Spotlight and Review: Hold Me by Susan Mallery

Spotlight and Review: Hold Me by Susan Mallery

 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery's classic blend of lighthearted humor and intense emotional conflict works its magic on two newcomers to the California town of Fool's Gold, which Library Journal calls "a setting so real and appealing readers will want to start scoping out real estate." 

Destiny Mills believes passion has its place—like in the lyrics of the country songs that made her parents famous. After a childhood full of drama and heartache, she wants a life that's calm. Safe. Everything that Kipling Gilmore isn't. Her temporary assignment with the Fool's Gold search and rescue team puts her in delicious proximity to the former world-class skier every day. Part of her aches to let go for once…the rest is terrified what'll happen if she does. 
Though an accident ended his career, Kipling still lives for thrills—and a hot fling with a gorgeous redhead like Destiny would be a welcome diversion. Yet beneath his new coworker's cool facade is a woman who needs more than he's ever given. With her, he's ready to take the risk. But love, like skiing, is all about trust—and before you soar, you have to be willing to fall.

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This was my first book of Susan Mallory's that I have read.  Hold Me was a nice romantic read for me. 

Kipling was an Olympic athlete then started a new life in Fool's Gold due to an injury while skiing.   He is the problem solver and wants to fix everyone's problems. 

Destiny comes to Fool's Gold to set up the STORM program, which is a search and rescue program for the town. She is running from her past as she grew up with country music parents, who were controlled by sex and failed marriages.  She doesn't want to be like them, but the harder she tries to not be like them, she becomes exactly her mother. 

She is thrown into caring for a half sister from one of her father's previous flings and falling for the handsome Kipling.  She is unsure of herself and makes one mistake that changes her life forever.

Kipling enjoys the challenge to fix Destiny, but at what cost and how far does he go to fix things.

I enjoyed the characters and how Ms Mallory introduced them to the reader, however having said that I think Destiny came across weak and insecure within her life.  I would have like to see her strong with the decisions and choices she made within the storyline.

I would recommend this book to anyone, who enjoys a nice romantic read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley in return for an honest review. 

4 Koala paws

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Susan Mallery has entertained millions of readers with her witty and emotional stories about women and the relationships that define their lives. She has published more than 100 romance and women's fiction novels, beginning with two books the same month when she was just out of college. Her books have spent more than 160 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list and have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestsellers list, statistically tied for #1 (THREE LITTLE WORDS, a Fool's Gold romance). Known for her keen insight into human nature and her humorous take on life, Susan Mallery has been described by RT Book Reviews as "in a class by herself!" and was featured as a Red Hot Read in Cosmopolitan Magazine. In 2013 and 2014, four of her books were named each year to Amazon's "Best Book of the Month" list.
With a Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Susan is one of the few writers who can understand her royalty statement. She went on to get a Masters in Writing Popular Fiction and has extensively studied story structure in screenwriting courses, though she has no plans to write for the screen. Her goal, always, is to give readers a story that will move them, populated with characters who feel like real people.
Booklist says, "Novels don't get much better than Mallery's expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling," and Publisher's Weekly calls her prose "luscious and provocative." Susan appreciates critical praise, but she values praise from her readers even more. She credits her successful career to the loyal readers who rush out to buy each new book on the day it's released.
With the growing popularity of ebooks, Susan's career has soared even higher, and her books make regular appearances on both print and ebook bestsellers lists. She has embraced the Digital Age with a robust website (www.susanmallery.com) and an active presence on Facebook (www.facebook.com/susanmallery). She also provides extensive bonus content with a website for each of her ongoing series: www.foolsgoldca.comand www.mischiefbay.com.
Mallery lives in not-so-sunny Seattle with her husband, plus a toy poodle and two ragdoll cats who are not at all impressed by her growing fame. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.
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