The Lady's Mine

I truly have never read a book where I grew more and more frustrated with every page. I did enjoy the setting, the writing style, and themes; it’s a well-written story. However, the romance was not cutting it. The main character is a fiery, strong-willed woman with lots of depth and growth, and I greatly loved getting to know her. She is easy to root for throughout the book. But the main love interest is a rude, incorrigible bully who does not respect her opinions or boundaries. He kisses her without permission, doesn’t leave her alone when she tells him to, and he uses her physical attraction to him against her. She is constantly saying how she never wants to marry, and he publicly backs her into a corner until she agrees to marrying him. No one stands up for her, not even the other women, and it’s all fine cuz he’s handsome! I felt uncomfortable and angry every time he spoke to her. If the story focused more on Kathryn becoming an independent business owner and not her love life, it would’ve been a more compelling story. Or just make the love interest kind to her! It felt to me like the author tried to create a Darcy character but with Christian Gray tendencies. It was not an enjoyable mix. Nonetheless, I was disappointed, especially when her other books were suggested so highly to me.

5 stars, strong female protagonist THE LADY'S MINE by Francine Rivers I devoured this book! The characters were charming. Kathryn was my favorite character because she was so strong and knew what she wanted and didn't want from life. The story was engaging. I will definitely recommend #theladysmine to my friends. I look forward to reading more books from this author because I enjoy her writing style. Many thanks to #tyndale @tyndale for the complimentary copy. I was under no obligation to post a review. #historicalfiction #favoritebooks #strongfemaleprotagonist #mystery #historicalromance #lifein1875 #California #Boston #inspirational #ireland