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Gold Digger: The Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor
Win a free kindle copy of this book!
2 days and 11:14:56
100 copies available
U.S. only
One look at Baby Doe and you know she was meant to be a legend! She was just twenty years old when she came to Colorado to work a gold mine with her new husband. Little did she expect that she’d be abandoned and pregnant and left to manage the gold mine alone. But that didn’t stop her! She moved to Leadville and fell in love with a married prospector, twice her age. Horace Tabor struck the biggest silver vein in history, divorced his wife and married Baby Doe. Though his new wife was known for her beauty, her fashion, and even her philanthropy, she was never welcomed in polite society. Discover how the Tabors navigated the worlds of wealth, power, politics, and scandal in the wild days of western mining.
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 28, 2019
545 people are currently reading
8813 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Rosenberg
9 books892 followersRebecca Rosenberg is a triple-gold award-winning author of MADAME POMMERY and CHAMPAGNE WIDOWS. Rebecca is a lavender farmer, champagne geek, champagne tour guide, and cocktail creator for Breathless Wines. She is the moderator of Breathless Bubbles & Books and American Historical Novels.
Rebecca writes novels about history’s real-life women of substance who made an indelible mark on the world. Her latest novel begins a series about the true champagne widows, the first of whom was Veuve Clicquot. (Veuve is French for widow.)
Rebecca is a University of Colorado alumni and holds a Stanford University novel-writing certificate. Her novels have garnered many awards including IBPA, IPPY, and starred Publisher Weekly reviews for her novels, THE SECRET LIFE OF MRS. LONDON (Lake Union 2018) and GOLD DIGGER, The Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor (Lion Heart 2019). As lavender farmer and founder of the largest lavender products manufacturer in America, Rebecca’s new book is LAVENDER FIELDS OF AMERICA.
Rebecca has researched the CHAMPAGNE WIDOWS novels through a decade of trips to the Champagne region of France, consulting with champagne historians and champagne wineries for delicious exploration.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 335 reviews
May 30, 2019
Favorite Quotes:
You have the attention span of a squirrel. Maybe I should bring acorns next time.
“I prefer women with a past.” Wilde winked. “They’re always so damned amusing.” Peter inserted a long skeleton key into the dressing room door. “Don’t give up on love, darling,” Wilde advised her. “One should always be in love. That’s the reason one should never marry.”
My Review:
Ms. Rosenberg has an entertaining and commanding writing style that squeezed my heart while raising my awareness. I have to choose carefully when picking up historical fiction, as the poor treatment of women tends to cause me dental damage from grinding my teeth. This entertaining and enlightening blending of fact and fiction was often tragic, as was undoubtedly the life of most women of the time, rich or poor. I was unfamiliar with the history and notoriety of the featured characters and having my curiosity sparked, I found myself hitting up Mr. Google for more information, which in turn led me to YouTube videos - which always results in me losing hours of time. Funny how that happens…
You have the attention span of a squirrel. Maybe I should bring acorns next time.
“I prefer women with a past.” Wilde winked. “They’re always so damned amusing.” Peter inserted a long skeleton key into the dressing room door. “Don’t give up on love, darling,” Wilde advised her. “One should always be in love. That’s the reason one should never marry.”
My Review:
Ms. Rosenberg has an entertaining and commanding writing style that squeezed my heart while raising my awareness. I have to choose carefully when picking up historical fiction, as the poor treatment of women tends to cause me dental damage from grinding my teeth. This entertaining and enlightening blending of fact and fiction was often tragic, as was undoubtedly the life of most women of the time, rich or poor. I was unfamiliar with the history and notoriety of the featured characters and having my curiosity sparked, I found myself hitting up Mr. Google for more information, which in turn led me to YouTube videos - which always results in me losing hours of time. Funny how that happens…
December 1, 2022
This is the lively story of a Colorado legend, Baby Doe Tabor, and her life in the era of gold and silver mining. Her fortunes traversed up and down with the economy and she did not receive the support of her female contemporaries. There is a lot of information included but it is a fun read. Recommended!
My thanks to the author, Rebecca Rosenberg, and the publisher, Lion Heart Publishing, for my electronic copy of this book. #Goodreads Giveaway
My thanks to the author, Rebecca Rosenberg, and the publisher, Lion Heart Publishing, for my electronic copy of this book. #Goodreads Giveaway
June 18, 2019
Newlyweds Elizabeth “Baby Doe” and Harvey Doe travel to Colorado in 1878 to manage a gold mine belonging to Harvey’s father. Baby Doe is counting on their success to help support her parents in Wisconsin. Harvey proves to be inept at management and his poor work ethic forces Baby Doe to get involved in the daily operations.
Harveys eventually abandons Baby Doe which forces her to navigate life as a single woman. She is shunned by her former friends and has trouble gaining acceptance as an attractive working woman. Her path crosses with Horace Tabor who is a prosperous silver miner and on the path to be a US senator. A strong connection is formed but their complicated lives put a strain on the relationship.
Gold Digger: The Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor by Rebecca Rosenberg is a historical fiction novel that provides insight into life during the Colorado Silver Boom. The book is well researched and includes engaging dialogue that draws readers into the time period. I look forward to the sequel about Baby Doe.
Harveys eventually abandons Baby Doe which forces her to navigate life as a single woman. She is shunned by her former friends and has trouble gaining acceptance as an attractive working woman. Her path crosses with Horace Tabor who is a prosperous silver miner and on the path to be a US senator. A strong connection is formed but their complicated lives put a strain on the relationship.
Gold Digger: The Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor by Rebecca Rosenberg is a historical fiction novel that provides insight into life during the Colorado Silver Boom. The book is well researched and includes engaging dialogue that draws readers into the time period. I look forward to the sequel about Baby Doe.
August 11, 2020
I had mixed feelings about this book. On one hand I didn't like the stupid things Baby Doe did, yet on the other hand, I could not help but feel a special bond to her, just as the author did.
The story 'Gold Digger' is the true story of Baby Doe Tabor who went through some hard times in her rags to riches story that took place in the American West in the late 1890s. Being a true story, I can't blame the author for the stupid things this woman did. I wanted to open the book wide and yell at her! I guess her choices were made for two reasons. For one thing her faith made her a sucker for those unscrupulous around her. The other reason is probably all too common. Somebody strikes it rich and they spend money like water on foolish things. If I elaborate it would spoil it for those who want to check this book out.
Years ago my friend and his father took me out to see their gold mine in the mountains of California. It was more of a claim really, with a caved in mine shaft that only went in a couple of yards. I did get a taste of Baby Doe's days though as we took ore samples into the assay office and went for a hearty breakfast in the cafe full of prospectors. Rifles and shotguns were left at the door but every soul wore a sidearm on their hip. We did go on a tour of an old silver mine in Nevada. And in the ghost town from the mining days was a huge painting of a fine lady in her gown. She was a dancehall girl who cared for sick and wounded miners, and when some ungrateful soul killed her they hung him and covered her gown with silver dollars.
It was a remarkable story of those hectic days out west. The story is worth reading if you are interested in the period. For instance, the Chinese laborers were brought in to work the mines, yet they wanted to kill them off when the mines ran out. Politics are dabbled in to push products, in this case silver. Lawyers could be soulless, as if you didn't know. JP Morgan Bankers was ruthless, even then. And Pinkerton agents protected the president.
Thanks, Rebecca, for the copy you sent me. I enjoyed it.
