Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

The Frontiersman's Daughter

3.98 of 5 stars 3.98 · rating details · 1,380 ratings · 196 reviews

Lovely but tough as nails, Lael Click is the daughter of a celebrated frontiersman. Haunted by her father's former captivity with the Shawnee Indians, as well as the secret sins of her family's past, Lael comes of age in the fragile Kentucky settlement her father founded. Though she faces the loss of a childhood love, a dangerous family feud, and the affection of a Shawnee...more

Paperback, 413 pages

Published August 1st 2009 by Fleming H. Revell Company

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

An Echo in the Darkness by Francine Rivers

Best Christian Historical Fiction

31st out of 537 books — 570 voters

The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson

Best Christian Fiction Book Covers

60th out of 578 books — 464 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 2,774)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

May 24, 2011 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

To say that Laura Frantz has created a novel that is well written doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of the excellent quality of writing that is found between the pages of this novel. God has given Laura an amazing gift, and I cannot emphasis enough how much I appreciate what she's done here in Lael's story. It's a substantial 412 pages of deep, meaty substance; each word a scrumptious morsel to be savored.

It isn't very often that I read a book where the words seem to come off of the page...more

3 likes · like · see review

Aug 08, 2011 TJ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: clean, historical-romance, kindle-archives

This is a hard one to review. It is both wonderful and exasperating all at once. The writing is lovely, the story a good one. It captured my attention immediately and kept me coming back. There were really only two flaws but they were significant enough to cause problems.

1. (May or may not be considered a flaw, depending on personal preference) The author takes an inordinate amount of time describing surroundings and writing about the daily chores of living. Life on the 18th century frontier is...more

9 likes · like · see review

Sep 28, 2012 Allison rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 1700s, inspirational, romantic, historical-fiction, pioneers-western, mild-sweet, north-america, ebook-deals, own-it-e-book, love-triangle

I'm not sure what I think of this book. I enjoyed the frontier setting. There's plenty of detail to make you feel like you're there, and this is one time period it's hard to find good books about once you've read the Little House books.

Maybe I'm missing something (if I am, please tell me!), but a lot of the books set in the American frontier are 'inspirational', which often means written with a religious message instead of just for the enjoyment of the reader. The 'moral lesson' type of book ca...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 13, 2012 Elizabeth S rated it 5 of 5 stars

Laura Frantz has written a novel that has singing prose and great historical detail. Being a lit geek I really do care about the poetry of the words and Frantz does it beautifully.
The romance is realistic and historically correct. I loved that part because I have found too many books that don't pay much attention to that.
Lael is not only a girl with a different name she is also a character I can relate to. Her bitterness toward people is understandable. The spiritual parts of the book are jus...more

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 12, 2011 Pattiwan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

1 like · like · see review

Dec 16, 2012 Brenda Rupp rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a story of a young woman, raised in the ways of healing with roots and herbs by a relative. A woman barely a woman when she fell in love for the first of several times. She can't be with the man she loves, the first man, and another is not entirely available either, she would have been shunned by her community had she chosen him. She is in a very small Kentucky settlement, made famous by her father, back int he day when women were married right as soon as they were old enough to bear chi...more

like · see review

Aug 22, 2012 Jeannette Garcia rated it 5 of 5 stars

I can't believe that I have put off reading this book for far too long. It came highly recommended and definitely did not disappoint. The writing was incredible... scenes were so descriptive, I felt like I was on the frontier with the characters. My heart broke for Simon early on. I felt like he always loved Lael but was just too caught up in taking the easy way out. I still was hoping that he never married Piper and that he would end up with Lael... and then there's Captain Jack. Oh goodness! I...more

