A review by amybraunauthor
The Golden City by J. Kathleen Cheney

4.0

A very romantic, sweeping adventure mystery set in Europe with uncommon sea-folk? Count me in! This was a really unique story with great characters, compelling magic, and a well-thought out plot. Oriana is a fantastic character who's shy for the most part, but can be very strong when she needs to be. Duilio is the kind of romantic, kind character who's a perfect match for Oriana. He's got a fun, curious streak, and is a caring gentlemen. The selling point for me was the chemistry and slow-burning romance between these two. I also appreciated the world-building and the open plot threads that will lead to other books. And thank the gods they do, because if this had been a standalone I would have rage-quit the ending. As it was, this was a sweeping romantic story that wasn't super heavy on the action and a nice change of pace. Definitely hope to see where things go from here!