite “I can’t let myself fall in love with him…” and “it could never work out” kinds of things (although that had me skipping a lot of pages) but also reminding us of things we don’t really need reminding of. Over and over we are told that Maya’s mother didn’t show any love toward her and Del’s father got drunk and violent when he was a kid. Usually these experiences are not shown in particular “scenes’ from the past but are only a “telling” about the fact they had such experiences. I got it already by the second time you told me (at length) about this. You don’t have to keep repeating it.
The author also keeps reminding us of things that just happened earlier in the story. Example: Del has an argument with his brother. A short while later he encounters his brother and Del wonders what their interaction is going to be. Rather than just saying Del wondered about what would happen between them now, the author tells us that Del wonders what their interaction is going to be BECAUSE THEIR EARLIER INTERACTION ENDED BADLY. EXCUSE ME. I just read that. I know it ended badly. The author must think we either have dementia or can’t really follow the story because she frequently reminds the reader of major things that just happened. BORING!
All in all, lengthy ruminations of a couple who have never really gotten over each other and have no strong deterrents to getting back together, and few “meh” subplots, just aren’t enough to keep the reader’s interest.
At age eighteen, Maya broke off a relationship with her fiancé, Del, because she was afraid he would eventually leave her which would devastate her. She was in love with him but didn’t believe in HEA love or that she was lovable. Ten years later they are back in the same town and forced to work together on a film project. They each still feel the pull of attraction but don’t believe the other does. Del also feels betrayed because of her dumping him years ago.
Okay, although there are some side plots, this is mostly a one-note song, and that song is “they both still want the other but don’t believe the other does and don’t believe things would ever work between them” storyline. Yes, there’s the subplot about his mother---Maya’s friend—having cancer and Maya helping her; the subplot about the couple developing some excellent film work together; and, the subplot about Del’s family’s secrets and feuds. The subplots in this one, however, aren’t that engaging and can’t prop up the main plot which mostly consists of lengthy ruminations about wanting and not feeling wanted, about being frightened to care again, about trying to disguise feelings.
For me, the killer problems with this novel were 1) insufficient high-tension action/interactions and/or high-tension dialogue and 2) a lot of boring repetition. There just isn’t enough dramatic tension in the novel. The last Fools’ Gold novel, about Zack and Phoebe, had much more tension. In it, Zach acted like an Ahole a lot, he was brooding and wanted to be left alone, there were good subplots about various dangers they had to go through, about animals and about orphaned children---all of which ramped up the tension a lot higher than this one.
Del, in contrast to Zack, is Mr. Sensitive and Mr. Nice guy as well as a one-woman man who wants to find a wife. That’s not necessarily a bad thing but it does reduce the overall tension level compared to brooding men who don’t ever plan on marrying.
The repetition in this novel is not only repetition of lengthy and trite “I can’t let myself fall in love with him…” and “it could never work out” kinds of things (although that had me skipping a lot of pages) but also reminding us of things we don’t really need reminding of. Over and over we are told that Maya’s mother didn’t show any love toward her and Del’s father got drunk and violent when he was a kid. Usually these experiences are not shown in particular “scenes’ from the past but are only a “telling” about the fact they had such experiences. I got it already by the second time you told me (at length) about this. You don’t have to keep repeating it.
The author also keeps reminding us of things that just happened earlier in the story. Example: Del has an argument with his brother. A short while later he encounters his brother and Del wonders what their interaction is going to be. Rather than just saying Del wondered about what would happen between them now, the author tells us that Del wonders what their interaction is going to be BECAUSE THEIR EARLIER INTERACTION ENDED BADLY. EXCUSE ME. I just read that. I know it ended badly. The author must think we either have dementia or can’t really follow the story because she frequently reminds the reader of major things that just happened. BORING!
All in all, lengthy ruminations of a couple who have never really gotten over each other and have no strong deterrents to getting back together, and few “meh” subplots, just aren’t enough to keep the reader’s interest.
Read
September 6, 2016I loved the chemistry between Maya and Del. Those two click, despite their past relationship they bring out the best in each other, they truly complement one another. I enjoyed the slow reigniting of their flame, Maya coming clean over their long ago break up was well done. The fact they didn’t jump into a relationship right away was appreciated, their whole interaction was realistic and tender proving old wounds do heal with time and maturity. Working together really allowed a wonderful way for Maya and Del to reacquaint themselves with each other before the attraction kicked in blinding them to unresolved issues. The fact they were both hesitant and scared along with insecure in revealing their true feelings made their connection even more intense.
