The Lady's Mine. Francine Rivers. 2022. 450 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: Bleary-eyed and aching, Kathryn braced herself again as the stagecoach rattled over a stretch of rough road.
Francine Rivers' newest novel is a historical romance novel set in the mining boomtown of Calvada, California. Kathryn Walsh, our heroine, is new to town--just stepped off the stagecoach NEW to town. She's recently inherited the property--what there is of it--of her uncle City (C.T?) Walsh. That property includes a newspaper and a mine. (The newspaper office has a few private rooms she can stay in. And of course she's all about starting the newspaper back up as soon as possible.) But City was murdered. And perhaps just perhaps the newspaper (or rather something he printed or was about to print) or mine (or both) might be the why. As she settles into this wild-west town that is more lawless than lawful, she sets out to rectify just about everything...all on her own...and in her own way...on her own time.
Matthias Beck, our hero, sees that Kathryn is a bit reckless. The way he sees it is she's from a big, big city (Boston) and from a privileged socialite background. What does she know about the dangers of day to day life in the wild west. Dangers from men, yes, drunk or not. But also dangers from the elements and surroundings. And Kathryn, well, it isn't just that she won't listen to Matthias, she has a specific disliking to his advice but she's open to the advice of others, she doesn't want to listen to anybody. Men. Women. Old. Young. No matter the experience or background, Kathryn doesn't need ANY help, ANY advice, ANY interference.
Fortunately for Kathryn, she's the star of a Francine Rivers novel and not a Mary Connealy one. I can only imagine that Mary Connealy would pack in 900 close-call near-death melodramatic experiences in this one. Kathryn wouldn't stand a chance. Now, she would probably remain just as fiercely independent and stubborn and feisty. But she'd prove on every single page that she NEEDS a man to rescue her.
Both Matthias and Kathryn want the absolute best for Calvada. And both realize that would mean a complete transformation and reformation. It would be WORK, WORK, WORK, WORK, and more work. It would be an uphill task. Most people wouldn't even consider it. But they almost challenge each other out of pure spite and stubbornness to hold onto the vision that most people can't believe in.
I predicted a huge, major plot twist early on...like within the first chapter or two. I just *knew* how one element would play out. I even told my Mom. I was right. It did take the majority of the novel to get there. And at times I doubted my instincts. Maybe I was reading too much into it. I don't know if other readers will be quick to predict this plot twist or not.
There were moments this book drove me crazy. Kathryn's recklessness was irritating. Part of me was like, everybody needs help now and then. You don't know just how much you don't know. And you're really risking your life by being so stubborn. But none of her "risks" turned out to be all that risky in the great scheme of things. (Again, Connealy would have been a whole other story).
I definitely started to enjoy and appreciate this book more in the second half. By the end, I was swept up in the story. It did take me a while to warm up to the characters...
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