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    Three Little Words
    Three Little Words
    Three Little Words
    Audiobook9 hours

    Three Little Words

    Written by Susan Mallery

    Narrated by Tanya Eby

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Can first love turn into the real deal? Anything can happen in a sizzling Fool’s Gold story from New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery.

    Isabel Beebe thinks she’s cursed in the romance department. Her teenage crush, Ford Hendrix, ignored all her letters. Her husband left her for another…man. So Isabel has come home to dust off her passion for fashion and run the family bridal shop until her parents are ready to sell it. Then she’ll pursue her real dreams. At least, that’s the plan, until sexy, charming Ford returns and leaves her feeling fourteen all over again….

    Seeing Isabel all grown-up hits bodyguard trainer Ford like a sucker punch. Back when heartbreak made him join the military, her sweet letters kept him sane. Now he can’t take his eyes—or his lips—off her. The man who gave up on love has a reason to stay in Fool’s Gold forever—if three little words can convince Isabel to do the same.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateJul 30, 2013
    ISBN9781480502055
    Three Little Words
    Author

    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.

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    Reviews for Three Little Words

    4.5/5

    144 ratings19 reviews

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    • 5/5
      As always! Love the characters and how all the books tie together!
    • 5/5
      Great book with believable and likeable characters in an interesting storyline.
    • 5/5
      Isabel Beebe has a plan; she's back in Fool's Gold running her parents' wedding shop and saving enough money to return to New York City to open a business with her friend Sonya. She's also getting over the fact that her husband left her for another man. Ford Hendrix is back home in Fool's Gold too. After a successful career as a Navy SEAl, he and some partners have opened a business providing security and protection. Ford and Isabel have a long history. He was once engaged to her older sister Maeve. When Maeve dumped him for his best friend, Isabel was heartbroken. Once Ford went off to join the service, Isabel, then fourteen, began writing him letters. She faithfully wrote to him for ten years despite the fact that he never once answered her letters. When Ford needs a fake girlfriend to stop his mother from trying to marry him off, his first thought is Isabel. Isabel is okay with the idea since she knows she has one foot out the door heading to New York City. Ford is sure that he is unable to love. After all, he hasn't fallen in love since Maeve and he got over that relationship suspiciously fast.While their relationship is growing and deepening, Consuelo, one of Ford's partners is beginning her own relationship with Ford's brother Kent. He's a mild-mannered and divorced math teacher; she's a former undercover operative who did many difficult things for her country. He's a hometown boy with a strong secure family and she's from a much harsher background. This was a great story with two great relationships. I love the whole Fool's Gold series because of the small town vibe and the many friendships among the people in the town. Now, I want to keep reading to watch some of the other characters find their own happy endings.
    • 4/5
      I have finally found one of the Fool's Gold books that I like. I connected with the main characters. Their history resonated with me and gave the story depth. I have read Mallery's other works and liked her humor. I had not found that in the other books in this series I read before this. All in all, this was a satisfying read.
    • 5/5
      I am so please to return to Fool's Gold once again. I have come to look forward to reconnecting with the characters from previous books as well as meeting new ones.

      Three Little Words centers around Ford Hendrix and Isabel Beebe. Ford was previously engaged to Isabel's sister Mauve, and being only 14 at the time, Isabel had a huge crush on him. When Mauve decided to end the relationship, Ford left Fool's Gold to enter the military. Isabel was crushed and began sending letters to Ford in which she revealed her feelings to him. Isabel never heard from Ford after that.

      Now years later, Isabel is a grown woman returning to Fool's Gold to run her family's bridal shop after her husband has left her for another woman. She feels that she is unlucky at love and will never be able to experience the romance she desires. What she doesn't know is that Ford has also returned. Coming back to Fool's Gold to live his life as a civilian, he finds Isabel not to be the dreamy teenager that he remembers from her letters, but in fact all grown up. Another secret is that while Isabel believes that her letters were ignored by Ford, those letters were actually his lifeline, and he found himself falling in love with this girl through her sweet words. When they finally meet once again, it becomes a romantic journey you will not want to miss.

