In 1874 the legends of fantastical gold finds were the stuff dreams were made of and the young MacKensie boys were no different than any other young men with gold fever in their veins. Were there more coins out there and if there were, could they find them? All they needed was the other half of the map.

Tilda Muirhead had been tasked with finding home for the children on her orphan train, but the MacKensie boys had their own ideas. Finding them at Two Harts Ranch was just the beginning. An unknown brother turns up and sets his mind on returning Tilda to NYC - but is he really her brother?

Add plenty of excitement, an unbelievable archeological find and more and you will not set this installment of the Golden State Treasures aside before the end, and that will leave you waiting for the next one. An early copy was gratefully received through Bethany House Publishers, Baker Publishing Group and NetGalley. These thoughts are my own and were in no way solicited.

Tilda was faced with major challenges throughout the book. She had fallen in love with the Two Harts Ranch and felt she had found a home. I felt sorry for her when her previously unknown family members kept showing up expecting her to go back to New York City with them. I cannot imagine leaving the ranch to return to a city where she had so many bad memories, yet no memories of these people claiming to be her family. I could almost feel sorry for Ben, except he was old enough to know better and to make better decisions. It seemed he was walking a tightrope and got caught in the middle buffeted by strong winds. After making a terrible choice to kidnap Tilda to take her to her father, he realized his father did not approve of his methods, even if it was an attempt to make the father happy. What a mess he was in when he showed back up in Dorada Rio. I liked all the action and the efforts to find the treasure, regardless of whether it turned out to be a huge sum of gold or another kind of treasure. It seems Thayne and Lock continue to be forces to be reckoned with as they keep champing at the bit to get on with the treasure hunt.

As with other books by this author, the story is a light-hearted read with a sprinkling of heart-warming wit. The characters are fleshed out and fill their roles complimenting both the story line and the other characters. An assortment of strong, defending, and willing men on the ranch as well as gifted and strong women blend beautifully; and these strong characters keep the trouble makers at bay.

The troublesome issue of orphaned children prevalent during that period of history continues to flow through this series. Many of these orphans have found a home and shelter on the Hart Ranch. And as begun in the first book in the series, Whispers of Fortune, the search for treasure continues.

In Legends of Gold a bit of real California history going back to the exploration by Spanish Conquistadors is woven into the story line. I found that interesting.

Books by Mary Connealy always satisfy and are enjoyable. Part of this is the trust factor - they are squeaky clean, faith-based (but not preachy), and sometimes elicit a chuckle.

Don't miss this one.

I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given.

Second in the Golden State Treasures series, this book is best read after book one because it continues the quest for a treasure that the MacKenzie brothers are hunting.

The brothers and friends are following a map that their grandfather left them but that leads to trouble and injuries that stall their search. Home base is Two Harts Ranch which is a refuge for orphans including a school run by familiar characters from other series by Ms. Connealy.

Tilda Muirhead has agreed to teach at the ranch but trouble arrives on the train in the form of an unknown, long-lost relative. Josh Hart steps in to rescue this damsel in distress. The author deftly weaves connections together in interesting ways and more than one romance is furthered in the process all with a good dose of her signature humor and solid spiritual representation.

I cannot wait for the third book when finding the treasure is sure to be another impressive story.

*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Bethany House on behalf of the author and via NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*

Though the author does a great job giving a bit of the backstory from book one, do yourself a favor and read Whispers of Fortune so you don't miss one bit of this story of searching for ancient gold and finding love along the way that continues from book to book. In Legends of Gold, we learn much about Tilda Muirhead, the young New York City orphanage employee tasked with finding Lock and Thayne MacKenzie who slipped away from her care on an orphan train. The boys have serious treasure hunting fever. Josh Hart, of Two Harts Ranch, hasn't given much thought to having a wife and family but that changes after he meets Tilda. There's a lot going on in this book, which makes it hard to put down. This series has a connection to The Lumber Baron's Daughters books, which made it particularly fun for me. I always enjoy when authors include characters from previous books. I found Legends of Gold to be absolutely delightful! I received a complimentary copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.