3.5 ⭐️s. Hoarding Gold is a fairytale reimagining mashup of Goldilocks & the Three Bears and Robin Hood. The FMC, Eddie, with the help of her best friend, Lex, robs wealthy businesses and donates most of her take to help those less fortunate. Things take a turn when she is caught by one of those businesses, which just so happens to be owned by 3 bear shifters. When the men decide to hire Eddie and Lex rather than turning them in to the authorities, they unknowingly get wrapped up in an ancient feud between shifters. Eddie’s world changes when she learns that not only are supernaturals real, but maybe things are not always as black and white as she’s believed.
This was my first Goldilocks retelling, and it was a refreshing change to read a story that isn’t done often. It was a light, fun read with humor, action, and medium spice.
I had trouble connecting with Eddie at first. Her dedication to help those in need was certainly admirable, but there was just something that put me off a little. Even now, I’m not really sure what it was. Maybe it was that her beliefs allowed no room for gray and she clung to those beliefs even when faced with evidence to the contrary. Whatever it was, she did grow on me as the story progressed and we learned more about her background. And I really enjoyed her friendship with Lex. He wasn’t afraid to call her out or disagree with Eddie, but no matter what, he was her ride-or-die.
As for the MMCs, each had his own unique personality that went along with his type of bear (including chair, food, and bed preferences 😄), which I thought was clever. Anders was calm, reasonable, and authoritative. Draven was gruff and distrusting. And Warrin was a big softie who wore his heart on his sleeve. At times, Warrin’s sweetness and innocence came off as too immature and childlike for my taste, and Draven had the same issues as Eddie with his refusal to accept that not every human is the same. However, on the whole, the MMCs were thoughtful and likeable, and each had something to offer Eddie that she needed.
The romance in the book was definitely more fast paced, insta-love, which is understandable given that it’s only 300 pages. However, I would’ve preferred a longer book with a little more development, especially given that it’s a standalone. That being said, I would still recommend this book to fans of PNR or fairytale retellings. Overall, it was a quick and enjoyable read.
I received a free, advanced copy of this book, and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.