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Chasing Perfect (Fool's Gold #1)

by Susan Mallery (Goodreads Author)

3.88 of 5 stars 3.88 · rating details · 5,676 ratings · 344 reviews

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 b...more

Paperback, 376 pages

Published April 27th 2010 by HQN (first published January 1st 2010)

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Apr 01, 2010 Rossy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Cont. romance/small town/sexy alphas fans

Recommended to Rossy by: Auto-buy author

Shelves: review-alt, challenge-cont-series-2010, keepers, hot-jocks, challenge-144-books-2010, series-small-town

I can honestly say that this was the hardest book to review for me so far. Don't get me wrong the book was fabulous in my opinion, but i had a hard time doing a review where i didn't spoil it for anyone. I was so happy with everything that i just wanted to gush about everything, so i put the review on hiatus. It has been quite some time since i enjoyed a book so much i couldn't stop thinking about the characters almost 2 months after i finished reading it. With the amount of books i have read be...more I can honestly say that this was the hardest book to review for me so far. Don't get me wrong the book was fabulous in my opinion, but i had a hard time doing a review where i didn't spoil it for anyone. I was so happy with everything that i just wanted to gush about everything, so i put the review on hiatus. It has been quite some time since i enjoyed a book so much i couldn't stop thinking about the characters almost 2 months after i finished reading it. With the amount of books i have read before and since, it's quite the accomplishment for Mallery. Although i shouldn't be surprised because she's one of my auto-buy authors and i have read almost everything she has written so far, i was still impressed.

As noticed this is the first book in the author's new series Fool's Gold. Fool's Gold is a small town in California and this is the book where the town starts forming in the series. One of the most prominent characters that will help set the premise for future books is Martha. She is the town's unofficial matchmaker and the mayor in town. She also plays a vital role in Charity's life. There seemed to be some friendships between the women that I would like to see more of in future books. Pia the party planner who it seems suffered a backlash from family gossip. I admired how Pia handled one particular conversation with charity. She was a good friend who can acknowledge that men cannot read minds. I cannot wait to see what Mallery has in store for her. Josephine, is the bar owner whose mysterious past has everyone speculating why she moved to the small town. Poor Katie, was dumped by ex for her sister. I wonder if anything will develop with Howie “the nerd”. There is also Crystal, the widow fighting cancer. What roles will Desiree, Bernice the accountant and Tiffany the PhD student play in later books?

This story is about Charity who comes to the small town to gain something she never had growing up, stability. She wanted a place where she could grow roots; build a family, with a very "normal and safe" man. It's not until she's hired by the mayor that she discovers that the town is suffering from a shortage of men. Her role is to facilitate outside companies to relocate in Fool's Gold. The glitch is that the companies need to be those that employ more men than women. At the beginning of the book, the way she labeled Josh when she had not gotten to know him. Yet thinking the worst of him based on his looks, made me dislike her a little bit even with her family background. I can understand not wanting to make a mistake and fall for the wrong person, but to look at outer appearance and make a decision about someone just on face value seemed too shallow. I thought Charity needed a LOT of therapy. Why should someone control their feelings for someone when they are both available? How can someone ignore the chemistry they have with someone and try and be with a person they feel zero chemistry with? Thankfully she was fantastic when Josh bared his soul to her, redeeming herself in my eyes. I really like the way she handled it and how she responded to him. It put them at ease and gave them that level they needed to start connecting.

Due to the way Charity’s mother raised her, Charity wanted a man who was “nice, normal and safe”. In other words a boring accountant, what she got was a too handsome and popular Josh. Josh is a retired cyclist, business mogul and quite the celebrity due to his accomplishments as a cyclist. He has moved back to town after one of his teammates dies in a cycling accident, which prompts his early retirement. He is suffering great guilt because he feels there should have been more he could have done to prevent the accident. The struggles with poor Josh seemed so realistic I really felt for him, his personality really drew me in. We learn how almost everyone in Fool’s Gold had a hand in raising him, thereby he feels compelled to help the town prosper. He is estranged from Ethan, his foster brother and best friend, who used to be a cyclist himself. As the story progresses we find out the reasons why and how they renew it. Eddie, Josh's assistant had me laughing by how she treated him and her way of dressing.

The best part was that first kiss they shared which had me a bit breathless. Charity’s details of how she felt while doing so where so vivid…Then when they finally got intimate, I tell you I felt like I was on fire just picturing it. The sex continued to be oh so exquisite; I wondered if this was the same author I’ve read in the past. I don’t recall reading any other books by her where these scenes were so steamy; I honestly had to go in search of a toy. I sighed when Josh said “knowing what to do is the easy part. Finding the right person to do it with is a whole lot harder.” All in all it was fun to see how the main couple fell for each other.