3 likes · like · see review

Aug 05, 2012 Aimee rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Frontiersman's Daughter begins when Lael Click is a 13-year-old girl with a father who lived with the Shawnee for a few years and adopted some of their strange ways, and a mother who is hiding secrets of her own. The Click cabin in the deep woods of the Kentucke settlement is full of secrets and silence, and Lael longs to know the truth. Occasionally, a tall and handsome Shawnee warrior rides near the cabin, and calls her to come onto the front porch and let down her long blonde hair. It see...more The Frontiersman's Daughter begins when Lael Click is a 13-year-old girl with a father who lived with the Shawnee for a few years and adopted some of their strange ways, and a mother who is hiding secrets of her own. The Click cabin in the deep woods of the Kentucke settlement is full of secrets and silence, and Lael longs to know the truth. Occasionally, a tall and handsome Shawnee warrior rides near the cabin, and calls her to come onto the front porch and let down her long blonde hair. It seems he is trying to court her, as he begins leaving gifts for her (such as glass Indian beads and a striped blanket). However, her heart belongs to her childhood friend Simon, who intends to marry her. As the Shawnee warrior's visits become more frequent, her Pa first moves her to an elderly aunt's cabin, who teaches her about herbal medicine, and then far away to a finishing school. Years later, now a grown woman, she returns to her childhood home in the wilderness afer her father's death and her mother has remarried and moved elsewhere. At home, she realizes her childhood sweetheart will soon marry another, and her Shawnee warrior's interest has not waned. Her future is uncertain, and then she meets another complication: a handsome new doctor (and a Scot to boot) has moved to the settlement. He asks for help, but she cannot stand to be around him much. He has a way of seeing the truth, and he is always talking about his faith, one Lael does not share. As she tries to build a life for herself on the frontier, Lael must decide what she desperately needs, what she really believes, and whom she really loves.

I had a hard time getting into the book at first, most likely due to Lael's being only 13 for so long. Once she moves to the finishing school, time passes quickly, and before long she is a grown woman returning to Kentucke. That is where the story really begins. However, I do not think it would have been as enjoyable without all the background details. Lael was such an enjoyable character. I became so absorbed in her story that I could not put it down. She is a strong character, but when it comes to love, she is very vulnerable. You watch her heart break when she comes back and finds Simon with her childhood rival, see her fatuation with the strong, handsome, and mysterious Shawnee warrior, and then finally watch the mature and deep love develop between her and the doctor. However, it's not a simple story by any stretch of the imagination. Her heart is torn between the three men, and at times she cannot make up her mind.

There are also plenty of historical details to keep you riveted. The novel is so realistic that it transports you to the early colonial days. (I am so very thankful not to have lived then!) Lael and Ian care for the settlers when they are injured and during a smallpox outbreak, resulting in many deaths in the fort. It's a tender and heartbreaking story, with a beautifully developed romance and a gentle reminder of God's grace and forgiveness.(less)

like · see review

Jan 24, 2012 April rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Free Kindle download.

The author took her time with this one — I couldn't be sure that it was a romance because I couldn't quite predict where it would go; the heroine's life journey is long, and the path meanders a bit. The hero is not who you think it would be, and when he's introduced into the story, you wonder later, "Why at that moment?" There are other men in the story that could easily have been the hero, so there is no clear indication who to root for when each of these men are introduced...more

3 likes · like · see review

Nov 27, 2011 Rachel Thompson rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian, historical, romance

I received a free copy of this book. This isn't the type of book I normally go for, though I do enjoy Christian romances from time to time.

Set in the 1700's in the wild territory of Kentucke, Lael Click is the daughter of a rather famous frontiersman who was captured and spent time with the Shawnee, learning their language and some of their customs. One day, a Shawnee warrior known as Captain Jack appears, making it pretty clear that he wants Lael. At first Lael is afraid, sure that she is in lo...more I received a free copy of this book. This isn't the type of book I normally go for, though I do enjoy Christian romances from time to time.

Set in the 1700's in the wild territory of Kentucke, Lael Click is the daughter of a rather famous frontiersman who was captured and spent time with the Shawnee, learning their language and some of their customs. One day, a Shawnee warrior known as Captain Jack appears, making it pretty clear that he wants Lael. At first Lael is afraid, sure that she is in love with a childhood friend. Her father sends her away for five long years to finish growing up and to learn how to be a lady. When she returns, the childhood friend is nothing like she remembers and Captain Jack is all she wants, though he appears like a dream and rarely shows himself to her though she often thinks he's watching her. Then a new doctor moves to the settlement, upsetting the delicate balance Lael has achieved between her civilized side and her wild side.

I was more than a little disappointed with this book. While it's well told, it's billed as a Christian romance, even though there is really very little romance in the book. The story is more about the hardships of frontier life. The different elements of the book didn't mesh well for me. The book starts with a scene between Lael's family and the Shawnee Indians, which I interpreted as a foreshadowing of events to come...events that never occurred. I kept reading on and on, through pages of descriptions and feelings, hoping to finally get to the meat of the book, yet the events I expected never happened. As a reader, it's sometimes comforting to know what to expect, and the way this book was set up, I felt like I knew what was going to happen.

In the end, Lael just seemed so fickle and unsure of herself, despite the strong character the author tried to depict. She jumps in and out of love so often, that when she finally settles on one man, it was hard to care much. And once she's made her decision, that's that. The book is over, leaving multiple questions that the author never bothered to answer. There is very little closure in the ending to tie it all together. The author also had a bad habit of jumping between scenes within the same chapter, often causing confusion, and I found the first half of the book to be incredibly boring before things started to pick up. The author introduced two possible love interests that I found myself caring for, so it was difficult to really root for just one. I liked them both equally.

Finally, I didn't care for the message this book seemed to have. I know this is a Christian romance, so of course Lael would probably end up with the man who believed in God, but up until the very end of the book, I really thought she would run away with Captain Jack (therefore becoming a heathen, I guess). Even the doctor makes notes of this -- that Lael would have to worship the Shawnee gods. I couldn't really see how this would be a bad thing since at one point she really did love Captain Jack. Isn't love the most important thing? I guess not when you want your character to conform to the Christian religion and become a believer.(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Sep 06, 2011 Erica rated it 5 of 5 stars

A "treasure". I dearly loved this book. It touched my heart so much with it's slowly cresting storyline. It was not rushed, the author took her time with this complicated character who endures so much in order to be independent, loved and accepted. The chronicles of her flighty romantic ways are one to look deeply into when you find yourself being judgemental. Remembering that at some point in time we were that way too. This book goes beyond the common boundaries of time and circumstance and enc...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 02, 2011 Kali M rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read this book because it came highly recommended by a friend, but I have to admit I was somewhat put off by the corny title and cover and finally read it because my friend wouldn't stop asking if I'd read it yet. I've said before that I like historical fiction as long as "it's not some crappy romance disguised as history" (if quoting yourself is wrong, then I don't particularly want to be right). I've also mentioned in other reviews how much I dislike Christian genre books--I feel like the au...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 18, 2011 Amber Delaine rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really loved this book and it isn't my usual fare. I'm not into really Christian books, but this one caught my eye partly because it was a free read and partly because it was advertised as a romance and I'm a huge romance fan. I'm so glad that I picked it up. It's one of my favorite books so far this year.

The Frontiersman's Daughter is set during the frontier/pioneer days of log cabins and Indian wars. The story has a strong "Little House books" feel to it. It's less a romance or a Christian...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 01, 2011 Diana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Lael Click is the daughter of a well known Kentucky Frontiersman. Her father has a mysterious past that he will not discuss with her. At one time he was feared to have died because he was taken by the Shawnee Indians.
When this book begins Lael is fourteen and is infatuated with her best friends brother. Before that love can blossom Lael is torn from her family by her father.
She learns from Ma Horn what herbs, roots, plants and bark are useful for treating sickness and injuries. Those skills are...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 13, 2010 Elise Wilson rated it 4 of 5 stars

In her debut novel, Frantz delves into the history of Kentucke, late 1700s. The story is told mostly in the context of the adventures of its heroine, Lael Click, an interesting character to say the least. Lael is an independent spirit (some call "wild"), unconventional (ahead of her times for a young woman) and she is (self-described), "fickle." Did I mention fickle? Okay. I believe the only constant in Lael's life is her deep love of home and family.

And this is what I most appreciated about the...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 07, 2010 Keli Gwyn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Debut author Laura Franz writes like a seasoned professional. The Frontiersman’s Daughter melds powerful characters, artistic description and a captivating storyline into a feast sure to satisfy readers who crave stories with heart. Told through the eyes of the strong, determined, courageous daughter of one of the first white men to settle in Kentucke, the story follows Lael Click’s journey from a girl of thirteen to a woman of twenty as she deals with loss, love and the need of the Lord in her...more Debut author Laura Franz writes like a seasoned professional. The Frontiersman’s Daughter melds powerful characters, artistic description and a captivating storyline into a feast sure to satisfy readers who crave stories with heart. Told through the eyes of the strong, determined, courageous daughter of one of the first white men to settle in Kentucke, the story follows Lael Click’s journey from a girl of thirteen to a woman of twenty as she deals with loss, love and the need of the Lord in her life.

