Promises of Gold

By: Serena Clarke

Narrated by: Kimi Weldon

Length: 6 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

When Emmalene’s father brags that she can spin straw into gold, word soon reaches the king, and she is taken to him to prove she has this ability. Knowing magic was outlawed in the kingdom, she kept her own magical ability a secret, but spinning straw into gold was impossible for her to do.

Now, she must prove her father’s tale to be true, or risk the wrath of the king. The only person who could save her is the legendary Rumpelstilkin. When he doesn’t appear, but sends one of his followers, she is grateful for his assistance - but finds that she is falling for the charming man.

When the king begins to show interest in Emmalene, will she choose to follow her heart or sacrifice her happiness to save the lives of those she loves?

©2021 Serena Clarke (P)2021 Serena Clarke

Delightful fairytale

What a delightful listen this was. It took the rumplestitleskin story to a whole new level. I read a fairy tale recently and didn’t enjoy it but this one was a whole different story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Great reader too that added character to the voices. Loved it!

Rumplestiltskin

A retelling of this fairytale with embellishments and details added in. This version is fun with little twists. Red comes to Emma’s aid to spin gold to protect her from the wicked king. He is young and handsome and Emma has a hard time not losing her heart, but her first love is for Rumplestiltskin. There’s twists and unexpected turns in this version. The narration was also well done.

Great Job Serena!

Really clever and intriguing rumplestitleskin retelling, really enjoyed it!! Really neat story, keeps you guessing, narrator did a fantastic job, I really love Serena's style and think this one is a definite winner :) Keep up the amazingly good work, Serena! I will keep reading/listening as long as you keep writing :)

A PROMISE WORTH MORE THAN GOLD

A BEAUTIFUL STORY ABOUT A YOUNG WOMAN WHO FEARS FOR LIFE. A SINISTER KING WHO WILL NOT BE DENIED, AND A YOUNG MAN WITH A TORTURED AND SECRETIVE PAST. THE STORY WAS HEARTFELT, AND WILL REMIND THE LISTENER AND READER WHAT REALLY MATTERS IN THIS LIFE. KIMI WELDON HAS A SOFT VOICE THAT CAPTURED THE FEELINGS AND EMOTION OF THE STORY! I HOPE THE NEXT TALE IS BEAUTY AND THE BEAST!

Such A Great Story!

Absolutely loved Serena’s take on this old fairytale! So captivating and it kept me on toes. 10/10 would recommend!

My review

Promises of Gold is a romantic tale based upon the Rumpelstiltskin story.
The book opens with Emmalene’s mother waking her out of slumber as the king sent for her to help prosper the kingdom. After hearing word that Emmalene’s father was bragging that his daughter was able to turn straw into gold, the king ordered that Emmalene be brought back to the castle so she could help prosper the kingdom. Emmalene really didn’t have this magical ability so she was scared what the king would do to her when he found out. To Emmalene’s relief one of the kingsmen, Red, would sneak into her room at night and turn mounds of straw into gold. Over time feelings developed between Emmalene and Red, however, Emmalene would not let her feelings become more than friends because of her crush on Rumpelstiltskin. To add to Emmalene’s dilemma the king wants her to marry him so that together they can prosper the kingdom. Whom will Emmalene choose to be with? And is it really all that simple?

I also want to give a shoutout to the fantastic narrator Kimi Weldon who provided a pleasant listening experience.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from the author. These are my own and honest opinions.

Rumpelstilkin Retell

Promise of Gold is a wonderful retelling of the fairytale Rumpelstilkin by Serena Clarke. I thought that the retelling of the fairytale was fresh and outstanding. I believe that when you tackle a retelling of such a well known story that you must keep the integrity of the original story while making it unique. Serena Clarke did a fantastic job. Kim Weldon's performance was excellent. I thought she brought the story to life. I am looking forward to the next retelling by this author. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.

Fairytale retelling

I wasn't sure if I would enjoy a fairytale retelling or not. I didn't really know what to expect. What I found was a sweet romance with heroes and villains and a surprise at the end! The story has twists and turns and you won't know what happens next until you keep on reading! It's amazingly clever how the author retells the tale of Rumpelstiltskin, the spinner of gold. I have to admit, I totally forgot how this fairy tale played out. It started to come back to me as I listened to the narrator, Kimi Weldon, tell this story to perfection. She was a pleasing to listen to narrator and it made the story come to life.
There was great chemistry going on in the romance and it totally engaged me. Well done!

I received an Audible copy of this book without expectation of a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

Fun Twisted Fairy Tale

I tend to love fairy tale retellings. This one was an engaging story, and well done world establishment. The narration was well done.

A Delightful Fairytale Romance

Serena Clarke did a fantastic job with the retelling of a fairytale. This story was such fun to read because I love fairytales with a romantic theme. It has mystery and intrigue throughout. There is magic and several secrets to figure out. But what kept me reading was the sweet romance. When I read this book a second time, I discovered things that I didn’t notice the first time around. It is a story that will grab at your heart. Perfect for all ages, young and old alike. After reading this story, I listened to it and enjoyed the narrator very much. She was very expressive and made the story come alive.