All the relationships revealed along with their flaws, secrets and miscommunication brought all the characters to life. A complicated marriage is explored, sibling squabbles, step sibling complications, friendships, first loves, family issues – all citing the highs and lows of life, time, missteps and immaturity as well as maturity.
Satisfactory ending, looking forward to Mallery’s next book, curious who it will center around and if it will be in Fool’s Gold or elsewhere.
http://ravenhairedgirl.com
All the relationships revealed along with their flaws, secrets and miscommunication brought all the characters to life. A complicated marriage is explored, sibling squabbles, step sibling complications, friendships, first loves, family issues – all citing the highs and lows of life, time, missteps and immaturity as well as maturity.
Satisfactory ending, looking forward to Mallery’s next book, curious who it will center around and if it will be in Fool’s Gold or elsewhere.
http://ravenhairedgirl.com
August 1, 2015
Can't believe I have been reading this series for 6 years now. It makes me wish Fools Gold was a real place.
July 26, 2015
Book #18
We already met Maya in the previous book - but then she was only the step-sister and best friend of our hero and heroine. Now she has her own story.
Maya used to live in Fool's Gold until she left years ago. She not only left her family and the town - but also the love of her young life: Del...She was just too young and too scared to believe this amazing boy could be in love with her - forever...
But now she's back, because our darling Mayor Marsha wants her to promote the town's new slogan...
But being back in town also means that she might run into Del again...
Which is exactly what happens - at her first meeting with the Mayor ☺
Del is supposed to be the person in front of the camera, and Maya will shoot the town's promo videos.
That means working closely together ... and those old feelings and sparks have never vanished.
But it's not as easy as just falling back in love again..
Del had been hurt really bad when she left and he's not sure if he's ready to forgive and forget.
Plus there are still some secrets, that could ruin a possible newly blossoming love...
What will happen to Maya & Del?
Will Del stay in town?
Will he forgive her?
Will there be a HEA?
Nope - I'm not telling you ☺
_________________________________
Ugh - I just LOVE Fool's Gold and it's people - I would be happy to have a new Fool's Gold book every month for the rest of my life! ☺
I loooved this story.
Maya and Del.
Two people who could've had their HEA ten years ago.
But they were both too young and scared and restless.
It was good for Del to leave town and have adventures all over the world. And it was also good for Maya to be her own person for a while and do some growing up.
Now they're both finally ready to settle down - the only question is: will they settle down with the first person they ever fell in love with? Or is it too late for such a happy ending? :/
I really loved every second of the story - the sexy and romantic moments - and especially the funny moments - most of them including our geriatric town darlings Eddie & Gladys ☺☺☺
The first line of the book was hilarious already ☺☺☺
Maya Farlow told herself there was a perfectly good explanation for the mayor of Fool's Gold to have a picture of a man's naked butt on her computer screen. At least she really hoped there was.
☺☺☺
GO AND BUY THRILL ME - it's another amazing Mallery Romance that has it all: The town of Fool's Gold with all its amazing inhabitants - a beautiful Romance between two amazing people - moving & adorable moments & romantic sexiness ♥ like all of SUSAN'S books = JUST PERFECT ☺
July 13, 2017
Thrill Me de Susan Mallery tiene como protagonistas a Maya y Del, personajes que conocemos brevemente en el libro anterior de la saga.
Del y Maya no eran una de las parejas que mas me llamaban la atencion pero lo cierto es que su libro me gusto mas de lo que esperaba, al principio todo avanzaba muy lento ( como suele suceder en este tipo de novela ) pero a partir del segundo tercio la lectura se vuelve mucho mas fluida.
Sabia que esta novela no seria la mas impredecible u original, precisamente por eso la elegi, porque era una opcion segura, sabia que seria agil y sencilla, de esas lecturas que nunca fallan, te mantendra distraida una tarde en el sofa.
