By Kelly Mustian

 Set in the 1920s Mississippi swamp lands.  Ada Morgan has returned home, pregnant by the boy she ran away with, to Virgil, her abusive father.  She doesn’t want to go home but has nowhere else to go after her boyfriend says it’s over.  Virgil is known by all to be mean, but when he drinks, he is also dangerous.  And he always drinks.  Despite cleaning and cooking for her father, Ada’s efforts are never enough.  But Ada has someone in her corner that she doesn’t even know exists yet. 

Matilda Patterson is from the other side of the Natchez Trace and has been saving all she can to get her and her family out of the Trace to Ohio with a promise of work for all of them.  But some of the small-minded residents around them have other plans for Matilda and her family.  Now Matilda has nowhere to go and nothing but regret and anger driving her.  Then she hears screams coming from the Morgan place.   

Two young ladies tied together by murder form an unlikely bond than will get them through until they “find a way”.   

Book: The Lady’s Mine 
Author: Francine Rivers

From the author of Redeeming Love, Francine Rivers brings us this Wild West adventure. Kathryn Walsh has been out cast from Boston by her wealthy stepfather. She sets her eyes west towards an inheritance from an uncle she never knew. Kathryn makes her way to a middle of nowhere mining town, Calvada.  She is a very smart, outspoken, young lady with no intentions to marry what so ever. Kathryn’s presence in town causes a ruckus with the citizens of Calvada. She really riles up the owner of the popular saloon and hotel, Matthias Beck.  As much as Matthias wants to run her out of town, he has a sense of protection for her that’s even stronger. As Kathryn gets herself into some good trouble, Matthias is her saving grace and she is his. 

The Gold Rush hit and everyone has hope of getting rich. The Lady’s Mine shows us how rich and happy one can have in a life that isn’t full of gold. It’s a funny, romantic tale of two people that were outcasts and find each other in a small town. The hardships and social justices of 1875 depicted in The Lady’s Mine are relatable to today. Rivers writes for us a strong female that puts the betterment of others before herself. It’s an encouraging story that spurs us towards our hopes and dreams.  

You can find The Lady’s Mine at the William Bradford Huie Library of Hartselle and on both of the library’s eBook services, Libby and Hoopla.