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Fool's Gold #15.5
Yours for Christmas
Step out of the winter chill and into the warmth of Fool's Gold, California, the charming small-town setting for a new holiday novella from New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery
Famous former NFL stars don't date single working moms like Bailey Voss. She'll allow herself to daydream about Kenny Scott's muscles and killer smile, but wanting more would lead to post-holiday regret. Then Kenny volunteers to run a toy drive with Bailey, and she learns that he's not just hot…he's also generous, funny, nice. The whole package—tantalizingly out of reach.
The ache of past loss reminds Kenny why he needs to avoid getting too close to anyone. Especially to a gorgeous redhead and her adorable little girl. Mess it up, and he'd lose them both. Yet Kenny can only resist Bailey for so long. And as festive spirit spreads throughout the town, he's all wrapped up in Bailey's sweet, sexy kisses and determined to make this the first of many Christmases together…
Famous former NFL stars don't date single working moms like Bailey Voss. She'll allow herself to daydream about Kenny Scott's muscles and killer smile, but wanting more would lead to post-holiday regret. Then Kenny volunteers to run a toy drive with Bailey, and she learns that he's not just hot…he's also generous, funny, nice. The whole package—tantalizingly out of reach.
The ache of past loss reminds Kenny why he needs to avoid getting too close to anyone. Especially to a gorgeous redhead and her adorable little girl. Mess it up, and he'd lose them both. Yet Kenny can only resist Bailey for so long. And as festive spirit spreads throughout the town, he's all wrapped up in Bailey's sweet, sexy kisses and determined to make this the first of many Christmases together…
123 pages, ebook
First published October 28, 2014
628 people are currently reading
2692 people want to read
About the author
Susan Mallery
848 books15.3k followers#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming and humorous novels about the relationships that define women's lives—family, friendship, romance. She's best known for putting nuanced characters into emotionally complex, real-life situations with twists that surprise readers to laughter. Because Susan is passionate about animal welfare, pets play a big role in her books. Beloved by millions of readers worldwide, her books have been translated into 28 languages.
Critics have dubbed Mallery "the new queen of romantic fiction." (Walmart) Booklist says, "Romance novels don't get much better than Mallery's expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling," and RT Book Reviews puts her "in a class by herself!" It's no wonder that her books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list.
Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her most popular series, the Fool's Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.
Susan lives in Washington state with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.
Critics have dubbed Mallery "the new queen of romantic fiction." (Walmart) Booklist says, "Romance novels don't get much better than Mallery's expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling," and RT Book Reviews puts her "in a class by herself!" It's no wonder that her books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list.
Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her most popular series, the Fool's Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.
Susan lives in Washington state with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 309 reviews
November 13, 2018
I so need to get back into this series. I forgot how much I love the town and all it's citizens. Such a fun and cute story, perfect for the holidays!
May 25, 2019
This comes between 15 and 16 in a series. It's shorter and a slightly different structure and you really should read at least the previous two (and possibly three if you really want all the background) before this one.
I don't normally bother with the middle volumes in a series. I prefer the longer stories and the shorter ones seem to have less focus and/or polish, as well. But I'd been looking forward to Kenny and Bailey since they showed up and Chloe (Bailey's daughter) latched onto Kenny and his response was so perfect. So when book 16 wasn't them, I backed up and tracked this one down. I'm not entirely glad that I did.
Bailey and Chloe are awesome and exactly what I expected. Sadly, Kenny is exactly what I expected, too. The last few books have all had male leads with severely stupid negative motivations* who turn coward because they don't want pain (like their cowardice is sparing them any, the morons). And Kenny was exactly that guy. The twist in this one is that . And that was a nice twist. But a better twist would have been a guy who wasn't an emotional coward to begin with. That would be good. What are the chances?
Anyway, this is a solid romance and I had a feeling Kenny wasn't going to be any better than his partners. So being proved right makes this a very squishy 3 stars. Bonus points for the pack of girls showing back up. It was as endearing with Kenny as it was with Angel, I'll admit. It could have been so much more, though. I wonder if Mallery is just phoning these things in, any more. I mean, the "heroes" all have the same signature move and it's getting a bit old.
A note about Chaste: I was a little surprised that this turned out to be a chaste read. Just as well for the length, but Bailey is a traditional kind of woman and casual sex really isn't her thing and, to his credit, Kenny doesn't expect anything less, either. So there's a kiss, but that's it.
