A Road Paved in Copper

Abandoned at an orphanage as a young girl, Ava De La Vega had little in the way of opportunities. As she grew she learned to thrive in a man’s world, and now is a force to be reckoned with.  Ava owns some of the richest mines in Nevada, which produce gold, silver, and copper. She exists in a world where men are jealous of her success and try to take what she has earned away from her by any means. She lives with a gun, fights like a man, and digs in the holes of the mines. At certain times of the year however, she appreciates the finer things in life: the decadence of San Francisco, fine clothes, and delicious meals. She meets her match in Craig Harrison, a man who has survived the harsh Klondike.

The author draws readers right into a story of the harsh realities of a strong woman making her way in a man’s world in 1903. She paints a vivid picture with dirt, dust, and grime, which brings the story to life. However, there comes a point where there is too much description and it becomes more telling than showing. What the reader will enjoy is Ava, the strong, feisty protagonist with a  passion for life. The reader will be immersed in the old west, the language, the customs, and the difficult choices women had to make back then.

L. Kane