Series: Fool's Gold CA (Book 20)
To overcome her painful past, baker Shelby Gilmore goes
on the hunt for a friend -- a male friend -- to convince her stubborn psyche
that men can be trusted. But where in a town as small as Fool's Gold will the
petite blonde find a guy willing to not date her?
Dark, charming Aidan Mitchell puts the
"adventure" in Mitchell Adventure Tours…and into the beds of his many
willing female tourists. Until he realizes he's inadvertently become that guy
-- the one-night Casanova -- and worse, everyone in town knows it. Maybe
Shelby's boy/girl experiment will help him see women as more than just
conquests so he can change his ways and win back his self-respect.
As Aidan and Shelby explore the secret lives of men and
women, the heat between them fires up the Fool's Gold rumor mill. If no one believes they're just friends, maybe they
should give the gossips something to really talk
about!
Fantastic book. This
may be my favorite out of the series because it was emotional, fun, and definitely different than the others. Aidan and
Shelby are two people who are determined to make changes in their lives. Aidan
is a good-looking charmer of a guy, with a reputation as a ladies' man. Then he
is confronted with the realization that he doesn't like the man he has become. He's
determined to avoid women for a while
until he can find a way to earn back his self-respect. Shelby is an attractive
young woman who really wants what her
friends have - a man to love and a family of her own. But an abusive childhood
has left her unable to trust men, which makes finding that happy future more
difficult. Shelby decides that what she needs is a man she can be friends with
and who can show her that men can be trusted.
I loved the way the book started, with Aidan suffering
from a hangover and regrets. It is easy to see his pain, both physical and
mental. He wasn't in the best shape to deal with Shelby's questions and
comments, which left him confused about her reasons. I loved her arrival a few
days later to put an unusual idea in front of him. She proposes that they
become friends for the next six months. Just friends, no sex. Instead, they
will hang out together, giving them a chance to get to know each other. Shelby
will learn to trust that he won't hurt her, and Aidan will learn to see women
as something other than bedmates.
The idea is pretty simple. They will hang out together, taking turns doing "girl
things" or "boy things." This
will give each of them a peek into the other's world and hopefully expand their
understanding. There was so much opportunity for fun here and the book totally delivered on it. Shelby introduced
Aidan to lunches with the girls at Jo's, baby showers, and - gasp! - pedicures and talking about feelings. Aidan
shared outdoor excursions, poker with the boys, and pool. I admit to laughing
out loud during the trip to the shelter and Aidan's search for a
"manly" dog and ending up with Charlie. One thing that is supposed to
be completely off the table is the idea of being anything more than friends. Letting
sex or romantic feelings intrude would
interfere with their goal. Of course, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and both of them find moments of
attraction creeping into their get-togethers.
I really enjoyed
the development of their relationship. Things started out a bit awkward as
neither is used to encounters with the
opposite sex not having the potential for more. There was a lot of teasing as
they became more comfortable with each other and seemed to delight in pushing
the envelope of gender events. In the midst of all the fun, there were also
moments of seriousness as each opened up about the events that have led to
their issues. I loved the support they each provided as they dealt with those
issues. As the weeks went on and their friendship deepened neither was willing
to admit that there was something more going on. Strangely enough, it was Aidan
who realized it first, and I loved
watching him come to terms with the idea. Shelby resisted hard, insisting to
herself and others that it was just friendship, even after they had added
"with benefits" to the description. When she could no longer deny the
truth, she panicked and pushed Aidan away. In previous books, when there was a
breakup, the ladies would descend on the wronged woman and commiserate. This
book continued its turnabout with an unexpected twist in the process that was a
riot to read. I loved Aidan's patience as Shelby worked through her fears, and
the kick in the pants that Shelby received from her friend Madeline. The ending
was sweet and romantic and perfect for the two of them.
There were also plenty of other things going on in our
characters' lives. Shelby has her work in the bakery she co-owns with Amber.
She has many ideas of ways to expand the business, but Amber isn't always as
enthusiastic. It turns out that there is more going on there than Shelby knows
until Amber hits her with an unexpected offer. I loved all the support and
encouragement that Shelby received, not just from Aidan but from so many people. Meanwhile, Aidan is dealing with family
issues, stemming from his father's actions. I really
liked his relationship with his brother Nick and how his support eventually
helps Nick take control of his life. I ached for both of them as they finally
accepted the truth of what had to be done.
It's a nice lead-in to the new series, and I can't wait to read the stories of
the three other Mitchell brothers.
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