* Negative Motivations: I kind of hate that the term "negative motivation" isn't widespread, yet. Since it isn't, I'm going to save off this little jag to append to my reviews that feature the term. Jennifer Crusie blogged about it a bit back and it changed how I understand story. The problem with the term is that if you've never heard it before, you'd assume it meant motivations that are harmful or immoral. Not so. What it refers to is motivations not to do something. The thing is that many of us are motivated to not do things for a lot of different, perfectly valid and reasonable, reasons. The problem is that in a story motivations to not do things are a huge drag on the plot—particularly considering the fact that most negative motivations are overcome by the character simply deciding they don't care any more (or, rather, that they do care and are now motivated to do the thing). So not only do you have a counter to action but you also have a situation where to overcome it, all a character has to do is change their mind. Which means eventually, the reader is rooting for the character to get over him/herself already and do the thing we want them to do. Conflict drives story. Conflict between a reader and a main character drives readers away from story.
I don't normally bother with the middle volumes in a series. I prefer the longer stories and the shorter ones seem to have less focus and/or polish, as well. But I'd been looking forward to Kenny and Bailey since they showed up and Chloe (Bailey's daughter) latched onto Kenny and his response was so perfect. So when book 16 wasn't them, I backed up and tracked this one down. I'm not entirely glad that I did.
Bailey and Chloe are awesome and exactly what I expected. Sadly, Kenny is exactly what I expected, too. The last few books have all had male leads with severely stupid negative motivations* who turn coward because they don't want pain (like their cowardice is sparing them any, the morons). And Kenny was exactly that guy. The twist in this one is that . And that was a nice twist. But a better twist would have been a guy who wasn't an emotional coward to begin with. That would be good. What are the chances?
Anyway, this is a solid romance and I had a feeling Kenny wasn't going to be any better than his partners. So being proved right makes this a very squishy 3 stars. Bonus points for the pack of girls showing back up. It was as endearing with Kenny as it was with Angel, I'll admit. It could have been so much more, though. I wonder if Mallery is just phoning these things in, any more. I mean, the "heroes" all have the same signature move and it's getting a bit old.
A note about Chaste: I was a little surprised that this turned out to be a chaste read. Just as well for the length, but Bailey is a traditional kind of woman and casual sex really isn't her thing and, to his credit, Kenny doesn't expect anything less, either. So there's a kiss, but that's it.
* Negative Motivations: I kind of hate that the term "negative motivation" isn't widespread, yet. Since it isn't, I'm going to save off this little jag to append to my reviews that feature the term. Jennifer Crusie blogged about it a bit back and it changed how I understand story. The problem with the term is that if you've never heard it before, you'd assume it meant motivations that are harmful or immoral. Not so. What it refers to is motivations not to do something. The thing is that many of us are motivated to not do things for a lot of different, perfectly valid and reasonable, reasons. The problem is that in a story motivations to not do things are a huge drag on the plot—particularly considering the fact that most negative motivations are overcome by the character simply deciding they don't care any more (or, rather, that they do care and are now motivated to do the thing). So not only do you have a counter to action but you also have a situation where to overcome it, all a character has to do is change their mind. Which means eventually, the reader is rooting for the character to get over him/herself already and do the thing we want them to do. Conflict drives story. Conflict between a reader and a main character drives readers away from story.
October 21, 2014
4 STARS
This is one of my favorite Fool's Gold stories. It has the parts I love and none of the parts I am tired of. I love the town of Fool's Gold. How they help each other, they care about each other and those who need a helping hand. It is a town I would love to live in. Small town in California up the near by mountain is ski lodge.
I have been waiting for Bailey and Kenny's story. You know they were going to wind up together. Kenny is so good with Chloe. Chloe has asked him for help a few times.
Bailey works for Mayor Marsha. She lost her husband two years ago while he was deployed. She has a seven year old.
Kenny works for Score. He was a Pro-football player with his two best friends. He has been hurt in the past and guards his heart.
Chloe is seven and a sweet young girl.
Mayor Marsha asks Kenny to help Bailey feel in for his friend with the Toy drive the seven year old girls want to do. Kenny never agrees but he will help. He is attracted to Bailey but he tells her straight off that he does not date single moms. Bailey likes Kenny but knows she is not skinny like the models he usually dates.
I really like how this is a clean read. That their is not the big break up scene with drinks and male bashing party like most of the books have. I like seeing all the old characters back.
One thing that I did not like was that it was a novella and not long like the other books. Though it does make for a fast short read with a good story.
I was given this ebook to read through Net Galley and Harlequin. In return I agreed to give honest review of Yours for Christmas.
