Entertaining and captivating, writes an Alexa's Gold reviewer. A roller coaster of twists and turns that involve mystery, intrigue, threats, violence, kidnapping plots, death, stake outs and romance. A well-written read with a very surprising ending by award-winning Author Donan Berg..
Alexa's life is upended when she stands to inherit her grandmother's Iowa farm. You'll fall in love with Alexa's grit. She displays pluck, courage, and stamina, not to mention the endless farmyard gravel outside Grandma's farmhouse.
Yes, Grandpa's buried gold coins are hers, if? Multiple BIG IFs. If she sleuths Grandma's recipe clue. If she outwits those who would steal it. If Grandma's lawyer helps Alexa fight off her mother's will challenge.
As a Chicago probation officer, Alexa witnesses crime firsthand. Her goal is simple: she doesn't wish to be the lightning rod that attracts harm to her two-year-old son Samuel.
America's Heartland poses her biggest risk. Who does she trust? Is she safe? Will romantic love find her? And blossom?
Alexa's Gold spins an elaborate web of unsuspected twists and turns sprung with gusto.
Professional Reviews
Great read
Reviewed by Michael Hartnett (Reader) 3/19/2018
An Exciting and Rich Mystery among the Iowa Farms
Alexa’s Gold by Donan Berg sure keeps the reader gripped. Our heroine Alexa is such a damaged character and she confronts enough challenges that part of the thrill and mystery is how she will persevere through the gauntlet of tragedies that confront her. Berg weaves a compelling tale here. The past haunts this novel on so many levels, whether it be the legend of hidden gold from Al Capone that Alexa’s grandfather procured almost a century ago or the traumatic incident back in Chicago that has defined Alexa’s life. Despite the fact that she is recently deceased, Alexa’s grandmother in many ways guides this novel – through her last will that bequeaths her farm to her granddaughter to letters and notes she leaves behind to her words of wisdom that reverberate in Alexa’s memory.
Romantic tension is constant as the scarred Alexa must navigate her feelings for the earthy, convenient Joe and the interested, but somewhat compromised lawyer Brad. In fact, Alexa’s tumultuous legal situation with the farmhouse is mirrored by the turbulent blossoming romance with Brad. Throughout Alexa’s Gold, Berg plays with many clever clues, including a pistol cigarette lighter, a distinctive tire tread, and this remarkable, all-important, award-winning recipe for apple cake. Plus, the depictions of the Iowa countryside with its stifling provincialism and bucolic charms ground the novel in a landscape that the reader enjoys inhabiting.
Alexa’s Gold is richly imagined. Berg has created a thrilling mystery that rewards the reader right up to the climax, which has so many nifty twists that there are really three climaxes in succession. This novel is a great read.
Lost lot of sleep
Lost a lot of sleep on this book as, after a busy day, I would read far into the early morning hours twice, to keep following the suspense until the book ended. Whew, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It starts with a simple inheritance from a grandmother to a granddaughter. But as soon as the word is out – Trouble! . . .
Alexa is a wonderful character who works as a probation officer. She and her best friend Belinda, with who Alexa shared everything, including how and where Samuel was born, was soon going over all that had occurred since Alexa had gone to the farm… Belinda, although engaged, immediately snatched on to the fact that there were two hunks involved in all that was happening. . . Matchmaking!
Reviewer Glenda Bixler 09/2018
Good Read!
Returning to the Iowa farmland and home after the death of your beloved grandmother to a piece of property that has been willed to you in full as your inheritance is traumatic in and of itself, but to find the property literally "uprooted" by thieves that left opened holes all over the yard looking for treasure is distressing. Two items of grandma's are missing, and it seems that the entire town is interested in finding the prized possessions before Alexa does.
Having as many twists and turns as a roller coaster, "Alexa's Gold" takes the reader on a ride that involves mystery, intrigue, threats, violence, kidnapping plots, death, stake outs, and romance. The book is full of numerous side plots that tie into the storyline nicely. Alexa is challenged on many levels and with the help of Belinda (who wants to play matchmaker), sorts through all the confrontations that develop. Donan Berg has given the reader a very well-written, steady read that is entertaining and captivating. After connecting all of the storylines together, Berg closes with a very surprising ending (no spoiler alerts here); you gotta read "Alexa's Gold" to find out. I recommend this one!
Returning to the Iowa farmland and home after the death of your beloved grandmother to a piece of property that had been willed to you in full as your inheritance is traumatic in and of itself, but to find the property literally “uprooted” by thieves that left opened holes all over the yard looking for treasure is distressing. Two items of grandma’s are missing, and it seems that the entire town is interested in finding the prized possessions before Alexa does. Where is the missing gold coins that grandpa took from Al Capone years ago that rumor has it has been buried somewhere on the farm and grandma’s apple cake recipe that may have clues to the location of where the coins have been buried? While cleaning the old homestead, Alexa and her friend Belinda, who works together as probation officers in Chicago diligently search for the cake recipe. Alexa’s plan is to shore up the home’s foundation and sell the property once the will clears probate court, however this is delayed when Alexa’s mother files an injunction to dispute the heritance, wanting it all to herself but having received $1.00 from her deceased mother. Alexa learned later that the construction company that worked on the home’s foundation was actually on a fishing spree looking for the gold coins.
