Gold Rush (Finch Family #2) By Jenny Bunting
Absolutely LOVED this book!! Whitney is the heroine I didn't realize I needed to read about until I read her story. As someone who has chosen not to have children I can relate so much to Whitney (and even Reid). I loved the relationship she and Reid have. Plus she loves craft beer and he's a brewer (extra plus). I love reading romance novels but they usually end with the heroine and hero being together & having children, even some that end with one or both not being able to have children they seemingly always adopt or use some other method to have kids - while refreshing to see families are made differently I don't think I've read a romance novel that ended in happily ever after that didn't involve children. Thank you for writing this story. 286 (ARC Review) 5 stars
This was a sweet and sexy semi-enemies to lovers story between a beer brewing hero and a romance novelist heroine. They were college rivals, but now that Whitney has moved to Reid’s hometown in order to work on her next book, the two find maybe they don’t hate each other so much after all.
I was really excited for this one because the heroine is child free, which is not something I’ve ever seen in a romance before. Sure, sometimes kids aren’t mentioned but this was about a heroine who is specifically, by choice, child free and the effects it has on her life and relationships.
As someone who is childfree myself, I went into this fully expecting to relate to Whitney, when I am, in fact, a Reid. I really related to this hero a lot! I too am a bit of a perfectionist pushover but I loved watching that little cinnamon roll eventually stand up for what he wanted.
It’s also a much needed inside look into how society treats childfree women (or, more specifically for me, how women treat other women. I’ve never had a random man ask me when I’m going to have kids).
A unique plot, plenty of steam, funny banter? Yes please, what’s not to love? I would like Jackson’s story right now please. 286 ARC Review
An enemies to lovers story that will make you cheering for these characters as they embrace their happily ever after. From start to finish, Reid and Whitney come a long way to becoming who they are as a couple but also overcoming obstacles in their own life. With the love of friends and family, Reid and Whitney discover a love that is perfect for them and are willing to do what it takes to fight for it and show the other how much love they can experience together.
The theme of being childless is heavy throughout this book but the way it was written was great. The thoughts and feelings of others shouldn’t be forced on those they love. Seeing Whitney stay true to her values was an added delight and I hope as others read this book they experience the same feeling. 286 3.5 stars
A successful author freshly divorced moves to a small town where her college nemesis is from.
Whitney is a successful romance author who made a lifelong friend with one of her fans, Annie. When Whitney's personal life falls apart she moves to Goldrush to get a fresh start near Annie. Unfortunately, her friend's best friend and future brother in law is Reid Finch, the guy she hated in college.
Reid Finch is the Finch everyone kind of forgets about. He is kind, quiet, and safe. When his family brewery needed help, he left his career as a teacher to become a brewer. The women he had dated all left him feeling like he wasn't what they needed. When his bachelor brother finds love with Reid's best friend, Reid is left wondering if that will ever happen to him. When he sees his college writing class nemesis in his hometown he can't help but notice how perfect for him she is.
It's been twelve years since they hated each other. Both now look back on the situation with some needed clarity and maturity resulting in a truce. Whitney is going to be staying in town for a while and she is best friends with his best friend, so she and Reid agree to try get along. The chemistry and shared attraction builds between the two. For Reid, he likes everything about Whitney and wishes he had been kind to her all those years ago. If she would let him, he would love to love her. For Whitney, she has a large amount of rejection trauma she carries with her. Her mother and ex both gave up on her feeding abandonment insecurities. Whitney's decisions as an adult have great weight on how she is intentionally choosing to live her life trying to break generational traumas her own way. Whitney isn't sure she will ever be in relationship ever again, but she would choose Reid if she could keep him.
Dual POV, Haters to Lovers with a hint of forbidden romance. Spicy.
High angst level alert. So much angst that it feels slightly heavy and overwhelming as a reader. Reid is sweet and charming and just wants to adore Whitney. Whitney has obviously been through some traumatic things that shaped her into who she is. Her patterns of self sabotage (cringe) and unhealthy behaviors cause more heartbreak. In this story, Whitney is her own antagonist. Many issues could be solved with healthy communication and therapy, which she does, but it takes most of the book for her to get there.
Spoiler: the big point of contention is Whitney does not want to have children. Her path getting to that decision is an unhealthy one and a direct result of generational traumas. By trying to control what she can control, she makes the decision to permanently not have kids. Then when Reid wants to be in relationship she pushes him away thinking he could never come to the same decision as she. The author portrays this decision as upsetting and controversial and source of conflict. The path getting to acceptance by both MCs is long and drawn out. I'm thankful the author had one character as a positive example and that Whitney eventually takes steps to heal herself. I have decided the 3.5 stars rating not because of the conflict but because of how the characters handle it. Most of the book is spent with the characters unhappy. I found myself not even wanting to read the bonus epilogue because these two hurt to read. There is a resolution for a nice HEA and epilogue.
