Incomplete is the best way for me to describe this book. The story itself was pretty good until it basically just stopped. Too many loose ends dangling and the next book, which is said to be coming has no publication date. For those of a certain age it will be reminiscent of those Saturday serials at the movies!!

The story was somewhat implausible from the first with a staid New Englander taking a 14-year-old son on a trip to get gold in California. There are numerous trials and tribulations along the way. The young man, called Pegg, was up to the task and the story is really mostly about him although others -- could be called friends or users--pop in and out with regularity.

So, the story, what there is of it, is pretty good and would have earned at least a 4-star had it been a more complete story. I cannot suggest others read it without knowing that basically it is like a person falling off a cliff and be stopped there. Did they hit the bottom, die or survive, snag on a tree on the way down, what? Really unappealing ending strategy.

A very enjoyable adventure. I highly recommend this novel. You'll not want to put it down once you open it.
I loved that this novel was told from Peggs' pov. M.y most favorite thing about a story
Pegg was an interesting character himself and I really liked him. I loved "watching " him grow into the person he was meant to be.
I didn't like Fred Hoyt from the get go. He was shifty lazy and dangerous to everyone on the trail. He definitely lived up to Peggs moms standards. He never once pulled his share of the load.
You can’t expect a person to change if they don't want to. It's almost impossible.
5 stars for a well written story. I loved the idea of finding gold.
I'll be looking for more from this author. I didn't want the story to end.
I highly recommend.
My thanks to Netgalley and Black Rose Writing for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.