The story 'Gold Digger' is the true story of Baby Doe Tabor who went through some hard times in her rags to riches story that took place in the American West in the late 1890s. Being a true story, I can't blame the author for the stupid things this woman did. I wanted to open the book wide and yell at her! I guess her choices were made for two reasons. For one thing her faith made her a sucker for those unscrupulous around her. The other reason is probably all too common. Somebody strikes it rich and they spend money like water on foolish things. If I elaborate it would spoil it for those who want to check this book out.
Years ago my friend and his father took me out to see their gold mine in the mountains of California. It was more of a claim really, with a caved in mine shaft that only went in a couple of yards. I did get a taste of Baby Doe's days though as we took ore samples into the assay office and went for a hearty breakfast in the cafe full of prospectors. Rifles and shotguns were left at the door but every soul wore a sidearm on their hip. We did go on a tour of an old silver mine in Nevada. And in the ghost town from the mining days was a huge painting of a fine lady in her gown. She was a dancehall girl who cared for sick and wounded miners, and when some ungrateful soul killed her they hung him and covered her gown with silver dollars.
It was a remarkable story of those hectic days out west. The story is worth reading if you are interested in the period. For instance, the Chinese laborers were brought in to work the mines, yet they wanted to kill them off when the mines ran out. Politics are dabbled in to push products, in this case silver. Lawyers could be soulless, as if you didn't know. JP Morgan Bankers was ruthless, even then. And Pinkerton agents protected the president.
Thanks, Rebecca, for the copy you sent me. I enjoyed it.
August 3, 2022
Gold Digger, The Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor by Rebecca Rosenberg is a very engaging historical fiction novel about many colorful legends in Colorado history. Being from Colorado, I have long been fascinated with the stories and the legends surrounding Baby Doe Tabor and Horace Tabor, as well as the history of mining in silver and gold in the 1800s in the Rocky Mountains, most notably the mines in Leadville, Central City, Cripple Creek and Ouray, Colorado. The author stated that Baby Doe Tabor captured her imagination from the time she was a young girl when her family moved to Colorado and spent weekends exploring ghost towns and camping along mountain rivers as they panned for gold and explored the mines of Central City and Leadville and other mountain towns.
And with that fascination, Rebecca Rosenberg has given us a riveting narrative that will capture your heart and your imagination. Elizabeth Bonduel McCourt was born in 1854 to Irish immigrants in Oshkosh, Wisconsin where her father was a partner in a clothing store. Lizzie McCourt married Harvey Doe, then traveling to Colorado where his father had investments in mines in Central City. Lizzie found Colorado enchanting and often dressed in mining clothes would help her husband in the mine which was considered scandalous even in a frontier mining town like Central City. Ultimately, Harvey returned to the East and Baby Doe divorced him, finding employment in a tailor haberdashery in Leadville.
And I will leave the unfolding of the lives of Baby Doe Tabor and Horace Tabor and their unique love story to the readers. But it is also a tribute to Baby Doe Tabor and the remarkable endurance of her spirit to thrive in spite of all odds. It is also a tribute to those courageous people in the late 1800s willing to come west to find their pot of gold. I am happy to know that Rebecca Rosenberg is planning a sequel to this wonderful book. Meanwhile this fall we will be spending a few days in Leadville exploring its legendary past.
And with that fascination, Rebecca Rosenberg has given us a riveting narrative that will capture your heart and your imagination. Elizabeth Bonduel McCourt was born in 1854 to Irish immigrants in Oshkosh, Wisconsin where her father was a partner in a clothing store. Lizzie McCourt married Harvey Doe, then traveling to Colorado where his father had investments in mines in Central City. Lizzie found Colorado enchanting and often dressed in mining clothes would help her husband in the mine which was considered scandalous even in a frontier mining town like Central City. Ultimately, Harvey returned to the East and Baby Doe divorced him, finding employment in a tailor haberdashery in Leadville.
"Nothing less than a miracle. Baby Doe kissed her rosary and thanked the Lord above. The dark cloud that hung over her in Central City blew away in the bracing wind on their two-day climb over the Rocky Mountains.'
"The sign at the edge of Leadville claimed an altitude of 10,200 feet, almost double Denver's. In this rarified altitude, she felt positively effervescent walking down Harrison Street on Jake Sands' arm. Her chest quickened with the honky tonk and laughter rollicking out of every bar door, the jolliest from the Silver Dollar Saloon. The rough mining camp had transformed into the richest town in the West with Tabor's famous silver mines. She counted her lucky stars to live here now, with a great job, no less."
"Horace Tabor came to Colorado during the Gold Rush and dedicated his life to mining. He came into great fame and fortune in 1878 with the discovery of the little Pittsburg Mine, followed by hundreds of other mines, most notably, The Matchless. He invested his money to benefit the people of Colorado, building Leadville's Tabor Opera House, public utilities and companies. In Denver, he built the Tabor Grand Opera House, the Tabor block, and donated land for the Denver Post Office. Horace Tabor was a leader in politics, business, and mining. A true legend."
And I will leave the unfolding of the lives of Baby Doe Tabor and Horace Tabor and their unique love story to the readers. But it is also a tribute to Baby Doe Tabor and the remarkable endurance of her spirit to thrive in spite of all odds. It is also a tribute to those courageous people in the late 1800s willing to come west to find their pot of gold. I am happy to know that Rebecca Rosenberg is planning a sequel to this wonderful book. Meanwhile this fall we will be spending a few days in Leadville exploring its legendary past.
February 23, 2022
In 1878, Elizabeth McCourt marries Harvey Doe and two weeks later they move to Colorado. Harvey is rather immature, he plans on making a fortune in Colorado and from his gold mine. Harvey is a dreamer, he doesn’t think things through properly, when he doesn’t hit pay dirt instantly, he abandons his mine and Elizabeth.
Elizabeth is too proud to return home to her parents, she’s pregnant and she doesn’t believe Harvey has gone to visit his mother. When she discovers the truth, she’s furious with her spouse and moves to Leadville. Here she meets Horace Tabor, he’s a rich mine owner and married to sour Augusta. He gives Elizabeth the nickname Baby Doe, she reinvents herself, and helps Horace build an opera theatre and they fall in love.
The Tabors both being divorcees are shunned by Denver’s society, women cross the street rather than speak to Baby Doe and she tries not to let it bother her. Horace trusts the wrong person, he has too many business loans and faces financial ruin!
I received a copy of Gold Digger by Rebecca Rosenberg from NetGalley and Lion Heart Publishing in exchange for an honest review, I felt Horace didn’t give Doe credit she deserved, and she was a smart business woman and building designer. I look forward to reading the second book in the series Silver Dollar, who knows what Doe and her two daughters will find in Matchless Mine and three stars from me.
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Elizabeth is too proud to return home to her parents, she’s pregnant and she doesn’t believe Harvey has gone to visit his mother. When she discovers the truth, she’s furious with her spouse and moves to Leadville. Here she meets Horace Tabor, he’s a rich mine owner and married to sour Augusta. He gives Elizabeth the nickname Baby Doe, she reinvents herself, and helps Horace build an opera theatre and they fall in love.
The Tabors both being divorcees are shunned by Denver’s society, women cross the street rather than speak to Baby Doe and she tries not to let it bother her. Horace trusts the wrong person, he has too many business loans and faces financial ruin!
I received a copy of Gold Digger by Rebecca Rosenberg from NetGalley and Lion Heart Publishing in exchange for an honest review, I felt Horace didn’t give Doe credit she deserved, and she was a smart business woman and building designer. I look forward to reading the second book in the series Silver Dollar, who knows what Doe and her two daughters will find in Matchless Mine and three stars from me.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KarrenReadsH...
