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Summer Days (Fool's Gold Book 7) by [Susan Mallery]

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Susan Mallery

Summer Days (Fool's Gold Book 7) Kindle Edition

by Susan Mallery (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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Book 7 of 20: Fool's Gold

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Welcome back to Fool’s Gold, California where summer love between two foes just may last a lifetime from New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery!

Locked in an unexpected land dispute, Rafe Stryker is trapped in the one place he vowed never to return to—the Castle Ranch in Fool's Gold, California. He made millions facing ruthless adversaries in the boardroom, but nothing could've prepared him to go head-to-head against stubborn, beautiful Heidi Simpson. No one is more surprised than Rafe to discover that he's finding Heidi—and life as a cowboy—much more compelling than he wants to admit.

For Heidi, the Castle Ranch is the home she's always wanted. After a life on the road, the vivacious blonde has finally put down roots. She won't give that up without a fight, not even for a man whose late-night kisses make her yearn to be a little less…wholesome.

Previously published.

Read more in the Fool’s Gold series:
Book 1: Chasing Perfect
Book 2: Almost Perfect
Book 3: Finding Perfect
Book 4: Only Mine
Book 5: Only Yours
Book 6: Only His
Book 7: Summer Days
Book 8: Summer Nights
Book 9: All Summer Long
Book 10: A Fool’s Gold Christmas

And even more books available in the Fool’s Gold series!

Print length

381 pages
Language

English
Publisher

HQN Books
Publication date

September 13, 2021
File size

715 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Only in Fool's Gold would a Mercedes be brought to a stop by a goat. Rafe Stryker turned off the engine of the powerful sedan and climbed out. The goat in the middle of the road surveyed him with a confident gleam in her dark eyes. If he hadn't known better, he would have sworn she was telling him this was her road and if anyone was going to back down in this battle of wills, it would be him.

"Damn goats," he muttered, looking around for whomever owned the wayward animal. Instead, he saw a few trees, a broken fence line and, beyond all that, mountains soaring up to the heavens. Some would describe this as God's country. Rafe knew that God, being smart and all knowing, would have nothing to do with Fool's Gold.

Hard to believe that a three hour drive west would return Rafe to San Francisco—land of fine dining, high-rise buildings and beautiful women. It was where he belonged. Not here, on the outskirts of some town he'd promised himself he would never set foot in again. And yet he had returned, drawn by the one person he could never turn his back on—his mother.

Swearing under his breath, he eyed the goat. He would guess she weighed about a hundred and twenty pounds, give or take. While he'd spent the past eighteen years doing his best to forget his time in Fool's Gold, the lessons he'd learned on the Castle Ranch lived on. He figured if he'd been able to wrestle an adult steer as a scrawny fourteen-year-old, he should be able to take a goat now. Or at the very least, pick her up and move her to the side of the road.

He lowered his gaze to her hooves, wondering how sharp they would be and what they would do to his suit. He rested his elbow on the roof of his car and pinched the bridge of his nose. If his mother hadn't sounded so broken on the phone, he would turn around and go back home. In San Francisco he had a staff, minions even. People who would take care of things like goats in the road.

He chuckled, imagining his starchy assistant facing down a goat. Ms. Jennings, a fifty-something powerhouse with an innate ability to make the most successful of executives feel incompetent, would most likely stare the goat into submission.

"You found her!"

Rafe turned toward the voice and saw a woman jogging toward him. She had a rope in one hand and what looked like lettuce in the other.

"I was so worried. Athena lives to get into trouble. I can't find a gate lock that will keep her contained. She's smart. Aren't you, baby girl?"

The woman approached the goat and patted her on the back. The goat moved toward her, like a dog seeking affection. She took the lettuce and the rope around her neck with equal acceptance.

The woman glanced back at him. "Hi. I'm Heidi Simpson."

She was maybe five-nine, with blond hair she wore in braided pigtails. A cotton shirt tucked into jeans showed him she was leggy and curvy, a combination that normally appealed. Just not today. Not when he still had to deal with his mother and a town he despised.

"Rafe Stryker," he said.

The woman—Heidi—stared at him, her green eyes widening as she took a single step back. Her full mouth trembled slightly and she lost her smile.

