Rating: 4/5
The shadows hold secrets darker than they ever imagined. . . .
In 1888 Victorian England, Ami Dalton navigates a clandestine dual life. By day, she strives to establish herself as a respected Egyptologist, overcoming the gender biases that permeate academia. But with a heart for saving black-market artifacts from falling into the wrong hands, she is most often disguised as her alter ego, the Shadow Broker.
After eight years in India, Oxford's most eligible bachelor, Edmund Price, has come out of the shadows to run for Parliament and is in search of an Egyptologist to value a newly acquired collection. Expecting a renowned Oxford professor, Edmund instead finds himself entangled with Ami, the professor's determined daughter. As they delve into the treasures, their connection deepens, but trouble emerges when a golden griffin--rumored to bear the curse of Amentuk--surfaces, and they're left to wonder if the curse really is at play, or if something more nefarious is hiding among the shadows. . . .
I received a free copy of Of Gold and Shadows through Austenprose PR for a book tour. Thank you so much for this opportunity!
This was such a fun read and reminded me of another recent read that I equally enjoyed also set around the antiquities world, The Cloverton Charade by Sarah E. Ladd, except this time with a focus on Egyptian artifacts!
I loved our two main characters, Ami and Edmund. Their instant attraction for each other is so sweet and tender as we get to watch them fall in love and seem to be in denial about it. I loved how strong-willed Ami was, wanting to be seen as a professional and taken seriously as an Egyptologist. And Edmund cared so much about those around him and helped Ami to be seen as a professional. I also found Edmund’s efforts to spend more time with Ami to be adorable!
And there’s a thriller mystery aspect to this as well that was also entertaining to follow. In fact, this aspect is there from the start which had me captivated. The premise around the Egyptian artifacts and the mythology around them added some interesting plot points. Some twists I found easy to see, but others I did find surprising. I didn't want to put this down.
If you enjoy historical fiction romances with a side of mystery, you should definitely pick this one up! I found this to be thoroughly enjoyable and I absolutely adored the romance between our mains!
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