Best of My Love (Fool's Gold, Book 22) (Fool's Gold, 22)
Best of My Love (Fool's Gold, Book 22) (Fool's Gold, 22) book cover

Best of My Love (Fool's Gold, Book 22) (Fool's Gold, 22)

Mass Market Paperback – April 26, 2016

by
Price
$8.99
Publisher
HQN
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-0373789191
Dimensions
4.24 x 1.03 x 6.53 inches
Weight
4.8 ounces

Description

From Publishers Weekly Mallery returns to the tiny mountain town of Fool's Gold, Calif., in the 20th and final book in her contemporary Fool's Gold series (after Marry Me at Christmas). Shelby Gilmore followed her ski racer brother, Kipling, to town, and bought into the local bakery. After her abusive upbringing, men terrify her. Town playboy Aidan Mitchell will sleep with any woman who comes through town, but only if she's a tourist. When the two team up as friends without benefits to overcome their fearsâx80x94Shelby's belief that intimacy means abuse, and Aidan's belief that commitment means pain and extreme self-sacrificeâx80x94neither expects the arrangement to turn into a true romance. Even as they try to insist that they're only friends, it's obvious to everyone elseâx80x94both fictional characters and readersâx80x94that they'll end up together. Mallery spins such an appealing town in Fool's Gold that readers will want to move in, or at least return for many visits. Even though the ending is eminently predictable, this expertly characterized tale has heart and soul. (May)\n "This insightful, laughter-laced story fairly crackles with sexual tension and has a lot to say about friendship, love, and relationships. Heartwarming and memorable."-Library Journal"...a charming story of friendship to love that sets up some very funny scenarios with genuine tugs on the heartstrings. Mallery never disappoints!"-RT Book Reviews TOP PICK! 4.5 stars"Mallery spins such an appealing town in Fool's Gold that readers will want to move in, or at least return for many visits...this expertly characterized tale has heart and soul." -Publisher Weekly"Best Of My Love was a sweet, humorous, and entertaining friends to lovers story...Ms. Mallery's writing style was amusing, clever, touching, and well-paced. " -Books and Bindings"Both heart-wrenching and warmhearted... A discerning, affecting look at three women facing surprising change and the powerful and uplifting impact of friends."-Kirkus Reviews on The Girls of Mischief Bay"Susan Mallery is one of my favorites."-New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber"The characters will have you crying, laughing, and falling in love... another brilliantly well-written story."-San Francisco Book Review on The Friends We Keep"An engaging read to be savored all the way through."-Publishers Weekly on The Friends We Keep"Another satisfying, page-turning winner."-Library Journal on Kiss Me"Romance superstar Mallery begins a new women's fiction series with a novel that is both heart-wrenching and warmhearted... A discerning, affecting look at three women facing surprising change and the powerful and uplifting impact of friends."-Kirkus Reviews on The Girls of Mischief Bay #1 NYT bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming, humorous novels about the relationships that define our lives―family, friendship, romance. She's known for putting nuanced characters in emotional situations that surprise readers to laughter. Beloved by millions, her books have been translated into 28 languages. Susan lives in Washington with her husband, two cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Visit her at SusanMallery.com. Read more

Features & Highlights

  • “Susan Mallery is one of my favorites.”—#1
  • New York Times
  • bestselling author Debbie MacomberDon't miss the final book in the bestselling Fool's Gold series!
  • To overcome her painful past, baker ShelbyGilmore goes on the hunt for a friend—a
  • male
  • friend—to convince herstubborn psyche that men can be trusted. But where in a town as small as Fool's Gold willthe petite blonde find a guy willing to
  • not
  • date her? Dark, charmingAidan Mitchell puts the “adventure” in Mitchell Adventure Tours…and intothe 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 sohe can change his ways and win back his self-respect. As Aidan and Shelby explorethe secret lives of men and women, the heat between them fires up the Fool's Gold rumormill. If no one will believe they're just friends, maybe they should give the gossipssomething to
  • really
  • talk about!

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
60%
(1.9K)
★★★★
25%
(790)
★★★
15%
(474)
★★
7%
(221)
★
-7%
(-221)

Most Helpful Reviews

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DISAPPOINTING AND NOT UP TO FOOL'S GOLD STANDARDS

Although I'm generally a fan of Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold series, this entry is a disappointment. The story, for most of the book, hinges on a plot device that I find lame, far-fetched and downright silly. And it's hard to relate to two main characters whose behavior and decisions seemed juvenile at times.

