Gold by Raven Kennedy Summary

Gold by Raven Kennedy is the fifth installment in The Plated Prisoner series, following Auren as she's transported to Annwyn, the fae realm, after Slade rips open a portal to save her life. Separated from Slade, Auren must navigate the dangerous political landscape of Annwyn while discovering she's a true fae queen with a birthright to claim. Meanwhile, Slade wages a bloody revenge campaign in the human realm, determined to reunite with Auren at any cost.

Raven Kennedy is a California-based author whose Plated Prisoner series has become a #1 international bestseller with over three million copies sold worldwide and translations in over 15 languages. Her work has appeared on The New York Times, Sunday Times, and USA Today bestseller lists. Kennedy writes across multiple genres including dark fantasy romance, paranormal, and romantic comedy, with The Plated Prisoner series inspired by the King Midas myth. The series is currently being adapted for television by Peter Guber's Mandalay Television.

Gold by Raven Kennedy is perfect for readers who love adult dark fantasy romance with morally complex characters, intense emotional stakes, and immersive world-building. Fans of fae realm politics, slow-burn romance, and protagonists discovering hidden power will find this compelling. This book suits readers invested in multi-POV narratives featuring possessive love interests, revenge arcs, and themes of self-discovery. However, you must read books 1-4 first, as Gold continues directly from Glow's cliffhanger ending.

Gold by Raven Kennedy delivers on the epic stakes established in earlier Plated Prisoner books, offering satisfying character development for Auren as she transforms from captive to queen. The alternating perspectives between Auren, Slade, and Malina provide crucial insights into parallel storylines happening across realms. Readers appreciate Kennedy's visceral, sensory-rich writing style and the book's exploration of identity, loyalty, and freedom. As the penultimate book in the series, Gold sets up major revelations while maintaining the dark romance and political intrigue fans expect.

Gold by Raven Kennedy explores themes of self-reliance and inner strength, captured in the epigraph "When you feel swallowed by the dark, may you become your own light". The novel examines loyalty and sacrifice, particularly through Slade's declaration that he'll choose Auren over the world. Identity and birthright form central conflicts as Auren discovers her fae heritage and claim to Annwyn's throne. Additional themes include the cost of freedom, political corruption, the healing process from trauma, and possessive, all-consuming love.

In Annwyn, Auren discovers she's the descendant of Saira Turley, an Ocean who fell through the sky into the fae realm. She learns from loyalists like Nenet and Thursil that the Turley family once ruled Annwyn's throne before the tyrannical Carrick family seized power. While attempting to reopen the rip between worlds to return to Slade, Auren uncovers her birthright as a true fae queen. She must navigate Annwyn's dangerous political landscape, where hidden rebellions brew and she becomes central to fighting corrupt rulers.

Slade embarks on a bloody revenge rampage across the human realm, hunting down everyone involved in Auren's trial and betrayal. Physically and emotionally exhausted from opening the rip between worlds, he's driven entirely by his love for Auren and determination to punish those who wronged her. His darker, more violent side emerges as he cuts through kingdoms seeking vengeance. Slade's declaration "If there is ever a choice between her or the world, it's going to be her" defines his unwavering loyalty and willingness to sacrifice everything for Auren.

"When you feel swallowed by the dark, may you become your own light" serves as Gold's epigraph, encapsulating Auren's journey toward self-reliance after enduring trauma and darkness. Slade's line "If there is ever a choice between her or the world, it's going to be her" reveals the depth of his obsessive love and willingness to prioritize Auren above his kingdom. Dommik's declaration to Malina—"You're mine... I'm going to show you what it's like to be alive"—marks a pivotal turning point in their relationship, challenging her death wish with possessive intensity.

Raven Kennedy employs first-person perspective for Auren's chapters, providing intimate access to her thoughts, emotions, and sensory experiences during her disorientation and healing in Annwyn. The narrative strategically alternates to third-person perspectives for Slade and Malina, revealing crucial events happening outside Auren's awareness and their parallel struggles. Kennedy uses rich, visceral sensory language focusing on touch, taste, and physical sensations—like Auren's gold-touch, Slade's rot, and Malina's cold magic—making characters' experiences feel immediate and emotionally intense.

The Plated Prisoner series, including Gold, was inspired by the King Midas myth and follows a gold-touched woman's journey to find her own strength. While the series began as a King Midas retelling, by Gold it has evolved beyond its mythological origins into an original fantasy world. Auren's gold touch—initially believed to be stolen from Midas—is revealed as her inherent power, not something taken from him. This subversion of the myth emphasizes Auren's agency and inherent worth rather than being defined by Midas's control.

Auren discovers she's not just any fae but the descendant of Saira Turley, who fell from the sky into Annwyn generations earlier. This revelation establishes her legitimate claim to Annwyn's throne, as the Turley family ruled before the Carrick dynasty's tyrannical reign. Her heritage complicates her desire to simply return to Slade, thrusting her into the center of political unrest and rebellion. The discovery transforms her mission from personal reunion to accepting responsibility for an entire realm, forcing her to choose between love and duty.

No, Gold by Raven Kennedy must not be read as a standalone—it begins immediately where Glow (book 4) ends, continuing major cliffhangers and plot threads. The complex world-building, character relationships, and political dynamics developed across books 1-4 are essential context for understanding Gold's events. Reading out of order will spoil major revelations and diminish emotional impact, as Gold assumes familiarity with Auren's trauma history, her relationships with Slade and other characters, and the ongoing war between kingdoms. Start with Gild (book 1) to fully appreciate the series arc.