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Diamond Girls #2
A Girl's Best Friend
A sexy and glamorous friends-to-lovers romance from USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde…
Bryna knows what she wants, and she’s set to get it—diamonds.
When she meets a businessman who promises everything she could ever want from the arrangement, she intends to get her money’s worth.
If only he was the person she really wanted.
Her best friend Eric is the only one she can’t have. He’s completely off-limits. The only guy she knows that she has no chance with.
But as they both begin to open up, she starts to wonder if maybe love is worth more than all the jewels in the world.
Book 2 of 2 in the Girl’s Best Friend Duet
This book was previously published as Gold.
Bryna knows what she wants, and she’s set to get it—diamonds.
When she meets a businessman who promises everything she could ever want from the arrangement, she intends to get her money’s worth.
If only he was the person she really wanted.
Her best friend Eric is the only one she can’t have. He’s completely off-limits. The only guy she knows that she has no chance with.
But as they both begin to open up, she starts to wonder if maybe love is worth more than all the jewels in the world.
Book 2 of 2 in the Girl’s Best Friend Duet
This book was previously published as Gold.
474 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 7, 2015
About the author
K.A. Linde
90 books9,665 followersK.A. Linde is the USA Today bestselling author of the Avoiding Series, Wrights, and more than thirty other novels. She has a Masters degree in political science from the University of Georgia, was the head campaign worker for the 2012 presidential campaign at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and served as the head coach of the Duke University dance team. She loves reading fantasy novels, traveling to far-off destinations, and dancing in her spare time.
She currently lives in Lubbock, Texas, with her husband, son, and super-adorable puppy.
Visit her online at www.kalinde.com and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @authorkalinde.
Join her newsletter at www.kalinde.com/subscribe for exclusive content, free books, and giveaways every month.
She currently lives in Lubbock, Texas, with her husband, son, and super-adorable puppy.
Visit her online at www.kalinde.com and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @authorkalinde.
Join her newsletter at www.kalinde.com/subscribe for exclusive content, free books, and giveaways every month.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
July 7, 2015
5 stars!
When I start a book by K.A. Linde, I expect the angst to be high, there to (more than likely) be more than one love interest, for there to be drama, and for it to be high in the steam department. Gold lived up to it’s expectations. And I loved every second of it. It’s the conclusion of Bryna’s story and I was just as captivated reading it as I had been with Diamonds. Bryna is not an easy character to love, but my bet is by the end she will win you over like she did me.
Bryna’s a girl who knows who she is and what she wants. At least she thinks she does. She’s a freshman in college- time for a fresh start. After Jude did a number on her, she’s decided to live her life without love or any of those sort of feelings. She specifically goes after men she can use. Men who can give her the things she wants. She doesn’t believe in love. Not anymore.
Bryna has her two best girl friends, but once she starts becoming friends with a guy named Eric, a guy who gets under her skin like no other, she starts to feel different. To slowly change. Eric is able to see the real Bryna
Bryna was one of those characters I loved to hate when I first started this book. I actually loved her in Diamonds, but during Gold I wasn’t sure I’d continue to feel that love for her. She had so much growth and I want to say by the end she changed, but she was still herself. Just a better version. By the end of Gold she completely won me over. Bryna’s story is one that shows that people are real, people can change and become better. Sometimes you just need that push.
There are a lot of players in this game, a lot of characters to keep up with, but ultimately it’s Bryna’s story. And it’s told so well. There is a lot going on at times, but I found it easy to follow. I usually don’t love books with multiple love interests and books that are high on the angst like this, but for some reason, Linde’s books always work for me. She writes them so perfectly. Her romances don't have clear cut paths to their happy ever afters. They’re real. They’re raw. And they’re perfect for her characters. This is one that will keep you on the edge of your seat wondering whats going to happen, but by the end you will be 100% satisfied. I can’t wait for a Trinh and Stacia’s books coming next in Silver and Platinum. I love this series!
When I start a book by K.A. Linde, I expect the angst to be high, there to (more than likely) be more than one love interest, for there to be drama, and for it to be high in the steam department. Gold lived up to it’s expectations. And I loved every second of it. It’s the conclusion of Bryna’s story and I was just as captivated reading it as I had been with Diamonds. Bryna is not an easy character to love, but my bet is by the end she will win you over like she did me.
Bryna’s a girl who knows who she is and what she wants. At least she thinks she does. She’s a freshman in college- time for a fresh start. After Jude did a number on her, she’s decided to live her life without love or any of those sort of feelings. She specifically goes after men she can use. Men who can give her the things she wants. She doesn’t believe in love. Not anymore.
Love was laced with poison, and each time she drank from the bottle, she died a slow, painful death.
Bryna has her two best girl friends, but once she starts becoming friends with a guy named Eric, a guy who gets under her skin like no other, she starts to feel different. To slowly change. Eric is able to see the real Bryna
“We’re hanging on the edge. Jump.”
“The problem with jumping is that you’re as likely to end up broken as you are to being saved.”
“Fine. I’d rather take a chance on being broken. I guess you have to make up your mind on what you want.”
Bryna was one of those characters I loved to hate when I first started this book. I actually loved her in Diamonds, but during Gold I wasn’t sure I’d continue to feel that love for her. She had so much growth and I want to say by the end she changed, but she was still herself. Just a better version. By the end of Gold she completely won me over. Bryna’s story is one that shows that people are real, people can change and become better. Sometimes you just need that push.
There are a lot of players in this game, a lot of characters to keep up with, but ultimately it’s Bryna’s story. And it’s told so well. There is a lot going on at times, but I found it easy to follow. I usually don’t love books with multiple love interests and books that are high on the angst like this, but for some reason, Linde’s books always work for me. She writes them so perfectly. Her romances don't have clear cut paths to their happy ever afters. They’re real. They’re raw. And they’re perfect for her characters. This is one that will keep you on the edge of your seat wondering whats going to happen, but by the end you will be 100% satisfied. I can’t wait for a Trinh and Stacia’s books coming next in Silver and Platinum. I love this series!
“You’re my beginning…”
July 31, 2015
3.5 "Seeing, digging – whatever. Same thing.” Stars
I’m a huge K.A. Linde fan and have read all her series and for several reasons book one had me interested in reading how things turn out for Byrna and her assortment of possible true loves. Sadly, this book although was well written was just too drama-rama and young for me.
”Young, selfish, and stupid.”
Byrna’s immaturity was only rivaled by her two idiot best friends. I’m happy that her journey through men landed her in a good place with her family, her career path, and her love life.
If only Bryna didn’t make so many assumptions things would have went a whole lot more smoothly for her.
Byrna’s List of Assumptions: 1. Stepmother Celia broke up her parents’ marriage
2. Hugh Westercamp is a married man 3. Eric Wilkin is a gay man
There was one real relatable character in this story and although I get his purpose in Byrna’s path, his pain and heartbreak far surpassed the shallowness of this group of characters and the poor guy felt like he landed in the wrong K.A. Linde series.
I waited for a hardcore biker or tatted bad boy type to finally arrive and straighten her out because well that would have been fun. Luckily for Bryna the love she feared and hid from the whole book was right in front of her the whole time!
“I don’t have to dig or be a good girl with you. I can just be myself. No matter what, it always comes back to you.”
I’m a huge K.A. Linde fan and have read all her series and for several reasons book one had me interested in reading how things turn out for Byrna and her assortment of possible true loves. Sadly, this book although was well written was just too drama-rama and young for me.
”Young, selfish, and stupid.”
Byrna’s immaturity was only rivaled by her two idiot best friends. I’m happy that her journey through men landed her in a good place with her family, her career path, and her love life.
If only Bryna didn’t make so many assumptions things would have went a whole lot more smoothly for her.
Byrna’s List of Assumptions: 1. Stepmother Celia broke up her parents’ marriage
2. Hugh Westercamp is a married man 3. Eric Wilkin is a gay man
There was one real relatable character in this story and although I get his purpose in Byrna’s path, his pain and heartbreak far surpassed the shallowness of this group of characters and the poor guy felt like he landed in the wrong K.A. Linde series.
