Friday, September 7, 2012

A Fool's Gold Christmas-Susan Mallery

A Fool's Gold Christmas


Susan Mallery

Harlequin HQN, Sep 25 2012, $16.95

ISBN: 9780373777020



Dancer Evie Stryker’s professional cheerleading career ends with a broken leg. Now she is back at home in Fool’s Gold, California, a place she fled as a teen. Her mom and three brothers welcome her back in the family fold as if there were no estrangement. As she heals, Evie works at the local dance studio which is hosting the annual holiday production of The Dance of the Winter King. However, Miss Monica, the geriatric owner of the dance studio, sells the place and runs off with her boyfriend. Everyone turns to Evie to run the gala. She reluctantly agrees but plans to leave Fool’s Gold as soon as she can.



Attorney Dante Jefferson has adjusted somewhat to living in this Sierra Mountains town, but has headaches from the elephantine stomping of little people’s feet in the studio above the law office he and his partner Evie’s brother Rafe (see Summer Days) use. Dante pleads with Evie for relief but she looks at him like he is a lunatic; as the show must go on; not even the producer of the pageant for at least five centuries running away will stop the performance of The Dance of the Winter King. As the lawyer and the dance instructor fall in love, both have strong reasons to avoid any relationship, but this is A Fool’s Gold Christmas.



The final Stryker siblings’ Fool’s Gold romance (see All Summer Long and Summer Nights) is a fine holiday family affair. The too precocious preadolescent dancers steal the show from the adults in this engaging tale of redemption and self-forgiveness.



Harriet Klausner

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