      After reading both Just One Kiss and Two Of A Kind, I have come to the conclusion that Three Little Words has to be my favorite. I became engrossed in the story of Isabel and Ford and I really enjoyed watching their romance blossom. An extra bonus to this story is that Ford's brother Kent also is involved in his own affair of the heart as well. So we actually are treated to two romances instead of only one. And in addition to the dual romances, we also get introduced to some new characters in this one, which I can only hope means that there will be more great couples for us to follow coming up!

      Susan Mallery just has a way with creating stories that we want to become part of. Her characters are down-to-earth and real, which means that we can connect with them and grow to care about them too. Also, the town of Fool's Gold will forever be one of those places that we as readers will never forget - a small town full of hope and dreams where we can believe in happily ever after.

      I would like to thank Susan for another outstanding story. I am always eager to read the next one, and am never disappointed. I am also very pleased to be part of Susan's Review Crew who has provided me with this wonderful book for my review. I encourage anyone who appreciates a sweet, heartwarming romance to visit Fool's Gold where you will enjoy a laugh and maybe even feel a little catch in your throat, as you are introduced to a inspiring cast of characters.
    • 5/5
      A good story with an interesting plot. I liked the secondary romance and the sense of community but I was a bit frustrated at the hero's stubbornness especially at the end. After her divorce Isabel returns home to run her family's business and her childhood love Ford lives above the garage.
    • 4/5
      Three Little Words (Fool's Gold #12) Three Little WordsSusan Mallery★☆★ 1/2I absolutely LOVED the bodyguard books! Although this was not my favorite of the three it was still good! Im a little upset because I like consuelo and I feel her and Kent should have had their own book. I found myself anticipating their story more. I love Isabels character, heck I even liked Fords. But I was a tad upset. I am so tired of the guys breaking things off and the girls being left hurt. I just didnt like how the whole book played out. It is good don't get me wrong, but I wish Ford would have gone more in depth. I just felt like there was so much missing. I also felt like tue whole ending was rushed. Otherwise great book!
    • 5/5
      I randomly found Susan Mallery earlier this year, and I couldn't be happier. Her novels give me a great escape and this one did not disappoint.

      I love the dynamic between Isabel and Ford, and the other characters that are always back from past books.
    • 5/5
      I have been looking forward to Ford's story and it was definitely worth the wait. Ford has returned to Fool's Gold to run his security business with his friends. After ten years in the military it is a bit of an adjustment. One of the changes he has encountered is his ex-fiancee's little sister - who isn't so little anymore. Isabel used to write to him when he was deployed and even though he never wrote back those letters had been important to him. If anyone can make him believe he can love it's Isabel.I loved Isabel. In spite of the troubles she has had she is basically an upbeat person.Her husband left her for another man. Their marriage hadn't been all that great, but she hadn't seen that one coming. It has left her with some real hangups when it comes to intimacy.Her teenage crush on Ford resulted in her writing letters to him for many years, even though he never wrote back. Those letters ended up being like a diary, and now that she's an adult and living in the same town with him, she is a bit embarrassed about them. Seeing him again brings back those feelings. When he asks her to help him out by being his fake girlfriend she can't say no. I loved the way that they started out as friends. She teases him about his attitude that it's his patriotic duty to make sure women are happy with him even though he will never settle down. She can also see past the charming, sexy surface to the pain that he still feels from some of the things he saw in the service. She has a great way of subtly coming to his rescue when situations, especially with his family, start to overwhelm him. I loved the way that their fake relationship started to become real, even though neither one would admit it. Isabel is able to trust Ford with the whole story of her marriage. That opens the door to a new closeness between them. Eventually Isabel has to admit to herself that she wants it to be real.She is back in Fool's Gold to help out her parents who are on an around the world cruise. She is running the family bridal shop until they get back and put it up for sale. Her plans are to leave Fool's Gold and start a new fashion business with a friend in New York. The more time she spends doing this, the more she enjoys it. Isabel is very good at helping brides find just the right dress and also dealing with the crises that come with the job. She has various ideas on things to do to improve the stores, but reminds herself that she is leaving. I loved seeing the way that her goals changed.Isabel has been reconnecting with old friends and making new ones. I love her relationships with those friends. They all support each other and help out wherever needed. I really enjoyed the conversations they had, especially about relationships. They are also there for Isabel when she hits a rocky spot with Ford.Ford is a really nice guy at heart. He's a badass former SEAL and a bodyguard trainer now, but underneath he's sweet. Being back home has put him too close to his family at times. His mother is determined to get him married, to the point where she took applications for the "job" at one of the festivals. Ford feels that he's a bad bet relationship wise because he has never been able to commit to any woman for very long. He doesn't want to hurt his mother's feelings by telling her that, so he talks Isabel into being his fake girlfriend.Ford left Fool's Gold when his fiancee (Isabel's older sister) broke off their engagement. He has spent the next ten years as a SEAL and avoiding coming home whenever possible. He remembers Isabel as Maeve's little sister and is stunned when he gets back home to see her all grown up. Even though he never answered Isabel's letters getting them is all that kept him grounded during some of his roughest times. Getting her to pose as his fake girlfriend has another benefit. He can try to get Isabel in bed with him. He really puts some effort into showing her his charming sexy persona and is a little put out when she just laughs at him. I loved the way that his boyfriend act starts to become more than just acting though he keeps insisting that's all it is. I really enjoyed his patience with Isabel when he found out what a number her ex-husband had done on her view of herself as a woman. Besides the superhot chemistry between them, Ford really takes to being her "boyfriend". I loved all the nice little things he does for her. I also enjoyed his whining about the estate she dragged him to and the way he ended up enjoying it after all. He also gets to know her well enough that he can see when something is troubling her and tries to fix it. I loved his panic when she was crying about her New York plans and how he called in reinforcements.Most of the time Ford is really well adjusted at being back in civilian life. Sometimes, though, in social situations he starts to feel overwhelmed by everything going on around him. He finds that being around Isabel still grounds him. She notices when he starts to get tense and has a way of distracting him or the people around him until he get get himself back together.I loved seeing Ford's relationships with his coworkers. His level of competition with Angel is so much fun to watch, especially when Consuelo threatens to hurt them both. He is also rebuilding his relationships with his brothers in the typically non-emotional way they do. I also enjoyed the way he and his former best friend, who married his