I did not see that this is the same book as Gold, just with an extra word in the name, why?? Anyhow, so I'm not reviewing it here, already did on amazon.

Okay. Where to begin. Okay. Gold Digger is your classic tart-with-a-heart crime caper. It focuses on Julie and how she tries her hardest to protect her family. However, her attempts to look after her family lead to murder, human trafficking, and prostitution. All pretty standard, really.

Okay, it wasn’t the best book I have read and it did have some glaring holes in the plot/threads but it was an enjoyable read. However, one massive down point for me was a throwaway line towards the end about keeping hold of your wallet in Liverpool which personally, as a born and bred scouser was massively insulting. I would have probably been able to have forgiven some of the writing until that point. Going for a tired and quite frankly false stereotype was just lazy writing for a cheap laugh. Not cool.

Gold Digger by Gillian Godden is available now.

For more information regarding Gillian Godden (@GGodden) please visit her Twitter page.

For more information regarding Boldwood Books (@BoldwoodBooks) please visit www.boldwoodbooks.com.

Thanks to @rachelsrandomresources for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
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This is a fast paced, action packed book.
I honestly didn’t really know what I was getting myself in for with this one but the book hooked me from the start and kept me wanting to read.
It’s kind of dark, quite a nitty gritty crime/gang land book but also has a strong, resilient main character, an interesting sibling bond and also a ribbon of hope woven throughout.
The drawbacks for me were first of all I was kind of unsure about the time period this was set in. It maybe would have been easier if there had been a time stamp at the start for me personally.
Also I did find the writing a little bit elementary but I will say that made it a quicker read.
Was definitely pleasantly surprised by this book and I would be interested to read more from the author
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TWs: Violence, Trafficking/Slavery, blood

Gold Digger was SUCH a gripping, fascinating and compelling story. Ralph and Julie were such amazing characters with so many layers and they almost felt real, like i was reading a true story. You can’t help loving Godden’s characters, I even had a soft spot for the “villains” which is hard to come across in gang land crime.

I was completely sold from the very start and can’t wait to read Gillian’s back catalogue.

Action packed with likeable characters. Looking forward to the next one.

A must read!

I found it so difficult to get into but once i did it was quite a read. Thrilling and page-turning that will leave you reading till the last chapter.

Gold Digger by by Gillian Godden was an excellent read especially as Gillian was a new author to me. I was hooked within the first few pages and before I knew it, the birds were singing outside. So, if you are like me; don't start a new book before you go to bed as I did not want to put this book down. It was Superb read!!!! So if you love a gritty gangland thriller this is the book for you! I love the main character Julie and we can see from early on she will do anything she can to protect her younger sister Frankie, who I liked as well.
Great new characters for a superb book.

This will not be the last book I will read from Gillian. I highly recommend this book and big fat 5 stars for it as well.

Big Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for my copy of the book exchange for a honest review..

Gillian Godden's Gold Digger is an addictive, fast paced gangland thriller that keeps you turning the pages. With shocking twists and secrets, an intriquing storyline and characters that jump off the page, I could not put it down.

Great characters, the author makes them come to life, it was great to read how Ralph and julies story overlaps.. its a shame this book ended as i really was enjoying it. I’m looking forward to the next book.

I have always enjoyed books about the seedy underbelly of the UK crime world, and so this novel was just what I had in mind. The protagonists, a call girl and an ex-con, are in no way perfect but they do make one feel empathy. A terrific novel!

Couldn't put this book down absolutely brilliant . I really hope there is a follow up to this it's one of the best books I have read in a long time . A must read

Fans of hard-hitting and gritty page-turners will not want to miss Gillian Godden’s electrifying tale of survival, resilience and power: Gold Digger.

Family comes first for Julie. With her mother locked up for murder, blonde bombshell Julie would do absolutely anything for her younger sister Frankie. Protecting her from all the dangers that surround Frankie is of paramount importance to Julie. There is simply nothing in this world that would preclude Julie from doing everything she can for her younger sibling – which is why when the chips are down and she finds herself with her back against the wall, she turns to the oldest profession in the world to make some fast cash.

On the streets of Liverpool, it’s every woman for herself and hustling is not without its challenges for Julie. Yet she will continue to do her utmost for her family. The men she comes across are merely means to an end; they mean absolutely nothing to her until she meets somebody who turns her life upside down and promises to take her all the way to the top: ex-con Ralph Goldstein.

Together, Julie and Ralph are a match made in heaven. Both driven and determined to succeed, Ralph and Julie won’t stop until they make it big. But will their pasts hold them back? Can all of Julie and Ralph’s dreams come true? Or will their ambitions end up costing them everything?

A fast-paced gangland thriller full of twists and turns readers simply won’t simply coming, Gold Digger is an addictive, explosive and shocking read with larger than life characters, high stakes, big ambitions and dangerous secrets. Gillian Godden certainly knows how to keep her readers turning the pages and with Gold Digger she has written a gutsy and nerve-twisting thriller that will leave them with their jaws on the floor.

Julie and Ralph both live completely separate lives, with Julie living in Liverpool and Ralph in Ireland. He helps bring order to peoples businesses, and if a fight happens to break out he is sure to assert his authority and let others know who they are dealing with. Julie is a prostitute, who finds herself being thrown into the line of work after a strip to Spain with her sister takes a drastic turn. She has little choice but to continue working this way if she wishes to keep a roof over her head.

When their two worlds collide, these two head strong people find that they have more in common than they initially believe. With both of them harbouring secrets, as they grow closer to one another we are slowly fed information that allows us to get a better grasp of who they are as individuals alongside what shaped them into the people they are today.

