Dream Casting Books to TV: Susan Mallery’s Fool’s Gold Franchise (Part 2)

By Rueben | July 10, 2018

Last month, I started a new series of articles, focusing on my dream casting if the Fool’s Gold book franchise by author Susan Mallery were ever to be made into a TV series.

If you haven’t done so already, please check out Part 1 of that Dream Casting article here.

The next set of books and the actors and actresses who I think would be terrific in the lead roles, based on the Who’s Who description page for the Fool’s Gold books, are below:

Only Mine
Released: August 2011

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.

MY CASTING:

Dakota Hendrix – Tammy Gillis (Siren and Ghost Wars and 10 Hallmark Channel movies, including Marrying Mr. Darcy, A Novel Romance and Wedding Bells)

Finn Anderssen – Jared Padalecki (Supernatural and Gilmore Girls and the made-for-TV movie Thomas Kinkade’s Christmas Cottage)

Only Yours
Released: September 2011

Montana Hendrix has found her calling—working with therapy dogs. With a career she loves in a hometown she adores, she’s finally ready to look for her own happily ever after. Could one of her dogs help her find Mr. Right… or maybe Dr. Right?

Surgeon Simon Bradley prefers the sterility of the hospital to the messiness of real life, especially when real life includes an accident-prone mutt and a woman whose kisses make him want what he knows he can’t have. Scarred since childhood, he avoids emotional entanglement by moving from place to place to heal children who need his skillful touch. Can his growing feelings for Montana lead him to find a home in Fool’s Gold, or will he walk away, taking her broken heart with him?

MY CASTING:

Montana Hendrix – Fiona Gubelmann (The Good Doctor and Wilfred and three Hallmark Channel movies, including Royally Ever After and Christmas Next Door)

Simon Bradley – Sachin Sahel (The 100 and the Hallmark Channel movie Ice Sculpture Christmas)

Only His
Released: October 2011

Wedding bells are ringing in Fool’s Gold, but not for Nevada Hendrix. Her triplet sisters are engaged, and even her mother has a more active love life than she does. Determined to make a fresh start, she applies for her dream job, only to discover that her new boss is her first love. Maybe she could overlook the fact that they’ve seen each other naked, but she’ll never forget the way he broke her heart.

Tucker Janack agrees to Nevada’s “business only” ground rules. After all, love is a trap that the construction millionaire has avoided his whole life. But when great business partners turn out to be so much more, every rule gets broken. Will either of them be willing to try again…or will their past get in the way?

MY CASTING:

Nevada Hendrix – Hilary Jardine (Zoo and Van Helsing and four Hallmark Channel movies, including A Bramble House Christmas and Walking the Dog)

Tucker Janack – Sam Page (The Bold Type and Switched at Birth and five Hallmark Channel movies, including All Things Valentine and Royal New Year’s Eve)

Only Us
Released: November 2011

Pet groomer Carina Fiore wants nothing more than to confess her feelings to the man she loves. She’s drawn to veterinarian Cameron McKenzie’s good looks, caring nature and especially his devotion to his young daughter. But he’s also her boss and a good friend. Putting her heart on the line could cost Rina both her job and their friendship forever.

Since his divorce, Cameron hasn’t been willing to trust his heart—or his daughter—with anyone else. For months he’s pushed away all thoughts of taking Rina in his arms and kissing her, unwilling to risk their friendship for a single night of pleasure. But when a kiss under the mistletoe unlocks the simmering passion between them, Rina and Cameron may just find love for the holidays after all…

MY CASTING:

Carina Fiore – Lucy Hale (Life Sentence and Pretty Little Liars and the box office movie The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2)

Cameron McKenzie – Daniel Lissing (When Calls the Heart and Last Resort and the Hallmark Channel movie A December Bride)

Almost Summer
Released: May 2012

Ever since she was young, Paige McLean has longed to see the world. Still, she never imagined the world would land on her doorstep in the form of a charming British surgeon who needs a place to stay when his plans fall through.

After a devastating loss, Alistair Woodbury has vowed to live his life alone. But in all his travels, he hasn’t encountered a town as welcoming as Fool’s Gold, nor a woman as caring – or as beautiful – as Paige. Her compassion warms him almost as much as their stolen kisses. When it’s Alistair’s time to leave, will his brief visit turn into a lifetime stay?

