The Miner's Lady

Land of Shining Water #3

by Tracie Peterson

When Chantel Panetta's younger sister claims to be in love with Orlando Calarco, Chantel knows there is no hope. The Panettas and Calarcos have been sworn enemies for decades, and young love cannot heal the deep wounds between the two iron-mining families. Yet, unable to resist Isabella's pleas, Chantel agrees to help her sister spend time with Orlando...only to have a run-in with Dante, Orlando's brother. The older, more handsome one.

Chantel can't deny the attraction that flares when she's with Dante. But when a tragedy occurs at the mine, is there any hope that the hatred that has simmered between these two families might be resolved? Or will Chantel's hope for love be buried amidst decades of misunderstanding?

Genres: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Christian, Fiction, Christian Romance, Historical Romance

336 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2013

About the author

Tracie Peterson is a bestselling author who writes in both historical and contemporary genres. Her novels reveal her love for research as well as her strong desire to develop emotionally meaningful characters and stories for her readers. Tracie and her family live in Montana.

pen name: Janelle Jamison

Reviews

[ReadAlongWithSue recovering from a stroke★⋆. ࿐࿔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

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Family feuds
Betrayal
Lies
Disharmony
Mistrust

It’s all here in this book.

How can love conquer this?
Will it?
Or will it stir up a hornets next.


Yes I did it again.....this is book 3 in this series all based around a Mining community.

Easily be read as a stand-alone though.

[Andrea Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s official. This book is a new favorite.

This story was deep, wide, and rich for many different reasons. The plot was unpredictable and carried many surprises. I loved how the characters’ backgrounds and jobs played into the plot in organic ways. The Italian heritage came into play in a few different ways. Many Italian-language words were sprinkled in throughout, and I especially enjoyed the Italian wedding traditions that were part of a certain ceremony. Italian feistiness was showcased in both the Panettas and the Calarcos. I thoroughly enjoyed the Panetta/Calarco feud that added so much extra richness to this story. The details in the feud were amazing. It reminded me of the Montague/Capulet rivalry in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

I won a copy of this book many years ago, and the author sent a bookmark as well. That bookmark was laminated and included a piece of black tatted lace on the back. What a neat touch! Now that I’ve read the book, I see why that lace was such a beautiful thing to add to the bookmark.

I adore this full trilogy and will reread it many times. It’s definitely a favorite.

Trigger: alcoholism

Content: soiled dove, prostitution (mentioned), gambling, saloons, alcohol, drunkenness, alcoholism

[Caity · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Miner's Lady was an enjoyable read. I really liked it. I liked that there was enough plot in the story to keep the hero and heroine busy doing something besides sitting around thinking of each other NON stop. ;)
I had never read a book about an Italian family and I really enjoyed reading about their traditions and culture. Very interesting.
Also, after reading so much regency fiction in a short period of time, it was strange but really nice to read this, set in a completely different time period that I'm not used to, with tons of new and different lifestyles and etiquette rules to read and learn about. I'm not really into Western fiction too much, so it was nice to kind of ease into it, as this was the right time period for a Western, but was about a mining community rather than a bunch of ranchers and cowboys. haha ;)
Chantel Panetta (love the name, by the way :)) made it onto my favorite heroines list! I really appreciated how she was portrayed! She was not "Elsie Dinsmore perfect", but she wasn't continually making mistakes and going through self conscious and self pitying mood swings. (Don't get me wrong, I have read and enjoyed tons of books where the main characters have to make mistakes and go through learning periods, etc. But sometimes it's nice to read about a girl who lives a regular life without all the weight of the world on her shoulders, who has a close relationship with her family, and loves the Lord with all her heart. :))
The hero (Dante Calarco- another cool name! :D) was great too! I was so glad that the whole love-hate relationship didn't drag out through the whole book. The transition from enemies to friends (as far as the two main characters went) was done really well! I didn't feel like they were enemies one minute and best friends the next, but I also didn't get tired of the arguing and wish they'd get it over with already! It took the perfect amount of time for a 300 page book. :)
There was just a tad bit too much romance for my taste; as far as kissing goes, that is. (Like I said at the beginning of my review, all the thinking and waiting parts weren't constantly present and annoying and the little bit there was of it was well written and very clean.) But, in my opinion, a Christian romance (if it has a kiss) should have ONE kiss- at the end. Not 3... spread out over the whole thing. Again, don't get me wrong- it wasn't too mushy or disgusting or anything like that- just too many. ;)