I do love a good gangland thriller, and this book certainly ticked all of the boxes. The storyline is fast paced and thrilling from the start, introducing us to two very different people who are doing whatever they have to in order to survive. I found both characters intriguing in different ways. and as we are told the story from their own perspectives we get to see their own personal takes on their situations and their feelings towards those around them.

Full of suspense, drama and an abundance of tension, this was a captivating story that had me hooked to the very last page.

Gillian Godden's Gold Digger left me confused and a bit sick to my stomach. I made it through the first half of the book and couldn't go any further. The two-story format confused me, and it took too long to bring the two together into one cohesive story. This one wasn't for me.

Gold digger is a brilliantly dark and gritty story about one woman's fight for survival. All I can say is this author has gained a forever reader with me!
Because she is damn good at what she does and that's making me glued to my kindle until the final page.

Gold Digger by Gillian Godden is a gritty gangland novel about a woman who will go to extraordinary lengths for her survival. This is my first read by this author, and it certainly won’t be my last, because wow!

Julie is quite an intriguing character. A “blonde bombshell” who isn’t afraid to ask for what she wants, and she’s figured out a way to use her appearance to get the money she needs. She doesn’t trust anyone until Ralph. And when they meet, their lives are filled with risk and danger. Their personalities combined create a very interesting dynamic.

I don’t read a ton of gangland, but when I do, this is the kind of story I hope to find. Gold Digger surpassed my expectations and deserves more than five stars. From page one, I couldn’t put it down, and it is a thrilling read.

Highly recommended!

Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for the review copy and the opportunity to honestly review this book on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.

Gold Digger by Gillian Godden is a gritty and dark story about how far one woman will go to fight for her survival. Gillian Godden is one author whose books I have bought and they are resting on my to be read pile. I think I need to move them up the pile as I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Money talks...And blonde bombshell Julie isn't afraid to ask for what she wants. With her mother locked up for murder, all Julie cares about is protecting her younger sister, Frankie. But penniless and alone on the streets of Liverpool, Julie realises that there’s only one sure fire way to make cash fast – the oldest trade.
The men mean nothing to Julie, until she meets Ralph Goldstein, an ex-con who’ll do whatever it takes to make his way to top. And the only man Julie can trust.
Separately, Ralph and Julie’s lives are filled with risk and danger. But when they meet, their blend of personality and ambition could be the best thing that ever happened … or the worst.
A gangland thriller is one of my (many) favourite genres so I was hoping Gold Digger would hold up to my expectations. I found it a thrilling read that I could not put down from the very start.
We are introduced to Julie and Ralph, two really different people who are living their lives and surviving by doing whatever they need to. The story is told by each of their narratives, which I really liked as we find out about them individually and get their own perspectives on everything. I find you get to know the characters a lot better that way.
As the story unfolds and Julie and Ralph worlds collide, they find out that they have more in common than first appearances seem to show. Even the fact that not one, but both, are keeping secrets is something they share. Gillian Godden slowly allows us to get to know both of these characters as we discover how their back stories have made them the people they are as they meet. I found these two characters extremely intriguing and along with the story line that is overflowing with drama, tension and suspense as well had me so immersed I found I managed to read it in a day.
Really looking forward to book two now!
With thanks to Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books and Netgalley for my copy of the book.

I absolutely love a gang land crime novel and this is a new author for me. I definitely haven’t been disappointed by this one. This is filled with big characters with big personalities and as a reader we get to explore their background and why they are the way they are.

This is a captivating and addictive novel which has a great flow and is well paced. I have found the author’s writing style east to read. This is unique and unlike anything I’ve read previously. I have been completely unable to put this down.

I can safely say this novel has converted me as a fan of this author and I absolutely need more.

So I'll be really honest now, I struggled with the first half of this book. Not because it's bad but because it just wasn't what I was expecting.

I stuck at it because I wanted to give the book a fair review and I'm so glad because the second half of the book is so good.

If you enjoy gangland style books then this books is totally for you. I felt it was written so well and you got so much description, but some parts I would have liked more.

The book is written from two people, Ralph and Julie. Both have a hard life and the story follows them both as they are trying to do things to make their lives better and how they come to meet.

This novel was definitely different, I don't think I've ever read anything quite like it before. It is a part of a series but can most definitely be read as a standalone, I read it as a standalone after never reading any of the other books at all.

Ralph and Julie both live completely separate and very different lives, Ralph in Ireland and Julie in Liverpool. Ralph is a hired hand, he helps people bring order to their businesses. If fights break out he makes sure the fighters know they are messing with his domain. Julie on the other hand is a prostitute, thrown into the life after a trip to Spain with her sister goes horribly wrong. She has to make ends meet and this is what she does.

I really liked Ralph, he really did have a lot of things happen to him and I definitely shed a tear for him. He was a really likeable character, whereas Julie although she was one of the main characters, she did my head in a bit, she always seemed to be whining. Although I did feel sorry for her when her sister died leaving a baby to look after. I think between the two of them they will be unstoppable, a part they were just meddling through, but they really became a team and helped each other out. They were made for each other really.

I did really enjoy the book and could read the rest of the story in the future I'd like to think they lived happily ever after, especially after all the loss, I guess I'd better get reading and find out ;)

Would I recommend this to others, yes I would, it's a fast paced read and it just draws you in to Ireland's and Liverpool's gangland.

I really enjoyed this gritty gangland book about Julie and Ralph. It's clear from the beginning that she loves her sister and will do anything to protect her. They try to escape Liverpool after Julie's antics get them in trouble but are forced to return where she meets Ralph. I enjoyed the plotline of this book and was soon drawn into their murky world as they try to climb the ladder to the top. Brilliantly written and throughly entertaining.