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Fiction. Romance. HTML: New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery welcomes readers back to Fool's Gold, where a onetime fling could become the real thing.... Felicia Swift never dreamed she'd hear a deep, sexy voice from her past in tiny Fool's Gold, California. The last time Gideon Boylan whispered in her ear was half a world away...on the morning after the hottest night of her life. Her freaky smarts have limited her close friendships, and romance, but she came to Fool's Gold looking for ordinary. Gorgeous, brooding Gideon is anything but that. Black Ops taught Gideon that love could be deadly. Now he pretends to fit in while keeping everyone at arm's length. Felicia wants more than he can give--a home, family, love--but she has a lot to learn about men...and Gideon needs to be the man to teach her. As these two misfits discover that passion isn't the only thing they have in common, they just might figure out that two of a kind should never be split apart. If you're a fan of Fool's Gold, you'll love Ana Raquel and Greg's delicious romance, featured in Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold Cookbook, along with her favorite recipes from the land of happy endings..… (more)
User reviews
*review posted on MyBookAddictionAndMore.com*
*book received from the author for the purpose of an honest review*
Listened for Review (Brilliance Audio)
Overall Rating: 5.00
Story Rating: 5.00
Character Rating: 5+
Audio Rating: 4.00 (not part of the overall rating)
First Thought when Finished: My favorite Fool's Gold book to date! I swear it isn't just because the lead character is named
Story Thoughts: Two of a Kind just hit all the right contemporary romance spots for me: fun, sweet, quirky, original, and emotionally stunning. Felicia and Gideon's love story was the kind of bumpy ride that I enjoy reading about. I adored all the twists/turns and seeing two people clearly made for each other both realize it. I also enjoyed connecting with the other Fool's Gold peeps and meeting some new people. Really excited about the stories coming up in this series.
Character Thoughts: I loved Felicia when we met her Three Little Words. She was such a unique character that just stood out whenever she was on the page. Felicia has quirks! I love the quirks! I love how smart she is, how direct she is, and how clueless she is. All of these just make me smile. Gideon is a great counter to Felicia. Socially he has it more together but because of his PTSD issues, he needs someone just like Felicia. They are fantastic together. Just need to add, I think I am going to love the Sports people coming into town. I loved the lady that we met in the shop scene!
Audio Thought:
Narrated By Tanya Eby / Length: 9 hrs and 10 mins
Tanya does a great job with the Fool's Gold ladies. She makes each of them unique and has the tempo of this series down to a science. I can't imagine anyone but her narrating these stories.
Final Thoughts: Next up is Christmas on 4th Street a novella. I am excited about Noelle's story (I need to know her secret).
The Fool's Gold book is mainly about Felicia and others we are able to catch up to date on their happenings. There is enough backstory that gives you tidbits of information about everybody in town so you won't be left in the dark.
She is the smart one and can do wonders
Gideon attempts to come to her rescue when she screams due to a spider but his war memories crept up on him and he vacated the bulding. He had been held for over 2 years in a 'prison'.
He runs the local radio live station for the folks of Fool's Gold.
Without giving away too much of the plots, some have family closeness problems and they tend to run and others in town come to their rescue.
The bodyguard business is coming along as new equipment has arrived.
Consuela joins the bodyguards in town and she's an asset and lays down the rules to moving in with Ford and Angel.
Felicia figures out quickly that if things are in order for all the major events things fall into place because of her bodyguard friends..
Very hot steamy sex scenes add to this book.
He takes things back to a normal relationship and they talk and learn about each others past and to first dates.
Love hearing of others wedding plans and how Noelle is setting up the Christmas store. Love specialty shops.
4th of July and booths are set up, the one Mrs. Hendrix has is explosive!
Learned all about wine flights! Just when you think things are normal, typical everyday things occur, the surprises pop out. Everybody has them-too many to mention but it'll keep you busy with them all.
There are hints that other businesses are arriving in town along with more people...
I received this book from Net Galley and Harlequin HQN and from the author herself in exchange for my honest review.
Overall, I liked this one a bit better than the last one in the series, Just One Kiss, but I didn't love it. Mallery does keep me reading this series, though, because I always want to know what is going to happen next for her characters. Even though she heavily hints at future pairings (more than I'd like, actually), it apparently works with me. I'm dying for Ford's story, which is next. Some of the most amusing parts of this book were the instances of "friendly" rivalry between Ford and Angel, so hopefully those will continue in book 12.
