Customer Reviews

Finding Perfect (Fool's Gold, Book 3)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I disagree with some of the other reviews. This is a really good book and I'm liking the series. I like that we see people from other books. That makes me want to read more. I liked Pia and really understood why she was willing to have her friend's babies. I don't know if I could do that, but I like to think I could. Raoul was what my daughter calls one of my "typical sexy hero guys." I just smile. I mean why would I read a romance about an ugly guy who wasn't sexy? She'll figure it out when she's a little older.

If you can overlook some of the more unlikely scenarios in this novel, it's a sweet romance with an unusual premise.
Pia's closest friend has passed away after a battle with cancer, and Pia has not inherited her cat as expected, but instead Crystal's three frozen and fertilised embryo's.
Pia's agonising over the decision she now faces has some authenticity, though really it is never in doubt what she will choose to do. New to the town, Raoul by amazing coincidence, met Crystal's late husband in Afghanistan, and feeling partially responsible for his death, offers to support Pia through her pregnancy. Though unrealistic, it's a unique start to their burgeoning romance. Pia is sufficiently complex to be interesting and likeable. I liked Raoul too, yet his characterisation is awkward. I can see that Mallery tries to justify Raoul's contradictions between his emotions and his actions, but it didn't quite resolve for me.
What I don't think was handled well were the realities of IVF. Too many women have had some sort of relationship to the process to be fobbed off with this more romantic view. Mallery has tried to justify the events with optimistic possibilities, but it doesn't work because the reality for most is so different, except in terms of the storyline.
What I did appreciate is that Mallery writes with warmth and heart about her characters and the town. I did enjoy the story and would happily read more by the author. Finding Perfect is a thoroughly contemporary romance novel, with an unusual premise for the romantic at heart.

shelleyrae @ book'd out

Finally, finally! I read Sweet Spot years ago and loved it. Raoul, the hero, is from that book. I was really hoping we would get to read his book one day. I didn't want him to end up with his high school girlfriend. I was really happy to finally get his story. This is my first Fool's Gold book, so I didn't know anything about the town. I don't like coming in the middle of the series, but for Raoul I was willing to do it. Glad I did. Great story. I liked the heroine a lot and felt her pain. I thought the story was interesting and different. I'm going to order the other two books now.

Finding Perfect is an incredibly realistic romance in an unconventional situation. Pia's best friend died and instead of leaving her the cat, she left her three embryos. After short, yet frantic contemplation, Pia decides to have the babies. Former football player and new Fool's Gold resident Raoul offers to be her pregnancy buddy. It's his way of helping out and giving back without actually having to form attachments to people.

Raoul offers an interesting deal, one that seems perfect on the surface. But, as these things go, closeness fosters emotional attachments and soon Pia finds herself wanting more. And true to form for most of the women of Fool's Gold, she'd rather go it alone than even appear to pressure a man into doing what she wants.

I loved the pregnancy buddy concept and how the relationship progressed. I loved that the pregnancy wasn't without complications, adding both realism and heartbreak to the story. I loved the school at camp side story. The only thing I didn't love, and it got on my nerves a lot, was Pia's repeated thinking that that miscarriages could be caused by being less than excited about a pregnancy - even after being reassured by her doctor.

Fool's Gold continues to be an interesting community and a wonderful setting for this series. Finding Perfect tells Pia's story in near perfect fashion.

When Pia O'Brian's best friend Crystal dies, Pia is stunned to realize that she has inherited three frozen embryos. Faced with doubts and a difficult decision, her life takes another twist when she meets the distracting but so very sexy, Raoul Moreno.

Former professional football player Raoul Moreno knows what it's like to grow up in the foster care system. Raoul moved to Fool's Gold in hopes of starting a camp for underprivileged children. When he learns of Pia's predicament he can't help but admire her courage and comes up with a crazy solution - marriage?

Finding Perfect by Susan Mallery was an incredibly sweet read for me. Pia and Raoul's story is simply about doing the right thing. When Crystal leaves Pia her embryos, Pia automatically considers the possibility of carrying those babies to term despite her doubts, and Raoul is only too happy to follow her example. He admires Pia's courage and is attracted to her, but past love has left him burned. In the past installments, Pia is featured as outgoing and energetic; here we see her vulnerable side and the difficult circumstances she has to overcome. The people of Fool's Gold are also featured as they unite to offer support in a way that makes me envious enough to want to live in a place like that.

Gianna
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I am only seven chapters into this book, and I'm ready to just give it up. The premise is SOOOOOOO IMPLAUSIBLE!!!

