Former pro-football kicker Sam Ridge has notoriously bad luck with women—from cheaters to fame chasers. Still, the gorgeous brunette at the bar in Fool’s Gold looks harmless—until she takes him home and he discovers a room devoted to securing a man, for life.
Dellina Hopkins never guessed that storing gowns from a friend’s bridal boutique would chase away her first and only fling. After her parents died, she skipped her “wild youth” to raise her sisters. She doesn’t want forever from Sam, but one night—all night—would’ve been nice. His clean getaway gets messy when his firm hires Dellina to plan an event.
As long hours lead to late nights, the two succumb to temptation again. Has Sam’s luck finally changed? Or this time, will Dellina be the one to run?
Source: eARC from Netgalley/Harlequin
Sam is a former professional football player and has moved to Fool’s Gold with his friends and colleagues when their company is relocated to the quiet town in northern California. The book starts off with Sam anxious because he needs to hire Dellina, a Fool’s Gold native and party planner, to plan a huge party for their company. The reason he’s so anxious is because he & Dellina have a history. More specifically, they had a one night stand months before. And he’s done his very best to avoid her ever since.
Dellina loves giving Sam a hard time, but she fondly remembers their night together and wouldn’t mind having another shot. They work well together, and Sam tries to keep her at arm’s length, but it gets more difficult the longer they spend with each other.
This is probably the funniest Fool’s Gold book Susan Mallery’s written. Take one private, stoic guy like Sam, who’s had the worst luck with women, add in his CRAZY family and it was so much fun to read. Dellina is the one here who’s probably more hesitant about a happily ever after because she raised her two sisters after their parents died, but Sam is almost equally as skeptical about it because he has some serious female issues. One being his mother (and she is a doozy).
The moral of the story here is trust, dear readers. Dellina and Sam were a lot of fun and quite cute together, but the best part of this book is the unexpected humor. And some seriously memorable sex scenes. Way to go Ms. Mallery.
4/5
Gone Pecan 