ex-fiancee, cleared the air between them. He then helped Leonard set up a workout plan because Leonard wanted to look better for his wife (a little jealousy of Ford going on there). I loved the way that Leonard returned the favor by pointing out to Ford just what he really felt about Isabel, because Ford was just too dense to see it.There is also a great secondary romance between Ford's coworker Consuelo and his brother Kent. Consuelo had trouble believing that Kent was interested in her. In her view she is nowhere near good enough for him because of her lack of education and the things she has had to do for her job. Kent thinks that he's way too boring for someone as capable and fascinating as Consuelo is. She is really interested in him but has no idea how to relate to him, and frequently runs away as soon as things start to go well between them. I loved the way that they finally started to communicate with each other and realized that they wanted to be together.
    • 4/5
      Isabel Beebe has returned to Fool's Gold temporarily, to manage her late grandmother's bridal shop before the family decides what to do with it. She plans to leave after the holidays, when she and friend Sonia will take NYC by storm with their own boutique. Isabel's first crush, Ford Hendrix is also back in town, finally out of the military and in business with two friends. Of course, Isabel wrote to her first love from the age of fourteen for ten years, chronicling her life events, never receiving any response. Now, Ford needs a favor. In order to keep his mother off his back, he asks Isabel to be his pretend girlfriend. One would think that in such a small town this type of deception wouldn't be possible, but Mallery makes it work. I was worried that this time worn story device would seem worn, but Isabel and Ford really came alive as characters and I believed in both their deception and eventual bumps in said deception. I think Mallery is a great storyteller, in addition to a side romance brewing with Ford's brother Kent, we are introduced to new characters who will no doubt populate new stories set in Fool's Gold.
    • 4/5
      Read in August, 2013Read/Listened for Review (NetGalley/Brilliance Audio)Overall Rating: 4.25Story Rating: 4.00Character Rating: 4.50Audio Rating: 4.00 (Not part of the overall rating)First Thought When Finished: Oh the letters! This was perhaps the first Fools Gold book that was a "totally written in the stars for many years" type of romance!Story Thoughts: Fool's Gold is one of those towns that I love visiting whenever I get a hankering for a contemporary romance where the women are spitfires, the men are all adorably dense (at times), and the friendships are forever. This particular story was one of friendship between the two leads (Isabel & Ford) as much as it was about the romance. They have what I would consider the most solid foundation of all the characters going into the "falling" that I have seen. It was a blast to watch them realize just how much they mean to each other.Character Thoughts: Poor Isabel! Life has just got to turn you around once you go making plans like "only staying for a bit", going to open my own business in the big city, and not falling in love. You should have known you were "doomed" from the start! Ford on the other hand got lucky! He couldn't have gotten a better gal and at the rate his mother was going, he needed Isabel like a life jacket in the ocean! They were both totally solid, likable, and lovable characters.Audiobook Thoughts: Narrated By Tanya Eby / Length: 9 hrs and 10 mins Tanya Eby does an excellent job with the Fool's Gold books. I have now come to love all the little extras that she adds in her tone for the characters, their attitudes, and their emotions. I highly recommend these on audiobook.Final Thoughts: If you haven't visited Fool's Gold---you really need too!
    • 5/5
      Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.Quick & Dirty: A great love story between two people that is worth writing about.Opening Sentence: Dear Ford, I can’t believe my sister was stupid enough to cheat on you with your best friend two weeks before your wedding.The Review:Susan Mallery was one of my first contemporary romance authors. I have followed her writing career since I started reading adult romance. It is a testament for an author’s talent and love for the craft that she manages to keep her audience engaged. That is the case for Three Little Words. In the twelfth tale from Fool’s Gold, I finally find out more about Ford Hendrix. Ever since the triplets spoke about their elusive brother, I have been intrigued. Well the time is here, and Mallery couldn’t have done a better job with him. Before I continue gushing about Ford, let me tell you a little bit about Three Little Words.Three Little Words brings us the rekindling of Ford Hendrix and Isabel Beebe. Isabel has loved Ford since she was young teenager, when her sister broke Ford’s heart. When Ford left for the military, quickly after, Isabel began to write to him. She wrote to him periodically, first to just communicate, but later to confide in. Ford never responded, but didn’t stop her. Eventually, time passed, and they moved on. Isabel lived a life outside of Fool’s Gold, but she has temporarily came back to help her parents sell Paper Moon Wedding Gowns, their family bridal dress boutique. Ford lived his life far away from Fool’s Gold as he can. But his latest business venture and start of civilian life has brought him back as well.I have been a fan of Isabel