3 Estrellas!
October 12, 2024
Bumped up to 3 stars. OK. It's been a few years and I enjoyed this story much more this time around. Yes, the Mitchell family is disfunctional, especially the parents, but the story was a fun, steamy re-read. Also, since then I've come to love the Happily Inc books too and am planning to re-read them again after I finish the next two Fool's Gold stories.
2.5 stars. I found the Mitchell family kind of annoying. I wanted to send them all to family therapy and an Al-Anon meeting! Gah! Enable much??? Still a nice love story but not as good as the others. AND now I know why I didn’t like the Happily Inc book; it has Mitchell brothers in it!
2.5 stars. I found the Mitchell family kind of annoying. I wanted to send them all to family therapy and an Al-Anon meeting! Gah! Enable much??? Still a nice love story but not as good as the others. AND now I know why I didn’t like the Happily Inc book; it has Mitchell brothers in it!
July 30, 2015
Two-haiku review:
She's back in Fool's Gold
Love of her life also back
Are there still feelings?
Well written romance
Family secrets can destroy
Rock and a hard place
She's back in Fool's Gold
Love of her life also back
Are there still feelings?
Well written romance
Family secrets can destroy
Rock and a hard place
April 10, 2017
3 stelline e mezzo
August 29, 2017
Reseña completa
Bonita historia de un reencuentro sin rencores ni recriminaciones, con alguna que otra sorpresa inesperada. La locura de Eddie y Gladys llega a su máximo nivel aquí. Además, parece que la serie va llegando a su fin, pero se reciclará en una del mismo estilo, con un pueblo que se menciona por primera vez en este libro y se iniciará con otro de los hermanos Mitchell.
Pd: Segunda vez que se menciona de pasada a Ryder, me gusta este personaje.
Bonita historia de un reencuentro sin rencores ni recriminaciones, con alguna que otra sorpresa inesperada. La locura de Eddie y Gladys llega a su máximo nivel aquí. Además, parece que la serie va llegando a su fin, pero se reciclará en una del mismo estilo, con un pueblo que se menciona por primera vez en este libro y se iniciará con otro de los hermanos Mitchell.
Pd: Segunda vez que se menciona de pasada a Ryder, me gusta este personaje.
January 10, 2016
Wonderful second chance romance. Maya and Del had been in love ten years earlier, but their relationship hadn't worked out. Both of them left Fool's Gold to pursue other dreams. Now, through the efforts of Mayor Marsha, they have been recruited to work on publicity videos for the town, forcing them to deal with their past.
Maya had been raised by a mother who bounced from man to man. Her happiest time had been when her mom was married to Zane and Chase's dad (Kiss Me), giving Maya the most stable life she'd ever had. That was when she fell in love with Del, but the strength of her feelings and her fear of being like her mother, caused her to break things off with him and leave. When her current plans didn't work out she accepted the opportunity to come home to Fool's Gold and work with Mayor Marsha. She's stunned when she finds out Del will be working with her. She has never forgotten him and still feels guilty about the way she broke up with him. She hopes to have a chance to apologize to him.
Del grew up as the oldest of five boys in his family. His father is a famous and very self-centered artist who had no use for anyone who wasn't following in his footsteps. When Maya broke up with him, Del left Fool's Gold and got involved in extreme sports, and later made a fortune with the production of sports equipment. He has come back to Fool's Gold after selling his company to celebrate his father's birthday and to decide what is next for him. Working with Maya seems to be a good fit.
I loved the fact that they talked about their past early on and moved past it. Because they had been friends first way back then, they were able to move forward as friends again. There's also no shortage of the attraction either, but both are determined to resist that. Maya knows that Del isn't planning to stay in Fool's Gold past the end of summer, and she has no plans to leave. Falling for him again would be asking for trouble. Del feels the same way. He had trusted his heart to her once and he wasn't about to do it again.
I loved seeing how well they were able to work together. Each of them had strengths that, when combined, made the work they were doing go wonderfully. Spending that much time together also gave them a chance to get to know each other again. Del is more confident and comfortable with himself, now that he has had distance from his father. That confidence comes through in his work with Maya, especially when he opens up to her about his dreams for the future. He also begins to picture Maya as part of that future, and though his heart is all for it, his head isn't so sure about believing it. In the previous book Maya had made peace with her stepbrother Zane, and with her other stepbrother Chase, finally has a family relationship she feels that she can depend on. She also realizes that her own dreams for her future have been changing, thanks to Del's influence.
