The Lady's Mine by Francine Rivers - Book Review

Fans of Francine Rivers have been awaiting this new novel for a while now as the prolific author's last novel was published in 2018. Just like her first novel, "Redeeming Love", the book is set in the American Goldrush but with a very different heroine! Kathryn Walsh has been sent away by her stepfather, who disapproves of her suffragette tendencies and wants her out of the way. Her uncle, who she has never met, has recently died and left everything to Kathryn's mother, which is then bestowed upon Kathryn to get her away. She arrives in a small mining town where there are few women and none who are used to the life she left behind in Boston. Her inheritance turns out to be a tiny house, a printing press and a mine. She rolls up her sleeves and makes the best of it - upsetting some and impressing others. On arrival she witnesses some less than gentlemanly behaviour from the owner of a saloon (of which she disapproves) and a classic Beatrice/Benedict relationship starts up between them. The book is well written in Rivers' usual style and is a good read. Some of the storyline is predictable but there are also a few twists and unexpected events towards the end. It is a Christian novel in that the characters attend church and speak of their faith in a natural way but it is not overbearing so is a book that could be given to non-Christian friends. If you are already a fan of Rivers' work you will enjoy this. If you haven't read her before then this is a good one to start with. It is currently on special at £9.99 while stocks last.