Born of Gilded Mountains review

 I first came across this book while reading a post by Dani Petry on the Inspired by Life and Fiction blogabout books she was looking forward to reading in 2024. The description grabbed my attention right away and I pre-ordered the book.

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Back Cover Blurb: When newcomer Mercy Windsor arrives in Mercy Peak in 1948 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 that mountain's lore, unearthing what became of her long-lost pen pal, Rusty Bright, and the whereabouts of the infamous Galloping Goose Engine No. 8, which vanished years ago, along with the mailbag it carried, whose contents could change the course of countless lives. Not to mention another 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.

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 I began reading in June of 2024 but I was not in the right mood for the more heavy parts of the book with Mercy's childhood so I stopped reading for a little bit. I returned to the book in January of this year and it was exactly what I needed at that time in my life. My best friend was getting married soon and that meant our relationship would inevitably shift as we entered new stages in our lives. But Rusty and Mercy's letters from their childhood reminded me so much of my best friend and I growing up. I thankfully was not in the kind of situation Mercy was but I was more introverted whereas my friend Molly was and is more extroverted. The fact they were able to maintain their friendship despite some bumps in the road as they grew older was very reassuring for me. 

The writing style of this book was some of the most beautiful prose I have ever read. I enjoyed how descriptive it was and I was easily drawn into the story from page one. Sometimes I can have a hard time picturing where things are taking place, but not in this book. 

This was the first of several books I have read this year that have made me so grateful for the loving and supportive family I have grown up in. Mercy's story in contrast to Rusty's was so heart breaking. I was proud of her though for getting the courage to leave when she was 16 and building a life for herself. the reveal of the scandal she was involved in, really showed her character and the desire to do what is right no matter the cost. The subplot with all of the people who were greatly affected by the Galloping Goose disappearance was also very well done. Once they began searching for treasure it was fast paced from there.

Have you read Born of Gilded Mountains? Let me know what you think in the comments below!