Having as many twists and turns as a roller coaster, “Alexa’s Gold” takes the reader on a ride that involves mystery, intrigue, threats, violence, kidnapping plots, death, stake outs, and romance. The book is full of numerous side plots that tie into the storyline nicely. Alexa is challenged on many levels and with the help of Belinda (who wants to play matchmaker), sorts through all the confrontations that develop. Donan Berg has given the reader a very well-written, steady read that is entertaining and captivating. After connecting all of the storylines together, Berg closes with a very surprising ending (no spoiler alerts here); you gotta read “Alexa’s Gold” to find out. I recommend this one!
Lost a lot of sleep on this book as, after a busy day, I would read far into the early morning hours twice, to keep following the suspense until the book ended. Whew, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It starts with a simple inheritance from a grandmother to a granddaughter. But as soon as the word is out--Trouble! Especially from Alexa's mother, sad to say... who felt the property should have gone to her.
Aside from the fact that her grandmother had wanted to make sure her inheritance did not get into the hands of the latest husband or her daughter, Alexa had always been close to her and had kept in touch even when she had begun to work. Now she had received the entire inheritance, with her grandmother leaving $1 to several others so that it would show that she was making the choices she wanted made...of sound mind...
Arriving at the farm was demoralizing--obviously the legend of her grandfather's gold had lived on as she saw that many holes had been dug on the property. Most of all, though, she was shocked as to how much the home had fallen into decay. Her memories, via one picture when she was about 7, had shown a white beautiful farmhouse, where her grandmother had stood beside her one lovely day. Now her adored grandmother was gone, with the farm showing the same evidence of age as her grandmother had...
Most shocking, however, was that there was a big full-size trailer sitting in front of the farmhouse!
First, she found the backdoor open, and it appeared that somebody had searched the house, perhaps for the cake recipe. Soon she was realizing that everybody in town wanted a copy of that apple cake recipe... Was it that good or did others know that there was something special about the recipe itself? Almost instinctively, Alexa immediately started looking for it, starting in the pantry... Which turned out to be not a good idea, since she and Samuel were soon stuck inside the room!
And that's how she met her new neighbor, Joe, the son of the farmer who was renting land from her Grandmother... This character later added a love interest. But Brad, her lawyer, had also shown immediate interest as well. We watch Alexa as she weighs options, always thinking first of how a possible individual would fit in as a possible father to Samuel, her son.
Who had set the fire?! Yes, the mobile home was found blazing and was proven to have been arson. Also, constant activity began almost immediately as two competing realtors courted Alexa to handle the sale of her new property. While her lawyer seemed to be taking his time in getting the will settled and the deed transferred. Of course, part of the reason was that her mother had formally had her lawyer file suit on her behalf! While the next-door neighbor seemed to be in and out of the property, which concerned her until she realized that he had access to the out buildings because he was renting farm land. And women in town kept asking about her grandmother's award-winning recipes.
Alexa is a wonderful character who works as a probation officer. She and her best friend Belinda, with whom Alexa shared everything, including how and where Samuel was born, was soon going over all that had occurred since Alexa had gone to the farm...Belinda, although engaged, immediately snatched on to the fact that there were two hunks involved in all that was happening... Matchmaking!
Belinda was soon visiting. But instead of happy times with hunks, they both worked hard to clean her grandmother's house and start searching for either the gold or her recipes... But soon other people were also searching and danger started. And news of curses started being spread.
Emotions fly high and often and Alexa has a hard time keeping her cool and trying to deal with all that her new inheritance has brought into her life. She never would have come if she'd known that Belinda, Samuel's and her own lives would soon be in jeopardy, including kidnapping, fire, and more!
The treasure hunt is fun, if somewhat confusing since Grandma did everything she could to keep her secrets safe before Alexa came. And with all that is happening, the possible villains are too difficult to determine! Cool, right?! But don't worry, though complex, all is finally solved and there's somebody living in that once-empty farmhouse at the end... Great family drama! Check it out!
GABixlerReviews
Reviewed by Michael Hartnett
3/19/2018
An Exciting and Rich Mystery among the Iowa Farms
Alexa’s Gold by Donan Berg sure keeps the reader gripped. Our heroine Alexa is such a damaged character and she confronts enough challenges that part of the thrill and mystery is how she will persevere through the gauntlet of tragedies that confront her. Berg weaves a compelling tale here. The past haunts this novel on so many levels, whether it be the legend of hidden gold from Al Capone that Alexa’s grandfather procured almost a century ago or the traumatic incident back in Chicago that has defined Alexa’s life. Despite the fact that she is recently deceased, Alexa’s grandmother in many ways guides this novel – through her last will that bequeaths her farm to her granddaughter to letters and notes she leaves behind to her words of wisdom that reverberate in Alexa’s memory.
Romantic tension is constant as the scarred Alexa must navigate her feelings for the earthy, convenient Joe and the interested, but somewhat compromised lawyer Brad. In fact, Alexa’s tumultuous legal situation with the farmhouse is mirrored by the turbulent blossoming romance with Brad. Throughout Alexa’s Gold, Berg plays with many clever clues, including a pistol cigarette lighter, a distinctive tire tread, and this remarkable, all-important, award-winning recipe for apple cake. Plus, the depictions of the Iowa countryside with its stifling provincialism and bucolic charms ground the novel in a landscape that the reader enjoys inhabiting.
Alexa’s Gold is richly imagined. Berg has created a thrilling mystery that rewards the reader right up to the climax, which has so many nifty twists that there are really three climaxes in succession. This novel is a great read.
Blending Southern Gothic mystery romance, fantasy, theater, dance, music, and flashes of humor, tells the story of a pair of lovers in two separate time periods who find themselves battling an evil fifty years apart.
