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    Almost Perfect
    Almost Perfect
    Almost Perfect
    Audiobook8 hours

    Almost Perfect

    Written by Susan Mallery

    Narrated by Tanya Eby

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Back in high school, Liz Sutton was the girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Then she'd stolen the heart of the most popular boy in town, and their secret romance helped her through the worst of times. Until Ethan Hendrix betrayed her and everything they'd ever meant to each other. Devastated and pregnant, Liz left Fool's Gold, California—forever, she thought....

    Now Liz must return to town and face the man who doesn't know of their son's existence. And this time she won't have the option of making a quick getaway. Ethan and Liz can't deny their passionate attraction, even after all these years. But will their desire be enough to spark a second chance at love?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateJun 29, 2010
    ISBN9781441842336
    Almost Perfect
    Author

    Susan Mallery

    Die SPIEGEL-Bestsellerautorin Susan Mallery unterhält ein Millionenpublikum mit ihren herzerwärmenden Frauenromanen, die in 28 Sprachen übersetzt sind. Sie ist dafür bekannt, dass sie ihre Figuren in emotional herausfordernde, lebensnahe Situationen geraten lässt und ihre Leserinnen und Leser mit überraschenden Wendungen zum Lachen bringt. Mit ihrem Ehemann, zwei Katzen und einem kleinen Pudel lebt sie in Washington.

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    Reviews for Almost Perfect

