Don’t let the simplicity of the book title or cover of Gold take you by surprise.    The storyline of Gold was completely unexpected for me!   The beginning of the book is typical enough…..in fact, the main “mystery” appears in the very first page.  I thought I knew what would happen, but I was completely off base.  The main character, John Neale, is a small town lawyer who is unsure about his career path.  The events in the book help to feature him as a strong, kind person.  I really enjoyed seeing the transformation of his character.

The book seems to be centered around the death of a priest but soon the reader will realize that there is so much more behind the plot.  Gold made me stop and think about the impact of money and prevalence of greed in today’s society.  This book will appeal to a wide range of readers: science fiction, history buffs, romance fans….all of these can enjoy this book.  The romance factor in Gold was understated and natural.  There is one intimate scene that makes this book inappropriate for younger readers; however, mature adults can just skip over that part if they wish.  I was extremely interested in the history presented in the book.  The mentions of Native Americans, Incas, and Mayans were fascinating additions to the book.   Overall, Gold was a book that I really enjoyed and would share with others.

This is the second book I’ve read by Thomas Hollyday.  One feature of his books that I really like is the way he incorporates the personality of the geography in his stories.  He also creates a bubble around farmers and other lay-of-the-land characters to make them seem like next-door neighbors.   His books are short and easy to read, yet full of excitement and mystery.  I saw Gold on Barnes and Noble as a 99-cent Nook download, which is a steal.  Hollyday’s an author who is not to be missed!

Thomas Hollyday has a really unique website, visit it by clicking here.  He grew up along the Eastern shore, which explains his deep understanding of its history.  Hollyday is a Veteran and later became a successful international businessman.  Gold is book 1 in his River Sunday romance series.