Book: Only Mine (Fool’s Gold #4)

Only Mine by Susan Mallery

Publisher: Harlequin/Mira Books
Publish Date: July 26, 2011
Series: Fool’s Gold #4
ISBN:
ISBN-13: 9780373775880

Giveaway contest through Goodreads, until July 25, 2011.

Synopsis: You can’t win if you don’t play… 

Her town’s lack of men may make headlines, but it isn’t news to Dakota Hendrix. The beautiful blonde has bigger problems to deal with, such as overseeing the romance reality competition filming in Fool’s Gold. Screening eligible bachelors is a difficult enough task, but Dakota hits an unexpected snag when a sexy stranger comes to town. 

Finn Anderssen will do anything to keep his twin brothers—the perfect contestants—off the show. Despite Dakota’s better judgment, she finds herself drawn to the mysterious outsider. Like her, Finn knows about heartbreak and how a family can fall apart, so she doesn’t dare to hope for anything more than a fling. After all, even in the Land of Happy Endings, finding true love is never as easy as it looks on TV.

 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have been a fan of Susan Mallery’s writing for a while now. Her writing style is contemporary and fresh, and her content is always so enjoyable to read. Her stories draw me in and I am instantly connected in an emotional way. That goes the same for the Fool’s Gold series.  Only Mine is a great example of why she is an amazing writer. I absolutely adore this series. This lovely town of Fool’s Gold has a shortage of men, but that has never stopped the women to be strong, independent, and ready to take care of business. The series shows that women can survive without men and the town’s history proves it.

In the fourth installment of the Fool’s Gold series, Mallery brings us back to Fool’s Gold. Life has resumed after the fire, the media chaos, and the publicity that has been surrounding the town. Reality show True Love of Fool’s Gold has invaded the town. This time, Dakota Hendrix is the woman to look out for the town’s interests, by request from Mayor Marsha. Enter Finn Anderson, the protective brother of show contestants, twins Stephen and Sasha. He has flown from Alaska to bring his brother’s back after they left home, with only one semester left until graduation. After a compromise, Finn has decided to stay and watch from a distance, with the supervision of Dakota. Dakota and Finn get close throughout the process and they slowly share their lives, their souls, and their hearts. Will the contestants be the only ones competing for true love?

I love Dakota. She is funny, witty, and so full of life. Dakota is Ethan Hendrix’ one of his younger triplet sisters. She has a great job, aside from supervising the reality show, and she lives in a town that she adores and adores her back. She has terrific sisters and a family who are as close-knit as they can get. She has a secret that she has been keeping for a couple of years now, and she just received news that has caused more pain than she can burden alone. As strong-willed as she may seem to be, she shows that side to Finn, and with that, opens her heart to him as well.

Finn is a man who I had to warm up to. I could tell who he was deep down, but of course emotion clouded his actions. He came into the role that was meant for him, and then I loved him. Having survived a tragic past and raising his brothers on his own, he has a lot to deal with at a young age. He is protective and overbearing and doesn’t know when to let go. He opens up to Dakota, while they work on the show together, but he opens up more than just his family. But he won’t stay for long. He is determined to bring his brothers back to Alaska, where their lives can go back to normal.

The story was great. From the main plot to the sub-plots, everything was pieced together so nicely that I lived in Fool’s Gold. I could feel the sense of community and love between Dakota’s family and the town itself. I could really relate to the characters, main or supporting. I also couldn’t help but fall in love and sympathize with Stephen and Sasha. Well, Stephen more than Sasha. This story had many more characters, but you could not miss the development between Dakota and Finn. Dakota alone was the star of the show, and the love and the support she receives throughout the book is what had me anxiously waiting to turn the page.

Only Mine seems to be the next trilogy set in the Fool’s Gold series. Mallery does it again and brings her readers something new and refreshing in this wonderful town she has created. I am definitely invested in Fool’s Gold and have this new love for the next installment in the series. You will laugh, cry, and love right along Dakota, Finn, and the residents of Fool’s Gold.

I suggest you pick it up and become a part of this great town.