Want me to tell you a secret? I absolutely LOVE Mallery’s Fool’s Gold series. Oh, that’s not a secret, is it? :) The dialogue is always snappy, the characters have depth and are interesting, the stories hold my page after page, and it’s all tied up with a nice HEA bow at the end. Perfection!

I think what I found most interesting about Hold Me is that it strayed a little from the formula of the previous stories. We still are given a wonderful hero and heroine, intriguing secondary characters that are sure to have their own story, and little updates on some old friends. This time the story focuses more on Kipling and Destiny’s discovery of themselves and how they fit in with those around them. There are plenty of wonderful interactions between the two and they fall in love bit by bit throughout the story, but it seems to be less important than the outside interactions. Those coming back to Fool’s Gold will know that this is a part of all of her stories but it just seemed to play into more this time … and I really like it!

Destiny has spent her whole life running from the fame of her parents – and the musical gift that they gave her. But this summer she’s in Fool’s Gold on a job and brought along the half-sister that she doesn’t know. Starr’s mom died and their dad is on tour so Destiny is the only one who can help the girl. Seeing her family from someone else’s perspective and dealing with the responsibility of being the guardian to a teenager has Destiny looking at things a little differently. As the sisters get to know each other better and start to look at the future, it becomes obvious to Destiny that her life won’t ever be the same.

Kipling has always been a go getter. He’s spent years at the top of the skiing world … only to have it all crash and burn. Like Destiny, he’s also taking a good look at who he is now and what the future will be. His sister is in Fool’s Gold as well and there is some residual guilt over their past that has a hold on him. It’s intriguing to watch as Kipling has to learn where he fits with those around him – when to step in, when to step out and when they just need his support.

It’s an interesting journey for both Kipling and Destiny as they try to find their paths – sometimes walking together, sometimes side by side and sometimes on their own but always toward a HEA that will make you smile. It’s a beautiful trip, as they make peace with their pasts and look toward their futures, and Mallery once again does a wonderful job of bringing it to her readers.

(Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review)