Summer Days (Fool's Gold, Book 7) [Mass Market Paperback]

Susan Mallery (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 29, 2012 | Series: Fool's Gold (Book 7)

New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery returns with a new Fool's Gold trilogy featuring three rugged cowboys who will find love in the unlikeliest of places.... 

Locked in an unexpected land dispute, Rafe Stryker is trapped in the one place he vowed never to return to-the Castle Ranch in Fool's Gold, California. He made millions facing ruthless adversaries in the boardroom, but nothing could've prepared him to go head-to-head against stubborn, beautiful Heidi Simpson. No one is more surprised than Rafe to discover that he's finding Heidi-and life as a cowboy-much more compelling than he wants to admit. 

For Heidi, the Castle Ranch is the home she's always wanted. After a life on the road, the vivacious blonde has finally put down roots. She won't give that up without a fight, not even for a man whose late-night kisses make her yearn to be a little less...wholesome. 

As the two turn from passionate adversaries to passionate, period, they'll discover that summer love can last a lifetime.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Mallery...excels at creating varied, well-developed characters and an emotion-packed story gently infused with her trademark wit and humor." One of the Top 10 Romances of 2011!

- Booklist on Only Mine

"An adorable, outspoken heroine and an intense hero...set the sparks flying in Mallery's latest lively, comic, and touching family-centered story."

- Library Journal on Only Yours

"Mallery's prose is luscious and provocative."

-Publishers Weekly

"When it comes to heartfelt contemporary romance, Mallery is in a class by herself."

- RT Book Reviews on Only Yours

"If you want a story that will both tug on your heartstrings and tickle your funny bone, Mallery is the author for you!"

- RT Book Reviews on Only His

From the Author

Dear Reader,

The rugged Stryker brothers are about to ride into town, and Fool's Gold may never be the same again. I am so excited to return to my favorite town and to introduce you to three gorgeous heroes who embody everything I love about cowboys. The Stryker men are strong, loyal, protective, and sexy!

Fool's Gold is a unique place, and these cowboy romances are filled with the humor you've come to expect from stories set in the Land of Happy Endings. You've already met the women who will bring these tough men to their knees. Heidi the Goat Girl (SUMMER DAYS), Annabelle the Librarian (SUMMER NIGHTS), and Charlie the Firefighter (ALL SUMMER LONG) are three best friends destined to become family. What could be better than that?

The Castle Ranch where he grew up is the last place Rafe Stryker ever wanted to return, but to protect his family, he will go anywhere and take on anyone - even a scam artist like vivacious Heidi Simpson, a woman whose smile is so bright he can see it in his dreams.

To download a complete list of my books in order of publication, please visit the Freebies page inside the Members Only area of my website.

Susan Mallery
read. laugh. love.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: HQN Books (May 29, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9780373776832
• ISBN-13: 978-0373776832
• ASIN: 0373776837
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (105 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #52,242 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Susan Mallery has entertained millions of readers with her witty and emotional stories about women and the relationships that define their lives. She has published more than 100 romance and women's fiction novels, beginning with two books the same month when she was just out of college. Her books have spent more than 120 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list and have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestsellers list (SUMMER NIGHTS, Fool's Gold book 8). Known for her keen insight into human nature and her humorous take on life, Susan Mallery has been described by RT Book Reviews as "in a class by herself!" and was featured as a Red Hot Read in Cosmopolitan Magazine.

With a Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Susan is one of the few writers who can understand her royalty statement. She went on to get a Masters in Writing Popular Fiction and has extensively studied story structure in screenwriting courses, though she has no plans to write for the screen. Her goal, always, is to give readers a story that will move them, populated with characters who feel like real people.

Booklist says, "Novels don't get much better than Mallery's expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling," and Publisher's Weekly calls her prose "luscious and provocative." Susan appreciates critical praise, but she values praise from her readers even more. She credits her successful career to the loyal readers who rush out to buy each new book on the day it's released.

With the advent of ebooks, Susan's career has soared even higher, and her books make regular appearances on both print and ebook bestsellers lists. She has embraced the Digital Age with a robust website (www.susanmallery.com), an active presence on Facebook (www.facebook.com/susanmallery) and a free Susan Mallery app for the iPhone, iPad, and Android devices (www.mobileroadie.com/apps/susanmallery). At www.foolsgoldca.com, she also provides bonus content such as after-the-happily-ever-after updates for the Fool's Gold romances, her most popular ongoing series.

Born and raised in California, Susan lives with her family in Seattle, where she survives the dreary days of winter with the help of a "happy lamp" and plenty of coffee.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

(What's this?)

#30 Overall (See top 100 authors)

#10 in Books > Romance > Contemporary

#11 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Contemporary

#11 in Books > Romance

#13 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance

#27 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction

#10 in Books > Romance > Contemporary

#11 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Contemporary

#11 in Books > Romance

#13 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance

#27 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 52 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Ridiculous.... June 5, 2012

By booklover212

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Okay, I really like Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold series, but I just can't get into this one. Personally, it's the plot.