"Stryker," she whispered and swallowed. "May is your—"

"Mother. How do you know her?"

Heidi took another step back. "She's, ah, at the ranch right now. Talking to my grandfather. There seems to be a mix-up."

"Mix-up?" He used what Ms. Jennings referred to as his scary, serial-killer voice. "Is that how you'd describe what happened? I was thinking more along the lines of fraud and theft. Felony theft."

This was bad, Heidi thought, wishing she could simply run for it. Not that she wasn't one to face her problems. But in this case, she would feel a lot better facing them around other people, rather than on a deserted road. She eyed Athena, wondering if the goat would protect her, then decided probably not. Athena would be more interested in getting a taste of Rafe Stryker's well-cut, obviously expensive suit.

The man standing in front of her looked seriously pissed. Pissed enough to plow her over with his big car and keep going. He was tall, with dark hair and eyes, and right now he looked angry enough to crush her with his bare hands. She had a feeling he was strong enough to do it, too.

She drew in a breath. Okay, maybe he wouldn't crush her, but he wanted to do something. She could read that in his brown-black eyes.

"I know what you're thinking," she began.

"I doubt that."

His voice was low, silky and made her feel unsettled. As though she couldn't predict what was going to happen next and, whatever it was, it was going to be bad.

"My grandfather overstepped his bounds," she began, thinking it wasn't the first time Glen had given in to his "ask forgiveness rather than permission" philosophy of life. "He didn't mean to hurt anyone."

"He stole from my mother."

Heidi winced. "You're close to her?" She shook her head. "Never mind. Stupid question." If Rafe didn't take care of his mother, he wouldn't be here now. Not that she was surprised. From what she could tell, May was a lovely woman who had been very understanding about the mistake. Although not understanding enough to keep her son out of it.

"Glen, my grandfather, has a close friend who was diagnosed with cancer. Harvey needed treatment, didn't have insurance, and Glen wanted to help." Heidi did her best to smile, but her lips didn't feel as if they were cooperating. "So, um, he got the idea of selling part of the ranch. To your mother."

"The ranch that belongs to you."

"Technically." Her name was the one on the bank loan. She hadn't done the math, but she would guess she had in the neighborhood of seventy thousand dollars in equity. The rest of the ranch was tied up in her mortgage.

"He took two hundred and fifty thousand dollars from my mother, and in return she owns nothing."

"Kind of."

"Your grandfather has no way to pay her back."

"He gets social security and we have some savings."

Rafe's gaze moved from her to Athena and back. "How much in savings?"

Defeat made her shoulders sag. "Twenty-five hundred dollars."

"Please move the goat. I'm going to the ranch."

Heidi stiffened her spine. "What are you going to do?"

"Have your grandfather arrested."

"You can't!" Glen was the only family she had. "He's an old man."

"I'm sure the judge will take that into account when setting bail."

"He didn't mean to hurt anyone."

Rafe was unmoved by her plea. "My family grew up here, Ms. Simpson. My mother was the housekeeper. The old man who owned the ranch paid her next to nothing. At times there wasn't enough money for her to feed her four children. But she hung on because he promised to leave her the ranch when he died."

Heidi didn't like this story. She just knew it had a bad ending.

"Like your grandfather, he lied. When he finally died, the ranch went to distant relatives back east." His dark eyes turned into lasers that seemed to bore into her, promising untold punishment. "No one is going to screw my mother out of this ranch twice."

Oh, no! It was worse than she'd imagined. Much worse. "You have to understand. My grandfather would never hurt anyone. He's a great guy."

"He's the man who stole two hundred and fifty thousand dollars from my mother, Ms. Simpson. The rest is simply window dressing. Now, move your…goat."

Unable to think of what else to say, Heidi stepped to the side of the road. Athena trotted along with her. Rafe got in his car and drove away. The only thing missing from his angry departure was a cloud of dust. However, the road was paved and well maintained by the city. One of the advantages of living in Fool's Gold.

She waited until he'd gone past, then turned toward the ranch and started to run. Athena kept up easily, for once not insisting on extending her time of freedom.

"Did you hear that?" Heidi asked, her athletic shoes pounding on the pavement. "That man is really mad at us."