The side plot with Chantel's brother Marco was GREAT! It added an element of intensity and mystery to the story and kept the feud aspect from getting boring.
Leo was such a "good" villain, if ya know what I mean. ;P The perfect balance of cruelty, false charm, and creepy.

Isabella and Orlando were both so cute! lol xD Isabella was a great younger sister, and I loved reading about her relationship with Chantel. (The part where Chantel mentions them being best friends was really sweet.)
I liked how Orlando loved their entire family and respected all of them- that liking Issy didn't make him a complete fool, or unmindful of the other humans in the world. ;)
Nonna Barbato was probably my favorite character besides Chantel. ;) I love the old but feisty grandma characters! =) (Speaking of, I also really liked Aunt Marilla. ;))

The salvation, forgiveness, and right-from-wrong messages in this book were really powerful! The prayers and spiritual conversations in the story were really well and simply written. Easy to understand, yet profound and convicting.

As a side note- I absolutely LOVE the cover for this book!!!! SO gorgeous and I love the color combinations. :)

All that to say, I really enjoyed The Miner's Lady, and would like to read the first two in the Land of Shining Water series at some point. :)

[Melissa (christianbooksandcoffee) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great story! Full of great Christian content! I definitely recommend!

[Fides · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you're going to write a book with Catholics as the main characters, it might help you to do a little research on Catholicism. Sticking your Protestant views and ideas into the mouths of fictional Catholics is absurd. For example, no Catholic would ever call Holy Mass "services" - that's a Protestant term for going to church on Sunday. Catholic go to Mass. Priests celebrate Mass. Services are things like prayer vigils and Bible studies - the Holy Mass is so much more than mere "services". That's just one small example, but the book is full of countless others. The author should have made her lead characters Protestant if she had no desire to do any research about authentic Catholicism.

[Loraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again an author has saved the best for last in a series. Each book in The Land of Shining Waters got stronger with more depth and more interesting characters. The Panettas and the Calarcos are both first generation families from Italy who are iron miners in Minnesota. A long standing feud between the two families still continues after generations until Orlando Calarco and Isabella Panetta fall in love. Perhaps God's grace and mercy and the love of two young people will be the only solution to stopping this never-ending quarrel and uniting two families.

This book had great interaction between the two families with several sub-plots that added to its dimension as well as forcing the two families to assist one another in times of need. Nonna Barbato was a delightful unifier between the two families. Also found the many Italian traditions that were included a nice addition.

With unexpected twists and turns, a touch of sadness, and flavored with determination and hope, this book had a good Christian faith thread and was a great conclusion to a very enjoyable series.

FAVORITE QUOTES: "Obedience to God is something I think we should definitely pay heed to.....The problems of the past should remain in the past. "

"God's timing is up to Him...We cannot know why He says yes to one and no to another....Ours is not to understand, but to trust. That is where faith comes in. We must have faith."

"God is still God even when all hope seems lost and nothing in the world is going our way. He may not always do as we think He should, but He is perfect and holy and His ways are, as well."

[Bridget Nygren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book EVER!!

[Madilyn Crouch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book that I have read all month. Yes, I know the month is still young, but I'm a fast reader. Here lately I kind of got into a reading rut, and the last several books that I've read have been mostly 4 star books. This one got me out of my rut and anxious to read the next book on my shelf. The Miner's Lady was so suspenseful, and once I actually took the time to sit down and read it, I couldn't put it down!



The Panetta's and Calarco's have been sworn enemies for several generations, and old habits die hard. When Chantel's little sister Isabella falls for the youngest Calarco boy (Orlando), things get heated between these two passionate Italian families. Chantel is all for making peace between the two families, but Dante (Orlando's older brother), and the father of the two boys will have nothing of it. They seem to think that it would dishonor their family to have anything to do with the Panetta's. But when Dante's efforts to stop his brother's "nonsense" collide with Chantel's longing for peace, Dante might follow in his little brother's footsteps and fall for this young Panetta woman that is always getting in his way.



Now, I know a lot of people will be comparing this novel to William Shakespear's "Romeo And Juliet", but there couldn't be a worse comparison. Romeo and Juliet is horrible, take it from someone who actually read it. The Miner's Lady is a wonderful book, and I'm so glad that I got the opportunity to read it. It has suspense, plot twist, and a wee bit of romance. Oh, and it teaches the moral called forgiveness. If you have read many of my reviews, you know that I'm a sucker for a story with a good moral.



The moral's, the suspenseful plot twist, the foreign history, and so much more made this book one of my new favorites. I hope that you get the chance to read it soon, if you haven't already!





/ / Favorite Quote's From The Miner's Lady / /



" 'A man who is without a Savior is without hope. We cannot be cleansed of our sins without God's grace and the sacrifice of our blessed Savior. We are utterly and completely left to condemnation and darkness, by our own choice. And,' he continued, 'we are ushered into forgiveness and light by a choice, as well.' "



"Nonna Barbato had always told him that when his heart was confused on doing the right thing or the wrong thing, he should pray."

~Madi For The Literary Maidens

Note: I was provided with a free copy of The Miner's Lady by Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to give this product a good review if I found it undeserving, and all thought's expressed in this review are completely my own and totally unbiased.

[Arjaye-Rose Brewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve really enjoyed this series. The feud between the two families seems rather silly until more is revealed. The feud has continued to carry on after decades.

The plot was unpredictable with twists and turns. Orlando and Isabella fall in love despite the feud between their families. While the two families will have nothing of making peace and one family later on wanting peace while the other says they will not dishonour their family.

I couldn’t stop reading this book, there’s so much that happens but I don’t want to spoil it. This book is a lovely example of how God works in peoples lives and can change hardened hearts.

While this is a series the book can be read as a standalone.

[Jacquelyn 💐 {This Rapunzel Reads} [Jesus Christ, my Living Hope] · Rating 1 out of 5]

This series was not my favorite from Tracie Peterson. Each book could be read as a stand alone seeing the characters don’t connect with each other. This book just didn’t keep my attention sadly.

[Leona · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Amazon.com:

"Tracie Peterson Delivers Romance and Adventure



When Chantel Panetta's younger sister claims to be in love with Orlando Calarco, Chantel knows there is no hope. The Panettas and Calarcos have been sworn enemies for decades, and young love cannot heal the deep wounds between the two iron-mining families. Yet, unable to resist Isabella's pleas, Chantel agrees to help her sister spend time with Orlando...only to have a run-in with Dante, Orlando's brother. The older, more handsome one.



Chantel can't deny the attraction that flares when she's with Dante. But when a tragedy occurs at the mine, is there any hope that the hatred that has simmered between these two families might be resolved? Or will Chantel's hope for love be buried amidst decades of misunderstanding?"


Leona's Review



Another good book from Tracie Peterson. This is the third book of the series, Land of Shining Waters. We are taken to Ely, Minnesota to October 1890.

Chantel Panetta has returned for a year long visit to her Nonna and Nonno (grandparents) in Italy. The parents send their unmarried children to Italy when they turned twenty-one.

Things have changed when she finds her younger sister has fallen in love with Orlando Calarco. The tension between the two families began in the old country decades ago and the story is that is it over the death of a mule. The women of both families accept the love but the fathers are still at odds until an accident in the mine changes that. God is also very involved with the families. " You believe God spoke to you." Father Buh replied. "I believe God speaks to all of His children"

The author brings the reader into the tension and love in her books with the characters. There are some laughs and some tears.

The descriptions of the area and the mines brought memories of my grandfather and uncles who worked in the coal mines of Colorado. Chantel's family moved to Michigan and then to Minnesota; mine moved from Michigan to Colorado. Tracie Peterson talks about the dinner pail and I have my grandfather's pail he used in the mines. My grandparent's used Nona and Nono instead of Nonna and Nonno. One of the men's name was Vittorio, my first uncle's name. When I was doing research for when he came to America, I kept looking for the name Victor on the immigration records before I realized that was his Americanized name. This book really connected personally for me.

In the book there are references to the foods, the needlework (tatting), chores (chopping wood) and a Minnesota winter. Many words are in Italian: "Si, che fa bene. That's good".

The miner's lady is dedicated to Chantel Karch, You are an awesome woman. Always look to Jesus!.

The books of the Land of Shining Waters are The Icecutter's Daughter, The Quarryman's Bride and The Miner's Lady.

Tracie Peterson's web site is www.traciepeterson.com

I received a complimentary copy to read and review from Bethany House. The opinions are my own. I give it a 5 star rating.

Leona Olson

www.mnleona.blogspot.com

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mine’s Aren’t The Only Danger These Families Face (5 Stars)

The Miner’s Lady (Land of Shining Waters #3) by Tracie Peterson

Remember the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s? Well, their feud has nothing on the feud between the families of the Panetta’s and Calarco’s. These two Italian American families have hated each other for many decades, going all the way back to Italy and a mule. I know that doesn’t make sense to you now, but it will when you read the book.

Isabella Panetta and Orlando Calarco have fallen desperately in love. Yet the father’s of both families are totally against it and forbid them from seeing each other. They enlist their older siblings, Chantel Panetta and Dante Calarco to help them. Chantel is much more receptive to them, because she has a deep love for the Lord and hates the feud between the families. While, Dante is not quite so willing. But the beautiful Chantel is slowly wearing him down.

There’s so much I want to say, but to say anything will give away some of the story and you just have to go into this story open to God’s workings and be ready to be swept away with emotion after emotion after several tragedies occur. But God has not left them to deal with these things alone. He is forever working in their lives and we get the privilege to read this story and watch the lives of these families unfold. I laughed some, I cried a lot. It’s an excellent story of God’s redemption and grace.

Although this Book 3 in the series, it does not have to be read in order. Each story is totally separate with the characters, but the setting is always in Minnesota. This is Christian fiction, yet the characters faith is so entwined in their lives, that the book does not come across as preachy. Anyone who loves historical, romantic suspense will love this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers for my honest opinion and did not receive any compensation for a favorable review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely conclusion to a heart-warming series!

Tracie Peterson’s Land of Shining Water series has been very enjoyable for me. I was very blessed and excited to be able to review all three of these books. The Miner’s Lady is the third and final book in the series. It was just as enjoyable as the first two and I found it a great wrap-up to the series. These books are not really connected in any way except for the series names. I read them in order but you could read them out of order and you wouldn’t miss anything.

The Miner’s Lady is about two families, the Panetta’s and the Calarco’s, who have been feuding for over 50 years. When Chantel’s sister secretly starts seeing a Calarco boy, she knows there is going to be trouble. But Isabella and Orlando claim to be in love and Chantel soon finds herself helping them. Through a series of events – an accident at the mine, the Calarco’s grandmother becoming ill – Chantel finds herself coming in contact with Dante Calarco. Dante will do anything to tear Isabella and Orlando apart. But the more he interacts with Chantel, the more he realizes he can’t get her out of his head. Will he follow his heart or will he be like his father and be too stubborn to let go of this family feud?

I fell in love with this cast of characters, just as I did with the other Land of Shining Water books. I found myself rooting for Isabella and Orlando. I found myself angry with Dante for being so stubborn. I truly enjoyed this book from Tracie Peterson. The history and the setting all come alive as you read through this book and you’ll find yourself living right next to the Panetta’s and Calarco’s.

I would definitely suggest reading this awesome series from Tracie Peterson!

I received a free ecopy of this book from Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I did not receive any compensation for this review nor was I required to write a positive review. All opinions stated are my own.

Leah B.
Must Love Books
mustlovereading.wordpress.com

[Laura A. Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before I start my review I want to say that I am big fan of Tracie's novels and have only read a few that I did not enjoy. Unfortunately though "The Miner's Lady" was not her best compared to her other novels and I was very disappointed.

To begin with I had a hard time relating to Chantel in the first half of the book and was confused through much of the beginning. The synopsis said it going to be about Chantel, but I felt there was such a focus on Isabella that it seemed more of her story. Granted I do understand that the reader had to understand the back story of why Isabella's romance was such a big deal, but I wish there would have been more focus on Chantel in the beginning so that I could relate more to her instead of Isabella.

Something else I was very surprised about is that I felt there was not really a growing romance. It seemed to me that Chantel and her love interest barely had interactions with one another when they started having thoughts of wanting to marry the other! This truly shocked me because there romance didn't even really become a romance until over halfway through the book! I know later on in the story that much of Chantel's relationship with her lover happened "off the pages," but I was really hoping there would have been more of a growing attraction like Tracie has done in previous novels.

However, something Tracie has never failed to deliver in any of her novels that I appreciate about her is she tells the message of Christ! In each novel she writes there is always a unique Biblical message that can be applied to our lives and this one definitely doesn't fall short of that! Also, I really respect Tracie in the research she puts into her novels, especially in this one concerning the Italian foods! She had my mouth watering in many parts when describing the variety of foods!

Overall, it was a good novel with a great message. I give it 3 out of 5 stars!

I received this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review!

[Johanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

What’s not to love about Tracie’s books? I mean, she definitely knows how to spin a good romance novel and The Miner’s Lady is no exception!! It has mystery, heart-break, feuding starstruck families and definitely adventure. The main characters have a lot of SPUNK and character/personality, which I completely admire, especially Chantel’s. I wish I could be like her- outspoken, determined, doesn’t care about other people’s opinions and caring. I have read two books from this series: The Miner’s Lady and The Icecutter’s Daughter, and if I had to pick a favourite, it would be The Miner’s Lady. Thought The Icecutter’s Daughter was good? Well, The Miner’s Lady is heaps better!

Want to know who I loved most? Dante. Yes he has a temper, is a little ignorant and cares too much about his father’s opinion, turning somewhat of a blind eye towards him. However Chantel brings out the good in him. I suppose my imagination didn’t help because although he was supposed to have a beard (which I found out at the end of the book), he became to be my ideal prince charming. The romance between Chantel and Dante was electrifying, especially when they were both fired up at each other because it was then that they realised how attracted they were to each other. That’s pretty much how the book goes, romance wise. Yet there is a whole aspect that I have yet to talk about ….
The plot line, which was so well done!! I have to be careful here with what I say because I’ll probably give too much away, but Chantel is mischievous and will do anything for her sister, well practically anything. And nothing will stop her! It is this aspect that made the book super fun to read.

Hope this review wasn’t too boring! However all I’ve got to say is this: No matter if you are a Tracie Peterson fan or not, so long as you love a good romance adventure, this book will most definitely NOT disappoint! Enjoy reading :)
Make sure to visit my blog http://booklovers1.wordpress.com/ for many more reviews ......... See you there!

[Julie Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miner's Lady by Tracie Peterson
Love that I can read and review all the books in this series-so far.
This is the third one I've read and it's about the job of being a miner. I have read many books and find a bond-I'm not sure why
but I think it has something to do with one of my father's job. He used his hands on all his jobs and mostly liked being outside.
This is set in Ely, MN 1890's a time frame I really enjoy reading about.
Isabella Panetta wants to marry a man their family has had a feud with for centuries. When her sister Chantel returns from Italy she hopes she will help her.
She and her intended hoped when they married the feud would end, especially when they had a child that all sides would cherish and have to share...
Love hearing of the one year life in Italy each single person gone through at their grandparents house/vineyard. The feud was over a mule that got killed and the children don't really know the full story behind that as nobody will speak of it.
Accident at the mine is so real as we have watched the outcome on the TV in past days but it makes Isabella's father think about the feud and that it has to end.
Loved hearing of all the different foods especially around Christmas...
Loved all the talk of the lace that Chantel makes, tatting and the special threads.
When the grandmother falls sick after church and is brought to the Panetta's house the doc is called and her family finds out about her health problem is it going to be possible for them to overcome their feud to help her illness?
Everyone also tries to use God to help persuade the two grown men to give up on the feud and to be friends again quoting many scriptures along the way. Nothing goes as planned...Only a miracle will bring the 2 families together again..
I received this book from Net Galley via Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.

