Born of Gilded Mountains

Author: Amanda Dykes
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 384
Release Date: June 4, 2024
Publisher: Bethany House

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.

---

Reviewer: Heather L. Jones

Born of Gilded Mountains, by Amanda Dykes, is an exciting story that spans several decades. Beginning in 1894, it starts with a tale of The Blood Moon Boys, a group of four ten-year-old boys (Silas Bright, Martin Shaw, Reuben Murdock, and Randolph Gilman) who make a pact to someday find gold in the mountain of their hometown of Mercy Peak. Colorado, and bring their mountain back to life after a "silver slump."

Fast forward to 1928, when a friendship forms via a pen pal program between Ruby "Rusty" Bright (daughter of Silas Bright) and Marybeth Spatts. The friendship holds fast, spanning several years with a promise from Marybeth to visit Rusty. A tragic misunderstanding occurs, and a heart is left in tatters. Marybeth Spatts goes on to California and becomes a famous Hollywood star, Mercy Windsor, known for "The single tear that flooded the world." Moving ahead to 1948, a scandal erupts, and Mercy flees Hollywood for the safe haven of Mercy Peak.

There, Mercy becomes Marybeth again and obtains work at a mercantile owned by two brothers. She also makes friends with the various characters of the town who all know her through her friendship with Rusty, making her feel secure and welcome. All are good-hearted people who look out for one another. Marybeth also searches to solve a riddle put together by Randolph Gilman, who has long since passed on. 

Marybeth purchases his old mansion, Wildwood, and sets about to solve the riddle and bring light to the legend of Motor No. 8, one of the "Galloping Geese" that served as a mail car and seemingly disappeared into thin air many years before.

This book is filled with thrills, chills, love, friendship, tragedy, heartbreak, and an unexpected surprise at the end. I enjoyed reading it and highly recommend it.

---

---

Reviewer: Adriann Harris

Born of Gilded Mountains by Amanda Dykes is an exceptional story of friendship, grief, healing, and mystery. A story of how God’s love can repair and restore us.

Dykes, with her picturesque prose, paints a lasting image of life in Mercy Peak within the mineral-rich San Juan Mountains of Colorado. Due to an accidental mail mixup, Marybeth Spatts, of the coal mines of North Carolina, and Rusty Bright, of Mercy Peak, become pen pals and forever friends. Dykes draws her readers into their lives from the very beginning with her exquisite character development. They will grip your heart as you walk with them through life’s ups and downs, feeling each and every emotional moment. Join their adventure as they work together, figuring out the clues to the treasure and much more along the way.

I was totally immersed and emotionally invested in the story throughout, and I will forever savor Born on Gilded Mountain by Amanda Dykes. Unfortunately, all good stories must come to an end, and I reluctantly said goodbye to Marybeth, Rusty, and all the townsfolk of Mercy Peak, who left a lasting impact upon me.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Bethany House via NetGalley through Interviews & Reviews. I was not obligated to write a favorable review, and all opinions are my own.

---

---

Reviewer: Amy Smelser

This was a very different read, as I felt as though I was following Alice in Wonderland, picking up clues here and there to fully get the whole story by the end. And it was a well-told story with unique characters and places. The author helps tell her story with pen pal letters, screenplays, fieldnotes, and interviews scattered throughout the pages of this book.

We have a runaway actress, Mercy Windsor, who has come to a mining town in Colorado, where her beloved pen pal, Rusty, lived. Why Mercy has run away from Hollywood and what happened to Rusty are two of the mysteries. There are some major surprises that I absolutely did not see coming. In fact, they kind of floored me. In a good way. There is a hidden treasure and scandal around this treasure that no one even knows what it is. Add in small-town gossip and enduring friendships, plus treasure hunting, and you have a story quite unlike one I have read before.

I was provided with a copy of this novel from Bethany House Publishers through Interviews & Reviews. I was not required to post a positive review, and all views and opinions are my own.

---

---

Reviewer: Raechel Helwig

Beautifully written, I think that Dykes' writing is a poetic piece all of its own. Then add to that an intricate plot with beautifully flawed characters who have a great deal of depth and strength to carry on, and mix in a sort of treasure hunt—the combination lends itself to a lovely read. In addition, it has a stunning cover to match.

