Review: All Summer Long by Susan Mallery

Title: All Summer Long  

Author: Susan Mallery 

Series: Fool’s Gold, #9 

Published: July 2012, Harlequin HQN 

Format: e-book, 384 pages 

Source: Personal copy  

Former underwear model
turned entrepreneur Clay Stryker has loved, tragically lost and vowed
that he’ll never risk his heart again. After making his fortune, the
youngest of the rugged Stryker brothers returns to Fool’s Gold,
California, to put down roots on a ranch of his own. But he’s frustrated
to discover that even in his hometown, people see him only for his
world-famous…assets.

Firefighter Chantal (Charlie) Dixon grew
up an ugly duckling beside her delicately beautiful mother, a feeling
reinforced long ago by a man who left soul-deep scars. Now she has good
friends, a solid job and the itch to start a family—yet she can’t move
toward the future while she’s haunted by painful memories.

Clay
finds an unexpected ally, and unexpected temptation, in tomboyish
Charlie, the only person who sees beyond his dazzling good looks to the
real man beneath. But when Charlie comes to him with an indecent
proposal, will they be able to overcome their pasts and find a love that
lasts beyond one incredible summer?

My thoughts: I was definitely right when I said I was going to love this latest trilogy in the Fool’s Gold series involving the Stryker brothers and this most recent one, I think, is going down as my favorite. Charlie and Clay just stole my heart as their story was told and we really got to know them.

What I loved about this love story is that while at first glance Charlie and Clay appear to be completely different, they really are very much alike. Both have trouble being taken seriously. No on believed that anything horrible could happen to tough-girl Charlie and everyone assumes that  underwear model Clay is just too pretty to be smart or even reliable. But, as they get to know each other, they come to appreciate each other for who they really are. Clay appreciates Charlie for being strong and honest. She listens when he discusses his plans for the future rather than laughing at him. And Charlie appreciates that Clay recognizes her beauty as she is, without all the fuss and bells and whistles that other females go through. While neither one was looking to fall in love, it certainly was fun watching as they did.

There are a few new characters introduced in this book and some familiar ones continue to pop up. As not all the characters we’ve met so far have had their stories told, it will be interesting to see who gets paired up with who in the upcoming books.

Books in this series:

      1.  Chasing Perfect                     8.  Summer Nights

      2.  Almost Perfect                      9.  All Summer Long

      2.5  Sister of the Bride             9.5  A Fool’s Gold Christmas

      3.  Finding Perfect                     9.75   Halfway There

      4.  Only Mine                               10.  Just One Kiss

      5.  Only Yours                             11.  Two of a Kind

      6.  Only His                                  12. Three Little Words                     

      6.1  Only Us                                 12.5  Christmas on 4th Street

      6.2  Almost Summer

      7.  Summer Days