Yours for Christmas by Susan Mallery Series: Fool's Gold #15.5
Published by Harlequin on 2014-11-01
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 384
Format: eARC
Source: purchased
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Also in this series: Three Little Words, A Fool's Gold Christmas, Christmas on 4th Street, When We Met, Before We Kiss, Until We Touch, Hold Me, Kiss Me, Thrill Me, Marry Me at Christmas, Best of My Love
Also by this author: Three Little Words, A Fool's Gold Christmas, Christmas on 4th Street, When We Met, Before We Kiss, Until We Touch, Hold Me, Kiss Me, Thrill Me, Marry Me at Christmas, Best of My Love, The Ladies' Man, Second Chance Girl, Why Not Tonight
Step out of the winter chill and into the warmth of Fool's Gold, California, the charming small-town setting for a new holiday novella from New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery.
Famous former NFL stars don't date single working moms like Bailey Voss. She'll allow herself to daydream about Kenny Scott's muscles and killer smile, but wanting more would lead to post-holiday regret. Then Kenny volunteers to run a toy drive with Bailey, and she learns that he's not just hot…he's also generous, funny, nice.
The whole package—tantalizingly out of reach.The ache of past loss reminds Kenny why he needs to avoid getting too close to anyone. Especially to a gorgeous redhead and her adorable little girl. Mess it up, and he'd lose them both. Yet Kenny can only resist Bailey for so long. And as festive spirit spreads throughout the town, he's all wrapped up in Bailey's sweet, sexy kisses and determined to make this the first of many Christmases together…
Review
A short, sweet holiday romance. I really like Bailey; she’s a war widow and a single mom with a hard-won optimism. She’s strong and determined as well as kind and loving. (She’s also curvy – a tad overweight in her eyes but not in mine – which helped me relate to her even more.) Her daughter, seven-year-old Chloe, is a darling and completely stole my heart. Is it any wonder Kenny can’t stay away from the two of them?
Kenny is almost too good to be true – almost. He’s the quintessential nice guy (and that’s just my type!) Of course he’s handsome as well (it’s a romance, for heaven’s sake!), but due to something in his past, he’s determined to keep things on the level of just friends. And that emotional baggage — when the truth of it was revealed my heart just hurt for him. No wonder he steers clear of entanglements with single moms!
Fool’s Gold is its usual charming and slightly unusual self. I always enjoy reconnecting with characters I’ve gotten to know through other books. In this case, because it’s a novella, we don’t see quite as much of them, but there are still some good moments.
The only drawback – and it’s a hallmark of this series – is that the resolution is too fast and the book ends too soon afterward for my taste. I’d like to enjoy their togetherness a while longer. Also, the Fool’s Gold plots almost all seem to follow the same pattern (Taryn and Angel’s story was an exception): the heroine wants a relationship, the hero has emotional baggage and won’t commit or tries not to get involved, the hero comes to his senses and proposes, The End. I could wish for a little more variety, but it’s a formula that works. Mallery is excellent at building the central relationship and making you care about both main characters, and she writes with humor and insight. She makes Fool’s Gold feel like a real if slightly idealized place full of people I would love to know. I expect to go on enjoying my visits there for a long time to come.
About Susan Mallery
With more than 25 million books sold worldwide, New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery is known for creating characters who feel as real as the folks next door, and for putting them into emotional, often funny situations readers recognize from their own lives. Susan’s books have made Booklist’s Top 10 Romances list in four out of five consecutive years. RT Book Reviews says, “When it comes to heartfelt contemporary romance, Mallery is in a class by herself.” With her popular, ongoing Fool’s Gold series, Susan has reached new heights on the bestsellers lists and has won the hearts of countless new fans.
Susan grew up in southern California, moved so many times that her friends stopped writing her address in pen, and now has settled in Seattle with her husband and the most delightfully spoiled little dog who ever lived.
Bea @Bea's Book Nook
The predictability would be annoying but I haven’t read any in the series yet so it wouldn’t bother me too. It sounds like a sweet story and yay for a curvy heroine!
Bea @Bea’s Book Nook recently posted…November Challenge Wrap Up
Lark_Bookwyrm
Definitely sweet – and let’s be honest, all romances are at least a little predictable! (Well, OK, I did read one Regency once where there were two couples – and they each ended up with the opposite partner than they had in the first half of the book. That was a twist I didn’t see coming for a while.)
Katherine @ I Wish I Lived in a Library
I stopped reading the Fool’s Gold series awhile ago because of the predictability (and all the pregnancies. Seriously people – birth control!) but I really enjoyed the Christmas story last year. I’ll have to look for this one. Since I’m not a regular reader of the series the predictability shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Great review!
Katherine @ I Wish I Lived in a Library recently posted…Christmas in Snow Angel Cove – Review
Lark_Bookwyrm
It’s a sweet story, not a standout but charming.
Yvonne
I love this author but haven’t started this series. The novella sounds good, though. Great review!
Yvonne recently posted…Spotlight/Interview/Giveaway: Owning Violet by Monica Murphy
Lark_Bookwyrm
It is really enjoyable – sort of like hot cocoa, warm and sweet.
kimbacaffeinate
Ah this sounds sweet, but I know what you mean about wrapping up too fast 🙂 Lovely review Lark
kimbacaffeinate recently posted…Sweet Cowboy Christmas by Candis Terry
Lark_Bookwyrm
Thanks! It is sweet; I always enjoy Susan Mallery’s books.