The Lady's Mine

GIVEAWAY

RIVERS, FRANCINE

THE LADY'S MINE

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 Calvado, 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 agains Calvado'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 Calvado's problems, her righteousness could also get her killed. But when th 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 on 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 save them all.

My Review:

Reading The Lady's Mine made me pure giddy with delight. Silly giddy even. I grinned the whole way through even during the harrowing parts because...Kathryn and Matthias!!!!!

Can't really say witty banter, more like cutting-edge barbs. If ever two people were not meant to be together...well...it might seem that way at first but, trust me, as much as they spar and spew and caterwaul, neither of them can douse the sizzling spark that lights up whenever they are near each other. Consider this your toe-curl and swoon alert so prepare your fainting couches accordingly! Stock up on your smelling salts too. And maybe a few lace hankies for the gentler among us.

Descriptive writing made me feel like I was there. I could see it all, smell it all, even taste the dust of Kathryn's stagecoach journey! Rivers has the kind of storytelling prowess that catapults a reader right into the heart of the story. It was like watching the best episodes of every classic western series...only better! Because she brings God into the equation and shines His light on this sorry, lawless town. 

Cassie is an example of the difference one person can make in all her gloriously imperfect brokenness. The author lets us spend a whole year in Calavado, letting us in on all its secrets...even the dangerous ones. She shines a light on social issues of the time and finds ingenuous solutions to fix them. You might say Cassie is a foreword thinking lady! :-) And I love the clever play on word's in the title! Sheer cleverness from start to finish! And a fantastic escape read besides!

I listened to the audio edition narrated by Kate Forbes and it was fabulous!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for an ebook copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Lady's Mine, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT AND DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday March 5 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

The Masterpiece

GIVEAWAY

RIVERS, FRANCINE
THE MASTERPIECE

A successful Los Angeles artist, Roman Velasco appears to have everything he could possibly want  money, women, fame. Only Grace Moore, his reluctant, newly hired personal assistant, knows how little he truly has. The demons of Roman's past seem to echo through the halls of his empty mansion and out across his breathtaking Topanga Canyon view. But Grace doesn't know how her boss secretly with those demons by tagging buildings as the Bird, a notorious bu unidentified graffiti artist - an alter ego that could destroy his career and land him in prison.

Like Roman, Grace is wrestling with ghosts and secrets of her own. After a disastrous marriage threw her life completely off course, she vowed never to let love steal her dreams again. But as she gets to know the enigmatic man behind the reputation, it's as if the jagged pieces of both their pasts slowly begin to fit together...until something so unexpected happens that it changes the course of their relationship - and both their lives -- forever.

My Review:

This book consumed me. It took over my life and my thoughts and even my dreams for the three days I lived within its pages. My heart was wrung out and stomped on and then pieced back together one glorious bit at a time. What an outstanding testimony of grace! Yes, it's really that simple...and that complicated.

Rivers celebrates God's ardent pursuit of His children. No matter what. No matter where. No matter how many times we mess up. He. Is. There. Constant and loving. Always forgiving. I mean, I knew that...but I don't think I really knew it this completely until I lived life with Roman and Grace. What a witness for redemption and an encouragement to Christian readers. Because we're not perfect. Gasp! We mess up royally. Multiple times. Even when we know better. But Jesus is waiting anyway. This is something Grace knows and Roman has yet to learn at the beginning to their story.

And what a story! Complex and challenging! Roman is horrid when we first meet him, but the author is very clever about slowly revealing a backstory that explains so much and made me open my heart up to him a little more with every page turn. And Grace, struggling to make a new life after her old one crashed and burned.These two have heartbreaking childhood histories that have shaped them as adults. And oh how they clash! So many charged scenes when one unwittingly triggers the other. And heartfelt discussions -- some of the best being when Grace witnesses to Roman and he's not having any of it. But she plants the seed and in spite of himself it flourishes. There are two love stories here -- one between a man and a woman and another between a man and God.

Honestly, I'm breathless at the depth and breadth of their story. Beautifully written and backed with live-out-loud secondary characters that made this an even more delightful read. And the details -- so many exquisite pieces all deftly woven into this masterpiece! The luxurious length -- 458 pages -- is an added blessing....though I honestly couldn't get enough of Roman and Grace! My first Francine Rivers...what on earth have I been waiting for?!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

THIS GIVEAWAY IS FOR AN EBOOK VERSION ONLY

If you would like a chance to win AN ECOPY of The Masterpiece, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title of the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday June 3 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!