Summer Days

Written by Susan Mallery

Narrated by Tanya Eby

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.

As the two turn from passionate adversaries to passionate, period, they'll discover that summer love can last a lifetime.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: May 29, 2012
• ISBN: 9781455894673

Susan Mallery

#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.

Reviews for Summer Days

[courtney_chance-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Summer Days,

I was not impressed with this story which upsets me because I love heidi. She reminds me a lot of my own sister. Her personality and all.

I didnt like that her uncle swindled money from someone especially 250,000 with no consequences. seriously thats not realistic. Then to have Heidi fraud the sweet little town she loves so much. I didnt like that either. In reality that could have landed her In jail and cause her problems with her business.
I do understand it was showing people do stupid things when in love and confused.

I did like the characters, I adore rafe. I just cant get passed the story line. I also feel Susan Mallerys books are becoming repetitive. it like reading the same book over and over with different characters.
I actually have to break the books up when I read them I read the first three then read a few novels then went back to the next three after a month and so on. its just hard reading the same novel over and over. with that said I do love the town and the people.

[tabathav_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Seeing as to how this is book #7, I think it is safe to say that I am a fan of Susan Mallery & the Fools Gold Series. What I love most about this series is that it continues to introduce us to new characters, as well as bringing back the old. In Summer Days, we get to follow along with Heidi, who were we introduced to in the last book.All Heidi ever wanted to was to be able to have a place that she could call hers. All Rafe wanted to do was leave Fools Gold and never come back. Yet, when Heidi's grandfather sells the farm to Rafe's mom and then doesn't hand over the land - a court battle ensues, putting Heidi's home in jeopardy and bringing Rafe back to help out his mom.I love Heidi's character. I love how she wasn't written as some "woe is me, I need a man to complete my life," woman. I also love that she was written as someone I could relate to. Instead of being written as some 6ft tall, blonde model looking woman. Normal people have love lives too! She is headstrong, knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it. && underneath it all - she is a romantic. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ***“I don’t have an opinion,” she told him. “I guess the part I don’t understand is wanting to spend your life with someone you’re not in love with.”“Love is an illusion.”“You’re wrong about that. Love is very real and it’s dangerous. People do crazy things in the name of love. Bad things. Love is powerful and shouldn’t be played with.”***- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Rafe was a puzzle in his own to read about. He is your drop dead gorgeous Alpha Male. Don't get me wrong, I love nothing more than that kind of person. What I loved the most about him was that he was so MUCH MORE than that. He's sweet, sarcastic, hilariously witty and downright easy to love. I found some things about this book just... I don't know.. off? Like, a lawyer telling their client that if sleeping with the other party will get them what they want, to go for it. (Not that anyone in their right mind would object to that man) but seriously? Another thing would be that sometimes the story just seem to lag. For some reason it was like their were parts that just didn't blend well, which in turn threw some things off for me. Aside from that, Susan Mallery wrote another great story with Summer Days. While it might not be my favorite in the series, it is def one worth reading if you are a fan of this series! The chemistry between Rafe & Heidi once it picked up was amazing. Following their story was just as amazing. While I might not have liked where she took it sometimes, I can see why she did it. One thing I do love about Mallery is that she writes amazing secondary characters. She includes almost the entire town in her stories, which makes it come to life that much more.If you haven't picked up the Fools Gold Series, I would highly suggest that you do! These are some exceptional characters to follow and the stories are well worth the read!

[Karen Chandler · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is another great storyline that maintains interest and is an quick read.

[rtb_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Posted on Romancing the Books blogReviewed by StaceyReview Copy Provided by NetgalleyIt is good to be back in Fool’s Gold! Susan Mallery takes us back to her wonderful fictional town with some new faces and many familiar ones. We met goat farmer Heidi Simpson in the previous series and she now has the starring role in Summer Days. Like the Heidi from children’s classic, Heidi Simpson has grown up with her grandfather. Mallery’s Heidi comes complete with the braids but also with the quirky career choice of being a goat farmer and cheese maker. She’s not your typical romantic heroine but her vulnerable yet independent personality make you want to see her succeed in whatever she wants. Unfortunately, Heidi’s grandfather is a little eccentric. He’s a former carny (yes, of the traveling carnivals) and is a real love em’ and leave em’ type of guy who also dabbles in swindling people. This time, he’s swindled a widow out of a quarter of a million dollars and the farm she thought she was purchasing and now her son is in Fool’s Gold to press charges. Rafe Stryker has a history of his own with Fool’s Gold and would seemingly rather be anyplace else but there. His devotion to his mother brings him and keeps him in town where the four of them have to figure out how to amicably work out who is going to get the farm and how the money is going to be paid back. Two more opposite character’s, I couldn’t imagine. Heidi is a farm girl and Rafe is a slick business man. With her running around in her braids and milking goats, it’s hard to imagine a city man like Rafe being attracted. As the story develops, however, Susan Mallery gives us a glimpse in to Rafe’s humble beginnings and it soon becomes very easy to see why these two characters can work. As with all of Susan’s books, this was a great read from start to finish. We got to catch up on some of the inhabitants of Fool’s Gold from previous books while getting a glimpse of what is to come in the series all the while getting to know Rafe and Heidi. If I had one complaint about the book it would be that I would have loved to see more of the actual relationship between Rafe and Heidi. We are privy to their thoughts when they are alone but once they become involved (and it took a while for that to happen), they had immediate obstacles to overcome that got in the way of a real relationship growing. Being that Fool’s Gold is the land of happy endings, Summer Days certainly gives you one. It’s nice to read a book where the character’s are real people with real issues and I lift a glass to Susan for giving her readers yet another enjoyable read while keeping us in a place that we continually wish was real.

