Relationship-wise, family and friendships are key to the story. Lou finds herself thrust into a new world of those who don’t need to work hard to put food on the table and she gains a lot of friends through this. Most notably is the Cardews — who are in town for the Summer to stay at their family’s holiday home. Caitlin and Robert Cardew are like chalk and cheese in terms of personality, with Caitlin being the bubbling socialite (at first glance, anyway) and Robert being the reserved brother but the sibling who gains most of the limelight. Caitlin welcomes Lou with open arms and invites her round almost every day, but her friendship with Robert starts as fairly tremulous. A Sky Painted Gold was a joy from start to finish and exactly what I needed after seven agonising weeks in the worst reading slump I’ve ever been in.

A Sky Painted Gold - a gloriously sun-drenched coming-of-age

Iris desde siempre sospechó que lo del accidente de su padre olía muy raro, pero ¿quién va a escuchar a una niña de apenas 11 años? Además su madrastra la maltrata y planea sacarla de la casa pero, antes de que eso suceda, Iris se escapa a Londres donde se cambia de nombre y encuentra trabajo como costurera para una modista. Durante siete años la joven vive de forma anónima mientras intenta averiguar qué sucedió en la casona de su padre mientras planea su venganza. Un buen día se le presenta la ocasión cuando el joven conde Nicholas de Wynter entra en el establecimiento de la modista acompañando a su prima. Allí conoce a Iris y la contrata para que le ayude a arruinar a un príncipe que anda de buscando esposa en Inglaterra: casualmente la candidata de este príncipe para este papel es la mayor de las hermanastras de Iris. Así pues, la joven y su hado padrino aúnan fuerzas para vengarse, sin saber las razones del otro, de la malvada madrastra y del apuesto príncipe. Sin embargo, la historia va un poco más allá de solo escarcha dorada, es una historia sobre conocerse a uno mismo, probar cosas nuevas, tener el valor para aceptar lo que queremos y descubrir si queremos actuar en consecuencia o dejarnos arrastrar por los convencionalismos sociales. Es una novela, en donde se resalta la esencia de la familia y la amistad. Aunque la autora toca estos temas, por momentos los noté diluidos entre sus páginas sin llegar con la suficiente profundidad. But can reality ever live up to her expectations? What if her life - and falling in love - turn out to be nothing like she planned? Este libro casi no tuvo drama, ni malentendidos tediosos, ni triángulos amorosos; incluso el slow-burn de los protagonistas me gustó. El final sí lo sentí un poco cursi pero créanme que para mí eso no fue un problema.Luchia Houghton: For those who haven’t yet read A Sky Painted Gold, first of all how would you explain it in your own words?

A Snowfall of Silver by Laura Wood | Goodreads A Snowfall of Silver by Laura Wood | Goodreads

And I appreciate Iris' added social awareness because of her life after running away - she doesn't act like it would be a burden to be wealthy again, but she recognizes the valuable skills and strengths she's developed on her own, and the more humane perspective her life in London gave her. A Sky Painted Gold is a gorgeously dreamy coming-of-age romance with all the charm and style of I Capture the Castle and Eva Ibbotson. About This Edition ISBN: I loved how the theme of being in somebody’s shadow was explored, both in the relationship of Lou and her sister, Alice, and in the glitzy world of the Cardew’s. Coupled with this, my favourite aspect (other than the romance) was undoubtedly the exploration of how one life may be ideal for someone, yet undesirable to someone else. Laura Wood’s first young adult book is a three-star read for me. This book is a good summer read, and I encourage you to read it this time of the year. We all know that I love an English setting, so this one did it for me in that regard! I don’t think that I have read a book, other than The Great Gatsby, that is set in the 1920s, I think it is an interesting time period and I don’t know much about what was happening in England at this time. The parties in this book were very atmospheric, I wish that I could witness something so grand!I Capture the Castle meets Gatsby. It’s absolutely delicious!”–Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author LW: I think Lou was my favourite character because I knew her the best but I loved writing Robert and I really loved… every scene that they were in together was the best scene to write. It was so much fun and their, the kind of tension between them, and their growing friendship and the way they kind of understood each other and they both so obviously loved each other and couldn’t admit it to themselves! Oh my god it was so much fun I really loved it. The dialogue between Lou and Robert is as sparkling as champagne. . ..The happy ending is sigh-worthy—readers who would have preferred a more hopeful conclusion to The Great Gatsby will find it here.”— The Bulletin Quizá me ha faltado un poquito más de desarrollo en la caracterización de los personajes; ahondar más en sus motivaciones, en sus heridas y deseos para que la historia fuera más convincente...pero de nuevo me quito el sombrero ante la pericia de la autora para crear preciosas escenas y una ambientación de ensueño.