From the blurb:

In 1873, Amelia Penrose and her twin brother James are abandoned as babies in a trunk outside a Liverpool orphanage. 

Amelia grows up longing for security and, at eighteen years of ages, she marries American sailor, Miles Carter. They exchange England for Seattle, and are soon making the treacherous journey north to the Klondike where they hope to make their fortune. 

While searching for gold, Amelia experiences love and loss, and comes to find the true meaning of security…

If you’re looking to start the New Year in good cheer and keeping in mind what matters most in life then this is a good book to start with.

I would class this as a plot-driven book: there is plenty of story here, spanning quite some years, with lots of twists and turns and action to make you want to keep turning the pages. There’s darkness and light, and some laughter too, but foremost in the novel are two themes:

The quest to make something of oneself: There are plenty of characters to admire in the book for their grit and deamination to find security and to build a prosperous life. The author also shows the other side to that quest, through those characters who are foolish or ruthless and will trample on others in the search for a fortune.

The search for real and lasting love: This is classed as a romance novel, but it’s not purely – the romance isn’t at the heart of the book, I don’t think. That said, it’s important. Amelia has her share of sorrows in love, and learns much about herself along the way, and I really liked the realism of her relationships – she and her partners felt vivid to me in how they interacted with each other and chased their own dreams. Across the sea in England, I enjoyed the story of Amelia’s brother James and his family; the dual perspective makes for interesting reading. And it is the family love that shines through the most, I think – the love between those who became a family when they were abandoned, the matron who became their mother figure and the next generation that is born to happier circumstances.

I liked the setting for the book. The era comes through clearly; I had a good sense of James and his wife in Liverpool, and of Amelia in the Klondike. I think Amelia encapsulates well the spirit of the times, and she’s a character you can’t help but admire for her work ethic and determination to succeed.

Ultimately, it is the symbolism of the rainbow that draws the threads of the book together, and I found that to be quite beautiful. Does Amelia find a pot of gold at the end of her rainbow? I will let you read for yourself to find out – but I’ll say this: she finds a whole lot more besides the security money can buy.

Where the Rainbow Ends is available now from Amazon; click on the book cover below to visit the store.