This is one of my favorite Fool's Gold stories. It has the parts I love and none of the parts I am tired of. I love the town of Fool's Gold. How they help each other, they care about each other and those who need a helping hand. It is a town I would love to live in. Small town in California up the near by mountain is ski lodge.
I have been waiting for Bailey and Kenny's story. You know they were going to wind up together. Kenny is so good with Chloe. Chloe has asked him for help a few times.
Bailey works for Mayor Marsha. She lost her husband two years ago while he was deployed. She has a seven year old.
Kenny works for Score. He was a Pro-football player with his two best friends. He has been hurt in the past and guards his heart.
Chloe is seven and a sweet young girl.
Mayor Marsha asks Kenny to help Bailey feel in for his friend with the Toy drive the seven year old girls want to do. Kenny never agrees but he will help. He is attracted to Bailey but he tells her straight off that he does not date single moms. Bailey likes Kenny but knows she is not skinny like the models he usually dates.
I really like how this is a clean read. That their is not the big break up scene with drinks and male bashing party like most of the books have. I like seeing all the old characters back.
One thing that I did not like was that it was a novella and not long like the other books. Though it does make for a fast short read with a good story.
I was given this ebook to read through Net Galley and Harlequin. In return I agreed to give honest review of Yours for Christmas.
October 12, 2022
Yours for Christmas
3 Stars
Former NFL star Kenny Scott has one rule when it comes to dating - no single mothers. The only problem is his growing attraction to the mayor's sexy assistant, Bailey Voss, and his affection for her adorable daughter, Chloe. When Kenny and Bailey are forced to work together on the holiday toy drive, Kenny will have to decide whether the pain of his past will dictate his future happiness.
While Kenny and Bailey's romance is very sweet, they do not have that much chemistry. In fact, similar to the other Christmas-themed books in the series, there is very little intimacy if any.
Kenny is similar to the other two heroes in this mini-set (the Fool's Gold books come in sets of 3-4 books focusing on groups of characters) in that he is reluctant to admit his feelings. However, unlike the previous two heroines, Bailey isn't willing to sit back and allow him to hurt her. She takes the initiative and forces him to confront his demons.
Overall, the Christmas books are not really for me but I was interested enough in Kenny and Bailey's story to read it.
3 Stars
Former NFL star Kenny Scott has one rule when it comes to dating - no single mothers. The only problem is his growing attraction to the mayor's sexy assistant, Bailey Voss, and his affection for her adorable daughter, Chloe. When Kenny and Bailey are forced to work together on the holiday toy drive, Kenny will have to decide whether the pain of his past will dictate his future happiness.
While Kenny and Bailey's romance is very sweet, they do not have that much chemistry. In fact, similar to the other Christmas-themed books in the series, there is very little intimacy if any.
Kenny is similar to the other two heroes in this mini-set (the Fool's Gold books come in sets of 3-4 books focusing on groups of characters) in that he is reluctant to admit his feelings. However, unlike the previous two heroines, Bailey isn't willing to sit back and allow him to hurt her. She takes the initiative and forces him to confront his demons.
Overall, the Christmas books are not really for me but I was interested enough in Kenny and Bailey's story to read it.
November 2, 2014
I'm starting this review by saying I love Kenny and Bailey, they are two nice people that i wanted to see together I have been anticipating there story since its been hinted at in other books and couldn't wait to see the pairing of the two of them . Overall it was a sweet, gentle feel good story that is perfect for the Christmas season... But... to me it lacked substance I kept expecting more which I never got . There was no heat ( not even a passionate kiss) and to me it was unbelievable that Bailey would accept Kenny's proposal at the end without even a make out session or even a great kiss from him. The scenes between Chloe and Kenny were great and even the development of the friendship between Kenny and Bailey was very believable and true but the romance and them falling in love was not believable at all.
( I also have to say I was very disappointed that Taryn and Angel were married already at the start of the book, I was looking forward to a description of the wedding and the dress for Taryn and her becoming a bit of a Bridezilla)
Overall it was a nice Holiday novella , but using Kenny and Bailey as the two main characters for the story was not great, I think they deserved a longer more in depth story with more character development and story development.
( I also have to say I was very disappointed that Taryn and Angel were married already at the start of the book, I was looking forward to a description of the wedding and the dress for Taryn and her becoming a bit of a Bridezilla)
Overall it was a nice Holiday novella , but using Kenny and Bailey as the two main characters for the story was not great, I think they deserved a longer more in depth story with more character development and story development.
December 26, 2022
A well-written short and sweet novella that will warm your heart. Characers that are pure delight for readers to adore. The hustle and bustle of the holidays is tucked into every corner of the story and the magic of the season abounds.
