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This Golden Valley
Quick to laughter, quick to tears, dark-eyed Moira Cavendish was the belle of Charleston and the despair of her Aunt Miranda, who thought her orphaned niece too impetuous for a proper Southern lady.
Aunt Miranda was right. Moira's destiny waited in a wild new land. She had already lost one brother to the "gold fever" sweeping America, and when her younger brother also left for California, Moira did what no "Lady" would ever do—she stowed away on a clipper ship and followed!
What she found was passion and adventure beyond her wildest dreams…in the burning touch of the seaman, Random Hawthorne, who kindles a new flame within her…in the terror of a High Sierra cabin as claim-jumpers threaten her brothers' lives…in the arms of the man who takes her beyond ecstasy to discover the greatest treasure of all!
Aunt Miranda was right. Moira's destiny waited in a wild new land. She had already lost one brother to the "gold fever" sweeping America, and when her younger brother also left for California, Moira did what no "Lady" would ever do—she stowed away on a clipper ship and followed!
What she found was passion and adventure beyond her wildest dreams…in the burning touch of the seaman, Random Hawthorne, who kindles a new flame within her…in the terror of a High Sierra cabin as claim-jumpers threaten her brothers' lives…in the arms of the man who takes her beyond ecstasy to discover the greatest treasure of all!
408 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 1983
About the author
Francine Rivers
85 books22.7k followersNew York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers continues to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the globe. Her numerous bestsellers include Redeeming Love, A Voice in the Wind, and Bridge to Haven, and her work has been translated into more than thirty different languages. She is a member of Romance Writers of America's coveted Hall of Fame as well as a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW).
www.francinerivers.com
www.facebook.com/FrancineRivers
Twitter: @FrancineRivers
www.francinerivers.com
www.facebook.com/FrancineRivers
Twitter: @FrancineRivers
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 18, 2024
I really don’t like adventure in romance so it was hard to rate but it was fun. FR’s books aren’t polished but they’re always very entertaining. The hero always clearly loves the heroine very much and struggles to protect her and keep her alive.
The heroine wasn’t TSTL technically, more foolhardy, childish and naive and kept running into dangerous situations but handled herself overall. The romantic arguments from her were so silly, like this man is doing too much for you and you’re still crying between he wants to keep you locked up or he doesn’t care about you. Pick one! But this is typical for FR heroines. They’re always proud spitfires. It’s always so melodramatic. The heroine is 18 and I don’t ever want to read the phrase “full, young breasts” ever again. What a strange fixation for an adult woman writing about her character.
The heroine wasn’t TSTL technically, more foolhardy, childish and naive and kept running into dangerous situations but handled herself overall. The romantic arguments from her were so silly, like this man is doing too much for you and you’re still crying between he wants to keep you locked up or he doesn’t care about you. Pick one! But this is typical for FR heroines. They’re always proud spitfires. It’s always so melodramatic. The heroine is 18 and I don’t ever want to read the phrase “full, young breasts” ever again. What a strange fixation for an adult woman writing about her character.
January 25, 2011
Moira Cavendish may be the belle of Charleston, but her plans do not include marriage to the most eligible bachelor. Her brother Daniel is headed for California's gold country to make his fortune and she's determined to follow him and find their missing elder brother Jack (he hasn't been heard from in over a year). Moira buys passage on Daniel's ship without his knowledge and once at sea it's too late to turn back and Daniel's forced to make the best of it, along with looking out for her virtue - a virtue most especially at risk from handsome sailor Random Hawthorne. Random makes Moira's heart go all a-flutter, but he always draws away from her at the last minute (just what deep dark secret from his past is he hiding from?).
The voyage is rocky, but they all land safely in San Francisco, and soon find that Moira's female status in a town filled with lonely men is a serious obstacle, one that she solves by cutting her hair and dressing in men's clothing. She and Daniel set out for the gold fields in search of their brother (although Daniel's more interested in finding gold and poker games), and they soon learn that three other mystery men are trailing Jack as well, hell-bent on discovering the secret to the Valley of Gold.
I really don't want to tell much more, but let's just say that our intrepid heroine has a most definite knack for getting herself into one pickle after another, leaving her in constant need of rescuing from the ever-so-handsome Random Hawthorne. "Stay put and out of trouble" or "don't go out into dangerous conditions" are words that are not in Moira's vocabulary and her "cute escapes" wear rather thin by the end. I liked the character of Random Hawthorne, although I couldn't quite understand his immediate passion and true love for self-centered selfish Moira (it took her long enough to see the forest through the trees). Still, the mystery of the gold intrigued me and silly or not I had a hard time putting it down until the big reveal at the end. A nice, quick easy read for a rainy day when one's mind isn't up to more challenging tasks. 3.5/5 stars.
