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Striking Gold
A free-spirited new homesteader is pulled into a curious treasure hunt by her ice queen neighbor in this age-gap lesbian romance.
When nature lover Ivy inherits a plot of land in the rugged interior of British Columbia, she sets off to escape city life and build her dream homestead. She instantly clashes with her beautiful but frosty neighbor, Annie, who wants to buy Ivy’s land to solve a centuries-old Gold Rush mystery.
Ivy instead offers to help Annie finish her grandfather’s lifelong quest if Annie will help her build her off-grid oasis. But as they draw closer, Ivy is caught between protecting her land and falling for the ice queen determined to dig it up.
When nature lover Ivy inherits a plot of land in the rugged interior of British Columbia, she sets off to escape city life and build her dream homestead. She instantly clashes with her beautiful but frosty neighbor, Annie, who wants to buy Ivy’s land to solve a centuries-old Gold Rush mystery.
Ivy instead offers to help Annie finish her grandfather’s lifelong quest if Annie will help her build her off-grid oasis. But as they draw closer, Ivy is caught between protecting her land and falling for the ice queen determined to dig it up.
284 pages, ebook
Published July 23, 2025
18 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
Tiana Warner
81 books740 followersTiana Warner is a #1 Amazon Bestselling Author whose books have been featured on BuzzFeed, Gizmodo, Paste Magazine, Tor, Book Riot, Foreword Reviews, and more. She is the winner of the Best Indie Book Award, the Dante Rossetti Awards, and Sequential Magazine’s Favourite Writer Award. Her works have been optioned for film and TV.
Tiana is a bisexual author who writes sapphic romance novels and comics. Her books include the critically acclaimed, Amazon bestselling series, Mermaids of Eriana Kwai and its graphic novel adaptation, as well as The Valkyrie’s Daughter (Entangled Teen), How to Flirt with a Witch, and several lesbian romance novels with Ylva Publishing.
Born and raised in British Columbia, Canada, Tiana is an outdoor enthusiast and a lifelong horseback rider. She is passionate about animal welfare and is an active volunteer with BC animal shelters and dog rescue organizations. You can often find her cuddling a foster dog, riding her horse Flynn, or exploring nature.
Find her online at tianawarner.com.
Tiana is a bisexual author who writes sapphic romance novels and comics. Her books include the critically acclaimed, Amazon bestselling series, Mermaids of Eriana Kwai and its graphic novel adaptation, as well as The Valkyrie’s Daughter (Entangled Teen), How to Flirt with a Witch, and several lesbian romance novels with Ylva Publishing.
Born and raised in British Columbia, Canada, Tiana is an outdoor enthusiast and a lifelong horseback rider. She is passionate about animal welfare and is an active volunteer with BC animal shelters and dog rescue organizations. You can often find her cuddling a foster dog, riding her horse Flynn, or exploring nature.
Find her online at tianawarner.com.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 27, 2025
I read this in one sitting! It is a well-written and engaging story about two women from different timelines, both of whom embodied bravery, determination, resilience, and growth. With the emotional turbulence I am currently experiencing, this book felt particularly timely. I would even say that, in many ways, I truly struck gold with this read!
From the very beginning, the story — particularly the initial plight of one of the MCs, Ivy Wilson— resonated with me deeply. Ivy is only 25, while I am 32, yet her thoughts and inner monologues felt strikingly familiar. At this stage of my life, I found myself reflected in her uncertainty, her restlessness, and her search for direction! While Ivy has the advantage of an inheritance from her grandmother (something I do not share), the emotional weight of her circumstances felt profoundly relatable.
I thoroughly enjoyed the fast-paced nature of Ivy’s journey. From the moment she steps outside her comfort zone, the story follows her through the hard-earned lessons of starting over and eventually into her shared adventure with her icy neighbor, Annie Lee. One of the aspects I appreciated most about this book is its honesty. It does not romanticize the process of rebuilding one’s life. Starting from scratch is shown as difficult, tenuous, and demanding — far from a fairytale. More importantly, the narrative emphasizes the value of seeking and accepting help from others. This is not a story about solitary triumph; it is about growth through connection.
In addition to Ivy’s perspective, the novel offers brief yet meaningful glimpses into Emma Thornton’s journey as a prospector in 1863 Cariboo Gold Rush. Despite her chapters being only a few pages long, I found myself deeply invested in her arc. I related strongly to Emma’s tendency to compare her situation to others, often resulting in feelings of hopelessness. Her fierceness and determination, however, made her story compelling, and the suspense surrounding her journey was genuinely gripping.
The romance between Ivy and Annie was another highlight. The gradual buildup between them was precisely what I needed as a reader. Despite their seventeen-year age gap and their seemingly contrasting personalities, they share common ground that allows their connection to unfold naturally. Watching their relationship develop over time was both tender and satisfying!