Only one problem -- but it's a big one for me as a reader. An epilogue was desperately needed! Such a huge rush to the final page without a single peek into the future happy-ever-after for Bailey, Chloe and Kenny left so many thoughts and questions. I was surprised that such a seasoned author as Susan Mallery would leave so many questions hanging in the Christmas air.
December 3, 2015
Another satisfying Christmas romance novella! The past several years I have been lucky enough to read a Fool's Gold Christmas story (some full length, some novellas) during my holiday binge reading each December. This is one of my favorites of those, in spite of it's length. I loved both of our main characters, Bailey & Kenny, and found it easy to get lost in their story. They are both sweet and honorable people. I even got a few tears in my eyes as I finished it. This was a clean romance. We do "see" inside our characters minds, so physical attraction is mentioned frequently in their thoughts. (Haha)
I'm not a reader of the "regular" Fool's Gold series, and I didn't find that to be a problem for me with any of the books I've read. Now, if you are, it might make the books that much better though.
I'm not a reader of the "regular" Fool's Gold series, and I didn't find that to be a problem for me with any of the books I've read. Now, if you are, it might make the books that much better though.
October 31, 2014
Book #15.5 - and finally Kenny's & Bailey's story - and we can't forget little Chloe ☺
I've been waiting for them ever since the football boys moved into town ☺
Kenny - one of the partners in the town's PR agency.
He's been hurt very badly a few years ago when the mother of his three year old son James left him and told him he wasn't the baby's Dad.
He never wanted to have a relationship with a single mom again. He doesn't ever want to get hurt like that again.
Enter: widowed mom Bailey. She's working for the Mayor and that's how Kenny and Bailey end up working together on a charity toy run, together with the town's girl scouts.
Bailey.
She's had a crush on Kenny ever since he moved into town.
And he's so adorably sweet to her daughter too.
How can she not fall in love with him.
But he's made it clear that he won't ever date a single mom!
What will happen to Kenny & Bailey & Chloe?
Will there be a Christmas miracle?
Will the three of them become the family they all so badly want to be?
Nope - I'm not telling you ☺
Ugh - I just LOVE Fool's Gold and it's people - I would be happy to have a new Fool's Gold book every month for the rest of my life! ☺
I was sooo looking forward to finally find out if - no - HOW - Kenny and Bailey will end up together ☺
This was a total double win-win for me. I love Fool's Gold and I simply ADORE everything Christmas.
And the christmas - holiday - mood in this novella was just sooo perfect.
I almost smelled & tasted the turkey and the cookies and the hot cocoa ☺
It takes Kenny quite a long time to get over his fears, but it's really adorable to see how the big bad beautiful football guy allows himself to not only dream about the future he always wanted...but to finally do something about it.
If only Bailey had anything to say about it, they both would've been together from the first page of the book - but we all know it takes guys a bit longer to get it ☺
GO AND BUY YOURS FOR CHRISTMAS - it's another perfect Susan Mallery Romance: Fool's Gold & Christmas & Love & Moving & Adorable Moments & romantic sexiness ♥ like all of SUSAN'S books = JUST PERFECT ☺
December 25, 2023
Yours for Christmas
Fool’s Gold, Book 15.5
I Picked Up This Book Because: #WinterGames TBR
Media Type: Audiobook
Source: Scribd
Dates Read: 12/10/23 - 12/11/23
Stars: 4
Narrator(s): Helen Langford
The Characters:
Bailey Voss
Kenny Scott
Bailey’s daughter
The Story:
Super cute. Gave me warm fuzzy feels.
The Random Thoughts:
Fool’s Gold, Book 15.5
I Picked Up This Book Because: #WinterGames TBR
Media Type: Audiobook
Source: Scribd
Dates Read: 12/10/23 - 12/11/23
Stars: 4
Narrator(s): Helen Langford
The Characters:
Bailey Voss
Kenny Scott
Bailey’s daughter
The Story:
Super cute. Gave me warm fuzzy feels.
The Random Thoughts:
November 4, 2014
Both Kenny and Bailey have been side characters in previous stories and there have been hints about their attraction to each other. The only problem? Kenny lost out on Fatherhood once and just does not want to risk it again. So, no Bailey and her adorable little girl. Right! We all know that will not happen. The sparks fly and romance happens. All it needs for a HEA is for Kenny to come to his senses and make this Christmas special for both of his girls.
Yours for Christmas is another great addition to the Fool’s Gold story. It will stand-alone and would make a good start to the series but it is much better if you have been following the series for some time. This is a great fit at a busy time of the year. Just 99 pages you can finish it in between all of the holiday shopping, baking, and parties.