Marybeth Spatts, aka Mercy Windsor, was such a strong character. And I loved her relationship with Rusty Bright—these two girls were so fun, and they started as pen pals! I have loved writing letters since I was young, and that connection through letters really can be such a joy and treasure all in itself.

Speaking of treasure, this book was, in a way, one big treasure hunt, and that was lots of fun too. It was a very serious novel, with each character battling their own figurative mountain, but they all learned so much. They learned how to hold onto hope, how to cope with pain, and how to survive with grace.

I did find the novel a little slow to get into at first, but I don't think that is a reflection on the book or the story itself. It is written to be taken slowly and savored, and I sadly lacked the time to fully do so, much to my dismay.

But I still enjoyed the journey this book took me on, and I recommend this author's books to anyone who loves a good, meaningful tale woven with depth, grit, and beauty.

This book was provided courtesy of Bethany House through Interviews & Reviews. I was not required to write a positive review, and all thoughts expressed are entirely my own.

---

---

Reviewer: Elizabeth Eckmeyer

Two pen pals start writing each other and become best friends. Mercy Windsor grows up in an unloving home where she takes care of her abusive father. Rusty Bright grows up in the mountains of Colorado with her loving father. 
 
Two friends who share their lives together make plans to meet each other at Rusty's town of Mercy Peak. Both girls lose each other, and Mercy goes to Hollywood to become a big star. When an incident happens, Mercy buys an old house in Mercy Peak to honor her friend Rusty. 
 
This story is a pure adventure. I truly felt like I was part of this mystery and adventure. Her details of the scenery made me feel like I was there. Her characters were perfectly put together, which makes this small town story one I will never forget. 
 
The story has some mysteries, adventure, loss, tragedy, healing, and new beginnings. The story shows you that communities, in any circumstance, can band together and make a home town. This is a beautifully written book. I am looking forward to reading another book by Amanda Dykes! 
 
I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House Publishing through Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion.

---

---

Reviewer: Lori Parrish

I must say that the cover of this book is absolutely gorgeous! Wow!
It's definitely a Mary Poppins wish to jump in and be there.

I really liked this one. I was all in from the beginning until the end.
I'm going to say that this is my second favorite story by this author.
Great characters! I loved getting to know them, especially the mystery lady!

I really loved the mystery part of the story. That was what kept me turning the pages. I lost some sleep, but it was, oh, so worth it! A wonderful story indeed!

It was hard to put down, and saying goodbye to my new friends was tough. This book is going on my favorite shelf. Five stars for an entertaining read! I highly recommend it!

My thanks go to Bethany House and Netgalley for providing a copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

---

---

Reviewer: Ewurabena Wilson

What a captivating novel from Amanda Dykes!

Amanda Dykes has written a book that sets its readers on an adventure that they will never forget. The first thing that caught my attention about this book was the cover. As a lover of trains, I was immediately drawn to this novel, and I was not disappointed with my choice. Born of Gilded Mountains is one of those novels that makes you want to enter the settings of the novel and virtually experience the town of Mercy Peak, Colorado.

Set in 1948, the novel revolves around two main characters, Ruby “Rusty” Bright and Marybeth Spatts, aka Mercy Windsor. Mercy Windsor is a Hollywood actress who has been stripped of her fame and fortune. She retreats to Mercy Peak, a town where her childhood pen pal and best friend Rusty had lived, to start afresh and discover a treasure, in memory of a beloved friend. What was meant to be a hunt for buried treasure turns out to be an opening for new beginnings, not only for Mercy, but also for Rusty, a friend whom Mercy thought had been lost forever.

I loved this novel. Amanda Dykes writing is so satisfying to read. Her style of writing, born from an admirable talent with words, is something to be praised.

The themes in the novel—grief, adventure, healing, friendship, and new beginnings—were well incorporated. There were periods where I got a bit impatient reading because I felt that the story was dragging. Reading the novel to the end made me realize that there was no other way this novel could have been written. The message of healing and new beginnings woven around friendship, a town called Mercy Peak, and the disappearance of the Galloping Goose is best conveyed this way.

I will recommend this book to anyone who wants to go on a virtual adventure.

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House through NetGalley and Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion.

---