Overall, ‘Striking Gold’ truly felt like a rewarding discovery for me. It is a solid 4-star read. Many of its plot points fall under predictable, but the story is truly relatable, insightful, emotionally engaging, and satisfyingly steamy. It is definitely one of those reads I am grateful to have found…
From the very beginning, the story — particularly the initial plight of one of the MCs, Ivy Wilson— resonated with me deeply. Ivy is only 25, while I am 32, yet her thoughts and inner monologues felt strikingly familiar. At this stage of my life, I found myself reflected in her uncertainty, her restlessness, and her search for direction! While Ivy has the advantage of an inheritance from her grandmother (something I do not share), the emotional weight of her circumstances felt profoundly relatable.
I thoroughly enjoyed the fast-paced nature of Ivy’s journey. From the moment she steps outside her comfort zone, the story follows her through the hard-earned lessons of starting over and eventually into her shared adventure with her icy neighbor, Annie Lee. One of the aspects I appreciated most about this book is its honesty. It does not romanticize the process of rebuilding one’s life. Starting from scratch is shown as difficult, tenuous, and demanding — far from a fairytale. More importantly, the narrative emphasizes the value of seeking and accepting help from others. This is not a story about solitary triumph; it is about growth through connection.
In addition to Ivy’s perspective, the novel offers brief yet meaningful glimpses into Emma Thornton’s journey as a prospector in 1863 Cariboo Gold Rush. Despite her chapters being only a few pages long, I found myself deeply invested in her arc. I related strongly to Emma’s tendency to compare her situation to others, often resulting in feelings of hopelessness. Her fierceness and determination, however, made her story compelling, and the suspense surrounding her journey was genuinely gripping.
The romance between Ivy and Annie was another highlight. The gradual buildup between them was precisely what I needed as a reader. Despite their seventeen-year age gap and their seemingly contrasting personalities, they share common ground that allows their connection to unfold naturally. Watching their relationship develop over time was both tender and satisfying!
Overall, ‘Striking Gold’ truly felt like a rewarding discovery for me. It is a solid 4-star read. Many of its plot points fall under predictable, but the story is truly relatable, insightful, emotionally engaging, and satisfyingly steamy. It is definitely one of those reads I am grateful to have found…
November 15, 2025
4.25 stars!
October 1, 2025
(rounded up from 3.5)
An enjoyable, fast-paced adventure in finding yourself and starting over from scratch out in nature and befriending your local hottie neighbourhood ice queen. This was a fun journey as we embark on a literal treasure hunt with Ivy and Emma, who are reluctantly teaming up and end up enjoying each other's company, as well as Ivy's life struggles, trying to find her own way in the world. The only thing I wasn't a massive fan of was that the plot points are fairly predictable but the story will warm your heart, and watching Ivy struggle to build a cabin in deeply uncooperative wilderness while not having a single clue about how to do any of it is entertaining.
An enjoyable, fast-paced adventure in finding yourself and starting over from scratch out in nature and befriending your local hottie neighbourhood ice queen. This was a fun journey as we embark on a literal treasure hunt with Ivy and Emma, who are reluctantly teaming up and end up enjoying each other's company, as well as Ivy's life struggles, trying to find her own way in the world. The only thing I wasn't a massive fan of was that the plot points are fairly predictable but the story will warm your heart, and watching Ivy struggle to build a cabin in deeply uncooperative wilderness while not having a single clue about how to do any of it is entertaining.
August 21, 2025
4,5 ⭐️
August 1, 2025
Ivy has inherited 200 acres in northern BC from her Grandma, why she doesn't know. Her sister Olivia is pushing that she sell it, but Ivy is intrigued by the possibilities.
On their way out they meet the neighbor, Anne, whom Ivy notes is gorgeous if icy. She is very interested in buying the land, but is evasive about why.
We also get diary entries from Emma, who was a 1860s gold panner.
After Ivy decides to move, she meets Maggie and her husband, who seems more genuine. But then Anne turns up. After seeing how stubborn Ivy is they strike a deal, and Anne admits she's looking for the something from her great grandfather, that was in the area.
As Ivy builds and Anne searches, they grow closer.. but local treasure hunters are also interested.
Good read! Characters workered, good plot, and i liked the historical twists.
4 out of 5 stars
On their way out they meet the neighbor, Anne, whom Ivy notes is gorgeous if icy. She is very interested in buying the land, but is evasive about why.
We also get diary entries from Emma, who was a 1860s gold panner.
After Ivy decides to move, she meets Maggie and her husband, who seems more genuine. But then Anne turns up. After seeing how stubborn Ivy is they strike a deal, and Anne admits she's looking for the something from her great grandfather, that was in the area.
As Ivy builds and Anne searches, they grow closer.. but local treasure hunters are also interested.
Good read! Characters workered, good plot, and i liked the historical twists.
4 out of 5 stars
December 16, 2025
I was hooked on this book from Chapter One. It has everything going for it in these uncertain times. Escape to the woods, building a cabin, and the ultimate is a treasure search. The Ice Queen was frosty but thawed nicely. And a great ending. This was a page-turner I didn’t want to put down. What more can you ask?
August 21, 2025
Give Tiana Warner all the gold for this one 💛
October 27, 2025
Excellent writing, great story. Not a slow section in sight. Fantastic end to a great story!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews