Unemployed mill worker Zoe Hart jumps at the opportunity to emigrate to British Columbia in 1863 to find a better life and be reunited with her brother, who fled from home after being accused of a crime. Pastor to miners in the mountains, Abe Merivale discovers an abandoned baby during a routine visit to Victoria and joins efforts with Zoe, one of the newly arrived bride-ship women, to care for … for the infant. While there, he’s devastated by the news from his fiancee in England that she’s marrying another man.With mounting pressure to find the baby a home, Zoe accepts a proposal from a miner of questionable character after he promises to help her locate her brother. Intent on protecting Zoe and frustrated by his failed engagement, Abe offers his own hand as groom. After a hasty wedding, they soon realize their marriage of convenience is not so convenient after all.
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I have enjoyed reading the Bride Ship series. Each story stands alone yet eloquently captures the very heart of not only the time period but also the characters. I find myself saying, “this is my favorite one”, And then I read the next story, and its even better! The flawless descriptions of the setting bring me right into the story with the characters. I could almost smell the abundant evergreens and feel the mud sucking at my feet as we traveled through the town burdened down with our purchases from the small, cluttered general store. Even the background characters felt real and important.
I loved Zoe’s heart for others, especially children. Even though she has known her share of heartache, and tries to hold her heart away from others, she just can’t help but be lead by her heart. I also, wanted to scoop up baby Violet and cuddle her and sing her songs, and give her bubble kisses on her sweet cheeks. It is easy to see how Zoe instantly fell in love with this sweet baby!
Abe may have bumbled his way into his marriage with Zoe, but once he made the commitment he didn’t stray from it. I just wish he had learned a little sooner how to express his affection and commitment. Of course it was his personality type and his history that held him back. But once he figures it out, nothing holds him back!
I absolutely loved this marriage of convince story and I know these dynamic characters will stay with me for quite a while. This story has easily earned a place on my favorite keeper shelf and I smile ever time I glimpse the book there, knowing what delights await within its pages! I highly recommend this wonderful story!
(I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher. I am not required to write a positive review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.)
Wow, what another wonderful read by Jody Hedlund! I really enjoyed this one. I quickly bonded with Zoe’s character and that connection only seemed to deepen the further I got into the story. The characters and the plot were both well developed and it was easy to get sucked into their world. I also felt the romance was fantastically well created and genuine to how it could have unfolded to someone in their circumstances. It was easy to root for Zoe and Abe as a couple when they were so likable individually, and together they were the perfect team even though it took some time for them to truly discover that. Even though this is the third book in the series, it could easily be read as a standalone. The main characters from the first two books were from a different bride ship so you wouldn’t be missing out on Zoe’s beginning. I still recommend them though because they’re wonderful reads as well.
I fully enjoyed this read and now I’m already impatiently waiting for the next one in the series to release.
*I received a copy of this book from Bethany Publishers. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.
A Bride of Convenience is the 3rd novel in The Bride Ships series. It can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading this engaging series in order. I thought A Bride of Convenience was well-written with developed characters. Jody Hedlund captured the time-period and I enjoyed her descriptions of Vancouver Island. I was especially taken with the cave with the hot spring. In A Bride of Convenience, it is women who worked in the cotton mills who are on the bride ship. They have been unemployed, and food was lacking at home. Zoe Hart’s family fell apart when her mother passed. Her father took to the bottle while her sister, Meg became addicted to laudanum. Two things haunt Zoe. The loss of her sister’s baby and the reason her brother, Zeke fled England. Zoe came on the bride ship to find Zeke and set things right for him. Pastor Abe Merivale is three years into a five-year assignment in British Columbia. After his time there, he wishes to return to England to marry his sweetheart and get his own parish. Abe has plans to become a bishop. First, though, he must do well on this assignment and get the local bishop’s recommendation. Zoe is a spunky woman who is kind, caring, and compassionate. She has a natural affinity with children. Abe has the same qualities. He wants to do more than just address his parishioners’ spiritual needs. Abe has a hands-on approach. He wishes to make sure they have a good home life, food, and shelter. Abe even finds ways to keep the kids occupied during the long winter months. The Christian element is developed and integrated into the book. I liked how all the various parts of the book worked together for one complete story. It was interesting learning about headache remedies utilized. I could feel for Zoe and the pain she suffered. I could tell the author did her research for this series, and I enjoyed reading the Author’s Note at the end of the book. A Bride of Convenience has drama, suspense, family, friendship, and romance. A Bride of Convenience is a captivating tale with a neglected newborn, a bullying bishop, an immoral man, an absent brother, and a wanton woman.