    4/5

    201 ratings22 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Inhaltsangabe:Liz Sutton ist eine erfolgreiche Schriftstellerin. Und sie stammt aus Fools Gold. Eines Tages erreicht sie eine eMail, das ihre Nichten, von denen sie bislang nichts wußte, schon seit geraumer Zeit ohne elterliche Fürsorge sind. Liz’ Bruder sitzt im Gefängnis und die Stiefmutter hat sich aus dem Staub gemacht.Obwohl sie ihren Bruder seit langer Zeit nicht gesehen und erst Recht nicht gesprochen hat, fährt sie sofort mit ihrem 11jährigen Sohn Tyler nach Fools Gold. Sie findet völlig verängstigte und ausgehungerte Mädchen vor und das Haus hat auch schon bessere Zeiten gesehen.Was Liz jedoch keineswegs wollte: Ethan Hendrix über den Weg laufen. Er hat sie vor 12 Jahren schwer gedümigt und deshalb hatte sie die Stadt verlassen. Er ist es auch, der in ihren Romanen immer wieder zum Mordopfer wird. Was Ethan jedoch noch nicht weiß: Tyler ist sein Sohn und seine Reaktion, als er von der Vaterschaft erfährt, ist alles andere als freudig.Doch Liz hat ganz andere Probleme: Neben der Fürsorge für die zwei Mädchen muss sie mit ihren Gefühlen kämpfen. Obwohl sie Ethan nicht ein Millimeter vertraut, flammen die alten Gefühle von damals neu auf und auf eine Wiederholung der Geschehnisse legt sie nun gar kein Wert.Mein Fazit:Der zweite Teil der Fools Gold-Reihe ist der Autorin leider nicht ganz so gelungen wie die übrigen Geschichten, die ich gelesen habe. Das liegt für mich eindeutig an Ethan Hendrix!Ethan Hendrix musste schon früh Verantwortung übernehmen, als sein Vater starb und seine Mutter mit fünf Kindern überfordert schien. Der Vater hatte ihm stets eingebleut, dass nichts über die Familie geht und das diese auch zu schützen gilt. Das schloss für Ethan auch Liz ein. Liz stand damals (völlig zu Unrecht) im Ruf, ein leichtes Mädchen zu sein, weil ihre Mutter im Alkohol-Rausch viele Männerbekannschaften hatte. Und kurz nachdem er ihr seine Liebe geschworen hatte, verleugnete er sie in aller Öffentlichkeit. Er suchte sie auch nicht, als sie aus der Stadt verschwunden war und sogar ein Stipendium am College ausgeschlagen hatte.Als er von seinem Sohn erfuhr, spielte er sich auf und war –natürlich auch berechtigt- wütend. Aber er hat sich erst sehr viel später hinterfragt, warum Liz so gehandelt hatte. Er war sehr egoistisch und dachte nur an sich, nicht daran, dass Liz den gemeinsamen Sohn elf Jahre lang allein erzogen hat. Und sie machte ihre Sache gut, obwohl sie aus ihrem Elternhaus nicht viel mitbekommen hatte.Ich fand ihn als Helden nicht besonders sympathisch, auch wenn die Wut und der Ärger verständlich sind. Liz hat sich sehr souverän verhalten, nur am Ende viel zu großherzig. Ich fand es auch irgendwie übertrieben, dass fremde Menschen in Fools Gold sich plötzlich in ihre Angelegenheiten einmischten und ihr Standpauken hielten, weshalb sie Ethan den Sohn vorenthalten hatte. Irgendwie hat sich die Stadt ziemlich merkwürdig verhalten und ich wäre nie im Leben warm geworden. Aber – ich bin ja auch nicht Liz.Diese Geschichte war für mich nicht so packend, auch wenn ich die 385 Seiten innerhalb von zwei Tagen ausgelesen hatte. Für mich ist es nicht ganz glaubwürdig, daher bekommt es auch nur mattglänzende vier Sterne. Dennoch werde ich die Romane dieser Autorin weiterlesen und ich freue mich schon auf den dritten Band!Anmerkung: Ich habe es als eBook gelesen!Veröffentlicht am 29.10.15!
    • 4/5
      Another nice, comforting story. I found this series by accident--I judged a book by it's cover and started reading it!
    • 3/5
      While the heroine comes off as likeable every way which possible, the hero is *such* a d@!k throughout most of the book it's hard not to root for her finding love elsewhere in Fool's Gold.
    • 5/5
      Loved the storyline of Liz and her nieces. Much more to the story than just the relationship between Liz and Ethan.
    • 5/5
      This secret baby romance has been sitting on my TBR mountain for the past ten years. I was looking for a romance and grabbed this one. I'm generally happy that I did.Liz Sutton left Fool's Gold shortly after high school graduation. Since she had a horrible home life with her alcoholic mother who dabbled in prostitution and since she was picked on by the mean girls and propositioned by the boys who thought she was life her mother, getting away should have been a relief. However, that departure was spurred when Ethan Hendrix, the boy she thought loved her, denied their relationship and didn't deny it when his friends called her a whore. She was heartbroken and fled only to learn three weeks later that she was pregnant. She went back to tell Ethan and found him in bed with another girl.Liz did try again to tell Ethan about his son when Tyler was five. This time she was thwarted by his wife who never bothered to tell Ethan that she had come to see him. Also, she forged a letter in Ethan's name saying that he wanted nothing to do with her or her son and to stay away.But Liz needs to go back to Fool's Gold when she gets an email from her fourteen-year-old niece telling her that she and her sister had been abandoned by their stepmother when her father - Liz's brother - went to prison. She didn't know she had nieces at all. She had had no contact with her brother since he'd left home when Liz was 12. Liz hopes to be able to solve her niece's problems and get out of Fool's Gold without ever running into Ethan. But of course, that isn't going to happen. Ethan isn't happy to see her and is even less happy when he learns that she has been keeping the fact of her son Tyler from him for eleven years.Ethan is not a particularly appealing hero. He's too concerned with being right and too concerned with his reputation and that of his family. He deeply resents that Liz kept him from his son and doesn't believe her explanations until he sees the letter that he supposedly sent which only changed things a little for his attitude. It doesn't help either of them that the attraction between them is still so strong. Liz is shown over and over again that Ethan can't be trusted and she keeps trying to be fair despite his abuses.Also, Fool's Gold doesn't warmly embrace her on her return. Ethan's powerful family takes Ethan's side at first. But gradually Liz finds out that Fool's Gold isn't so bad. There are people there who have the potential of being friends despite their mean girl pasts. I enjoyed this story despite Ethan's slow change of heart and mind. I thought the characters were interesting and complex. I especially liked that Liz has become a best selling mystery author since she left town and liked that she chose to kill Ethan over and over again in her books.
    • 4/5
      The Hero: He's a jerk. He's hot but seriously says the most stupid things. He's a actual realistic man. Not really what I am looking for in a novel. There's many of this kind of man in real life. I realize he was very young when he did a lot of his stupid things, but that's still not much of an excuse. The way he talked about the heroine to his friends when they were teenagers in unforgivable to me and I couldn't get past that.The Heroine: Smart, determine, and hard-working. She's done an amazing job building a successful life and raising a child all on her own. I personally think she deserves much better than our hero. The Relationship: Seems to me like their relationship was mostly based on lust. I support it because I loved the whole family dynamic of the hero's mother and sisters with the heroine. But maybe hero/heroine could have just stayed friends? Like I said, I think she deserves better. The Setting: Contemporary in a small town. Described as a small town but yet they have a lot of typically city things, like a hospital and college. Things my small town does not have. But everyone knows everybody, which means a lot of gossip and no secrets. Steam Factor: The perfect amount. It's there without being over the top or forced. Doesn't affect the storyline and it makes sense. Not there just for the sake of being there.
    • 3/5
      Almost perfect is the story of Liz and Ethan. I liked the book. I didnt love it like I did the first one.
      There were too many situations not addressed. Like the whole melissa and abby situation. I would of liked them being walked out on and stranded alone for 3 mnths by bettina addressed. maybe some justice. I would have liked to see more about their father it was we miss him we miss him ye said he will write and then nothing ever letting us know how that went. I dunno I just expected more. Like I said I liked it. I just didnt connect with the characters very well. not enough history there. I did love montana and I cajt wait to read uer story
    • 3/5
      Second in the Fools Gold series. Liz Sutton left town pregnant, when Ethan denied knowing her to his friends. She raised their son & became a successful author. Now, back in Fool's Gold with Tyler, after her neices are abondoned by their step-mom, she tells Ethan the truth. But he doesn't believe that she came back twice to tell him already & his late wife kept the info from him. So, he's angry and wants to get even, but that's not in the best interest of Tyler or the girls.
    • 3/5
      This was the 2nd in the Fool's Gold series. I didn't like this one as much as the first one.

