Romance

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OMG!!! I loved Ford and Isabel. Okay, I might be a little bias about military. I work around/with them every day. I've grown up in a military town my entire life. I'm also a sucker for a series based in a small town setting. Ford's friend, Consuelo, is one of his business partners and former military too. She also connects with a Hendrix but it's his brother, Kent. The sex scenes are kinda hot. It felt a little strange/weird reading them when I was in the back seat of my parents' car on a road trip the other day. I have read Mallery's work before but it has been years. I hadn't started the Fool's Gold series until now. Right after I finished this book, I went on a book buying spree and picked up 4 or 5 more of the series. I will admit I was a little lost when it came to some of the other characters but I think if I had read the books in order it would have made a lot more sense.

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Author's Site: http://www.susanmallery.com/index.php ( )

Two of a Kind
4 Stars

This installment in the series focuses on the final two unmarried Hendrix siblings, Ford and Kent. These two men are polar opposites, and so are the women they find to share their lives with.

Isabel Beebe's teenage crush on Ford comes back full force when he asks her to pretend to date him to get his mother off his back. While Isabel is a charming heroine, Ford's overweening arrogance is rather unappealing, and his conceited narcissism undermines an otherwise engaging romance.

In contrast, the love story between the earnest and honorable Kent and the assertive yet vulnerable Consuelo is much better. It is a pity that the development of their opposites-attract relationship is not the primary focus of the book.

The hints at romances to come between Angel and Taryn, and the three former NFL players are intriguing.

On a final note, switching to the audiobooks for the last couple of installments has been the saving grace for the series, which has been very hit and miss for me at times. Tanya Eby's excellent narration enhances the charm and humor of the town and brings the characters to life. ( )

Isabel Beebe has a plan; she's back in Fool's Gold running her parents' wedding shop and saving enough money to return to New York City to open a business with her friend Sonya. She's also getting over the fact that her husband left her for another man.

Ford Hendrix is back home in Fool's Gold too. After a successful career as a Navy SEAl, he and some partners have opened a business providing security and protection.

Ford and Isabel have a long history. He was once engaged to her older sister Maeve. When Maeve dumped him for his best friend, Isabel was heartbroken. Once Ford went off to join the service, Isabel, then fourteen, began writing him letters. She faithfully wrote to him for ten years despite the fact that he never once answered her letters.

When Ford needs a fake girlfriend to stop his mother from trying to marry him off, his first thought is Isabel. Isabel is okay with the idea since she knows she has one foot out the door heading to New York City. Ford is sure that he is unable to love. After all, he hasn't fallen in love since Maeve and he got over that relationship suspiciously fast.

While their relationship is growing and deepening, Consuelo, one of Ford's partners is beginning her own relationship with Ford's brother Kent. He's a mild-mannered and divorced math teacher; she's a former undercover operative who did many difficult things for her country. He's a hometown boy with a strong secure family and she's from a much harsher background.

This was a great story with two great relationships. I love the whole Fool's Gold series because of the small town vibe and the many friendships among the people in the town. Now, I want to keep reading to watch some of the other characters find their own happy endings. ( )

I have finally found one of the Fool's Gold books that I like. I connected with the main characters. Their history resonated with me and gave the story depth. I have read Mallery's other works and liked her humor. I had not found that in the other books in this series I read before this. All in all, this was a satisfying read. ( )