Cover Image: Bridge of Gold

Bridge of Gold

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Bridge of Gold, by Kimberley Woodhouse, is the third stand alone novel in the Doors to the Past series. This engrossing dual timeline novel is a wonderful blend of history, mystery, and romance. Utterly compelling, this well written book thoughtfully blends characters and events from the past and the present to tell a moving story that is gripping, touching, and memorable. With intriguing characters and fascinating settings, Ms. Woodhouse has crafted a captivating story that is very entertaining.  

From the parks and neighborhoods of San Francisco, to the tumultuous Pacific waters of the Golden Gate strait, this novel draws the reader into a coastal world of underwater legends, greed, and peril. Hidden under the ocean waters, clues to a century old mystery are uncovered exposing truths that have nearly been lost with the passage of time and shifting ocean currents. The captivating plot alternates easily between two points in time, one in the past and one in the present. These storylines find connections in scenes of danger, uncertainty, loss, longing, romance, friendship, hope, and redemption.

Throughout the novel, the characters show themselves to be thoughtful, resilient, determined, and faithful. Their experiences and choices are interesting and thought-provoking. Though they are challenged by events that test their assumptions and threaten their dreams, their faith holds strong. Even when facing danger and uncertainty, their tenacity and fortitude is inspiring.
 
As a novel, Bridge of Gold is a riveting mystery, a terrific historical, and a sweet romance. The well researched details, immersive settings, complex characters, and engaging storytelling ensure that each moment spent reading this novel is a worthy and enjoyable experience. It is truly a great novel, and I sincerely recommend it. 

 
*I was given a copy of this book by CelebrateLit and NetGalley. A review was not required. The review I have written is voluntary and contains opinions that are entirely my own.

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As long as they kept God first, the rest would fall into place…..

Luke Moreau is one of the divers, working on the floor of the strait, preparing it for the south tower of the most beautiful suspension bridge. 1933 was a time when a job, regardless of the danger involved, was most important, especially for one that wanted to marry and have a family. What he found while working changed his life and the lives of others around him.

Present day finds Kayla, an underwater archaeologist, diving in that same area, but this time to discover what history lies beneath the water. Is it possible that the Lucky Martha, missing since the late 1890’s, has finally been found? What treasures might they find on this wreck from so long ago?

With incredible detail, the author takes us through the door to the past when the Golden Gate Bridge was being built. The dangers of diving and working underwater are well documented. What happens and what is found in the darkness leads to choices and even more danger. Threats, damaged equipment, murder and unfounded accusations - what have these people from two different times discovered that would cause all these dishonorable actions?

This ARC was received through Barbour Publishing, NetGalley and CelebrateLit. The impressions and comments are my own and were in no way solicited.

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Last summer I had the privilege of visiting the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, along with my husband and our four daughters. I found it quite fascinating, and was immediately intrigued when I heard about this book that would take place there. Not only would it be a familiar location, I hoped to learn more about the history of this beautiful landmark.
What a story! I loved it from beginning to end. Kimberley Woodhouse has given us a beautiful, well-written tale of history, mystery, love, and much more.

There are two timelines in this story, and they are both crucial to understanding the mystery, and then seeing its resolution.
In the 1930s, we see the men involved in the building of the bridge, who accidentally stumbled upon a hidden ship. Because they found some gold, they were determined to uncover more, and therefore put themselves in danger.
In the present day time line, we have the professional divers who are trying to recover the Lucky Martha as part of their job. I enjoyed meeting Steven and Kayla and watching them try to solve the old mystery that was this boat.
Treasure, gold, shipwrecks. All of these are intriguing to me. This shipwreck in particular, because it is surrounded in so much superstition and even a curse.
Suspense filled and intriguing from beginning to end, if you enjoy historical mysteries, you won't want to miss this one!
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

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Bridge of Gold is an exciting story of restoration of the Golden Gate Bridge! I had a little trouble in the beginning keeping straight which time frame I was reading since they took place at the exact same location! I admired Kayla Richardson who was a modern day underwater archeologist! (Who knew such a job title existed!) Kayla makes some amazing discoveries. The earlier 1933 story was pretty hairy with the rather primitive diving equipment and dangers. I recommend this interesting Doors to the Past story to history lovers. The book had a sweet ending. I received a complimentary e-book through NetGalley and the author. This is my honest opinion.