The tale takes place during the time of the American Revolution when tensions between the settlers and Indians were high. Lael’s past is stained by the sins of her pioneer parents, and she must overcome bitterness and vengeful longings as she seeks to find her own place in the world. Her biggest choice concerns matters of the heart. Three men have laid claim to her affections: her childhood sweetheart, a mysterious white man captured and raised by the Shawnee, and a Scottish doctor whose firm faith forces her to face her past and choose the course for her future. Through her friendships with Simon, Captain Jack and Doctor Ian Justus, Lael learns of life, love and the saving grace of the Lord. But which man will ultimately capture her heart?

As I began The Frontiersman’s Daughter, it became clear this story wasn’t exactly what I expected. It’s so much more. While there is a satisfying romance with a hero I fell hard for, the epic tale is deeper and richer than many stories I’ve read. The reader is taken on a journey as Lael lives life in a period rarely featured in a romance. Because of Frantz’s meticulous research, I learned a great deal about what life was like for those brave souls who ventured into the frontier. With words as her medium, she paints pictures so vivid I felt I was right there with Lael. If you like emotional depth to your stories, you’ll be rewarded as you laugh, cry and sigh with the rich cast of characters. And the romance is as sweet as the bee gum honey Lael loves. I highly recommend this book and look forward to Frantz’s next release, Courting Morrow Little.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Nov 12, 2009 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Set in the late 1700's Lael Click, lives in Kentucke. Her father is a gifted woodsman, guide and hunter who has moved his family into Indian territory. Kidnapped and held by the Indians for two years, he knows the signs and the ways of the Shawnee Indians.

His lovely fourteen year old daughter is quickly catching the eye of a Shawnee brave, her long beautiful blond hair causes her to catch the brave's attention. Lael, the daughter has an eye for a local boy, but her father had rather see her end...more

like · see review

Sep 20, 2009 Virginia Campbell rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, historical-romance, inspirational

In her soaring debut, THE FRONTIERSMAN'S DAUGHTER, Laura Frantz sets a high standard for others to follow. With enviable skill as a story teller, Ms. Frantz draws us into the tumultuous, inspiring life of Lael Click. We are privileged to follow Lael from age thirteen to age twenty-one. A span of just eight years, but an eventful and amazing time in the rawness of Colonial America. Lael is the daughter of a legendary frontiersman, who parents her with love and influences her thoughts and actions...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 13, 2009 Vickie Mcdonough rated it 4 of 5 stars

Lael Click has lived on the Kentucky frontier her whole life. She loves the freedom she has to run barefoot and gather herbs and roots for cooking and tending wounds. But her family is haunted by a tragic past that continually shadows her. Once a captive of the Shawnee, her father is trapped between the world of Indians and white men, and Lael feels the same pull, especially when a handsome brave begins to leave her gifts.

Still, her heart lies with another man—one of which her father disapproves...more Lael Click has lived on the Kentucky frontier her whole life. She loves the freedom she has to run barefoot and gather herbs and roots for cooking and tending wounds. But her family is haunted by a tragic past that continually shadows her. Once a captive of the Shawnee, her father is trapped between the world of Indians and white men, and Lael feels the same pull, especially when a handsome brave begins to leave her gifts.

Still, her heart lies with another man—one of which her father disapproves. When the young man asks for her hand, she finds herself soon whisked off to a fancy ladies’ school hundreds of miles from home and all that is familiar.

When Lael finally returns home, many things have changed. She tries to fit back into her old life, but finds it harder than she expects. With a new doctor in town, Lael has competition for her healing potions. But the interesting and troubling man draws her, even though she tries to avoid him. Is he the one who will finally break through her walls of protection and finally touch her heart? Or will an older love ruin everything?

THE FRONTIERSMAN’S DAUGHTER is an epic coming of age story about a young woman living in the wilds of the Kentucky frontier in 1777. Indian attacks are frequent, but Lael doesn’t fear them as most folks do. She runs free, living life as she sees fit, even when others look down on her. Ms. Franz has done an excellent job creating Leal’s feisty character and of bringing this historical era to life with her vivid description and precise details of the time period and setting.
While I enjoyed this book for the most part, in the beginning, when Lael is just thirteen, she seems to act much older than her years. Also, there is an element of suspense with the possibility of Indian attacks at any time and the danger from Lael’s naïve frolicking alone in the woods, but there were times the book moved too slowly for me, especially when Lael is away. But hold fast and finish this book, because there are several excellent black moments toward the end and a highly satisfying ending. I enjoyed reading about this unique time period that I’ve not read about in other novels. THE FRONTIERSMAN’S DAUGHTER is an epic novel, complete with a spunky, determined heroine, Indian attacks, an intriguing wilderness setting, a faith message deftly woven into the story, and a romance that tugs at your heart.
(less)

