The Lady's Mine: Readers Strike Gold in Rivers' Newest Novel

Francine Rivers strikes again! For years, I had been waiting for her to come out with new content. I’ve loved all her books and was beyond excited with news of The Lady’s Mine began to spread like wildfire. When I found that it was set in the 1870s, just a couple of decades after Redeeming Love, my heart nearly stopped. I have a current obsession with the mid-1800s, so I just knew Rivers would deliver me a story that would capture my heart. And, much to my delight, my high expectations were gracefully met with yet another New York Times bestselling novel from the beloved Francine Rivers.

Kathryn Walsh, disowned by her mother and stepfather, receives an inheritance from her uncle, City Walsh, in the western establishment of Calvada, a tiny town without any morals. Being a native Bostonian, she finds herself knee-deep in muddy streets, her silk dresses suddenly marred with her new life. Within this town, however, comes the unsolved case of her uncle’s murder. After finding City’s printing press, Kathryn sets off to revive his newspaper, the Voice, and bring real truth to the people.

Characters and Development

Kathryn Walsh, a stubborn, red-headed young woman, was so much fun to read about. Though she had been broken and unloved, she still was adamant about not bending to the crippling weight of society. She, knowing her full worth was in God alone, was confident in who she was, not who people made her out to be. While her bullheadedness was irksome at times, her sarcasm and wonderous personality outweighed the flaws.

I will say that her character, though she did change throughout the story, remained mostly the same. This was remarkably done by Rivers, though. It goes to show that while subtle changes are evident, someone with the right personality can change their surroundings more than their own self. For example, Kathryn, at the beginning of the book, vowed to never marry. By the end of the novel, however…

Well, I’ll leave that detail for you to discover on your own.

Matthias Beck, a prominent man in Calvada, is introduced quickly as a rock-hard, kick-butt, yee-haw, Western hero. But at the same time, the reader gathers that he’s soft underneath. His southern drawl is definitely one of my favorite aspects of him, along with his sarcasm and dry humor. As the story progresses, we find that down deep, all he wants is the best for his town.

The two characters have great chemistry from the start. Though, at first, they don’t want anything to do with each other, it isn’t long before sparks start flying and rumors start spreading. Matthias and Kathryn’s romance is a slow burn but will absolutely make you grin as you see their love blossom. It’s obvious from the first chapter that the story is a romance, yet there is still an abundance of surprises and plot twists along the way.

Sexual Aspects and Nudity

The Lady’s Mine is about as clean as Christian romance comes. There were several kisses, some of which took my breath away because I wasn’t expecting them. Near the end, there is an implied sex scene. It’s not even implied, I suppose. It says, “[someone] introduced her tenderly to the intimacies of married life.” It doesn’t go any further than that. The couple waits until marriage and wonders how Adam and Eve felt in the garden. Other than that, nowhere else in the story gets even remotely spicy.

Violence

Most of the story revolves around the murder of Kathryn’s uncle. The murder, however, takes place before the story begins, so even still, nothing about it is graphic. A few people hit each other and a few bar fights take place. Near the conclusion of the story, someone tries to take Kathryn into his bedroom alone; she escapes before anything can happen.

Language and Dialogue

Francine Rivers is great about not using any swearing in her stories. Matthias does swear from time to time, but it is never said what he actually says. It’ll basically say, “He swore.” Beyond that, there is no vulgarity.

The dialogue was one of my favorite aspects of the story. There was so much sarcasm and bantering with so many characters. It really brought the characters to life and made them all unique in their own ways. It was all so remarkably done, and I can’t help but applaud Rivers for using such magnificence in the dialogue.

Spirituality

As opposed to Rivers’ other books, The Lady’s Mine was definitely a romance seasoned with Christianity. Redeeming Love and The Masterpiece, for example, were heavy on the faith and had some romance twisted throughout. The Lady’s Mine isn’t a story I felt drawn closer to the Lord even though I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Kathryn is a Christian and clings to her faith. Abandoned by her parents, she sought God’s deliverance. She also has a clear idea of Biblical feminism and the importance of women in the Bible. Matthias, on the other hand, was doubtful of God because of his father—a preacher that abused and manipulated the word of God. However, his faith is reignited when he sees Kathryn in church and observes her dignified relationship with God.

The Lady’s Mine could be an open door for someone to come to Christ, though I can’t say confidently it will bring someone to see the glory of Jesus. Not to continually bring up Redeeming Love, but every time I read the story of Angel and Michael, I always end up sobbing and in awe of the finished work of Jesus Christ. The Lady’s Mine just didn’t do that for me. Yes, it had faith in it, but Christianity wasn’t what the novel revolved around.

Recommended Audience

I would recommend this to a much broader audience than other books. It was clean, engaging, not too gritty or disturbing. I would go as far to say that several points were comical and lighthearted. Considering some of the events, I might say a fifteen-year-old would be more than safe to read The Lady’s Mine. As for genders, I don’t think I would limit it to just males or just females. I think both could really enjoy it!

Overall Conclusion

The Lady’s Mine was such a sweet story of love despite circumstances. I read the entirety of it over my spring break and couldn’t stop thinking about it. If I had the chance, I probably would have read it in a couple of days rather than a week. The plot was well-developed with a strong climax. The characters were loveable and intricately designed. All in all, I thought it was amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed every chapter and would definitely read it again.

I do hope you all read The Lady’s Mine! I loved it and I know you will, too.

All my love,

L. Taylor