It was February 1874 when fourteen year old Mary-Lou brought the bedraggled and injured stranger to the door of their farm in Missouri. The wild winds had not abated in the past hours, so it was lucky for the stranger that Mary-Lou had been outside. Snow Farm had been Genevieve and Mary-Lou Snow's home for as long as they could remember, but with first their mother's death, then their father's only two years prior, both Ginny and Mary-Lou struggled to keep the farm going. But independent and determined, the sisters would let nothing stop them. The pretense of their father upstairs, ill and unable to venture downstairs, was what kept their reputation intact while the stranger - Lex - recuperated in their parlour, but once he went into town, the locals soon set him straight.

Fortunes took a turn for the worst and Snow Farm had to be sold to cover the debts their father had left. Devastated at having let their parents down, Ginny and Mary-Lou wondered how to save their farm. And if it was lost, where would they go? They had family in Jefferson City - her mother's sister and family - but Ginny felt they couldn't intrude. What would they do?

Under a Gilded Sky is my first by author Imogen Martin and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Beautifully written, the tales of Missouri, Jefferson City and Boston in the 1870s were perfect. Both Ginny and Mary-Lou's characters were easy to like, also Maddie and Phoebe. And Lex was intriguing, strong and determined, pulled in more directions than he felt comfortable. Under a Gilded Sky was a wonderful read which I highly recommend.

With thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

I have been looking forward to reading this for ages and what a treat it was. I was hooked from the very first page and by the end was trying to eke it out because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to these characters or these settings.
Ginny is running a farm in Missouri with her sister when a stranger passes by, in much need of aid. Despite the two women living alone and already facing judgement for their independence, Ginny takes the stranger, Lex, in and nurses him to health. From their very first encounter the chemistry is literally pulsing off the page and I was desperate to see romance between these two flourish.
The author creates a hugely evocative world that thoroughly immerses the reader; the setting pulls you in and weaves a magic that totally captures you, stimulating all the senses so that you too are staring across the wide open plains, branding the cattle and visiting the drawing rooms of Bostonian High Society.
The historical detail in the book is clearly very well researched and contributes to this immersion, never pulling you from the story itself, all of which is written with a deft, light touch that allows you to gallop through the pages. Overall, an insightful and highly skilled debut that will stay with me for a long time. I absolutely loved every page, it’s been one of my favourite reads of this year, and am so excited to read this author’s next book.

I knew I'd like this book as soon as I saw it and I was right!
Nothing like reading a wonderful story on a stormy evening.
I enjoyed Ginny and Mary Lou's story from beginning until the end
This new to me author did a fantastic job with this novel. It was hard to put down.
The cover of the book was what made me want to read it along with the blurb. So glad I choose it.
A very favorite quote I want to share
"This is where I'm meant to be, " he whispered. “And this is where I’ll always be. Right beside you, holding your hands. "
I feel this is how life should be no matter how hard life gets. In my opinion if it were like this the world would probably be a better place to live.
5 stars for a well written novel. I loved every minute of it.
I highly recommend this sweet novel.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a wonderful story about Ginny trying to hold onto her family farm with a younger sister. She opens her home to a wounded man, Lex. He seems to be a drifter and she expects him to move along after he regains his health. Ginny gets in financial straits and is forced to auction her farm. What will become of Ginny and her sister.

I loved the story! The author did a great job of holding my attention. I hope you will read and enjoy for yourself.

Stayed awake half the night to finish this book - I couldn’t put it down!
Gripped from the first page, I loved the feisty Ginny, with her determined pioneering spirit, and her quietly competent sister Mary Lou. It’s a jolt to be reminded about attitudes towards single women and the racism that prevailed in those days in the USA.
The author skilfully transports us to the Gilded Age, showing us the customs, food and decor of the time, along with the lungfuls of fresh air in the rolling, wild countryside that Ginny farms. The descriptive passages are just long enough to keep us in the location, and the dialogue is deftly handled.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story, rooting for Ginny’s need to retain her independence. A terrific debut novel. Can’t wait for the next one.
Many thanks to the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel.

I was interested to read a book set following the Civil War in Missouri, a place I know absolutely nothing about. I enjoyed the historical fiction elements of this book - the author was wonderfully detailed about clothing of the time, and toed into some of the more complex and terrible elements of the period (IE: Reconstruction and racism post-Civil War) but it didn’t quite go deep enough for me. The romance was a bit predictable but I quite liked the resolve at the end and how things go with his family. That said, I HATED the “who” behind saving the family farm. I won’t give spoilers, but it gave me the ick in a major way.

Thank you Netgally and Storm Publishing for my first ARC read!

Under a Guilded Sky was a nice read! It’s what I would call cozy historical fiction. It was a great read for before bed, an interesting plot line without anything super disturbing.

The story is about Ginny and her sister and events that unfold after they save a traveler from freezing to death. Ginny is a fiercely independent character, especially for the time period she lives in. Overall I enjoyed it!

I adored this book. The wonderful characters, the amazing setting and the fabulous story. I was transported to 1870s Missouri to spend some time with Ginny, Mary Lou and Lex, I didn’t want to leave. It would make a great Western film. From the first page to the last I enjoyed every one. I hope Imogen Martin is writing her next book … quickly!

I started reading this book with hopes of being pulled into the time and location the story was about but there was something lacking for me that did not give me that story.
Ginny and Mary Lou tried to live on the ranch called home after the death of their father. When an injured man was brought to the ranch there were many things that changed. This story was an historical easy romance that for me needed a bit more feeling and emotion. I could see this being made into a TV movie and with the right actors it would be enjoyable to watch.
Thank you NetGalley, Imogen Martin and Storm Publishing for the Arc of
Under a Gilded Sky. This is my personal review.

A very sweet, clean romance set back in time. As a midwesterner I very much enjoyed a book set nearby and appreciated the descriptive writing. The plot and pacing were well thought out and except for a few minor issues I felt the book flowed very well. Some of the issues encountered during the book were resolved a bit abruptly and a few parts were a bit of a stretch but this didn't detract from this lovely book. I look forward to more books from this author. Many thanks to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the ADR in exchange for my honest review.

Imogen Martin's "Under a Gilded Sky" not only delves into Geneviève Snow's romance with Mr. Lex Carlton but also offers a captivating glimpse into the life of an independent woman in the late 1800s. The novel portrays Geneviève's (known as Ginny) numerous struggles, such as caring for her sister, facing disrespectful men, financial woes, and societal challenges. What truly stands out is how the novel impresses with its beautifully detailed writing, akin to an American version of a Jane Austen novel. Particularly, the depiction of sisterly bonds and female empowerment evoke strong resemblances to Austen's work.
The only aspect that didn't fully resonate with me was the predictability of the storyline; I especially found the secret benefactor very obvious.
All in all, the book, in my opinion, is a recommended read, offering a beautiful portrayal of Ginny's life.

A sweeping saga that is everything you could wish to transport you into the life of Ginny and Lex.
When a stranger near to death arrives at Ginny,s farm little would she know where it would lead and the mad adventure that would lead her to the higher echelons of Boston society.
A great read from the very first page I just couldn’t put it down and read it in a day.

Absolutely loved this book and sadly wizzed through it in 24hrs. Loved the storyline and the characters. How hard it must have been for Ginny to make that journey to Boston.
Will certainly keep my eye out for more books from this author.
My thanks as always to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the early read

Romantic Western set in 1870s - two sisters trying to run the family homestead after their father's death, rescue an injured man, he leaves although has developed feelings for the older sister, reciprocated by her. Visits to aunt's family in Boston and said young man is not quite the drifter/cowboy they thought. Gentle, if predictable, romance but interesting and realistic seeming take on the social mores of the time - rich versus poor, slavery versus independence, attitudes of women especially, and of women's place in society. Sometimes feels a bit twee. 3.5* rounded up. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

Ginny Snow and her younger sister Mary Louise live on a farm in Missouri and their father passed away a two years ago. During a snowstorm Mary Louise finds an injured man, she brings him home and the drifter was thrown from his horse. Two young women living alone have to be careful, Ginny pretends her father is sick upstairs and while she nurses her patient.

Ginny works hard, every morning she dons her dads old leather coat, tends the horses and cattle and Mary Louise takes care of the housework and cooking. Lex Carlton fought for the union towards the end of the American Civil War, Ginny’s father was an abolitionist, living in Missouri they have to be careful and it’s a border state with divided loyalties.

Ginny misses Lex when he leaves, she realises a little of her heart has gone with him and she has to accept it’s not meant to be. When the farms finances take a turn for the worse, Ginny and Mary Louise face losing their home and their only link to their parents. Ginny runs through everything she can do to save it, she has limited options and it might not be enough.