The ending was delightful and the last scene with Ethan had me wondering what the author had in store for him. Who is that redhead called Liz? I'm delighted to have met and to continue to get to know the residents of Fools Gold. This quaint small town "sounds" like a great place to live, it was a nice touch. The history of the town sounded fascinating; from Mallery’s words I could picture the town quite vividly. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a small town, contemporary romance with a sense of community.
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Jun 08, 2011 Shelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobook-version, romance-contemporary, set-in-usa-california

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. My first book by this author, and honestly, I was sort of dreading it. I've heard mixed reviews about her, saw an interview with her, and although she seemed nice, not the sort of lady who comes to mind when thinking of the books I want to read. But then again, I should know better than to judge a book by its cover. I did that too, wasn't crazy about the cover either. In consideration of everything, I really think I'd give this book 3.5 stars, and if a few things were tweaked, I'd probably give...more My first book by this author, and honestly, I was sort of dreading it. I've heard mixed reviews about her, saw an interview with her, and although she seemed nice, not the sort of lady who comes to mind when thinking of the books I want to read. But then again, I should know better than to judge a book by its cover. I did that too, wasn't crazy about the cover either. In consideration of everything, I really think I'd give this book 3.5 stars, and if a few things were tweaked, I'd probably give it 4.

One of my GR friends, Willaful has a category called 'Springfield.' I hadn't gotten around to asking her yet, but I read her review of this book, and she explained it, and I have to say I agree. This so-called small town has everything, including a second hospital being built, but it's still small enough for the main characters to walk around? That was almost too distracting for me. Little details are my thing, and I can't ignore them if it strikes me as something strange or weird. I just can't get past them!

For the most part, I really liked all the characters, and thought they were interesting. I felt like maybe there was a little missing from each, as if they weren't all rounded out. The details of their lives that pertained to the story were solid, but other parts were not quite fully formed. And even when backgrounds or past events in their lives were discussed, it all sort of felt flat and more like info dumps. The past relationships in Charity's life, we're told repeatedly that they affected her and her thinking, but how? In what way did they make her feel uncomfortable, not worthy, or that she had terrible taste in men? One guy abused her, hit her once, and she ran. Okay, but how did that affect her emotionally with the next guy, or how did it make her feel around men period? The most previous relationship was terrible, so she says, but we don't know why, or how. It's the pieces that make the whole, and some big pieces are missing. I can sort of get the picture, but I like to see the whole thing. With Josh, we know his mother left him, but it's not until the end that we find out how much it bothered him. He blows it off, accepts it as fact. We don't get enough POV from him to know early on that he fears not being good enough for anyone. Because of that, I don't get why he's not crazy about Charity and ready to jump into a relationship without any hesitation. I just felt a little cheated. If the author had spent another 50 or so pages explaining such things, this would definitely be a 4, maybe even a 4.5.

One other thing I had issues with is the way some characters talk to each other, and it's blown off as no big deal. I like Pia, and I can't wait to read her book, but the comments she made while drunk about Charity's clothing, they were harsh. Granted, Pia is drunk when they are said, but they really hurt Charity's feelings, so much she wanted to bolt from the party. When Pia apologizes and admits she was rude, Charity blows it off, admits her clothes were old-fashioned. Um. . . didn't she explain to herself she wore them because she worked with mostly men in the past, and they didn't take her seriously until she toned down her wardrobe? Clothing is personal, and obviously Charity took it personally because she went right out and bought a ton of new clothing. I just didn't like it. Another person's way of talking I didn't like was Robert. Everyone thought he was a nice guy, (why, I can't see) even though he says rude things, such as when he confronts Charity about seeing Josh, and basically says I'll be around when he dumps your ass. She chalks it up to hurt feelings. Whatever. The ending where Charity can't tell Josh how she really feels, and vice versa, it was super annoying. They go from spending tons of time together, to her dropping the pregnant bomb, and no talking. It seems very childish to me, especially from Charity. She's convinced he wants to go back racing full time, but I don't remember him saying that at all, just that he was going to take it a little at a time. Where is she getting this from?

The whole 'this town needs more men' thing was a bit too much for me, but I guess if the reverse can be said about Alaska, why not. Everything else was pretty good, I enjoyed most of it and would recommend if you want a light read with interesting characters. I probably won't read it again, but I will try more from this author. On to the next one!
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Jun 07, 2011 willaful rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of nice heroes

Shelves: got-up-my-nose, springfield-syndrome

Welcome to Fool’s Gold, the town where men don’t stay… except, of course, the incredibly gorgeous and wealthy ones who are going to marry the heroines of this series.

City planner Charity is hired to bring more men to Fool’s Gold. Though considering her past history with terrible boyfriends, perhaps she wasn’t the best choice. Certainly she doesn’t trust her attraction to local hero Josh--a famous sports figure could never be interested in an ordinary woman like her, right?

The perfect-rich-charmi...more

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Aug 15, 2010 Leah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: in-my-harem, author-susan-mallery, scars-and-tats-and-piercings-oh-my, signed-by-the-author, 4-stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. First things first: I absolutely loved the Gilmore Girls reference in the beginning.

I loved Charity's character: smart, funny, determined. I loved when she stood up to Melrose, the reporter, and defended her position as Josh's woman. I did not expect to find that Marsha was her grandmother. I got frustrated that she kept thinking that Josh wanted to win at the end just for the fame.

I thought Josh was totally adorable and funny. I'd never read a book before where the hero was a cyclist and I thou...more

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May 04, 2010 Isis FG rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Isis FG by: previously read author

Shelves: author-susan-mallery, series-fools-gold, 2010, info-full, published-2010, reviewed, stars-4-5, genre-romance-drama

Rating: 4.5 / 5

I almost decided to skip this series by Susan Mallery. I usually tend to like her series, but not love them. And considering how bit my Mt TBR is, I just thought I'd pass on this one. But the setting of the series and the storyline intrigued me and I figured I'd give it a try. I'm really glad I did because I loved this book.

Series Note:
First book in Mallery's new "Fool's Gold" series.

Summary:
Charity Jones has been looking for a place to call home her entire life, and she thinks sh...more Rating: 4.5 / 5

I almost decided to skip this series by Susan Mallery. I usually tend to like her series, but not love them. And considering how bit my Mt TBR is, I just thought I'd pass on this one. But the setting of the series and the storyline intrigued me and I figured I'd give it a try. I'm really glad I did because I loved this book.

Series Note:
First book in Mallery's new "Fool's Gold" series.

Summary:
Charity Jones has been looking for a place to call home her entire life, and she thinks she's found that home in the small California town of Fool's Gold - where the women outpopulate the men by a large margin. It's just what Charity's always wanted. But everywhere she turns she's running into retired cyclist Josh Golden - whether in person or a lifesize likeness or a naked butt picture on her assistant's screensaver. She can't escape Josh or what he does to her hormones. Charity doesn't want to want him; he's exactly the kind of man she told herself she would never get involved with. She wants home and hearth, not a too sexy celebrity about to make a comeback.

But Charity has misjudged Josh. He's a much deeper person than she thought and soon the two are an item. Charity's got other stuff to deal with, though - a shocking truth revealed to her, embezzlement in the city government, and dealing with issues instilled in her since childhood. Charity and Josh both have a lot to work through before they're ready to settle down.

Review:
First off, I love small town stories. There's something so endearing about them. Maybe it's because I'm a small town girl myself that I find them so appealing. Either way, it's one of the things I loved about this story. Fool's Gold is a nice small town...not too small, but not a bustling metropolis either. Everybody knows everybody, streets are quiet, you can walk most places. It's just such a great type of story to read and I thought Susan Mallery did a wonderful job with how she wrote the small town aspect of the story.

On top of that, there's a great cast of characters. I liked Charity...didn't love her, but definitely liked her. She's nice, very good at her job...just likable. And Josh...he turns out to be such a genuinely nice guy. I really liked him a lot. I was worried he'd turn out to be arrogant and annoying, but he was a fantastic character. I wanted to give him a big hug for all the internal turmoil he was going through.

And I loved the way the romance progressed in this story. Charity and Josh don't fall into bed two seconds after meeting. They actually spend some time together, get to know each other a bit first...before having spur of the moment up-against-the-wall sex one night. Really, though, great progression on their relationship. It came off very real to me.

Another thing I loved about this book was that you kind of get immersed in the town and the characters (and the romance). You get to understand Charity's job (and the sudden realization that someone is embezzling money), you get to understand the town and the people, meet ones you'll be getting to know more about later, and just generally feel like a part of the town as you read. In that sense, this book reminded me a bit of Robyn Carr's "Virgin River" series where you're sucked into the nuance of the town. Definitely a plus for the book. I just wanted to keep read and reading. Finished it in less than a day.

I'd give this book five stars except for a couple minor things. One was that at times Charity's hang-ups are harped on a little too much. At times it seemed like every time you turned the page you were hearing Charity think about how much she didn't want to be like her mom. Got a little old. Also, Charity got on my nerves a bit at the end. She was being kinda stupid...not TSTL stupid, but just dumb. Jumping to conclusions, having no faith in Josh. I wanted to shake her. So those two things kept this from being a 5-star for me, but it was very close.