The voyage is rocky, but they all land safely in San Francisco, and soon find that Moira's female status in a town filled with lonely men is a serious obstacle, one that she solves by cutting her hair and dressing in men's clothing. She and Daniel set out for the gold fields in search of their brother (although Daniel's more interested in finding gold and poker games), and they soon learn that three other mystery men are trailing Jack as well, hell-bent on discovering the secret to the Valley of Gold.
I really don't want to tell much more, but let's just say that our intrepid heroine has a most definite knack for getting herself into one pickle after another, leaving her in constant need of rescuing from the ever-so-handsome Random Hawthorne. "Stay put and out of trouble" or "don't go out into dangerous conditions" are words that are not in Moira's vocabulary and her "cute escapes" wear rather thin by the end. I liked the character of Random Hawthorne, although I couldn't quite understand his immediate passion and true love for self-centered selfish Moira (it took her long enough to see the forest through the trees). Still, the mystery of the gold intrigued me and silly or not I had a hard time putting it down until the big reveal at the end. A nice, quick easy read for a rainy day when one's mind isn't up to more challenging tasks. 3.5/5 stars.
January 12, 2024
“Life was fast and furious in San Francisco in 1850. A day in the coast community was equal to a month anyplace else on earth. It was exciting, exhilarating, unconventional, turbulent, passionate, dangerous–a young man’s dream come true…It’s not the gold. It’s the dream…Some things are worth dying for. Your family name, the girl you love…there are some dreams worth all the risk.”
Moira came to find her brother. Daniel came to find gold. Together, the siblings set sail to find both. In attempt to persuade passage, Moira swears not to cause any trouble, but “women are trouble on a ship…But you, my dear Miss Cavendish, are an absolute catastrophe…When everyone around you smells like dirt, sweat, and the rear end of a horse, you’re going to be like a gardenia in the middle of a garlic field!” Chief mate Random Hawthorne “obviously thought her a very young, troublesome, distressingly irresponsible girl who was bent on one misadventure after another.”
But she “didn’t come all the way to California to get married!” And “Moira was not yet about to be part of any man’s menu.” In life, as “in poker, it is wise never to underestimate an opponent…or a woman’s intelligence...Just because men are fools who think with their male organs and not their tiny brains is no reason to holler at me!” However, Random is different. “He was a disturbing man, and one she wanted desperately…She felt trembling excitement fill her while at the same time her brain atrophied.”
When it finally comes, Random’s swoon-worthy confession is well worth the time and tension: “I haven’t been in command of myself since I first laid eyes on you…From the first moment I saw you, I knew everything in my life was going to change. You aroused me like no other woman, you made me laugh and you made me more angry than anyone ever had. You made me feel alive." Francine Rivers’ This Golden Valley lives up to its title: literary eureka!
Moira came to find her brother. Daniel came to find gold. Together, the siblings set sail to find both. In attempt to persuade passage, Moira swears not to cause any trouble, but “women are trouble on a ship…But you, my dear Miss Cavendish, are an absolute catastrophe…When everyone around you smells like dirt, sweat, and the rear end of a horse, you’re going to be like a gardenia in the middle of a garlic field!” Chief mate Random Hawthorne “obviously thought her a very young, troublesome, distressingly irresponsible girl who was bent on one misadventure after another.”
But she “didn’t come all the way to California to get married!” And “Moira was not yet about to be part of any man’s menu.” In life, as “in poker, it is wise never to underestimate an opponent…or a woman’s intelligence...Just because men are fools who think with their male organs and not their tiny brains is no reason to holler at me!” However, Random is different. “He was a disturbing man, and one she wanted desperately…She felt trembling excitement fill her while at the same time her brain atrophied.”
When it finally comes, Random’s swoon-worthy confession is well worth the time and tension: “I haven’t been in command of myself since I first laid eyes on you…From the first moment I saw you, I knew everything in my life was going to change. You aroused me like no other woman, you made me laugh and you made me more angry than anyone ever had. You made me feel alive." Francine Rivers’ This Golden Valley lives up to its title: literary eureka!
January 8, 2022
Francine is a fantastic writer, her literature will make you love the Lord.
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February 9, 2023Where can I buy my books 80's to 90's
December 10, 2020
Very interesting. Very enjoyable.
July 25, 2014
I read this book primarily because of my interest in the Gold Rush era. Historical Romance isn't my usual genre but Francine Rivers demonstrates that she can put together an exciting story which can even keep a genre-skeptic reading. The characterizations are well done and I can tell she's done her research. Though the overall pace and tension were skilfully realized, the melodrama between Random and Moira made me weary. Maybe that's my male perspective coming out.
Overall, a fun book and recommended for a light read.
Overall, a fun book and recommended for a light read.
June 30, 2026
Reading This Golden Valley left me with one core realization: Francine Rivers knows that true independence starts the second you stop asking authority for permission.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews