Customer Reviews

Heart of Gold

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Carter Wessex arrives home from an archaeologist dig with only two things on her mind--cleaning all the dirt from under her finger nails and killing whatever is growing in her dirty laundry. Then best friend Grace Hall calls to coerce her into solving the Winship mystery surrounding Farrell Mountain. Carter knows this is a once in a lifetime chance to uncover the truth behind a 200 year old legend of buried gold, betrayal, and death. But Carter knows it's futile to even dream about digging on that mountain. Nick Farrell has no respect for "gold diggers" and loves nothing more than to kick them off his property. Cater makes the trip anyway and meets with Mr. Farrell. Three words pop into her head at her first look--intelligent, attractive, and powerful. Until he opens his mouth, then it's rude, arrogant, and insulting.
After meeting Carter, Nick realizes this woman is the estranged daughter of William Wessex. The very man Nick is involved in making a billion dollar deal with. He begins to wonder what it would be worth to Wessex for a chance to reconcile with the daughter who hasn't spoken to him in two years. Only after Nick falls for Carter does he find out how deep the bitter misunderstanding is between her and her father. His premeditated plans will drive Carter out of his life unless her love for him is stronger that her hurt.
As soon as I finished, my first thought was her next book can't be released soon enough for me. Everyone who read Jessica Bird's Leaping Hearts, Carter's cousin's story, knows what to expect and will not be disappointed with Heart of Gold. Very, very well written. The dialoge, the sub characters, plot, and sensuality were outstanding. My favortie part was Carter's discovery of Nick's secret. It took place far enough from the ending that there was plenty of time for the couple to resolve their issues.

Archeologist Carter Wessex has been given a grant to unlock Revolutionary War secrets, buried with a doomed party of minutemen, on Farrell Mountain. That is, if she can convince Nick Farrell, the mountain's owner, a.k.a., tycoon and corporate raider, to let her dig there. Nick reluctantly agrees to let her do so, but also establishes ground rules that Carter is less than happy with. Carter's name seems familiar, and when Nick realizes who she is related to, his cool business façade tells him he may stand to benefit all around from this decision. Little does he realize what lies in store for his heart!

Arrogant, with a temper to boot, Nick's life starts to change the minute Carter walks on to his mountain. Using the excuse of keeping an eye on her work, soon Nick can't keep his eyes off Carter, and fireworks fly between these two. As the dig progresses, interesting artifacts and skeletons turn up, along with an unsavory associate of Carter's, showing more interest than what seems appropriate in her findings. Carter's dad also makes an appearance, shattering the protective shell she has conveniently built around herself, and questioning Nick's business motives with her dad. Is he just using her to conveniently close another deal, breaking her heart in the process?

The associates that Carter bring on the dig, and other members of Nick's family, provide some great moments, adding nice secondary features and slices of humor along the way. I really liked the different archeological story line, and the many bits of history were very interesting, and not overdone. I must add, that this Farrell reminds me of another, that being Matt Farrell from Judith McNaught's "Paradise", who is one of my favorite leading men. Needless to say, I loved this book and look forward to more from this incredible author!

This is the first book I've read by this author and I couldn't put it down! I just finished ordering all the rest of her books I could find and am looking forward to reading them. I was hesitant to read Heart of Gold since I had never heard anything about the author before, so needless to say I was very pleasantly surprised at the quality of read. I think it's safe to say Ms.Bird will undoubtedly gain the recognition and great reviews she deserves and hopefully will be writing lots more books in the future.

I'm amazed at the 4-5 stars given for this book. Did I read the wrong book? I know I've read it a while back, but I still remember everything about it. I remember how I really, really, wanted to love this book. The story started out really good, with a great opening scene between the hero and heroine that pulled me right into their story. Unfortunately, things started to go downhill the moment the heroine stepped foot on the mountain. She's undoubtedly the stupidest and most annoying heroine ever written!!

First: she knows there's something strange going on, and she's being threatened by her competitor (repeateadly, mind you) who means her harm. Yet, she refuses to tell the hero about it (after being asked REPEATEDLY by the hero), or takes any kind of safety precaution. To top it off, she continues to expose herself to danger, all alone by herself on the mountain, even knowing full well someone is there to harm her!! How stupid is THAT???

Second: her so called 'fall out' with her father?? Pfft!! I couldn't believe my eyes when I read the explanation. So she cut off her relationship with her father over that stupid menial reason???

So the heroine ruins the book for me and I can't say anything good about this book after that. Sorry...

Carter Wessex is determined to get permission to dig on Farrell Mountain. As an archaeologist specializing in colonial America, she needs to be able to discover the secrets hidden on Farrell Mountain in order to prove her theory. However, in order to that she needs Nick Farrell's permission and he's never allowed anyone to dig on the mountain before. When Nick meets Carter he quickly realizes that her father is an important businessman who he would like to cultivate a relationship with. Finding out that Carter and her father are estranged, a situation her father would greatly like to changed, Nick thought that perhaps letting Carter dig on the mountain was a good way to establish a relationship with her father. Neither expected the attraction between them. With Carter's issues with her father, and Nick's inability to admit that he feels more for Carter than the usual desire for a woman, can they find away to build a lasting relationship? What will happen when Carter's father arrives and Carter discovers Nick's deception?

