A closet readers take on: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Romance, Erotica, YA Fiction & Audiobooks

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

REVIEW: Susan Malley's CHASING PERFECT (Fool's Gold Bk 1)

Title: CHASING PERFECT (Fool’s Gold Bk 1)
Author: Susan Mallery
Release Date: April 27, 2010
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: HQN Books
ISBN-10: 0373774524
ISBN-13: 978-0373774524




My Ratings

Plot: 4/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Originality of Plot: 4/5
Characters Development: 4/5
Ending: 4/5
Cover Art: 4/5

Overall: 29/35 = 82%


Synopsis

Perfection is in the eye of the beholder

Welcome to Fool's Gold, California, a charming community in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. There's lots to do and plenty of people to meet, especially women. Because there's just one tiny problem in Fool's Gold: the men don't seem to stick around. Maybe it's the lure of big-city life, or maybe it's plain old bad luck, but regardless of the reason, the problem has to be fixed, fast. And Charity Jones may just be the city planner to do it.

Charity's nomadic childhood has left her itching to settle down, and she immediately falls in love with all the storybook town has to offer - everything, that is, except cyclist Josh Golden. With her long list of romantic disasters, she's not about to take a chance on another bad boy, even if everyone else thinks he's perfect just the way he is. But maybe that's just what he needs - someone who knows the value of his flaws. Someone who knows that he's just chasing perfect.



My Review


Charity Jones had come to Fool’s Gold looking for three things: a new job, a fresh start, and a place to call home. I think that Charity may have ended up with more then she bargained for.

Day one of Charity’s new job: She has to close a deal to get a major collage put down roots in Fool‘s Gold. Her laptop with her power point presentation blows up. And to top it off, a cocky, attractive man walks in and takes control of her meeting and impress the clients. If she only knew that that cocky stranger was non-other then cycling ‘golden-boy’ (yes, I know bad pun) Josh Golden.

As much as she tried not to, Charity finds herself drawn to Josh. Even though the town thought of Josh as the town’s very own playboy, that was far from the truth. Since his divorce, Josh for the most part has been alone. That was until, he walked in on Charity meeting.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a story of second chances for everyone involved. Whether it was Josh’s coming to grips with his guilt over losing a teammate, Charity’s search for somewhere to belong, or Mayor Marsha finally finding the family she’s always longed to have.

I was very fond of the setting of this story, I love the small town feel of Fool’s Gold. Yes, everyone knows their business, but also you have a lot of people supporting you when things go bad. Now matter the tragedy, the locals of Fool’s Gold rallied together. The book kind of made me wish I have grown-up in a small town, too.

I really enjoyed the 3rd person POV in this story. I do sometimes get annoyed while reading most romance books, I just never know why the guy is doing what they are doing. I think it just lends to a more open story.

I only have only one small complaint. I felt that the subplot about the missing town funds, was unnecessary. I didn’t feel that it moved the story or the characters along. It was like it was cut and pasted into the story. The story would have been just fine without it.

I spend a lot of my reading time wrapped up in series, where the characters are always in life and death struggles. For a change of pace, I really enjoyed reading a light-hearted, touching, sweet romance novel. When I do, Susan Mallery is always an amazing choice. Let’s say her books are my guilty pleasure. If you enjoy The Fool’s Gold Series, you might also enjoy her Buchanans’ Series.


Fool’s Gold Series


Websites

http://www.susanmallery.com
http://twitter.com/susanmallery

No comments: