Review: Kiss Me, by Susan Mallery

 
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After Phoebe Kitzke's kind heart gets her suspended from her job in LA, she swears off doing favors—until her best friend begs for help on the family ranch in Fool's Gold. Unfortunately, sexy cowboy Zane Nicholson isn't exactly thrilled by the city girl's arrival. 

Thanks to his brother's latest scheme, Zane has been roped into taking tourists on a cattle drive. What Phoebe knows about ranching wouldn't fill his hat, but her laughter is so captivating that even his animals fall for her. One slip of his legendary control leads to a passionate kiss that convinces him she's exactly the kind of woman a single-minded loner needs to avoid. 

In his arms, Phoebe discovers she's a country girl at heart. Yet no matter how much the small town feels like home, she can't stay unless Zane loves her, too…but is this cowboy interested in forever?

Genre: contemporary romance

Publishing date: June 2015

Offensive content:  a few really hot kisses and two sex scenes.

Review: 
I loved this book! It's one of the sweetest romances I have read in a long time and really lifted my spirit in what has been a very long week already. Actually, I read it in less than three days which, taking into account all the long hours I've been putting in at the office, is worth a praise just by itself. 

I loved all the characters, I loved the setting and I loved how the romance between Phoebe and Zane unfolded. Susan Mallery manages to weave a sweet, uncomplicated romance with characters that are anything but. Uncomplicated. I mean. 

Phoebe is a big hearted, do-good kind of girl but unfortunately her good deeds landed her in trouble more than once. Zane is a hard, unyielding, hands-on, go-by-the rules and incredibly hot cowboy, but behind his rough façade, he's just as lonely and insecure as Phoebe.

Both Phoebe and Zane have past demons they must fight and overcome before the happily ever after. They are real, credible people with real, credible fears and concerns. The secondary stories of Chase, Zane's half brother, and of CJ, Thad and the foster children they end up adopting are also interesting and attention gripping. I liked that the story is told, alternatively, from the point of view of several of the characters.



This, apparently, is book 19 in the Fool's Gold series but I haven't read any of the prior books and I had no issues with this one, so I guarantee it can be perfectly read as a stand alone book. Actually, I'm pretty sure I'm going to read more books by this author and in the same series, and, judging by this one, I'm not going to bother with reading them in order.

My only complaint is that the end seems a bit rushed. It is hardly believable that a guy so intent on not loving anyone gets an overnight urge to buy an engagement ring and go down on one knee. Ok, so not believable, but still touching. Who isn't always rooting for a happy ending in a romance novel? Oh, and I seriously don't get why there is a bicycle in the cover of this book, since there isn't only single mention to a bicycle anywhere in the story. Lots of horse rides, cattle, all terrain vehicles, but no bicycle. 
 

 

But oh, well, for a book that made me feel so good these last few days? I'm willing to forgive some minor details and still give it 5 stars!

Happy reading,