Jessica, Jess, Benally, a Navajo, comes from Round Rock in the Navajo reservation in Arizona. As a cook for the Marines outside Baghdad, Iraq, she realizes the Marine Corps are a tough family with lots of hungry brothers that must be fed. One particular marine that captures her eye is Staff Sergeant Brian Mitchell who doesn’t take his job lightly. To her, each time she looks at Brian, she thinks of pictures of Hercules. She is able to tell her good friend Cheri, how she feels about Brian, as they prepare food and MRE’s for the Marines. Cheri is glad that Jess has found someone she loves and wishes happiness for her good friend.

Brian takes his job most seriously and feels, as a Marine, he must protect not only Jess, but Cheri. He enjoys the time he and Jess spend discussing their homelands. Jess will speak of breathtaking sunsets while Brian expresses how his southern Colorado sunsets have a tendency of making the whole valley turn to gold. The two have a growing love that transcends time as a war goes on around them while being careful about mines that can easily cause disaster in one’s life. As Jess spends time with Brian, she believes he is her own personal warrior, until fate steps in their path, and they are faced with finding the strongest courage, and an everlasting love, to endure until the end of time.

I must say this story was so believably real I almost felt as if it was unfolding right in front of me. Sarah Black allows the reader to actually visualize the war, the fighting, the mines, and the true emotions that capture, not only the Marines, but the women who serve to take care of the fighting men. Sometimes those that are behind the lines helping to prepare the meals or packaging the MRE’s are not even thought of sometimes, but Colorado Gold is one compelling read that makes one realize when there is a war, there are so many more that lend a helping hand and a warm heart. Jess and Brian almost take my breath away in this inspiring tale that is absolutely amazing. Their emotions and multi-cultural romance is one filled with incredible passion that engages this reader completely and is one highly recommended read.

Reviewed by: Linda L.