Of course, with the rekindling of their friendship, the attraction they feel for each other strengthens also. Eventually it becomes too much to resist, adding another layer to the feelings growing between them. I loved how thoughts of a future together kept creeping into each one's dreams and ached for their fears of confessing their feelings and taking a chance. There are signs that it could happen until family issues and secrets create a rift that may be too much to overcome.
Maya has remained good friends with Del's mom over all these years, and it's to Maya that Elaine turns when she needs help. She swears Maya to secrecy, and though Maya is positive that Elaine is making a mistake, she agrees. This secret weighs on Maya throughout the book, and when it comes out, leave Del feeling betrayed by both Maya and his mother. I felt that Del overreacted to this quite a lot, spending far more energy on that than the actual secret that Elaine had. I loved the ending and seeing Del in all his vulnerability and awkwardness and he tried to show Maya how he felt.
The Mitchell family dynamics are really interesting. The whole lot of them seemed to have an unhealthy thing about secrets. I didn't like the father at all. He was selfish to the point of not caring what was going on with his family if it didn't match with what he wanted. He drove his sons away with his treatment of them. While Elaine and Maya had a wonderful relationship, I also thought it was selfish of Elaine to make Maya keep that secret. There were also other secrets involving the younger sons that will have more impact in later books.
I enjoyed seeing other residents of Fool's Gold also. Phoebe and Zane had big parts in this book. I had fun attending one of the infamous Fool's Gold breakup parties. But the best of the secondary characters in this book were Eddie and Gladys. The old ladies are up to their usual antics, pushing the bounds of good taste with their "naked butts" contest on their local cable show. It was fun to see Maya have to try to control them, though she was also very entertained by them. They do make a surprising revelation at the end, one I never would have expected.
Maya had been raised by a mother who bounced from man to man. Her happiest time had been when her mom was married to Zane and Chase's dad (Kiss Me), giving Maya the most stable life she'd ever had. That was when she fell in love with Del, but the strength of her feelings and her fear of being like her mother, caused her to break things off with him and leave. When her current plans didn't work out she accepted the opportunity to come home to Fool's Gold and work with Mayor Marsha. She's stunned when she finds out Del will be working with her. She has never forgotten him and still feels guilty about the way she broke up with him. She hopes to have a chance to apologize to him.
Del grew up as the oldest of five boys in his family. His father is a famous and very self-centered artist who had no use for anyone who wasn't following in his footsteps. When Maya broke up with him, Del left Fool's Gold and got involved in extreme sports, and later made a fortune with the production of sports equipment. He has come back to Fool's Gold after selling his company to celebrate his father's birthday and to decide what is next for him. Working with Maya seems to be a good fit.
I loved the fact that they talked about their past early on and moved past it. Because they had been friends first way back then, they were able to move forward as friends again. There's also no shortage of the attraction either, but both are determined to resist that. Maya knows that Del isn't planning to stay in Fool's Gold past the end of summer, and she has no plans to leave. Falling for him again would be asking for trouble. Del feels the same way. He had trusted his heart to her once and he wasn't about to do it again.
I loved seeing how well they were able to work together. Each of them had strengths that, when combined, made the work they were doing go wonderfully. Spending that much time together also gave them a chance to get to know each other again. Del is more confident and comfortable with himself, now that he has had distance from his father. That confidence comes through in his work with Maya, especially when he opens up to her about his dreams for the future. He also begins to picture Maya as part of that future, and though his heart is all for it, his head isn't so sure about believing it. In the previous book Maya had made peace with her stepbrother Zane, and with her other stepbrother Chase, finally has a family relationship she feels that she can depend on. She also realizes that her own dreams for her future have been changing, thanks to Del's influence.
Of course, with the rekindling of their friendship, the attraction they feel for each other strengthens also. Eventually it becomes too much to resist, adding another layer to the feelings growing between them. I loved how thoughts of a future together kept creeping into each one's dreams and ached for their fears of confessing their feelings and taking a chance. There are signs that it could happen until family issues and secrets create a rift that may be too much to overcome.