      It was a lot like so many other books - girl gets pregnant, girl tries to tell boy, girl moves away, girl comes back for a 'reason', etc, etc, etc.

      It wraps up too easily in my opinion. Life just isn't like - life is not that easy and is rarely tied up with a bow.

      I was also a little disappointed in the fact that Josh and his wife from book one was rarely mentioned and didn't have their baby yet. I hope this gets cleared up in the 3rd book.

      Also Liz's brother was not a great character / story line for me. I get the need for the nieces but did I miss why he was in jail? Did I miss that he said he would write and didn't but said that he did?

      I am just not sure how I feel about wanting to read the third one right now.
    • 3/5
      Another satisfying installment of the Fool's Gold series. I didn't like it as much as Chasing Perfect, but still good and entertaining. I was annoyed by the way people treated each other in general, but that might just be because I don't know what small-town living is like. Peeps should mind their own bidness.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed the first book in Mallory's Fool's Gold trilogy and was anxious to start this one. Especially since Ethan really intrigued me in the last book.

      The secret baby plot is a tricky one. When done well, it's one of my favorite plot devices. But it just isn't done well very often. The important thing is for the reason behind the child being kept a secret to be a legit one. One the reader can sympathize with and understand. I think Mallory gave us that here.

      Liz is what makes this book. She's strong, mature, levelheaded and willing to do anything for her son and her nieces. She wasn't a martyr or a woman filled with self-pity. She was very refreshing.
    • 4/5
      I liked this one much better than the first in the series--the main character's hesitation made a lot more sense to me, given her situation. It can be hard, moving back to a small town, even when you didn't have a hellish childhood there! The only real issue I had with this one is a nitpicky one, I know--the use of the word "windmills" to describe wind turbines. Now, I know people do this all the time--I do it myself, even if it is mostly to annoy a friend of mine--but no way would I guy who actually sells and builds them call them that, except as a "people call them that but they're not really" kind of thing. I absolutely loved it when Liz's son corrected her use of the incorrect term. At least the twelve-year-old was on top of things!
    • 4/5
      We've read this plot before - young woman flees town because she thinks that her boyfriend doesn't love her, finds out she's pregnant, a miscommunication of information prevents boyfriend knowing what is going on, they meet again, argue, and come together as a family (this is not a spoiler, there is no doubt about where this book is going to end up).This book, however, does a lot more than just flesh out the basic storyline. The author ropes in quite a few minor characters and sub-plots and links it with the other books in the Fool's Gold series. There is quite a lot of humour and, although it is not great literature it is a pleasant enough read.I do have a couple of reservations - it was a bit cheesy on occasion (especially the bit about the scholarship), the court scene and the injunction was too comic-book and unrealistic, and Ethan was a bit of an idiot. Never the less I did find myself engaged, even though I was quite sure what would happen next.
    • 4/5
      Fun, better than average romance.
    • 4/5
      Another nice, comforting story. I found this series by accident--I judged a book by it's cover and started reading it!
    • 4/5
      Fast enjoyable romance.
    • 3/5
      I was disappointed in this storyline as the main characters were not particularly likable. Maybe too human in their follies?
    • 4/5
      I really enjoy Susan Mallery's books, and this one particularly. The story is simple yet entertaining, and the characters are all quite believable. I did have a bit of an issue with the plot -- several key elements are nearly identical to another of Mallery's books, "Sweet Trouble". Still, I'm not sure which book was written first, and there are enough differences between the two that I could focus on this one without constantly comparing. Like many authors with several books under their belts, Mallery tends to reuse certain themes and devices, but that doesn't make each individual book less worthwhile. This is a really good series, with interesting characters. I liked this book even more than the first one, and I'm definitely looking forward to the third book -- Pia's story. It promises to be the best of them all.
    • 5/5
      Great series, you should read all books.
    • 3/5
      Liz Sutton was the girl from the wrong side of the tracks, but when she met and fell in love with Ethan Hendrix, she believes that her life can be different. But when Ethan says hurtful things about her to some other guys, she is heartbroken. Realizing she is pregnant, she runs away, vowing never to return to Fools Gold. Five years later, she is forced to come back on family business, bringing her 5 year old son with her. Ethan still doesn't know he has fathered a son and won't be happy that he missed out on the first 5 years of his son's life.This is the second book in the Fool's Gold series. Mallery has the perfect recipe for contemporary romance...alpha males, strong women, conflict, sexual tension with a dash of humor and hot sex. This is an entertaining and fast-paced read.
    • 4/5