To enjoy this story please read Cameron and Annie's story first. 286 now this was perfection 286
Reid
I’m the calm and collected Finch son, until I’m near Whitney.
My college nemesis, and the woman who can rile me with a single word.
Now, she’s in my town and I don’t know how to feel; fighting with her only makes me want her more.
I’m ready to be the kind of romance hero she writes about. But she won’t let me and I have no idea why.
Whitney
I’ve hated Reid Finch since college, ever since he critiqued my words.
Now Goldheart is the only place I can find my inspiration and unfortunately, he’s everywhere.
I can’t tell if our banter is arguing or flirting. He thinks he wants me, but he can’t.
I could fall in love with him. But I’ve made a choice and I can’t give him the family he wants.
Gold Rush is a full-length standalone enemies-to-lovers, small town contemporary romance. Gold Rush (Finch Family #2)
I loved this book so much. Whitney & Reid were so good together. Whitney is recently divorced because her husband decided he wanted kids even though she had always been clear on her choice to be childfree. So she goes to Goldheart to stay with Annie for a while for a fresh start & a breather. She instantly falls in love with the place. She is a romance author & is able to find inspiration to write. She then runs into Reid, who she knew back in college & it turns out they were sort of rivals in their writing class. This is such a good enemies to lovers bc like the last book it’s SO CLEAR that they both want the other so badly even when they were trying so hard to fight it.
I thought Whitney was so funny, her inner monologue made me laugh out loud multiple times. Reid was always so willing to do whatever it takes for anyone. He quit his job to help out his family, he stayed in a relationship he knew wasn’t working for her kid. & while he felt like he was giving too much, it didn’t matter once he met Whitney, he knew he wanted her & that’s all that mattered to him.
I’ve never read a book that was so clear on being child free & I loved every second. It shows how committed to this life that Whitney is, she is unwilling to waver on her choices & she is unapologetic about it. It shows that people don’t have to have kids to live happily ever after & they aren’t missing out on anything.
I am SO excited to read more about this family! Jackson is a real mystery I cannot wait to get into! All of the hints about him in these two books have me really intrigued.
I received this ARC exchange for an honest review! 286 Gold Rush is live today!
I’m so proud of this story. Not only are Reid and Whitney HOT together, this book is my first (and not my last) book about the childfree experience.
Whitney decided she didn’t want children and she never wavers, never falters. She draws boundaries and finds true love in the process.
It’s also a love letter to writing, being a romance author, and finding your voice.
If you read on Amazon or through their Kindle Unlimited program, I would be forever grateful if you picked it up. This book took everything out of me, in the best way.
Grab it here: https://mybook.to/GoldRushJB 286 There's nothing Jenny Bunting writes that I don't like, I've never rated any of her books with less than five stars. Still, I think she deserves more. This book? My goodness. I don't even have words to say how much I loved it. Reid and Whitney's story was funny (laugh out loud funny), heartfelt, romantic AF, sexy and more emotional than I thought it was going to be.
The romance was to die for, the sexual tension and sexy scenes were what every steamy romance reader wants to see in a book and the resolution to their conflict brought tears to my eyes. It was such a hopeful and inspiring story that touched my heart, not only because it was swoony AF, but also because it was filled with understanding, acceptance and the real beauty of a happy ever after that they wanted to build for themselves without the molds that society has made a norm. It touched my heart in many ways and I loved every second of it.
First I need to say I loved the enemies to lovers dynamic. This trope isn't my cup of tea, but Jenny wrote the rivalry in such a way that I was able to connect with both characters perfectly and understand both sides. But I loved the fact that the same thing that made them rivals was the very same that ended up bringing them together. It was perfection.
My beautiful Whitney was a true badass. I loved her passion and her drive. The fact that she was a romance author was the most amazing thing. Jenny brought in so many great things about the writing and reading community through her and it made me smile with all the references. I loved how even despite the effect that Reid's feedback had in her all those years ago, she didn't hesitate to help Reid in his writing journey when he needed it. She inspired him, encouraged him and helped him to get the words back and it was the sweetest freaking thing ever. I also loved how determined she was about not having kids and wasn't ashamed of telling anyone about her decision. I felt so inspired by her passion and by how sure she was about what she wanted for her life. Despite her insecurities and fears, she loved herself enough not to settle for what others wanted and didn't want to sacrifice herself for the happiness of others. I loved how she slowly let Reid into her life and how she let his love melt all of the walls she'd built around her heart because of the pain of her past. She healed and grew so much throughout the story and the happy ending she got was exactly the one she deserved.