Ginny’s a talented pianist, when her aunt Josephine asks her to play at the governors ball she reluctantly agrees, she has no idea that she and Lex will cross paths again and can a down to earth country girl cope with the glamorous high society life in Boston?

I received a copy of Under a Gilded Sky by Imogen Martin from Storm Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The debut novel is set during the start of the Gilded Age, Ginny's character is a strong and resilient young woman, she’s never thought about falling in love until she meets a handsome drifter called Lex, they share an unlikely passion for books, music and standing in their way is his family and Ginny’s pride.

Four stars from me, I enjoyed reading about the remote Missouri plains and a women running a ranch, traveling by buggy and train, changes in women's fashion and the grand houses in Boston, and the budding romance between the two main characters and I’m keen to read Ms. Martin’s next book.

I absolutely LOVED this book. Beautifully written, so interesting and engaging and sweeps you along. I was reading it far too late into the night to find out what happened next. I loved the characters - both sisters were appealing and believable. The heroine, in particular, managed to be strong yet vulnerable in a very clever way. Likewise, the hero was, well, heroic, but also 'modern' without being anachronistic. Brilliant, careful crafting. The book also dealt well with difficult subjects, such as slavery. It confronted them, allowed them (given the period in which the book was set) and also rejected them in a way that was believable. I loved all the descriptions of the scenery as well as the gorgeous dresses. I was desperate for the happy ending. A super book, I highly recommend it.

A snowstorm, an injured stranger, running a ranch with only your young sister, struggling to financially keep the ranch, and finding out the stranger you've fallen in love with is so much more than you thought. So many twists and turns that keep the reader waiting for the next.

Imogen Marting has beautifully crafted characters in her novel, Under a Gilded Sky.

A copy was provided for my review, but all opinions are my own.

Under a Gilded Sky hauls the reader into the unforgiving wilds of 1874 Missouri via a classic Western trope. A mysterious stranger enters the orbit of a strong-willed woman running an isolated ranch with her younger sister. Their parents are dead, and they're clinging to what remains of their family legacy.

Geneviève "Ginny" Snow lives a balancing act unique to women. A beauty and a gifted pianist, she could be a drawing room ornament in another life. Instead, she endures a rancher's rugged existence without the advantages of male authority over workers, suppliers and the bank. What respect she receives is contingent on her status as a ranch owner and her virtuous femininity. Of course, as a single woman of property, she must be in want of a husband, so she is catnip for every opportunist male with ambitions of land ownership and, inevitably, a topic of tittle-tattle. Unwilling to be cast as the 'Siren of Snow Ranch,' Ginny is guarded in her interactions. Her reserve distances her from the community and is perceived by some as standoffishness. The barren landscape around her seems like a metaphor for her personal life. Cold. Lonely. Inescapable.

When her sister shows up with an injured drifter, Ginny's world shifts on its axis. He probably won't last another day if she turns him away, but his presence is a threat. Despite her qualms, she nurses him back to health and their dual viewpoints reveal a growing, chaste attraction. But who is Lex Carlton and how did a man who does not fit the mold of a gunslinger or cowboy end up out West looking for work as a ranch hand? Who is the elegant girl in the photograph that falls from his vest?

As trust develops between Lex and Ginny, a tender romance evolves. Yet, important questions remain unanswered, leading to doubts and misunderstandings that eventually drive Ginny from post-Civil War Western Missouri to the rarefied drawing rooms of Boston's elite. On a quest to discover the real identity and character of the man she has fallen for, she finds herself in a demoralizing world of snobbish exclusivity where she feels like a trespasser.

When she finally learns the truth about Lex, Ginny faces tough choices about love, autonomy, and belonging.

Under a Gilded Sky is an engaging story that surpasses expectations of a Western-flavored romance. It does not pigeonhole easily as a light, traditional historical romance, but crosses into broader women's fiction with its themes of sisterhood, family loyalty, and self-discovery and the scope of the setting.

Ms. Martin's writing is enjoyable and competent, reflecting her promise as an author. Her narrative is well paced and invites the reader to turn pages, however her evocative setting invites a far richer descriptive treatment than her prose delivered. Ginny is a well-crafted, rounded and relatable MC whose spirit infuses the story and whose prickly exterior never feels petulant. Her love and attraction to Lex is believable and emotionally honest.

