Fool Me Once

by Fern Michaels

With a spark of romance and a bevy of chaotic canines (Romantic Times), #1 New York Times bestselling author Fern Michaels delivers a wonderfully entertaining novel about the things we do to protect the ones we love and the happiness life can bring when we least expect it. . .

Olivia Lowell always believed her father's claim that her mother died in childbirth, until the shocking day a lawyer informs her that her mother has just passed away, leaving her a fortune. However, the money comes with a caveat. In her will, Olivia's mother reveals that she and two college friends committed a crime long ago, and now she wants Olivia to track down her accomplices and convince them to come clean.

Feeling betrayed by her father and unsure that she even wants her mother's tainted money, Olivia must decide if she can handle the secrets of the past. Fulfilling her mother's request won't be easy, nor will mending her relationship with her father. But with the help and affections of a handsome young lawyer, and the sweet companionship of her beloved Yorkies, Olivia will come to understand who her mother really was, and who she, herself, was meant to be. . .

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Mystery, Audiobook, Adult Fiction

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 29, 2006

About the author

Fern Michaels isn’t a person. I’m not sure she’s an entity either since an entity is something with separate existence. Fern Michaels® is what I DO. Me, Mary Ruth Kuczkir. Growing up in Hastings, Pennsylvania, I was called Ruth. I became Mary when I entered the business world where first names were the order of the day. To this day, family and friends call me Dink, a name my father gave me when I was born because according to him I was ‘a dinky little thing’ weighing in at four and a half pounds. However, I answer to Fern since people are more comfortable with a name they can pronounce.

As they say, the past is prologue. I grew up, got a job, got married, had five kids. When my youngest went off to Kindergarten, my husband told me to get off my ass and get a job. Those were his exact words. I didn’t know how to do anything except be a wife and mother. I was also a voracious reader having cut my teeth on The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames and the like. The library was a magical place for me. It still is to this day. Rather than face the outside world with no skills, I decided to write a book. For some reason that didn’t intimidate me. As my husband said at the time, stupid is as stupid does. Guess what, I don’t have that husband any more. Guess what else! I wrote 99 books, most of them New York Times Best Sellers.

Moving right along here . . . Several years ago I left Ballantine Books, parted company with my agent, sold my house in New Jersey that I had lived in all my married life and in 1993 moved to South Carolina. I figured if I was going to go through trauma let it be all at one time. It was a breeze. The kids were all on their own at that point. The dump was a 300 year old plantation house that is listed in the National Registry that I remodeled. Today it is beyond belief as are the gardens and the equally old Angel Oaks that drip Spanish moss. Unfortunately, I could not get my ghost to relocate. This ghost has been documented by previous owners. Mary Margaret as we call her, is “a friendly”. She is also mischievous. It took me two weeks to figure out that she didn’t like my coffee cups. They would slide off the table or counter or else they’d break in the dishwasher. I bought red checkered ones. All are intact as of this writing. She moves pillows from one room to the other and she stops all the clocks in the house at 9:10 in the a.m. at least once a week. When the Azaleas are in bloom, and only then, I find blooms on my night stand. I have this glorious front porch and during the warm months I see my swing moving early in the morning when the air is still and again late in the day. She doesn’t spook the dogs. I always know when she’s around because the five of them line up and look like they’re at a tennis match. As of this writing we’re co-habiting nicely.

Most writers love what they do and I’m no exception. I love it when I get a germ of an idea and get it down on paper. I love breathing life into my characters. I love writing about women who persevere and prevail because that’s what I had to do to get to this point in time. It’s another way of saying it doesn’t matter where you’ve been, what matters is where you’re going and how you get there. The day I finally prevailed was the day I was inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame. For me it was an awesome day and there are no words to describe it.
I’ve been telling stories and scribbling for 37 years. I hope I can continue for another 37 years. It wasn’t easy during some of those years. As I said, I had to persevere. My old Polish grandmother said something to me when I was little that I never forgot. She said when God is good to you, you have to give back. For a while I didn’t know how to do that. When I finally figured it out I set up The Fern Michaels® Foundation.

