Cover Image: Bridge of Gold

Bridge of Gold

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

I have really grown to love dual timeline stories in the past few years, so I was excited about this intriguing novel. Although this book is part of the Doors to the Past series by Barbour Books Publishing, this novel stands well on its own. The way the story weaved and ultimately came together was great! I liked the research the author put into the historical aspect of the story. The modern storyline was full of suspense and kept my attention. There is clean romance and great spiritual lessons sprinkled throughout the story. The characters are likable and believable. I really enjoyed reading this novel and recommend it to others who enjoy dual timelines!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Tours. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Was this review helpful?

"Bridge of Gold" by Kimberley Woodhouse is a dual timeline novel with suspense in both the past and the present. It is also the third novel in the (Doors to the Past) series but is also a standalone novel.

This book is fiction but based on the building and the repairing of the Golden Gate Bridge. It is also about the greed and dangerous acts that gold has on three generations in family.

This was an interesting read because this novel was a multifaceted read with facts about underwater divers along with the fiction part of the tale.

There is also a part of the story where Kayla Richardson learns to "Let it Go" and be okay with not knowing who and why and giving to Jesus. I guess if this has you curious to know what, you need to read the book.

I really liked the ending, it was a real surprise.

I was given a complimentary copy from the author and Celebrate Lit and these opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

This split-time story was a delight to read, but not so much fun for the characters involved. The author did a great job bringing to life the broad cast of people and the setting in the various time periods. The mystery takes us from the present-day archeological exploration to several times in the past to round out the intriguing tale. The Golden Gate Bridge is the center of the action, and its tie to the Gold Rush and the waters below the impressive structure span generations of treasure seekers and finders. Kayla and Steven are part of the diving team that tries to unravel the dangerous scene. Threats continue as they did for past explorers, which include one of the divers working on the original construction during the Depression. This compelling novel will hold you in its grasp to the very end. Through a book is the best way to explore the sunken ship and the treasures it contains. I think this would make an exciting movie too. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own. #BridgeofGold #NetGalley

Was this review helpful?

This is a great new series, this is a third book and they are all stand alone but each one has been very good, interesting and even insightful. I love learning new things about history and this one was especially interesting as we learn about the Golden Gate Bride and what it took to make that happen.

The author did a great job of feeding my concern for Luke and Margo in 1933 and what might happen to them, or if greed would overtake them.

Kayla was an interesting character as well, as she had some issues she needed to deal with and overcome.

Overall, a very good story.


A copy of this book was given to me through Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

“Certain Moments in Life Define a Person”

What a great opening line! The first thing I wanted to know is whose life we will look at, then, what are their moments. We have a fabulous cast of characters in this dual timeline mystery, in which I was as captivated by the historical elements as the present day. I enjoyed the people in both time periods, especially Kayla, an underwater archaeologist. I also have tremendous admiration for those who did the underwater work in both time periods, as it was frightening for me to even read about!

Margo and Luke are a young couple at the celebration for the groundbreaking for the Golden Gate Bridge in 1933. Luke has a job working underwater on the new bridge; any job is a miracle during the Great Depression. Luke has just proposed to Margo. They are deeply in love and want to marry soon.

Days after he began working, Luke found an old ship in the wall of a cliff far underwater. It is a dangerous location, but he took a quick look in it. Luke found an incredible surprise – a small chunk of gold! Luke and his coworker and close friend from church explored the area again. They both wanted money for their families and split what they found. Then the threats began.

In present day, Kayla is with her counselor. She still struggles from the death of her mother in a hit-and-run auto accident and losing her father to a heart attack only weeks later. If the panic attacks return, she has to stop underwater work until they are gone again. Kayla wants the person who murdered her mother to be punished, and the focus of her life is work and her mother. She eased everyone out of her life, including the Lord.

Kayla was hired by the mayor of San Francisco to go to the remains of a schooner that was found by the contractor doing restoration work on the underwater structure of the Golden Gate. The Lucky Martha sank during the mid-1800’s gold rush with all on board. The thrill for her are the artifacts and other items of historic interest. The thrill for the mayor is the gold. Steven, the owner of the contracting company, went down with Kayla to show her the ship. They found two things that sent Kayla into a spin – a skeleton bound in chains, and a leg bone from a second person, from two different time periods. Steven and his team have been called off work due to the human remains, so they work with Kayla as her crew is on vacation. Then the threats begin, just as they had nearly a century earlier.

