Gold Lust by Aleatha Romig

Gold Lust is the continuation of Van and Julia's story as outside forces who seek to destroy their "snow globe" and relationship start to close in. Aleatha Romig has crafted a story that is suspenseful, romantic, dramatic, shocking, and full of secrets. To say that I was speechless would be an understatement, especially with that nail-biting cliffhanger. I'm shocked, frustrated, and dying to read the next book. While I did feel like the romance suffered a bit because of the antagonists' machinations, Julia and Van's passion and understanding for each other continues to shine through. This has always been my favorite part about their love story and I hope that Aleatha will give us more of that and what we got in Red Sin. I wanted to see more of Donovan's possessive and dominant side because Julia clearly finds it irresistible.

"Julia encompossed the pinnacle of everything I desired. She was the sun, and I was the snow."

The book immediately picks up where Green Envy last left off and Julia has been "kidnapped" by none other than Van's estranged brother, Phillip. What followed was a tense situation for Van as he races to save Julia from those who seek to harm her and in extension—him. I actually really enjoyed this part of the story because there were so many twists and turns as Julia and Van struggled to find their happily ever after while circumstances prevented them from being truly oblivious and happy. Throughout the book, I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. It wasn't until the end that we're hit with a shocking revelation. While Van and Julia were blissfully unaware of their situation, a second "antagonist" was working behind the scenes to interrupt their happily ever after.

"I love him the way I found him, or he found me."

In the end, I really enjoyed Gold Lust even though I did feel like it was "filler" in preparation for Black Knight—the final book in the series. Everything has been building up to this point and it's time for the antagonists to finally take off their masks. One thing I have always liked about this series was that the story often moves back and forth between the past and present as we get snippets of Van's previous life. There's no denying that he was more selfish, callous, and cruel in those scenes. His obsession with Madison ruined his family's relationships but the blame can't be placed solely on him. I hated Madison for manipulating Van and how passive she was when it came to her relationships. She clearly didn't deserve him and I'm so glad that Julia came into his life and made it better. Fans of Aleatha Romig will adore this series because it has all of the tropes we've all come to know and love about this author. Julia and Van were always meant to be together and despite several malevolent forces at play, I doubt that it will be strong enough to break their "snow globe."

*This ARC was generously provided by the author and publisher for an honest review*

Rating: ★★★★☆