Yours for Christmas is another great addition to the Fool’s Gold story. It will stand-alone and would make a good start to the series but it is much better if you have been following the series for some time. This is a great fit at a busy time of the year. Just 99 pages you can finish it in between all of the holiday shopping, baking, and parties.
Read
October 28, 2014This was a cute, short story about single mom Bailey, and the NFL star Kenny who was head over heels for both her and her daughter.
Adored it!!
Adored it!!
January 20, 2016
Nothing new here, but just right for a lazy afternoon. A little shorter than some of the fool's gold books, but same flavor and really nice people.
February 11, 2019
Nach einer längeren Fool's Gold Pause habe ich nun endlich diesen Kurzroman gelesen. Lebkuchenduft und Schneeflockenküsse von Susan Mallery handelt von Kenny, dem ehemaligen Football-Star, der nun bei Score arbeitet. Gemeinsam mit Bailey, einer Single-Mutter, beginnt er ein Projekt in der Stadt. Beide wissen, dass sie die Finger voneinander lassen sollten, doch das ist nicht sehr einfach, wenn sich beide sehr zueinander anzogen fühlen.
Ich habe sehr hart auf Kennys Teil der Geschichte gewartet und war dann etwas enttäuscht als ich sah, dass er nur eine Kurzgeschichte bekommt. Ich weiß nicht wieso, aber Kenny hat mich von Anfang an fasziniert und ich wollte unbedingt mehr über ihn erfahren. Auch Bailey hat es mir angetan. Sie und ihre Tochter sind einfach tolle Charaktere.
Leider war ich von diesem Buch dann doch etwas enttäuscht. Es war mir erstens zu kurz. Ich hatte das Gefühl, dass man hier noch so vieles erzählen hätte können. In diesem Buch war es auch wieder dieses unnötige Abhauen einer Person. Die Beziehung hat sich wieder viel zu schnell entwickelt und hat sich nicht ganz richtig angefühlt. Kenny und Bailey sind für mich ein perfektes Paar. Sie passen sehr gut zusammen, aber irgendwas hat mir in diesem Buch nicht wirklich gepasst.
Ich finde es schade, dass mir dieses Buch nicht so gefallen hat wie ich gehofft hatte. Habe das Buch trotzdem sehr genossen und Spaß gehabt es zu lesen. Freue mich auf den nächsten Teil!
Ich habe sehr hart auf Kennys Teil der Geschichte gewartet und war dann etwas enttäuscht als ich sah, dass er nur eine Kurzgeschichte bekommt. Ich weiß nicht wieso, aber Kenny hat mich von Anfang an fasziniert und ich wollte unbedingt mehr über ihn erfahren. Auch Bailey hat es mir angetan. Sie und ihre Tochter sind einfach tolle Charaktere.
Leider war ich von diesem Buch dann doch etwas enttäuscht. Es war mir erstens zu kurz. Ich hatte das Gefühl, dass man hier noch so vieles erzählen hätte können. In diesem Buch war es auch wieder dieses unnötige Abhauen einer Person. Die Beziehung hat sich wieder viel zu schnell entwickelt und hat sich nicht ganz richtig angefühlt. Kenny und Bailey sind für mich ein perfektes Paar. Sie passen sehr gut zusammen, aber irgendwas hat mir in diesem Buch nicht wirklich gepasst.
Ich finde es schade, dass mir dieses Buch nicht so gefallen hat wie ich gehofft hatte. Habe das Buch trotzdem sehr genossen und Spaß gehabt es zu lesen. Freue mich auf den nächsten Teil!
March 6, 2019
A nice feel-good Christmas story about two thoroughly nice people, Bailey and Kenny, not to mention Bailey's daughter Chloe. It brings up an issue I hadn't thought much about but which must be getting to be a valid one with so many divorces these days. You mostly read about the new mixed families with steps and halfs, etc., but you don't read much about the non-biological father or mother who loses all rights to a step-son or step-daughter when the marriage breaks up. That's got to be tough. So many relationships ending and no legal recourse for visitation even. Bummer.
December 2, 2021
I’ve been wanting to read the Fool’s Gold series for a long time, but I haven’t had a chance. I decided to read this novella because I wanted a short, holiday read. Although I haven’t read the previous books, it didn’t matter. I loved this one and I loved the characters.
It’s a sweet, heartwarming romance with realistic characters who warm your heart. It’s a quick, holiday read that will leave you smiling. Talk about a warm, fuzzy read. That’s definitely what this one is. It’s exactly the holiday tale I wanted to read. It can easily be read in one sitting. Susan Mallery never disappoints me with her romances.