I enjoyed this intriguing read and the very likable characters. Luke, Margo, and Steven are people of faith for whom prayer and Bible study are a lifestyle. The Lord begins to break through Kayla’s defenses through circumstances and her friendship with Steven. At least, until someone releases false information about Steven and his company to the press, and he is taken off the job. The author’s research was excellent; I was stunned by how difficult underwater work was in the 1930’s. In many scenes, I felt as if I were there, both in 1933 and the present day. The end is more than satisfactory, especially the surprises! I highly recommend this novel to those who appreciate well-written historical and contemporary novels of intrigue and romance, archaeology, and very human characters who love the Lord.

From a thankful heart: I received a copy of this from Barbour through NetGalley and Celebrate Lit, and this is my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I've only read one other book in this series that I absolutely enjoyed and I must confess I was looking forward to this story.
The dual timelines, the love stories and the history behind the tales made for a really interesting and page turning story.
They grow both in their faith and through the cause of the story.
It a wonderful story and a great one for lovers of historical and contemporary fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. All opinions expressed are solely mine.

Was this review helpful?

An exciting job just got dangerous...

Even if I were not already reading the Doors To The Past series I would have wanted to read Bridge Of Gold. Kimberley Woodhouse had me when I saw that her heroine is an archaeologist, and more interestingly, she's an underwater archaeologist. I think this may be the first book I've read where a lead character had that particular occupation. As a history lover this was right up my alley.

I'll admit that it's been awhile since I've read anything by Kimberley Woodhouse, either solo or co-written, but Bridge Of Gold was the perfect choice to dive back in as it features both her her historical and contemporary fiction in one neat package.

I'm sure that writing dual timeline stories like the Doors To The Past series isn't always the easiest. Not only do you have two different genres but the stories have to be layered just right so key elements are not revealed either too early or too late. It's also vital for the mystery elements that span decades and centuries. I can tell you that Kimberley Woodhouse does a great job with that in Bridge Of Gold. Everything is revealed just when it should be.

I enjoyed reading Bridge Of Gold and feel that it's a solid addition to the intriguing Doors To The Past series. I look forward to reading more from Kimberley Woodhouse and more from this series...

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

Was this review helpful?

So far I have been enjoying the books in this series so far. I'll admit that I did not know I wanted to read a fictional mystery surrounding the Golden Gate Bridge until I picked up Bridge of Gold.

I enjoyed the intrigue that takes place in this duel timeline novel, one timeline set in 1933 as construction on the bridge gets underway, and in the present day when a mysterious sunken ship is found close to the south tower. I also really liked how we got the antagonists' perspectives in both timelines. It added an extra level of mysteriousness and creep factor to the story that made me want to keep reading to find out who they were and how they made themselves known to the main characters. I'll also admit that I'm not the biggest fan of dual timelines, but it was done really well and I found it fascinating how everything ended up tying together in the end.

I also liked that a kind of subplot to the main story was Kayla having to deal with her grief and anger over her parents' deaths, as well as learning to forgive and find closure. I also liked getting to know Steven and watch the relationship between the two of them grow. It was also enjoyable getting to know Luke and Margo in 1933 and their struggles during the Depression. However, I found myself on the edge of my seat waiting to see if they would be together or not...I'm not going to go into specifics, but if you know, you know. Also, am I the only one who found the Mayor annoying?

Overall, I did enjoy Bridge of Gold, I loved how it made me root for the characters, but also made me worry that not all of them would make it to the end. I m looking forward to reading more from Kimberley Woodhouse in the future. 4/5 Stars.

Was this review helpful?

This is another fantastic book by Kimberley Woodhouse! (Honestly, it’s only my second one by her - The Mayflower Bride was my first - but, it’s great nonetheless!!). I loved the way the storylines flowed - each was distinct yet interconnected. I love when historical fiction gets me interested in a period of history, and Mrs Woodhouse has done that with the legend, lore, and history of The Golden Gate Bridge. Mrs Woodhouse did a thorough job of researching the area during the different time periods. The dual timelines are seamless and flow well. The character development is flawless, and the plot line keeps a great, captivating pace. I do have one complaint - I did not get much sleep while reading this book!!! :) it kept me up at night with the “just one more chapter” syndrome. I highly recommend this book, and I am off to find other books by Kimberley Woodhouse!

Was this review helpful?