since Just One Kiss. She’s quirky, and I have admired her long-time crush for Ford. She makes it a point to avoid him, but reluctantly asks about him. She describes many women I know, and I’m sure I’ve acted the same at one point or another. Isabel is realistic and funny. She’s loyal to her friends and family, especially her grandmother. Mallery wrote her as if she was one of my friends. She became a tangible person with true emotions. I adored her.Ford is delicious. Mallery did a great job with him. He has become this unattainable person that I’d want to chase…forever. I respected his blunt and brash thoughts, but loved how he was also caring when the time called for it. For someone like Ford, with what he has seen and done, it probably wasn’t easy to write a closed-off person. But I knew who he was, thanks to Mallery. She allowed me to see past his reservations and guarded persona, but not in a way where it was filled with angst and turmoil. It was easy to understand him. I love that about a character.The recipe of love isn’t something new, but Mallery has told it in a way that is refreshing. There are elements within Ford and Isabel’s relationship that stay true to who Mallery is as a writer, but I think she also adds attributes that engages the reader. The character voices are unique and independent of one another, and I find it fascinating that she can write individual voices for each and every citizen of Fool’s Gold. There are so many, yet she manages to keep it all organized and entertaining.Mallery’s writing style is familiar to me. Throughout her writing career, she updated a few techniques here and there, but it still stands out. I feel comforted by how she delivers a story of love, whether it is a sad tale or a happy ever after. Fool’s Gold is a great series and I cannot wait to read more.I highly urge you to read Three Little Words, as well as the rest of the Fool’s Gold series.Notable Scene:“You went back on your word and broke my heart.” He hung his head, as if defeated.She stared at him. For a second she allowed herself to wonder what it would be like if he were actually speaking the truth. If he did love her, the way Leonard loved Maeve – with his entire being. Or if not Fort, then someone. Because Eric had never loved her. Not as more than a good friend.She gathered her resolve and smiled at him. “You’re going to have to solve this another way because I’m not going to be your fake girlfriend.”He signed heavily. “I’m doomed.”“So it would seem. Want a beer?”His head came up and he grinned. “Sure.”“And like that, he’s healed.”“Hey, I’m a simple guy.”FTC Advisory: Harlequin HQN provided me with a copy of Three Little Words. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
    • 5/5
      I am officially packing up and heading to Fool’s Gold, CA – don’t I wish. I must say the third book in the Fool’s Gold Bodyguard Trilogy is my absolute favorite!! Not only do you get the beautifully funny and charming love story of Isabel and Ford, but you also get the beautifully self-conscious and unsure, although equally as charming, love story of Ford’s brother Kent and his unlikely lady-love Consuelo Ly. Both stories are so different yet alike. Mallery is the absolute master at formulating quaint small town life and charmingly real characters. The imagery she writes is so real and life-like - you will feel as if you are really there in the CDS building, in the grocery store, at Paper Moon….shoot, I don’t need to go to Fool’s Gold I have already been to this magnificently charming town just by reading the pages of this trilogy. Besides the character of Fool’s Gold, you will also love home girl Isabel Beebe who has loved Ford since she was 14. Ford is just the all American guy – good looking, sweet, kind, sexy, and sensitive – seriously he paints her toenails, OMG!! Ford’s only hang up is he can’t fall in love – or so he thinks. While weaving this intriguing love story Mallery also weaves in the secondary romance of Ford’s brother, Kent Mr. Regular Joe High School Math Teacher, and Consuelo Ms. Hard Ass You Won’t Believe the Things I have Done – but somehow they just work. All the while new characters and possible story lines are emerging and grabbing hold of your heart.I have thoroughly enjoyed the Fool’s Gold Bodyguard Trilogy. The characters in all three books are well-rounded and real. They depict men and women whose lives have been scarred and wounded by war, but saved by the saving power of love and second chances.RATING: 5HEAT RATING: HotREVIEWED BY: A. LynREVIEW COURTESY OF: My Book Addiction and More
    • 3/5
      3 1/2 stars.I always want to like Susan Mallery’s Fool’s Gold books more than I actually do. Don’t get me wrong—the setting is charming, the small-town feel is idyllic, and the characters are fun and quirky. They’re feel-good books, to be sure. I have enjoyed much about these books—obviously, because I keep coming back for more. Lately, though, their “cookie cutter” feel is beginning to overpower their overall charm for me.They start out with two characters—our hero and heroine—who aren’t in/don’t want to be in/never can be in a true relationship. In Three Little Words, it’s Ford Hendrix and Isabel Beebe. Ford, recently out of the military, has never been in love and therefore assumes he never can be. Isabel is fresh from a divorce, and only in town temporarily—she’s getting the family bridal boutique ready to be sold and then she’s back off to NYC where she’ll begin her own business with a designer friend.Next our hero and heroine