[Kacey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't give this rating out very often and I really hate doing it for this author, since in the past I have really enjoyed her books. This one just failed the mark in so many ways that it became a chore for me to keep reading. When it feels like I'm forcing myself to continue, that's when I know the book is not to my taste.

So the whole "Hatfield and McCoys" thing wasn't bad to start off with, but when one character kept going with it to the point where his son thought he would be killed over it... That's just going to a ridiculous degree. I'm not saying there aren't people that stubborn and prideful out there, but good grief. When literally every other person wants to end this feud but the father, it feels like that stubbornness is being used just to create more conflict and drama in the story.

I also had issues with the "romance" part of this novel. Which again is disappointing because I know this writer has done better with it in other books. In this one, it feels so forced. One minute the two are arguing and the next they're attracted to each other and falling in love. There is no progression whatsoever. Maybe if that was at least written in I could tolerate it, but it happened so suddenly that it makes no sense. Plus there was a scene between the two of them that made me feel uncomfortable.

Overall it was disappointing and frustrating to read. I will probably try this author again, but I seriously need a break from "romance" novels first.

[Cindi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must admit that this is the first book that I've read by Tracie Peterson. I'm not sure why I haven't picked up her books before but sure am glad to have started with this one. Tracie certainly has found a new fan.

The Panetta and Calarco families have been at odds for many years. So long that many don't even know the details of how the feud began. Both families immigrated from Italy and reside in Ely Minnesota, a mining town.

The family's conflicts become a problem for Isabella Panetta and Orlando Calarco because they have fallen in love and wish to marry. They have been keeping their relationship a secret but eventually are found out. Can Isabella and Orlando find a way to marry without being disowned by their families? Will the feuds ever end?

The characters are well developed and come to life from the very first page. Peterson's writing style is refreshing and flows smoothly. She keeps her reader's attention throughout the novel with interesting plots that include several character's challenges. The importance of prayer and faith are two of many lessons introduced by the author.

I received a copy of The Miner's Lady from bookfun.org in exchange for an honest review.

[Virginia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had heard of this book in the series by Tracie Peterson, "Land of Shining Water" for some time now. I had heard how good they were and I'd been anticipating on reading them for a pretty long while. I'm glad that I had a chance to read this one and hopefully I'll be able to read the rest!

I finished this book within about a day which says a lot for itself! I was moved by this very well written story!


It was a very sweet story and it almost reminded me of the well known story,"Romeo and Juliet". I really enjoyed it! I laughed and I cried!


I really loved how Tracie Peterson immersed readers into the different Italian cultures and their language. One of the best things about this book was the food! Oh my goodness! The author really made my mouth water with all those wonderful sounding Italian ingredients! It made me me really WANT some! haha. She really did a good job of making the food sound SO good!


I loved the drama as well and it really kept me interested in reading the story. All the different twists and turns really made my reading this book worth reading! Love the book cover as well because it's absolutely stunning! I'm definitely looking forward to reading more books by Tracie Peterson in the near future! (4 stars)

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because God gives us Hope, we can be encouraged by reading a story that tells of hope. Even if this one story is fiction, it could have been real in someone's life. The growth of the characters in maturity and spiritual matters gives other Christians a thrill. We believe our God and what He says, so when it unfolds in someone's life, it is a gift. It looked as if two families would never forgive each other but God had another plan. Sometimes we humans have to learn through scary circumstances before we totally obey the Lord and extend forgiveness. This love story taking place in a small mining town in Minnesota, also gave glimpses of Old Italy and the families' heritage. You will enjoy finding out how hearts melt and love wins in this mid-western romancer.


This book was sent to me by Bethany Publishing House for a fair review by me.

