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Wednesday, August 3, 2011

The Colonel's Lady Therapeutic Review and Giveaway

Laura Frantz's Kentucky historical was such a pleasure to read! Here's the backcover blurb:

Can love survive the secrets kept buried 
within a tormented heart?
Roxanna Rowan may be a genteel Virginia woman, but she is determined to brave the wilds of the untamed frontier to reach a remote Kentucky fort. Eager to reunite with her father, who serves under Colonel Cassius McLinn, Roxanna is devastated to find that her father has been killed on a campaign.
Penniless and out of options, Roxanna is forced to remain at the fort. As she spends more and more time with the fiery Colonel McLinn, the fort is abuzz with intrigue and innuendo. Can Roxanna truly know who the colonel is--and what he's done?

Immerse yourself in this powerful story of love, faith, and forgiveness set in the tumultuous world of the frontier in 1779. 

Immerse is the right word, folks. I had this book read in 24-hours flat, and I slept a good 8 of that. I couldn't put it down.

The Colonel's Lady deals with guilt and it's repercussions in a person's life. Guilt can be a driving motivation--either toward or away from something. Colonel McLinn is such a well-portrayed character struggling with the sins of his past and how they have affected not only his own future, but the future of others. His erratic behavior and personality has a lot more to do with this than the fact that he has fiery red hair!

Roxanna has her own demons to deal with, like not quite meeting the standard set before her by a domineering mother. When two cultures collide in marriage, one often tries to get the upperhand. With Roxanna's father on campaign with the war, Roxanna's mother's genteel upbringing held sway in their home...and Roxanna was constantly held under scrutiny and found lacking. As a result, she second-guesses herself and assigns dubious motives to the actions of others...making her her own very likable enemy in many ways.

I think women everywhere will identify with Roxanna. Not a one of us haven't felt the way that she most assuredly did. I found myself rooting for her to overcome her past with her mother and former relationships and embrace a healthier self-confidence.

Her self-esteem is essentially in tatters at the start of the book--the result of past relationships gone awry--which makes for some great interactions between her and Cassius McLinn and she comes to realize that she's not such a failure, even at her "on the shelf" age. Romance readers will be panting for the first kiss--I know I was!

 I've seen the effects of domineering parents all too often in my office, and I love how Laura brings Roxanna through a beautiful character arc to a side of hope and healing. This was my first book to read by Laura Frantz, but it won't be my last.

To be entered to win this incredible book, just leave a comment below with your email address so i can contact you if you're the winner. Since I like my giveaways to be rewards for my readers, please click the "Follow" button to your right and follow my blog! Thanks, and good luck!

28 comments:

Jessica Greyson said...

I follow, and I enjoy historical fiction so you can count me in!

Jessica

jessapphire {at} gmail {dot} com

Laura Frantz said...

Jeannie, What a thought-provoking, fascinating review! I did enjoy my time on the couch:) And I'll be back for future book reviews. You really did "get" Cass and Roxanna and what I tried to do in the novel by bringing healing and hope. Thanks so very much.

Anonymous said...

Sounds intriguing! Sign me up!
bettiesfortune@att.net

Sarah Forgrave said...

Great review, Jeannie! I've heard such good things about Laura's books and I just downloaded one to my Kindle. I'd love to add another one to my collection! :)

Anonymous said...

Can't wait to read this one! The review is exciting and alluring!
Marty Ellis
martyellis@bellsouth.net

Anonymous said...

Great review, can't wait to read this one!!!!
I am now a follower of your blog too:0)!

boojum08@telus.net

Michelle said...

Great review! I'm loving TCL, with 70 pages to go!! Laura is an amazing author! : )

Thanks for entering me; I'm a follower.
Michelle
scraphappy71 at sbcglobal dot net

Jeff King said...

Nice review... but don't enter me. I have a ton of books on my list to read.

karenk said...

would love to read laura's latest novel...thanks for the chance...i'm a follower, too :)

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

Kristen said...

Can't wait to read this book!! Please enter me:) (I'm a follower too!)
Thanks

kristengjohnson (at) gmail (.) com

Carrie Fancett Pagels said...

Yes, there is so much to look at in TCL as far as characterization and emotional baggage. When I review books on my blog, Overcoming Through Time, I include the bibliotherapy elements for readers with similar issues who might benefit from reading that particular book. Laura is an awesome writer!

Carla Gade said...

What a great assessment of the characters in TCL. Laura writes great depth of character in her novels with outstanding plots! I do hope you'll read her other novels ~ you'll be in for a treat.
Thanks for this fun and interesting post.
No need to enter me in the drawing, thank you.

Keli Gwyn said...

I've read Laura's first two books and am looking forward to reading this one as well. She's a gifted writer.

Heather said...

how fun! Laura always makes great characters :)

Dr. Cheryl Carvajal said...

Sounds like a fun book! Oh, and I'm a follower... though I did check to make sure.

shakespeare824(at)hotmail(dot)com

Whalehugger said...

I enjoy stories that have intriguing characters and I especially enjoy this time period. Thanks for the opportunity to enter the contest!

kagashi(at)fmtc(dot)net

April Gardner said...

I followed! I'm excited to get to know this author's work. She writes my kinda story!

Tamara Cooper said...

I like the word "immerse"! I have never read Laura Frantz and would love an opportunity to read her. Thanks so much for your "therapy" session with her characters! Laura, have you ever written a book for writers/therapy for characters? Maybe taking characters from best-selling works and "analyze" them to help writers see the depth they need with characters. Anyway, thanks again!
Tamara
tamarawrites@hotmail.com

CB said...

I just finished her book The Frontiersman's Daughter last night and loved it. Please enter me in the drawing! CynthiaABruner (at) gmail (dot) com (without the spaces, of course, just trying to keep webcrawlers away from my email!)

Cheri said...

I'm interested. Just finished reading her other two books. Thanks!
themillersisters at gmail

Susan Anne Mason said...

Love Laura's books. Can't wait for this one! Sounds great. Thanks for the wonderful review!

Sue
sbmason at sympatico dot ca

Sweet Peripety said...

What a wonderful post to read. I really appreciated all your thoughts on this amazing book!

Sweet Peripety said...

Oops,email! amycthphoto at gmail dot com

Jamie Adams said...

Love to read Laura's books. Great review.

adamsfammys at yahoo dot com

Pat Iacuzzi said...

Oh, I have to agree with your comment on not being able to put Laura Frantz's books down; the last one I read--Courting Morrow Little--took me to 4:00 a.m to finish. Thanks for the opportunity to be entered in the giveaway--and talk about getting to know your characters-- your site is great Jeannie! partwright2000 at yahoo dot com

Naomi Musch said...

I, too, am a Laura Frantz fan. Anxious to read this book! muschfarm at yahoo dot come

Anonymous said...

You made it sound really interesting! Hope to win it. Susan
jksfamily5@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Am I too late? Drat my work schedule for keeping me away from my blog reader and its enticing contests...

But I added myself to your public followers (I already follow you in my blog reader) and would love to discover Laura Frantz. janeDOTsteenATcomcastDOTnet.

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Both comments and questions are welcome. I hope you enjoyed your time on the couch today.