July 23, 2022
In 2017 I read the fantastic The Secret Life of Mrs. London by Rebecca Rosenberg. I recommend the book warmly btw. So, I was really looking forward to reading Gold Digger, The Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor. Now, I had never heard of Baby Doe Tabor before I read the book and that made this book extra interesting to read. I always like to learn more about real people.
Rebecca Rosenberg is a fabulous writer and I enjoyed getting a view into the often dangerous life of miners. Baby Doe or Elizabeth McCourt Tabor that was her real name married Harvey Doe. This was not a love match, she needed a husband with money to help her family. Together they traveled to Colorado to work in a gold mine that belonged to Doe's family. To say that they lived a happily married life is an exaggeration. Love would come later, with a totally different man. A man who would leave his wife for Baby Doe. Horace Tabor is a mining millionaire.
Now, I don't want to give away too much of the story. I purposely didn't check up Baby Doe on Wikipedia while reading the book because I don't want to read anything that would spoil the book. It's much more fun that way. Now, I found this book just didn't click with me the same way as The Secret Life of Mrs. London. And, I guess it all boils down to the fact that I found Baby Doe's life just not as interesting as Mrs. Londons. I found in the end that what I did like the most was the small cameos by Doc Holliday and Oscar Wilde. As for Horace Tabor, he was just not a man that intrigued me, a self-made millionaire who had a tendency to risk a bit too much. For some reason, he just didn't fascinate me.
Now, the book is absolutely read-worthy. My problem was more the subject than the writing. And, when you fail to connect with characters or/and the story, then it's hard to enjoy a book, despite the writing. However, if this book seems to be just your thing, then I say, go for it!
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
Rebecca Rosenberg is a fabulous writer and I enjoyed getting a view into the often dangerous life of miners. Baby Doe or Elizabeth McCourt Tabor that was her real name married Harvey Doe. This was not a love match, she needed a husband with money to help her family. Together they traveled to Colorado to work in a gold mine that belonged to Doe's family. To say that they lived a happily married life is an exaggeration. Love would come later, with a totally different man. A man who would leave his wife for Baby Doe. Horace Tabor is a mining millionaire.
Now, I don't want to give away too much of the story. I purposely didn't check up Baby Doe on Wikipedia while reading the book because I don't want to read anything that would spoil the book. It's much more fun that way. Now, I found this book just didn't click with me the same way as The Secret Life of Mrs. London. And, I guess it all boils down to the fact that I found Baby Doe's life just not as interesting as Mrs. Londons. I found in the end that what I did like the most was the small cameos by Doc Holliday and Oscar Wilde. As for Horace Tabor, he was just not a man that intrigued me, a self-made millionaire who had a tendency to risk a bit too much. For some reason, he just didn't fascinate me.
Now, the book is absolutely read-worthy. My problem was more the subject than the writing. And, when you fail to connect with characters or/and the story, then it's hard to enjoy a book, despite the writing. However, if this book seems to be just your thing, then I say, go for it!
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
February 1, 2019
It’s not often I find or read books about that era between the American Civil War and World War I, so it was a happy surprise that I stumbled into reading Gold Digger:The Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor.
In Gold Digger, you fall into the life of Lizzie aka Baby Doe. Baby has just been married and is off to Colorado with her new husband in the hopes of striking in big with gold mining. Things don’t go as planned, and Baby Doe finds herself husband- and child-less. What’s worse is the hate many of the townswomen are spewing on her as she fights to take care of herself and forge her own path ahead. In the end, she may find that money isn’t the most important driver in life.
Baby Doe was one of my favorite characters of the many, many books I’ve read, and what’s even cooler is that she’s modeled after a real life woman. She is smart and strong-willed and expects no less from herself than what is expected of men, which is odd for that time period. She’s a dreamer, and unafraid to provide ideas and opinions. Throughout her struggles, she fights to stay true to herself. What an inspiration for women of any age!
If you like what you’ve heard so far, be sure to add Gold Digger: The Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor to you reading list; it will be available on May 28th. I’m giving this five stars, and I’m telling you, you don’t want to miss out on this woman’s trials and tribulations!
**Thank you to Rebecca Rosenberg and Netgalley for providing with a copy of this e-book. I’ve voluntarily read this book and the review expresses my own personal opinion.**
In Gold Digger, you fall into the life of Lizzie aka Baby Doe. Baby has just been married and is off to Colorado with her new husband in the hopes of striking in big with gold mining. Things don’t go as planned, and Baby Doe finds herself husband- and child-less. What’s worse is the hate many of the townswomen are spewing on her as she fights to take care of herself and forge her own path ahead. In the end, she may find that money isn’t the most important driver in life.
Baby Doe was one of my favorite characters of the many, many books I’ve read, and what’s even cooler is that she’s modeled after a real life woman. She is smart and strong-willed and expects no less from herself than what is expected of men, which is odd for that time period. She’s a dreamer, and unafraid to provide ideas and opinions. Throughout her struggles, she fights to stay true to herself. What an inspiration for women of any age!
If you like what you’ve heard so far, be sure to add Gold Digger: The Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor to you reading list; it will be available on May 28th. I’m giving this five stars, and I’m telling you, you don’t want to miss out on this woman’s trials and tribulations!
**Thank you to Rebecca Rosenberg and Netgalley for providing with a copy of this e-book. I’ve voluntarily read this book and the review expresses my own personal opinion.**
February 4, 2019
Money cannot buy happiness. An old saying that rings true in this tale of Baby Doe Tabor. A tale of love and tragedy. So often the two go together.
I had been fortunate in my life to have an Aunt living in the mountains above Boulder, Colorado. During numerous visits, she and her friend took me to Central City and many of the old mining towns in the area. Laura Lou Lincoln, my aunt's friend, taught my oldest children how to pan for gold. I can therefore relate to this tale of miners, strife and those who struck it rich in the mines of Colorado.
Horace Tabor was one who rode the mining boon in silver. Wealth brought him fame, but not love. Until he met Elizabeth McCourt Doe. Revered for her beauty and work ethnics, the miners nicknamed her Baby Doe and the name stuck. Abandoned by her husband, Baby Doe sought for and obtained an divorce. Unheard of in the era of the late 1800s. Also unheard of in that time was a man married for twenty years who sought the love of Baby Doe over his wife. Horace Tabor finds a way and mines Baby Doe's heart.
Gold Digger thus takes you on a roller coaster ride of opulence, scandal, heartbreak and resiliency. Enjoy the ride.
I had been fortunate in my life to have an Aunt living in the mountains above Boulder, Colorado. During numerous visits, she and her friend took me to Central City and many of the old mining towns in the area. Laura Lou Lincoln, my aunt's friend, taught my oldest children how to pan for gold. I can therefore relate to this tale of miners, strife and those who struck it rich in the mines of Colorado.
Horace Tabor was one who rode the mining boon in silver. Wealth brought him fame, but not love. Until he met Elizabeth McCourt Doe. Revered for her beauty and work ethnics, the miners nicknamed her Baby Doe and the name stuck. Abandoned by her husband, Baby Doe sought for and obtained an divorce. Unheard of in the era of the late 1800s. Also unheard of in that time was a man married for twenty years who sought the love of Baby Doe over his wife. Horace Tabor finds a way and mines Baby Doe's heart.
Gold Digger thus takes you on a roller coaster ride of opulence, scandal, heartbreak and resiliency. Enjoy the ride.
March 17, 2022
"Gold Digger" is a very good read. In fact, it truly is a perfect example of well written Historical Fiction.
It is a rags to riches to...... story covering the precious metal rush of the 19th century.
As fast read because the writing is so solid.
I really enjoyed this book.
It is a rags to riches to...... story covering the precious metal rush of the 19th century.
As fast read because the writing is so solid.
I really enjoyed this book.
July 3, 2021
An Amazing Historical Fiction deserving of all the stars!
I love Rebecca Rosenberg! I enjoyed The Secret Life of Mrs London, and this one was just as amazing and a 5 star read for me.
Gold Digger is a wonderful story about a beautiful young woman, originally from Oshkosh Wisconsin Lizzy “Baby Doe” Tabor, a legend in her own right, and a woman well ahead of her time. From a very poor family, she marries into money and immediately leaves her struggling family to trek the Wild West and try to strike gold in Colorado, a mine given as a wedding present.
The harsh conditions working in the mine leaves her husband to go back home to his sheltered and privileged life, leaving and abandoning Baby Doe pregnant and alone to manage the mine. Through some exceptional friendships she has made, her life saved many times, she survives many ups and downs.
Horace Tabor has been unlucky in the mining prospects, and became an owner of the general store. Not accepting that as his lot in life, and against the better judgment of his wife and family, he continues to secretly prospect and one day had a lucky strike in discovering one of the biggest silver vein in history.
It was such a delight to learn the amazing history of the western mining and the details of how people then navigated the hardships, the role of the Chinese in these dangerous mines, how success goes hand in hand with wealth and politics, their philanthropic activities and societies that developed hotels and opera houses.
What a delightful read and a Historical Fiction at its finest!! My attention was captured from the very first page!
I love Rebecca Rosenberg! I enjoyed The Secret Life of Mrs London, and this one was just as amazing and a 5 star read for me.
Gold Digger is a wonderful story about a beautiful young woman, originally from Oshkosh Wisconsin Lizzy “Baby Doe” Tabor, a legend in her own right, and a woman well ahead of her time. From a very poor family, she marries into money and immediately leaves her struggling family to trek the Wild West and try to strike gold in Colorado, a mine given as a wedding present.
The harsh conditions working in the mine leaves her husband to go back home to his sheltered and privileged life, leaving and abandoning Baby Doe pregnant and alone to manage the mine. Through some exceptional friendships she has made, her life saved many times, she survives many ups and downs.
Horace Tabor has been unlucky in the mining prospects, and became an owner of the general store. Not accepting that as his lot in life, and against the better judgment of his wife and family, he continues to secretly prospect and one day had a lucky strike in discovering one of the biggest silver vein in history.
It was such a delight to learn the amazing history of the western mining and the details of how people then navigated the hardships, the role of the Chinese in these dangerous mines, how success goes hand in hand with wealth and politics, their philanthropic activities and societies that developed hotels and opera houses.
What a delightful read and a Historical Fiction at its finest!! My attention was captured from the very first page!
May 28, 2019
After reading this I realized this story though not nonfiction is based on a true story. The sequel, which I can't wait to read will be releasing in September.
Calling all historical fiction readers, you're going to really enjoy this one.
It is rich in historical detail. Very word heavy, you'll love the descriptions. Lizzie aka Baby Doe comes from poverty but with her exceptional beauty her Mama always said she would marry rich.
This woman is a survivor, just twenty years old she travels to Colorado with her husband to work a gold mine with her new husband. It wasn't long before he deserted her leaving her hungry and pregnant to work the mine herself.
With her beauty attracting men like bees to honey it wasn't long before they were swarming. Rich,poor they all wanted her and not to have a cup of tea with them.
After she moves to Leadville she fell in love with and marries a prospector twice her age.
Horace Tabor strikes the biggest silver vein in history . Though she is now rich Baby Doe is never accepted into polite society despite wearing the latest fashions and living in opulence.
Scandal,wealth,power we encounter them all before the bottom drops out.
Baby Doe is a real spit-fire, I think you're gonna enjoy reading about her.
Published May 28th 2019 by LION HEART PUBLISHING.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
Calling all historical fiction readers, you're going to really enjoy this one.
It is rich in historical detail. Very word heavy, you'll love the descriptions. Lizzie aka Baby Doe comes from poverty but with her exceptional beauty her Mama always said she would marry rich.
This woman is a survivor, just twenty years old she travels to Colorado with her husband to work a gold mine with her new husband. It wasn't long before he deserted her leaving her hungry and pregnant to work the mine herself.
With her beauty attracting men like bees to honey it wasn't long before they were swarming. Rich,poor they all wanted her and not to have a cup of tea with them.
After she moves to Leadville she fell in love with and marries a prospector twice her age.
Horace Tabor strikes the biggest silver vein in history . Though she is now rich Baby Doe is never accepted into polite society despite wearing the latest fashions and living in opulence.
Scandal,wealth,power we encounter them all before the bottom drops out.
Baby Doe is a real spit-fire, I think you're gonna enjoy reading about her.
Published May 28th 2019 by LION HEART PUBLISHING.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
February 12, 2019
Baby Doe Tabor, born Elizabeth McCourt, was author Rebecca Rosenberg's life long obsession, and now Roseburg has resurrected Baby Doe in her newest book Gold Digger: The Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor. Rosenberg is the author of The Secret Life of Mrs. London--the 2020 Read Across California book choice.
The beautiful Baby Doe married for the promise of a gold mine, her mother always intended her to be the family's way out of debt. When her immature husband abandoned her, Baby Doe supported herself by working for a tailor. Since her arrival in the Western wilds of Colorado Baby Doe had turned heads and men were scrambling for her favors. But the only man to claim her heart was the married Silver King Horace Tabor, who rose from miner to riches to the U.S. Senate.
Baby Doe broke hearts when she and Tabor divorced their spouses and got married. The 'Tabor Luck' brought them spectacular wealth before the Eastern bankers convinced the Federal government to adopt the gold standard, sending silver prices plunging.
I was propelled to read Gold Digger. Baby Doe and her world are vividly rendered, and the economic and social challenges of the times are addressed through the action. A terrifying scene of an attack on Chinese immigrants illustrates the anti-Chinese sentiment toward the people who came to do the manual labor. And the shunning of the Tabor wedding in Washington, D.C., even though President Arthur attended, illustrates the social rejection of the divorced.
Baby Doe's experiences ran the gamut from pampered daughter to the hard-working miner's wife who actually donned overalls and worked on site. She suffered a miscarriage and was abandoned by her husband. She worked to support herself, fending off sexual predators and suitors. Then she coped with social rejection for her divorce and a relationship with the man she loved. Tabor showered her with riches and gave her two children before losing everything, but she stuck with the man she loved. No wonder that Rosenberg calls her 'remarkable'.
Rosenberg writes about women who are survivors. She knows about resilience. She and her husband lost their home and lavender farm in a California wildfire in 2017.
The sequel to Gold Digger, Silver Dollar (Baby Doe's daughter) is scheduled for release in September 2019--so readers won't have to wait long for the conclusion of Baby Doe's life!
I received a free ebook from the author in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
The beautiful Baby Doe married for the promise of a gold mine, her mother always intended her to be the family's way out of debt. When her immature husband abandoned her, Baby Doe supported herself by working for a tailor. Since her arrival in the Western wilds of Colorado Baby Doe had turned heads and men were scrambling for her favors. But the only man to claim her heart was the married Silver King Horace Tabor, who rose from miner to riches to the U.S. Senate.
Baby Doe broke hearts when she and Tabor divorced their spouses and got married. The 'Tabor Luck' brought them spectacular wealth before the Eastern bankers convinced the Federal government to adopt the gold standard, sending silver prices plunging.
I was propelled to read Gold Digger. Baby Doe and her world are vividly rendered, and the economic and social challenges of the times are addressed through the action. A terrifying scene of an attack on Chinese immigrants illustrates the anti-Chinese sentiment toward the people who came to do the manual labor. And the shunning of the Tabor wedding in Washington, D.C., even though President Arthur attended, illustrates the social rejection of the divorced.