[conkie_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

At times, I really liked this story... however, by its end, I decided it was mostly silly and improbable. The plot had so many contrary contrivances! Maybe Ms. Mallery had leftover ideas that she just couldn't say "no" to one more time.

[mlake_22 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was another fun fast Fool's Gold romance.

[kaetrin_1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

A rant.I've just started CHAPTER 2. I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to finish this one. The narration is excellent but the story - first, heroine is Heidi - she has blonde hair which she is wearing in two pigtail plaits and she raises goats and was raised by her grandfather (sound familiar?) I haven't read any of the other Fool's Gold books so I thought maybe the childhood books/fairy tale theme is a gimmick of the series but a quick browse here on GR indicates not. Okay, this is perhaps cute and I could live with it but...The set up is that Heidi lives with her grandfather Glen, who has sold (all or part, this is not clear to me) of Heidi's farm to May Stryker, mother of hero (I assume he's the hero at least) Rafe. May has paid $250,000 for the farm which Glen did not legally own. It's okay because Glen only did it to raise money for a friend who was dying from cancer and needed treatment. And he's okay now, so it was all worth it! Right?! I don't know how land transactions are done in the US, but here they are done by licensed conveyancers/lawyers and the FIRST thing that happens is a TITLE SEARCH to check who is the legal owner and whether there are any encumbrances (ie a mortgage) on the property. So, I don't even know how this transaction could have taken place. Then I'm told that the successful businessman with the mad skills Rafe SIGNED THE DOCUMENTS TOO!Rafe comes to town at his mother's request to help her sort it out. Except, when he arrives, she's been talking to Glen and even though he's in his 70's and doesn't have a job and doesn't have any money and Heidi doesn't have any money and most of the farm is in fact owned by the bank who holds her mortgage, May feels confident that they can sort everything out without getting the police involved. When Rafe objects to this, he is shot down by May and Heidi as being cruel and awful. Glen WHO HAS COMMITTED FELONY FRAUD is treated with aw,-shucks,-he-didn't-mean-anything-by-it and that-Glen!-he's-always-getting-into-scrapes type statements.So, Rafe, who clearly isn't the amazingly astute businessman he is presented as being, is the only one who seems to understand the gravity of the situation. And, this is just CHAPTER ONE.Chapter two starts with Heidi consulting a lawyer who suggests that Heidi try and come to some arrangement to repay the money (um, okay, as far as it goes, that MIGHT be something that would be relevant to sentencing, because honey, Glen is GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY but how the heck is Heidi going to do this anyway? She's paying a mortgage and has very little money and now she's got a $250,000 debt too?) and also to get the ex-cancer patient in to testify (because then the Judge will have to undersand and let Glen off right?) and THEN, she ADVISES HEIDI TO HAVE SEX WITH RAFE to try and sort it out as that will be the "easiest way". **whimpers**I needed a break before continuing on. Tried again. Nope. The plot is so full of WFTery. I don't like any of the characters and I just can't suspend my disbelief enought.Narration is Tanya Eby's usual very good standard. Story is a fail for me.

[M A. I. · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

1.5/5. To begin with I didn't feel any connection with the characters. I didn't bond with their relationship and as individuals they were pretty flat. She's dumb and he's kinda mean. Though he has some development through the book. But nothing major. About the plot...well it's a mess and makes no sense. And to top it off, the book is full of sexist statements. So unfortunately, I cannot give this book more stars. For me, Mallery is hit or miss with the characters and stories. And this didn't cut it.