Athena trotted along, apparently unconcerned about Glen's fate.

"You'll be sorry if we have to sell you to pay back May Stryker," Heidi muttered, then wished she hadn't.

All her life she'd only wanted one thing. A home. A real home with a roof and a foundation, hooked up to sewer and water and electricity. Something most people took for granted. But she'd grown up moving from town to town, the rhythm of her days defined by the carnival where her grandfather worked.

When she'd found the Castle Ranch, she'd fallen instantly and madly in love. With the land, the old house and especially the nearby town of Fool's Gold. She had a herd of eight goats, uncounted feral cows and nearly a thousand acres of land. She'd started a business making goat cheese and goat-milk soap. She sold goat milk and goat fertilizer. There were natural caves where she could age her cheese. This was her home and she wasn't giving it up for anything.

But she might have to give it up for somebody. Glen. Who'd sold a part of what he didn't own to a woman with a very angry son.

--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

About the Author

#1 NYT bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming, humorous novels about the relationships that define our lives―family, friendship, romance. She's known for putting nuanced characters in emotional situations that surprise readers to laughter. Beloved by millions, her books have been translated into 28 languages. Susan lives in Washington with her husband, two cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Visit her at SusanMallery.com. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Review

"Mallery...excels at creating varied, well-developed characters and an emotion-packed story gently infused with her trademark wit and humor." One of the Top 10 Romances of 2011!

- Booklist on Only Mine

"An adorable, outspoken heroine and an intense hero...set the sparks flying in Mallery's latest lively, comic, and touching family-centered story."

- Library Journal on Only Yours

"Mallery's prose is luscious and provocative."

-Publishers Weekly

"When it comes to heartfelt contemporary romance, Mallery is in a class by herself."

- RT Book Reviews on Only Yours

"If you want a story that will both tug on your heartstrings and tickle your funny bone, Mallery is the author for you!"

- RT Book Reviews on Only His --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From the Author

Dear Reader,

The rugged Stryker brothers are about to ride into town, and Fool's Gold may never be the same again. I am so excited to return to my favorite town and to introduce you to three gorgeous heroes who embody everything I love about cowboys. The Stryker men are strong, loyal, protective, and sexy!

Fool's Gold is a unique place, and these cowboy romances are filled with the humor you've come to expect from stories set in the Land of Happy Endings. You've already met the women who will bring these tough men to their knees. Heidi the Goat Girl (SUMMER DAYS), Annabelle the Librarian (SUMMER NIGHTS), and Charlie the Firefighter (ALL SUMMER LONG) are three best friends destined to become family. What could be better than that?

The Castle Ranch where he grew up is the last place Rafe Stryker ever wanted to return, but to protect his family, he will go anywhere and take on anyone - even a scam artist like vivacious Heidi Simpson, a woman whose smile is so bright he can see it in his dreams.

To download a complete list of my books in order of publication, please visit the Freebies page inside the Members Only area of my website.

Susan Mallery
read. laugh. love. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B095X31V7K
Publisher ‏ : ‎ HQN Books; Original edition (September 13, 2021)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 13, 2021
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 715 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 381 pages
Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0373776837
Lending ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #53,862 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #721 in Small Town & Rural Fiction (Kindle Store)
- #813 in Small Town & Rural Fiction (Books)
- #1,874 in Family Life Fiction (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
421 ratings

About the author

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Susan Mallery
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Susan Mallery is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of books about the relationships that define women's lives—romance, friendship, family. With compassion and humor, Susan keenly observes how people think and feel, in stories that take readers on an emotional journey. Sometimes heartbreaking, often funny, and always uplifting, Susan's books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list, thanks to her ever growing legions of fans.
Critics, too, have heaped praise on "the new queen of romantic fiction." (Walmart) Booklist says, "Romance novels don't get much better than Mallery's expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling," and RT Book Reviews puts her "in a class by herself!"
Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her most popular series, the Fool's Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.
Susan lives in Seattle with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Animals play a big role in her books, as well, as she believes they're an integral component to a happy life. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.
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5 star		67%
4 star		21%
3 star		7%
2 star		2%
1 star		2%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Jessica

Unbelievable and frustrating

Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2021

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Oh my goodness this was bad. Well written but the plot! I feel like I keep reading this series because I have nothing else to read but this town is far fetched. This plot had been the worst offender so far.