like · see review

Sep 10, 2009 Ruth rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Frontiersman’s Daughter by Laura Frantz is a stunning debut novel, a completely absorbing tale of a young girl’s coming of age in the wilds of late eighteenth century Kentucky. Lael Click’s story reawakened my love of this time period in history, an appreciation that had fallen by the wayside when I finished my last required U.S. history class in high school. It doesn’t help that in recent years, the Christian fiction market didn’t seem to have all that much room for colonial frontier fictio...more The Frontiersman’s Daughter by Laura Frantz is a stunning debut novel, a completely absorbing tale of a young girl’s coming of age in the wilds of late eighteenth century Kentucky. Lael Click’s story reawakened my love of this time period in history, an appreciation that had fallen by the wayside when I finished my last required U.S. history class in high school. It doesn’t help that in recent years, the Christian fiction market didn’t seem to have all that much room for colonial frontier fiction. Frantz’s debut has succeeded in establishing her as a welcome voice in the genre. Daughter is so absorbing, it immediately transported me back in time to memories of my fascination with the adventures of frontiersmen such as Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett. It’s impossible for me not to marvel at stories of those first settlers who left civilization in the east to build lives for themselves across the mountains, where they had to combat the Indians and the land itself in order to carve out new lives for themselves.

Lael Click grew up in the shadow of her famous father’s legend, the man who survived living with the Shawnee for two years. The celebrated frontiersman always seemed more at home in the wilderness, among the feared Shawnee, than as a settlement resident. No matter what role her family or friends tried to make her fill, Lael is too much “her father’s daughter” to ignore the pull of wilderness life, and with the help of Ma Horn, she establishes herself as a healer well versed in herb lore. Her search for place and contentment is complicated by the attentions of three very different men – the now-married rogue she once loved when a young girl, the exotic attraction of Captain Jack, a white man raised as a Shawnee and friend of her father’s, or the gentle Scottish doctor, whose skill makes them ideal partners and whose faith makes her long for a living, breathing relationship with the God of her childhood. Only when Lael learns to step out in faith, and lay aside the wounds of her past, will she be able to embrace the future and live out her father’s legacy of fearlessness.

I’d describe Daughter as a “throwback” novel in the very best sense of that term. This is a rich, “meaty” historical, brimming with atmosphere and detail that vividly brings life to all of Lael’s triumphs and struggles. This also isn’t a very dialogue-driven book, and in that respect it reminded me just a bit of classics such as The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper. The introspective passages not only give wonderful insight into Lael’s maturing character, but through them I think Frantz very accurately gives one a sense of the solitary, and potentially very lonely, nature of frontier life. Indeed, the land itself becomes almost as much of a character as Lael– and thanks to Frantz’s evocative, richly drawn descriptions, it’s easy to understand the pull of the land and how it’s beauty and wildness shaped Lael’s character. More than a romance, more than an adventure story, The Frontiersman’s Daughter is a journey worth savoring, and Lael Click is a character who will dwell in your thoughts long after you finish the final pages.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Sep 09, 2009 Bobbi Rightmyer rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was honored to receive a review copy of Laura Frantz’s first novel, The Frontiersman’s Daughter. I first discovered Frantz’s wonderful prose on her blog, Imagination, and was pleased to learn her first book was being released in August. We have become “bloggy” cyber friends and I look forward to meeting her in real-life at the Kentucky Book Fair in November.

The Frontiersman’s Daughter is the story of Lael Click, a strong frontierswoman who battles life while dealing with many family secrets. H...more I was honored to receive a review copy of Laura Frantz’s first novel, The Frontiersman’s Daughter. I first discovered Frantz’s wonderful prose on her blog, Imagination, and was pleased to learn her first book was being released in August. We have become “bloggy” cyber friends and I look forward to meeting her in real-life at the Kentucky Book Fair in November.

