The Lady's Mine: A Lighthearted Christian Romance Novel set in the 1870's California Gold Rush

by Francine Rivers

Hardcover, 2022

Status

Available

Call number

813.54

Publication

Tyndale House Publishers (2022), 464 pages

Description

Fiction. Romance. Christian Fiction. Historical Fiction. HTML:A delightful new western romance from the New York Times bestselling author of Redeeming Love New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers returns to the California frontier in this sweeping, romantic tale of a displaced New England suffragette, a former Union soldier disinherited by his Southern family, and the town they join forces to save. 1875. When Kathryn Walsh arrives in tiny Calvada, a mining town nestled in the Sierra Nevadas, falling in love is the farthest thing from her mind. Banished from Boston by her wealthy stepfather, she has come to claim an inheritance from the uncle she never knew: a defunct newspaper office on a main street overflowing with brothels and saloons, and a seemingly worthless mine. Moved by the oppression of the local miners and their families, Kathryn decides to relaunch her uncle's newspaper??and then finds herself in the middle of a maelstrom, pitted against Calvada's most powerful men. But Kathryn intends to continue to say??and publish??whatever she pleases, especially when she knows she's right. Matthias Beck, owner of a local saloon and hotel, has a special interest in the new lady in town. He instantly recognizes C. T. Walsh's same tenacity in the beautiful and outspoken redhead??and knows all too well how dangerous that family trait can be. While Kathryn may be right about Calvada's problems, her righteousness could also get her killed. But when the handsome hotelier keeps finding himself on the same side of the issues as the opinionated Miss Walsh, Matthias's restless search for purpose becomes all about answering the call of his heart. Everyone may be looking to strike it rich in this lawless boomtown, but it's a love more precious than gold that will ultimately sa… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member alekee
I loved the title of this book, it plays in more than one way, with two men vying for her hand, and owning a mine!

This read is full of emotions, a young woman who was sent away from her home, a murdered Uncle! The list goes on, with our Kathryn ending up in Calvada CA, in 1875, used to the finery
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of Boston, and now in the middle of no where, and literally falling in the mud! Yes, there are some great chuckles here, but there are also some scary and serious situations.

One lesson the town learns is you don't tell Kathryn "no", she is a capable young woman, that often gets into scary situations, and you will be page turning for answers. I admired her faith, she didn't let anyone take her away from her God, and her inspiration sent others back to him.

A read you don't want to miss, only problem, it does end, but there is an epilogue!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Tyndale House, and was not required to give a positive review.
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LibraryThing member HuberK
5 stars, strong female protagonist

THE LADY'S MINE
by Francine Rivers

I devoured this book! The characters were charming. Kathryn was my favorite character because she was so strong and knew what she wanted and didn't want from life. The story was engaging.

I will definitely recommend #theladysmine to
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my friends. I look forward to reading more books from this author because I enjoy her writing style.

Many thanks to #tyndale @Tyndale for the complimentary copy. I was under no obligation to post a review. #historicalfiction #favoritebooks #strongfemaleprotagonist #mystery #historicalromance #lifein1875 #California #Boston #inspirational #ireland
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LibraryThing member BeautyintheBinding
Francine Rivers rates as one of my favorite authors and I’ve anticipated reading The Lady’s Mine since I first heard of it. I don’t consider this stand-alone, historical romance lighthearted, but it felt less broody than other novels by this author. With Matthias’ flirtations, Kathryn’s
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quick rebuttals, and a handful of squirrely side characters, the book had plenty of mild humor.

In the author’s notes of The Lady’s Mine, Francine Rivers explains that she explored the question, “Can one person impact an entire community?” Being set in Calvada, California, an 1870’s mining town replete with greed, lust, and lawlessness, the novel probes the many ways an individual affects his or her community.

Equally strong throughout The Lady’s Mine, a study on gender equality plays out. Kathryn and Matthias, the lead characters, clash often as Kathryn refuses to wilt under blatant gender discrimination and boldly pursues her God-given purpose. Avoiding overly feministic rhetoric, the narrative follows the characters as they learn the necessity and benefits of mutual respect. Frequent swirls of attraction add a delicious layer of romance to their relationship.

In conclusion, The Lady’s Mine by Francine Rivers will likely appeal to Christian fiction readers who enjoy gritty historical settings, a strong heroine, and a satisfying romance.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
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LibraryThing member khoyt
Francine Rivers has not lost her talent after all these years. This was light-hearted, romantic, historical fiction. It is a good read to take your mind off the world as it is.
LibraryThing member claudia.castenir
Exiled by her stepfather to Calvada, California, Kathryn Walsh, Boston born and bred, has to decide if she is going to flee the odorous, lawless, male-dominated mining town or embrace whatever God has for her there. An outspoken advocate for justice and women's rights, that being what brought about
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her exile, seeing a man punched, dumped into a horse trough, and then shoved up and down in the water moments after she arrived may have spoken to her sense of justice and contributed to Kathryn's decision to stay. Matthias Beck, saloon and hotel owner as well as the man meting out the punches and dunking, is inspired by Kathryn's spunk as she takes over her deceased uncle's newspaper, but worries about her as she also takes on the town's richest resident, some local merchants, and a group of disgruntled minors.