“The mystery and legend of the Lucky Martha just got a lot more complicated. Because they weren’t just dealing with an excavation. Now he was pretty certain they were dealing with murder.” Travel back in time to the building of the Golden Gate Bridge, the years before as San Francisco is being formed, and again forward to present-day San Fran. Bridge of Gold by Kimberley Woodhouse is certainly one of Woodhouse’s best! The third in the Doors of the Past series, each book is a standalone novel, involving a dual timeline. Woodhouse has masterfully built so much suspense into this story of two couples, Luke and Margo, and Kayla and Steven. Generations apart, 3 of the four individuals are divers, working on or around the Golden Gate Bridge.
I love dual timelines, and this one is no exception, extremely well-done. Woodhouse alternately
hands us various “jigsaw puzzle pieces” of the story, challenging the reader to put together the mystery (and there are several!) before it is revealed.
Fear, Trust, Letting Go, Greed, Entitlement, and Forgiveness (of the most heinous crimes) are all themes.) I loved being inside so many different characters’ minds. I could feel each person’s need to keep secrets or respond in the way they did (mostly).
Woodhouse pulls out all the stops with some great twisted thinking on the part of her criminals, great story twists, and even the fact that the author’s notes came in the beginning, as opposed to the end of the story. That alone really whetted my appetite for this great historical fiction novel!
I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher via Celebrate Lit. No positive review was required. My thoughts are voluntarily submitted, and all opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

This is book three of the Door of the Past series. This is the second book I have read and so far it has been an enjoyable experience. They are written by different authors and they do not correspond with each other so they can all be read as stand alone novels. I think one of the main reasons I enjoy this series is that it is in dual timelines and lately that has become my jam! It's satisfying to read two different stories that intertwined by the end and you get your "aha" moment!

In this one we step back into time and we head to San Francisco during the Depression Era and the building of the Golden Gate Bridge. We also see present time San Francisco and the refurbishing of the bridge as well. The characters on both timelines are well written and both had very interesting backstories that added to the overall story. The present day characters Steven and Kayla were great and relatable. I enjoyed seeing their friendship blossom into something more. I absolutely loved Margo and Luke from the past. Their love for God and faith in Him was utterly amazing. They were the type of Christians you strive to be. Even in the face of temptation (the gold) they both realized what was more important.

The story covers a few elements that I enjoy such a mystery, suspense and of course romance. I felt like the ending was a bit rushed and truly didn't understand where the present day culprit came up with the journal and how to find the gold so that was my only negative regarding this story. Overall I really enjoyed this story. I learned something new in history. I had no clue that there were ships buried under the San Francisco shoreline or city. So that definitely sent me on a search for more knowledge which I love when that happens. The author does a great job at weaving in faith in God throughout the story in both timelines. If you enjoy dual timelines and stories based off historical events then I definitely recommend this one!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, Scuba diving, the Gold Rush, the Depression...all of these meet in this amazing time slip novel. Work on the foundations of the bridge by scuba divers in the 1930s and then present day uncovers treasure, murder and mystery. The author makes history and her characters come alive as she weaves the various historical areas together. I love historical fiction and this book is well-written and grabbed my attention.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Was this review helpful?

This is a time slip novel so it bounces back and forth between two time periods. I enjoyed both the story of Luke and Margo and Kayla and Steven. It's hard to choose one over the other so I pick both!
It's really fun to read about places you've been! This book centers around the Golden Gate Bridge in 1933 and present day. I've ridden across the bridge but didn't think about how much work and risk that was taken to build it. I had no idea about what when into the construction and the danger that the workers had. It makes me appreciate it even more Stories about hidden treasure are one of my favorite kinds of stories. I like the adventure and danger of the treasure hunt. I liked how Kimberly Woodhouse combined both the past and present and created an engaging story.

I recommend this book to my family and friends.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

My thoughts: wow! What a story! And there's so many interesting bits of History included that I never knew. Fascinating. The romance was quiet, slow, but realistic, the suspense was equally slow but wrapped in history as it was, it was fascinating. How will they ever sell the murder that occurred over a hundred years ago and then one that occurred close to 80 years ago on the same sunken ship where they are excavating buried treasure. And when the murder mystery started impacting modern times, one wondered who done it and why? Would they ever figure it out? Or will everything be destroyed in the process? You have to read this exciting story to find out. I highly recommend Kimberly woodhouse's books in bridge of gold this top notch. Truly golden. I was given a copy free and all opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Bridge of Gold is an interesting story that combines the past and present with the history of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and the Gold Rush during the Great Depression. Kayla is a present day underwater archeologist hired to do repairs to one of the towers and uncovers two human remains from the late 1800s and the 1930s.

The author does a great job of replaying the greed aspect of the Gold Rush in to the story. The book is a wonderful story with details about diving, historical and modern woven in tying it all together for a nice ending.

Was this review helpful?