I don't see legally how the main character will lose her home. Her grandfather, who isn't on the mortgage, sells the house to someone who has a son who supports her financially because he's rich. So basically you have a person sell someone else's land and yet that landowner, who knew nothing about this, has her property threatened.

So then the judge says she has to think about things for a few months before ruling. Then the son and mother move onto the property with them one day, the uptight son starts doing manual labor and his hate for the town becomes love. But he is so bloodthirsty and wants to win the property back for his mom that he will kick the property owner out even though he is falling for her. Just because he's never had a heart before...

Other plot stupidness: she makes soaps to sell internationally from just six goats, half of which only can be milked during the year since they get pregnant.
The main guy's mom didn't own the property but takes over, puts up photos, makes repairs, and buys animals (including an ELEPHANT). It's addressed how much it cost to purchase but what about feeding it??
The grandfather is so just so selfish and yet the town loves him despite him taking $250,000 from a widow because he used the money to fund a friend's cancer treatment.
We're meant to believe the main guy pours himself into every detail at work but signed legal papers without reading them because he signs so many other things...
Ugh this book is so ridiculous, even down to the members of the town who wear buttons that say either 'Team Rafe' or 'team Heidi' to support either of the main characters when they fight.

Just no.

Helpful

A REALLY objectionable plot

Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2014

Verified Purchase

The premise for this romance is one that I find completely repulsive. A charming but ethically challenged old man swindles a widow out of a quarter of a million dollars, "selling" her the ranch that actually belongs to his granddaughter. The widow's son, a wealthy businessman, comes stampeding in to protect his mother's rights and wrest that ranch away. The granddaughter, a sweet woman whose entire life's dream is wrapped up in the ranch, which is mortgaged heavily and in a state of disrepair, is at her wit's end. The bilked widow is so sweetly forgiving that she falls for the grandfather and begs the judge not to put the unrepentant felon in jail. The granddaughter is so sweetly forgiving that she tries to figure out how to repay the widow so she has a chance to keep her home. And the wealthy businessman proceeds to seduce the granddaughter while planning to toss her out on the street. Obnoxious, repugnant, and dreadful. That's my opinion of this book. I've been enjoying the Fool's Gold series, which varies in quality, and this is just one of 15 books (as of 2014). But it's simply awful and I can't recommend it to anyone...unless you like women who are lacking in any common sense and men who are lacking in any moral compass.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

MarieMac

Too cheesy!!

Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2012

Verified Purchase

The Fools Gold series has never been up the standard of Susan Mallery's previous books. Pleasant enough but too lightweight with little character development and some improbable plotlines. Bit too much flakiness in this one. I think Heidi belongs on a mountain in Switerland a couple of centuries ago. And the whole goat cheese and soap thing was just ridiculous. She has 6 milking goats - they would be able to produce about a gallon of milk each per day. But all of a sudden she is exporting to China and selling to shops in L.A. and San Francisco! She would be lucky to produce enough to supply local markets. And rather than be able to make enough to pay back $250,000 she would probably not even make a living wage.

And she didnt commit the fraud - her grandfather did without her knowledge. It seems unlikely that a judge would take her land from her. She would remain the legal owner, her grandfather would be prosecuted and May would be out of pocket with only the grandfather liable for many restitution. Rafe being a hot-shot business tycoon would be well aware of that.

Hopefully this series improves.

9 people found this helpful

Helpful

love to read

Sad for have to give up Fool's Gold series & Susan Mallery due to publishing books for e-readers only. I Love real books.

Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2013

Verified Purchase

I love The Fool's Gold series. I have been following it from the beginning. I love the way Susan Mallery writes her characters and I enjoy the storyline. Everyone is so real and present. I am sadden that I can't follow the Series anymore because some of the fools gold books are not being published in paperback form. They are only available for e-readers. I am sad that I will have to stop reading Susan Mallery. I really enjoyed her books and have read almost everything she has written. Unfortunately when I tried to find her next books I found to my horror that it was only availble in e-reader form or downloads. I will have to eliminate Susan Mallery from my favorite authors circle. If she is only going to cater to the technology of e-readers and not to readers who truly love books I won't bother with her books anymore. Following a series is hard when the books in the series are skipped because they were unavilable in book form. So I am sorry to say I will have to leave Susan Mallery. I loved to read her books and it is hard to let it go. I will re-read the books I have but I will not purchase any e-readers or any books for e-readers. I am a true book lover.

Helpful

Trisha

Great

Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2021

Verified Purchase

Too bad I couldn't read it straight through but a page here n there til today when I read most all of it and finished. It was really good and smooth reading and wonderful modern day love story. Loved those last few chapters with minimal distractions.A must read.

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Kelly Wootton

TOOK AWHILE TO GET GOING

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 16, 2012

Verified Purchase

I like this series and I have read all the Fools gold books so far but I find they either grab me from the 1st chapter or take a few chapters to get started, this one took a few chapters to get started! It's good it has the romance and fun story line Susan Mallery books always have and all the characters are here from previous books which is another plus for me as it feels like you are catching up with old friends.

This is Heidi and Rafe's book, Rafe comes back to Fools Gold as he believes £250,000 dollars was taken from his mum May, after she thought she had bought a ranch, a ranch Heidi now lives and runs, after her grandad Glen tricked Rafe's mother out of the money to help his friend get his treatment for cancer. They then end up in court trying to battle out who gets the ranch. once it gets going its a fun book perfect for reading on holiday or on a plane cant wait to see who is up next.

The book's dont have to be read in order, as they each have there own storyline but like any series you do get more from them if you start with book one

Anne

Sorry - just too unbelieveable

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 19, 2013

Verified Purchase

Heidi's grandfather swindles Rafe's mother out of as lot of money so they decide that they had better all live on the disputed ranch whilst it is sorted out. Even though she doesn't own it May puts money into renovations. May and her three sons were so poor as children that they were supported financially by the town but now she has so much money she can invest $250,000 dollars. Heidi's grandfather is a con artist but he is old and so his habits are endearing rather than criminal. I just couldn't accept any of this and because I didn't the rest of the story about the romance and May's love for animals wasn't enough for me.

None of the books in this series are badly written and, in common with the rest, this one has some amusing moments and witty banter. The romance is quite well done too and there are some attractive subsidiary characters. Overall, however, it was spoiled for me by the fact that I thought the plot too unrealistic, even for a light romance.

lesley whitfield

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 25, 2015

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Another wonderful tale from Fools Gold.

fauy238

Summer Days

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 15, 2015

Verified Purchase

This book had me hooked from the start right through to the end. An excellent read. Susan Mallery is now a big fan, I won't ever pass her books by.

Andrea Maier

Was macht bloß den Reiz dieser Ranch aus?

Reviewed in Germany on June 11, 2012

Verified Purchase

Genau das fragt sich Rafe seit er in Fools Gold eingetroffen ist um seiner Mutter zu helfen die Ranch in ihren Besitz zu bringen, die ihr Heidis Großvater unlautererweise verkauft hat. Aber seine Mutter ist bei weitem nicht so scharf aufs Gewinnen und versucht mit ganzem Herzen einen Kompromiss mit Heidi zu erarbeiten und ehe es Heidi sich versieht sind die beiden bei ihr eingezogen und die ersten Renovierungsarbeiten haben begonnen. Als wenn es nicht genug wäre ihrem Großvater ins Gewissen zu reden, damit er die Finger von Rafes Mutter lässt, mit der sexuellen Anziehung zu Rafe klar zu kommen, steht auch plötzlich noch Rafes Bruder mit Pferden vor der Tür und ein Elefant findet auf der Ranch eine neue Heimat.
Die Personen sind gut ausgearbeitet und werden als dreidimensionale Charaktere mit Vergangenheit gut präsentiert. Die sexuelle Anziehung ist förmlich zu spüren und es ist natürlich schön die alten Bekannten aus Fools Gold wiederzutreffen.
Eine sehr gelungene Liebesgeschichte. Ich freue mich schon auf die Fortsetzungen.

One person found this helpful

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