[ARC Review] Gold Rush by Jenny Bunting
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Reid is a people-pleaser: he's put his dreams of becoming a published author on hold in order to dedicate his time to helping his family's brewery succeed. He thought that was enough. Until Whitney comes to Goldheart. The one person who can rile Reid up, Whitney went from being a stellar student in their college writing class to being a hugely successful indie author. Reid isn't jealous; he just doesn't like Whitney. But with Whitney staying in town in order to finish her latest novel, everything Reid thought he felt for Whitney goes out the window. With their feelings more undeniable every day, Reid and Whitney will have a lot to work through before they can find their happily-ever-after.
I loved the eventual romance between Whitney and Reid. It was spicy, it was fulfilling, it had every bump along the way yet still managed to persevere. But what I loved even more than Reid and Whitney together was their individual stories. Reid had this fantastic storyline that I don't normally see for the male main character: he'd found himself a caretaker of his previous girlfriend's son, thrust into a surrogate fatherhood role before he was willing or ready for such a position. Taking on such a role clearly affected how Reid saw his life unfolding, as well as how others saw him, including his own family. Seeing Reid grow from those expectations into who he actually wanted to be was a highlight of this story for me.
Another highlight, possibly at the top of my list of favorite things from this book, is the absolute real discussions surrounding Whitney, the choice to be childfree, and the pressures society puts on women who make that choice. As someone who has made the same choices as Whitney, I was so happy to see a women in a romance who represented me. As much as I love that more and more romances don't require a couple to have a baby before they can get to that HEA, it's still very rare to see a woman in romance who has specifically made the decision to be childfree, despite all the things her family, friends, and complete strangers have to say about it. For me, Whitney is one of the most relatable characters I've read in quite a while.
Overall, I thought Reid and Whitney's story was well-written and had many conversations and commentary that are so important for people to be having. I loved the banter between the two, but the heart of the story was really what was happening beneath the jabs and insults. While I can't say the two main characters grew as people throughout the story, they certainly learned to express and accept their true selves. Gold Rush was a beautiful tale of getting past perceived grievances, enforcing your own boundaries, and finding love and acceptance within a found family. If you want a poignant and unique romance that deals with some very real issues, look no further than Gold Rush by Jenny Bunting.
A huge thank you to the author for providing an advanced review copy of this beautiful and steamy romance.
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Release date: 4/12/22
Format: eARC
eARC provided via: the author
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