READ FERN MICHAELS' FULL BIOGRAPHY HERE: http://www.fernmichaels.com/biography/

Reviews

[Lynn Townsend · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was sort of astonished by this book.

I still can't really decide if I actually liked it or not. The author spends a lot of time TELLING you a thing without showing you ANYTHING. Our heroine, Ollie, cries a lot, but I never once actually felt a pang of emotional sympathy for her. The story itself was interesting enough to keep me going, but in the end, when everyone gets their happy ending, I really never thought they wouldn't.

And I do mean, everyone. gets. their. happy. ending.

Wow, seriously, I never saw a writer tie so many bows.

[Ella · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can summarize the book with one word - pathetic.
-The main character, Olivia. The main thing she did was whine like a five-year-old and cause inconvenience to others in order to achieve a goal she didn't really want achieve to in the first place. Plus, she was a hypocrite - she said she hated her mother because she was cruel and only loved money, but in the end she didn't have any problem spending her mother's money.
-The romance - God. They knew each other for two days before they started to play house, and in general their relationship was poorly described - they didn't fight even once. It was too sweet, too plain and utterly unnecessary.
-The plot - the purpose of the story, finding her mother's friends and convincing them to return the money they stole, was (un)solved in the begining. Olivia found them, they refused to return the money, and she just gave up and continued with her life. The story just continued without aim until (!!!) those friends decided to confess their deeds and give back the money! (yayyyy). And now everone is happy and rich!! They all lived happily ever after, and left me mourning the time spent on reading this book.

[Amy Ingalls · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was OK-- like a Lifetime movie. Some of the scenarios were a little bit hard to believe, and the ending wrapped up with everyone happy and a bit too good to be true, but an easy way to spend an afternoon.

[Gail Amendt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this for a book club. Otherwise I would probably never have read a mass market paperback romance. I have nothing against a well written light romance. They have their place for times when one doesn't really want to think, or when one is feeling the need for a happy ending. I do, however, still expect the plot to be somewhat plausible and consistent, and for characters to behave in a realistic way. This book failed to meet those expectations. There were holes in the plot large enough to drive a bus through, some of the most one dimensional characters I have ever read, and way too many unnecessary story lines. This should have been caught in editing, but I'm guessing there wasn't much editing done. Fern Michaels appears to have become such a money maker for her publisher that I suspect they barely even bother to read her books before they go to publishing. This is unfortunate, because this book is not all bad (I did keep reading it, after all), and I think Fern Michaels could do so much better if she put some time and effort into her writing rather than churn out a book every couple of months.

[Catch22* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Olivia is a self employeed animal photographer who lives a pretty normal life. Everything is good. She has a great career, a father whom she is very close with, a home that she adores and ofcourse her lovable yorkie.

Then one day Olivia gets a knock on the door from a lawyer who turns her life upside down. Suddenly she learns that the mom she thought passed away at her birth has been alive all these years and just recently died. In her mothers will she leaves her a huge estate, along with a mail order company and a request to fix the wrong she has done in her life which includes righting the bank robbery her mom had been involved with years ago.

I thought the main character herself needed to grow a spine and if you read this you will understand why I found her to be somewhat annoying. However, the twists and other characters make it a good read and the story line(s) were interesting. Kept me reading to find out what happens at the end and I was pleased.

[Renee]

I found this book at the Salvation Army several months ago (I can't resist looking at the book table when we drop off donations) and finally got around to reading it. I now understand why I see Michaels' name on bookshelves so often! This book was a delight to read, light while full of enough plot to be fully engaging. It didn't feel like a romance, even though I know Michaels is most well known as a romance writer. I also get the feeling that most of her books are far more serious that this one, so choosing the next to pick up will be a challenge.