Maya has remained good friends with Del's mom over all these years, and it's to Maya that Elaine turns when she needs help. She swears Maya to secrecy, and though Maya is positive that Elaine is making a mistake, she agrees. This secret weighs on Maya throughout the book, and when it comes out, leave Del feeling betrayed by both Maya and his mother. I felt that Del overreacted to this quite a lot, spending far more energy on that than the actual secret that Elaine had. I loved the ending and seeing Del in all his vulnerability and awkwardness and he tried to show Maya how he felt.
The Mitchell family dynamics are really interesting. The whole lot of them seemed to have an unhealthy thing about secrets. I didn't like the father at all. He was selfish to the point of not caring what was going on with his family if it didn't match with what he wanted. He drove his sons away with his treatment of them. While Elaine and Maya had a wonderful relationship, I also thought it was selfish of Elaine to make Maya keep that secret. There were also other secrets involving the younger sons that will have more impact in later books.
I enjoyed seeing other residents of Fool's Gold also. Phoebe and Zane had big parts in this book. I had fun attending one of the infamous Fool's Gold breakup parties. But the best of the secondary characters in this book were Eddie and Gladys. The old ladies are up to their usual antics, pushing the bounds of good taste with their "naked butts" contest on their local cable show. It was fun to see Maya have to try to control them, though she was also very entertained by them. They do make a surprising revelation at the end, one I never would have expected.
November 7, 2017
Boring and unnecessarily repetitive...not much tension between the 2 leads so it didn't feel romantic.
August 14, 2015
Just when I was ready to write off Fool's Gold as jumping the shark, Susan Mallery has done it again - she has sucked me back in and made me fall in love with Fool's Gold all over again.
As with all of Susan Mallery's book, Thrill Me is a very well written book. The storyline flows effortlessly, the development of the characters is compelling, and the emotion is woven wonderfully into the story until you can no longer tell whether the emotions you are feeling are yours or the characters in the book. I found myself tearing up several times while reading this book - a sure sign that the author has created a book that touches your heart.
I think what struck me the most about Del and Maya's relationship is that it just happens. It didn't happen like a normal relationship - boy meets girl, boy asks girl out, girl stresses over what to wear, boy and girl date, boy and girl kiss, boy and girl have sex. Del and Maya had a relationship previously, so it was natural for them to reconnect when they both found themselves back in town and working together. A comfortable working relationship progresses into a couple of innocent kisses, and then Del and Maya are back together again. And then they're just working partners again, and then they're together. They never define their relationship - they just happen into it. It is especially interesting when the characters observe that's how their relationship happened.
I love the brother dynamic of the Mitchell brothers. Del is a wonderful character with a great personality and fills his own spot in the family, but the author has opened the door to a lot of future stories about the Mitchell brothers by showing secrets that each of them is holding close - there are many we are only teased with and don't know the complete story yet, ourselves. And I look forward to heading to Happily, Inc. where two of the brothers have moved.
Susan Mallery hit a home run with Thrill Me and has a recommitted fan of Fool's Gold. Just when I was ready to close the door on a great small town, deciding their stories had all been told, she has set us up for so many stories in the future.
As with all of Susan Mallery's book, Thrill Me is a very well written book. The storyline flows effortlessly, the development of the characters is compelling, and the emotion is woven wonderfully into the story until you can no longer tell whether the emotions you are feeling are yours or the characters in the book. I found myself tearing up several times while reading this book - a sure sign that the author has created a book that touches your heart.
I think what struck me the most about Del and Maya's relationship is that it just happens. It didn't happen like a normal relationship - boy meets girl, boy asks girl out, girl stresses over what to wear, boy and girl date, boy and girl kiss, boy and girl have sex. Del and Maya had a relationship previously, so it was natural for them to reconnect when they both found themselves back in town and working together. A comfortable working relationship progresses into a couple of innocent kisses, and then Del and Maya are back together again. And then they're just working partners again, and then they're together. They never define their relationship - they just happen into it. It is especially interesting when the characters observe that's how their relationship happened.
I love the brother dynamic of the Mitchell brothers. Del is a wonderful character with a great personality and fills his own spot in the family, but the author has opened the door to a lot of future stories about the Mitchell brothers by showing secrets that each of them is holding close - there are many we are only teased with and don't know the complete story yet, ourselves. And I look forward to heading to Happily, Inc. where two of the brothers have moved.
