Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Legends of Gold by Mary Connealy Series: Golden State Treasure #2
Published by Bethany House Publishers on June 17, 2025
Genres: Historical Romance, Western Romance
Pages: 304
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm, Barnes & Noble
After years of solitude, Tilda Muirhead's life takes an unexpected twist when she takes a position teaching at the orphanage on Two Harts Ranch following her cross-country pursuit of two brothers obsessed with a treasure map left by their adventurous grandfather. Tilda is now tasked with educating the mischievous brothers, who are bent on remaining out west until they find the hoped-for treasure. Then a man named Ben arrives, claiming to be her own long-lost brother. Raised as an orphan with no memory of her family, Tilda is both fascinated and wary of Ben's sudden interest in finding her.
When Ben's motives grow increasingly suspect, rancher Josh Hart suggests Tilda and the brothers set off on a quest with him that aims to protect Tilda while unearthing the map's secrets. As they navigate the rugged wilderness, Tilda becomes captivated by the history behind the map, though she doubts it leads to anything more than old artifacts. Yet danger looms ever closer, and Tilda and Josh must rely on faith and their blossoming love to navigate the treacherous path ahead.
After meeting all the players in Whispers of Fortune and the launch of their old Spanish treasure hunt in the rugged California mountains, I was eager to press on with next installment, Legends of Gold. Mary Connealy combines down home tone, fascinating western historical setting, inspirational values, and intriguing character growth and relationships in her tales.
Legends of Gold is book two of the Golden State Treasure series that introduces the next romance pair with former sailor, Josh Hart and orphaned Tilda Muirhead while continuing the ongoing story of the Mackenzies and Westbrooks’ search for treasure. The Golden State Treasure is connected to the Lumber Baron’s Daughters trilogy and share the same world with Michelle Styles and Zane Hart the romance pair of Inventions of the Heart being strong secondary characters in this newer series.
Tilda and Josh were secondary characters in the first book. Tilda followed the two youngest Mackenzie brothers west on an Orphan Train and felt responsible to find them. She herself was an orphan picked up off the streets of New York and eventually adopted by a family looking more for free labor than a daughter. Her tender heart tracks the boys to the Two Hart Ranch where she learns of the generous family who run a school and training program for orphans to live country life and gain knowledge and skills in a wholesome environment. Tilda no sooner sees the program than she feels at home and welcomes the chance to be part of it. Josh Hart, former sailor turned cowboy and orphan wrangler, has stood her protector and friend and she welcomes the attraction they share as well.
Alongside Tilda’s settling in continues the scampish Mackenzie young brothers’ need to press forward and follow their grandfather’s treasure map. They are joined in their excitement by their grandfather’s old partner, Mr. Westbrook and his grandson, Cord, a very pregnant Michelle, and Josh and Tilda.
Brody and Ellie promised to help before they must fulfill his duty to the retiring man who sponsored him by partnering him in his Boston medical practice, but Brody is struggling to recover from a bullet wound received in the earlier effort to find the family treasure and thwart thieves. Josh and Tilda step in for Brody.
Tilda is a history buff and Michelle knows Spanish so they help decipher the clues within the artifacts already found, the map, the journal, and the extra pages of notes. The treasure hunt looks to move forward, but again, complications come when Tilda gets a stunning surprise from her past and a ruthless person determined to have their way.
Legends of Gold expands to include Brody and Ellie’s ongoing story while also adding in Josh and Tilda’s part with her needing to learn the truth of her past, while letting go bitter feelings about her past, even as Josh wisely promotes the ‘trust but verify’ version of thought. Strong additional plot threads are present with the younger Mackenzie’s dangerous fixation on the treasure like their obsessed father that threatens to put Spanish gold in priority over their family, Michelle’s pregnancy, and a rising whiff of attraction between two more characters, Annie Hart Lane and Cord Westbrook. The historical elements of Conquistador treasure hunt are a rich and tantalizing central plot thread I really enjoyed.
So much is going on, but it winds together perfectly in one cohesive story. I am eager to press on to the final stage of the story for the extended Hart and Mackenzie families. The light inspirational blended with historical and romance hit the spot and I recommend others stake their claim on this latest Mary Connealy series.
About Mary Connealy
Mary Connealy writes “romantic comedies with cowboys” and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has sold more than 1.5 million books and is the author of the popular series A Western Light, Wyoming Sunrise, and many other books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero.
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing.Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators.Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance.Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
Friend or follow me at Goodreads.
- Journey by Veronica Scott @vscotttheauthor @sophiarose1816 - June 10, 2026
- Vita Brevis by Ruth Downie @ruthsd.bsky.social @sophiarose1816 #SundaySeries - June 7, 2026
- Rules for Ruin by Mimi Matthews @MimiMatthewsEsq @berkleyromance.bsky.social @BerkleyRomance @BerkleyPub @sophiarose1816 - June 3, 2026
I really enjoyed her previous Western romances. I should check this series out as well.
Its a little tamer than the last series with the wagon train, but still a fun one with the Treasure hunt and all the obstacles. 🙂
I feel like I’ve read something by this author….mmm. I can’t recall, but this series sounds good!
Probably! She’s rather prolific with a few releases each year. Always historicals.
Oh yes please! Anytime I see something about characters working together to figure stuff out I’m on board and this one involves a treasure hunt so what could be better!
That’s what I say, Katherine!
I love when we get to see how the earlier couples are doing in subsequent books.
Especially this one because I felt they were just come to an understanding when the story ended and there were a few big plot threads to answer- which they were. 🙂
This sounds like an interesting series and I like the sound of continuity it has even with a different couple in each book. And the appearances of characters from the previous series sound well done too. The treasure hunt plot line sounds exciting too. Great review!
Yes, it had it all going for it. The treasure hunt sure is getting exciting. Thanks, Lola! 🙂
Sounds like a good story! And just one more in the series you say? Glad it is good enough to keep you going. Great review!
Yes! I’m itching for that fall release to get the conclusion. 🙂