Baby Doe's experiences ran the gamut from pampered daughter to the hard-working miner's wife who actually donned overalls and worked on site. She suffered a miscarriage and was abandoned by her husband. She worked to support herself, fending off sexual predators and suitors. Then she coped with social rejection for her divorce and a relationship with the man she loved. Tabor showered her with riches and gave her two children before losing everything, but she stuck with the man she loved. No wonder that Rosenberg calls her 'remarkable'.
Rosenberg writes about women who are survivors. She knows about resilience. She and her husband lost their home and lavender farm in a California wildfire in 2017.
The sequel to Gold Digger, Silver Dollar (Baby Doe's daughter) is scheduled for release in September 2019--so readers won't have to wait long for the conclusion of Baby Doe's life!
I received a free ebook from the author in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
May 26, 2019
In her Afterword, Rebecca Rosenberg confesses that Baby Doe Tabor 'captured her imagination' from the time she was five years old. Her enthusiasm for her subject shines through in this book although I'll admit I'd never heard of Baby Doe Tabor up to this point. As the book description sets out, Gold Digger is a rags to riches, riches to rags and possibly back again, story of a woman determined to control her own destiny and prove she has brains to match her beauty.
Along the way, Baby Doe (the nickname she acquires on account of her beautiful doe-like eyes) endures personal tragedy, estrangement from her family and the scorn of members of society, mainly other women. She also finally meets her soulmate and encounters some famous figures from history, including Doc Holliday and Oscar Wilde.
What I hadn't realised is that the story of Baby Doe Tabor does not end with Gold Digger. In fact, the book ends at a pivotal moment in her life. The author freely admits it's 'only half the story' and promises the rest will unfold in a sequel, Silver Dollar (the name of Baby Doe's second daughter), planned for publication in 2020.
I have to say Gold Digger didn't quite capture my imagination in the way that Rebecca Rosenberg's previous book, The Secret Life of Mrs. London did. I think that's because the male characters in Gold Digger, Harvey and Horace, can't help but be pale shadows in comparison to the larger than life characters of Harry Houdini and Jack London in the earlier book. Having said that, Gold Digger is a well-told story of a remarkable woman with an admirable determination to make her own way in a man's world.
Along the way, Baby Doe (the nickname she acquires on account of her beautiful doe-like eyes) endures personal tragedy, estrangement from her family and the scorn of members of society, mainly other women. She also finally meets her soulmate and encounters some famous figures from history, including Doc Holliday and Oscar Wilde.
What I hadn't realised is that the story of Baby Doe Tabor does not end with Gold Digger. In fact, the book ends at a pivotal moment in her life. The author freely admits it's 'only half the story' and promises the rest will unfold in a sequel, Silver Dollar (the name of Baby Doe's second daughter), planned for publication in 2020.
I have to say Gold Digger didn't quite capture my imagination in the way that Rebecca Rosenberg's previous book, The Secret Life of Mrs. London did. I think that's because the male characters in Gold Digger, Harvey and Horace, can't help but be pale shadows in comparison to the larger than life characters of Harry Houdini and Jack London in the earlier book. Having said that, Gold Digger is a well-told story of a remarkable woman with an admirable determination to make her own way in a man's world.
June 1, 2019
As she did with The Secret Life of Mrs. London, Rebecca Rosenberg has written another fascinating story that carries the reader away to a very different time. Well researched, filled with vivid detail and engaging characters, it did not take long for me to be drawn into the fascinating life during the Gold Rush years. Rosenberg knows how to spin a tale based on fact and even though this is a period of time that did not call to me, I was soon hooked. This is a fascinating tale of love and loss with a determined female protagonist who overcomes one tragedy after another. I can't wait for the sequel! I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 31, 2019
The Colorado Gold Rush of the late 1880s both made and broke many people. Among them was Horace Tabor. But the jewel in Tabor's crown wasn't one of his mines, it was the woman he fell in love with, known as "Baby Doe". This biographical, historical, women’s fiction novel is about how Elizabeth McCourt from Oshkosh WI goes to Colorado as Harvey Doe's young bride, and how she ends up as "Baby Doe Tabor". You can read my #bookreview of "Gold Digger: The Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor" by Rebecca Rosenberg on my blog now! https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2019/10/3...
March 5, 2019
Rebecca Rosenberg has brought history to life in this un...put...down...able book about Baby Doe Tabor! This is the genre of book that I love to read and I was thrilled with the opportunity to read an ARC copy! This fascinating woman in American history, particularly Colorado history, was beautiful, determined, strong and most of all a survivor. She endured the gamut of difficulties that life and society threw at her because of her strong will and the love she had for Horace Tabor.
Ms. Rosenberg has captured the essence and beauty not only of Baby Doe but also of Colorado. The descriptions she writes are so vivid and incredible. I grew up in Colorado with my dad taking me to many old ghost towns in the mountains and this book brought all those places to life as bustling, crowded places that brought miners in search of their fortunes in their hunt for silver and gold. From the clear, blue skies and streams to the scents of the pines. From the hardships and reality of what mining entailed to the high society of the Denver elites, I was living this tale of ups and downs with Baby Doe.
Ms. Rosenberg built this book upon the real life of Baby Doe Tabor and the history surrounding her. It's a wonderful "look" at who she was. The research, the history, the background to the characters is all brought together in a magnificent book that reads like it could be made into a top rated movie. I didn't want the book to end. I wanted more of Baby Doe and to my surprise! There is going to be a sequel! Silver Dollar! I will be waiting with great anticipation for what happens next in Baby Doe's life!
This book exceeded all my expectations and gave me an adventure back in history that I will never forget. I love Colorado. I love the rich history of that state. Ms. Rosenberg brought all that to me in this book plus so much more. I loved the adventure!
There are passages that are so profound and speak of the talent Ms. Rosenberg has at expressing the written word.
"The Matchless was a symbol of everything they stood for; tenacity, courage, and most of all, luck. Was that why he never let it go? He kept it for her."
"Love is like a wild horse, impossible to tame," she said. "The horse takes you places you never thought you'd go. But if you hold on tight, it always leads you home."
This is the second book by Ms. Rosenberg that I've read and highly recommend both. The first one is The Secret Life of Mrs. London. I am so looking forward to her next book, too! I want to thank Ms. Rosenberg for the honor of reading her amazing novel! I would give it way more than 5 stars if possible and I highly recommend her books!
Ms. Rosenberg has captured the essence and beauty not only of Baby Doe but also of Colorado. The descriptions she writes are so vivid and incredible. I grew up in Colorado with my dad taking me to many old ghost towns in the mountains and this book brought all those places to life as bustling, crowded places that brought miners in search of their fortunes in their hunt for silver and gold. From the clear, blue skies and streams to the scents of the pines. From the hardships and reality of what mining entailed to the high society of the Denver elites, I was living this tale of ups and downs with Baby Doe.
Ms. Rosenberg built this book upon the real life of Baby Doe Tabor and the history surrounding her. It's a wonderful "look" at who she was. The research, the history, the background to the characters is all brought together in a magnificent book that reads like it could be made into a top rated movie. I didn't want the book to end. I wanted more of Baby Doe and to my surprise! There is going to be a sequel! Silver Dollar! I will be waiting with great anticipation for what happens next in Baby Doe's life!
This book exceeded all my expectations and gave me an adventure back in history that I will never forget. I love Colorado. I love the rich history of that state. Ms. Rosenberg brought all that to me in this book plus so much more. I loved the adventure!
