Heart of Gold

To summarize Heart of Gold into one sentence, this book is a western romance that shows the value of family, with a Christmas flair added in for good measure.

I loved the idea of a lonely criminal stranded with a big, rambling family over Christmas. Tom's carefree attitude had me smiling. I also liked the way Ida's struggle to overcome the trauma of her kidnapping was portrayed. Not too smothering, but also realistic of how a girl would feel after suffering at the hands of rough men.

I was not so fond of the rush to the kiss–I'm pretty picky about how I like romance portrayed. I also would have liked to see the redemption theme played out more fully and explained more in depth.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book, but my thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.