I waited for a hardcore biker or tatted bad boy type to finally arrive and straighten her out because well that would have been fun. Luckily for Bryna the love she feared and hid from the whole book was right in front of her the whole time!
“I don’t have to dig or be a good girl with you. I can just be myself. No matter what, it always comes back to you.”
August 13, 2016
4 STARS! ★★★★
"This wasn't about love. This was about lust and diamonds. The longer he lusted, the more diamonds."
My first reaction after putting down this book was somewhere between "holy cannolis batman!!" and "thank gawd I survived this read!!". Honestly, I should have known better by now that KA Linde books should preface with a warning that says "Caution: Will cause serious heart palpitations and induce ragey feelings that would provoke you to set Kindle on fire."
Seriously Kyla, you drive me ABSOLUTE nuts with all your reads and crazy-ass characters but God forbid, that makes me love your books even more. Believe me when I say you're one of the special few who can satisfy my inner angst whore to the fullest. You're undoubtedly and deservedly the Queen of Angst.
Our Queen B, Bryna definitely kicks up a notch in Gold and now that she knows the game well, she's gone all out to make sure she stays in control. After having learnt her lesson in Diamonds, her walls have been fortified and she's ready to take on a few more guys to play her game. But when the game suddenly involves a rich charming man who promised her the world, the stakes have been raised higher than ever.
In a typical KA Linde fashion, this book is just one helluva trainwreck of a read that you cannot stop reading even with all the bright flashing warning signs. I devoured this book up like my life depended on it because I just needed to flip the pages faster to know how everything will play out.
Bryna is still the unapologetic b*tch of a heroine that I've come to adore since the first book and she never stop owning her character. Beyond that, I loved how Bryna grew as a character; still fierce as ever but slowly we got to see a crack under that diamond-tough exterior where her vulnerabilities started to show and made us understand the way she acts.
The entire read kept me on the edge as the anticipation of figuring out what Bri's next move almost killed me. The multiple guys who waltz in and out of her life; are they just pawns in her game or is there truly something more? One thing's for sure: There is an incoming shitstorm that's about to hit hard and nothing can stop it.
My heart and mind were at war with each other as I find myself filled with these ragey emotions when Bryna continuously makes one bad decision after another and part of me wants to slap her so hard through my Kindle, I swears! Another part of me feels absolutely sorry for her because I do understand her misguided actions. But I am so very happy with how the author spun this story and allowing Bryna to fall hard on her arse to only later rise again stronger and earn her well-deserved HEA with the one guy who truly sees her for who she is.
It goes without saying that KA Linde does non-traditional, controversial romance like it's her second nature AND she's damn good at it. I can safely say that her work is not for everyone but if you're looking for a romance read that screams unpredictability, characters that will screw up epically and a storyline so high on angst that could pop your blood vessel, you just HAVE to read her work. With her, you’ll never know what you’re getting into and the boundaries she is willing to push with her characters are the exact reason why I keep coming back for more.
Gold is the second instalment of the All that Glitters series and concludes the story of Bryna. The 3rd book, Silver will tell the story of Bri's best friend, Trinh.
ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
"This wasn't about love. This was about lust and diamonds. The longer he lusted, the more diamonds."
My first reaction after putting down this book was somewhere between "holy cannolis batman!!" and "thank gawd I survived this read!!". Honestly, I should have known better by now that KA Linde books should preface with a warning that says "Caution: Will cause serious heart palpitations and induce ragey feelings that would provoke you to set Kindle on fire."
Seriously Kyla, you drive me ABSOLUTE nuts with all your reads and crazy-ass characters but God forbid, that makes me love your books even more. Believe me when I say you're one of the special few who can satisfy my inner angst whore to the fullest. You're undoubtedly and deservedly the Queen of Angst.
Our Queen B, Bryna definitely kicks up a notch in Gold and now that she knows the game well, she's gone all out to make sure she stays in control. After having learnt her lesson in Diamonds, her walls have been fortified and she's ready to take on a few more guys to play her game. But when the game suddenly involves a rich charming man who promised her the world, the stakes have been raised higher than ever.
In a typical KA Linde fashion, this book is just one helluva trainwreck of a read that you cannot stop reading even with all the bright flashing warning signs. I devoured this book up like my life depended on it because I just needed to flip the pages faster to know how everything will play out.
Bryna is still the unapologetic b*tch of a heroine that I've come to adore since the first book and she never stop owning her character. Beyond that, I loved how Bryna grew as a character; still fierce as ever but slowly we got to see a crack under that diamond-tough exterior where her vulnerabilities started to show and made us understand the way she acts.
The entire read kept me on the edge as the anticipation of figuring out what Bri's next move almost killed me. The multiple guys who waltz in and out of her life; are they just pawns in her game or is there truly something more? One thing's for sure: There is an incoming shitstorm that's about to hit hard and nothing can stop it.
My heart and mind were at war with each other as I find myself filled with these ragey emotions when Bryna continuously makes one bad decision after another and part of me wants to slap her so hard through my Kindle, I swears! Another part of me feels absolutely sorry for her because I do understand her misguided actions. But I am so very happy with how the author spun this story and allowing Bryna to fall hard on her arse to only later rise again stronger and earn her well-deserved HEA with the one guy who truly sees her for who she is.
It goes without saying that KA Linde does non-traditional, controversial romance like it's her second nature AND she's damn good at it. I can safely say that her work is not for everyone but if you're looking for a romance read that screams unpredictability, characters that will screw up epically and a storyline so high on angst that could pop your blood vessel, you just HAVE to read her work. With her, you’ll never know what you’re getting into and the boundaries she is willing to push with her characters are the exact reason why I keep coming back for more.
Gold is the second instalment of the All that Glitters series and concludes the story of Bryna. The 3rd book, Silver will tell the story of Bri's best friend, Trinh.
ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
July 6, 2015
Gold is the sequel and conclusion to Bryna’s story. When I read Diamonds I wasn’t sure I was going to love this character. Honestly, she is pretty easy to hate. However, the more I got to know her the more I felt sorry for her. She is just a teenager, abandoned and seeking attention from any source she can find.
Bryna’s story picks up with her in college in Las Vegas. The semester is just starting and she is still trying to cope with Jude’s betrayal. This is when I really started to feel empathy for Bri. We can see her vulnerability and feel her heartache.
In Gold, Bri meets some really great people and actually develops real relationships. I loved seeing her find her place. Furthermore, the growth she went through from Diamonds until now is perfect. She didn’t change overnight, but through circumstances and her choices she is able to learn valuable lessons.
Bri may be The Queen Bitch, but Kyla is The Queen of Angst. When I start one of her books I am seriously a nervous wreck. There are so many different ways this story could have gone and so many moments I was a reading as fast as I could so I could turn the page and see what happened.
As with all Kyla’s books the story was fast paced, engaging and super hot. Some how she did the unthinkable and even redeemed her characters with me. I can’t wait to see what comes next for these girls. This series is a definite win!
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
“This is who I am. I’m the queen bitch. I accept my crown and title. Take it, or leave it. I’ve never pretended to be anyone else and I never will.”
Bryna’s story picks up with her in college in Las Vegas. The semester is just starting and she is still trying to cope with Jude’s betrayal. This is when I really started to feel empathy for Bri. We can see her vulnerability and feel her heartache.
In Gold, Bri meets some really great people and actually develops real relationships. I loved seeing her find her place. Furthermore, the growth she went through from Diamonds until now is perfect. She didn’t change overnight, but through circumstances and her choices she is able to learn valuable lessons.
Bri may be The Queen Bitch, but Kyla is The Queen of Angst. When I start one of her books I am seriously a nervous wreck. There are so many different ways this story could have gone and so many moments I was a reading as fast as I could so I could turn the page and see what happened.
