Friday, June 25, 2021

About the Book

Book: Bridge of Gold

Author: Kimberley Woodhouse

Genre: Christian Historical

Release date: June 2021

Repairs on the Golden Gate Bridge Uncover a Century-Old Murder

Walk through Doors to the Past via a new series of historical stories of romance and adventure.

Underwater archaeologist Kayla Richardson is called to the Golden Gate Bridge where repairs to one of the towers uncovers two human remains from the late 1800s and the 1930s. The head of the bridge restoration is Steven Michaels, who dives with Kayla, and a friendship develops between them. But as the investigation heats up and gold is found that dates back to the gold rush, more complications come into play that threaten them both. Could clues leading to a Gold Rush era mystery that was first discovered during the building of the bridge still ignite an obsession worth killing for?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Kimberley Woodhouse is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than twenty fiction and nonfiction books. A popular speaker and teacher, she’s shared her theme of “Joy Through Trials” with more than half a million people across the country at more than 2,000 events. Kim and her incredible husband of twenty-five-plus years have two adult children. She’s passionate about music and Bible study and loves the gift of story.
You can connect with Kimberley at: www.kimberleywoodhouse.com and www.facebook.com/KimberleyWoodhouseAuthor

More from Kimberley

BRIDGE OF GOLD was a blast for me to write. Not only do I love writing dual-timeline stories, but the present-day hero and heroine are named after my daughter and her husband. Steven and Kayla in the book are fictitious, but there are a few things in the book that do mimic their real-life namesakes.

One of them is food.

My son-in-law Steven in real life is six-foot-four and active military. The man can eat. It’s amazing to me how many calories it takes just for him to survive! Then there’s my daughter, Kayla. She was an elite swimmer for many years along with her brother. I could never keep them fed when they were at the height of their swimming careers. In fact, I joked that all I did was cook and load the dishwasher during those years.

To celebrate the release of BRIDGE OF GOLD, I’m going to give out a recipe that I created almost thirty years ago. It went through many revisions the first few months as I perfected it and now you get a special treat because I do not give this recipe out. In fact, one of my dearest friends begged for it when our kids were little. I gave in but made her promise to close her eyes while she made it (LOL) and to never, ever give it to anyone else.

Enjoy! And thanks for joining us on the tour for BRIDGE OF GOLD. I hope you love it.

Kim’s Chocolate Chunk Cookies – recipe by Kimberley Woodhouse

2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. kosher salt

¾ cup melted/browned butter (this is important! Don’t skip this step)

2 Tb. Hot chocolate mix

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

1 – 12 ounce package mega morsels (I use Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips)

Directions: combine the first three dry ingredients and mix well. In a small saucepan on the stove, melt and brown the butter. Medium heat is recommended but you’ve got to watch it so it doesn’t burn. You want a beautiful caramel color. Set aside and allow to cool to around 100 degrees F before continuing. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Once the browned butter is cool, add the hot chocolate mix to it. Transfer to a stand mixer and blend the butter mixture with the sugar. Whip it until well combined and frothy about 2 mins. Gradually add eggs and flour mixture, beating on low just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Using a cookie scoop, drop heaping TB scoops 2 inches apart on parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Bake at 325 degrees for 12-14 minutes, watching carefully. Allow to cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer to cooling racks. Enjoy!

For other fun tidbits about BRIDGE OF GOLD make sure you check out my blog at – kimberleywoodhouse.com

MY REVIEW

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.