Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a decent adventure romance novel with an intriguing plot to find a lost treasure and likeable characters that find their true purpose after experiencing disappointment and pain. I did find the beginning rather slow but it slowly picks up as they work together to uncover lost treasure. Plenty of action and sweet, slow burn romance.

Liz has done it again! She had written a beautiful story with the perfect balance of mystery and romance. This was a great read to begin my new year.

I was entertained by Liz Johnson's first novels, feeling like I had discovered an author to watch. I was enchanted by Red Prince Edward Island Dreams series and found I had a kindred sister in the author.

The first novel in this new series, A Sparkle of Silver, was intriguing. I've thoroughly enjoyed every one of Liz Johnson's novels.

However...

I was not entertained, enchanted, or intrigued by A Glitter Of Gold. No, I was CAPTIVATED from the very first page! I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I was heartbroken for Anne from the moment I met her. I cried with her, and I actually found myself praying for her (and she's not real!).

I fell for Carter's ernest and enthusiastic love for all things pirate. And I felt his frustration over trying to build something lasting, something that wasn't tied to his famous last name.

And did I mention there's pirates??

But the thing that captivated, intrigued, enchanted, and encouraged me was the mastery of the writing. Johnson actually wrote a story within a story, drafting a journal that helped move the story along and worked to pull the reader in deeper and enhanced the larger tale.

I honestly believe this is one of the best novels I've read this year-- and I've read a LOT of books this year! I highly, highly recommend this book!

I received an advance copy from the publisher,and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book was a really satisfying mashup of history and suspense and working through baggage to be in a healthy place for a relationship. I found myself highlighting a couple seconds where advice to a character really hit home for my heart. The romance timeline & pacing & reactions felt realistic, too. Really fun read that led to a staying up too late because I needed to know what happened next ;)

The author takes us back to Savannah Georgia and Tybee Island where the weather is unpredictable and the people are friendly. Enter Anne, she has a sullied past that was not of her own doing but she has made her home in Savannah running Rum Runners Tours sharing the history of pirates and their impact on the town.  Carter is bucking his father's aspirations for him and loves history which is in part due to his Aunt giving him a diary from 250 years ago.

This book has so much going for it - love, guilt, fear, mystery, faith, and the pursuit of happiness.  Anne has a lot of guilt that is weighing her down due to events that were beyond her control yet she took the blame for the tragedy.  This is a theme that runs through the book and I found this line very appropriate to how she feels about herself and the situation that happened:

"But what you're really carrying is shame.  Shame for your actions. Shame for your inaction. Shame for the embarrassment you caused your family."

Anne beats herself up in this book...a LOT!  It has also made it hard for her to trust anyone or even allow herself to be happy.  It is very sad to see someone beat themselves up over the past the way Anne does in this story.  As the details are revealed her actions and words make more sense.  She has a lot to learn and finding a treasure, meeting Carter, and moving forward does help.

Carter has his own baggage in going against his father and the career plans that he wanted Carter to follow which did not line up with Carter's dreams.  I had to admire Carter for sticking to his guns and making it on his own.  Granted, not everything was flowing smoothly but he was out there and wasn't bailed out by his family's name or connections.

One of the minor characters that I really like is Tessie, Carter's aunt.  She was disowned from her family for following her heart and she was wise to not second guess her actions.  She is very wise in her conversations with Anne and I think it was something of a turning point for Anne's life.

Another point of the story that stuck out to me is how the media was not portraying the whole story about what happened to Anne.  As we see in today's media, they are only focused on the bad and not the whole truth which is a sad state of affairs for our country.

The mystery comes from the treasure that is found plus the diary.  While I don't want to spoil too much of the story, I liked this passage that was in the diary because while written 250 years it still applies today.

"My heart, which was injured beyond repair, has been restored. And I believe only a good God would allow me to know such joy. For I do feel joy and love and enough merriment to dance a thousand jigs."

All in all, we enjoyed this story and was treated to a sneak peek of the next book in this series and I cannot WAIT to read the story of Penelope and Tucker.  That's all I'm saying.  We give this book 4 paws up and as a side note while it is the second in a series you do not have to read the first book to enjoy this one.

A great read about adventure, learning to understand grace and release shame. The story of Anne and her past that haunts her and how she is released from the pain is encouraging, heartfelt and real. The story of Carter trying to make it on his own without his family name giving him help and learning to realize that family is important and that sometimes you fond things when you are not even looking for them. This story was heartwarming, engaging and realistic which I really love in a book. Do yourself a favor and add this to your list.

*this book was given to me in exchange for my honest review.

This is my FAVORITE Liz Johnson book to date. I have read most all(I haven't read her Christmas story yet) and this is with out a doubt the best one yet! I loved the premise of the diary and learning about Rebecca's story after the diary. I adored the character of Anne, and I really liked Carter too. The banter between Anne and Carter was fantastic and I was cheering for both of them to find their HEA. Aunt Tessie was a great addition to the story and I loved her wisdom that she shared with both Carter and Anne. All in all, a pretty perfect story. Ir you like romance and mystery in one story, this is the book for you!

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

A Glitter of Gold is a contemporary Christian romance novel by author Liz Johnson. It is book two of the Georgia Coast Romance series. Could there be a sunken ship off Tybee Island named ‘Catherine’, that belonged to the infamous Captain Samuel Thackery? Was the golden sphere that swept up to shore after hurricane Lorenzo proof?

As Anne Norris conscripted her tales of sailors I was on the edge of my seat. Wondering if the lore she spoke of was true. Even so, it was very interesting to read about. Example, the kidnapping of young men to become deckhands for pirates. My favorite part of the novel was reading a deckhands diary. This was a most unusual deckhand, it was a young woman, older than eighteen.

I wanted to read this novel because it is a Christan romance. Which meant it should be clean. Did it live up to my expectations? Yes, and it was a clean-wholesome read.

I would recommend this novel to fans of Christian romance. Because it held my interest and I just had to keep reading. Even though this is book two of the series it can act as a standalone for readers who don’t like a series. However, it is so good the reader will want to read the rest of the series.

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

When Anne Norris was in college, she trusted the wrong person, and her boyfriend's eco-terrorist plot got her sent to prison. Now starting over in Savannah, Georgia, she runs a struggling pirate tour company, until she finds an artifact on the beach unearthed from the depths by a hurricane. Museum curator Carter Hale knows that Anne's discovery is the first solid piece of evidence that the shipwreck in his family's journal is real, but getting to the pirate ship Catherine is more complicated than either one of them thought.

I've found that a lot of Christian fiction is more interested in being Christian than it is in being good fiction, but this one is both. It's a good romance with a bit of mystery and historical intrigue. I especially like the sections from the historical diary, which is a mystery within the mystery. The book does rely on the "characters misunderstand each other and bad things happen" trope, but other than that, it's a solid story.