Mary Young Robinson, Boise, ID

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am torn as to how to rate this book. On one hand, it was expertly written. Tracie Peterson has been around the block a few times. I loved the MN setting ;), but mostly the Italian families. I totally wish I was Italian. sigh. Chantel and Dante were super cute.
On the other hand, it was pretty standard Christian romance. I cant think of what would make this book stand out to a non-MN resident. But if the mood hits you now and then to read a good historical romance that is well written and researched, pick this one up!!
recieved from publisher via Netgalley. Full review up on Sunrise Avenue by Sept 1!!

[Sheri Bauer · Rating 1 out of 5]

started, but just couldn't get into the story.

[Laurie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Some of these books are too predictable, with boring details to get to the end. This was one of those. I didn't bother to finish it.

[Cindy]

Another winner by Tracie Peterson. This book was a little slow to me getting started, but did pick up. I had a hard time putting it down after the first few chapters. Recommended.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Summary/Review was copied from other sources and is used only as a reminder of what the book was about for my personal interest. Any Personal Notations are for my recollection only.
**
Isabella Panetta wants to marry a man their family has had a feud with for centuries. When her sister Chantel returns from Italy she hopes she will help her.
She and her intended hoped when they married the feud would end, especially when they had a child that all sides would cherish and have to share...
Love hearing of the one year life in Italy each single person gone through at their grandparents house/vineyard. The feud was over a mule that got killed and the children don't really know the full story behind that as nobody will speak of it.
Accident at the mine is so real as we have watched the outcome on the TV in past days but it makes Isabella's father think about the feud and that it has to end.
Loved hearing of all the different foods especially around Christmas...
Loved all the talk of the lace that Chantel makes, tatting and the special threads.
When the grandmother falls sick after church and is brought to the Panetta's house the doc is called and her family finds out about her health problem is it going to be possible for them to overcome their feud to help her illness?
Everyone also tries to use God to help persuade the two grown men to give up on the feud and to be friends again quoting many scriptures along the way. Nothing goes as planned...Only a miracle will bring the 2 families together again..
**
The Panettas and the Calarcos are both first generation families from Italy who are iron miners in Minnesota. A long standing feud between the two families still continues after generations until Orlando Calarco and Isabella Panetta fall in love. Perhaps God's grace and mercy and the love of two young people will be the only solution to stopping this never-ending quarrel and uniting two families.

This book had great interaction between the two families with several sub-plots that added to its dimension as well as forcing the two families to assist one another in times of need. Nonna Barbato was a delightful unifier between the two families. Also found the many Italian traditions that were included a nice addition.

[Puiu Mirela · Rating 3 out of 5]

💜 Chantel Panetta se întoarce acasă după o absență de un an, perioadă în care și-a petrecut timpul alături de bunici, în Italia. Întoarcerea acasă o bucură pe de o parte, dar o întristează pe de altă parte.

💜 Alături de bunicii din Italia a cunoscut frumusețea lumii artistice, o mentalitate nouă, dar apropiată sufletului său, s-a simțit înțeleasă și acceptată așa cum este, a fost fericită . Dar dragostea pentru părinți și sora mai mică au determinat-o să privească în viitor cu încredere.

💜 Curând, Chantel avea să descopere că și viața simplă de acasă poate fi surprinzătoare. Prima surpriză este să afle că sora sa mai mică s-a îndrăgostit de fiul mai mic al familiei. Calarco, fapt ce nu va fi pe placul nimănui.

💜Familiile Panetta și Calarco se urăsc de moarte, tensiunea dintre cele două familii începând în tara natală, Italia, cu zeci de ani în urmă, iar motivul fiind - aparent - moartea unui catâr.

💜 Dacă femeile ambelor familii acceptă dragostea dintre Izabella și Orlando, dar tații și frații lor sunt împotrivă. Totul i-a o întorsătură dramatică atunci când un accident în mina în care lucrau cu toții le pune viețile în pericol. Dacă familia Panetta își schimbă atitudinea, realizând absurdul acestei uri, precum și riscul de a distrugea fericirea copiilor lor, nu același lucru se poate spune despre familia Calarco, mai ales seniorul, al cărui suflet este plin de amărăciune.