I'm really looking forward to reading the upcoming books in this series...Ethan comes next, then a novella with Katie, and then Pia's story (with Raoul from the Bakery sisters series). I think Mallery has a real winner with this series and I'll be rushing out to buy the others as they are released.(less)

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Aug 29, 2011 Taryn at My Secret Romance rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Taryn at My Secret Romance by: Shellbelle

Shelves: contemporary-romance, romance, reviewed-by-me, series

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 3.5 stars Contemporary Romance

This is my first read by this author. This book wasn't that great but at the same time I couldn't stop reading it. I know, it makes no sense. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the story moved so I wanted to know more but I didn't feel any connection between the characters. They are likeable characters though and I do plan to read the next book to find out about Ethan. I also think the book needed more romance scenes, but hey, I'm a romance junkie.

Charity was h...more 3.5 stars Contemporary Romance

This is my first read by this author. This book wasn't that great but at the same time I couldn't stop reading it. I know, it makes no sense. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the story moved so I wanted to know more but I didn't feel any connection between the characters. They are likeable characters though and I do plan to read the next book to find out about Ethan. I also think the book needed more romance scenes, but hey, I'm a romance junkie.

Charity was hired to help bring more business to Fool's Gold, and more men. Yes, she was hired to bring more men to the small town since there were only 2 (I think) in the entire town and the rest are woman. I thought this was a ridiculous part of the book actually. Really? There is a man drought so you hire someone to lure them to the cozy quaint town? Come on. That part was so hard for me to get past, because honestly, does that ever happen? No. Anyway, in her search for more businesses and more men, Charity meets the people of Fool's Gold and falls in love with them and the town. Having always been on the go as a child, she is ready to buy a home and establish some roots. Along the way she casually dates Robert but has feelings for Josh. Josh Golden is a famous cyclist that competed twice in the Tour de France along side Lance Armstrong. He has numerous sports endorsements and woman begging to be with him. Josh retired early from cycling after watching one of his teammates die during a race, which he blames himself for. Since then he has not been able to race, hence, the retirement. Josh has been divorced for a few years now and has had a bit of a dry spell until Charity arrives in Fool's Gold, and now he only has eyes for her.

The beginning of this book was bland, nothing really that special. About half way through, or maybe a little more, it gets a bit more interesting and picks up. We meet people from the small town, a secret is revealed and a sports hero makes his comeback. I will say that even though this book didn't WOW me, I will be reading the next one to find out about Ethan, and old friend of Josh's that we meet in this book.
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May 17, 2010 Tam Herra rated it 3 of 5 stars

I must confess, I read up until a certain point and then sort of just skipped to the end. Well not "sort of", because that's exactly what I did.

First things first, I want to say that it got off to a HILARIOUS start. For your pleasure, I took down some of the lines that made me snort tea out my nose (attractively, of course):
- "When she made the mistake of meeting his hazel-green eyes, she
could have sworn she heard the theme from Gone with the Wind playing softly in the background."
- "...her curi...more I must confess, I read up until a certain point and then sort of just skipped to the end. Well not "sort of", because that's exactly what I did.

First things first, I want to say that it got off to a HILARIOUS start. For your pleasure, I took down some of the lines that made me snort tea out my nose (attractively, of course):
- "When she made the mistake of meeting his hazel-green eyes, she
could have sworn she heard the theme from Gone with the Wind playing softly in the background."
- "...her curiosity seemed to be enough of a distraction that she could control her reaction to him. Or at least keep it more manageable. The tingles were still there, as was the awareness. But she wanted to know what was going on nearly as much as she wanted to rub against him and purr. Progress, she thought happily."

I liked the plot of the heroine adjusting to being in a new area. The plot about the family ties she had in the community was weird, unexpected and unnecessary (or at least grandma shouldn't have hired her - erm tad unbelievable "We hired you because you were the best for the job". Well, grams, truth be told, your committee would have hired a man seeing as you are all so concerned about the lack of men in the town...in real life that is).

I lost interest in the H/h's story and wasn't pleased to see (once I skipped to the end) that a well timed pregnancy is what brings everyone to their Happily Ever After. I hate when that happens.