Gideon is the man who “deflowered” Felicia four years prior and then was forced to stay back as Ford and Justice swept in an took her away in a rush of misplaced chivalry. Gideon is also looking to start a new life as the owner and talent portion at the Fool’s Gold radio station. He is a man with many broken parts in him, and he is definitely not looking for the same future that Felicity is hoping to find. He is however, still really attracted to her and they are hitting the sheets pretty soon after finding each other in town.
I loved Felicia’s character. She is so literal and is always spouting off factoids in lieu of conversation and then catching herself and getting all flustered. Her childhood has left her socially inept and she is constantly trying to fit in not realizing that people just love her quirkiness. Her new job as festival coordinator brings out the best and the worst in her. Gideon’s dark history has left him empty and he doesn’t think he can be what Felicia needs. He needs to let go of his past and want to have a future with Felicia. Watching them work out the kinks in their relationship was enjoyable.
The other great part of this book is both the return of older characters and the introduction of the new. It’s fun to catch up on the lives of familiar people we have met before. It’s also exciting to see new people that could be the subject of future books, Yay! I hope this series just keeps going because it has been a lot of fun to read and the romances have been so satisfying.
I loved Felicia. She is so intelligent that at the age of four her parents couldn't handle it and gave her to a university to raise. As a result she is highly educated but never learned how to relate to people. When she talks to people she tends to take things literally and often goes off on scientific tangents. She joined the military where she was assigned to do logistics for a Special Forces group, which is where she met Justice, Ford and Angel. They asked her to come to Fool's Gold and use her talents to help them set up their business. She has come to love the town. She has made friends with some of the women who gently tease her about her "scary smarts" but treat her as one of their own. I totally loved some of the conversations they'd have when Felicia would say something completely unexpected. Felicia was surprised and a bit embarrassed to find Gideon in Fool's Gold and spent some time avoiding him. Once they reconnected she discovered she was still attracted to him and in her own bluntly honest way let him know that she was available. I loved her confidence that she could sleep with him and not fall for him. I also liked the way that she could talk to him about anything. When the mayor asked her to take over running the festivals it was Gideon she went to for advice. I really liked the way that he supported her and gave her the confidence to do it. I enjoyed seeing her take on her first festival. The descriptions of her thoughts and reasoning, then the reactions of the attendees and vendors were so great that I felt like I was there. Gideon's arrival and his ability to calm her panic attack was sweet. When his son showed up it was Felicia's turn to help him as she moved in with them to help Gideon learn what to do. Felicia had absolutely no experience with parents but she had really good instincts. I loved seeing her relate to Carter. Even her odd way of talking helped her with him because he thought it was cool. As the weeks went on and she continued living with Gideon and Carter her emotions became more involved. She began to dream of actually being part of a true family with them.
I liked Gideon too. He was hiding out in Fool's Gold. While he had been in the military he was captured and spent two years being tortured and watching the rest of his men die. Seeing them suffer as they thought of their families made Gideon vow he would never have one of his own. He was also suffering from terrible survivor's guilt since he was the only one who survived. He still suffers from terrible nightmares and flashbacks and considers himself to be irreparably broken. He is surprised to encounter Felicia in Fool's Gold. He has great memories of their night together and wouldn't mind a repeat but he realizes that Felicia is looking for permanent and he won't go there. When she shows up at his house late one night to ask his advice, their desire takes over. He's honest with her about his inability to commit but she just wants him however she can get him. I loved the way that he agreed to help her learn about dating men by taking her on some dates himself. I also loved the way that he gave her the confidence to take the festival planner job. I liked seeing the way that he couldn't stop himself from checking on her while she was working her first festival. One of the things I liked best about Gideon was the fact that Felicia's intelligence didn't bother him. He really enjoyed the things she said and how her mind worked. When his son showed up in Fool's Gold needing a home Gideon was obviously terrified by the idea. He had no idea how he was going to be able to be a father. He was desperately relieved when Felicia offered to help out. I enjoyed seeing the way he pretty much did whatever she told him to do when it came to Carter. As the weeks went on he got used to having them in his house, but he was still avoiding letting either of them emotionally close. When Carter makes a desperate attempt to show Gideon that they should be a family he really panics and pushes them away. I loved the way that his friends tried to help him and the way he finally was able to open up.