As with all Kyla’s books the story was fast paced, engaging and super hot. Some how she did the unthinkable and even redeemed her characters with me. I can’t wait to see what comes next for these girls. This series is a definite win!
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
December 20, 2015
4.5 Golden stars
In this instalment we follow Bri on her college year as a freshman. After the disaster she had endured at Diamonds, Bryna has decided that she's going to be a gold digger. Not because she doesn't have already money, but because the situation with Jude had left her powerless and she needs to get back the control. She's queen Bee after all.
We can notice a change in Bryna, in this journey, while she's trying to piece back herself. She has made friends, something she wasn't so good at high school, but in the meanwhile she also hurts people.
Hugh is her next victim, a multimillioner owner of resorts, falls in her trap and slowly but steadily Bri is being showered with gifts and luxury by him. Meanwhile, back at college, Eric is a guy who rejected Bri, but she had been told that he was gay. They fight a lot, but one Christmas break, they get close and become buddies. There's chemistry between them, but Bri knows that he's secretly gay so she's feeling comfortable knowing that and somehow she trusts him with everything, past and present.
We meet old persons, new persons and situations surrounding Bryna and there's character development but the path to get there is long and definitely not easy. Not without breaking hearts to get there..
At the first book, I thought that Bri was insufferable and that she dug her own grave when it came to her friends, Jude and Gates. I thought she had taken stupid decisions and that she didn't deserve them to be around her. I didn't like much the first book, but I get that we needed to see that side of her and what made her be a gold digger afterwards.
I didn't like her at first in gold. There was some hope for her since her relationship with the girls seemed genuine, but there were moments that I was still frustrated with her. Especially when Hugh seemed such a nice smitten guy. Bri is a self destructive person, but eventually I enjoyed her journey.
Even though some things were predictable, I still enjoyed the book and I'm satisfied with how things ended for her.
Arc was kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
In this instalment we follow Bri on her college year as a freshman. After the disaster she had endured at Diamonds, Bryna has decided that she's going to be a gold digger. Not because she doesn't have already money, but because the situation with Jude had left her powerless and she needs to get back the control. She's queen Bee after all.
We can notice a change in Bryna, in this journey, while she's trying to piece back herself. She has made friends, something she wasn't so good at high school, but in the meanwhile she also hurts people.
Hugh is her next victim, a multimillioner owner of resorts, falls in her trap and slowly but steadily Bri is being showered with gifts and luxury by him. Meanwhile, back at college, Eric is a guy who rejected Bri, but she had been told that he was gay. They fight a lot, but one Christmas break, they get close and become buddies. There's chemistry between them, but Bri knows that he's secretly gay so she's feeling comfortable knowing that and somehow she trusts him with everything, past and present.
We meet old persons, new persons and situations surrounding Bryna and there's character development but the path to get there is long and definitely not easy. Not without breaking hearts to get there..
At the first book, I thought that Bri was insufferable and that she dug her own grave when it came to her friends, Jude and Gates. I thought she had taken stupid decisions and that she didn't deserve them to be around her. I didn't like much the first book, but I get that we needed to see that side of her and what made her be a gold digger afterwards.
I didn't like her at first in gold. There was some hope for her since her relationship with the girls seemed genuine, but there were moments that I was still frustrated with her. Especially when Hugh seemed such a nice smitten guy. Bri is a self destructive person, but eventually I enjoyed her journey.
Even though some things were predictable, I still enjoyed the book and I'm satisfied with how things ended for her.
Arc was kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
January 8, 2016
Bryna’s story concludes in Gold, the follow up to Diamonds. After Jude showed her just the kind of guy he was, Bryna is starting over. In college and ready to take the lessons Jude taught her and land herself her own sugar-daddy. But this time, she’s the one in control. There is no chance of heartbreak because love is not the four letter word that Bryna is interested in.
You can’t read a K.A. Linde book without taking certain precautions, it’s a lesson you only have to learn once. Booze and a safety strap for your kindle are must haves. She is not known as the queen of angst for nothing! Now, there is far too much going on in Bryna’s life both in and out of the bedroom to even go into all that, but I will say that for every guy we meet, I sort of wanted her to fall for them. All of them. And this coming from a reader that was #TeamJackorTeamNoOne
You just couldn’t help but love her and want her to get every single thing she wanted, in every single moment.
But I think what made this book stand apart from every other heroine driven romance out there is that the development of Bryna was exceptional. It’s hard to make a romance work when the heroine is the main focus, too many heroines are annoying and just too much of a hot mess to deal with. Not Bryna. Sure she has her issues, but I found them endearing and everything she felt was justified and you could relate and see her reasoning for her choices.
As much as this was a romance, it was also a coming of age story. We got to watch Bryna grow into so much more than the gold-digging shallow shell of a girl. I could not be happier with the way this story ended as a reader. I was left wanting for absolutely nothing by the final page.
You can’t read a K.A. Linde book without taking certain precautions, it’s a lesson you only have to learn once. Booze and a safety strap for your kindle are must haves. She is not known as the queen of angst for nothing! Now, there is far too much going on in Bryna’s life both in and out of the bedroom to even go into all that, but I will say that for every guy we meet, I sort of wanted her to fall for them. All of them. And this coming from a reader that was #TeamJackorTeamNoOne
You just couldn’t help but love her and want her to get every single thing she wanted, in every single moment.
But I think what made this book stand apart from every other heroine driven romance out there is that the development of Bryna was exceptional. It’s hard to make a romance work when the heroine is the main focus, too many heroines are annoying and just too much of a hot mess to deal with. Not Bryna. Sure she has her issues, but I found them endearing and everything she felt was justified and you could relate and see her reasoning for her choices.
As much as this was a romance, it was also a coming of age story. We got to watch Bryna grow into so much more than the gold-digging shallow shell of a girl. I could not be happier with the way this story ended as a reader. I was left wanting for absolutely nothing by the final page.
July 7, 2015
*arc provided by author for honest review*
Only Kyla can write a book where I hate the main character for 80% of the book and yet I still like the story. The end was worth the ride!
Only Kyla can write a book where I hate the main character for 80% of the book and yet I still like the story. The end was worth the ride!
June 29, 2015
3.5 STARS
Gold is the epitome of pure decadence, sensual indulgence and sinful guilty pleasures. Fraught with angst and sex and a seemingly vapid heroine with a blackened heart of gold, K.A. Linde's Gold is everything we're conditioned to hate in a story, yet we can't help but fall deeply in love with. This story took me on a ride of frustration and dread, longing and lust, dismay and surprise.
If you read Diamonds, you know that Bryna had her hands full juggling the men in her life in high school. Gates, her celebrity ex-boyfriend, Pace, her obnoxious stepbrother, and Jude, the sexy older man who turned out to be a liar, ensured Bryna Turner's lavish life never had a dull moment. Gold picks up with a scorned Bryna determined to make the most of college life in Vegas while keeping her emotions out of the equation. College introduces even more men to Bryna's life... Andrew, her friend with benefits, Hugh, the rich older man who lavishes her with gifts, Eric, an unlikely friend who pushes Bryna's buttons but who's romantically out of the question because he bats for the other team, Cam, a mysterious snowboarder, an array of other guys that Bryna toys and flirts with and throws away, the reappearance of the repulsive Pace and Jude, the man who ruined her that she never expected to see again.
Bryna is hard to like at times. She's deliberately cold and calculating, and she uses men for her own gain and then tosses them aside. Sex, jewelry, trips, designer labels, attention... Bryna basks in the gifts from the men that lust after her, but she refuses to give them anything real in return, refuses to allow herself to feel anything for them on an emotional level. She's been robbed of everything she gave freely once before and she refuses to give it again. Anyone else behaving this way might repulse a reader (and she did at times!), but Bryna's actions are understandable considering what the men in her life put her through in Diamonds. She's jaded, heartbroken, emotionally destroyed and she keeps up the pretense that she doesn't need or want anything real in her life. She's the heroine I loved to hate and hated to love. I'll admit that there were moments I felt her level of self-absorption and selfishness crossed lines that she just had no good excuse for crossing and getting away with. I wanted to throttle her for many of her choices. But what would a true blue K.A. Linde story look like without a character that pisses you off sometimes? She makes it hard to root for her time and time again, her repugnant behavior vying against her charm for which side of this enigmatic character would prevail and win me over. Her charm won, needless to say, and I craved her happily ever after as deeply as she fought to evade it.
Full disclosure here: the pacing of the story was somewhat slow for me and I found myself getting lost in the tedium of the many characters and their antics at times. Throughout the story, I'd find myself alternately captivated by certain characters and turned off by the behavior of others... no surprise there, as it's typical Linde fashion to evoke a plethora of emotion from her reader in every storyline she executes. I'm a devout fan of this author so it surprised me that I grew restless for sections of the book to pick up the pace. But the 50% mark pulled me in. Suddenly everything I secretly hoped for began culminating and I was gripped. After reading Diamonds, I was hell bent on seeing Bryna get the ending I'd envisioned for her and I was convinced I wouldn't be satisfied with anything else. I was wrong. I couldn't have picked a better ending, literally, because it's an ending I never saw coming. There's no certainty until the final page. This story is rife with twists and turns and surprises on every page and while it might not have captivated me in the same way Linde's books typically do, Gold is a deliciously unpredictable and fantastically surprising conclusion to Bryna's story.
Gold is the epitome of pure decadence, sensual indulgence and sinful guilty pleasures. Fraught with angst and sex and a seemingly vapid heroine with a blackened heart of gold, K.A. Linde's Gold is everything we're conditioned to hate in a story, yet we can't help but fall deeply in love with. This story took me on a ride of frustration and dread, longing and lust, dismay and surprise.
If you read Diamonds, you know that Bryna had her hands full juggling the men in her life in high school. Gates, her celebrity ex-boyfriend, Pace, her obnoxious stepbrother, and Jude, the sexy older man who turned out to be a liar, ensured Bryna Turner's lavish life never had a dull moment. Gold picks up with a scorned Bryna determined to make the most of college life in Vegas while keeping her emotions out of the equation. College introduces even more men to Bryna's life... Andrew, her friend with benefits, Hugh, the rich older man who lavishes her with gifts, Eric, an unlikely friend who pushes Bryna's buttons but who's romantically out of the question because he bats for the other team, Cam, a mysterious snowboarder, an array of other guys that Bryna toys and flirts with and throws away, the reappearance of the repulsive Pace and Jude, the man who ruined her that she never expected to see again.
Bryna is hard to like at times. She's deliberately cold and calculating, and she uses men for her own gain and then tosses them aside. Sex, jewelry, trips, designer labels, attention... Bryna basks in the gifts from the men that lust after her, but she refuses to give them anything real in return, refuses to allow herself to feel anything for them on an emotional level. She's been robbed of everything she gave freely once before and she refuses to give it again. Anyone else behaving this way might repulse a reader (and she did at times!), but Bryna's actions are understandable considering what the men in her life put her through in Diamonds. She's jaded, heartbroken, emotionally destroyed and she keeps up the pretense that she doesn't need or want anything real in her life. She's the heroine I loved to hate and hated to love. I'll admit that there were moments I felt her level of self-absorption and selfishness crossed lines that she just had no good excuse for crossing and getting away with. I wanted to throttle her for many of her choices. But what would a true blue K.A. Linde story look like without a character that pisses you off sometimes? She makes it hard to root for her time and time again, her repugnant behavior vying against her charm for which side of this enigmatic character would prevail and win me over. Her charm won, needless to say, and I craved her happily ever after as deeply as she fought to evade it.
Full disclosure here: the pacing of the story was somewhat slow for me and I found myself getting lost in the tedium of the many characters and their antics at times. Throughout the story, I'd find myself alternately captivated by certain characters and turned off by the behavior of others... no surprise there, as it's typical Linde fashion to evoke a plethora of emotion from her reader in every storyline she executes. I'm a devout fan of this author so it surprised me that I grew restless for sections of the book to pick up the pace. But the 50% mark pulled me in. Suddenly everything I secretly hoped for began culminating and I was gripped. After reading Diamonds, I was hell bent on seeing Bryna get the ending I'd envisioned for her and I was convinced I wouldn't be satisfied with anything else. I was wrong. I couldn't have picked a better ending, literally, because it's an ending I never saw coming. There's no certainty until the final page. This story is rife with twists and turns and surprises on every page and while it might not have captivated me in the same way Linde's books typically do, Gold is a deliciously unpredictable and fantastically surprising conclusion to Bryna's story.
July 5, 2015
3.5 stars
i loved where this story went and how it all came together.
Kyla writes characters that at times make you want to tear your hair out lol but that's what makes her stories work for so many...her ability to captivate her audience and to draw us into her stories.
Bryna showed a lot of growth in Gold - growth within herself, in her love life and in her family dynamic and at the end of this story, it left a smile on my face :)
i loved where this story went and how it all came together.
Kyla writes characters that at times make you want to tear your hair out lol but that's what makes her stories work for so many...her ability to captivate her audience and to draw us into her stories.
Bryna showed a lot of growth in Gold - growth within herself, in her love life and in her family dynamic and at the end of this story, it left a smile on my face :)
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
October 28, 2016DNF. I've tried to finish this book two times now. But I just can't get past Bryna's ridiculous actions. Diamonds was a good setup for Gold, but Bryna's character seemed to go downhill. I'm sure she has some character growth eventually (at least I hope so) but I just can't make myself read to the end. It's all just over-the-top silliness.
P.S. I'm still a big fan of K.A. Linde, but this series is not for me.
January 19, 2022
2 ⭐⭐ - Meh!
August 3, 2015
And so Gold concludes the story of Bryna and her antics on finding what she thought was missing all along....LOVE. Who she finds it with was the best choice she could make. The person that was there for her, the person who put up with her silliness, the person who saw past the person she tried to portray. Bryna's calculating ways is immature and that put me off of her character but then I realized she is only eighteen so I give some leeway for that and hopefully with her choice in love, it can mature her along the way.
Other characters from Diamonds make appearances. Some that are good for Bryna and some that you just want to junk punch them. I'm a fan of Linde's work. She knows how to give us the angst and, at least for me, she knows how to write characters that I dislike. Ha! We kinda get a feel on what Platinum(book 3) will start off, so be prepared for that ride.
*ARC provided by author*
Other characters from Diamonds make appearances. Some that are good for Bryna and some that you just want to junk punch them. I'm a fan of Linde's work. She knows how to give us the angst and, at least for me, she knows how to write characters that I dislike. Ha! We kinda get a feel on what Platinum(book 3) will start off, so be prepared for that ride.
*ARC provided by author*
August 16, 2015
After Diamonds ended, I was rooting for Bryna to wreak major havoc in this story. I wanted her to rip out hearts and take names later. But after starting Gold I decided Bri deserved so much more. Bri hides behind her stone heart. She needs love BUT she doesn’t believe in love. She likes using and being used because it makes her feel wanted, something she’s never really felt before. As she tries to push back her feelings, someone is trying desperately to bring them out. This story was like watching a puzzle be put together. The puzzle being Bryna’s poor heart and watching her grow and learn to love and feel was so worth the heart palpitations this book gave me. This story is anything but predictable. Just when I thought I had it figured out Ms. Linde proved me wrong. This book was steamy, angsty, and gave me all the feels!
July 13, 2020
4 Stars / 3.5 Steam Fans
Video review available in Week 28: Jul 5 – Jul 11 weekly book reviews.
For other video book reviews, check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.
Video review available in Week 28: Jul 5 – Jul 11 weekly book reviews.
For other video book reviews, check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.
June 21, 2015
Gold, the sensational sequel to Diamonds, is one great gem of a masterpiece where K.A. Linde definitely strikes gold with her magnificent 'Midas touch.' Like Diamonds, Gold is different, decadent, a bit dangerous, and oh-so-divine. I breezed through Gold with lightning speed and did not want to stop devouring the conclusion to the Diamonds saga and could hardly put these pages of pure pleasure down. My emotions when reading were a merry-go-round of feelings that spun around quite a bit--angst, madness, empathy, sadness, and happiness. This book is pure addiction that not only reeks of scandal and sin, but screams resurrection.
In Diamonds, rich and beautiful Bryna 'Bri' Turner is young and naive--a femme fatale who also gets her heart broken. Bri is still the femme fatale in Gold--but she's a force like a tornado and so unpredictable. She may be played in Diamonds but becomes the ultimate player--the reigning Queen Bee or big 'B'--in Gold. It's the best and most brilliant game ever where the Queen takes men--who think they have a chance at being her King-- for their money and breaks their hearts without a second thought.
"God, it was all a game. A very, very familiar game. And she wanted to hate herself for playing along...and even worse, for enjoying it. But she didn't. She couldn't hate something that made her heart race. She associated the mystery and danger with an unbeatable adrenaline rush and super hot sex. At the same time, she had an uncontrollable urge to watch with a smile as it all burned down in front of her."
Bri eats up men like fine chocolate, and then spits them out like old chewing gum. Men won't use her anymore like Jude as she will take what she wants without looking back--Gold for gold-digger. Once a believer in fairytales and happily ever afters, Gold finds Bri not just a Queen 'B,' but broken princess who has given up on Prince Charming.
"Love was an illusion. It didn't exist in her world. She shouldn't expect it. There was no point in searching for it. All it had ever done was weaken her, turn her into an idiot, force her to make bad choices, and completely lose control. She had the control now. No matter how empty she felt on the inside."
Where Diamonds is about destruction, Gold is about reparation. The Queen Bee goes from played in Diamonds to player in Gold in several games of cat and mouse. A parade of even more swoon-worthy men than in Diamonds join Team Queen Bee in the bold and buzz-worthy Gold, Though only one amazing and sexy man still holds her attention, her body, and maybe her heart. He is the only one who could be the Queen Bee's King at the end.
"Water poured down their faces, mingling with their kiss. She moaned against his mouth, and their tongues met in perfect unison. This was their third kiss, but for the first time, she truly savored him. He tasted like pure heaven. A touch of everything that was right in her life...Every nerve in her body was attuned to his touch. This is what she had always been missing."
This swoon-worthy, sexy, and sweet man finally sees Bri's inner layers of goodness under the hardness of her diamond-like exterior. He sees and wants the real Bri--not the gold-digger or the slut or a beautiful girl who is the Queen B of mean. He makes Bri want to be a better person. She just needs to let the real Prince Charming into her heart and realize she deserves her happily ever after.
K.A. Linde is a master at change and the unexpected as each of her sensational series are unique adventures and roller coaster rides of emotions that pierce your heart and soul along the way. I can't wait to see what K.A. Linde writes to wow the world of romance books next!
5 glittery and great gold stars
In Diamonds, rich and beautiful Bryna 'Bri' Turner is young and naive--a femme fatale who also gets her heart broken. Bri is still the femme fatale in Gold--but she's a force like a tornado and so unpredictable. She may be played in Diamonds but becomes the ultimate player--the reigning Queen Bee or big 'B'--in Gold. It's the best and most brilliant game ever where the Queen takes men--who think they have a chance at being her King-- for their money and breaks their hearts without a second thought.
"God, it was all a game. A very, very familiar game. And she wanted to hate herself for playing along...and even worse, for enjoying it. But she didn't. She couldn't hate something that made her heart race. She associated the mystery and danger with an unbeatable adrenaline rush and super hot sex. At the same time, she had an uncontrollable urge to watch with a smile as it all burned down in front of her."
Bri eats up men like fine chocolate, and then spits them out like old chewing gum. Men won't use her anymore like Jude as she will take what she wants without looking back--Gold for gold-digger. Once a believer in fairytales and happily ever afters, Gold finds Bri not just a Queen 'B,' but broken princess who has given up on Prince Charming.
"Love was an illusion. It didn't exist in her world. She shouldn't expect it. There was no point in searching for it. All it had ever done was weaken her, turn her into an idiot, force her to make bad choices, and completely lose control. She had the control now. No matter how empty she felt on the inside."
Where Diamonds is about destruction, Gold is about reparation. The Queen Bee goes from played in Diamonds to player in Gold in several games of cat and mouse. A parade of even more swoon-worthy men than in Diamonds join Team Queen Bee in the bold and buzz-worthy Gold, Though only one amazing and sexy man still holds her attention, her body, and maybe her heart. He is the only one who could be the Queen Bee's King at the end.
"Water poured down their faces, mingling with their kiss. She moaned against his mouth, and their tongues met in perfect unison. This was their third kiss, but for the first time, she truly savored him. He tasted like pure heaven. A touch of everything that was right in her life...Every nerve in her body was attuned to his touch. This is what she had always been missing."
This swoon-worthy, sexy, and sweet man finally sees Bri's inner layers of goodness under the hardness of her diamond-like exterior. He sees and wants the real Bri--not the gold-digger or the slut or a beautiful girl who is the Queen B of mean. He makes Bri want to be a better person. She just needs to let the real Prince Charming into her heart and realize she deserves her happily ever after.
K.A. Linde is a master at change and the unexpected as each of her sensational series are unique adventures and roller coaster rides of emotions that pierce your heart and soul along the way. I can't wait to see what K.A. Linde writes to wow the world of romance books next!
5 glittery and great gold stars
July 27, 2015
Diamonds (All That Glitters, Book #1) was met with mixed emotions; readers were suffocated by their own ambivalence and frustration. These emotions fueled intense feelings, both negative and positive. I personally thrive on any emotion a book can create, even if that feeling strongly resembles hate. For others though, these emotions can alienate them from truly connecting to a story or most importantly, the characters. In this case, it was the heroine, Bryna, who was the trigger. The loaded gun. She was an absolute mess. The entire story was a mess. You are kind of left hating everything.
But I liked it.
Not only did I feel that Diamonds was a necessary foundation. I also felt the author purposely forced the readers to hit rock bottom in order to build something amazing from the ashes. To quote myself from my original review of Diamonds:
Gold went there.
I LOVED IT!! But what absolutely kills me, is that I can’t detail why without MAJOR spoilers.
THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS!
I just need to emphasize to you that the relationship in Gold, THE relationship (you’ll know the one I’m talking about) is fantastically indescribable. I loved everything about him. Them. Their journey. These are the type of relationships I read to find! This was an entirely different book, an entirely different Bryna.
It even has an HEA! Which terrifies me. Truly horrifies me. With two more books left in this series, the other shoe is bound to drop. Damn you shoe! What the hell will K.A. Linde do to me next? I can’t wait to find out.
The thing I want for everyone to get out of this review is that despite how you felt about Diamonds, you need to read this book. Don’t get smothered by your own negativity, continue the journey.
It will take you there.
READ ON!
But I liked it.
Not only did I feel that Diamonds was a necessary foundation. I also felt the author purposely forced the readers to hit rock bottom in order to build something amazing from the ashes. To quote myself from my original review of Diamonds:
“I wasn't so much in love with this book, as much as I'm in love with where it's going.”
Gold went there.
I LOVED IT!! But what absolutely kills me, is that I can’t detail why without MAJOR spoilers.
THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS!
I just need to emphasize to you that the relationship in Gold, THE relationship (you’ll know the one I’m talking about) is fantastically indescribable. I loved everything about him. Them. Their journey. These are the type of relationships I read to find! This was an entirely different book, an entirely different Bryna.
It even has an HEA! Which terrifies me. Truly horrifies me. With two more books left in this series, the other shoe is bound to drop. Damn you shoe! What the hell will K.A. Linde do to me next? I can’t wait to find out.
The thing I want for everyone to get out of this review is that despite how you felt about Diamonds, you need to read this book. Don’t get smothered by your own negativity, continue the journey.
It will take you there.
READ ON!
July 9, 2015
It's a good thing I read K.A. Linde's books at home. People would probably think I am insane if they saw my reactions!
That is all for now. It was brilliant. She is always brilliant!
That is all for now. It was brilliant. She is always brilliant!
July 12, 2015
A solid ending to what I considered to be a bit of an outrageous cry for love by Brynna. I did, however, love THE ONE she finally chose. He was a stand up guy holding back some vital information of his own -- one being the answer to a shocker Brynna received in the first book. There were lots of interesting secondary characters, some we met in Book 1, along with a few new ones, and enough angst and fashion statements to choke a gorilla! Yeah, this series is a bit over-the-top -- but still fun to read!
Want to read
August 10, 2016Holy shit that preview is hot! I want this now!
July 15, 2016
Gold is the stunning follow up to Diamonds by author K.A. Linde and what a fantastic read it was!
Bryna's had her heart-broken once and she's determined not to let it happen again. She's decided to become the very thing Jude accused her of being – a gold digger and now Bryna has set her sights a guy she’s just met who loves plashing cash about. Buy Bryna knows she needs to play this one cool if she wants the results she’s looking for. So let the game begin……
I didn’t know what to expect before heading into Gold. Bryna’s story blew me away in Diamonds and I couldn’t help love the girl and want the best for her. But Bryna’s life is never easy so I couldn’t have expected it to be all hearts and flowers. She definitely doesn’t make things easy on herself. She can be cold, serious and deceiving at times but then she can be this fun girl that is completely her opposite. I really loved both Bryna’s. Of course I liked her more when she’s being herself but there’s something so mesmerising about the serious Bryna. The way her mind works, wow. She’s smart and not afraid of speaking her mind. She knows what she wants and definitely isn’t afraid to go after it. If I’m honest I was torn to which Bryna I wanted to come out on top at the end. But like I said before, I wanted the best for her so I knew a life of gold digging couldn’t make her truly happy.
Bryna always has so many men in her life that it’s such a whirlwind to keep up. In Gold alone there’s a handful of different guys – who the hell do you root for? But for me it was between Hugh and Eric and maybe even a little bit for Jude. Ssh, don’t hate me. I would have loved for Jude to realise his mistakes and be a better person. And Hugh was just lovely. It was great getting to know him! And Eric was this big thing that just came out of nowhere. I certainly wasn’t expecting Eric.
Gold isn’t just about Bryna’s gold-digging life though. It’s about her self-discovery and finding true happiness. It’s a seductive and tantalizing read – one that’s hard to put down once starting and, it’s a story that K.A. Linde has written well. So in all, definitely a hit for me and it’s one I think you should all pick up.
Thank you to K.A. Linde for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.
Bryna's had her heart-broken once and she's determined not to let it happen again. She's decided to become the very thing Jude accused her of being – a gold digger and now Bryna has set her sights a guy she’s just met who loves plashing cash about. Buy Bryna knows she needs to play this one cool if she wants the results she’s looking for. So let the game begin……
I didn’t know what to expect before heading into Gold. Bryna’s story blew me away in Diamonds and I couldn’t help love the girl and want the best for her. But Bryna’s life is never easy so I couldn’t have expected it to be all hearts and flowers. She definitely doesn’t make things easy on herself. She can be cold, serious and deceiving at times but then she can be this fun girl that is completely her opposite. I really loved both Bryna’s. Of course I liked her more when she’s being herself but there’s something so mesmerising about the serious Bryna. The way her mind works, wow. She’s smart and not afraid of speaking her mind. She knows what she wants and definitely isn’t afraid to go after it. If I’m honest I was torn to which Bryna I wanted to come out on top at the end. But like I said before, I wanted the best for her so I knew a life of gold digging couldn’t make her truly happy.
Bryna always has so many men in her life that it’s such a whirlwind to keep up. In Gold alone there’s a handful of different guys – who the hell do you root for? But for me it was between Hugh and Eric and maybe even a little bit for Jude. Ssh, don’t hate me. I would have loved for Jude to realise his mistakes and be a better person. And Hugh was just lovely. It was great getting to know him! And Eric was this big thing that just came out of nowhere. I certainly wasn’t expecting Eric.
Gold isn’t just about Bryna’s gold-digging life though. It’s about her self-discovery and finding true happiness. It’s a seductive and tantalizing read – one that’s hard to put down once starting and, it’s a story that K.A. Linde has written well. So in all, definitely a hit for me and it’s one I think you should all pick up.
Thank you to K.A. Linde for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 22, 2015
Title: Gold
Series: All That Glitter, #2
Author: K.A. Linde
Source: Purchased eBook
Genre: Contemporary
Age Group: New Adult
Point of View: Third
Happily Ever After:
Release Date: July 7th, 2015
Date Read: July 8th, 2015
Overall Rating: 5 Stars
K.A. Linde took me on a ride with her All that Glitter Series and I seriously fallin' in love with her writing. Ever since I read Diamonds I've been completely hooked. And this was on top of my list to read, none of K.A. Linde books need an introduction because they speech for themselves for being a USA today best selling author she knows how to suck you in and captivate you and you just feel blown away.
Can I say this novel was sensational and the author out done herself. And I loved it. If I had to recommend a series this year this would be it. All that Glitter made my top five favorites. Not because the writing was good, but deep down I felt connected with Bryna. I might just have the same daddy issues as her. Or anyone who never felt loved by someone.
The guys in this book, and yes there are lots of them every where and hot ones at that. In the first book I wanted her and Jude to work it and start something but turns out in this book I hated his guts. I felt like murdering a fictional character. What a sad excuse for a man he is. And Pace needed a reality check and to get shipped off to some boarding school. Eric was the one that you made mix emotions about but was rooting for in the end he was amazing. And not forgetting Hugh the man that everyone wants to marry, every gold digger wants to sleep with and the one you felt the most sorry for. He is another person I was rooting for, I'm not going to say who Bryna ends up with because that's the mystery of it all.
Series: All That Glitter, #2
Author: K.A. Linde
Source: Purchased eBook
Genre: Contemporary
Age Group: New Adult
Point of View: Third
Happily Ever After:
Release Date: July 7th, 2015
Date Read: July 8th, 2015
Overall Rating: 5 Stars
K.A. Linde took me on a ride with her All that Glitter Series and I seriously fallin' in love with her writing. Ever since I read Diamonds I've been completely hooked. And this was on top of my list to read, none of K.A. Linde books need an introduction because they speech for themselves for being a USA today best selling author she knows how to suck you in and captivate you and you just feel blown away.
Can I say this novel was sensational and the author out done herself. And I loved it. If I had to recommend a series this year this would be it. All that Glitter made my top five favorites. Not because the writing was good, but deep down I felt connected with Bryna. I might just have the same daddy issues as her. Or anyone who never felt loved by someone.
The guys in this book, and yes there are lots of them every where and hot ones at that. In the first book I wanted her and Jude to work it and start something but turns out in this book I hated his guts. I felt like murdering a fictional character. What a sad excuse for a man he is. And Pace needed a reality check and to get shipped off to some boarding school. Eric was the one that you made mix emotions about but was rooting for in the end he was amazing. And not forgetting Hugh the man that everyone wants to marry, every gold digger wants to sleep with and the one you felt the most sorry for. He is another person I was rooting for, I'm not going to say who Bryna ends up with because that's the mystery of it all.
June 26, 2015
“The problem with jumping is that you’re as likely to end up broken as you are to being saved.”
