A Curse Dark as Gold (Y.A. Romance Challenge #1)

Elizabeth Bunce created a fantastic new version of the Rumplestilskin story with this novel. Set in an industrial era, Charlotte Miller is trying to keep her family's woolen mill running after her father passes away. She and her sister Rosie are forced to deal with the mill's debts, their scheming uncle, the superstitions of the mill workers, and a mill that does not seem to want to run anymore...as if it has a will of its own.

I have always thought the story of Rumplestilskin was full of gaps though this is not atypical of fairy tales. It is a story I have never read a truly satisfying version of, where the actions of the characters make sense. A Curse Dark as Gold absolutely did. Charlotte's desperation to save her family and their business clarify why a mother would promise to give her firstborn child to a sinister figure. Jack Spinner's past explains why he would care about children at all.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. As this was part of my Y.A. Romance Challenge, I have to say that Randall, Charlotte's husband, is wonderful. Their courtship develops in a way that seems appropriate for the setting Bunce created. However, their relationship also demonstrates the potential destructiveness of secrets and lack of communication.