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was quite possibly the dumbest book I have ever read. The characters were one dimensional, at best, and I've never read so many cliches in my life! I'm actually ashamed that I finished the whole book. I should have put it down at the beginning when I knew it was going to be stupid. Don't wast your time with it. Not worth it!

[Dolores]

Don't bother to read. Found it painful at times, and was just willing the plot to take a more interesting turn. It felt like the author got sick of writing and just made up a feel good ending to finish the book.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this to be a fun story to read and that the dogs added a unique touch to the story. This was a nice and easy read that was enjoyable - I do like reading books by this author. Nothing too heavy, just right.

[BookNightOwl · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a so-so book. It was a good book to read but then not a good book because I feel like they dragged the plot to the very last chapter and everything was rushed to be revealed. So I wouldn’t read it again but it was nice to read once.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book had an interesting plot line in reference to a Mother, who chose not to have a relationship with her daughter but then left her a mess to clean up -- the left over mess of a long ago robbed bank -- robbed by her estranged Mother and two of her other friends right after graduation. I would have liked to see how this mess resolved itself. However, the pathetically developing relationship with the lawyer of a DOG who inherited his owners estate became too much to stomach. I was listening to this book after 4 CD's of a 9 CD book, I decided it was just not worth it to find out the ending. If someone who did make it through to the end wants to let me know how it ended, I would be interested in knowing!!!

[Debby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started this audio at the beginning of a 12 hour solo car journey and it kept me entertained for so much of it, that there are whole communities I don't remember traveling through! Olivia Lowell is shocked to learn when she's 34, that the mother she thought had died in childbirth, was alive until a few weeks earlier. As she gradually discovers the awful person she was, she's comforted by a young lawyer she meets (and falls in love with) and the pack of yorkshire terriers she acquires. A young woman of high standards and morals, she does things "because it's the right thing to do" not for personal gain, and is rewarded with great happiness. Uplifting, entertaining and a welcome change from much of what's being written today.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED this book. Its light on the romance and heavy on the character coming to terms with a mother she never knew existed. Olivia learns of her mother's existence at age 34 and a week after she died. Her mother asks her for one favor, right the wrongs she and 3 firends committed when they were in college. So now Olivia has to decide does she return the money her mom stole from a bank and do a favor to a dead woman who abandoned her at birth or ignore mother's final wishes.

[Tom Pintong · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was going to be a girl book that I got suckered into buying from book of the month, but it turned out to be a good read. Characters I actually cared for, and tons of cute dogs. I shouldn't be thrown off by pink covers from now on...

[Katrina Perolino · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first Fern Michaels book I bought and read, and it did not fail to make me happy. I liked the simple, realistic flow of the story, and the chemistry between Jeff and Olivia. It was cute, to say the most.

[Sandie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read especially for folks who have dogs.. especially Yorkies.. It was a romance, mystery, dog lover book. It really keeps you moving along. It is a book I had trouble putting down. I so enjoyed it..

[Guidinglight72hotmail.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the best book that I have ever read, bar none!!! I couldn't wait to finish it and then lend it to my sisters. It was great!!!!!!! :) Bravo to Fern Michaels for this wonderful book!!! :)

[Erica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Predictable. Forgettable. -e

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fern Michaels is one of my go-to easy-peasy beach read type of books. I can usually pick one up and be done within a day or two. Most of her books are light reads, and this is no exception.

Fool Me Once is true to Michaels typical style - crime wrapped in a Hallmark-style love story. While the backstory is intriguing, the ending is wrapped a little too nicely with a big ol’ Hallmark bow.

There are a few jumps in the novel. For example, Alice hides the ring box and ring. Cecil and Loopy snatch a similar ring up and run into the bathroom. Jeff and Olivia run after them, and hear a ring hit the tile. She was excited and relieved, as it was the engagement ring. Where did it come from, and what happened to the other ring the dogs snatched up?

