Review: Fool Me Twice by Sandra Sookoo and Sandra Marshall

Fool Me Twice by Sandra Sookoo and Sandra Marshall

Publisher: Eirelander Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Heat Rating: 2

Blurb

Pranks are carried too far.

Kathy O'Reilly, a strong-willed woman doesn't allow men to walk over her or anyone else. When one of the co-owner's of Gagsters, Norm Jokes, is allowed to get away with playing pranks, she speaks up to her boss.

Jason Barrone, co-owner of Gagsters is attracted to his assistant and will not allow his best friend to cause him to lose her. Jason wants them to be friends because he doesn't want to have to make a choice of who goes and who stays.

Remembering Andy

Devastated after her fiancé dies in Iraq, Claudia Foster packs up her life and moves to the city of Indianapolis. She's a small town girl and she wants to lose herself in the noise, sites, and sounds of a place so foreign from her upbringing, nothing could possibly remind her of her guilt surrounding Andy's death. But fate has other plans.

Daniel Sorenson has put all thoughts of his brother Andy's death from his mind just to get through the day but running into Claudia again stirs up all the hidden feelings he has struggled so hard to hide. How can you love the girl who was supposed to marry your dead brother? How can that be normal?

As the two share their grief, they also share something deeper: laughter. But is it enough? Or will they spend their whole lives simply remembering Andy and never embrace the love that could be theirs if only they could have the courage to reach for it.


Wendy's Review

A Fool's Fool by Sandra Marshall was a book that made you want April fool's day to come around so that you may play practical jokes on the ones you love and especially the ones that annoy you more.

In Gagsters Inc. fun and games is all part of the job, but when practical jokes become too much like sexual harassment, Kathy O'Reilly the assistant to Jason Barrone decided that the girls in the office needed to do their own joking.

Norm Jokes was a type of man who hid behind his practical jokes trying to hide from a painful childhood, but with all the practical jokes he was missing what was right in front of him. Kathy was tired of the practical jokes Norm was doing to her friend Allyson; though Allyson didn't mind the jokes she thought they were sweet and she felt sorry for Norm. But with the holiday the spirit in the office became sizzling and when the jokes start flying so does an office relationship that has you wanting more.

Secrets are revealed in the story that have you laughing, and sad at the same time. The first story in this book had you wanting to enjoy an almost forgotten holiday. Great way to celebrate April fool's Day.

Remembering Andy by Sandra Sookoo was the second book in this anthology and brings home what is happening in the world today with men going to service and dying leaving behind love ones.

Claudia was planning her wedding and looking forward to a life with her soldier husband Andy. It was the event of the year with the whole town helping with the arrangement. When news came that Andy was killed Claudia went into a depression and decided to move to a bigger city and start life as it was over. The last person she expected to see was Daniel, Andy's brother who she had thought she loved also.

I love how Sandra brought you full circle with the love of childhood growing into adulthood. Even though Claudia had her insecurities, Daniel brought them out and in the open so that she was able to love and be loved as a woman not a childhood friend. Going back and pulling out the ghost of their past relationships shows the reader that nothing is impossible with love and patience.

Daniel and Claudia embark on an adult relationship that causes your heart to skip a beat. It brings you from tears to laughter.

4 1/2 Tea Cups!