Yours For Christmas by Susan Mallery

• Title:  Yours For Christmas
• Series:  Fool’s Gold #15.5
• Author:  Susan Mallery
• Genre:  Contemporary Romance; Christmas
• Published:  October 2014 – Harlequin
• Source:  Publisher

Synopsis:  Famous former NFL stars don’t date single working moms like Bailey Voss. She’ll allow herself to daydream about Kenny Scott’s muscles and killer smile, but wanting more would lead to post-holiday regret. Then Kenny volunteers to run a toy drive with Bailey, and she learns that he’s not just hot he’s also generous, funny, nice. The whole package tantalizingly out of reach.

The ache of past loss reminds Kenny why he needs to avoid getting too close to anyone. Especially to a gorgeous redhead and her adorable little girl. Mess it up, and he’d lose them both. Yet Kenny can only resist Bailey for so long. And as festive spirit spreads throughout the town, he’s all wrapped up in Bailey’s sweet, sexy kisses and determined to make this the first of many Christmases together.  (publisher)

My take:  Yours For Christmas is a novella featuring two characters that fans of the Fool’s Gold series have come to love. We learn that Kenny has issues stemming from an emotional event years earlier that prevent him from wanting to become involved with Bailey. Bailey is a widow with a seven year old daughter and they both have a huge crush on Kenny. Bailey wants to provide a safe and normal life for her daughter but she doesn’t want her to get too close to Kenny if there’s a chance he’ll leave – becoming yet another loss for the little girl.

Susan Mallery filled her novella with a lot of heart-tugging emotion but the title reminded me that things would most likely work out for Kenny and Bailey. I enjoyed reading how it all came about and recommend this novella to fans of the Fool’s Gold series.