SUMMER DAYS (Fool’s Gold Book 7)
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.” Visit Susan online at www.susanmallery.com.
Tell us about SUMMER DAYS.
SUMMER DAYS is the perfect beach read. It’s funny, romantic, sexy, and it’s light both in tone and in actual weight – you can toss the paperback into your beach bag and go. (It’s also available wherever ebooks are sold.)
Heidi Simpson had a vagabond childhood with her grandfather. The one thing she wanted most in the world was a home of her own. Now, in her late 20s, she finally has one, but her ranch is put on the line by a scam her grandfather pulled in order to pay for a friend’s surgery. Rafe Stryker is the son of the woman whose money was stolen, and the first of the Stryker brothers to move to Fool’s Gold. He’s on a tear when he arrives, determined to protect his mother’s interests at all costs.
Since possession is nine-tenths of the law, neither is willing to leave the ranch until a judge can decide the matter. Sparks fly right from page one between Heidi and Rafe! The people of Fool’s Gold take sides in a pretty hysterical way.
You can find SUMMER DAYS wherever books are sold – bookstores, online, even the grocery store check-out line. You can read a free excerpt on my website, www.susanmallery.com or in the free app for iPhone and Android (www.mobileroadie.com/apps/susanmallery).
Who are these Fool’s Gold cheerleaders I keep hearing about?
Oh, the cheerleaders are beyond fabulous! This year’s squad is made up of 60 Fool’s Gold super fans who are earning prizes all summer for telling other readers about Fool’s Gold. They’re driving around with Fool’s Gold car magnets, wearing Fool’s Gold T-shirts, handing out bookmarks like candy to everyone they meet.
For those of my followers who have never read a Fool’s Gold book, tell us about the small town known as the Land of Happy Endings.
SUMMER DAYS is the seventh book in my series set in fictional Fool’s Gold, California. Fool’s Gold is a small town in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. It’s a quaint place where people truly support each other – mostly with casseroles. And margaritas. Women rule in Fool’s Gold. For many years, there was a man shortage, which is just now beginning to level out, thanks to the town’s efforts to bring in some pretty spectacular men.
Fool’s Gold is the most popular series I’ve ever written. In fact, last year, one of the Fool’s Gold books hit #3 on the New York Times and #8 on the USA Today bestsellers lists. Those were personal bests for me and very thrilling.
Each book is written as a standalone, which means that you can jump in and start with SUMMER DAYS, and you won’t feel lost or confused. While previous characters make an appearance, you don’t need to know their stories to understand this one.
Why did you decide to write about three cowboy brothers?
With each year’s Fool’s Gold books, I try to create heroes who represent iconic male archetypes. The men of Fool’s Gold have been athletes, businessmen, pilots, surgeons. Each is a leader, powerful in his own way. His strength goes deeper than the physical. He does what’s right even when it’s not easy. When he falls, he falls hard… and he loves forever.
This summer, three cowboy brothers will ride into Fool’s Gold on horseback in SUMMER DAYS, SUMMER NIGHTS, and ALL SUMMER LONG. The Stryker men represent everything I love about a cowboy hero. They are protective, honest, tall and strong. And wow, do they do nice things to a pair of blue jeans!
Since this is Fool’s Gold, these cowboys come with a special twist – humor. Rafe is undone by Heidi the Goat Girl. Shane has to teach the local librarian how to do the ancient Dance of the Happy Virgin – while riding a horse. And Clay, the youngest, made his fortune as a Hollywood butt double.
In SUMMER NIGHTS (July), Shane Stryker will meet Annabelle who, oh my WORD, do I love! Annabelle is my gift to all the librarians who have supported me so wonderfully over the years, putting my books into readers’ hands with a fervent, “You’re going to love this!” Annabelle is a librarian who defies the stereotypes – she’s fashionable, modern… a dangerous, pint-sized sexpot, as far as Shane is concerned. He’s completely undone by her the first time they meet, so much so that he can’t even remember his own name.
Then comes Charlie, to be paired with Clay in ALL SUMMER LONG (August). Oh, Charlie. She’s so tough and oh, so wounded. She’s got that hard-as-nails firefighter exterior, but when it comes to matters of the heart, she is as vulnerable as they come. Something happened in Charlie’s past that has made her afraid of intimacy with a man. She’s the kind of person who tackles her problems head-on, much to Clay Stryker’s delight. She’s determined to learn how to be with a man, and she’s decided to ask Clay to teach her.
I’m loving the Fool’s Gold series! But then again, I love any book Susan Mallery writes 🙂
I love the Fool’s Gold series and pretty much all of Susan’s books… I’m so excited because I just got my box of Harlie’s for the month and Summer Nights was included….Yay!
Thanks for the great interview, Kelly! Isn’t that bracelet amazing? Jewelry lust is overcoming me…
Lovely interview, and I would really like to meet one of your swag giving ladies on the road! Are they coming to Europe?
I would love to read this series. It sounds very good. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com
This has been the most rewarding summer ever for me as one of Susan’s Cheerleaders. We don’t care about the prizes and probably really only want a t-shirt but we do this because we love the Fool’s Gold Series and anything else Susan writes. Everyone is in love with Rafe but me, I can’t wait to read “Summer Nights” because I think from what I read in “Summer Days”, Shane’s my type of guy. If only Fools Gold were a real place, sigh, there would be a huge influx of women in a heartbeat. I want a cowboy of my own!
I am a Fool’s Gold Cheerleader. I don’t care about the prizes either. I am having a lot fun! Summer Days is a great read! I love Fool’s Gold. Rafe & Heidi has a great chemistry together even though they are both stubborn. I feel so bad for Heidi, who finally has a home of her own. Rafe swore he would never go back to Fool’s Gold, but he did it for his mother. I love May. She was something else! If you are looking for a good romance book, then this is it! You won’t be disappointed!
Since June, I have also read Summer Nights. It has became my favorite of all of the Fool’s Gold books. Summer Nights is another great summer read. Annabelle is caring, a great friend, & so sweet! I love that Annabelle wanted to learn how to ride a horse for her fundraiser for her bookmobile. There is 1 thing that I absolutely love a lot & it has to do with Shane, but I am not going to give it away.
Romances are a reading escape that touches our heart. Summer Nights without a doubt delivers! Summer Nights is the perfect beach read. It’s funny, romantic and its light both in tone and in actual weight – you can toss the paperback into your beach bag and go or on you ereader. The Stryker men represent everything we love about a cowboy hero. They are protective, honest, tall and strong. Enjoy!
Great post! Fool’s Gold is such a great series. Susan has definately made the town come alive in such a way that it makes you want to go visit. I absolutely recommend Summer Days, Summer Nights and All Summer Long to anyone who hasn’t read her books, as well as the rest of the Fool’s Gold series!