So, all in all this book ends up with a 2.5 star (sorry Susan). I am hoping the next books in the series will be better (because, regardless of the low rating I will be reading the next book). Ethan's story seems promising and the story after him stars the kid that was taken in by the bakery sister in the 2nd book of that series (oooo! cross-over!). We get to see him all grown up and clearly not still with the football player's daughter who wanted to get teen-pregnant (remember that?). Hmm, how things don't work out as you thought they would when you were a teen...(less)

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Feb 23, 2012 Suzie Quint rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

For the most part, I enjoyed this. Fool's Gold, with it's shortage of men, is an interesting setting. My one quibble was that when Charity finally has her aha! moment and accepts that Josh's need to ride isn't about wanting to be a celebrity again, I thought the motivation was weak. She already had all the information that prompted that realization, including him telling her pretty plainly, so it seemed like she should have "gotten it" much sooner. I really wish she had because her insistence th...more

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Jul 12, 2012 Shruti Fatehpuria rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: susan-mallery

It is impossible not to fall in love with this book. If there is something called flawless writing, it has to be THIS!!
everything from the picturization to the description to the writing is beautifully splendid..fools Gold is definitely the place to be. This book shall touch you in a way you would be wanting for more and obviously Josh Golden sizzles.

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Aug 24, 2011 Kimberly rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. The interesting part about it (I've never read Mallery before) is she writes as life really happens. Ex: the main female finds out the male lead was abandoned as a 10y/o and the town raised him. But what happened is she is told this story a few times through out the book getting a little bit more detail each time. Now that is how life works. Friend 1 doesn't know that Friend 2 has already told you this story so they tell you then Friend 3 says let me tell you and tell...more

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May 15, 2011 Chinasa Izeogu rated it 2 of 5 stars

I'm not a romance novel reader, but I picked this up for a few reasons. I wanted to listen to something light and easy to deescalate my road rage. I was also curious about the appeal of this genre. I found the love story mildly interesting. Charity is hired as a city planner for a small California town and she falls for the town heart throb Jacob Golden. The characters were moderately dynamic. It was easy to relate to the characters. Charity was raised by her nomadic mother who selfishly distanc...more

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Dec 15, 2010 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Chasing Perfect was a sweet story, with no real angst. A minor mystery easily solved, this is focused much more on emotion. Charity, left alone by a selfish mother; Josh, hiding what he views to be a dark secret about his retirement from cycling; Pia, coping with her best friend’s illness…the list goes on. But in the midst of this, Charity and Josh must face their chemistry and figure out what it is they want from themselves, and from each other. Of the three books in the series, this is my seco...more

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Aug 01, 2010 Heidi rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone looking for a light-hearted romance

Recommended to Heidi by: the author

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 ol...more

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Jun 30, 2010 Laurel rated it 5 of 5 stars

In a Debbie Macomberesque format of many books about one small town, author Susan Mallery nails a great romance in "Chasing Perfect". Tiny Fool's Gold California is a great place to live, except for one thing. There are very few men. For some reason, they grow up and move away leaving the women to run everything. The Mayor is worried. If this trend doesn't change, the town could die and she won't have that on her watch. So she hires city planner Charity Jones and tells her to bring the men to Fo...more

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May 19, 2010 Linda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: california, romance, cycle-racing, cyclists

Charity Jones accepted the job as a city planner in Fool's Gold, California because she wanted to settle down in a small town where she knew everybody. Her mother had moved them from place to place when she was growing up and she craved a stable family life. Josh Golden is the town's "golden" boy...a championship cyclist who put Fool's Gold on the map. He is also an orphan adopted by the town when he was a young child. Charity and Josh keep running into each other in the small town and soon ever...more

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May 18, 2010 Amy Jacobs rated it 5 of 5 stars

As regular readers of my blog, you know I love this author's writing! She is an auto-buy for me when she has new books being released. When this book was released, I immediately bought it!

Welcome to Fool's Gold! The way the author set up the town was amazing. I instantly felt like I was part of the town. The characters were enjoyable and the writing was great! Charity is an independent woman who gets a new job as city planner in a town that is lacking men. She is introduced to Josh, who is a re...more

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May 07, 2010 RomanceNovelNews.com rated it 3 of 5 stars

Review by B.A. Ruggiero for RomanceNovelNews.com

Life in the quaint town of Fool’s Gold, Calif., appears to be perfect, especially to new city planner Charity Jones. After a nomadic childhood with a flighty mother, Fool’s Gold is the perfect place to put down some much-needed roots. The only thing throwing her off track is hometown celebrity athlete and heartthrob Josh Golden.

From the moment Josh whisks in and saves her during an awkward work presentation, Charity knows he will be trouble. But s...more

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May 03, 2010 Katie(babs) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Charity Jones is the latest addition to the Fool's Gold community as the town's new city planner. Charity is more than happy to make Fool's Gold her home since she loves the small town feel and that her neighbors and co-workers are very pleasant and nice. There seems to be a shortage of men, which is a problem dating back years, and the mayor is concerned the town will die if they don't find a way to get more men to reside in Fool's Gold. Charity's new responsibility is trying to figure out a wa...more Charity Jones is the latest addition to the Fool's Gold community as the town's new city planner. Charity is more than happy to make Fool's Gold her home since she loves the small town feel and that her neighbors and co-workers are very pleasant and nice. There seems to be a shortage of men, which is a problem dating back years, and the mayor is concerned the town will die if they don't find a way to get more men to reside in Fool's Gold. Charity's new responsibility is trying to figure out a way to bring in more traditional male jobs, which may appeal to the male population, thus fixing the problem. Charity finds this problem amusing, but will do the best that she can under the circumstances.