The secondary characters were just as well done as Felicia and Gideon. Carter was the most important of those. While he showed a lot of intelligence and ingenuity, he was also a fairly typical thirteen year old. He showed some of the age appropriate attitudes but thanks to Felicia he was good at accepting consequences. I enjoyed his friendship with Reece and their scheme at the end was pretty good. Mayor Marsha's brief appearances were always great, if a little spooky. It can be a little scary how she seems to know so much about people. I loved seeing more of Ford and Angel and their competition and newcomer Consuelo's ability to cut through their crap. I'm looking forward to stories for all of them.
I do highly recommend TWO OF A KIND. Fans of small town romances, romances with characters who seem completely different, fans of lovers who are reunited and basically any reader of romance. I’d suggest you pick up TWO OF KIND today, you won’t regret it! I finished it in one night, so be prepared to not want to put it down!
Rating 4.5
Heat Rating: Mild
Reviewed by WendyK
*Amazon,Goodreads,etc, won’t allow a 4.5 and I feel a 4 is too low*
Courtesy of My Book Addiction and More
Quick & Dirty: A sweet story that started out as a fling but continued into something more.
Opening Sentence: Rational thought and a working knowledge of hand-to-hand combat were useless when faced with the villainous power of the American house spider.
The
It’s not a surprise that I’m a fan of Susan Mallery’s. Most of her stories are easy to connect to. A strong woman, in her own right, meets a handsome man with his own strengths and weaknesses. Usually a romantic relationship develops, and there are hearts fluttering all around them. I have always gone to Mallery’s work when I needed an emotional pick-me-up. In the case of her latest story in the Fool’s Gold series, Two of a Kind, I fell in love with Gideon.
Following the latest group to settle into Fool’s Gold, we follow Felicia. Once a military strategist, she has settled in the small town to connect with people on a more personal level. Her intelligence has always intimidated people, never allowing for a real connection. Eventually it became a shield to protect her from awkward social situations. But Felicia is determined to change all of that, hoping to have a normal lifestyle with a husband, a family, and a small house with a picket fence. Gideon is Felicia’s long-ago one-night fling. He also served in the military, they met overseas. Due to Felicia’s inexperience with many social situations, she propositioned him to do more than just talk. Gideon has since then moved to live a life of privacy, trying his best to escape his own past. But as small towns go, he meets soon encounters Felicia.
I adored Felicia. As a reader, I always find ways to connect to one or more of the main characters. It was easy for me to connect to her vulnerabilities. Mallery wrote her as a real woman, with all the insecurities being with other women, other men, and social situations altogether. I loved how she wasn’t a damsel in distress. Felicia is smart and capable, and I really adored that she intimidated men.
It took me a bit to warm up to Gideon. He was too protected for me to understand who he was. The slow build of his character, regardless if I’ve seen him in the previous books, put me off in some ways. I couldn’t connect to him, and maybe that was on purpose. He’s strong and he has so many good qualities about him, but it wasn’t love at first sight.
This time around, Fool’s Gold wasn’t renewed or Mallery didn’t showcase a whole side of town I didn’t know. She stuck to the familiar and that was good enough for me. Sometimes, I can get caught up in wanting something new that I forget to just appreciate what is already there. Fool’s Gold is a story that is 12 stories long now, and I have not yet grown tired of it.
I wasn’t in love with Two of a Kind as I am with the other stories. And it isn’t the fault of the story itself or Mallery for that matter. I have most likely read a similar story. And this happens to stories more often than not. Mallery wrote it with her characters in mind and this is probably where the progression of her characters were going.
If you love Fool’s Gold and all of Mallery’s characters, you’ll love Two of a Kind.
Notable Scene:
She swayed toward him. “Our previous encounter was very satisfying. There have been two other men, and it wasn’t the same. I suppose it’s one of those intangibles that can’t be measured. With you, I felt more comfortable. We laughed and talked in addition to making love. I remember that we ordered champagne and you–”
He knew exactly what he’d done with a mouthful of champagne. He remembered everything about their night together.
Unable to stop himself, he put his hands on her waist and drew her to him. She went willingly, her head already slightly raised so he barely had to bend to kiss her.
FTC Advisory: Harlequin HQN provided me with a copy of Two of a Kind. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
I really like the town of Fool's Gold. The characters make you smile. They don't stay out of their neighbors business at all. They get involved with each other good or bad. Some good drama, some funny moments, too much sex scenes and good friends make a enjoyable read.
Felicia is such a fun
Gideon owns the radio station. A few years ago over seas he had a one night stand with Felicia and that came to a end when their hotel door was broken into by her friends. Who also were the ones that broke him out of prison. He had been a prisoner of war and the only one of his group to survive the torture. He still has lots of issues with it. He had no idea that Felicia was a 24 year old virgin at the time.
