Fool's Gold: Best of My Love by Susan Mallery

Hi guys!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.  Today, I'm BEYOND excited to share the title on deck. Any idea as to WHY that might be?  Hey, no cheating and looking at the POST TITLE again.  If you didn't see it the first time, let me have my thunder.  ^-^  *ahem* 

The reason for my exuberance is because I had the immense pleasure of reading an ARC of a particular title that releases THIS TUESDAY from one of a few of my favorite authors via the illustrious Harlequin Books team.  Why was my joy so immense?  Look at YOU with all the questions today!  (JK!)  The height of my joy was due to the fact that this is a pretty big author, and her series has a HUGE following, and I being one of many that probably requested the chance to peek behind the cover....managed to score a copy. 

*looks at precious on bookshelf...smiles*

  So, thanks to the Harlequin team (THANK YOU!), I now how the pleasure of tantalizing you with the soon-to-hit-bookstore-shelves title in today's spotlight and my book of choice...

Best of My Love

Fool's Gold, Book 20

by

Susan Mallery

9780373789191

Harlequin Books

About the book...

To overcome her painful past, baker Shelby Gilmore goes on the hunt for a friend-a male friend-to convince her stubborn psyche that men can be trusted. But where in a town as small as Fool's Gold will the petite blonde find a guy willing to not date her?

Dark, charming Aidan Mitchell puts the "adventure" in Mitchell Adventure Tours...and into the beds of his many willing female tourists. Until he realizes he's inadvertently become that guy-the one-night Casanova-and worse, everyone in town knows it. Maybe Shelby's boy/girl experiment will help him see women as more than just conquests so he can change his ways and win back his self-respect.

As Aidan and Shelby explore the secret lives of men and women, the heat between them fires up the Fool's Gold rumor mill. If no one will believe they're just friends, maybe they should give the gossips something to really talk about!

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This is me.

This is me when I found out about a NEW Susan Mallery book in the works.

This is me when the ARC for same said book arrived in my mailbox.

This is me when I turned the first page as well as the last.

For those initiated into the Fool's Gold "club" as it were, you already know the deal.  Each book builds upon the last in the series and while any of the titles CAN be read alone, fans know the real question is...WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO?  I can answer that....you don't and while I've not read all the books in the series as of yet, but all that I have, I've devoured and with the enjoyment from each came the knowledge of another corner, another couple, another piece of the overall Fool's Gold puzzle.  They've all been a joy to behold before and this one certainly lives up to it's predecessors. 

This time around, we've an un-couple...a not couple...a friends-not-lovers scenario?  Okay, so it's hard to put a label on it, but it makes sense to me...though the same couldn't be said about MOST of the townspeople.  Shelby has a past that is painful, a past she'd like to overcome in order to meet the guy of her dreams, marry, and start a family.  Aiden is one of the last Mitchell brothers in Fool's Gold and though content to not dig any relationship roots of his own, also doesn't want to be the town womanizer.  They both need to see the opposite sex in a whole new light, gain trust, confidence, and a way to get beyond their past experiences in order to become the people they were truly meant to be.  What better way than two somewhat lost souls coming together in friendship to help guide each other through?  So you see, MEGA-AWESOME plan!  No one gets hurt (not).  No one gets attached (not).  No one crosses the boundaries or challenges the ground rules set at the start (not and not, again).  Easy peasy, lemon squeezy....or not.  *wink wink*  Hey, the heart wants what the heart wants even if the heart doesn't seem to know from the start.  Sometimes the best relationships are those that grew from friendship to something more...and boy do these two have a shot at something special.

Shelby and Aiden are truly memorable characters.  Their journey from acquaintances to friends to something more was touching...and humorous.  Hey, as much as we THINK we know about the opposite sex, it really only hits at what goes on behind closed doors....sort of like the iceberg that took down the Titanic.  *-*  They both are in for an eye-opening experience (as is the town for that matter) from the start as they try to explain what they are doing but not the entire reason behind why.  Shelby is honest about her past with Aiden and a few select others, but she's not about to shout it from the mountaintops.  It's dark, it's unfortunate, but it was totally out of her control and reliving it is not something anyone should have to do.  Aiden's history is more well known, as is the New Year's "showdown" that started him on this path of change, but his intentions are good.  Together they discover if "Mars and Venus" are really so different, while digging out the roots of their own "issues" in order to gain a fresh start for their hearts.

In the end, I truly adored Aiden and Shelby.  The journey they took together was really moving and the final outcome, all we could have hoped for. Oh, and did I mention Charlie was a sweetheart?!  The addition of this little fur-baby was the perfect touch to balance out our manly man and how he stole his heart will seriously break your own.  Yes, my friends, unbeknownst to Aiden, there are doggy beds, coats, and booties in his future.  Recommended read for Fool's Gold fans, and Contemporary Romance readers round the globe.  There's a lot of spark and a bit of sizzle, but you know you're in place where it's safe to set your heart free.

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About the author...

Susan Mallery is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of novels about the relationships that define women's lives—romance, friendship, family. With compassion and humor, Susan keenly observes how people think and feel, in stories that take readers on an emotional journey. Sometimes heartbreaking, often funny, and always uplifting, Susan's books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list, thanks to her ever growing legions of fans.

Susan lives in Seattle with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a tattletale toy poodle. Animals play a big role in her books, as well, as she believes they're an integral component to a happy life.

SITE  |  TWITTER  |  FACEBOOK

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ARC for review received courtesy of the Harlequin Books team.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, the series, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is set to release TUESDAY, APRIL 26th, 2016, so mark your calendar (if it isn't already) and be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.  Of course, you can always avoid the rush and pre-order it.  Just a thought...

Until next time...happy reading!