The Frontiersman’s Daughter is the story of Lael Click, a strong frontierswoman who battles life while dealing with many family secrets. Her father, a celebrated frontiersman – think Daniel Boone - is a former captive of the Shawnee Indians, a fact that haunts Lael throughout her childhood. She grows into a young woman while battling the hostile settlement her father founded in “Ken-tucke” – think Old Fort Harrod in Harrodsburg, Kentucky - the demons of family secrets and the destruction caused by a family feud.

Ma Horn is a great role model for Lael, teaching her how to heal with medicinal herbs. Simon, Doctor Ian Justus and Captain Jack make excellent heroes because they are all multi-dimensional characters, although I would have like to have seen more of Capt. Jack. Maybe there is a sequel in the near future? Lael finds it hard to decide between the three possible love interests.

The main focus of the book is Lael sometimes wavering faith in God. We watch her grow in her religious beliefs to become a strong Christian woman.

Frantz did an excellent job researching Kentucky history for this fictional biography; and of course, she is a Kentucky native, so the interest was natural. I think her details of the white man vs. Indian conflict were spot-on and she was able to give us both sides of the issue. Her writing prose is beautiful and flows from page to page and she has created a book you want to read from cover to cover without putting it down.

**In full disclosure, I live in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, so I am very familiar with The Old Fort Harrod - the oldest settlement in Kentucky. Growing up in Harrodsburg, I've had a natural love for all things related to Daniel Boone and James Harrod. I have read many non-fiction books on Kentucky history, but there are very few creative non-fiction books on the market. The Frontiersman's Daughter is one of those books. I cannot recommend this book highly enough - to my family and friends, and to people who have a natural curiosity about Kentucky, or just want to learn a little more. You will not be disappointed. (less)

1 like · like · see review

Dec 24, 2012 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Overall, this book was incredible. It was unlike any novel I've read before. The writing was outstanding. My only beef with this book is the lack of resolution. I absolutely loved the ending and the fact that Lael wound up with Ian Justus, but there was never any explanation given as to what happened to Captain Jack. I was really starting to like him, too! About halfway through the book we were lead to believe they would be getting married, and then he completely disappeared. Since the book was...more

like · see review

Aug 29, 2009 Janna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ahhh, sweet peace in my soul... that is what I'm experiencing in the wake of closing the back cover of "The Frontiersman's Daughter" after finishing the last page. A sense that all is right with the world because Lael Click is going to be alright. How is it that in just a day I can care about Lael so much that it matters to me that she is going to be okay? It is possible because Laura Frantz has penned a beautiful historical epic that sent me back in time to get familiar with Lael as she is grow...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 20, 2012 Sabrina Guthrie rated it 5 of 5 stars

When Lael is a young child, her father was taken captive by Shawnee indians...when he returns home, he is a changed man sharing a lot of the Shawnee ways. You share the ups and downs of life on the frontier of Kentucke from Lael's point of view. She has a love for the openness that instantly makes you yearn for wide open fields or shady woods. She falls for 3 men in her life. A man named Simon that becomes her childhood sweetheart, a white man turned Shawnee named Captian Jack, and the charismat...more

like · see review

Dec 16, 2012 Nichole rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is quite possibly the best book I have ever read. The writer's lovely, poetic prose took me on a journey few could ever do. This story about a Kentucke girl is so well written, I felt as if I were there beside Lael, watching as her life and heart unfolded. Unlike so many other books, I could not predict what would happen. At times i wanted to smack the Leal for her stupid decisions, as well as glory with her in her accomplishments. The story meanders, as so much of life does. Even so, I wa...more

like · see review

Sep 08, 2009 Meadow rated it 4 of 5 stars

Woo! First reads winner!!

1 like · like · see review

Feb 13, 2010 Krista rated it 4 of 5 stars

he more books I read the more picky I become. I want to say though that I loved this book. There were so many twists and turns and unexpected happenings that I really could not tell you what would happen next.
Lael Click is the daughter of a famous frontiersman. He had been captured by the Shawnee Indians when she was a girl. She lives in the Kentucky settlement her father founded years ago. She is a young girl at the beginning of the story. She faces many trials, including the Indians, the other...more

like · see review

Jun 02, 2013 Katie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

If you like "Christy" then you will probably like this book. I could not put this book down, I just had to know how it would end. It seemed a little drawn-out in the beginning, but it really picked-up half-way through. I'm not saying that it is too long, it is just that full of detail. The history is fascinating, I felt like I was experiencing the same things as Lael. Some things, like the simplicity of life in the wilderness, made me wish I lived there. Other things, like the disease and threat...more If you like "Christy" then you will probably like this book. I could not put this book down, I just had to know how it would end. It seemed a little drawn-out in the beginning, but it really picked-up half-way through. I'm not saying that it is too long, it is just that full of detail. The history is fascinating, I felt like I was experiencing the same things as Lael. Some things, like the simplicity of life in the wilderness, made me wish I lived there. Other things, like the disease and threat of war with the Natives, made me thankful for where I live now.