Although there is a lack of men, there is one resident who is considered Fool's Gold's 'favorite son' and not just because of his superstar looks and status. When Josh Golden's mother walked out on him when he was just ten years old the Fool's Gold community took him in and adopted him. Josh never forgot what they did for him, even when he became a very rich cyclist who was the second youngest winner of the Tour de France. Josh is retired now after a major mishap that he can't forgive himself for. He is fine running his various businesses and lending a hand wherever he can. And when he meets Charity, who isn't as awestruck like most the women in town are, Josh thinks he has struck gold in the romance department. The only thing standing between him is the emotional wall Charity has placed around herself because of her past. Josh wants to prove to Charity that he is a good guy, and with the town standing behind him, she doesn't stand much of a chance.

CHASING PERFECT has a nice small town feel that most readers should enjoy. There is humor, quirky characters and a nice romance between Charity and Josh. This couple is very well-rounded regardless of the hidden pain they both bottle up inside. Not only do they want to become better people in the way they treat others, but they want to do it together.

Susan Mallery does have engaging storytelling skills, but I found myself a bit disinterested half-way through the story. The main issue I had was that nothing all that exciting was going on. The tension between Charity and Josh is non-existent and when they finally become a couple, it was somewhat of a let down. Then something shocking occurs, but again it did nothing to peak my interest.

Chasing Perfect does have a wide variety of nice secondary characters such as Ethan Hendrix, who used to be Josh's best friend, but for various reasons, have drifted apart from one another.Then there is the town treasurer Robert Anderson, who is an overall good guy, who Charity finds too dull to have a romance with. And of course Mayor Marsha, who tries to be a matchmaker in her spare time.

There maybe not much of a spark while reading Chasing Perfect, but for those who want a simple, easy read, give this latest by Susan Mallery a go.(less)

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Apr 18, 2013 Holmes221B rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: good-old-chicklit, one-time-read, summer-reads, adult-romance, sports-romance

4.25 stars!
Its going to be difficult writing this review without any spoilers - but I'll give it a shot anyway. Trust me the blurb doesnt tell you ANYTHING about the book!

Meet JOSH GOLDEN -

He's blonde, he's hot, gorgeous a retired Tour de France cyclist and world champion, and currently owns half of the businesses and property in Fool's Gold. Marry me, Josh!

And CHARITY JONES -

A career woman with only 3 (disastrous) relationships in her wake, the new city planner for Fool's Gold is looking...more 4.25 stars!
Its going to be difficult writing this review without any spoilers - but I'll give it a shot anyway. Trust me the blurb doesnt tell you ANYTHING about the book!

Meet JOSH GOLDEN -

He's blonde, he's hot, gorgeous a retired Tour de France cyclist and world champion, and currently owns half of the businesses and property in Fool's Gold. Marry me, Josh!

And CHARITY JONES -

A career woman with only 3 (disastrous) relationships in her wake, the new city planner for Fool's Gold is looking for a stable, loving man, kids, a dog, a home and a community to sink roots in.

Fool's Gold is a small town on the West Coast with a lovely community and one BIG problem - NO MEN. Or rather, there is a notable lack of men...the Mayor, Chief of Police, local bartender etc etc all being women you see where I'm going. In comes Charity, who is going to bring some nice and sweet but hot, sexy and rich guys who'll settle in Fool's Gold, (also marry the pretty local ladies and have 10 kids)to town.

There are no secrets in town. The people are all sweet and dont give you a moment's irritation. Throughout the book I felt like I was in

and it was beautiful........

The book has many small surprises coming up one after the other, sometimes together. Its a very HAPPY place so nothing really bad occurs.

Someone steals the cookies from the cookie jar but you will guess who it is at the beginning and lucky he/she isnt that likeable anyway :P

There were some funny lines, nothing dramatic, nothing cloying.

The only things I could complain about are that there was not much chemistry between the to main characters and it was very slow in the beginning. Josh is supposed to be a "god" in bed but though the lovemaking was nice, it wasnt spectacular. I believe I checked my mails right in the middle of one. :(
Also, side stories would have been nice - I find myself curious about a few characters but looks like they'll have their own books.

