I have read several of Mary Connealy’s series, including Brides of Hope Mountain, Trouble in Texas, and Wyoming Sunrise. But after reading Whispers of Fortune, the first book of the Golden State Treasure series, I wanted to read more about Tilda and the orphans. So, I purchased Legends of Gold: Golden State Treasure, Book 2.
Initially, when I read the first page of Legends of Gold, I found that the backstory and names of Josh, Zane, Michelle, Thayne, Lochlan, Brody, Ellie, Sonny, and Loyal made it harder for me to focus because I wanted more of Tilda. But after the list of names and a couple of pages into the story, I became captivated by the lives of Tilda and Josh.
What I loved most about Legends of Gold was learning more about Tilda’s character. She possessed keen discernment, as one gets from the book of James, as promised by God if one asks for more discernment. To her credit, Tilda appears to have a heavy dose of discernment as part of her nature. Unlike Tilda, many daughters who reunite with their long-lost father might have willingly boarded a train from the Two Hearts Ranch, destined for California, to reconnect with their earthly father as a child. Yet Tilda remained suspicious and did not appreciate her supposed brother kidnapping her, putting her on a train, and leaving her with her new husband, Josh.
Once again, the narrator, Barbara McCullough, moved me with her delivery and pacing. She is one of my favorite narrators, and after the first chapter, as the story of Tilda unfolds, Connealy held my attention until the end of the book. If you like historical westerns, Legends of Gold: Golden State Treasure, Book 2, by Mary Connealy may be an excellent choice. Other books I highly recommend include Aiming for Love, Swept Away, and Marshaling Her Heart, all by Connealy. Historical western fiction lovers may also appreciate The Lady’s Mine by Francine Rivers, A Woman Called Sage by DiAnn Mills, and When Love Blooms by Robin Lee Hatcher.
