Friday, September 6, 2024

BORN OF GILDED MOUNTAINS by Amanda Dykes, Reviewed by Trixi Oberembt

Legends are tucked into every fold of the Colorado mountains surrounding the quaint town of Mercy Peak, where residents are the stuff of tall tales, the peaks are taller still, and lost treasure has etched mystery into the very terrain. ~(Part of the back cover blurb)

I can’t possibly add anything different to what other reviewers have said about this lovely book. All I know is Amanda Dykes has the magic touch when it comes to penning a story that you feel deep in your heart and soul. It’s about an instant lifelong friendship that spans time through the written word, connecting two people to each other and a town. It’s also about a tight-knit community hidden up in the mountain top, a family if you will, that takes care of its own. And lastly, it’s about the mystery of a missing train named “The Galloping Goose #8” that ties them all together. But it’s also much more than this, whatever was in the mailbag of the legendary #8 has the possibility of changing the course of so many lives!

“Go forward bravely. Fear nothing. Trust in God; all will be well.” ~ Joan of Arc quote

I really felt like I was engulfed in this story, it touched so many emotions! I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Mercy (aka Marybeth Spatts) and Rusty by watching their friendship grow with each letter they wrote. Part of the unique style of writing by Dykes was including those letters. The written word has so much power, I think! I also loved all the rest of the characters and appreciated the way they took care of each other. The mystery of the missing train pieced this all together for me, I was rooting for it to finally be found so there can be resolution for each of the townspeople…especially Rusty.

My favorite thing about this was how Dykes incorporated a faith thread that reminded me (and the characters) how much God loves us, is with us and gives us hope no matter how dark the circumstances of our lives can be at times. I loved reading the wisdom Rusty shares in her letters, she is wise beyond her young years.

This was my first book by Amanda, but certainly not my last! She puts so much emotion, depth of character, and has a way with words that surrounds you completely. I have much to catch up with and I look forward to many more adventures!
*I received a complimentary copy from Bethany House publishers and was not obligated to leave a favorable review. All opinions expressed here are my own. *

SEE PAULA'S REVIEW:

SEE REVIEWS by REBECCA AND WINNIE 

BackCover Blurb:
A lost treasure. A riddled quest. The healing power of friendship.

Legends are tucked into every fold of the Colorado mountains surrounding the quaint town of Mercy Peak, where residents are the stuff of tall tales, the peaks are taller still, and a lost treasure has etched mystery into the very terrain.

In 1948, when outsider Mercy Windsor arrives after a scandal shatters her gilded world as Hollywood's beloved leading lady, she is determined to forge a new life in obscurity in this time-forgotten Colorado haven. She purchases Wildwood, an abandoned estate with a haunting history, and begins to restore it to its former glory.

But as she does, her every move tugs at the threads of the mountain's lore, unearthing what became of her long-lost pen pal Rusty Bright, and the whereabouts of the infamous Galloping Goose Railcar No. 8, which vanished years ago--along with the mailbag it carried, whose contents could change the course of countless lives. Not to mention the fabled treasure that--if found--could right so many wrongs.

Among the towering mountains that stand as silent witnesses, the ghosts of the past entangle with the courage of the present to find a place where healing, friendship, and hope can abide amid a world forever changed.

Bethany House, June, 2024
Available in digital ebook, paperback, library binding, and audiobook:
 







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