It’s a sweet, heartwarming romance with realistic characters who warm your heart. It’s a quick, holiday read that will leave you smiling. Talk about a warm, fuzzy read. That’s definitely what this one is. It’s exactly the holiday tale I wanted to read. It can easily be read in one sitting. Susan Mallery never disappoints me with her romances.
March 21, 2019
I read this Christmas story out of order but it focused enough on the two people falling in love that I didn't get too distracted by details from books I'd skipped. It was such a sweet story and I love the single mom angle. The back story for both was sad, but made them perfectly matched.
April 30, 2018
Short story about one of the Score partners. I liked that this one in the series didn’t have them date, sleep together and then one of them get cold feet and leave. Kenny and Bailey do go out a few times but he always made sure to say just friends. I like how the series focuses on a couple or two for each book.
November 24, 2021
2.5 rounded up. This was ok. Nice and short Christmas story. But not much substance to it. Very predictable.
November 17, 2020
I'm honestly so disappointed that Jack got a whole book when I hated him so much and honestly Larissa was annoying as hell, but Kenny got a short novella. Especially with all the buildup the past few books. On the bright side, the author tends to do better in novellas than full-on books so far, so I actually enjoyed this more. It felt like a cute and wholesome story. So I'm all for it.
December 15, 2014
Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.
I tried a couple of Susan Mallery books a couple of years ago. I don't remember what I thought about them so when I saw that there was a Christmas book out that she had written, I thought I'd give it a shot and see if I liked her stuff. First of all, this was a novella. Ugh. Second, once I finished the book, I remembered why I had read a couple of her books and then never read any more. Read on to see why...
I liked Bailey, the heroine, right from the start. She has a seven-year old daughter and I liked that she had a good amount of motherly concern without going into smothering territory. I also loved her attitude about her crush on Kenny, the hero: she felt like he was way out of her league but there's no harm in having a crush on a handsome man! The thing I didn't really get about her though was that she had this crush on him and thinks he's out of her league but she seems to have no problem approaching him and asking him for a favor? It seemed like her crush was something of an attraction from afar but she talked to him like they were friendly. It was a huge big deal though. It was just something a little strange. Other than that, I liked her. She was sweet and kind and she was good to her friends. She has a pretty great outlook on life and it seemed like she'd be a fun person to be around.
Kenny was an interesting character. I liked that he was this sexy, studly, former NFL star with a sad/unfortunate background. I know that in romance books, the hero is almost always a good guy, no matter what his job was or is. But it's still nice to see sports stars with decent values and not as some drug addict or wife beater or or murderer. I also liked that Kenny was an intelligent guy; not just a stereotypical dumb football player. His back story was sad and it explained a lot of his hesitation in getting involved with Bailey. But it was fun that he was hesitating while he was wishing he didn't have to hesitate. Like, sort of arguing with himself. It was funny and made me like him a lot.
So, like I said, I had forgotten why I stopped reading Susan Mallery books but was reminded when I finished this book and realized that there was no Sexy Time. None. There was one chaste kiss and that's it. Kenny had some slightly lascivious thoughts about Bailey's breasts (funny!) and Bailey ogled Kenny's butt but that was about as racy as it got. For that reason alone, I was inclined to give this book only 2 stars but not everyone like Sexy Time as much as I do, so I figure that would be an unfair rating. But for me, this book was a bit of a waste of time.
There's not a lot I can say about this author that hasn't already been said. She's wildly popular and has lots of fans. She's a terrific writer and creates likable characters. That can also be said for Yours for Christmas, as well. So fans of this author will probably really enjoy this book. But it just wasn't for me. The lack of Sexy Time and the vaguely Christian undertones and general preachiness turned me off. This would be a great book for the general public and anyone who wants to dip their toe into the romance genre.
I tried a couple of Susan Mallery books a couple of years ago. I don't remember what I thought about them so when I saw that there was a Christmas book out that she had written, I thought I'd give it a shot and see if I liked her stuff. First of all, this was a novella. Ugh. Second, once I finished the book, I remembered why I had read a couple of her books and then never read any more. Read on to see why...
I liked Bailey, the heroine, right from the start. She has a seven-year old daughter and I liked that she had a good amount of motherly concern without going into smothering territory. I also loved her attitude about her crush on Kenny, the hero: she felt like he was way out of her league but there's no harm in having a crush on a handsome man! The thing I didn't really get about her though was that she had this crush on him and thinks he's out of her league but she seems to have no problem approaching him and asking him for a favor? It seemed like her crush was something of an attraction from afar but she talked to him like they were friendly. It was a huge big deal though. It was just something a little strange. Other than that, I liked her. She was sweet and kind and she was good to her friends. She has a pretty great outlook on life and it seemed like she'd be a fun person to be around.
Kenny was an interesting character. I liked that he was this sexy, studly, former NFL star with a sad/unfortunate background. I know that in romance books, the hero is almost always a good guy, no matter what his job was or is. But it's still nice to see sports stars with decent values and not as some drug addict or wife beater or or murderer. I also liked that Kenny was an intelligent guy; not just a stereotypical dumb football player. His back story was sad and it explained a lot of his hesitation in getting involved with Bailey. But it was fun that he was hesitating while he was wishing he didn't have to hesitate. Like, sort of arguing with himself. It was funny and made me like him a lot.
So, like I said, I had forgotten why I stopped reading Susan Mallery books but was reminded when I finished this book and realized that there was no Sexy Time. None. There was one chaste kiss and that's it. Kenny had some slightly lascivious thoughts about Bailey's breasts (funny!) and Bailey ogled Kenny's butt but that was about as racy as it got. For that reason alone, I was inclined to give this book only 2 stars but not everyone like Sexy Time as much as I do, so I figure that would be an unfair rating. But for me, this book was a bit of a waste of time.
There's not a lot I can say about this author that hasn't already been said. She's wildly popular and has lots of fans. She's a terrific writer and creates likable characters. That can also be said for Yours for Christmas, as well. So fans of this author will probably really enjoy this book. But it just wasn't for me. The lack of Sexy Time and the vaguely Christian undertones and general preachiness turned me off. This would be a great book for the general public and anyone who wants to dip their toe into the romance genre.
November 2, 2014
My Review:
I have to admit that I was surprised to find out that Kenny's book was a novella rather than a full-length novel especially after the build-up we've had for his and Bailey's story. But despite that, this was still a fun little read...definitely full of the magic of Christmas with a little bit of Fools Gold brand small-town happiness and togetherness thrown in.
Any reader of the Fools Gold series knows about Kenny's background. He was involved with a woman who told him that her baby was his. He raised and loved that child until the age of three when she threw Kenny out of her life with the announcement that she'd been lying the whole time. Kenny can handle losing another lover, but not the loss of another child...and that right there is why he is such a great hero. You have to love a guy who can love a child so completely.
Bailey is a single mother to 7 yo Chloe (I think I'm remembering her name right, but names are not my strong suit.) Her husband died when he was serving in the military. It's been a long recovery for the two of them, but they are coming out of their grief slowly but surely.
The book was fun and definitely light reading. A lot of the focus is on Bailey's purchase and move into a new home right before the holiday and the troop of 7 yo girls toy drive. Of course, all those things involve a lot of everyone in this town getting behind and everyone helping out. It's as sweet as you would expect from a holiday story.
For long-time fans of the series, there's a fun reveal about one of the former couples from the series. Otherwise, it's good for a couple of hours of holiday fun and entertainment.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I have to admit that I was surprised to find out that Kenny's book was a novella rather than a full-length novel especially after the build-up we've had for his and Bailey's story. But despite that, this was still a fun little read...definitely full of the magic of Christmas with a little bit of Fools Gold brand small-town happiness and togetherness thrown in.
Any reader of the Fools Gold series knows about Kenny's background. He was involved with a woman who told him that her baby was his. He raised and loved that child until the age of three when she threw Kenny out of her life with the announcement that she'd been lying the whole time. Kenny can handle losing another lover, but not the loss of another child...and that right there is why he is such a great hero. You have to love a guy who can love a child so completely.
Bailey is a single mother to 7 yo Chloe (I think I'm remembering her name right, but names are not my strong suit.) Her husband died when he was serving in the military. It's been a long recovery for the two of them, but they are coming out of their grief slowly but surely.
The book was fun and definitely light reading. A lot of the focus is on Bailey's purchase and move into a new home right before the holiday and the troop of 7 yo girls toy drive. Of course, all those things involve a lot of everyone in this town getting behind and everyone helping out. It's as sweet as you would expect from a holiday story.
For long-time fans of the series, there's a fun reveal about one of the former couples from the series. Otherwise, it's good for a couple of hours of holiday fun and entertainment.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
December 14, 2014
Yours for Christmas is a part of the Fools Gold series and tells the story of Bailey and Kenny. Kenny has had a bad relationship in the past and as a result has told himself he will never date a single mom again. Despite that, he's having a hard time resisting his attraction to Bailey. Bailey is the town mayor's assistant and mother to a young daughter named Chloe. Bailey lost her husband in war and is just now beginning to feel settled in Fool's Gold and is ready to move on. She's seen Kenny around but doesn't believe anything will ever happen between them. But there's never something wrong with a little fantasy!
