Amaliya never expected her life to go in the direction it has. She never would have imagined doing anything other than ballet, but training with Tyler in pairs ice skating may be the best thing that’s ever happened to her. Tyler has dreamed of going to the Olympics his whole life. Now that he’s skating with Amaliya, he feels like his goals are in sight. With all the obstacles in their paths, Tyler and Amaliya pour everything they have into achieving their dreams.

Dreams of Gold was the perfect follow up to An Unlikely Pair. I loved the group of characters in the first book so I was very excited to continue their story here. I loved the journey Tyler and Amaliya took with their training and competing to get to the Olympics. I enjoyed the dynamic of Tyler and Amaliya living in the same house (he’s in the “apartment”) while dating and dealing with Amaliya’s parents coming back home after their rehabilitation. It was amusing to read about her dad not liking Tyler. There was a darker twist that reminded me this was a Traci Hunter Abramson book. Most of her books that I’ve read are suspense/thrillers with a side of romance, so this series feels a little different. That is not a complaint, just an observation. I’ve loved these books!

The fact that the story takes place in the 80’s was a really fun element. I realize that wasn’t very long ago, but it was fun jumping back to a time where technology wasn’t so prominent. There was a moment where Tyler and Amaliya’s coach took away their phones and Tyler didn’t even notice his was missing. It was refreshing. On the other hand, I thought it was interesting to read about the Soviet Union and how Amaliya’s mom’s choices changed her whole life when she defected. Overall, I thought this was an inspiring story full of hope and the possibility of dreams coming true. I highly recommend Dreams of Gold! And I can’t wait to read the next book!