Oh my freaking god! This woman and her amazing talent with words never cease to amaze me. I fell in love with Bri in Diamonds and haven’t stopped falling since. She is just so freaking fun! She owns her bitch like a model owns the runway and isn’t ashamed of it. She makes no apologies for who she is and I absolutely love how forward she is. She has such a big heart, but she guards it out of fear. She dances on the edge and teeters, but she will look danger in the eyes and tease it into submission. Even the devil has no say in his own house when she comes out to play. The bond between her and her friends, Stacia and Trinh is wonderful to watch. These two are a huge support system for her and I fell in love with them just as hard. They never let her bullshit them, they accept her for who she is, and they love her harder when she pushes. This storyline was so damn intriguing it tickled all my senses and had my heart dancing in anticipation. I feel like I finished in one breath, I loved it so damn much. Her growth and strength, and how the author spun it, was genius. I feelike I finished in one breath!
“I have no interest in your money. I love you. I loved you before. I love you now. I’d love you penniless.”
It’s fun, it’s sexy, it’s funny and it will keep your head reeling and your heart trembling, as you find your head and your heart in a fight of tug of war. You struggle with breathing and fight the urge to tiptoe through the pages, because you have no idea where she is going with it. By the time you finish you are clapping your hands and your heart feels as light as a feather, with happy tears pooling in your eyes. It’s so good. So. Freaking. Good. I’d recommend this to everyone I know and then some.
I received this as an ARC and was never asked to a review. I did one anyway :)
Oh my freaking god! This woman and her amazing talent with words never cease to amaze me. I fell in love with Bri in Diamonds and haven’t stopped falling since. She is just so freaking fun! She owns her bitch like a model owns the runway and isn’t ashamed of it. She makes no apologies for who she is and I absolutely love how forward she is. She has such a big heart, but she guards it out of fear. She dances on the edge and teeters, but she will look danger in the eyes and tease it into submission. Even the devil has no say in his own house when she comes out to play. The bond between her and her friends, Stacia and Trinh is wonderful to watch. These two are a huge support system for her and I fell in love with them just as hard. They never let her bullshit them, they accept her for who she is, and they love her harder when she pushes. This storyline was so damn intriguing it tickled all my senses and had my heart dancing in anticipation. I feel like I finished in one breath, I loved it so damn much. Her growth and strength, and how the author spun it, was genius. I feelike I finished in one breath!
“I have no interest in your money. I love you. I loved you before. I love you now. I’d love you penniless.”
It’s fun, it’s sexy, it’s funny and it will keep your head reeling and your heart trembling, as you find your head and your heart in a fight of tug of war. You struggle with breathing and fight the urge to tiptoe through the pages, because you have no idea where she is going with it. By the time you finish you are clapping your hands and your heart feels as light as a feather, with happy tears pooling in your eyes. It’s so good. So. Freaking. Good. I’d recommend this to everyone I know and then some.
I received this as an ARC and was never asked to a review. I did one anyway :)
April 23, 2018
The events of the last book, has cemented Bryna in the role her previous lover created. She takes no prisoners in her quest to retain all relationship control with every man in her orbit.
The Good:
1. The alpha-hole in this instance is the female lead. Bryna is nothing to play with.
2. This more about the journey she goes on, than the men themselves.
3. It was a different take on the new adult genre.
The Bad:
1. This anti-heroine will not work for everyone. She is a bit much, and those that care about likability might want to throw their kindle against the wall by the end.
2. Her step brother is bit of a creeper, and it irked me throughout the book. Her family in general sucks, and I found the resolution with her parents too rushed.
Final Thoughts:
Though there are more installments of this series, this main character's story arc ends here. It says something that after two books, I wish there was another.
July 19, 2015
5 GOLDEN, GLITTERY STARS
Review:
Before the release of the book I kept checking out the reviews hoping for a small clue. There was none. I felt like everyone was teasing me. Now, I felt great knowing how the book turned out & the wait was truly worth it.
I've finished it and could I just say to K.A. Linde: THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS BOOK WITH US.
I love Bri, love her bitchiness & love the way she protects herself (and her heart). I can't say much that may spoil the book. I love that it was one hell of a rollercoaster ride, that I got carried away with the twists & turns, my heart hurts for her & how I finally breathed a sigh of relief when it was over. Bri is one of my most fave book MC ever and this book will be forever close to my heart :'( I hope to read more about the characters (Trihn, Stacia, Pace) next books.
The character dev't - the best. The romance - HECK YEAH. The ending was so satisfying & fulfilling - the closure & the peace she finally got.
And I think this is the fanciest series, ever.
PAST:
July is so faaaaaaaaaar.
I just want to know how Bryna's story ends. And I hope it's no Jude.
Review:
Before the release of the book I kept checking out the reviews hoping for a small clue. There was none. I felt like everyone was teasing me. Now, I felt great knowing how the book turned out & the wait was truly worth it.
I've finished it and could I just say to K.A. Linde: THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS BOOK WITH US.
I love Bri, love her bitchiness & love the way she protects herself (and her heart). I can't say much that may spoil the book. I love that it was one hell of a rollercoaster ride, that I got carried away with the twists & turns, my heart hurts for her & how I finally breathed a sigh of relief when it was over. Bri is one of my most fave book MC ever and this book will be forever close to my heart :'( I hope to read more about the characters (Trihn, Stacia, Pace) next books.
The character dev't - the best. The romance - HECK YEAH. The ending was so satisfying & fulfilling - the closure & the peace she finally got.
And I think this is the fanciest series, ever.
PAST:
July is so faaaaaaaaaar.
I just want to know how Bryna's story ends. And I hope it's no Jude.
February 27, 2018
4.5 entertaining stars.
July 7, 2015
I am really very happy about this book, I read it before it was released and, rest assured, it was hard to contain my excitement. * Minor spoiler*
We have a continuation of Bryna and her gold digging ways, however it’s set in the future when she has started college. As you know, life slammed her down at the end of diamonds. Well, life didn’t start off so hot for our dear bitchy Bryna in Gold either. Things happen, or should I say men happen, in this book as well but there is one that could possibly turn it around for her and make the stakes of heartbreak that much more real.
Bryna has been running from her past and her parents' divorce for a very long time. I can see the whole picture on the reasoning for her and her growth which is why I really enjoyed Gold. I will be the first to admit Diamonds was hard for me to read because she was so selfish but the author did not disappoint me in bringing her full circle. If you enjoyed diamonds I think you will definitely love Gold. It actually played out perfectly when I look back on the story as a whole.
My dearest Bryna,
You made me want to throttle you at times. You couldn’t just wake up and see what was in front of you because you were too busy hiding your own heart. I am glad I stuck it out with you though, because you finally realized all the horrible shit you did in your past was for your own selfish reasons. I get it, but man there were times I hated your guts. I am completely happy for you by the way. You couldn’t have picked a better guy. Welcome to adulthood girl.
Without further ado:
Dear Jude,
You are still a douchebag. That is all.
Dear Pace,
I totally don’t understand you. You make me think one thing then completely turn around and do something stupid. Seriously what is your deal?
Dear Hugh,
Oh my god will you marry me? Seriously I LOVE you. Please take me as your wife.
Dear Eric,
I think I might love you too. No. I know I love you. Please be my husband.
Dear Gates,
You are too cute for your own good. I could love you, but I think it’s just lust.
Dear Cam,
You’re an idiot. I’m glad you didn’t last long buddy.
5 growing up stars.
We have a continuation of Bryna and her gold digging ways, however it’s set in the future when she has started college. As you know, life slammed her down at the end of diamonds. Well, life didn’t start off so hot for our dear bitchy Bryna in Gold either. Things happen, or should I say men happen, in this book as well but there is one that could possibly turn it around for her and make the stakes of heartbreak that much more real.
Bryna has been running from her past and her parents' divorce for a very long time. I can see the whole picture on the reasoning for her and her growth which is why I really enjoyed Gold. I will be the first to admit Diamonds was hard for me to read because she was so selfish but the author did not disappoint me in bringing her full circle. If you enjoyed diamonds I think you will definitely love Gold. It actually played out perfectly when I look back on the story as a whole.
My dearest Bryna,
You made me want to throttle you at times. You couldn’t just wake up and see what was in front of you because you were too busy hiding your own heart. I am glad I stuck it out with you though, because you finally realized all the horrible shit you did in your past was for your own selfish reasons. I get it, but man there were times I hated your guts. I am completely happy for you by the way. You couldn’t have picked a better guy. Welcome to adulthood girl.
