Gold Mountain — Karen J. Hasley

A Remarkable Woman.
An Unforgettable Love Story.

When Dinah Hudson leaves China in 1901, she hopes to leave behind dark memories of violence and sudden death, as well. Spending time with her sister in San Francisco will be just what she needs to help her forget China's murderous Boxer Uprising. Dinah's life in California takes an unexpected turn when renowned reformer Donaldina Cameron enlists her aid in rescuing young Chinese girls smuggled into the U.S. for slavery and prostitution. For Dinah, the venture soon becomes a passionate calling. But every calling comes with a price, and for Dinah Hudson that price may prove very high indeed.

Because not everyone shares her zeal for freeing enslaved girls, especially not men that profit from human trafficking. Men that hide behind position and power. Faceless men that live in the shadows. Ruthless men that allow nothing and no one to get in their way. Truth is that every man in Dinah's glittering but treacherous San Francisco world, whether a wealthy financier or a virile policeman or a brash entrepreneur with the face of a Greek god, is suspect. Dangerous. Even deadly. A determined woman must learn that when her heart gets in the way of her good sense she should ignore deceptive emotions and stay focused on the cause. It's either that. Or die trying.

Karen J. Hasley's fascination with women's voices from the past began while writing her master's thesis on seventeenth-century female poets. Now she uses her distinctive story-telling voice to combine fact and fiction into satisfying historical novels. Gold Mountain is the 5th book of the Laramie Series. Other books include Lily's Sister, Waiting for Hope, Where Home Is, Circled Heart, and Smiling at Heaven. Learn more at karenhasley.com.