Thank you to NetGalley and Viper Publishers for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The blurb:
* A BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK *

'Gold fever has taken him. I believe he means to kill me...

Canada, 1898. The gold rush is on in the frozen wilderness of the Yukon. Fortunes are made as quickly as they're lost, and Dawson City has become a lawless settlement.

In its midst, three women are trying to survive on the edge of civilisation. Journalist Kate has travelled hundreds of miles after receiving a letter from her sister, who fears that her husband will kill her. Martha's hotel is under threat from the local strongman who is buying up the town. And down by the river, Ellen feels her future slip away as her husband fails to find the gold they risked so much to seek.

When a woman is murdered, Kate, Martha and Ellen find their lives, fates and fortunes intertwined. But to unmask her killer, they must navigate a desperate land run by dangerous men who will do anything for a glimpse of gold...’

This was my first book by Beth Lewis and I will definitely keep an eye out for her other books. I found this book so exciting with its vivid descriptions of the White Pass rapids, the avalanche, gold fever, the typhoid epidemic, the fire in Dawson City and the general lawlessness of life in the Alaskan frontier. The story is told by three strong women and I found them all likeable in their own ways. The book flows well and there were times when I could not put it down. Other than excitement, the book made me feel scared, sad, tense, captivated by the beauty of the Yukon and frustrated at how women were treated in those days. I’m giving this book 5 stars - it’s an exhilarating read I will be recommending!

Reviews will be put on Goodreads, Fable, Amazon and Waterstones.

“Humanity, it seemed, was the first sacrifice on the trail for gold.”

What a fantastic book. I’ve read every single book of Beth Lewis and what I love is that every single book is different and yet brilliant. There is no type here, she’s just a fantastic author able to create unique and fantastic worlds.

This is no exception and a story of the highest quality. I couldn’t read this quick enough as the story of the three female characters was spellbinding. The combination of hope, love, redemption and tolerance was sublime.
I am incredibly grateful to the publishers for allowing me to read this treasure early.

The Rush by Beth Lewis is one of the best historical novels I've read in a long time. It grabbed me from the very first page, and I was instantly beguiled by the tale of three different women - Martha, Kate and Ellen - all three of whom are fighting hard to survive in a dangerous man's world. This book took me right into the lawless wilds of Canada, in 1898, in the middle of the Klondike Goldrush. Lewis has a fantastic way of painting vivid, visceral scenes, using all the senses, and her historical detail is precise and perfect. The storyline progressed swiftly, the three women's lives intertwining cleverly, and I was hooked until the last page. Brilliant stuff.

Having not heard of this author before, I wasn't sure what to expect of this novel. It was full of history, intrigue, strong women and murder. I couldn't put it down and am devastated it has ended. I'd love to know what happens next for these 3 friends.

In Beth Lewis’ The Rush, gold fever is running high. It’s 1898 and prospectors are arriving in the Klondike in their thousands, intent upon making their fortunes by striking gold. In the bustling towns of the Klondike, savvy business people make a brisk trade from the miners, but gold is hard won. As optimism turns to desperation, the darkest side of humanity is exposed.

The novel alternates between the perspectives of three very different women who have their own reasons for becoming embroiled in the gold rush and are unknowingly bound together. Lewis’ superb storytelling brilliantly evoked the challenges that they faced in a remote location where disease spread rapidly and lawlessness was rife.

The historical setting of The Rush was very interesting, however, I found the depictions of violence and brutality difficult to read. My lasting impression of this novel is that it was about survival in a cold, hostile environment. This was a great opportunity to learn about the Klondike gold rush, its profound impact on the mindset of the men and women who were involved and its far-reaching ecological consequences. I’m very glad to have read this novel.

Thank you so much to the publishers – Viper, Serpent’s Tail and Profile - and to NetGalley for sharing a free digital review copy of this novel with me in exchange for an honest review.

The Rush is a fabulous novel about the Gold Rush in Canada in the late 1800s. It takes us to Dawson City and introduces us to three strong-willed women in a world where men seem to hold all the power—or do they?

Our three main characters offer a nuanced view of Dawson City and the surrounding area during the Gold Rush. We have our brothel owner, Martha (although she thinks of it differently), our prospector's wife, Ellen, and our young news reporter, Kate, who is also a visitor to the area. And we also have a mystery to solve: Who murdered Molly?

This is a fast-paced novel, the narrative switching between our three women and moving slightly backwards and forwards through time. It is a fascinating look at what was happening in 1898 and how this affected those involved. It is at times bleak and unsettling. It is also an interesting examination of what drove men (and women) to venture to such inhospitable locations. The mystery itself is well-plotted and keeps readers on their toes. Who killed Molly? And more importantly why?