start some sort of relationship that for whatever reason isn’t a “real” one. In this case, Ford’s mother is anxious to marry off her last two single children—Ford and his divorced brother Kent—and Ford and Isabel agree to have a fake relationship to keep her off of Ford’s back.The hero and heroine, of course, always know the deal—they will not/cannot fall in love…but of course they do. In Fool’s Gold, it’s almost always the heroine who realizes it first, but she knows that she can never, ever tell the hero. Because then the gig would be up. (It’s usually at this point that the heroine loses some of her appeal for me. Her inner monologue tends to turn a bit maudlin.)But he finds out, and…leaves. The heroine is sad, so all the women of the town (okay, not all of them but it feels pretty darn close) converge on her house with frosty alcoholic beverages and yummy snacks. They drink together and commiserate with the heroine’s plight.Someone/something/the entire town helps the hero see the error of his ways. He rushes back to her, declares his love, and FINIS! story over.In between each of these steps, though, we also see a huge amount of set-up for future books. We’re practically hit over the head with future love possibilities galore, and it really begins to feel like they detract from the time spent on the current story. Oh, and there’s always an older town resident or two running in and out of scenes, doing things that are vaguely disturbing: octogenarians drooling over twenty- and thirty-something guys and pinching their butts, mothers setting up a booth at a town festival to get applicants for their sons’ hands in marriage, mayors who freely admit to knowing everything and blithely encouraging the rest of the townspeople to just accept it….Kind of scary.Still, this installment had more going for it than some—mainly Ford and Isabel and their backstory. Once upon a time—fourteen years ago—Ford was engaged to Isabel’s older sister. Maeve called off the wedding at the last minute, and Isabel, who had harbored a crush on Ford forever, was devastated. She wanted to make everything better for him. When Ford left town to join the Navy days later, she began writing him letters. She wrote letters to him for ten years, pouring out her heart to him in each and every one.I know I’m only fourteen, but I love you. I’ll love you forever and I’ll write you every day. Or at least once a week.Ford never responds, and finally when Isabel believes her current boyfriend is going to propose, she stops writing.The letters are a really sweet touch. There’re excerpts of some of them scattered throughout the book, and Ford uses the “I’ll love you forever” comment to tease Isabel more than once.Ford comes off as over-the-top confident of himself and his abilities, and though some reviews I read found this to be annoying, this was one of my favorite things about him. I loved his snarky comments. He totally didn’t take himself at all seriously, and I found his cockiness endearing. What can I say? He reminded me of Han Solo, one of my all-time favorite movie heroes. I’m a sucker for the confident ones with a touch of bad boy.For the most part the childhood crush-all grown up troupe was nicely done here. With a little less set-up for future novels and a little more originality in the overall plot arc, this would definitely have gotten a higher rating. It’s a sweet, fell-good story. If you are a die hard Fool’s Gold fan, you’ll like it. If you like sweet contemporaries, it’ll do.(One thing that really bothered me, though--Isabel said several times that "Nothing ever happens in Fool's Gold" when Ford chastised her for leaving her door open. Hello? Wasn't a little girl kidnapped by a murdering psychopath two books ago? And didn't Ford take the culprit down? Why did no one else seem to recall this?)In a nutshell: Though this is definitely the strongest of the current trilogy, it still falls prey to the too-predictable Fool’s Gold formula. The charismatic hero and the adorable-ness of Isabel’s letters bumped it up to a 3 ½ star rating.I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
    • 5/5
      Yes! I am happy to have visited Fool's Gold once again :) Susan Mallery continues to get better and better with every book in this series. Isabel and Ford are two of my favorite Fool's Gold characters and this is their story. Ford needs a pretend girlfriend to get his mother off his back about getting married and settling down. He chooses Isabel. The pages start steaming up from there ;) Will Ford stand firm to his belief that he doesn't have the ability to love? Will Isabel be able to break down Ford's emotional walls? You will definitely have tons of fun reading about the outcome of Isabel and Ford's "pretend" relationship. Another wonderful thing in this book is that there is a romance going on in the background of this story. Read this awesome Summertime book and find out who else is falling in love in Fool's Gold.
    • 4/5
