Book Review: Only Mine by Susan Mallery

I know I have a few posts to catch up on, yet I couldn't help but do another spotlight. I loved this book and wanted to share it with as many people as I could. I promise I will try to catch up this week! :)

You can’t win if you don’t play… 

Her town’s lack of men may make headlines, but it isn’t news to Dakota Hendrix. The beautiful blonde has bigger problems to deal with, such as overseeing the romance reality competition filming in Fool’s Gold. Screening eligible bachelors is a difficult enough task, but Dakota hits an unexpected snag when a sexy stranger comes to town. 

Finn Anderssen will do anything to keep his twin brothers—the perfect contestants—off the show. Despite Dakota’s better judgment, she finds herself drawn to the mysterious outsider. Like her, Finn knows about heartbreak and how a family can fall apart, so she doesn’t dare to hope for anything more than a fling. After all, even in the Land of Happy Endings, finding true love is never as easy as it looks on TV.


From Goodreads.com

       Welcome back to Fool’s Gold, California. I am thrilled about this series. I love the town and all the people living in it. Truth be told, I’ve been missing it a little. Only Mine did not disappoint. It welcomed me back with open arms and heartwarming stories. But I’m getting ahead of myself. I guess I do that often, but I’m seriously in love with this series. 

Only Mine is a story focusing on the first of the Hendrix triplets, Dakota. I liked the family from the very beginning. I wondered right away about the dynamics of a family such as theirs. Dakota is a sweet and caring person, with a knack for getting stuff done. She get’s “volunteered” to help a TV producer on a show set in Fool’s Gold. The show brings many different characters to town including twin brothers followed by their extremely concerned older brother Finn. I liked Dakota and Finn’s relationship from the moment he walked into her office, yelling. The way Dakota took control of the situation and put Finn in his place was just what I wanted to see. She really has a way with him. I liked seeing their relationship develop, and Finn is just yummy. The man has the heart the size of Alaska. The way he cares about his brothers, although may be annoying, is also outstanding. And when Dakota needs someone, without even realizing it, he is there. I could really relate to Dakota in various aspects of her life, and sometimes thought Susan was writing about me. Susan has a way in connecting her readers with her characters that make an impact.

The subplots in the story were wonderful. The two brothers, twins but oh so different, each must learn important lessons about life. I won’t go into detail but Stephen and Auriel were a definite unexpected favorite. The town itself is a story and Susan never disappoints. She brings these characters right off the pages, making them face real challenges, make decisions, and find happiness in their own lives despite the odds. These are the kind of stories that stay with you. Only Mine shows us that sometimes we don’t know exactly what we’re looking for, and that miracles still do happen. 

I can’t wait for the next installment of the series. Susan is a terrific writer whose stories will make you laugh, cry, and realized that life is full of surprises, but it is your own personal convictions that make the difference. 

Only Mine comes out July 26th, 2011. Buy it, read it, love it! 

Much love,

Valia