This is my first Kimberley Woodhouse book, but I know it won’t be my last. Kimberley is known for her historical romances. “Bridge of Gold” lived up to this but so much more than romance. It’s a split time or dual timeline, with the present day and 1930’s during the building of the Golden Gate bridge. There is well researched history, suspense and mystery in both timelines involving stolen gold. Born and raised in the mid-west I was very intrigued learning the history of the Golden Gate bridge. With dual timelines there are heroes and heroines in both eras. With Bridge of Gold we not only get that but we also get additional characters and their points of view in each timeline. That could be too many points of view. Kimberley handles it well and switching the characters point of view doesn’t take the reader out of the story. We see all four of the main characters develop and develop their faith as the story progresses. After reading this, I know I will definitely add more Kimberley Woodhouse novels to my reading lists.

Was this review helpful?

Bridge of Gold is part of the Doors to the Past series. This series features historical stories from various authors that can all be read as standalones.

My top two preferred genres to read are romantic suspense/mystery and historical fiction. This story gave me a good mix of both...and I absolutely loved it. It was written as a dual timeline, which I admit I can be a little skeptical about as I've read too many that just aren't done as well as they could be leaving me either confused about how the stories go together or connecting with only one of the timelines. In this story, I neither of those happened. I found myself able to follow along quite easily, and I really enjoyed both timelines and their characters pretty equally. The concept of this story was very unique, and the adventure of a sunken treasure certainly drew me in. I enjoyed the great blend of mystery and romance, with some great elements of faith too. On the history side, it also offered a really interesting look at what it took for the Golden Gate Bridge to be built... I found this super fascinating and it definitely added a new level of appreciation for this iconic structure.

If you're looking for a great historical read with a good dose of mystery, this is one not to be missed!


**I received a complimentary copy of this book for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

Was this review helpful?

A mark of a good historical novel is one that drives me to do my own research when I finish the book, and that was true for Bridge of Gold by Kimberley Woodhouse. But then the book also gives us a modern-day storyline to enhance that history.

This book was rich with details about San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, SCUBA diving, the Great Depression, and more. Add in an intriguing suspense (and some intense scenes underwater), and you can’t help but keep turning the pages.

Plus, with this dual time read, you get double the romance. The two couples are tied together by what they find, but their journeys are completely different.

In the author’s note at the beginning of the book, Woodhouse states she plans to return to the split time genre, and I look forward to what she dives into next.


Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Bridge of Gold by Kimberley Woodhouse is a phenomenal time slip novel. I have read much historical fiction and I could not resist this novel since its topic, the Golden Gate Bridge, is so near my home. I expected a well researched novel, and this was certainly that. But I was blown away by the author’s engrossing storytelling. This novel is such a compelling read, you won’t be able to put it down. The characters are interesting and unique, creating a plot hard to predict. The mystery in the story was fascinating and really tied all the pieces of the story together. I loved everything about this book, even the intriguing extra historical notes that the author added before the novel. Readers of historical fiction will adore this book. It’s a great read. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Was this review helpful?

Author Kimberley Woodhouse has penned a noteworthy Book Three in the Doors to the Past Series. I have loved the first two books and found this one equally compelling. Each book is a standalone mystery, adventure about a famous landmark. They are “time slip” novels or where a two stories of different eras are written to combine into one magnificent tale.

The Bridge if Gold centers around the Golden Gate Bridge and a sunken ship. Along with the ship there is talk of murder and gold treasure. With adventure, danger, mystery, and intrigue the author captures us in a riveting tale. I stayed up late turning pages to see what would happen next.

This is the modern day story of marine archeologist Kayla Richardson. She joins Steven Michaels, who is in charge of the Repairs and Restorations being made to the Golden Gate Bridge, to solve the mystery behind human remains found on the ship. They make a good team.

It is also the story of Margo Hunley and Luke Moreau in 1933. Luke was a part of the diving team that helped build the Golden Gate Bridge. He was a great guy and loved Margo. The underwater job he had was extremely dangerous.

Author Woodhouse did an exemplary job penning this story. Her characters are lifelike and believable. I became invested in their lives and stories quickly. The dialog helped moved the story along at a smooth, even pace. It sounded authentic. I loved that Luke was French and spoke with an accent.

There is so much that makes this a great book. Twists and turns abound to keep readers on their toes. The author kept springing surprises on me. There is a plethora of inspirational and timeless life lessons. It brings glory to God without being preachy.

I highly recommend this brilliant book. It would be an excellent choice for a book club or reading group. Five out of five stars is my rating for it. I received a copy from NetGalley, but these are my own opinions.

Was this review helpful?