The supporting cast is there as usual -- Mayor Marsha, the friends who meet at Jo's Bar, etc. But they seem far less present than in other recent books in the series.

Additionally, the overall tone here is less witty and lighthearted -- somewhat darker -- than other Fool's Gold books. It's just not as fun to read.

I'm reaching to identify why I just didn't have as good a time as usual reading Best Of My Love. Maybe I'm just getting weary of reading yet more explanations of Mayor Marsha's "magic powers', Jo's Bar's orientation toward women, how everyone knows everyone else's business in Fool's Gold, etc., etc. But -- bottom line -- I think the story is pretty lame and not all that interesting. I ask myself, 'Do adult people really behave like this?', and the answer has to be No.

It may be too soon to tell, but Best Of My Love has made me wonder if perhaps the Fool's Gold series has run its course. Or that maybe Susan Mallery was tired when she wrote it. Or maybe she's just run out of ideas.

Is it a bad book? Well, it's better than the average Harlequin romance. But not up to the standard set by the books that came before it.
6 people found this helpful
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What a way to go!

I’m reviewing this with mixed emotions.

I love the book, but I’m sad it’s the last planned entry in Mallery’s Fool’s Gold series.

We met Shelby Gilmore a couple of years ago. Her brother was in last year’s trilogy and he found true love with Destiny. Shelby suffered at the hands of an abusive father and a too passive mother. Her brother protected her as best he could, until he was injured and Shelby’s mother was dying and needed Shelby’s presence. Her father took out his rage and frustration on her.

Aidan Mitchell runs his family’s tourist adventure business in Fool’s Gold and he enjoys some no-strings-attached weekends with attractive and willing tourists.

Shelby knows she has trust issues and she wants to get over them and find love and have a family. Aidan was perfectly happy until an incident let him see himself as he really was: a jerk.

Shelby hears about it too, and decides Aidan is perfect for her project. She makes him an offer: they will be friends and in building their friendship, they will learn how to relate to the opposite sex. Shelby will learn to trust and Aidan will learn how to treat women.

The experiment goes well. Too well. Of course, this is a romance and this is Fool’s Gold, so you know what will happen. What I love about Mallery’s Fool’s Gold series is that even though we know the ending going in, the getting there is so much fun.

If the series had to end, I’m happy it’s ending on a fun note and that sweet Shelby gets her happy ever after.

And I’m waiting anxiously for Mallery’s new series, set in Happily, Inc, California, a destination wedding town. Sounds like fun!
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I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Done and done!
3 people found this helpful
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Friends with Benefits in Fool’s Gold

As an avid fan of Susan Mallery’s Fool’s Gold series, I’ve been waiting for Shelby’s story. Ms Mallery does not disappoint. Both Shelby and Aiden have difficulty in the relationship department. Shelby has difficulty trusting men; she needs to find a guy-friend to help her develop trust so she can find her own happily ever after. After he forgets one of his previous hookups, Aidan realizes he’s not the person he wants to be. When Shelby asks Aidan to “be friends”, he figures it’s an opportunity to change his ways and become a better person.

Best of My Love is kind of a twist on the Mel Gibson favorite, What Woman Want. Aidan and Shelby decide to build a friendship for six months whereby they spend time getting to know each other and doing male/female things together. Both agreed not to date or be involved with anyone else during the six months. By the end of their six-month agreement, Aidan has a unique understanding of and compassion for women. Although he wasn’t able to read their minds, Aidan, with Shelby’s help, developed a special empathy with the female psyche. Shelby, with Aiden’s help, developed a willingness to interact with and trust men as both a friend and as a lover. Her most significant challenge was developing the ability to trust her heart.

Although Best of My Love isn’t my overall favorite among the Fool’s Gold stories, I really enjoyed this story. For the past several years, Susan Mallery has written over 20 stories based in a wonderful, albeit fictional, town in Fool’s Gold, California. As with other Fool’s Gold stories, Ms Mallery incorporates previous heroes and heroines and other favorite characters into the storyline. I’ve loved seeing how the town has grown, yet remained true to itself over the years. Friends and families remain the heart of the town. The ladies still meet at Jo’s Bar for lunch. The guys get together at the Man Cave. But, the winds of change are blowing. I love how Susan set the stage for the future. It begins with three of Aidan’s brothers moving to Happily Inc, California. I can’t wait to see where she takes it from there.
2 people found this helpful
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An EH installment in the Fools Gold Series

The Best of My Love is the latest installment in the Fools Gold Series (I’ve honestly lost track of what number in the series it is). This book focuses on Shelby (who has been a victim of domestic abuse via her father) and Aidan (who apparently sleeps with every female tourist passing thru town). Shelby approaches Aidan with the idea they become friends so she can learn to trust men and he can, I’m still not sure what he was getting out of this deal.