There are passages that are so profound and speak of the talent Ms. Rosenberg has at expressing the written word.
"The Matchless was a symbol of everything they stood for; tenacity, courage, and most of all, luck. Was that why he never let it go? He kept it for her."
"Love is like a wild horse, impossible to tame," she said. "The horse takes you places you never thought you'd go. But if you hold on tight, it always leads you home."
This is the second book by Ms. Rosenberg that I've read and highly recommend both. The first one is The Secret Life of Mrs. London. I am so looking forward to her next book, too! I want to thank Ms. Rosenberg for the honor of reading her amazing novel! I would give it way more than 5 stars if possible and I highly recommend her books!
June 5, 2019
There's a little big of a double entendre going on with the title. Baby /Doe heads west with her new husband, Harvey. Almost from the start, you know this is not a marriage that is going to go along swimmingly. Harvey has asthma and the altitude in Colorado is causing him a lot of difficulty. The mining life, definitely isn't for him.
Baby is soon left alone and pregnant and forced to find her own way. Thankfully she ended up working with a haberdashery before her life really starts changing
That change comes in the face of Horace Tabor, and older married silver miner.
So much scandal there. It doesn't really help matters that Baby Doe is beautiful. She's pretty smart too. Or at least smart enough to know how to survive. But Horace does have a wife of 20 + years and a son.
This book was so interesting, because like most historical characters, they aren't always likable, but they sure are intriguing.
Sometimes I had to wonder about Baby Doe and the decisions she made. Being brought up Catholic she would have had to have known she wasn't going to have it easy divorcing and remarrying. In 2019 divorce still isn't all that acceptable in the church and considering there was a pregnancy, it would have been pretty hard to get that marriage annulled.
I also wondered about Horace. He had so much to lose leaving his wife.
The power of love, maybe? I wasn't 100 % convinced though until the end.
There's a lot of stuff to learn here too. I think that's what I really love about good historical fiction, you want to learn more and you want to google as you go along. I was constantly checking the Wiki pages for Baby Doe and Horace Tabor to learn more about their lives. You also know that calling it the Wild West was probably an understatement.
What I really liked was the way the story was presented, from both Baby Doe's and Horace's points of view.
This was a fabulous read!
Baby is soon left alone and pregnant and forced to find her own way. Thankfully she ended up working with a haberdashery before her life really starts changing
That change comes in the face of Horace Tabor, and older married silver miner.
So much scandal there. It doesn't really help matters that Baby Doe is beautiful. She's pretty smart too. Or at least smart enough to know how to survive. But Horace does have a wife of 20 + years and a son.
This book was so interesting, because like most historical characters, they aren't always likable, but they sure are intriguing.
Sometimes I had to wonder about Baby Doe and the decisions she made. Being brought up Catholic she would have had to have known she wasn't going to have it easy divorcing and remarrying. In 2019 divorce still isn't all that acceptable in the church and considering there was a pregnancy, it would have been pretty hard to get that marriage annulled.
I also wondered about Horace. He had so much to lose leaving his wife.
The power of love, maybe? I wasn't 100 % convinced though until the end.
There's a lot of stuff to learn here too. I think that's what I really love about good historical fiction, you want to learn more and you want to google as you go along. I was constantly checking the Wiki pages for Baby Doe and Horace Tabor to learn more about their lives. You also know that calling it the Wild West was probably an understatement.
What I really liked was the way the story was presented, from both Baby Doe's and Horace's points of view.
This was a fabulous read!
September 2, 2019
The opera "Ballad of Baby Doe" sparked my interest in reading this version of Lizzie/Baby Doe's life. It was a good read and brought to life other aspects of the Old West and the mining culture of the Colorado of the late 1800's. What fascinated me were the story and its details: how Lizzie came West with her feckless first husband, both dreaming of gold. He abandons her and she has to make a life for herself in a man's world. She does a stint of working for a tailor; she's trained for this: working in her father's haberdashery back in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Then she meets Horace Tabor, the so-called "Silver King", a very wealthy man and owner of silver mines, the best being the Matchless Mine. They fall in love and after each obtains a divorce from their respective spouses, they marry. They live an opulent lifestyle although she is shunned by other women. With the rise of the Gold Standard Horace loses practically everything, even his life.
This novel vividly set before me the whole era. Baby Doe and Horace were both sympathetic and she was to be admired for her strength and resilience when faced with bad fortune. I liked the author's including the cameos of the Presidents of those days: Grant, Cleveland, even Arthur, who came to her second wedding.
Highly recommended. I thank the author for sending me a copy.
This novel vividly set before me the whole era. Baby Doe and Horace were both sympathetic and she was to be admired for her strength and resilience when faced with bad fortune. I liked the author's including the cameos of the Presidents of those days: Grant, Cleveland, even Arthur, who came to her second wedding.
Highly recommended. I thank the author for sending me a copy.
April 5, 2019
GOLD DIGGER: THE REMARKABLE BABY DOE TABOR by Rebecca Rosenberg is a work of historical fiction based on the life of Elizabeth McCourt Doe Tabor, aka Baby Doe. It is set in the late 1800s during the heyday of gold and silver mining in Colorado. After moving to Colorado with her new husband, Harvey, to make their fortune in a gold mine, Baby Doe finds herself suddenly without a husband and living alone in poverty, estranged from friends and family. Later, she meets “silver king” and politician, Horace Tabor and despite him being married, they embark on a forbidden romance that eventually results in them both being shunned by the society they once dominated. This intriguing rags-to-riches-to-rags story is told with vivid descriptions and realistic detail. The characters were well-portrayed and believable and I loved how fiercely independent and resilient Baby Doe was in the face of all the difficulties she faced. I must confess I knew nothing about this strong woman from American history and I always like learning something new when I read historical fiction. I really enjoyed this well-written and engaging book and I look forward to the sequel, SILVER DOLLAR, coming later this year. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.
September 6, 2019
This is another fascinating read by Rosenberg, again illuminating a piece of history for modern readers. Gifted in the art of dialog and character, the author quickly draws the reader into the story and doesn't let go. This was a one-day read for me and I am eagerly anticipating the sequel!
May 24, 2019
I won a copy of this book and also got a copy via NetGalley from the author for my complete, unbiased, and honest review.
This book was so good from the very beginning. I was a bit unsure whether I was going to like it at first but after reading the very first page I was hooked. It weaves so much history throughout the story. I learned so much about the gold and silver mines in Colorado. I also remembered a President that I had forgotten about. The 21st president of the United States. President Arthur. I know my presidents usually but for some reason forgot about him so I googled him. I love when I read a book that makes me a bit smarter.
I loved this book. I loved most of the characters. There were some that I detested but that happens. It had so much feeling. Deep love, aching, heartbreaking pain, a bit of laughter. All the feels I expect from a good book. Baby Doe was a great beauty and all the men wanted her. When she gave her heart it was for real. It was for life. Not for money but for true love. I wept in a few parts of this book. It broke my heart and then I would feel so happy. I hated how the women treated Baby Doe. They should have given her a chance. She was kind, tender, loving, giving to a fault and loyal. Horace Tabor fell in love with her and made her his wife against all the crazy odds of the Colorado laws. I could not believe that a woman could not get a divorce back then. That was crazy, but true. It was hard for Horace to get a divorce so he could marry Baby Doe. Theirs is a love story that transcends the ages. And what an age difference they had. Her young and beautiful and him somewhat old. He was actually quite a bit older than her but they had the thing that keeps a couple together. Complete love and loyalty.
This book was so well researched. I felt like I was right there. In the mines, in the mountains, in the hotels, opera houses and even in the White House. Ms Rosenberg did an outstanding job with this book. She brought history to life with words. Words that I won’t soon forget. I treasured each word in this book. It was truly a beautiful story of love and loss.