[beckymmoe_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Overall, I enjoyed Rafe and Heidi's story. They both came with quite a bit of baggage from less-than-ideal childhoods, and both had a lot of things to work through before they could reach their happy ending, which they did in a believable way. Although I might not have agreed with all of the decisions they made throughout the novel, those decisions did make sense with their characters, and they both eventually did all they could to undo the things that shouldn't have been done without going into too-easily-fixed territory. The town once again got a tad bit more involved in the private lives of individuals than I am perfectly comfortable with, but apparently that's to be expected in Fool's Gold, so I'll just need to learn to live with it (and be mildly glad I don't actually have to live with it—at the same time I kind of wish I did). The next two books are nicely set up by the end of this one, giving readers something to look forward to. More Stryker boys—yes! I have to admit that many of my favorite parts in this book, though, weren't even between the two leads—I absolutely loved Athena the escape artist (and instigator) goat and Rafe's mother May's habit of saving old, unwanted animals—first the llamas, then the Priscilla the elephant—priceless. It was a lot of fun to read about and wonder what they were going to do next. Just how many strays will May take in before the series winds up? Only time will tell.

[rhonda1111 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

4 STARSOkay I am team Rafe. I have problems with some of the people being mad at Rafe in the book and blaming him for everything that goes wrong. Especially his family , after all he has done for them. Okay I know its a book but it mak es me mad.Rafe comes back to Fools gold because his mother May called and told him that the ranch she bought for 250,000. was sold to her by someone who did not own the ranch.Heidi Simpson owns the ranch and raising goats, selling milk,cheese and fertalizer. The ranch is worn down she does not have much money. Her grandfather Glen raised her in a carnival and now lives with her.His friend was dying of cancer and had no insurance and he wanted to help him. So he planned the fraud to pretend to sell Heidi's ranch.Glen and a lot of people don't see the problem with that.Rafe's mother worked as a housekeeper on the ranch for peanuts and the promise of inherting the ranch. They were so poor that Rafe went without food sometimes so his younger brothers and sisters could eat. He tried to take care of the family since he was 8. Rafe called the cops because his mother was being cheated out of the same ranch twice and now he could do somthing about it.The judge order them to share the ranch till she could decide after some research. Heidi and May were willing to try and find a solution.Rafe had ideas about the ranch that he thought he was buying with his mother. He was fixing up the place as he was asked to. Helped take care of Heidi animals when she was sick. Paid for all the repairs.People were not happy with him when the others were the cheaters, lies and stealing.Okay I got involved in the story and had strong reactions to the book. I want to read more about the town of Fools Gold. Thier were a few love scenes in the book.05/29/2012 PUB Harlequin HarlequinHQN

[angiemac1_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love the Fool's Gold series by Susan Mallery. All of the books are different--some are more serious, and some are downright hilarious! It keeps the story line fresh and I don't feel like "Oh, I've read this before; this is just like the last one." Rafe and his siblings lost their father at an early age and Rafe had to become the "man of the house". He's never been able to let that responsibility go. Heidi is so glad to finally have roots, after traveling most of her life, she'll do anything to stay there. I really enjoyed getting to know this new family and can't wait to meet the other siblings. Now, I just wish there was a real Fool's Gold!

[mullgirl · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I just love all three "summer" books. The brothers are all so different and interesting (and hot, let's face it). And Fool's Gold sounds lovely. I read these three basically back to back and wasn't sick of them at all... but... I haven't wanted to read any of the other fools gold books. I think it's because several of the characters you meet in the summer books met their honeys in prior books--so it feels so "done" already. I'm sure when I'm bored and looking for something to read, I'll crack the rest of the series open.

[jnut1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Fools Gold

Rafe and Goat girls story.

[talaskat · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sometimes i just wanna shake her characters and yell "Talk to Each Other"

[nancynova · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

more in reading the series out of order. This is #7. May and Rafe Stryker believe they have bought their old home, Castle Ranch. But not so fast - seems that Glen, grandpa, took the May's ranch money and used it to help a friend with cancer. Heidi, the grandaughter, raises goats and doesn't have the money to pay May and Rafe back. Both move into the ranch house with Glen and Heidi, and never mind she doesn't own the place - May starts making improvements and starts taking in old animals, including Priscilla the elephant and llamas that get along well with goats. Rafe decides he's going to build housing for casino workers on the land, which makes everyone mad at him. In the end, Rafe has fallen in love with Heidi, May & Glen are an item and no one is fighting over the ranch any more.

[jbarr5 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Summer Days by 4 authors: Elizabeth Bass, Mary Carter, Holly Chaberlin and Lisa JacksonKnew this would be a good read because of the 4 authors who contribute a short 100 page story. All seem to be based on the same theme.Man and woman break up to only find later in life their paths meet again and they reunite after hashing over the days gone by.Love the places each of the stories takes us to: Peru, Maine, NH Beach, and and the different careers each has that we can learn from. Last book His Bride to Be is when Hale who runs a company has a position open and he wants to hire a woman to be his bride to be on a cruise up the western coast. The man he's trying to impress wants his daughter married and Hale wants no part of that...Money goes a long way when you have none....Lot of misunderstandings and you wonder if the wrongs can be righted....I received this book from The Kennsington Books in exchange for my honest review