Book Review: Gold Digger (Unconquerable Faith #1) by Skylar J. Kent

About the Book:

LAYNE

Marrying a filthy rich womanizer with an ego that needs its own zip code wasn’t on my bucket list. But God had other plans.

Six years ago, a chronic illness tore me from competitive climbing, leaving me with crippling pain and fatigue. After being denied Disability because “it’s all in my head,” I grab the last viable option for provision—a marriage of convenience.

Being the wife of a millionaire while protecting my health brings a whole new set of challenges. Then I discover Keaton Grady guards a secret that could get us both killed.

KEATON

Get hitched or lose everything—that ultimatum upended my life.

Poised to fulfill the lifelong goal of taking over my family’s multigenerational whiskey company, I’m caught up in a scandal that costs Lincoln Grady Distillery our most valuable client. That’s when my parents lay down the find a wife and restore my reputation or walk away from it all.

Fine. I’ll play their little game—and own it. Marrying a sick woman makes me look like a saint, but Layne Rhyner challenges me to rethink my values. Not only do I bare the darkest parts of my soul to her, I realize she isn’t digging my gold—I’m digging hers.

But the more I care about her, the more I drag her into harm’s way.

| Goodreads |

My Review:

Gold Digger by Skylar J. Kent
Rating: 4.5/5
Pages: 325
Published: April 22, 2025
Series: Unconquerable Faith

Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher/author. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

This book was an interesting one! I knew starting out, that from the content and blurb that this would be one of those that I’d either really enjoy…or hate. There wasn’t really much middle ground, so I was both excited to read it, and a bit hesitant, in equal measure. Haha.

I love Kent’s writing style, and these characters quickly grew on me! I was surprised by how quickly this story grabbed my attention, and so many of the themes were beautifully portrayed. Many of the tropes I love were represented, and with a unique twist that I adored!

This one also contained a measure of suspense, even though it’s more of a Contemporary Romance, I definitely see it has potential as a Romantic Suspense, just without the police/military type presence. (Well…that’s not entirely true, it’s there, they’re just not the main characters in this one.) That’s another aspect I loved! Seeing the different relationships and dynamics at play throughout the story. This cast is so varied and I loved the nice mix of personalities and traits that were done in a way that seemed believable, if slightly unlikely at times. There were a few that were so far removed from the others that it’s clear they were that way for a reason.

(One such example is Kingsley and his choice to become a monk. It serves a purpose beyond being just another unique character among many, but it’s also clear that it wasn’t as smooth of a transition. As readers, we don’t see the build-up, the time it took him to wrestle with the decision and how he changed over that time, leading him to finally commit to this life-changing commitment. From an out-side perspective, it seems fairly sudden and I think that’s a large part of the reason his differences and choice stand out so much in Keaton’s story.

As a result, it takes a little convincing, but soon becomes clear why he’d make this choice, and it serves the intended as it works to fill a role. I ended up loving him and loved seeing how his role and life as a monk has affected his perspective and offered him a deeper wisdom and helpful insight that he likely wouldn’t have had in other circumstances. I enjoyed seeing him with his brothers, but what I loved most was the quiet acceptance and the welcoming friendship he offers Layne.

Honestly, of them all, Kingsley is a wonderful choice for the role, even though this distinction really makes his presence really stand out in a clear and intentionally contrasting way against the backdrop of the rest of the characters’ lives and their chosen lifestyles. While most of them are more or less living an expected life, his is different and it’s not just a matter of being stuck in a tough situation like Layne is during the first part of the story. No, his is much more intentional and it shows a strength and courage that many of the others seem to lack, or disregard, preferring their lavish parties and being surrounded by a crowd.)

These contrasting personalities really ended up working together surprisingly well though, and the few ‘outliers’ gave the overall story as added depth and a touch of wisdom that really makes the story shine. I loved getting to know the characters, and look forward to reading more of their stories.

Other books in the series:
_{(Below is a list of the other books I’ve read & reviewed for this series)}

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