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Dream Casting Books to TV: Susan Mallery’s Fool’s Gold Franchise (Part 4 – Final Part)

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Over the last few months, I have brought our readers 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, Part 2 and Part 3 of this Dream Casting article series.

The next and final 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:

[Photo Credit: Listal]

Hold Me
Released: May 2015

Destiny Mills believes passion has its place—like in the lyrics of the country songs that made her parents famous. After a childhood full of drama and heartache, she wants a life that’s calm. Safe. Everything that Kipling Gilmore isn’t. Her temporary assignment with the Fool’s Gold search and rescue team puts her in delicious proximity to the former world-class skier every day. Part of her aches to let go for once; the rest is terrified what’ll happen if she does.

Though an accident ended his career, Kipling still lives for thrills—and a hot fling with a gorgeous redhead like Destiny would be a welcome diversion. Yet beneath his new coworker’s cool facade is a woman who needs more than he’s ever given. With her, he’s ready to take the risk. But love, like skiing, is all about trust—and before you soar, you have to be willing to fall.

MY CASTING:

Destiny Mills – Deborah Ann Woll (True Blood and Marvel’s Daredevil)

Kipling Gilmore – Grant Gustin (The Flash and Glee)

Kiss Me
Released: July 2015

After Phoebe Kitzke’s kind heart gets her suspended from her job in LA, she swears off doing favors—until her best friend begs for help on the family ranch in Fool’s Gold. Unfortunately, sexy cowboy Zane Nicholson isn’t exactly thrilled by the city girl’s arrival.

Thanks to his brother’s latest scheme, Zane has been roped into taking tourists on a cattle drive. What Phoebe knows about ranching wouldn’t fill his hat, but her laughter is so captivating that even his animals fall for her. One slip of his legendary control leads to a passionate kiss that convinces him she’s exactly the kind of woman a single-minded loner needs to avoid.

In his arms, Phoebe discovers she’s a country girl at heart. Yet no matter how much the small town feels like home, she can’t stay unless Zane loves her, too but is this cowboy interested in forever?

MY CASTING:

Phoebe Kitzke – AnnaSophia Robb (Mercy Street and The Carrie Diaries and the box office movies Soul Surfer and The Way Way Back)

Zane Nicholson – Ryan Guzman (Pretty Little Liars and Heroes Reborn and will be seen in season two of 9-1-1)

[Photo Credit: Tumblr]

Thrill Me
Released: August 2015

Maya Farlow learned the hard way to depend only on herself, so when she fell too deeply for the bad-boy charms of Del Mitchell, she did the only thing she could—she ran. Stunned, Del left Fool’s Gold to make his name and fortune in extreme sports.

Now ten years later, Maya’s been hired to promote her hometown’s new slogan, The Destination for Romance. The celebrity spokesman is none other than Del, the man she dumped but never forgot.

Although Del’s not the type to hold a grudge, he’s determined to avoid falling a second time for the woman who broke his heart. He’s a daredevil, not an idiot. Trouble is, in all his adventures, he never found a rush as exhilarating as Maya’s kiss. Maybe risking his heart will prove to be the biggest thrill of all.

MY CASTING:

Maya Farlow – Phoebe Tonkin (The Originals and The Secret Circle and the Australian movie Tomorrow When the War Began)

Del Mitchell – Sam Heughan (Outlander, the Hallmark Channel movie A Princess for Christmas and the box office movie The Spy Who Dumped Me)

[Photo Credit: Evolve]

[Photo Credit: FanPop]

Marry Me at Christmas
Released: October 2015

To bridal boutique owner Madeline Krug, organizing a Christmas wedding sounds like a joy—until she finds out she’ll be working closely with the gorgeous brother of the bride, movie star Jonny Blaze. How will a small-town girl like her keep from falling for the world’s sexiest guy? Especially with mistletoe lurking around every corner!