Although Heart of Gold is an older title, I had to do a review on it. One of the first books written by Jessica Bird, who is also JR Ward, it remains one of my all-time favorite contemporary romances. While browsing around, looking for new titles, I saw Heart of Gold, on the shelf. I immediately picked up a copy to re-read. Nick and Carter's story was just as enthralling as the first time I read it. Readers who haven't had the pleasure of reading Heart of Gold have missed a definite treat, and those who have will want to pull out their copies for another trip with Nick and Carter.

Melissa
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

"Jessica Bird continues to soar with her second heartwarming contemporary, HEART OF GOLD for Ballantine/Ivy in April 2003. Archeologist/professor Carter Wessex is determined to get permission to dig in the mountains of billionaire, Nick Farrell's property in upstate NY to unravel a mystery and hopefully discover gold lost during the American Revolution. At first arrogant entrepreneur, Nick refuses the feisty Carter's request but he quickly changes his mind when he realizes who Carter's father is and that it could be advantageous to his latest business deal. This arrangement might be a deal maker for Nick's corporation but it could prove a heart breaker to his growing relationship with Carter when she finds out about his deal with her estranged father. With a delightful secondary love story between Nick's diabetic teenage nephew and Carter's dig partner's teenage daughter added to the highly combustible chemistry between the headstrong main couple, readers will enjoy one winning romance! HEART OF GOLD proves Jessica Bird's writing is golden with her inherent ability to pen terrific, touching, unique contemporaries that will guarantee romance readers will be her fans for life!"
Patricia Rouse, Rouse's Romance Readers Groups

Last year with her first book "Leaping Hearts" I was truly enthralled with that story and this wonderful new author to hit the book stores. I eagerly waited for the release of "Heart of Gold" and I was not disappointed. The story of Carter & Nick will be one I will remember for a long time and will revisit often. These are two people who have been scarred in the past leaving them weary to trust and to give their hearts away, the attraction is instant, but that trust issue comes up again and again. Carter has not spoken to her father in a long time and that is the basis of her problems. Nick lost his sister and her husband and is left to raise her son on his own. Nick and Cort have a hard time communicating and also the fact that Cort has diabeties makes Nick a little overbearing and over protective. All the relationships between all the characters are realistically played out and makes for a wonderful emotional story. I can't wait for Jessica's next book !

....listen to Neil Young's HEART OF GOLD for some good background music while reading this book. Simplistic, it gives you a flavor of what both the hero and heroine's character is like. Now, on to the review.

Jessica Bird is a pseudonym for J.R. Ward of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Heart of Gold was published in 2003 and it has an alpha male and some of the wit and tension of the earlier Brotherhood books. A contemporary romance, it is the story of Carter Wessex and Nick Farrell, two strong professionals who rattle each other verbally while trying to figure out emotionally what each means to the other.

Outwardly gruff and curt, Nick Farrell handles everything better in black and white. Respected as a sharp businessman he has trouble showing emotion with people who become close to him. He has custody of his teenage nephew Cort who loves to bicker with Nick. Add to the mix Carter, who does not back down from his blunt manners, and this intrigues him.

Carter, a young archeologist, is working on some land that Nick owns. She has her own predicaments: she has almost severed her relationship with her father because of some issues and a co-worker is giving her trouble. These are the two weaker areas of the book that drag the storyline and caused me to give the book three stars rather than four or five. Carter is a strong heroine and a smart individual; I found it hard to believe that she would have not have dealt better with each of these complications.

Still, Ms. Bird has a written a sweet romance that tugs at the book lover. Read this fiction if you want a nice romance. The chemistry between Nick and Carter is appealing. Cort is endearing as a 16 year old who has a crush on Carter and lends some believability to the older characters' relationship. Nick loves Cort but has a hard time figuring out how to manage this obstacle. Just don't expect an abundance of suspense with Carter's problems and you won't be disappointed.


Now that it's all over, what did you really do yesterday that's worth mentioning? ~Coleman Cox

Colonial Era archeologist and historian, Carter Wessex agrees to accept a grant to dig on Farrell Mountain if she obtains the approval of corporate raider Nick Farrell. She is very excited about trying to solve the Revolutionary War mystery of what happened in 1775 to the Winship party and the gold they carried until she meets Nick. He is nasty and tosses her off his property.

When Nick connects the name to a business partner, he sees an opportunity to insure the man owes him favors as Carter and her father have been estranged since her mother died. Nick invites Carter to dig on his mountain, but never expected to fall in love with her. He worries what will happen when she learns the truth that he manipulated the situation as a business venture, but not as much as the concern he feels for her safety when a rival abducts her.

Solving an eighteenth century mystery using modern day archeological techniques is fun to follow and the varying relationships are all delightful to observes. However, an extra intrigue caused by a lunatic peer and Carter's misunderstanding of her parents' relationship seems unnecessary and contrived. Still Carter and Nick are a pleasant duo and his nephew, Carter's partner and his daughter make for a wonderful contemporary romance that will leave readers appreciating Jessica Bird's talent.

Harriet Klausner