I can’t wait for the sequel now.
A great big 5 stars and more if I could.
Thank you to #NetGalley #Rebecca Rosenberg for this book.
This book was so good from the very beginning. I was a bit unsure whether I was going to like it at first but after reading the very first page I was hooked. It weaves so much history throughout the story. I learned so much about the gold and silver mines in Colorado. I also remembered a President that I had forgotten about. The 21st president of the United States. President Arthur. I know my presidents usually but for some reason forgot about him so I googled him. I love when I read a book that makes me a bit smarter.
I loved this book. I loved most of the characters. There were some that I detested but that happens. It had so much feeling. Deep love, aching, heartbreaking pain, a bit of laughter. All the feels I expect from a good book. Baby Doe was a great beauty and all the men wanted her. When she gave her heart it was for real. It was for life. Not for money but for true love. I wept in a few parts of this book. It broke my heart and then I would feel so happy. I hated how the women treated Baby Doe. They should have given her a chance. She was kind, tender, loving, giving to a fault and loyal. Horace Tabor fell in love with her and made her his wife against all the crazy odds of the Colorado laws. I could not believe that a woman could not get a divorce back then. That was crazy, but true. It was hard for Horace to get a divorce so he could marry Baby Doe. Theirs is a love story that transcends the ages. And what an age difference they had. Her young and beautiful and him somewhat old. He was actually quite a bit older than her but they had the thing that keeps a couple together. Complete love and loyalty.
This book was so well researched. I felt like I was right there. In the mines, in the mountains, in the hotels, opera houses and even in the White House. Ms Rosenberg did an outstanding job with this book. She brought history to life with words. Words that I won’t soon forget. I treasured each word in this book. It was truly a beautiful story of love and loss.
I can’t wait for the sequel now.
A great big 5 stars and more if I could.
Thank you to #NetGalley #Rebecca Rosenberg for this book.
February 9, 2020
It is impossible not to admire the author for the amount of research that she had to undertake to write "Gold Digger, The Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor". I haven't heard about Baby Doe Tabor before, so it was interesting to read about her life and get to know her circumstances and character.
This is an image of Baby Doe Tabor that I found on Wikipedia web-page:
Baby Doe Tabor. Photograph taken in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, circa 1883 via Wikipedia
After reading the book I am sure that Baby Doe was a remarkable woman, who was able to achieve much despite being born in poverty and despite limited opportunities that women had in her days. She was born in 1854 and spent much of her life in Colorado. She divorced her first husband, which was highly unusual in those days and married a very wealthy man Horace Tabor after he obtained divorce, which ruined his political career. She was considered a great beauty and a sinner for leading Horace Tabor to divorce his wife (in those days of course everyone blamed the other woman).
Baby Doe's life was full of ups and downs. Once she was wealthy beyond belief and then she was poor as a church mouse. She had two daughters. She named one of her daughter's Silver Dollar... That's one of the most original names I have ever heard! Baby Doe's life was difficult and tragic. The novel ends with her again lonely and in poverty with two young daughters, that she needs to care for. Still, she is determined to hold on to her dreams and to regain her fortune.
It was an interesting novel to read, even if the pacing seemed a little off at times and some parts of the book describing life of Horace Tabor weren't necessary. I think that the novel would be better without them, they didn't add much to the story and they made me at times put the book down.
I received "Gold Digger, The Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor" from the author via NetGalley. I would like to thank the author for providing me with the advance reader copy of the book.
This is an image of Baby Doe Tabor that I found on Wikipedia web-page:
Baby Doe Tabor. Photograph taken in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, circa 1883 via Wikipedia
After reading the book I am sure that Baby Doe was a remarkable woman, who was able to achieve much despite being born in poverty and despite limited opportunities that women had in her days. She was born in 1854 and spent much of her life in Colorado. She divorced her first husband, which was highly unusual in those days and married a very wealthy man Horace Tabor after he obtained divorce, which ruined his political career. She was considered a great beauty and a sinner for leading Horace Tabor to divorce his wife (in those days of course everyone blamed the other woman).
Baby Doe's life was full of ups and downs. Once she was wealthy beyond belief and then she was poor as a church mouse. She had two daughters. She named one of her daughter's Silver Dollar... That's one of the most original names I have ever heard! Baby Doe's life was difficult and tragic. The novel ends with her again lonely and in poverty with two young daughters, that she needs to care for. Still, she is determined to hold on to her dreams and to regain her fortune.
It was an interesting novel to read, even if the pacing seemed a little off at times and some parts of the book describing life of Horace Tabor weren't necessary. I think that the novel would be better without them, they didn't add much to the story and they made me at times put the book down.
I received "Gold Digger, The Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor" from the author via NetGalley. I would like to thank the author for providing me with the advance reader copy of the book.
February 20, 2019
I became a fan of this author when I read her first novel, THE SECRET LIFE OF MRS. LONDON, so I was pleased to have the opportunity to read an advanced copy of GOLD DIGGER. As before, the author has taken a true story--a true love story--and has brought it to new life for today's readers. Everything is here for a rollicking ride. This story pull together a forbidden love, the wild west, politics, and mining for riches set against the backdrop of my favorite state, Colorado.
The most impressive part of the novel is the depiction of its main characters, Horace and Baby Doe Tabor, who seemed so real to me I wished I'd known them. As they endured the cruel pettiness of people who lived during their era, their love stayed true. I ached for both of them.
Even though I know how this story ends, I was thrilled to see that there will be a Part II, and I'll look forward to devouring that novel as well. Don't miss this rags-to-riches-to-rags again, compelling read.
The most impressive part of the novel is the depiction of its main characters, Horace and Baby Doe Tabor, who seemed so real to me I wished I'd known them. As they endured the cruel pettiness of people who lived during their era, their love stayed true. I ached for both of them.
Even though I know how this story ends, I was thrilled to see that there will be a Part II, and I'll look forward to devouring that novel as well. Don't miss this rags-to-riches-to-rags again, compelling read.
December 31, 2019
(3 & 1/2 Stars)Rather interesting novelization about Elizabeth"Baby Doe" Tabor ,who arrived in Colorado as a young bride with her new husband,Harvey Doe whose family owned a Silver Mine . Elizabeth(who is nicknamed "Baby Doe" by the other miners) is fascinated by the mining process ,so much that she goes into them herself,which was practically unheard of for a woman in 1879. Bad luck & Harvey's health issues take their toll on the couple & a pregnant Baby Doe is abandoned when her husband goes back to their native Wisconsin to look after his ailing mother(or so he claims). Baby sadly miscarries after going into premature labor & goes to work as a seamstress for a kindly Jewish tailor who falls in love with her(Most of the men in town do,which was a bit annoying at times). Then flamboyant"Silver King" Horace Tabor notices the pretty ,feisty Baby Doe & revolves to leave his loveless marriage for her. Things aren't as simple as all that however,as his dour wife refuses to agree to a divorce & the Catholic Baby Doe doesn't want to have an affair. But they keep meeting up in the small mining town of Leadville & she gradually falls for the charismatic(& very rich) Tabor. After finding out her husband has been back in town (& been spending time with prostitutes)she obtains a divorce & becomes Tabor's mistress & the scandal of Colorado society. Even after Horace finally divorces his wife & makes an "Honest Woman" out of Baby ,she's still shunned by the "Good" women of Denver,where they make their home. Baby Doe truly loves Tabor so she rides it out & attempts to rise above the gossip by being a devoted wife,mother & benefactress to the needy of her adopted hometown. The good luck that Horace Tabor has with his mine doesn't last forever but she remains by his side & even burns down their mansion to obtain the insurance money(the house isn't insured so that doesn't exactly work out..) and ,when Horace's health begins to decline,Baby Doe is faced with widowhood & raising their two daughters . In short,this is a rags to riches( & back again) tale & author Rebecca Rosenberg injects it & Baby Doe, with spirit.Also, having visited Denver ,it was interesting to read about it's history . The book does drag in places & gets a little too "Tell Rather Than Show" at times. Also,I wish the editor did a better job as I counted quite a few typos. That aside,I enjoyed this book & want to read the sequel since this book & Baby Doe herself, ultimately won me over.
