Wednesday, November 29

Book Review: Gold Mountain by Sharon Cullars


Author: Sharon Cullars

Title: Gold Mountain
Genre: Historical Romance
Pages: ebook
Published: Feb 2010
Where I Got It: My shelf (Amazon)

In 1865, the hope for gold has spurred many to seek their fortunes in California, the place the Chinese call Gum San or "Gold Mountain." Amidst this backdrop, Quiang, a new Chinese immigrant, works the dangerous rails hoping to save enough money to send home to his parents. In town, Leah and Clara, two enterprising women from New York, have plans of their own to grow a restaurant and laundry business. However, both plans go awry when Quiang and Leah meet one fateful day. What starts as a budding attraction soon grows into tumultuous desire despite the cultural and language barriers between them.

Initially resistant, Leah succumbs to passion following a tragic loss that leaves her vulnerable and alone. With hopes for a future that now includes Leah, Quiang embarks on a perilous path as he leaves the railroad behind for a more profitable position as a courier for The Tong, henchmen for the dangerous Triad. Quiang soon finds that navigating the secretive life of a courier brings more danger than he has ever faced on the railroad, dangers that not only threaten to tear him and Leah apart, but may cost them their lives as well.



I've read a few reviews about this book. Some good, some horrible. I've wanted to read this for myself, but it has never really been available at a library or for cheap, so I honestly forgot about this for a long, long time. Black Friday happened and I found this book again for really cheap on Amazon, so I decided to give it a try after all these years. lol

I am on the fence with this one. I didn't LOVE it and I didn't HATE it. It was simply just okay. I will say that I am glad that I waited for it to be cheap. 

The story follows Leah and Quiang during the Gold Rush. Leah is a young black woman who is trying to make something of herself with her pal. Quiang is a young Chinese man trying to make some money to send to his family back home. Everyone is trying to make something of themselves in this little town. 

I am glad that the author was true to the times. It was a rough time for anyone not white male and of privilege even in the middle of nowhere. There was SO much racism and SO much sexism back then and I am glad the author showed this and didn't shy away from it. Super sad, but in a way it really helped with the love story. It made it feel even more special that these two found each other in a world full of hate. 

Quiang really upset me when he decided to join the Triad. Idiot. Big ol' fool. Bleh!

Now, the story was interesting and I enjoyed the journey. Some eye-rolling moments, but it was going well. And then the last 25% of the story happened and I wanted to throw my Kindle. No! I was reading this to watch the two lovers find their ways to each other and to freedom, but I was robbed. The adventure to get free was literally stopped and then it was the epilogue. Wh....wh...what? *looks around* NO! You can't just do that. I feel SO robbed. Them running away was supposed to be the climatic part of the story and it just ended and fast forwarded to them being old with their children. NO! 

In the end, this was just okay. The ending really ruined the higher rating I was contemplating giving this story. I really feel I was robbed. It left me going, "WHATT?" I also was really upset with the fool Quiang. I loved him at the beginning, but he turned out to be a fool. Sighs. I did like the story a lot before the ending happened. I'll stamp this with 3 stars. 





3 comments:

Melliane said...

it's the first time I see this one but well if it's not a but more I think I'll pass

Blodeuedd said...

Lol, the what gif! I hear ya

Carole Rae said...

Melliane, yeahh...it was okay but I wouldn't fully recommend it for all.

B, lol love that gif