*Spoiler Alert*

I enjoy romance, but looking back on the story I don't think Lael's relationships with Simon and Captain Jack were really romantic because they were superficial. Simon was her childhood sweetheart, but he was unfaithful to her and wasn't bold enough to prove his love for her. He showed himself to be "all show and no stay" like her father said. Captain Jack was a bit confusing. He practically stalks her for a few years, then she starts to find him attractive and she has a few romantic interludes with him that are more passion than love. Finally, he disappears without explanation. To me the only real love Lael had was with Ian. She and Ian develop a relationship not based on passion, but on mutual respect and faith. Yes, they are very physically attracted to each other, but their love is not centered around it.

Some say that Lael is fickle and foolish and I agree, but that is what makes her a good character, she is a real woman with real flaws. I find it interesting that after years of looking down on her mom for her fickle nature and for following her passions, Lael realizes how she is just like her mom. Some have complained about the lack of closure with Captain Jack, and I did too at first, but now I think that made her final choice more meaningful. She could have chosen to keep waiting for Captain Jack to return, she could have chosen Simon since he was available again, but she chose Ian because she loved him.

I also find it interesting how the author kept bringing up the beads. At first I kept thinking "enough with the beads already," but then I saw them as something more. At first she clung to them as a reminder of her past and who she was when she was far away from home. Later she see them as a symbol of her "old self" and realizes that she must discard them to move on as a new creation in Christ. I may have read too much into that, but it made me think.(less)

like · see review

Aug 31, 2009 Flora rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this debut book. My favorite genre is historical fiction and I particularly love reading about the west or our frontier past. I am always in awe of the patience and perserverance of our forefathers and this book showcases those traits as well as the reliance on religious faith. The heroine of the story is particularly complex---a mixture of civilized and wild; loving books and medicine and, yet, craving the outdoors and solitude. Because of the dicotomy of her personality, she h...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 20, 2010 Casey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contentment-reading-challenge-2011

I had heard wonderful things about this book, but really wasn’t prepared for how blown away I was going to be!
THE FRONTIERSMAN’S DAUGHTER has it all. Adventure, romance, grudges, war, a gutsy heroine and not one, but two awesome heros!
From the first page where Lael let down her hair in the presence in a war party of Shawnee I was hooked. Usually in a romance I can ultimately tell who will be the heroine’s choice- I had no idea in this novel! It kept me completely entranced in the story. The wate...more

7 likes · like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 92 93 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Christian Fiction...: ❀Caitlyn and Melanie❀ The Frontiersman's Daughter by Laura Frantz	1	3	Mar 29, 2013 09:12pm

combine
Other Editions (6)

More editions...

Genres

Historical Fiction

51 users

Christian Fiction

47 users

Christian

30 users

Romance

26 users

Romance > Historical Romance

14 users

Inspirational

8 users

Romance > Christian Romance

7 users

Christian Fiction > Christian Historical Fiction

5 users

Adventure

5 users

Romance > Clean Romance

3 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Laura Frantz

Christ-follower, history lover, wife, mom, author. Felt called to write since age 7 and have been writing ever since. My first love is 18th-century fiction, especially colonial history. I feel blessed beyond measure to write books. I hope you are doubly blessed reading them!

More about Laura Frantz...

Books by Laura Frantz

Love's Reckoning (The Ballantyne Legacy, #1)

Love's Awakening (The Ballantyne Legacy, #2)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About The Frontiersman'...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: The Frontiersman's Daughter
avg rating	preview: The Frontiersman's Daughter Goodreads rating: 3.98 (1380 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6052079-the-frontiersman-s-daughter?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347978660l/6052079.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6052079-the-frontiersman-s-daughter?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Frontiersman's Daughter by Laura Frantz[/url]

The Frontiersman's Daughter

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website