      My RatingsPlot: 3/5Setting: 5/5Writing: 4/5Originality of Plot: 3/5Characters Development: 4/5Ending: 4/5Cover Art: 4/5Overall: 27/35 = 77%First LineLiz Sutton had always known the past would come back and bite her in the butt - she just hadn’t known it was going to happen today.SynopsisCould a secret romance really lead to a perfect love?Back in high school, Liz Sutton was the girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Then she'd stolen the heart of the most popular boy in town, and their secret romance helped her through the worst of times. Until Ethan Hendrix betrayed her and everything they'd ever meant to each other. Devastated and pregnant, Liz left Fool's Gold, California—forever, she thought….Now Liz must return to town and face the man who doesn't know of their son's existence. And this time she won't have the option of making a quick getaway. Ethan and Liz can't deny their passionate attraction, even after all these years. But will their desire be enough to spark a second chance at love?My ReviewLiz Sutton grew on the wrong side of the tracks in Fool’s Gold. Her mother was the town drunk and the town slut. Her brother took off as a teenager and lever looked back. In high school, Liz‘s world was bombarded with lies, gossip, and rumors from her fellow students. Nearly a decade later, Liz’s a big time author, who is raising her 11 year old son in Denver.She had promised that she would never go back to the place that gave her such heartache. That was until, the day she gets an e-mail from a girl claiming to be her niece. Their father had been sent to jail. They were left in the care of their step mother who had left them to fend for themselves. Liz saw no other choice to pack her life and her son, to take care of her two nieces left behind Fool’s Gold.Ethan Hendrix saw Liz a crossed a large crowd, but he would know that hair, those freckle, and that face just about anywhere. He and Liz dated in secretly, because he was a member of the towns founding families, and Liz came from a bad family. One day Liz overhears Ethan telling his friends that he‘d never be with a girl like her. Liz leaves town heart broken, scared, and worst of all pregnant. When Liz came back to town to confront Ethan about the pregnancy, she finds him in bad with one of the schools mean girls. Liz tries to tell Ethan about their son 5 years later, only to find his new wife home and Ethan way on a trip. Liz explains that story to Ethan’s wife and goes back home. Later Liz receive a letter from Ethan saying he wants nothing to do with her or her son.So Liz finds herself back in the town she hates, with a man she greatly despises. Once Ethan finds out that he has a son, he tries everything in his power to get to become more a part of his son’s life.I found Liz’s story sad, but also very touching. She overcame massive obstacles, to become an great single mother and a famous author. She dropped everything, to take care of the nieces that she had never met. She stood up to the people in town who hated her for keeping Ethan’s son from him. She is the real stand out character in this story for me. Ethan on the other hand was a different story for me. Though he thought he was doing the right things, just kept screwing up where Liz and their son was concerned. It was has hard for me to think of him as leading male material. My feelings for Ethan were only lukewarm at best. In the end, I’m still not sure if he really deserve Liz.I found this story to contrast with the first book the Fool’s Gold Series, Chasing Perfect. In this story, the female lead sees the small town as a very negative place. In Chasing Perfect, the female lead loves almost all aspects of small town life. It was much more deep and gritty for me, not perfect and sunny. I believe that Chasing Perfect had a stronger leading man, while Almost Perfect had a better heroine. This isn’t a bad thing, just an observation.While reading this book, I kept getting this feeling of déjà vu. Girl from the wrong side for the tracks meets the towns golden boy. They have a secret fling. “Girl from the wrong side of the tracks” gets kicked to the curb, but finds out she is pregnant. Later “golden boy” finds out that “girl from the wrong side of the tracks” is hiding their love child. “Golden boy’ gets mad, and fights “girl from the wrong side of the tracks” for custody. Actually, I’m pretty sure that Mallery has already written this story with other characters involved, but I just can’t place the name of the book.Overall, I found this story to be an enjoyable read, but not near as good as Chasing Perfect or most of Susan Mallery’s other books. I have an ARC of the 3rd book in this series, Finding Perfect. I’m hoping that the final book in this series, is more impressive this this one.Fool’s Gold Series1) Chasing Perfect2) Almost Perfect3) Finding Perfect (Release Date 8/31/10)
    • 3/5
      Another good read from Susan Mallery. This is the story of Liz Sutton, a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, and Ethan Hendrix, a man with a family legacy, and their son. Liz and Ethan had great chemistry and were likable characters most of the time. At times they made me want to scream in frustration. Also in this story you got to see the bad side of the town of Fool's Gold. How they treated Liz in the past and present was pretty bad and I didn't blame her for not wanting to stay there. I liked Liz. She is a good mother and woman trying to do her best in a hard situation. Ethan was a jerk but a redeemable one, which makes all the difference. Both characters are flawed and they both made mistakes. Circumstances kept them apart and I enjoyed reading about them reconnecting with each other. The last line in the book is my favorite. Make me smile.