Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

She thinks he’s either a stalker, a nutcase, or a harmlessly eccentric Oxford professor. He thinks she’s the long-lost descendant of Henry VIII’s last Queen, Katherine Parr. Amy is living a cautious life as a London private banker to wealthy oil sheikhs, but her quiet solitude is upended by the sudden appearance of two people: a half-sister who is virtually a stranger to her, and Oxford don Leo. Both need something from Amy, who has been emotionally frozen for years and isn’t sure she has anything left to give. She also harbors deep secrets—as does Leo. Even so, the two join forces to investigate the mystery of Queen Katherine’s lost baby, and soon long-suppressed emotions start to surface—and enemies start to close in. As they crisscross Europe in a quest for answers, Amy and Leo find themselves in danger of losing control of their secrets, their hearts—and maybe even their lives.

Review:

I wasn't really sure what this book was about when I was first offered an advance copy by the publisher.  But the description, and the whole not knowing if Leo was a stalker or a professor thing intrigued me.  I'm really glad I read this book.  This was a thriller with espionage, shady bank deals, and secret identities with an unreliable narrator, to boot!  Throw in some steamy romance , and you've got a fun, fast-paced read!

What I Liked:

Set up:

I loved the set up of mousy Amy being pursued by Leo.  Is he a stalker?  It certainly looks that way, at first.  He seems to show up everywhere she goes: her office, her gym, her apartment building.  It almost seems like he has secret methods to track her every movement.  Is he just really good at researching?  Or could he be a operative of Mossad (the Israeli version of the CIA)? And why would anyone want to track Amy.  Well, she is a private banker for rich foreigners.  Could she be involved with money laundering?  This set up sucks you in as you are trying to figure everything out. 

Characters:

Amy seems to be a very quiet, introvert.  She doesn't have many friends, and seems out of her depth working with a bunch of twenty-somethings in the high-end world of personal banking. But there are signs that Amy is not what she seems to be.  With a father who has taken her across the globe on numerous adventures, Amy has hidden talents.

Leo is also a man of many layers.  He is an Oxford professor, but he is also the head of a rich and powerful family of art dealers.  He is also extremely sure of himself.  This annoys Amy to no end, but also fans her growing attraction to him.  Every woman loves a man of mystery, and Leo is certainly that.  I also liked that he was devoted to his sisters, and showed lots of concern for their welfare.  This made him even more appealing.

Side Characters:

I have to mention the hilarious group of characters who work in Amy's office.  They are funny mostly because they are such caricatures of entitled twenty-somethings.  Her running commentary (in her head) of how ridiculous they are is highly entertaining.

Secret Identities:

Without giving too much away, there are several people who are not what they seem in this book.  I loved the methods the author used to slowly reveal who they were.  These were surprising and super fun.  I had several "Ah ha!" moments while reading this book.

Romance:

The romance was also really fun.  I appreciated that the author didn't get too graphic with the sex descriptions, but, instead, slowly built up the sexual tension between Amy and Leo.  I keep saying this is so fun to read, because it really was!  The sex between them made sense.  Tor two people who keep avoiding truths, I loved it when they finally put their cards on the table and where hones with each other.

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  August 3rd, 2021

Author:  Jane Elizabeth Hughes

Publisher:  Spark Press

Genre:  Thriller

Page Length:  352 Pages

Source:  Publisher

Format:  Paperback ARC

Recommendation:  This was a thoroughly entertaining book.  I really hope there is a sequel!  A must read for fans of thrillers.

Please note:  I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Thea Hope longs to be an alchemist out of the shadow of her famous mother. The two of them are close to creating the legendary Philosopher’s Stone—whose properties include immortality and can turn any metal into gold—but just when the promise of the Stone’s riches is in their grasp, Thea’s mother destroys the Stone in a sudden fit of violent madness.

While combing through her mother’s notes, Thea learns that there’s a curse on the Stone that causes anyone who tries to make it to lose their sanity. With the threat of the French Revolution looming, Thea is sent to Oxford for her safety, to live with the father who doesn’t know she exists.

But in Oxford, there are alchemists after the Stone who don’t believe Thea’s warning about the curse—instead, they’ll stop at nothing to steal Thea’s knowledge of how to create the Stone. But Thea can only run for so long, and soon she will have to choose: create the Stone and sacrifice her sanity, or let the people she loves die.

Review:

When I read the premise of A Golden Fury, by Samantha Cohoe, I wasn't sure of what to expect. This was a wild ride.  I just wish more attention was given to some of the historical details.  But that didn't deter from the fun.   Full of excitement, surprises, and a main character who knows she alone must decide her path, this book was highly entertaining. 

What I Liked:

Characters:

I really liked Thea.  She was a strong personality who knew her worth.  But even as she dreams of fame and fortune, she is aware that making the Philosopher’s Stone comes at a terrible price.  I loved that she didn't let her yearning for a family cloud her judgement.  And oh so many people tried to emotionally blackmail Thea.  It was painful that Thea didn't have anyone really rooting for her.  All the other characters were more concerned with using Thea's expertise for their own ends.  I was glad that she could see that.

Thea's mother would not be winning any awards for mother of the year.  She was a mix of a fiercely protective parent, and a selfish manipulator.  I actually liked that she was so complex. Most of us are.  She was totally focused on creating the Philosopher’s Stone.  And she wasn't shy about using her patrons.  When she shuts out Thea from the work, she thinks it's to keep the glory of the achievement for herself.  Actually, she was trying to protect Thea.  It was kind of heartbreaking that Thea couldn't see that.

Dominic was her father's assistant.  He wanted to be a doctor and was actually not interested in Alchemy.  Yet, he helped Thea to create the Stone.  He was a truly helpful person in a world full of people out for themselves.  He was also the most moral person in the story.  His Catholic faith is one of the things that guides his choices.  I found that quite refreshing.

Story:

The race to create the Philosopher’s Stone was full of surprises.  Thea and her mother were so close to creating it that several people worked to jump in and steal their knowledge.  I think the author used this as a statement on the moral gymnastic scientists sometimes must perform to justify what they would do to advance their work.  Is it right to use people (or animals) to test new scientific findings?  Is it justifiable if there is a major breakthrough in science?   Most of the characters would say yes, while Thea and Dominic would have said a resounding NO!

Ending:

I also loved the ending.  Unlike many YA fantasy books, this was a STAND ALONE book!!!  I really appreciated this.  As much as I like book series, I am tired of waiting YEARS to know how a story is resolved.  Thank you, Samantha Cohoe!

What I Was Mixed About:

Historical Details:

As this was an historical fantasy novel, I was looking forward to all the details of late 1700's Europe.  I'm no expert, but there were several details that rang false with me.  In one scene, Thea quickly put on (and later took off) an elaborate French gown.  These were so complicated to wear that Thea would have needed a ladies maid (or two) to get into the dress.  Yes, it's a small detail, but to me it mattered.

Also, in Oxford, Thea hit her head hard and almost passed out.  Dominic worried that Thea had a concussion.  This was supposed to take place around the year 1800.  No young student would have known what a concussion was.  A quick internet search showed me that concussions were not widely identified until the 1860's. 

Yes, I am being picky, but these details can be what makes the reader transported to that time and place.

Rating: 

Release Date: October 13th, 2020

Author:  Samantha Cohoe

Publisher:  Wednesday Books

Genre:  YA Historical Fantasy

Page Length:  320 Pages

Source:  NetGalley

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation:  A rare stand alone YA Book.  Full of surprises, if a little weak on historical details, this was still very fun to read.