In The Lady's Mine Francine Rivers explores the themes of making a difference in one's community, something as relevant today as it was in an 1870s silver mining community. Related themes of putting others first, and following one's conscience are also still quite relevant to today's society, and something we should embrace. I really enjoyed Kathryn and Matthias' story and the way that the author explored these deep themes. I highly recommend The Lady's Mine to fans of historical fiction as well as this author who never disappoints.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.
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LibraryThing member lamb521
Title: The Lady’s Mine
Author: Francine Rivers
Pages: 464
Year: 2022
Publisher: Tyndale
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
The Lady’s Mine tells the story of a young woman named Kathryn Walsh who is sent away by her stepfather because of her choices that tend to push the propriety of the time she lives in.
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Her mother inherited property and a mine in Colorado that she signed over to Kathryn prior to her leaving home. So, armed with nothing more than her belongings and wits Kathryn comes to a town named Calvada, where the population of women is quite small compared to men. With the aid of a few townsfolk, Kathyrn gets acquainted with her inheritance of a newspaper and a mine. However, there is also a man who wants to take from her all that she owns and force her into marriage for his own interests.
Matthias Beck is a local who owns a saloon and hotel, but he isn’t like the other men in town. Matthias was a friend of Kathryn’s uncle and longs to help her understand the danger she faces in a mining town. Matthias’s heart is in the right place but some of his approaches to Kathryn are rebuffed until they both begin to understand what their hearts are telling them. The very act of marriage they have both sworn off might not be so easily held but that doesn’t stop the sparks between them from flying!
There are other background characters that steal the heart of readers such as Scribe, who knew and worked for Kathryn’s uncle. Scribe is a young man who, like the other men in town, fancies himself in love with Kathryn but comes to understand that their bond is more like family than anything else. The café owner, Ronya, who took to running a café to provide for herself after the death of her husband. Ronya has a heart of gold and loves to play matchmaker with Matthias and Kathryn.
Morgan Sanders believes himself to be the king of the land and oppresses many of the miners who work for him. Morgan sets his sights on conquering Kathryn regardless of her protests or actions, but Kathryn’s heart already belongs to another even if she won’t readily admit the truth to herself.
The story is rich with faith, romance, mystery, and a plethora of characters that bring the untamed west to life! I highly encourage readers to enjoy the book and let others know of a superb tale that is guaranteed to touch the heart!
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.
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LibraryThing member vintagebeckie
I have been a fan of Francine Rivers’ books for years. Her novels are always well-researched and beautifully plotted with characters that touch the heart. The Lady’s Mine was a bit different from her other historical novels, but in a good way. The setting of a late 1800s California mining town
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came to life for me. It was if I could hear the goings on at the fandango halls and saloons and experience the scents that were part of the day 😉 . Along with the vivid setting, the characters soon captured my heart. Kathryn Walsh is a determined young woman sent west by her family for the crimes of holding convictions and speaking her mind — something not accepted in high-brow Boston of the period. She lands in Calvada to take possession of an inheritance left her uncle. Bets are soon placed by the men of Calvada as to how long a lady like Kathryn will last in the rough town. An unworked mine and a printing press are the main things left to her, and she soon begins to upset those all around her. I loved the light hand that Rivers used in this novel. There are some serious themes that run through the book, as well as some hard facts surrounding the life of Calvada, especially for women, but Rivers creates a refreshingly charming read. Yes, life was hard. Yes, injustice seemed to dog the peoples’ lives. And yes, Kathryn received censure, ridicule, and even threats for her opinions in her uncle’s revived newspaper. But there were also scenes of hope and joy and romance, with not a little bit of humor thrown in. My book club chose to discuss The Lady’s Mine, and it created more conversation than we have had in a long time. The historical setting, the roles of women and their place in society, as well as the twists and turns the plot took gave us a lot to talk about.

I very much enjoyed The Lady’s Mine. It was a charming read that I was sorry to see end. Highly recommended!

Highly Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(I purchased this book from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
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LibraryThing member HeatherLINC
When I was a teenager, many, many years ago, I loved reading Westerns with Louis L'Amour being my favourite author at the time. Therefore, reliving those days and reading "The Lady's Mine" was fun. I love Francine Rivers' books, she has a beautiful writing style, but I have found some of them a bit
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preachy but this novel was pure entertainment. It still touched on important issues such as women's rights but it had me chuckling all through it.

Kathryn was a fabulous protagonist. She was stubborn, independent and rebellious, and more than happy to buck society's view of what women could and couldn't do in the 1800s. The interactions between her and Matthias were absolutely delightful. They were supported by many loveable, quirky characters who lived in the mining town, Calvada. There was a real sense of place and the wild-west setting felt real with saloons, brothels, lawlessness and the hardships mining families faced. A great read.
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Language

Original language

English

Physical description

464 p.; 8.8 inches

ISBN

1496447573 / 9781496447579

UPC

031809022344
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