Whenever I'm with Whitney, I feel like the man I always knew I could be. Writing again, with her, has brought me back to life. Finally pursuing a dream that lay dormant for so long, writing my own books and shooting my shoot, it has changed my life.
My sweet Reid. I loved him so much. He was such a great guy, sweet, understanding, accepting and protective. I loved how much he loved his family, his job and the fact that he actually admired Whitney's talent. I swooned hard by how he wanted to learn from her and got to truly compliment her work because he loved her writing. He was humble to accept her feedback and advice, despite the hate he thought he felt at the beginning (As a aspiring author who has been blocked for a year myself, it felt so refreshing to see him writing again) He fell so hard and I fell for him right after. He was willing to sacrifice whatever he needed in order to be with her. I was really impressed and made me so happy to see that instead of making a sacrifice, Whitney actually helped him discover what he really wanted in life.
I loved their chemistry and how perfect they were for each other. They had so much in common, despite having different experiences and journeys. They broke my heart in different occasions but every single moment of doubt or hesitation was so beautifully written and so well fitted in the story that it all made sense. It made their journey such a sweet ride. I really loved how Jenny wrote the child free aspect of their relationship, their decision felt so natural and freeing. It touched my heart to see them so in tuned with each other and the supportive, understanding and true partnership they developed, even if it took a little bit for them to find it out themselves. It made the happy ending so heartwarming and wholesome.
A romance author deserves a happily ever after. If you're in, I'm in.
I need to talk about how funny this book was. I swear I could recognize one of Jenny's books without knowing it's her just by the jokes and he humor. I always recommend Jenny's books to exemplify what a true Romcom is. She nails the comedy inside the romance plot perfectly. She's the only author that can make me go from aaaw to spit my drink with a loud chuckle in a matter of seconds and believe me when I tell you this book made me laugh out loud from the very first paragraph. Not kidding. It was the perfect blend of friend/sibling banter, witty dialogue, the most unusual situations and the funniest small town dynamic.
All of Jenny's characters are so fun to read. I loved seeing Cam and Annie again and all the Finch clan being their amazing selves. It's really one of my favorite fictional families. I fell more in love with them in this book and I can't wait to see who's next (ehem... ehem... I think I catch a clue or two or was it my imagination?).
I am so in love with this story, these characters and everything Jenny Bunting writes. I've been obsessed with her books since I read her first series and I've seen her growing more and more as a writer with each passing book. I'll never get tired of recommending her books and I can't wait to have this beauty in my shelf right next to the rest of her books.
My dears, if you love a good laugh out loud romantic comedy with all the feels, the steam and the heart... do yourself a favor and read any of Jenny's books, especially this one. It will make your heart beat faster and you'll swoon for days.
A million thanks to Jenny Bunting for gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Always here to cheer for you and your amazing characters. 286 I said it once, and I’ll say it again - Jenny Bunting’s writing is pure gold! I was so fortunate to receive an eARC of Gold Rush, the highly anticipated second installment in the Finch Family series. While this could be read as a stand-alone, I absolutely recommend reading the first book, Fool’s Gold, not because you have to, but because it’s a super delightful read. Now, back to Gold Rush - gah, I loved this book! It covers some amazing tropes such as enemies to lovers and small town romance, and includes Jenny’s signature blend of humor and top notch spice! I adored the chemistry between the two MCs, Whitney and Reid. There was so much sizzling enemies to lovers tension and the transition to lovers was absolute perfection. I also loved Whitney’s authenticity and her commitment to being childfree. Whilst I do enjoy single-parent romances, I think it’s really refreshing to have childfree romance being represented as well. As someone who is childfree, I really related to Whitney’s character and the struggle she endured in response to her decision. I also found Reid to be such a sweet and swoony cinnamon roll hero. He complimented Whitney perfectly and my little heart was leaping for joy when they finally got they HEA. Thank you so much to Jenny for selecting me to receive an eARC. I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us next! 286 •Enemies to lovers
•Lots of small town charm & nosiness
•Heroine is child-free by choice & is a kickass author
•Hero has a big, tight-knit family who own a brewery together
•Sweet & steamy
Gold Rush is book 2 in the Finch Family series. I really loved book 1, Fool’s Gold and the whole Finch family, so I knew I’d enjoy Gold Rush. Jenny didn’t disappoint and this was such a fun & lighthearted read, but with undertones of more serious topics. I could tell this came from deep within Jenny’s heart & I think it made the story that much more special. Reid & Whitney had great chemistry and I loved that they both had a passion for writing. If you enjoy small town romance, pick this one up!
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to the author for my review copy! 286