September 5, 2019
GN Rebecca Rosenberg brings the past alive with her prose. Gold Digger, The Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor is based on the life of Elizabeth McCourt Doe Tabor and obviously, a great deal of background research went into the writing of this historical novel. Gold Digger takes us to Colorado mining country with the arrival of newlyweds Harvey and 'Lizzy' Elizabeth McCourt Doe in Denver by rail in April of 1878. We see Baby Doe through years of trying to help Harvey cope with life in general and the expectations of his wealthy East Coast parents, his desertion and the birth and death of their son, divorce from Harvey despite her Catholic faith and the lifetime of censure from Colorado's social class.
We are with her also through much happier times, her later marriage to Horace and the birth of her two daughters, and watch as she copes with poverty, great wealth, and back to poverty, and the death of Husband #2, Horace Austin Warner Tabor in 1899.
Baby Doe Tabor was a remarkable woman, independent to a fault, kind and generous and a remarkable helpmate to both of the men in her life. Her travels through many of the mining towns in the Colorado mountains are so well described you feel like you have been there, at that time, in the cold or the warmth of the sun. And watching Denver grow into the transportation hub of the western Rocky Mountains is an exceptional experience as well.
I received a free electronic copy of this historical novel from Rebecca Rosenberg, Netgalley and IBPA Publisher Lion Heart in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.
Pub date May 28, 2019
Reviewed on May 29 at Goodreads, Netgalley, Barnes & Nobel, and BookBub. Not available at Kobo,
We are with her also through much happier times, her later marriage to Horace and the birth of her two daughters, and watch as she copes with poverty, great wealth, and back to poverty, and the death of Husband #2, Horace Austin Warner Tabor in 1899.
Baby Doe Tabor was a remarkable woman, independent to a fault, kind and generous and a remarkable helpmate to both of the men in her life. Her travels through many of the mining towns in the Colorado mountains are so well described you feel like you have been there, at that time, in the cold or the warmth of the sun. And watching Denver grow into the transportation hub of the western Rocky Mountains is an exceptional experience as well.
I received a free electronic copy of this historical novel from Rebecca Rosenberg, Netgalley and IBPA Publisher Lion Heart in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.
Pub date May 28, 2019
Reviewed on May 29 at Goodreads, Netgalley, Barnes & Nobel, and BookBub. Not available at Kobo,
February 3, 2019
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of Gold Digger. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Well, this one was quite the tale! I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It was the first historical fiction that I have read in a while that REALLY inspired me to do some research of my own. I became practically obsessed with all things "Baby Doe". I know that much of the book is pure embellishment on the factual timeline, but it was all so interesting that I found myself fact checking about halfway through and especially after completion--wondering how much was based in truth and what the additions were! I really wanted to hate Baby Doe, but this novel was well written and her character just did not seem to deserve that. I not only read but also absorbed this book...and I will anxiously await the sequel!
Thank you to NetGalley and Rebecca Rosenberg for the ARC!
Well, this one was quite the tale! I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It was the first historical fiction that I have read in a while that REALLY inspired me to do some research of my own. I became practically obsessed with all things "Baby Doe". I know that much of the book is pure embellishment on the factual timeline, but it was all so interesting that I found myself fact checking about halfway through and especially after completion--wondering how much was based in truth and what the additions were! I really wanted to hate Baby Doe, but this novel was well written and her character just did not seem to deserve that. I not only read but also absorbed this book...and I will anxiously await the sequel!
Thank you to NetGalley and Rebecca Rosenberg for the ARC!
May 29, 2019
My favorite thing about reading historical fiction is that I can be entertained while learning something new about a time, a place, and people I’m not familiar with. I felt like I was living in the 19th century in Colorado, a time of hope and desperation. The author has told this story with gritty honesty, and with the great ability to transport readers. The characters were immensely fascinating, especially Baby Doe, who really comes to life on the pages of this book!
October 16, 2019
The moment Mrs. London stepped onto that train in THE SECRET LIFE OF MRS. LONDON, Rebecca Rosenberg's debut novel, I knew I was going to keep reading this author's work. She puts her reader into the mind, body, and soul of the woman about whom she is writing, as though they have come back from the dead, sat across from us at our kitchen table to tell us about their lives, to tell us who they were. We don't have to agree with their choices. We don't even have to completely understand those choices, their having lived long before we were born. But through the author's skilled pen and compassionate heart, we come to know them, and root for them.
How does Rosenberg do it? One can't help but wonder how much of her own self she sees in these dynamic women whose talent, ambition, intelligence, was often shackled by the restraints of their time. And she skillfully compares said time to ours, until it dawns on us: not much has changed, no matter that they tell us it has.
All the above, with painstaking research added to the mix. I wish every author wrote her stories with as much heart as RR does. How wondrous to read a novel and learn so much, so seamlessly. Now THAT is good writing. I look forward to the next one...
How does Rosenberg do it? One can't help but wonder how much of her own self she sees in these dynamic women whose talent, ambition, intelligence, was often shackled by the restraints of their time. And she skillfully compares said time to ours, until it dawns on us: not much has changed, no matter that they tell us it has.
All the above, with painstaking research added to the mix. I wish every author wrote her stories with as much heart as RR does. How wondrous to read a novel and learn so much, so seamlessly. Now THAT is good writing. I look forward to the next one...
May 23, 2019
Rebecca Rosenberg, Author for “Gold Digger The Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor” has written a captivating, enthralling, intriguing, intense, and suspenseful novel. The Genres for this novel are Historical Fiction and Romance. The timeline for this story is around 1878, around the time of the gold rush, in Colorado. The author describes her colorful cast of characters as complex and complicated.
Baby Doe came to Colorida with her new husband to work and look for gold in the mine her father-in-law had suggested. She wants to send money to her family. Baby Doe finds herself working very hard. Baby Doe shows how courageous she is when her husband leaves her. She files for a divorce
After this happens, Baby Doe moves to Leadville. Baby Doe does meet someone. I love the way that Rebecca Rosenberg vividly describes the Western days of mining. The prospectors are looking for gold and veins of silver. Men are fighting for their mining rights. There is a political agenda, discrimination, betrayals, and danger. Even when Baby Doe is considered successful and is charitable, it is difficult for her to make friends. I eagerly await the next novel in this series. I highly recommend this Historical Fiction Read.
Baby Doe came to Colorida with her new husband to work and look for gold in the mine her father-in-law had suggested. She wants to send money to her family. Baby Doe finds herself working very hard. Baby Doe shows how courageous she is when her husband leaves her. She files for a divorce
After this happens, Baby Doe moves to Leadville. Baby Doe does meet someone. I love the way that Rebecca Rosenberg vividly describes the Western days of mining. The prospectors are looking for gold and veins of silver. Men are fighting for their mining rights. There is a political agenda, discrimination, betrayals, and danger. Even when Baby Doe is considered successful and is charitable, it is difficult for her to make friends. I eagerly await the next novel in this series. I highly recommend this Historical Fiction Read.
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