The ending has a similar jump - all of a sudden, everything is okay. There is such a neat ending that it’s frustrating. Similar to a Hallmark Christmas movie, it just ties up a little too neatly and quickly.

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really annoying, boring characters. Ridiculous story - finding out your mother, who you believed died in childbirth, was alive until recently could have been a great story line to see Olivia work through. Instead she complained constantly when all she had to do was walk away from her mother's estate and keep out of all the drama. Yet she stuck herself in the middle of every aspect of her mother's life and made ridiculously stupid decisions with no real research or expertise involved. Olivia and Jeff has no chemistry at all and yet are engaged within a few weeks. It was a painful book to listen to.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I bought this audiobook in the clearance section of a Scholastic warehouse sale, so I got my 85 cents worth out of it. The story was cute enough, but nothing memorable. The love story plot follows any typical romance novel format. My biggest complaint is that while most of the book is the limited point of view from Olivia (the main character), the author sporadically decides to follow other characters for parts of a chapter. This would be fine, but those bits do not add anything to the story, as the characters recap everything they said and did near verbatim once they reunite with Olivia and the story is back to her point of view.

[Nancy Brady · Rating 3 out of 5]

Secrets will out in this novel by Fern Michaels. For Olivia Lowell, it will be finding out that the mother she believed died in childbirth, didn't. For Olivia's dad, Dennis Lowell, it will be explaining why he lied to Olivia all these years. As secrets of the past mount up, it is up to Olivia to deal with them all.

Still, in the process, Olivia will meet the love of her life, Jeff, and she will achieve what her mother wanted for her. She will even save a few dogs, Yorkies, along the way. But will it all come out right in the end? For Olivia? For Dennis? For Jeff? For Cecil? For Gwen and Jill?

This is a tale of redemption, forgiveness, love, AND dogs.

[Kailie Mae · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, but it was sadly a pain to read. There is no pointed climax of the story. If anything, the highest point in the plot occurs within the first three chapters, which left no room for any development in the rest of the book. The author runs in circles around the same concept throughout the entire story. The characters are one-dimensional, the plot is predictable, and nothing is realistic.

I would have set this book down after reading maybe the first fifty pages. The only thing that kept me reading was the fact that my great-grandma recommended the book to me!

[Randi Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fool me once

This was a very good book as all for Michael's books are. It's light and happy! It makes me miss my little Yorkie Ellie Mae! Who died this past July. She was my life, my best friend, my baby, after all my kids had grown up and moved away. She was my service dog, my doorbell, my reason for getting up everyday! I got scammed for lots of money four different times trying to get another Yorkie. It made me want to cry that they had so many Yorkies and I can't even find one! But it was a very good book! I couldn't put it down!

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was interesting and I had fun reading it. In my opinion Olivia was a bit whiny and cried at the drop of a hat (if she's supposed to be in her early 30s I would have guessed she'd have a bit more backbone). The best line in the book is where Olivia is compared to General George S. Patton!! I almost fell out of my chair when I read that paragraph. Way to go!

[Alison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. It was pretty unrealistic in general. The main characters got engaged after two weeks of knowing each other, there were a lot of dialogue and character inconsistencies and there were 15 dogs, not the two that the back of the book mentioned. Not a great read.

[Eleanor Spalding · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very boring book. Plot is ridiculous! So much writing about dogs that has no meaning to story. I had taken another Fern Michaels book from the library but after this one, will return without reading.

[RUTH A · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a dog lover you’ll enjoy this book

This book had a lot of twists and turns. If you love dogs, you will definitely find this on interesting and funny! There’s a lesson to be learned too! I definitely enjoyed this book!

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This could have been a very entertaining story. But it was so poorly written that the story was just all over the place. I think every character in the book acted in ways I just didn’t find believable!

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite Fern Michaels books. It made me laugh, made me sad and angry and it made me cry! What more could you want from a book????