I struggled with this book. I didn’t buy Aidan and Shelby’s ‘friendship’. Friendships don’t develop because you force it – friendships develop over shared interests. And inserting each other into typical female or male situations? No way any of my male friends would get a pedicure. Or go to an all-female baby shower.

Overall, it was a quick and easy read. Fans that love the Fools Gold Series will probably be entertained. I just feel as if this series is getting boring. And overcrowded. I can’t keep track of who is with who and whatnot anymore (although I was provided additional promotional materials with a Fool’s Gold “Family Tree”. At least the more annoying aspects of Mayor Marsha have been removed (although she is still omniscient).
This is the second or third book as well in which references to characters moving to another town are made – so it would appear that there may be a spin-off to this series in a new town.

*I received an ARC in exchange for my review*
2 people found this helpful
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Not a Shelby fan

I didn't care for Shelby at all. She was pathetic! I couldn't wait for the book to be finished, and not in a good way! She came off as very unintelligent and immature. I've read all of the Fool's Gold books up to this point and enjoyed them all for the most part, but I didn't enjoy this story at all. I especially disliked the blaming of her mother for her emotional issues. The implication that her abused mother somehow didn't protect her was particularly disgusting. Until you are in that situation, desperately trying to protect your children from an abusive spouse while trying to stay alive yourself, you don't know what you might or might not do. If Fool's Gold is a fictional town where things seem to happen that would never occur in real life, then maybe the more serious storylines should be saved for the other books that don't take place there.
1 people found this helpful
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Kipling's little sister as she tries to learn to trust men and herself again after surviving the horrible abuse she was raised w

This visit to Fool's Gold finds us following Shelby, a partner in the Ambrosia Bakery and Gold medal skier, Kipling's little sister as she tries to learn to trust men and herself again after surviving the horrible abuse she was raised with. Then there is the hunky Aiden, the owner of the local adventure tour company, who has gone from one night stand to another so much so that he can't remember their names anymore. Aiden decides he needs to change and Shelby knows she needs to change so they hatch a plan to help each other do just that as "just friends," but can men and women really be just friends??? The humor in this book is fantastic as they take turns doing "girly" things with "manly" things. Definitely another great visit to Fool's Gold and I can't wait for the next visit!
1 people found this helpful
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Perfect, light-hearted summer read!

It's hard to believe this is book #20 in the Fool's Gold series, but once again Susan Mallery has written a nice, warm contemporary romance story.

The writing is smooth and flows easily. The characters are sweet, funny and interesting. And the plot is full of humour, drama, and romance.

This is a cute, entertaining novel that is perfect for a light-hearted summer read.
1 people found this helpful
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Romance novels are very personal journeys

Each of us have different things that we think are romantic...or sexy. I guess that's why there's so many romance writers out there.

For me the FOOL'S GOLD series has worked. I like the little town of Fool's Gold, California and, since this is the 20th book in the series, there are a LOT of people that have appeared and keep reappearing in the stories and I like them too. Since there's an abundance of the famous and quasi-famous all living in this one small town (which isn't too likely in real life unless you're living in Aspen) I just suspend my disbelief and remember this is fiction.

I really liked the two main characters of this offering. Shelby is part-owner in a bakery and Aidan's took over his mother's tour company and offers outdoor adventure tours. Both Shelby and Aidan have damaged pasts from their parents and issues to work through and they decide that becoming platonic friends for six months will help both of them, alternating woman's choice and man's choice "dates."

Some of the scenes where Aidan is discovering his female side are pretty unbelievable but I still enjoyed reading them.

I liked Charlie, the little Bichon Frise dog in the story. And reading about Shelby's desserts made me hungry.

I read somewhere that this was the last book in this series. I tried to verify that but couldn't online (I didn't spend a huge amount of time trying). If true, I will miss Fool's Gold and its inhabitants.

A cool thing I did find while exploring the internet was a site devoted to this series - including a town map. I wish I'd found it quite a few books back. Look for "foolsgoldca.susanmallery.com/aboutfg.html."
1 people found this helpful
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arrived on time

Not as good as some of other Fools Gold series, still good
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A good read

Love her books!

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