I had a great time reading this book, so if you're laying off the angsty or sizzling hot reads this book is pretty good! :)(less)

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Mar 28, 2012 Laura Miller rated it 3 of 5 stars

Well I really wanted to like this book since it's the first in a series and I love series. The only real redeeming part of this book is the Hero Josh, and most of the side characters. By the end of the book I was actually feeling he deserved someone way better than Charity. My reason for not liking her was the fact that she was so obsessed with the fact that Josh had at one time be very famous and that, in her book, was bad. He told her over and over again that he didn't want the life he had bef...more

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Mar 02, 2012 Abigail rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: audio-book, romance-contemporary, read-2012, audio-contemporary-romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Book so far:
Charity - I got a new job in Fools Gold! I love this small town.
Josh - I'm awesome. But I feel bad about a bike crash.
Martha - How come all the men are leaving town? What happened to the $$$ from the gov't.?
Pia - Like, let's have a bike race and stuff!
Josh - Being in a pack gives me anxiety.
Robert - Hey, Charity! What about a date!
Charity - Sure! But I hate your quirks.
Josh - Charity! Let's have unprotected sex!
Ethan - Check out my wind farm!
Martha - I'm your grandmother.
Josh - I'm g...more

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Nov 15, 2010 Sharon Bressen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Chasing Perfect
By Susan Mallery

I received this book from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program in e-book form. This is the third book I have read from this author.

Charity Jones answers an ad for a city planner in a small town called Fool’s Gold in California. As a woman who had a wandering mother, she is seeking a place to call home and put down roots.

Little does she know, but soon finds out, the town that offers her a job is short on…men. They don’t seem to stay around in the community. Part...more

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Aug 06, 2010 Lesley rated it 3 of 5 stars

This one was just ok for me, more like 2-3/4 stars. I had some technical issues with this one- for example, city planners don't work for the mayor, they work for the city manager. Mayors are elected officials and do not supervise paid staff. I work with a lot of small city governments, so that irritated me throughout this book. I was also a bit annoyed with the predictablility, such as the relationship between the heroine and the mayor, as well as the surprise pregnancy. The outcome of the "big...more This one was just ok for me, more like 2-3/4 stars. I had some technical issues with this one- for example, city planners don't work for the mayor, they work for the city manager. Mayors are elected officials and do not supervise paid staff. I work with a lot of small city governments, so that irritated me throughout this book. I was also a bit annoyed with the predictablility, such as the relationship between the heroine and the mayor, as well as the surprise pregnancy. The outcome of the "big mystery" was also not much of a surprise- also predictable.

That said, I liked the heroine, liked most of the peripheral characters, and was engaged enough in the story to finish the book in one day. I mostly understood Charity's reluctant attraction to Josh, but felt that she gave up that reluctance far too easily. Josh was fairly arrogant in the beginning and suddenly and inexplicably that arrogance disappeared. I'd like to chalk it up to the heroine simply getting to know and understand him better, but I didn't feel it was a smoothe transition- it seemed rather abrupt and therefore less than believable. Josh was more likeable in the end than he was in the beginning, but I don't really understand how he got there. Maybe it was just him working through his issues and becoming more comfortable with himself? The focus on Josh seemed more about resolving his issues with his accident than it did about falling in love with Charity- she seemed secondary to all the rest, which is fine...except that this is supposed to be a romance novel. Something was missing for me, and I guess that's it- I saw her fall hard for him, but not the other way around, and that's where the real romance is for me. I just finished All I Ever Wanted by Higgins yesterday, which had an absolutely magical chemistry and love resolution, so maybe that's why I had problems with how the heroine and hero ended up together in Chasing Perfect- it didn't come close to comparing.

Mallery is one of my favorite authors and an auto-read, so she's not in any danger of losing me as a fan, but this was not one of my favorites of her books. I just finished the last of the Lone Star Sisters series earlier this week and liked those better, though I'm still looking forward to reading the rest of the Fools Gold series.(less)

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Jun 07, 2010 Cherise rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-or-review-copy, romance

Charity Jones has just been hired as the new city planner for a small town called Fool’s Gold. Having spent most of her life moving from city to city with her single mom, Charity longs to put down roots and settle into small town life. Fool’s Gold is perfect for her. Though one thing seems to be amiss, Fool’s Gold has a man shortage! The mayor wants Charity to help get some businesses and some men back into the town.

Professional cyclist and sports celebrity, Josh Golden, has come back to his hom...more

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Mar 13, 2010 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: early-reviewer, ebook, 2010

4 1/2 stars

This is the first in a new series from Susan Mallery about a town in California called Fool's Gold. I received this book from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.

Charity Jones has been hired by Fool's Gold's mayor to be the new city planner. She moved around all through childhood and now at 28 wants to settle down and grow roots. She loves the small town and can't wait to find a house and make a home. She's leaving behind a string of bad relationships and doesn't plan to do any m...more 4 1/2 stars

This is the first in a new series from Susan Mallery about a town in California called Fool's Gold. I received this book from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.