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Doors To The Past is an exciting series Barbour has out featuring national and historic monuments.
And it's done in a way that the details are not just skimmed over but presented in an informative yet interesting manner. This much information would not be available if you hadn't read the books unless you did the research yourself.
Bridge of Gold is a Time Slip featuring historical and contemporary times mixed with suspense.
This one features the building of The Golden Gate Bridge and a shocking discovery made in modern times as repairs where being done on this bridge.
It shows how man's greed has become his downfall, after a shocking discovery is it still worth killing for?
Once I picked up this book I could not put it down. It's excellent!

Pub Date 01 Jun 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

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Bridge of Gold by Kimberley Woodhouse is a part of the Doors to the Past series. This is the story of two different couples in two different time periods. In 1933, Luke Moreau, a diver is working on the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. His underwater discovery puts his fiancé, Margo’s life in danger. Present day, while doing repairs on the bridge the discovery of a lifetime is made. Underwater archaeologist, Kayla Richardson is hired by the mayor to unearth the find. But danger lurks around every corner. Someone doesn’t want the treasure brought to the surface and will stop at nothing to keep it for themselves. I enjoyed the different time periods. Getting to “see” the bridge constructed and then years later repaired was a different perspective. Overall it was a quick read for me and a very refreshing read.


I received this book from Celebrate-Lit for my honest review.

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I have never been to San Francisco (never been to California) but after reading this story, I felt that I almost visited. The author put her notes in the beginning of this book, which makes sense as you get into the novel. San Francisco has a very interesting history especially how the shoreline was built up.

This novel takes place in two different story lines, but a third and earlier one has great impact on it. The contemporary story deals with excavating historical significant finds from a sunken ship that has quite a legend attached to it. The 1930's story line dealt with the building of The Golden Gate Bridge and the same boat.

Even though all three story lines took place in very different times, the depression era verses modern, the lust for riches and the evil attached was pretty much the same. As our heroes and heroines worked through their struggles, the evil seemed always to be stalking them. I found the resemblance and how little man and his sin has not changed to be quite eye opening when you really sit down and think about it. We really haven't 'evolved' much. Thankfully God offers grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

This was an interesting time split novel that continued to show how 1849 really shaped California.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

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I am adding this book to my list of favorite books for 2021. I love dual time-line stories and this book is one of the best I have read. The author delivers a tale where we are introduced to a wonderful journey of gold, sunken ships and a mystery that spans several generations. I was so fascinated by the diving that went on in the different time periods. I can’t imagine wearing bulky head gear and depending on someone to make sure you had an air supply.

It’s hard to say which time period I liked the most because they each were a puzzle piece that connected together to bring us a wonderful story of hidden treasures below the sea. The waters were murky and dangerous for Luke and his friend George. They worked long hours trying to help get the bridge built. Who knew they would discover a remarkable relic while diving? I liked Luke and knew his heart was in the right place. He wasn’t greedy and wanted only the best for his future bride. There are great characters in the story, but I have to say Luke was my favorite. His love for God was wonderful to read and it sets the stage for the next time period.

Kayla has a fascinating job and I loved following her beneath the sea where she uncovers a mystery that spans many years. The way the famous bridge comes into play is an historical lesson that has made me do more research on the subject. The author has done a great job of delivering a story rich in facts that enhance the book. With her ability to take me along with Kayla as she dove under water speaks volumes about her creativity. As Kayla teams up with Steven to do some work for the Mayor , they find themselves deep in mystery as the dark surrounds them under the murky water. Steven is a good character who continues to show Kayla that he can be trusted. The struggle Kayla has with something from her past hinders her from concentrating on her job at times.