I found this novel to be thoroughly engrossing. I especially enjoyed learning how the author devised her characters based on real historical personalities.

A fine read. Sure to be devoured by all.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my review copy.

A mystery and a great character study of three different women during the Gold Rush.
That is not to say there is little plot - on the contrary, it is an action-packed book with lots happening.
Tells the brutality of the times very well, but the stories of Kate, Ellen and Martha make this book unique.

Really interesting portrayal of the Gold Rush in the late19th century. It was brutal and a man’s world but this story centres on the women who also survived and made a life here.

The best book I’ve read this month - I couldn’t put this down and was hooked from the very first chapter! I loved every single one of our very different, but strong and independent leading women, and the story was as exciting as the gold rush itself! I adore books that have that western feeling to them, and this is one of the best - and definitely my favourite of the author’s, who is a brilliant writer.

The only negative thing I would say is that there’s a lot of animal violence and death, which I really can’t stomach so had to skim over. Otherwise, a fantastic read!

The Rush is an evocative exciting and at times heartbreaking story of the Yukon gold rush where thousands of men uprooted themselves travelling through treacherous territories to become rich. There has never been a better description of how gold fever caused men to lose their minds and life in their attempts to become rich.
Here we have three very different women telling the story which interlink seamlessly and beautifully. Kate has arrived in Skagway she has been tasked with writing an article for a newspaper, a lone traveller at very difficult times.
Ellen is married to Charles who has a hunger to find gold using Ellen’s fathers money, he is selfish and headstrong refusing to listen to anyone.
Martha a saloon owner and madam to a group of prostitutes is making her fortune from all the prospectors.
Each of these woman are strong characters and well described, you are drawn into their world and follow the trials they endure.
Based on a time in history that has been well documented this is a page turning engrossing read which evokes many emotional highs and lows as you follow their lives.
I have visited Skagway and travelled the White Pass and read snippets of history around the town, this book has brought it all to life in the vivid descriptions and scenes. Highly recommended not just as a fabulous read but also a fascinating history lesson.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

Absolutely brilliant! The characters Martha, Ellen and Kate are all from such very different backgrounds but are connected through the murder of someone close to all three. The three female protagonists are all strong women - a character trait necessary for survival in the gold rush taking place in the Klondike tegion of Canada in the late 1800s.

Great plot with lots of interesting moments and definitely a lot of action. Really well-paced. I enjoyed it from beginning to end. I was curious how accurate the events were and found a substantial part of the novel inspired by real life events. This was really interesting in itself to read about alongside the novel.

I am also particularly excited to see Goldsboro Books have a special edition of this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

Character driven story of life during the gold rush in the Yukon.

This novel concentrates on the lives of 3 women - Kate, Ellen, and Martha, whose lives become intertwined. Each facing their own challenges in what is undoubtedly a man’s world.
Kate is travelling alone in the search for her sister. Martha is running a hotel/ brothel, and Ellen keeps house while her husband mines an unsuccessful claim.

I was attracted to this book based on the female narrative of life in such a difficult time and place, and the story is vivid in its demonstration of the hard living of those prospecting for gold, and the brutality of their lives. I loved the book even more on reading the historical notes at the end about who each character was based on -had been skeptic about the fortune teller!

This is the first time I've read anything by Beth Lewis, but I can guarantee it definitely won't be the last. The setting of the Klondike gold rush was so well described in all of it's harsh beauty I really felt like I was there. The three main characters, Kate, Martha and Ellen were so well written I was completely invested in their stories and they have stayed with me after finishing the book. I was rooting for them to succeed in the harsh, male dominated world. This book kept me up to the early hours as I just didn't want to put it down. Superb.

Firstly thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

This was my first Beth Lewis novel and it was not a disappointment. The story of the Klondike Gold Rush in the 1890’s was brutal, the conditions the miners had to live in, the dirt, the disease and the living conditions in town were all described so thoroughly you thought you were there. The story also covers the lives of 3 women who because of a tragedy meet and form friendships in a male dominated world.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book highly recommend 4.5 ⭐️

New Beth Lewis is always a reason to celebrate, and this is one of my most anticipated books of the year.
I was not disappointed.
It's brutal, the lawlessness, the fighting, the killing, the conditions. That alone makes a cracking story.
But then we have our three main characters, Kate, Ellen and Martha, all incredibly strong women, dealing with all the crap life throws at them.
Some genuine heart pounding moments, and also tugs on the old emotions, making me care quite a bit what happened to this trio.
As always, a brilliant read.