The heroine, Pia is mourning the loss of her friend when she finds out that she has inherited her FROZEN EMBRYOS??? Her friend didn't tell her in advance, and she's supposed to drop everything, with NO HUSBAND, no house, and not much money to have TRIPLETS??? SOMEONE ELSE'S TRIPLETS?!? That's just ridiculous and unbelievable. Especially for a character who is described as not even being able to take care of a house plant. I kept feeling like my intelligence was being insulted. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for outrageously romantic, unbelievable story lines, but this was just too much. I liked the first book in the series...The second, not as much, but ok...But this one? I'm not even sure I'll make it to the end...

Finding Perfect Book 3 in Susan Mallery's Fools Gold series was the perfect romance and perfect beach read. Such an interesting love story about taking a chance on love and happiness and what lengths each character would go to please a friend. Plus again I was reminded of the wonderful secondary characters which inhabited Fools Gold, a small town with a huge heart. A town that took care of their own and were fierce about those they loved.

From the first book in the series we were introduced to Pia who grew up in Fools Gold. She was rich, popular and as she stated in each book the "mean girl" until she suffered the suicide death of her father and the retreat of her mother leaving her behind to graduate from high school, never to be heard from again. Pia was the town's events planner and worked for their wonderful mayor. She was very good at her job, had a ton of friends, old and new and one special friend had recently passed away from cancer. At the reading of the will, Pia faced a shock. Instead of inheriting her friend's cat, she inherited her friend's embryos. In earlier books one learned that Crystal had harvested her embryos because her husband was a soldier and she wanted to make sure she could have his children. As fate would have it, her husband died and then the worst thing happened, Crystal had cancer and passed away.

If you read Mallery's Sweet Spot Sisters series, you were introduced to Raoul Moreno who relocated to Fools Gold and was a retired Dallas Cowboy football player. Like Pia, Raoul was not only honorable; he was loyal and respectful due to his old friend and mentor "Coach" or Hawk as he called him. He owed Hawk and his friend gave him good advice, Hawk told him to get involved in his new town and get a cause. When Raoul learned from Pia about her situation when they had a scheduled meeting, he could understand her loyalty to Crystal because he felt the same way about Hawk. So Pia and Raoul's friendship developed, he listened and she talked. And then events unfolded in Fools Gold a fire, a young boy having family difficulties and Pia decided to have Crystal's babies.

Like all of Susan Mallery's books, Finding Perfect was about love, honesty, loyalty and more. It was also about how two very similar people who had overcome so much hurt and anguish from their past childhoods could honestly become friends and be there for each other. Raoul offered to be her "pregnancy buddy" and the entire town offered her assistance as well. Just like in the other books in this series, Fools Gold's town folks helped their own! Raoul admired Pia's decision to have the babies and he took his job of caring for her seriously. So seriously, that their friendship grew to be more and in the end he wanted to marry Pia.

Reading Pia's and Rauol's story sincerely tugged at my heartstrings. They had both endured so much heart ache during their youth and to live in this marvelous community who loved them and wanted to pitch in, took my breath away. Pia was amazing, to actually be selfless and have Crystal and Kent's babies. Then there was Raoul who gave so much to the community, the youth of Fools Gold and to Pia herself. But could he give her his love, all he was, forget his past marriage and risk his heart?

Finding Perfect was all about the emotion and the love of the town. It was also about now both Pia and Raoul had become better people. And you'll adore reading about the ladies of Fools Gold and how they scold Raoul, how Raoul realizes Pia's "the one" and how he totally gives his heart to he woman he adores. It's so typical of Susan Mallery to write such charming and entertaining romance. I'm so looking forward to reading the next Fools Gold Romance which will be "Sister of the Bride" featured in Summer Brides!

Behind the Book:
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Love this book. Pia was fun and a little desperate, which made for a really good book. I know a couple of people who have had trouble getting pregnant, so this plot really worked for me. Raoul is a great hero. I don't usually like sports heroes--or former sports heroes--but the author convinced me to love him. Can't wait for more in the series.

The book was in great shape, great price and got here really fast and is a great book. I will have to do more business with you.

Finding Perfect, 3rd novel (but not the last!), features Pia O'Brian and Raoul Moreno (from Sweet Spot). Pia is the hometown party planner of Fool's Gold and Raoul is an ex-football player trying to run a camp for troubled youth. Pia, still in an emotional state over loosing her friend, learns her deceased friend bequeathed her 3 frozen embryos, so Pia can be their Mom! If you want to read more of the review please visit [...]