💜În timp ce Chantel își sprijină sora și încurajează iubirea ei pentru Orlando, Dante, fratele mai mare al lui acestuia, caută sa îi despartă. Inevitabil Chantel și Dante vor avea parte de întâlniri cu scântei, pline de ironii, vorbe dure, fără să bănuiască, nici unul dintre ei, că dragostea avea să își facă culcuș în suflete lor.

💜Cum era de așteptat, povestea de iubire dintre cei patru eroi se axează pe credința în Dumnezeu, puterea credinței, obiceiuri străvechi, multe dintre ele absurde, chiar și pentru acele vremuri.

O poveste drăguță!

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first I felt like this book was dragging with the fighting between the families. About three-fourths of the way thru, it finally got interesting. When Isabella and Orlando got married and Chantel went to worn them about his father possibly killing him because of the feud between the two families, Dante follows her to find the couple. Chantel and Isabella along with their aunt devise a plan for Orlando and Isabella to escape and Chantel gets into Orlando's bed to pretend to be Orlando. She meant to leave after Dante went to sleep, but she fell asleep herself. That was a surprise when Dante finds Chantel in Orlando's bed but loved how he grabbed her and kissed her before saying they had to hurry and meet the train to go back home. Marco's death was sad. But in the end Leo was going to pay for his hiring to have the hit done. Dante survives the mine incident with Chantel's father saving him. This softens Dante's father and he forgives the Panetta's for the feud he has been carrying on between the families. Dante and Chantel marry and the future looks bright and promising. Isabella and Orlando are able to come home for the wedding. So the ending was interesting but it took a while to get into this story.

[Barbara Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This final installment of the Land of Shining Water series did not grab my attention at first. In fact, it took a bit for me to get into the storyline. I was a bit concerned because I really enjoyed the first two books of this series, and expected to love this one too. And I did! It just took a while to draw me in.

I share that to encourage you.. if it doesn't draw you in from the start, stick with it!

The Miner's Lady looks at a different type situation than anything I have read (at least since my Shakespeare days) -- two families who are on the outs... not just disliking each other, but hatred.. wishing ill-will for their "enemies". This has been a generations long feud passed on from family to family. And just like Romeo and Juliet, love becomes a tangled mess for 2 young people as they desire a life together, but don't want to loose their families in the process.

As you read, you will see themes of hatred, love, pride, forgiveness, stubbornness, grace and more play out. And while this tells Orlando and Isabelle's story, there is another romance brewing in the midst of the turmoil.

[Kati · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last book in the Land of the Shining Water series is probably the most dramatic one in the trilogy.
The story revolves around two families both of Italian decent living and working in the same small mining community in the late 1800's Minnesota. A feud that started generations ago in Italy, continues until two young people fall in love, decide to marry, unite the warring families, and bring an end to the senseless hostility.

Although there's plenty of drama and even tragedy involved, the story is not as hopeless as Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Because of the strong faith of many family members on both sides and their trust and reliance on God, the story of the Panettas and Chantels has a happy ending.

There were many elements I enjoyed, like the patience, prayers, obedience, and trust in God evident in the characters' lives. Also the abundance of good Italian food mentioned in almost every chapter.

One thing that left me puzzled was the lack of Catholicism. The faith projected by the characters sounded very Protestant to me. I would have appreciated a stronger and more obvious Catholic element.

Other than that, I truly liked The Miner's Lady a lot.

[Emily Kidd · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

I haven’t read this genre in a while, but it was extremely heavy-handed with the clear-cut agenda of love God and forgive others. This resulted in tedious repetition, which took away from the development of the storyline. However, since it is clearly marketed as a Christian book, some of this has to be forgiven (in keeping with the book’s message haha).

Italians living in a mining town (shadows of WCTH TV) carry on a family feud that has lasted generations and traveled with them overseas to America. Boy and girl fall in love (x2) and through multiple near-death experiences everyone decides to live as one big happy family.

I did enjoy the fact that this was a Peterson book, however—going back to the basics is sometimes a good change of pace.