Susan Mallery hit a home run with Thrill Me and has a recommitted fan of Fool's Gold. Just when I was ready to close the door on a great small town, deciding their stories had all been told, she has set us up for so many stories in the future.
August 23, 2015
Susan Mallery is one of my go to authors when it comes to summer romance. Thrill Me is another winner. I was totally amazed to know that this the 18th book in the Fool's Gold series.
This is a second chance at love story which is an area of romance of that I'e been reading a lot of. Sometimes its done well and sometimes it makes you roll your eyes. For awhile I thought I might be heading towards the eye rolling area, but I really found myself liking Maya and Del. They had an interesting history. (And I always find it amusing that people hold torches for their high school sweethearts in these books). Plus there are a few brothers that are going to need stories. I'm all for Aidan settling down.
The one thing that really bugged me was the situation with Elaine, who just happens to be Del's mom as well as Maya's close friend. From the time the problem arises you know it is going to cause problems with Maya and Del. I really hate when the end of the book conflict is really obvious, and this was in your face obvious.
Thankfully the chemistry between Maya and Del was electric. The two of them really fit well together and I love the mixture of heat and humor that came whenever they were together.
Overall, the story worked out well, and I enjoyed reading about the family tensions as the couple found their way back together.
This is a second chance at love story which is an area of romance of that I'e been reading a lot of. Sometimes its done well and sometimes it makes you roll your eyes. For awhile I thought I might be heading towards the eye rolling area, but I really found myself liking Maya and Del. They had an interesting history. (And I always find it amusing that people hold torches for their high school sweethearts in these books). Plus there are a few brothers that are going to need stories. I'm all for Aidan settling down.
The one thing that really bugged me was the situation with Elaine, who just happens to be Del's mom as well as Maya's close friend. From the time the problem arises you know it is going to cause problems with Maya and Del. I really hate when the end of the book conflict is really obvious, and this was in your face obvious.
Thankfully the chemistry between Maya and Del was electric. The two of them really fit well together and I love the mixture of heat and humor that came whenever they were together.
Overall, the story worked out well, and I enjoyed reading about the family tensions as the couple found their way back together.
August 1, 2015
Fool's Gold is a great place to fall in love. I always look forward to reading Susan Mallery's books written around this magical town. Yes, it's part of a series, but each book can easily be read alone. Saying that, I think you will want to read the others once you read one.
THRILL ME is a 2nd Chance story that introduces us to Maya and Del. Right out of school they were "THE" couple. Then Maya gets scared and decides to end their relationship, leaving Del wondering what went wrong. Now, after they went their separate ways and made a name for themselves, they are drawn back to Fool's Gold and have to work with each other. It's fun to watch them wrestle with their past and discover there are still feelings and issues that need dealt with.
Susan has such a great talent for making her characters real and full of life. She brings out real emotion and depth that makes you care what happens next in the characters lives. Romance, comedy, and a little magic are all part of this book. I loved reading it.
THRILL ME is a 2nd Chance story that introduces us to Maya and Del. Right out of school they were "THE" couple. Then Maya gets scared and decides to end their relationship, leaving Del wondering what went wrong. Now, after they went their separate ways and made a name for themselves, they are drawn back to Fool's Gold and have to work with each other. It's fun to watch them wrestle with their past and discover there are still feelings and issues that need dealt with.
Susan has such a great talent for making her characters real and full of life. She brings out real emotion and depth that makes you care what happens next in the characters lives. Romance, comedy, and a little magic are all part of this book. I loved reading it.
June 5, 2015
I really enjoyed the previous book, Kiss Me. Phoebe, Zane, and all of the characters on the cattle drive were wonderful; so, I was very much looking forward to reading Thrill Me. While I always enjoy returning to Fool's Gold, Thrill Me did not thrill me. It wasn't a bad story, but I found myself a little bored by Maya and Del. Maya didn't seem to have the spark she had in Kiss Me, and Del just wasn't that interesting to me. I was much more interested in what antics Gladys and Eddie were up to, Phoebe and Zane's wedding, and Elaine's situation. I also found myself more interested in Del's brothers than him. I also wanted to know more about whether Madeline would work up the nerve to speak with Jonny Blaze. To me, the side characters were just more entertaining than the main characters.
