As the third book of Tracie Peterson’s Land of Shining Water series, The Miner’s Lady introduces us to the Italian population that immigrated to Minnesota. Peterson introduces the Italian culture through the Calarco and Panetta families who emigrated from the same area of Italy. While they have a motherland in common, they stoke an old feud between their families. Peterson adeptly show us how cultural ties traveled with the people who settled Minnesota. She shows how they brought their strength and resolve, and often how they brought their passions that both help and interfere with their new lives in America.
As a main protagonist, the young woman Chantel Panetta has
returned from a long trip to Italy to discover that her younger sister has
fallen for Orlando Calarco. Still influenced by the old feud, Chantel is
reluctant to support Isabella in her new romance. Slowly though, sisterly
affection overrides old traditions and Chantel sees that Isabella and Orlando
are right to put the hard feelings of their families behind them. But resolve, however well meant, does not seem
enough to help their parents see the futility of the feud.
Once again it didn’t take long for Peterson to draw me into
another intense historical drama, where she shows us the strength the immigrants
brought to Minnesota as they labored in the iron mines and their families who
worked hard to adapt to a new life in America. She captured well the harshness
of God fearing people struggling to choose right while living in the midst of
hardened mining towns that encourage vice. With romance mixed with adventure
Peterson takes us into the dangers of the iron mines and into the hearts that struggle
with harmful traditions.
In my opinion, Chantel embodies well the promise that America gave to many immigrants who found more freedom to think for themselves and
embrace a new life that included the best of their old cultures. Bethany House
Publishing sent me a complimentary copy of The
Miner’s Lady by Tracie Peterson to review.
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