      4 STARSFool's Gold is a town that has lots of festivals all year round. It is a community that gathers together to help each other in good or bad times. We have met many of the characters in previous books and get to visit and see how they are all doing. Three Little Words is fun full of humor, fun characters, too many detailed sex scenes, enjoyable place to visit and meet new friends and say hello to old friends. It is always good to visit for a good time.It is finally Ford Hendrix story. We have heard about Ford Hendrix for along while. He is still running scared from his mom and sisters. But he is back living in town. Ford is drumming up a lot of sales for his body guard business. He is now living above a garage in a apartment at the Beebe's house.Isabel Beebe is living in her parent's house and taking care of the Bridal store. She plans to run it while her parents are traveling around the world. With plans to get the store ready for sale and then she is returning to New York to start her own business.Isabel finally goes to Ford's place of work and tells him that she is not a stocker. That when she was 14 she thought she loved him. Now she is grown up and is embarrassed at all the letters she mailed him. He does need to be afraid of her. especially since they are neighbors.Ford was not avoiding. He did receive her letters while in the navy and they reminded him of life back in the states. They helped him to be grounded.Ford's mom is driving him crazy wanting him to get married. She even took a booth at one of the towns festivals taking applications to be Ford and Kent's wife. With big posters of Ford and Kent. His sisters even get on him to date one of the women his mom had picked up. Ford told them he was already dating Isabel.Now Ford had to talk her into pretending to be in a relationship. Whatever Isabel wanted sex or no sex. I was given this ebook to read and asked to give honest review of it when I was done by Netgalley. publication: July 30th 2013 by Harlequin HQN ISBN 9780373777785
    • 5/5
      Three Little Words by Susan Mallery Fool's Gold #13This Fool's Gold book is mainly about Isabel and Ford.Lots of fun scenes and heartbreak for many along the way. Glad to catch up with the others and how their life's intertwine.We do catch up with the others in the town, marriages, births, new business openings, etc.Such a fun loving caring community where everybody turns out when one of their own is in need.Ford had returned to start the business with Justice and Angel. He was dreading coming back as he's been in the military and his mother and sisters hover over him...Isabel is back in town to bring her mothers bridal shop up to date and to get it ready to be sold, then she will return to NY.There are other romances and new people come to the area to live and work. The outcome isn't what you would typically think...I received this book from Net Galley and the author in exchange for my honest review.
    • 4/5
      Fool's Gold is getting to be quite a popular small town. New businesses are opening, there are popular festivals going on frequently which tourists flock to. A few residents who have been gone for a while are returning. One of those returning residents is Ford Hendrix he's come home to help the start up of a business he and two other friends from his military career hope to get off the ground running. Cerberus Defense Sector (CDS) is a security company offering training for body guards, and classes in self-defense. He is a former Navy Seal, and left Fools Gold fourteen years ago, after his then fiancé Maeve Beebe broke their engagement. Maeve's younger sister Isabel had been secretly in love with Ford, and was heartbroken when he left. She wrote him letters keeping up to date with all that was going on in her life, and professing her love. He never answered one letter.Isabel Beebe is back in Fools Gold after a heartbreaking divorce and to help run her family's bridal shop Paper Moon. Her parents are on an extended vacation, and Isabel is forming a plan to sell the business for them. Her dream is to return to New York and start a design business with a good friend.Isabel and Ford get reacquainted, and he begs her to be his "fake girlfriend" to try and convince his Mom to stop taking applications from young women to be his wife. They are still good friends, so Isabel reluctantly agrees, she hates lying, but the chance to spend time with Ford is too tempting.There are many side stories in this delightful novel involving new and old residents. Kent, Ford's brother and Consuelo, one of Ford's business partners find a very unexpected attraction. There are hints of more to come, a Christmas shop is opening, and a tall beautiful woman has appeared with three luscious former NFL players. Fool's Gold is buzzing!Ms. Mallery's stories are always funny, filled with family, love and all the eccentricities of small town life. Three Little Words is no exception.I received this novel from the author for an honest review.Pat Fordyce........ Four StarsSent from my iPad
    • 4/5
      After watching Ford leave for the miliary after a breakup with her older sister, Isabel becomes a one-sided penpal to him while he is gone. What begins as a crush, turns into more of diary-type writings to him even though he never replies. Fast forward to present day, Ford and Isabel are both back in town. And while she plays as his pretend girlfriend to keep Ford's mother off his case, what feels like an unavoidable fling begins. Will the expected feelings that remain when their pretend relationship is over be enough...Ford, Ford, Ford...yummy! Love this guy's sense of humor too! And Isabel is a fun character as well. You just want to yell at her "WHAT ARE YOU DOING! Go run his bones now!" from just about the start of the book. While predictable, I really enjoyed this book! Chemistry is good between the two & a good storyline as well (with a sideline romance between 2 secondary characters also added in.) Another great addition to the Fool's Gold series..I received this book in exchange for an honest book review from Netgalley.