FAVORITE QUOTE:
“Was there a value in this quietude that she’d never before recognized? That of simply being? It was freeing indeed to not have to prove herself to anyone, to merely live in the quiet moments where the world spoke in whispers. Perhaps—just maybe—all her striving to prove her intelligence and credibility didn’t matter a whit to God. If that was true, then perhaps her worth was in who she was, who God made her to be, instead of being measured by what she achieved. Dare she believe that?“
Michelle Griep’s Of Gold and Shadows pulls you straight into a vividly realized Victorian England, its shadowy story hooking you from the very first page. Ancient artifacts that whisper tales of curses from ages long past. Clandestine deals. Debts that need paying. Plenty of elements make the backdrop of this novel entirely enticing.
Romance and intrigue dance beautifully in this story packed with a fair amount of suspense. The banter and unexpected romantic bloom between the main characters, Ami and Edmund, give the story a witty flavor amidst the seriousness of the plot. A slow reveal of personal secrets adds enigmatic tension that thickens the story with unpredictability.
Refreshing and well-paced, this is a book that begs to be finished. Questions pop in the background with enough niggling to keep you turning the pages, wondering what will happen next. The last five chapters, with their twisting plot elements, kept me fully enthralled and frantically engaged. Truly, this is a book you can get lost in (and it will keep you up well past bedtime). I was delightedly immersed, finding myself sad to finish but glad there are more books in the series. A definite recommendation for your TBR pile. What a thrill to discover a new author!
Click on the book cover for the synopsis and purchase link.
Devoted Steps 