Without further ado:
Dear Jude,
You are still a douchebag. That is all.
Dear Pace,
I totally don’t understand you. You make me think one thing then completely turn around and do something stupid. Seriously what is your deal?
Dear Hugh,
Oh my god will you marry me? Seriously I LOVE you. Please take me as your wife.
Dear Eric,
I think I might love you too. No. I know I love you. Please be my husband.
Dear Gates,
You are too cute for your own good. I could love you, but I think it’s just lust.
Dear Cam,
You’re an idiot. I’m glad you didn’t last long buddy.
5 growing up stars.
June 26, 2015
Click here to read my entire review!
What I Loved: I think the better question is what didn’t I love!?!?! This was what I was waiting for in Bryna’s story. Of course it was a long windy road but it just made the ending all the more sweet. The story had all the elements I love when I’m reading, it had; drama, love, sex, happiness, sadness, hate, anger and so much more!
We meet Bryna in her freshman year of college, with one goal in mind (other than cheer and football of course) and that’s gold digging. Bryna has once again established herself as Queen Bitch and she plays the role of head bitch very well through most of the book. Bryna is the very epitome of high fashion and Hollywood young adult glamor. She’s the girl every college girl wants to be, and every hot guy wants to bang. Bryna went on a pretty wild ride in this story, and I enjoyed every second of it. I’m not going to give too much away but I will say I think any reader will walk away being completely in love with Bryna like I did.
Not So Much: My only real complaint would be that I wish there was just a tad more detail as far as the backgrounds go. I don’t really know what Bryna’s condo looked like, or what finishing touches she might’ve added to her bedroom or just the condo in general. The same can be said for Eric’s house and also where LV State is located in relation to what people know of Las Vegas. It was hard to gage where campus was to the strip or Bryna’s condo. I assume they were all close to each other but I know very little about Vegas outside of the touristy places so it’s hard to imagine where these outer locations are. Other than that I loved this book!
What I Loved: I think the better question is what didn’t I love!?!?! This was what I was waiting for in Bryna’s story. Of course it was a long windy road but it just made the ending all the more sweet. The story had all the elements I love when I’m reading, it had; drama, love, sex, happiness, sadness, hate, anger and so much more!
We meet Bryna in her freshman year of college, with one goal in mind (other than cheer and football of course) and that’s gold digging. Bryna has once again established herself as Queen Bitch and she plays the role of head bitch very well through most of the book. Bryna is the very epitome of high fashion and Hollywood young adult glamor. She’s the girl every college girl wants to be, and every hot guy wants to bang. Bryna went on a pretty wild ride in this story, and I enjoyed every second of it. I’m not going to give too much away but I will say I think any reader will walk away being completely in love with Bryna like I did.
Not So Much: My only real complaint would be that I wish there was just a tad more detail as far as the backgrounds go. I don’t really know what Bryna’s condo looked like, or what finishing touches she might’ve added to her bedroom or just the condo in general. The same can be said for Eric’s house and also where LV State is located in relation to what people know of Las Vegas. It was hard to gage where campus was to the strip or Bryna’s condo. I assume they were all close to each other but I know very little about Vegas outside of the touristy places so it’s hard to imagine where these outer locations are. Other than that I loved this book!
July 6, 2015
K.A. nailed the conclusion to Bryna's story in Gold. Now, technically, you could read this one as a standalone; however, I do think you'll understand Bryna's motivations better if you read Diamonds first. You'll also be able to appreciate the TREMENDOUS growth in her character throughout this book if you start with Diamonds. I finished this about a week ago in one sitting, wishing I was able to speed read. I loved watching Bryna learn, the hard way, that maybe gold digging wasn't all fun and games. There were a few contenders for B's affections and I was anxious to see who, if any, would be able to find the key to unlock her heart. Like white knuckled my Kindle anxious. Getting to know her men was exciting; I was completely wrong about one, didn't care for another, and was head-over-heels in love with another (I swear whenever I think about him and the things he said I smile, fondly. I love him on a Jack Howard level). Gold made me deliriously happy. It was a fabulous story reminding us that people CAN change and, sometimes, you just need the right person to make you see the you you're meant to be, not the you you're expected to be.
July 4, 2015
WOW! I think this review may be short and sweet.
Not what I was expecting...AT ALL. Bryna, our gold digging, lost little girl from Diamonds, is now in college. What you are expecting in this book is not what you will get...it’s even better.
KA Linde has is all in this book. The HOT football players (Andrew, Marshall & the entire LV Football team), a multi-millionaire (Hugh), some bitchy cheerleaders (Stacia, Trihn, Maya (not a cheerleader but still a bad ass), a boy next door (Eric) and of course Bryna.
How will our gold digger Bryna fair once in college? Will she continue to be “The Queen bee?”. Will she continue to be the gold digging bitch we have learned to love and hate at the same time? Will she see the error in her ways? I wish I could go further into how this books takes a few twist and turns, but I just can't. You need to experience this roller coaster as it's meant to be...
I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the direction in which KA Linde has taken Bryna and of course, she has continued the high angst level and definitely threw some amazingly erotic scenes into the book!
And I just can’t wait for Trihn’s story in Platinum!
An ARC was provided to Blushing Babes Are Up All Night Book Blog for an honest review
Not what I was expecting...AT ALL. Bryna, our gold digging, lost little girl from Diamonds, is now in college. What you are expecting in this book is not what you will get...it’s even better.
KA Linde has is all in this book. The HOT football players (Andrew, Marshall & the entire LV Football team), a multi-millionaire (Hugh), some bitchy cheerleaders (Stacia, Trihn, Maya (not a cheerleader but still a bad ass), a boy next door (Eric) and of course Bryna.
How will our gold digger Bryna fair once in college? Will she continue to be “The Queen bee?”. Will she continue to be the gold digging bitch we have learned to love and hate at the same time? Will she see the error in her ways? I wish I could go further into how this books takes a few twist and turns, but I just can't. You need to experience this roller coaster as it's meant to be...
I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the direction in which KA Linde has taken Bryna and of course, she has continued the high angst level and definitely threw some amazingly erotic scenes into the book!
And I just can’t wait for Trihn’s story in Platinum!
An ARC was provided to Blushing Babes Are Up All Night Book Blog for an honest review
July 15, 2015
4.5 self-destructive stars!
Whew! If you're looking for an angsty read, look no further! This book delivers everything that you need, especially the first 80%! :-)
Never have I imagined this book to rouse a lot of emotions from me although most of them were anger and frustrations.
I didn't know what to expect on how things would turn out after reading Diamonds since we all know that Ms. Linde is quite unpredictable. Also, I don't know how she did it but even though Bryna was not the heroine one would root for, I can't stop from reading her story and despite that she acted like a total slut and a certified bitch, I still wanted her to be happy.
The only reason why I didn't rate this a 5 stars is because I felt like the author wants everything to wrap up perfectly in the end, to the extent that I kinda felt it a bit off and tried too hard.
Overall, it was still a great read if you enjoy an overdose of angst .
This is the conclusion of Bryna's story.
Whew! If you're looking for an angsty read, look no further! This book delivers everything that you need, especially the first 80%! :-)
Never have I imagined this book to rouse a lot of emotions from me although most of them were anger and frustrations.
I didn't know what to expect on how things would turn out after reading Diamonds since we all know that Ms. Linde is quite unpredictable. Also, I don't know how she did it but even though Bryna was not the heroine one would root for, I can't stop from reading her story and despite that she acted like a total slut and a certified bitch, I still wanted her to be happy.
The only reason why I didn't rate this a 5 stars is because I felt like the author wants everything to wrap up perfectly in the end, to the extent that I kinda felt it a bit off and tried too hard.
Overall, it was still a great read if you enjoy an overdose of angst .
This is the conclusion of Bryna's story.
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