Heidi's grandfather Glen falsely sells Heidi's ranch to Rafe's mother for $250, 000. When Rafe's mother May arrives and finds out she can't have the ranch, things get complicated.

My problem with this is that everyone seems to forgive Glen because he STOLE the money to help a friend with cancer. While that is very noble of him, he still cheated a woman out of $250, 000. But no one besides Rafe thought that was too big of a problem, because he had a good cause. Even May forgave him and insisted they could work something out.

Oh please.

I find it ridiculous that Heidi's lawyer suggested sexual favors as a way to get Rafe to back off the ranch. I also find it ridiculous that a judge suggested Heidi and May share the ranch until she comes to a ruling. Glen wasn't punished for him crime, his FELONY. He also never seemed to apologetic. He could've ruined his granddaughter's life. She could have lost everything and he didn't seem to realize how big the consequences of his actions could be.

I also didn't like this book because towards the end I felt that Heidi became a too stupid to live (tstl) heroine. Like her grandfather committed fraud, she attempted to commit fraud in order to keep the ranch. I found that to be highly distasteful and I became so upset by her stupidity, as well as that of her friends Annabelle and Charlie, that I almost couldn't finish the book.

I didn't feel emotionally invested in any of the characters and I feel as though certain background characters, such as Evangeline, interested me more than both Rafe and Heidi. The characters, including May, were a little too unrealistic to me.
I simply can't suspend disbelief to believe that a man who knowingly stole $250, 000 would be that easily forgiven and go unpunished.

Ridiculous.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars NO ONE WARNED ME ABOUT THE GOATS August 22, 2012

By KKJ

Format:Kindle Edition

[NOTE: I read a digital reviewer's copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley]

The WTFery is strong with this book. Allow me to itemize:

*spoilers*

-> Hero's TSTL mother paid heroine's slimy manwhore grandfather $250,000 for a ranch he didn't own. No title search is done and no deed changes hands.

-> Millionaire business tycoon hero is partly to blame for this travesty of justice because he signed contracts without reading them.

-> Hero files complaint. Heroine's grandfather spends one night in jail. TSTL mother refuses to press charges. Slimy con man grandfather is absolved of all legal and ethical repercussions. He graciously allows his beloved granddaughter - who was never involved in the fraud - to be responsible for paying restitution.

-> Judge orders disputing parties to share the property until restitution can be made. So they all move in together.

-> Heroine's defense lawyer advises her to sleep with the hero - aka the plaintiff. Everyone laughs.

-> Heroine's name is Heidi. She wears her hair in two long braids. She lives with her grandfather near the mountains. She raises goats (see below).

-> Hero's TSTL mother has a thing for impulse purchases of exotic animals on eBay.

-> Hero's TSTL mother marries the ex-carny con man who defrauded her of a QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS. Because "he did it for a good cause."

-> Heroine's ranch is menaced by feral cows. She wants to donate them to a zoo.

-> Hero refuses to discuss youngest brother's name because baby bro is a meth dealer. Just kidding. It's even worse - he's an underwear model and movie butt double. [Underwear model's book All Summer Long (Fool's Gold) is five-star fantastic, btw]

-> Guard llamas. From eBay. You know, to protect the sheep. No, really.

-> Heroine's mortgage payments on 1,000-acre ranch are funded by her herd of goats. Goat milk, goat cheese, goat milk soap, goat fertilizer. Generously provided by her eight friendly and frisky goats. Hero advises her to market her goat cheese to Whole Foods and Trader Joe's.

Before we move on to the good part, let's revisit that last item. Specifically, the herd of eight goats. Not eighty. Not even eighteen. Eight (8).

EIGHT GOATS IS NOT A HERD.

Unless these are giant mutant hybrid goats with grotesquely oversize lady parts bioengineered to lactate spontaneously, there is NO F'ING WAY eight goats could produce enough milk, cheese and fertilizer to cover the mortgage payments on a 1000-acre ranch. NUH-UH. No way. No how. What kind of bank gives a loan with that kind of business plan???

ANYWAY - let's get to the funny business! The hero's TSTL mother follows up the eBay Guard Llamas with another impulse purchase. An elephant.

Hero: "Any chance that's just a rental"?

That bit right there was worth the second star. In case you were wondering, the elephant's name is Priscilla.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Integrity Issues and poor plot! July 10, 2012

By McKaren

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I am a Susan Mallery fan-but this book was a big waste of time! I will continue the series and hope this book was a fluke! The end does not justify the means! This book tried to make us sympathetic towards Heidi's grandfather for swindling money from Rafe's mom to fund a friend's cancer treatment. I never bought how the swindle happened. Did she not have title insurance? As a successful businessman I didn't buy that Rafe would have signed so many papers without reading them throughout the whole book! Then when Heidi gets upset she decides to have her friends help her commit fraud. and her friends are all supportive of her. I thought the town and the judge should have supported Rafe not Heidi! I don't mind suspending some reality to enjoy a romance novel but when it starts justifying issues like theft and fraud-I expect some accountability! I didn't even buy the quick romance between Heidi's grandfather and Rafe's mom -that was idiotic to me! This book was just not my cup of tea!