The story is definitely a thriller and will keep you on the edge of your seat. What do Kayla and Steven discover that threatens them? Can they solve a mystery from long ago and set the record straight for a family? I loved the lessons on trust, greed, forgiveness and allowing God to help you through past hurts.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

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A Bridge of Gold, by Kimberley Woodhouse is book three in the Door to the Past series. It is also a stand alone dual timeline story. This story focuses on events surrounding building San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge and a sunken boat in the 1930’s. As well as finding the boat while working on the bridge in modern day. Both times we see people who are trying to do what is right and those who will do anything for the treasure in the boat.
I really enjoyed reading this story, it has good, strong, caring characters. It is so well written it is easy to envision the building of the bridge as well as the investigations of the boat. The story is full of action and suspense, which made it hard to put down. I enjoyed the history given as well as the theme of trusting God and having faith. This story does involve a murder. It also has a touch of romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, this is my honest review.

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What a book! Bridge of Gold has so much going for it. I hardly know where to begin. The characters are above and beyond well-written. They're real and honest and adorable. The relationships between each couple felt like real life while the split time gave wonderful glimpses into the past and all that divers endured during the building of the bridge. Add in a Gold Rush mystery and I was head over heels for this story. I love how the past and present collided at the end, bringing the book to a solid conclusion. Though I'd love to spend more time with the characters, their resolution made me smile. I hope Steven gets his sweater! I received a copy of this book from the author through Celebrate Lit. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

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4.5 stars-rounded up

I am not a huge fan of mystery stories. Or split timelines too much. But this was really nice.
What I liked: I enjoyed how the characters weren’t perfect. Why did one character stay in a dangerous situation? Well, because he was a flawed character! And mistakes were made. But that was exactly what I loved.
What I didn’t like: it was hard for me to get into this book. I didn’t warm up to the main female characters until about the 30% mark. Had I not committed to reading this, I probably would have stopped. But I’m glad I didn’t stop! This was much better once the set up was out of the way!

Overall a good read, especially if you like dual timelines and mysteries.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher to facilitate a review. All opinions are my own and I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise.

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I really enjoyed learning about the Golden Gate Bridge and how it came about. It was made even more interesting with the story of Kayla and Steven and how they found as story from the past as they were called in for a discovery when repairs were being made to the bridge. I liked seeing how the past and present were intertwined and the mysteries of the gold and bodies made it a very good read. I look forward to more I received a copy to read, the review is mine.

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As an underwater archeologists, Kayla has seen her share of interesting artifacts. When the mayor asks her to be involved with a special project that involves gold being discovered underneath the Golden Gate Bridge, she is intrigued. Steven and his crew will be there to support the process.

In the 1930s, finding a job was hard. Luke is a part of the crew that is building the new San Francisco bridge. The work might be dangerous, but he is grateful that he will be able to support his fiancé when they get married soon. But then he finds something that he was not anticipating. How he proceeds changes everything.

This is the second book that I have read in the Doors to the Past series. The author did a great job of connecting the two series together even though there was almost 100 years between them. This book definitely illustrated the confusion and turmoil that the promise of gold can cause for people. I have always been fascinated by underwater archeology, and this book does a great job of highlighting that field as well.

Reading this book helped me to appreciate the architectural feats that happened before technology. I never had considered how dangerous bridge building would have been. Now when I see pictures of the Golden Gate bridge, I will recognize that the structure came with sacrifices.

I would definitely recommend this romantic suspense time slip book. I did request to read an advanced copy because the plot intrigued me. I was not disappointed. This review was not required. All opinions are my own.

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I enjoyed Woodhouse's engaging and informative book. I like the dual time plot, giving readers insights into the building of the Golden Gate Bridge as well as solving contemporary mysteries surrounding the bridge. I had no idea some of San Francisco was built over some 40 sunken ships. Many ships came into the harbor during the gold rush and some were abandoned. The wood from a few of the ships was used for building but the rest became landfill as the coastline of the city was expanded.

Woodhouse says she did much research on diving so we get a real sense of what it was like to help construct the underwater towers for the bridge around 1933 and investigate a sunken ship today.

Woodhouse has woven an entertaining plot around the two time periods. There is a good dose of suspense as we see how greed can be deadly when there is the possibility of gold to be retrieved from the sunken vessel. The characters are well developed and the plot moves well. This is a novel to read for entertainment and to learn a little history.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review.