*I received my ARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
*I received my ARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2015
Another Fool’s Gold story to fall in love. This time we have Maya returning to town and reconnecting with her adopted family and ex boo. I actually liked Del and this was the first time he appeared in the series but we can see that these two only needed to grown up and discover what life had to offer becase they both wanted the same things, but fear and naivete clashed with their relationship.
I think the only problem with these two was sharing feelings, because Maya was the responsible for the changes in both of them and I think they became better persons because of it. Del is relaxed and sure of hinself without his father constant drama and Maya is happy because she made a name for herself in something she loves.
It was a great romance story and very good addition to this series.
I think the only problem with these two was sharing feelings, because Maya was the responsible for the changes in both of them and I think they became better persons because of it. Del is relaxed and sure of hinself without his father constant drama and Maya is happy because she made a name for herself in something she loves.
It was a great romance story and very good addition to this series.
July 1, 2015
I really enjoyed this book.
Maya and Del are both interesting characters. I liked how their personalities were sort of similar. They're both passionate about what and who they love and they complimented each other well. The push and pull of "does he/she feel the same way" got a bit boring, but it was sweet and fluffy and that was enough to keep me reading.
I'm intrigued to see if the rest of the brothers get stories. We got just enough of the other 4 to interest me. And seeing Phoebe and Zane was delightful.
**Huge thanks to Harlequin Books and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
Maya and Del are both interesting characters. I liked how their personalities were sort of similar. They're both passionate about what and who they love and they complimented each other well. The push and pull of "does he/she feel the same way" got a bit boring, but it was sweet and fluffy and that was enough to keep me reading.
I'm intrigued to see if the rest of the brothers get stories. We got just enough of the other 4 to interest me. And seeing Phoebe and Zane was delightful.
**Huge thanks to Harlequin Books and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
September 2, 2017
Dos personajes que se respetan y que se tratan como iguales, y quienes de verdad dejaron su pasado en común en el pasado y no se reencuentran con rencores o deseos de venganza. Es la historia de un re-enamoramiento: primero se enamoraron como adolescentes y ahora lo hacen como adultos.
August 6, 2015
Another great read by Susan Mallery! Once again Fools Gold is the place to be not only for the best characters but for romance with all the drama and twists and turns that go with it! Very enjoyable!
June 29, 2018
Just couldn’t connect with this book
January 20, 2019
"Qualche minuto dopo Del l'attirò a sé. «Maya» sospirò.
Fu come se quel suono la spogliasse fino all'anima. E allora divenne evidente una verità che aveva celato anche a se stessa per dieci lunghi anni.
La ragione per cui non si era mai innamorata di nessuno era semplice: non poteva. Perché Del aveva rubato il suo cuore e non gliel'aveva mai restituito.
Dopo tanto tempo, Maya era ancora innamorata di lui."
Tanto mi era piaciuto il precedente della serie, dedicato a Zane e Phoebe, quanto mi sono trascinata leggendo la storia di Del e Maya XD E dire che le premesse c'erano tutte: correnti sotterranee di un'amore giovanile finito male, una famiglia piena di aitanti playboy (di cui forse Del è uno dei più pacati XD), segreti di famiglia (a volontà direi, visto le batoste finali XD), la deliziona atmosfera della cittadina con i suoi eccentrici abitanti, coppie vecchie e nuove che si intrecciano....e invece, incredibilmente, il tutto risulta sin troppo statico e ripetitivo (sopratutto i pensieri di Maya e Del....anzi di Del in particolare, giuro sembra un copia/incolla perpetuo sulla fiducia come se invece di 10 anni fossero passati 10 giorni D:). Ho amato molto il rapporto tra Maya e la sua famiglia (Zane si è sciolto ora XD), la cittadina, le altre donne scatenate, mentre i rapporti familiari di Del sono peggio dei gerani morti di Maya XD Il fatto poi che non siano stati pubblicati i successivi della serie (e che, da quel che ho visto, nemmeno ci sia la storia di tutti i fratelli) è stato un vero colpo al cuore, perché avevano appena iniziato a ricucire i rapporti e sono esplose parecchie bombe nelle ultime pagine che a quanto pare rimarranno lì in eterno ç_ç
Fu come se quel suono la spogliasse fino all'anima. E allora divenne evidente una verità che aveva celato anche a se stessa per dieci lunghi anni.