MY CASTING:

Paige McLean – Merritt Patterson (The Royals and Ravenswood and three Hallmark Channel movies, including A Royal Winter and the last month’s Wedding March 4)

Alistair Woodbury – Torrance Coombs (Reign and The Tudors and the Hallmark Channel movie Royally Ever After)

Summer Days
Released: June 2012

Locked in an unexpected land dispute, Rafe Stryker is trapped in the one place he vowed never to return to—the Castle Ranch in Fool’s Gold, California. He made millions facing ruthless adversaries in the boardroom, but nothing could’ve prepared him to go head-to-head against stubborn, beautiful Heidi Simpson. No one is more surprised than Rafe to discover that he’s finding Heidi—and life as a cowboy—much more compelling than he wants to admit.

For Heidi, the Castle Ranch is the home she’s always wanted. After a life on the road, the vivacious blonde has finally put down roots. She won’t give that up without a fight, not even for a man whose late-night kisses make her yearn to be a little less…wholesome.

As the two turn from passionate adversaries to passionate, period, they’ll discover that summer love can last a lifetime.

MY CASTING:

Heidi Simpson – Danielle Panabaker (The Flash and Shark and the Hallmark Channel movie Recipe for Love)

Rafe Stryker – Oliver Jackson-Cohen (Emerald City and Dracula and the recently aired PBS movie Man in an Orange Shirt)

Summer Nights
Released: July 2012

Horse whisperer Shane Stryker is done with passion. This time around, he’s determined to meet someone who will be content with the quiet life of a rancher’s wife. And the fiery, pint-size redhead who dazzles him at the local bar definitely does not fit the bill.

Small-town librarian Annabelle Weiss has always seen herself as more of a sweetheart than a siren, so she can’t understand why Shane keeps pushing her away. Shane has formed the totally wrong impression of her but only he can help her with a special event for the next Fool’s Gold festival. And maybe while he’s at it, she can convince him to teach her a few things about kissing on hot summer nights, too—some lessons, a girl shouldn’t learn from reading a book!

MY CASTING:

Annabelle Weiss – Jillian Rose Reed (Weeds and Awkward and she is one of the voices in the animated series Elena of Avalor)

Shane Stryker – Steven R. McQueen (The Vampire Diaries and Chicago Fire and the Hallmark Channel movie Home by Spring)

All Summer Long
Released: August 2012

Former underwear model turned entrepreneur Clay Stryker has loved, tragically lost and vowed that he’ll never risk his heart again. After making his fortune, the youngest of the rugged Stryker brothers returns to Fool’s Gold, California, to put down roots on a ranch of his own. But he’s frustrated to discover that even in his hometown, people see him only for his world-famous…assets.

Firefighter Chantal (Charlie) Dixon grew up an ugly duckling beside her delicately beautiful mother, a feeling reinforced long ago by a man who left soul-deep scars. Now she has good friends, a solid job and the itch to start a family—yet she can’t move toward the future while she’s haunted by painful memories.

Clay finds an unexpected ally, and unexpected temptation, in tomboyish Charlie, the only person who sees beyond his dazzling good looks to the real man beneath. But when Charlie comes to him with an indecent proposal, will they be able to overcome their pasts and find a love that lasts beyond one incredible summer?

MY CASTING:

Charlie Dixon – Kimberly Sustad (the Canadian series The Romeo Section and 8 Hallmark Channel movies, including The Nine Lives of Christmas and A Bride for Christmas)

Clay Stryker – Stephen Amell (Arrow and Heartland and the Hallmark Channel movie When Calls the Heart)

A Fool’s Gold Christmas
Released: October 2012

The unrelenting cheer in Fool’s Gold, California, is bringing out the humbug in dancer Evie Stryker. She learned early on that Christmas miracles don’t happen, at least not for her. And this year seems like no exception. An injury has forced her to return to the family fold, no matter that they’re estranged. She won’t add to the awkward scenario by being seduced by the bad-boy charms of her brother’s best friend, the last man she should ever want to date. Even when she’s recruited to stage Fool’s Gold’s winter festival, she vows to do as promised, then move forward with her life anywhere but here.

Jaded lawyer Dante Jefferson is getting used to the backwater town he now reluctantly calls home, but the pounding of little dancers’ feet above his temporary office is more than any man should have to take! When he confronts their gorgeous teacher, he’s unprepared for the attraction that sears him down to the soul. Evie is his best friend’s sister-off-limits unless he’s willing to risk his heart. Dante has always believed that love is the most dangerous force in the universe, but that was before he had to reckon with the magic of a certain small town, where miracles do seem to happen….

MY CASTING:

Evie Stryker – Erin Krakow (When Calls the Heart and Army Wives and five Hallmark Channel movies, including Chance at Romance and Finding Father Christmas)

Dante Jefferson – Trevor Donovan (Days of Our Lives and 90210 and the Hallmark Channel movies Strawberry Summer and Love on a Limb)

Please be on the look-out soon for the next part of this ongoing series of articles about making Susan Mallery‘s books into a TV series.