THREE LITTLE WORDS (Fool's Gold) by Susan Mallery

THREE LITTLE WORDS (Fool's Gold) by Susan Mallery
(U.S. link: Three Little Words )
Advanced Reading Copy
To Be Released: July 30, 2013, Harlequin HQN

Isabelle Beebe has come back to Fool's Gold to run the family bridal store, while her parents are on vacation and help get it ready to be sold. Her own dream, to open up a designer fashion store in New York, is on hold until then, but the plans and her designer friend are ready and waiting for her return to the Big Apple. By that time she hopes some of the sting of having been left by her husband, for another, may have softened a bit. The fact that the 'other' was a man, didn't do much for her confidence.

Fourteen years ago Ford Hendrix left Fool's Gold to join the military and he had only recently returned to work for CDS training bodyguards and organizing corporate team building outings. When he left, he had just been dumped by his fiancée and couldn't get out of Fool's Gold fast enough, but that heartbreak turned out not half as bad as it sounds and he ended up spending most of his 14 years overseas as a SEAL. What got him through his tough times, where the letters he received from his ex-fiancée's younger sister, Isabelle. They kept him sane for all the years she was sending them.

Isabelle can do her best to avoid Ford all summer, afraid he will think she is stalking him, what with all those letters she wrote him over the years, but since he does live in the apartment over her parents garage and she is staying In her parents house, that might turn out to be a it awkward. Deciding to confront things head on, she looks Ford up, convinced her childhood crush has long since passed. Unfortunately, Ford doesn't seem to have lost any of his boyish charm, in fact he has gained some very manly attributes and if anything is more dangerous now than he was before.

Ford almost swallows his tongue when he sees little Isabelle all grown up. Very nice in the looks department, with a spunky attitude to boot. Good thing Ford doesn't do the love thing, but he is going to enjoy making a friend out of Isabelle!

******

A new release in the very popular Fool's Gold series by Susan Mallery, it is always easier to have read at least a few of the earlier books (if not all), to get a feel for the town and it's recurring characters. Having said that, it is not absolutely necessary, because each of the books are individual stories and can be read by themselves. I have not read each and every one myself, but enough to 'know my way around'.

The story I have summarized above is the main story of this book, but there is actually a secondary story, with separate leading characters. It deals with Kent, Ford's brother and Consuelo, Ford's colleague at CDS, and I would have liked to have seen that fleshed out a little more. Consuelo's issues are unusual ones and would have been interesting to have seen explored.

I enjoyed the growing relationship between Isabelle and Ford, slowly morphing from friends to buddies to friends with benefits to lovers. All with a natural ease and progression, light and fun. The chemistry is  most definitely there, as is the humour and the lighthearted banter. The characters are recognizable, far from perfect and therefore credible and likeable. I much prefer to have heroes with a few warts, so I at least I can somewhat identify myself with them, and that is hard to do when they are too perfect........

The supporting cast in all of Susan Mallery's books are always full of character, and it is again evident in this book. Although they aren't the story, they do make the story richer.

I read THREE LITTLE WORDS, beginning to end without interruption, and although the end came a bit too soon, felt a bit too abrupt, I enjoyed the book very much.

A playful, sexy summer tale!

**ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Harlequin HQN in return for an honest review.**