Riley McAllister, Paige Hathaway, and Alyssa Chen come from very different worlds. Now this unlikely trio of strangers must come together to follow an elusive trail through the streets of San Francisco from glittering Pacific Heights to colorful Chinatown to trendy South of Market. Each will have to make the impossible choice between romantic love and family loyalty, between sheltering lies and revealing truth. Once the door to the past is opened, there is no turning back. . .
*May Contain Spoilers*
When Nan Delaney finds a dragon statue in her attic in Golden Lies by Barbara Freethy, she takes it to the Antique Road Show, neither she nor her grandson, Riley, have any idea that chaos is soon to follow.
When Paige's father tells her he wants to purchase the dragon statue, she sets up the appointment for an appraisal with no idea that she's about to meet the love of her life.
Riley and Paige are the two main characters in this novel, though Alyssa Chen does play a significant role. Freethy balances the novel between these characters, giving the reader various viewpoints of the story.
Riley is a man who has never believed in love. After his mother deserted him, he gave up on the idea of falling in love and living happily ever after. He runs a security business and bicycles the hills of San Francisco. Readers will connect with him through his resistance to relationships and bitterness about the past. Being hurt by someone you love is never easy, though a universal occurrence, and readers will understand Riley better because of this commonality. Paige, the "princess," is the imperfect daughter to a perfect family. Readers will love her honesty, especially when it comes to her feelings for Riley, and her loyalty to her father. She's a very down to earth character, who is stuck in a role she doesn't know how to handle.
The plot of Golden Lies is artfully crafted. Freethy leaves nothing out as she describes the mystery surrounding the statue and wraps the curse around each character. The curse that three grandfathers brought upon their families. While weaving between the romantic plot line and cracking the mystery of the dragon, Freethy brings readers deep into a story they won't be able to stop reading. The captivation is the best part of this novel. Freethy is an exceptional writer and her words have definite pull.
The only issue I had with this novel was the turnout of Riley and Paige's relationship. Through the story's progression, Riley was very resistant to Paige's obvious desire for commitment and I wanted more of an evolution from Riley.
A great end-of-summer or one-more-quick-vacation read, Barbara Freethy once again writes a delectable novel that e-reader owners are now able to purchase.
Rating: 4/5
on Amazon
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