Lone Star Book Blog Tour: A Glitter of Gold by Liz Johnson (Review)

“It don’t have to be gold or silver or nothin’ that glitters. Anything a man sets his mind on is his treasure.”

A little bit of treasure sure can go a long way, and for Anne and Carter, who are both battling their own financial demons, finding a glittering artifact seems like the answer to their prayers. But sometimes you have to discover the past, let go of mistakes and grudges, and open up to forgiveness and acceptance before you can reap any benefits that a bit of gold is willing to give.

A Glitter of Gold by Liz Johnson is the second in the Georgia Coast Romance series, but the setting and characters are different, so these books can stand alone. There is a similarity between both books in that they have a story within a story. In A Glitter of Gold, the modern story is linked to a marvelous tale that unfolds across the pages of a 250-year-old diary.

Both Anne and Carter are each running from a past that refuses to unhook its harmful tentacles. Holding on to resentment or regret will always bring nothing but heartache and fear of commitment. After paying a heavy price for unwittingly becoming embroiled in a deadly scheme, Anne flees California and starts a new life in Savannah, Georgia, as the owner and only employee of Rum Runners History Tours, but she is stuck in a holding pattern as she hides from her past. Carter is struggling to save the Savannah Maritime Museum and keep himself employed, but he is stuck in a holding pattern as well because he staunchly refuses to even acknowledge his family name and wealth as a possible solution. Both Anne and Carter are stubbornly determined to stand on their own two feet, even as their world crumbles around them.

“All is not lost, even when it may seem so.”

Hurricane Lorenzo hits the coast of Georgia, and both Anne’s and Carter’s lives will never be the same. A chance discovery following this storm sets these two on a long overdue decisive course that will force them to open their eyes and hearts to self-forgiveness, acceptance, and love.

Everything about this story is enjoyable, including the old diary entries that bring to life a tale of sweet romance, pirates, and a sunken ship that could mean the answer to both Anne’s and Carter’s financial woes. If they could only find it. And therein lies the problem. Who in their right mind would financially back a wild goose chase that is based on nothing more than a bit of gold, a young girl’s diary, and two people dripping with desperation?

A Glitter of Gold is entertaining all the way through, and Liz Johnson has uniquely weaved together old and new adventures to produce an entrancing tale full of interesting characters and a madcap dash to keep the financial wolves at bay, which also fans the flames of a sweet romance that is full of healing, laughter, reconciliation, and second chances.

While A Glitter of Gold is enjoyable, it is also a reminder of the well-worn cliché that ‘all that glitters (or glisters if you’re a Shakespeare fan) is not gold.’ Friendship, trust, family, and hope are so much more valuable when seeking true happiness and freedom from a dark past and a resentful youth. In their search for a lost ship, Anne and Carter just might find a cache of personal riches that is far more precious than gold.

Enter the giveaway below on or before August 16, 2019, for a chance to win some treasure of your own, including copies of both books in this series, gift cards, and a tote bag!