This was a very heartwarming story, perfect for this time of year. I found Kenny to be so sweet with Chloe and loved how his relationship with her grew throughout the book. I loved watching him with Bailey and seeing how darn adorable they were together. He did everything right and I just felt so bad for his circumstances. I definitely was rooting for him and hoping that things turned out alright in the end.
I really liked the plot of this book and thought it was a really good family romance book. If you're looking for lots of sexy times, you won't really find it in this book. This was more contemporary romance/family romance. Just the idea of getting the couple together forever and everything else is implied. But I liked the story and I didn't miss the sexier details.
I also enjoyed seeing past characters. I especially loved the side bits of Taryn. I can't wait to see more about her storyline in future books!
Can't wait for the next one!
Thanks to Harlequin and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a very heartwarming story, perfect for this time of year. I found Kenny to be so sweet with Chloe and loved how his relationship with her grew throughout the book. I loved watching him with Bailey and seeing how darn adorable they were together. He did everything right and I just felt so bad for his circumstances. I definitely was rooting for him and hoping that things turned out alright in the end.
I really liked the plot of this book and thought it was a really good family romance book. If you're looking for lots of sexy times, you won't really find it in this book. This was more contemporary romance/family romance. Just the idea of getting the couple together forever and everything else is implied. But I liked the story and I didn't miss the sexier details.
I also enjoyed seeing past characters. I especially loved the side bits of Taryn. I can't wait to see more about her storyline in future books!
Can't wait for the next one!
Thanks to Harlequin and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 28, 2014
Loved this book! I'm so glad to finally see the romance between Bailey and Kenny. He is a nice guy in a hottie body. She is a luscious redhead with a precocious daughter. They are perfect for each other and for Chloe.
Ms. Mallery has teased us in several books about these two and all of the reasons why they can't be together. so this book is all the sweeter for showing how they can't be with anyone other than each other. Kenny has had a loss of family in the past and Bailey is a war widow. Taking a risk on love again is huge for both of them.
My only quibble-I wish it was longer!
I can't wait for the next book in the series!
Ms. Mallery has teased us in several books about these two and all of the reasons why they can't be together. so this book is all the sweeter for showing how they can't be with anyone other than each other. Kenny has had a loss of family in the past and Bailey is a war widow. Taking a risk on love again is huge for both of them.
My only quibble-I wish it was longer!
I can't wait for the next book in the series!
October 22, 2015
I think this book being a novella really hurt it. I think. I liked Kenny, I liked seeing him from the past three books. I really liked Bailey, after seeing her and her young daughter in the last few books as well. Was I excited they were getting put together? Yes. But this book disappointed me with it being so short. It took place within two months and I just didn't feel their connection because they got together so fast! Also
January 10, 2016
Nice novella. The heroine is a single mom, the hero wants a traditional life, but he's afraid to love a woman with a child because he did before, even thought the kid was his & was there for the birth and everything. And then it turned out she lied to him about everything & he lost it all. So he's wary. Except the heroine is so nice, and her daughter is so cute and he likes spending time with them, and before either of them realize it, they've been suckered in to falling in love. Go figure. ;) It's a cute story and a fun read. I liked it.
December 7, 2016
I enjoyed all the holiday activities in the short story especially the little girls but the' let's just be friends' relationship got old and I really disliked the hero's behavior near the end. I did like the heroine and her assertiveness. Widowed mother Bailey is assigned to work with ex-pro football player Kenny to oversee a toy drive.
December 8, 2014
This is a wonderful addition to the series. I've been waiting for what seems like forever for Kenny and Bailey's story. I have to say it is worth the wait. Their story is full of ups and downs that need to be worked out by both of them. It's worth the ride.
December 10, 2015
Rating 3.25 Story, 3.75 narrator
A good addition to the series, though it was too short for the angst it was shooting for. Too many outside personalities (fool's gold) friends to give it the time to truly invest in the couple. But, if your a fan of the series it's worth the read.
A good addition to the series, though it was too short for the angst it was shooting for. Too many outside personalities (fool's gold) friends to give it the time to truly invest in the couple. But, if your a fan of the series it's worth the read.
September 12, 2016
3 ½ stars – Contemporary/Holiday Romance
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July 18, 2022Expected publication 28 Oct 2014
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