La ragione per cui non si era mai innamorata di nessuno era semplice: non poteva. Perché Del aveva rubato il suo cuore e non gliel'aveva mai restituito.
Dopo tanto tempo, Maya era ancora innamorata di lui."
Tanto mi era piaciuto il precedente della serie, dedicato a Zane e Phoebe, quanto mi sono trascinata leggendo la storia di Del e Maya XD E dire che le premesse c'erano tutte: correnti sotterranee di un'amore giovanile finito male, una famiglia piena di aitanti playboy (di cui forse Del è uno dei più pacati XD), segreti di famiglia (a volontà direi, visto le batoste finali XD), la deliziona atmosfera della cittadina con i suoi eccentrici abitanti, coppie vecchie e nuove che si intrecciano....e invece, incredibilmente, il tutto risulta sin troppo statico e ripetitivo (sopratutto i pensieri di Maya e Del....anzi di Del in particolare, giuro sembra un copia/incolla perpetuo sulla fiducia come se invece di 10 anni fossero passati 10 giorni D:). Ho amato molto il rapporto tra Maya e la sua famiglia (Zane si è sciolto ora XD), la cittadina, le altre donne scatenate, mentre i rapporti familiari di Del sono peggio dei gerani morti di Maya XD Il fatto poi che non siano stati pubblicati i successivi della serie (e che, da quel che ho visto, nemmeno ci sia la storia di tutti i fratelli) è stato un vero colpo al cuore, perché avevano appena iniziato a ricucire i rapporti e sono esplose parecchie bombe nelle ultime pagine che a quanto pare rimarranno lì in eterno ç_ç
October 20, 2018
Loved returning to Fools Gold Series. Thrill Me is Del Mitchell's and Maya story. Mayor Marsh is up to her old tricks hiring Maya and Del to work together on doing commercials that shows the town of Fools Gold. Del and Maya have past they were once in love ten years earlier when had asked her to marry him she said yes but then had second thoughts about marry him so she didn't tell him the truth she told she was bored with him. So they both left Fools Gold Maya going college on a scholarship and working in L.A. where as Del traveled the world doung various ventures filming along the way. Eddie and Gladys feature in the book as well as a few of the girls feature from previous books. There are a few complications as well a missing child, Elaine Del mum confides of Breast cancer diagnosis with Maya which she confidesbbwith Maya. Thos is hard secret for Maya keep from Del as she falling for him. A great read. 📖📖📖
August 23, 2017
Ich habe mich sehr auf mein erstes Buch von Susan Mallery gefreut und war auf meinen Einstieg in die Geschichte(n) rund um Fool's Gold sehr gespannt. Leider muss ich gestehen, dass mich "Wer früher küsst, ist länger verliebt" sehr gelangweilt hat. Zudem empfand ich einige Dialoge als unnötig. Man hätte das Buch auch problemlos kürzen können. Die wechselnde Erzähl-Perspektive von Maya zu Del irritierte mich.
Gut gefallen haben mir dagegen Maya und Del als Charaktere. Sehr sympathische Menschen, die - im Vergleich zu anderen Charakteren aus anderen Büchern - nicht sofort aus einer Fliege einen Elefanten machen.
Gut gefallen haben mir dagegen Maya und Del als Charaktere. Sehr sympathische Menschen, die - im Vergleich zu anderen Charakteren aus anderen Büchern - nicht sofort aus einer Fliege einen Elefanten machen.
July 6, 2019
Gosh. These are getting worse. And yet I'm still here - because I want to see it through. And yet. This drove me mad. So little actual tension, so few actual conversations. So many reoccuring tropes from this series, so little actually new. And Mayor Marsha grows more annoying every scene she is in at this point.
October 10, 2017
Dieses Buch überzeugt mit seinen interessanten und mitfühlenden Charakteren!
May 19, 2019
Pretty boring. A story about nothing with nothing to talk about because nothing happened.
Kathleen said it all:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Kathleen said it all:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
August 5, 2019
Maya and Del are a beautiful pairing. 2nd chance romance done right.
October 4, 2021
Very predictable.
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