A Curse Dark As Gold, Elizabeth C. Bunce; Arthur A. Levine Books

“Upon the death of her father, seventeen-year-old Charlotte struggles to keep the family’s woolen mill running in the face of an overwhelming mortgage and what the local villagers believe is a curse, but when a man capable of spinning straw into gold appears on the scene she must decide if his help is worth the price.”

Robin’s Note: Appealing for a strong sense of a historical setting and a clever reworking of the Rumplestiltskin tale, this book includes a steadily building romance, a strong heroine, and a well-built world.  Great for fans of fairy tale retellings as well as historical fantasy.