Jonny came to Fool’s Gold looking for normal, not for love. Happily-ever-after only happens in the movies. Still, nothing about this quirky town is quite what he expected, and “ordinary” Madeline is the most extraordinary woman he’s ever met. Refreshingly honest, disarmingly sweet.

Planning the perfect wedding leads to candlelit dinners and strolls through snow-covered streets. And Madeline finds Jonny in real life even more captivating than her celebrity crush. But will the action star be brave enough to risk his heart and step into the role of a lifetime?

MY CASTING:

Madeline Krug – Arielle Kebbel (Midnight Texas and The Vampire Diaries and the Hallmark Channel movies Bridal Wave and A Bride for Christmas)

Jonny Blaze – Dillon Casey (Nikita and Designated Survivor and the Hallmark Channel movie An Unexpected Christmas)

[Photo Credit Janna Giacoppo]

[Photo Credit: Bell Media-SPACE]

Best of My Love
Released: May 2016

To overcome her painful past, baker Shelby Gilmore goes on the hunt for a friend-a male friend-to convince her stubborn psyche that men can be trusted. But where in a town as small as Fool’s Gold will the petite blonde find a guy willing to not date her?

Dark, charming Aidan Mitchell puts the “adventure” in Mitchell Adventure Tours…and into the beds of his many willing female tourists. Until he realizes he’s inadvertently become that guy-the one-night Casanova-and worse, everyone in town knows it. Maybe Shelby’s boy/girl experiment will help him see women as more than just conquests so he can change his ways and win back his self-respect.

As Aidan and Shelby explore the secret lives of men and women, the heat between them fires up the Fool’s Gold rumor mill. If no one will believe they’re just friends, maybe they should give the gossips something to really talk about!

MY CASTING:

Shelby Gilmore – Jen Lilley (Days of Our Lives and four Hallmark Channel movies, including A Dash of Love and the June weddings movie Yes, I Do)

Aidan Mitchell – Luke Macfarlane (Brothers & Sisters and Killjoys and four Hallmark Channel movies, including The Birthday Wish and Christmas Land)

[Photo Credit: Catie Laffoon]

A Kiss in the Snow
Released: October 2016

Cupcake baker Nancee Smith is stunned when search and rescue pilot Jesse “Shep” Sheppard strides into her kitchen. The last time she saw the Ghost of Heartbreaks Past was the night before he left her at the altar. He said he loved her, then didn’t even say goodbye.

Now Shep claims he’s done dashing away at the first sign of forever. The romance of Fool’s Gold at Christmas tempts her to have faith—snow glistening on rooftops like great swirls of frosting, twinkle lights in every window—but this time around, she’s the one with cold feet. If promises alone aren’t enough to sway her, Shep will have to show her the love in his heart.

MY CASTING:

Nancee Smith – Holland Roden (Teen Wolf and Channel Zero)

Jesse “Shep” Sheppard – Grey Damon (Friday Night Lights, Star-Crossed, Station 19, The Nine Lives of Chloe King and Aquarius)

What do you think of the dream casting for this book franchise? Is there another book franchise that you would like to see made into a TV series? Please share.

Using her favorite online handle, Rueben is an East Coast-bred gal who is now a permanent Californian and a lifelong tv-oholic. She watches at least 25 TV shows a week, goes to the movies as often as possible, listens to music every waking moment, reads every day and “plays” on the internet every chance she can. Some of her current favorite TV shows are Outlander, Sweet Magnolias, Wednesday, The Mandalorian, The Equalizer, Fire Country, Miss Scarlet, Hudson & Rex, SkyMed, The Rookie, Bridgerton, Cobra Kai, Virgin River, The Witcher, Leverage: Redemption and School Spirits. She is looking forward to the fall TV season, including the return of Outlander, Tracker and The Equalizer and the debuts of the new dramas Matlock, Murder In a Small Town, NCIS: Origins and Cross. Follow her on Bluesky @ruebensramblings.bsky.social or contact her at rueben@nicegirlstv.com. Please also check out Rueben's Ramblings website for even more entertainment news.