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I love this series! I was hesitant at first due to my usual distaste for dual time-line fiction, but this series is changing my mind. I'm three books in, and they've all held my attention and I've loved both sides of the timeline. This one is no exception.
Kayla is a highly sought-after expert in underwater archaeology, living in the shadow of her parents' death. It has colored her world for years and left her buried in her work, alone and unable to grieve because she feels justice was never done. A new job unraveling a decades old mystery involving a lost ship and the Golden Gate Bridge is a good distraction, but it may be Steven - handsome leader of the assisting dive team - who can help her heal and find herself again.
The historical mystery of divers in the past searching for lost sunken treasure to save their families from the Depression is engaging but I actually enjoyed the present-day timeline of this story just a little more.
The research is impeccably done. I enjoyed seeing the parallels and changes in the diving profession over the decades. And, now I really want to go to San Francisco to experience the lovely weather and beautiful scenery.
All of Woodhouse's main characters are characters of strong faith in God, and I love seeing how their faith impacts the way they meet the challenges around them.
I'm eager to read more of this series, and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoyed historical fiction with a dash of mystery and romance.

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This was a great dual time line story by Kimberley Woodhouse. I liked learning some of the history of the Golden Gate bridge. I also loved that their was a mystery to the whole story. I also liked how the romance between each couple developed and I liked how the modern day couple learned about the couple from 1933. I also loved how she showed what greed can do to a person and that when it becomes an obsession it can cause you to be a scary person. I liked how everything ended and I thought this was well written.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

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Travel back to 1933 San Francisco where you will meet struggling couple Margo Hunley and Luke Moreau and witness the building of the Golden Gate Bridge complete with the mystery surrounding a sunken ship and highly sought-after treasure. Turn the pages to current times and learn how this “multigenerational and multifaceted” mystery is still affecting lives including those of underwater archeologist Kayla Richardson and underwater construction diver Steven Michaels. Believe me, you will continue turning the pages moving from the past to the present and back to find out how this story plays out! This well executed, easy-to-follow, suspenseful dual timeline saga drew me in with the first line and held me tight to the last one! The intriguing plot moves at a steady pace. Detailed descriptions, especially of the underwater action, put you at the scene and allow you to feel the story. The characters are well developed and engaging. The faith element is strong, and the romance is sweet. This fictional account based on historical fact has all you need for a captivating, adventurous read—intrigue, mystery, and suspense tempered by romance, faith, and courage. This is book 3 in Barbour’s fantastic Doors to the Past series. I totally enjoyed this book and highly recommend it and the series especially for lovers of historical fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in e-book form from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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This was such a fun read! I enjoyed the dual time mystery and I thought Kimberley wove the different eras together really well. Luke and Margo and Kayla and Steven were really great characters and their romances developed naturally. The bad guy in the current day timeline totally surprised me and the ending of the historical time line was really good. I really enjoyed this easy dual time read. Looking forward to more of these!

I received this book from the author and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

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Bridge of Gold is the latest in Barbour's Doors to the Past series and it another delightful read of it. (Please note that all the stories are stand alones.) The setting is the 1930's and modern San Francisco and it focuses on the building of the Golden Gate Bridge and a shipwreck with gold close to it. Both focus on getting the gold out and the greed that comes with a sudden treasure!
If you like the dual line genre, you will love this one! I received a complimentary copy of the book through NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.

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This was such a compelling story. It occurred through a couple different time periods, one laying the mystery and another solving the mystery. I loved the idea of the whole thing. There were two different couples that I was invested in and they each had so much depth of character. Even the side characters were well developed.

The antagonist in this remained a mystery to the end. We had information, but not the identity. The mystery was a slow burn that gave clues in each of the separate timelines. I found that I drew some conclusions in the stories and was delighted that I was wrong on some of the things. I know, but I can't say more, it's a mystery.

I have loved these mysteries in this multi-author Doors to the Past series. The authors have found some extraordinary events and mysteries as well as a strong love story and a happily ever after. I will have to find the ones I haven't read and add them to my collection.

I received an early copy through NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest review.

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