Lex is much more than the rough diamond trope I suspected at first glance. He's a natural gentleman: empathetic, honorable, kind, sensitive and protective. Ms. Martin made a few missteps with his character voice in the early chapters, maybe caught up in the quandary of how to reveal him while also keeping his backstory enigmatic to both Ginny and the reader. Inconsistencies in his inner and spoken dialogue jumped out at me. One moment, he's pondering shelves full of books, observing: "Maybe that would show him the sorta people he'd landed on." The next, he's peering through "crepuscular murk" while reflecting that: "folk kept on surprising him. " Soon after, he's familiar - as only an educated man could be - with the "disreputable" contents of Madame Bovary in the original French. We then discover his horse is named Arion, after the divine horse mentioned in Homer's Iliad, not the typical choice of a cowpoke - good clue that there is more to him than meets the eye.

The fact that he and Ginny elected first name address from the get go didn't jive with the 1870s setting, nor with Ginny's mistrust of him and caution around her reputation. Since she discovered his surname 'Carlton' soon after his health improved, I didn't see the point of withholding it in the first place. That seemed like an unnecessary contrivance.

Plot-wise, it's a challenge for both author and reader to juxtapose two very different settings and introduce a whole set of new characters some 80% of the way into the book. For me, it didn't work as well as it might if Ms. Martin had found a way to thread Lex's mysterious other life into the story a bit sooner. By then, Ginny had spent the entire book dealing with ranch issues and caring for her sister, and both priorities seemed to vanish far too readily as she suddenly got swept up into socializing and buying new dresses. Honestly, I feel like this less-than-ideal transition revealed the author's inexperience in structuring a novel. It made the ending feel somewhat rushed and disjointed from the story. Having spent so much time in the Missouri setting, I felt the absence of a homecoming, despite the sisters being reunited.

None of these minor quibbles prevented me from enjoying this heartwarming story. There's a lot to like about Under a Gilded Sky, most of all the emotional honesty, strong female MC, and insights into post Civil War dynamics and divisions. It's a 3.75 rating from Regency Chronicle, rounded up to a 4 for Goodreads and the like.

Our thanks to the author, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for providing an advance copy. Cover image courtesy of Storm Publishing © 2023.  Review by Pam Baker © 2023 The Regency Chronicle.

When 14-year-old Mary-Lou drags a bedraggled stranger home for care, her older sister Ginny knows she can’t turn him away. She also knows the folks in the small Missouri town near their farm don’t need one more thing to add fuel to their gossip. Despite the risk of a ruined reputation, compassion—and some quick thinking—wins the day. And my heart.

Under a Gilded Sky is a gentle love story that unfolds in the rough Midwestern wilds in 1874. Ginny has been taking care of her sister and the property they inherited after their father died two years prior. Though both parents are dead, the girls are determined to keep the cattle farm running. I loved both of these sisters. They’re kind, independent, and never feel sorry for themselves. They just tenaciously dig in and work hard.

When the mysterious Lex enters their lives, it’s obvious that Ginny is attracted to him. But her strong-willed practicality keeps him at a distance. As it should—she doesn’t know the first thing about him! The love story is a slow burn and remains very innocent.

Themes of survival, sisterhood, family loyalty, love, and independence mingle with life-altering secrets and pride to produce a tender story that deserves to be shared. In fact, I wanted more. I think it might have been an even better book with more about Lex’s family. Maybe a sequel?

You won’t be sorry if you read this little gem. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me enjoy an advanced review copy.

Where do I start with this wonderful novel? With the sense of place and time, I guess, because it was so brilliant and what drew me in. It’s set in rural Missouri in the 1870s and reminded me greatly of the childhood books I adored by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Except she actually lived in the American Mid West at the time, and Imogen Martin lives in twenty-first century Wales.

The story opens when, much to her older sister Ginny’s horror, teenager Mary-Lou brings home an injured drifter who has fallen from his horse. The sisters decide to pretend their father is still alive, just sick upstairs, to keep themselves safe while Lex heals, but it is clear running the farm is a struggle for them in financial terms, although they cope on every practical level.

Then Lex leaves, and it isn’t giving too much away to say that a sweeping love story ensues. Beautifully done, but not overdone, embedded in both the social mores of the time and the freedoms of homestead life. The characterisation – and I mean all the characterisation, right done to the couple Ginny meets on a train – is wonderful and I genuinely struggled to put this book down, in the end giving up completely and staying exactly where I was until I’d finished it.

A strong contender for one of my books of the year and I recommend it without reservation.