Now they all lived in the same small town. Felicia was staying out of Gideon's way. Till she saw a spider and screamed. He burst into see what was wrong. After that Felicia turned to him when she needed a sounding board about taking a new job for the town of Fool's Gold. They started to sleep together and then date. When a surprise out of Gideon's past shows up.
Gideon never plans to get married or have a family and he warns Felicia. Felicia wants a normal life like everyone else but she has no ideas how to get it. She has never been on a date. She has worked with special forces but most of them treat her as a kid sister.
So Gideon agrees to date her.
It is easy to get lost in the story and you don't want to put it down. I admit I skipped over the sex scenes. I can't wait to see what everyone gets up to next in Fool's Gold.
I was given this ebook to read and asked to give honest review of it by Netgalley.
June 25, 2013 by Harlequin HQN 384 pages ISBN-10: 037377768X
Ms Mallery sticks with the romantic genre's script just a little too closely for my liking:
Girl sleeps
Girl re-meets boy several years down the road.
Boy is terribly flawed and hurt by circumstances out of his control and he swears that he CAN'T love anyone...it just isn't in him.
Girl sleeps with flawed boy swearing she won't get attached...Hah!
Complicated things happen and these complications shake up the couples perceptions of themselves the world.
Boy does something stupid, but finally comes to his senses.
The End.
What I did admire greatly about this book, is the ability of Ms Mallery to write such a unique and complicated character such as Felicia. I had no trouble at all imagining her and I liked her very much. The town of Fool's Gold is still as crazy nosy as it always was, and I do wish we could learn a little more about Mayor Marsha.
This is not the worst book of the series, and it really has some wonderfully poignant moments; but it is also not the best in the series.
Decent reading by Ms. Eby.
Although I am somewhat new to Susan's books, I am fast becoming a die-hard fan. I have so enjoyed these first two books, and am eagerly awaiting the next one, "Three Little Words".
I would like to thank Susan for giving me the chance to discover this great series through her Review Crew. I am honored to be part of this group, and look forward to more great books by this wonderful author.
Felicia has always been a misfit. She is a genius who was given up by her parents when she was four and raised in a university laboratory setting. She became an
Gideon has also come to Fool's Gold after serving in Covert Ops, being captured by the Taliban, and surviving more than two years of captivity. He watched his fellow captives and brothers-in-arms suffer and die and feels that the only reason he survived is that he had no emotional connections with anyone. He is convinced that he is irretrievably broken and is just a shell.
Felicia and Gideon had met four years earlier in Thailand where she approached him. They had a brief sexual encounter, her first, and haven't seen each other since. Now back together in Fool's Gold, Felicia wants to resume the relationship and have Gideon teach her how to be normal so that she can find someone to love and fulfill her dreams.
Things get even more complicated when a twelve-year-old son Gideon didn't know he had shows up. Carter's mother had told him about his father when she was dying of cancer. Carter had been living with friends of his mother but, now that they were getting a divorce, Carter feared that going into the foster care system was in his future if he couldn't find a way to make Felicia and Gideon his new family.
Part of the joy of this series is the strong relationships among many of the characters. Felicia has developed a close group of women friends. Gideon has a good group of men friends too. The community is also close and caring.
Tanya Eby does a great job narrating. Romance lovers won't want to miss this one.
3.5 Stars
Frightfully intelligent yet socially awkward, Felicity Swift is a newcomer to Fool's Gold. So imagine her surprise upon learning that the man with whom she spent one explosive night in Thailand is the new owner of the local radio station. Suffering from PTSD after spending two
While Gideon and Felicity have scorching hot chemistry, their romance is missing that special something mainly due to the fact that Gideon is emotionally stunted and psychologically unwilling to commit to a relationship. Although this is blamed on his PTSD, it is actually quite clear that his attitude existed prior to his captivity.
Felicity is an incredible heroine. She has an amazing capacity for love and the portrayal of her cold and clinical childhood is all the more heartbreaking given her caring nature. It is evident from the start that she is more invested in her relationship with Gideon than he, and while everything ultimately turns out for the best (this is a romance after all), one cannot help but feel that she deserves better.
The secondary storyline focusing on Denise Hendrix's desire to find wives for her two unmarried sons is very amusing, and Mallery has provided an intriguing basis for the next installment that will obviously focus on Ford and Kent's HEAs. The two love interests are polar opposites yet both appealing in their own ways. I look forward to reading about the ensuing shenanigans.