Charity Jones has been hired by Fool's Gold's mayor to be the new city planner. She moved around all through childhood and now at 28 wants to settle down and grow roots. She loves the small town and can't wait to find a house and make a home. She's leaving behind a string of bad relationships and doesn't plan to do any more dating for a while.
Josh Golden is Fool's Gold's golden boy. He's a retired professional cyclist who has returned home after leaving cycling at a young age. He's got reputation of being a real ladies' man and all the women in town drool over him. Charity doesn't want to be part of the crowd, but she can't help but be attracted to him.

This is a classic and sweet romance. Many of the plot points are a bit predictable, but not annoyingly so. I liked the turn-around of how the golden boy can sometimes be the right guy and the "nice" guy isn't always the right one (think like the movie The Mask).
Both Josh and Charity were well developed characters with enough depth to give them realism and likability. I enjoyed the banter between the two as well as their development apart.
This is the first in the series and I was happy that the setup for the next book didn't occur until the very last paragraph in the book. This book can be read stand alone and you aren't left hanging too much--just a little interest left at the end. I have found lately than many series books have been setting up the next book 1/3 of the way through the one you are reading and you lose time with the current couple. Thankfully, no so in this one. Ethan is the next hero, but the next book could have included any number of characters right until the last paragraph when Ethan's story is setup.

I'm a Susan Mallery fan and have read almost all of her recent series books. If you have enjoyed her latest series, you will like this one and be looking forward to reading more.(less)

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Mar 06, 2012 Steffi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Hab dieses Buch ihm Rahmen der Valentinstagsaktion bei Amazon bekommen.

Das Buch handelt von Charity Jones, die nach einer gescheiterten Beziehung einen neuen Job als Stadtplanerin annimmt. Die beschauliche Kleinstadt Fool's Gold, in die sie zieht, bietet ihr eine willkommende Abwechslung zu ihrem bisherigem Leben. Doch herscht dort ein Männermangel, die Bürgermeisterin Marsha bittet sie daher Unternehmen aus typischen Männerbranchen und auch ein neues Krankenhaus in die Stadt zu bringen. Gleich...more

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Aug 20, 2011 Bee Bailey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Knock me over with a feather! Susan Mallery has been sitting in front of me all this time and I had it in my head that I didn't like her books and I don't know why! Chasing Perfect was exactly what I had been looking for. I feel like I've been in such a dry spell I'm so happy to know that I have a whole back list of books I can read.

Let me give you the highlights:

Third person with his/hers POV
Straight up contemporary romance with no suspense, vampires or bizarre plot twists
Strong and physically...more

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Aug 17, 2010 Ally rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, ebook

I'm a big Susan Mallery fan, but I didn't enjoy this book as much as I was expecting too. I thought it sounded like a great contemporary romance and a great new series. But I feel that I may have out grown Susan Mallery's stories but as I'd already bought the first two books and the novella I had better read them all.

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...more

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Apr 17, 2010 Damaris (GoodChoiceReading) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Damaris (GoodChoiceReading) by: goodchoicereadin@aol.com

Shelves: favorites

I said it before and I will say it again Susan Mallery's books remind of lifetime movies lol. To me that is a good thing because I've seen some of the best love stories on Lifetime.

I really enjoyed this book and found it to be an easy read. I really liked the way Josh and Charity fell in love. What I liked the most about them is that they did not have to try to impress one another. The sparks were just there. The way Josh acted around her and took such control was such a turn on. I loved the wa...more

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Jun 11, 2011 Brittney Musick rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of contemporary romance

Shelves: audiobook, read-2011, 1-adult, ebook

After reading Accidentally Yours, I knew I had to read more of Susan Mallery's books. Figuring out where to go from there, though, was somewhat difficult because there are just so many to choose from, but Chasing Perfect turned out to be a good choice.

First, I enjoyed the setting of Fool's Gold. I liked the cozy small town feel of it, and it created a nice atmosphere for the story.

Second, I really enjoyed the characters. Charity and Josh each had their own baggage, but it wasn't a bogged down dr...more

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About Susan Mallery

New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery has entertained millions of readers with her witty and emotional stories about women and the relationships that move them. Publisher’s Weekly calls Susan’s prose “luscious and provocative,” and Booklist says, “Novels don’t get much better than Mallery’s expert blend of emotional nuance, humor and superb storytelling.” While Susan appreciates the crit...more

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“I think experienced makes me sound like an aging hooker.” — 4 people liked it

“Knowing what to do is the easy part. Finding the right person to do it with is a whole lot harder. - Josh Golden” — 3 people liked it

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