In 1779, when genteel Virginia spinster Roxanna Rowan arrives at the Kentucky fort commanded by Colonel Cassius McLinn, she finds that her officer father has died. Penniless and destitute, Roxanna is forced to take her father’s place as scrivener. Before long, it’s clear that the colonel himself is attracted to her. But she soon realizes the colonel has grave secrets of his own-some of which have to do with her father’s sudden death. Can she ever truly love him? Readers will be enchanted by this powerful story of love, faith, and forgiveness from reader favorite Laura Frantz. Her solid research and deft writing immerse readers in the world of the early frontier while her realistic characters become intimate friends.
I enjoyed my first Laura Frantz book last year so I was looking forward to picking up another novel by my new favorite author. I’ve said it before an I’ll say it again, Laura has a way with words that I’ve not seen before. EVERY word on the page seems to be perfectly measured and laid out. I’m convinced Laura is some sort of Word Wizard. I’m truly in awe at her talent.
What I Loved: Besides the amazingly beautiful cover, which I can hardly stop staring at, there were so many things to love about The Colonel’s Lady. I really loved the setting and I appreciated how Laura was able to completely immerse me into this world. Without meaning to, I learned so much about life in a fort on the Kentucke (Kentucky’s prestate name) territories. I walked away wanting to learn more about the man who inspired the fictional story and intend to do a little research on this George Rogers Clark.
Aside from rich history and setting, there was a surprising mystery in the tale. I’m usually pretty good at sniffing out a criminal but she had me on this one! The characters were easy to sympathize with and root for, making this a book that I can’t recommend enough.
Warning: As a dry Christian, it always seems odd to read so much about drinking. For others of this sentiment, I want to point out that there is a lot of mention of alcohol. Up front, Frantz lets the reader know that this was just part of the character’s world for several reasons. One of the things that I did appreciate, was that where drunkenness was involved, Frantz shows the sins attached to it in a real and seamless way. Even as a dry Christian, I felt that I was able to enjoy the book without a problem.
Rating and Recommendation: I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a great Christian Historical Fiction novel and will give this one 5 stars and keep it on my shelf to read again.
Christian Author: A.M. Heath 