Title: Hold Me
Author: Susan Mallery
Series: Fool’s Gold, #16
Published: April 2015, HQN Books
Format: ARC e-book, 384 pages
Source: Netgalley
New York Times
bestselling author Susan Mallery’s classic blend of lighthearted humor
and intense emotional conflict works its magic on two newcomers to the
California town of Fool’s Gold, which Library Journal calls “a setting so real and appealing readers will want to start scoping out real estate.”Destiny
Mills believes passion has its place—like in the lyrics of the country
songs that made her parents famous. After a childhood full of drama and
heartache, she wants a life that’s calm. Safe. Everything that Kipling
Gilmore isn’t. Her temporary assignment with the Fool’s Gold search and
rescue team puts her in delicious proximity to the former world-class
skier every day. Part of her aches to let go for once…the rest is
terrified what’ll happen if she does.Though an accident ended
his career, Kipling still lives for thrills—and a hot fling with a
gorgeous redhead like Destiny would be a welcome diversion. Yet beneath
his new coworker’s cool facade is a woman who needs more than he’s ever
given. With her, he’s ready to take the risk. But love, like skiing, is
all about trust—and before you soar, you have to be willing to fall.
My thoughts: Summer is here and we have another new Fool’s Gold trilogy!!! I just love this series and I am flabbergasted at how Susan Mallery manages to come up with fresh ideas for this series – this is book 16, with a few shorter stories thrown in-between, and never have I felt that we have gotten the same-old story again.
In this latest installment we get Kipling and Destiny’s story. Kipling had been introduced to us in a previous book and I had been curious to see how his story would play out. Once again, we have Mayor Marsha to thank for getting him to Fool’s Gold – she is something else and how she manages to get people to do what she wants is a mystery I hope we one day see solved. She must have resources beyond anyone’s imagination!
Kipling is a fixer – he sees a problem and immediately wants to jump in and solve it. He doesn’t do the forever, but rather likes flings or so he says. Destiny loves her job and that she can keep to herself when she moves to a new place every so often. She keeps part of herself hidden and likes it that way, or does she?
It’s no secret that there’s an attraction between these two when they meet, but is it smart for them to start anything? Destiny is only in town to get HERO, the search and rescue operation, up and running and then she’s off to her next assignment. She has a jaded view on love and marriage, and Kipling has the mindset to fix that. There are many comical moments as these two work their way through a friendship and towards something more and it’s definitely not without a few bumps along the way.
As usual, there are appearances from familiar characters we’ve already met and come to love and a few side stories to round out the book, including the mishap with the Man Cave and Jo’s Bar. I loved the concept of the search and rescue operation, including how it got it’s HERO name. And it wouldn’t be a Fool’s Gold book with a town festival or two thrown in. I’m looking forward to the next two books of this trilogy to see who else we’ll be meeting this summer!
Books in this series:
1. Chasing Perfect 12.5 Christmas on 4th Street
2. Almost Perfect 13. When We Met
2.5 Sister of the Bride 14. Before We Kiss
3. Finding Perfect 15. Until We Touch
4. Only Mine 15.5 Yours for Christmas
5. Only Yours 16. Hold Me
6. Only His 17. Kiss Me
6.1 Only Us 18. Thrill Me
6.2 Almost Summer 19. Marry Me at Christmas – due out 10/15
7. Summer Days
9.75 Halfway There
10. Just One Kiss
11. Two of a Kind
This is definitely a series I need to revisit. I got a little frustrated with it early on with all the babies but I read one of the holiday books last year and loved it. This sounds interesting and I like that it doesn't feel like the same old story over and over.