Jody Hedlund’s books just keep on getting better and better. This is my favorite one of the Brideship series as of yet. A Bride of Convenience was so good and I loved it! A Bride of Convenience is the third book in Jody Hedlund’s Brideship series.
This book features a new female character who arrives at the beginning of the book. But our hero of the story is Pastor Abe. Yay! I have been waiting for his book ever since I met him in Pete and Arabella’s book. In this book, Abe finds himself married to one of the brideship girls, Zoe. They form a marriage of convenience in order to care for a baby left in their care. But will a marriage like this survive, the strain of working with the miners and trying to live up to the bishop’s standards?
Zoe was so sweet, she loved and served with her whole heart. I loved her from the beginning, it was so cool how she took in a baby even though the baby came from mixed parents. It was so fun to read about her falling in love with Abe. It was a slow thing, but I could tell from the beginning that she cared for him.
I loved Abe, he loved those God had put under his care. But he was fighting hard to make himself be the way the bishop wanted him to be. Abe was so kind and he worked hard to help those under his care, he was willing to do anything.
I really adored Zoe, Abe and Violet together. They were such a cute family. I really loved the addition of Will, he was such a sweet boy. They felt like a family to me and I became really invested in them from the beginning. It was charming to read about how much Will cared for Zoe and how he even stood up to Abe to defend Zoe. Secondary characters really do help to make a book better. Mrs. Moresby was in this book too, so happy to see her again.
Two of my favorite quotes from this book are “You might still be running away from God. But He’s never left you, and He’s waiting for you to seek Him again.” which is such a good reminder that God is a kind Father who wants us to turn to Him. And “you don’t have to be perfect or have your situation all figured out to be used by the good Lord. If you have a willing heart, that’s all He needs.” a quote from Mrs. Moresby, who I love reading about. This quote is so encouraging because it helps you to see that God can use you if you are willing to serve Him.
I don’t know what else to say, I loved this book. My favorite of her series so far and of her historical romances. A Bride of Convenience was just that good. I would definitely recommend this book, if you have read any of Jody’s books then you have to read this one. I can’t wait for Almost a Bride!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
Zoe left everything to join a bride ship and find her brother. Abe was a preacher that was trying to re-find his purpose before returning to England. A mix-up in a desperate moment brought them together.
In this book, Jody Hedlund weaves a tale of finding trust, faith, and family with healing along the way. Both Abe and Zoe know loneliness and in the wilds of frontier life in mining camps in British Columbia they find something they didn’t know they were seeking.
I loved this story and the faith of these two souls, I love the idea of God’s hand in making things good and right as well as their need to follow what His plan is for them.
I would absolutely read this again and will look for other works by this author,
I received an eARC from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest review.
Jody Hedlund has a gift for writing stories that both entertain and educate, and “A Bride of Convenience” is no exception. The third book in her Bride Ships series, this story is full of fascinating historical detail, valuable lessons in faith, and sweet romance.
Although “A Bride of Convenience” is a bit slower in terms of romance than other Hedlund novels, it is still brilliantly written. Hedlund punctuates her story with incredible historical detail, plus compelling, relatable, inspiringly real characters that never fail to touch the heart of the reader. Her characters remind us that we are all fallible, and it is what we choose to do in the face of adversity that ultimately defines us. Hedlund’s portrayal of children in her stories is the most accurate and adorable depiction I have come across, and the relationship between Zoe, Abe, and the children in their lives is touching and perfectly portrayed.
I have found humor in other novels by Hedlund, but this story was particularly funny and added another element to a story readers will greatly enjoy. I have enjoyed every novel written by Hedlund, and she has a special knack for the marriage of convenience trope. I was pleasantly surprised by the different way she portrayed this particular marriage of convenience story, since the romance is not what readers may expect but is ultimately greatly fulfilling.
Readers will also enjoy seeing beloved characters from former books in this series in “A Bride of Convenience.” I am so excited for Zeke Hart’s story in the fourth and final book in the Bride Ships series, coming late this summer. Fans of Hedlund will not want to miss any of the books in this series.
Sail away with the complete series! “A Reluctant Bride,” “A Runaway Bride,” and “A Bride of Convenience” are available now. “Almost A Bride” releases August 25, 2020.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Jody Hedlund does it again. I loved this book so much, I read it in one day! It captured me from the very beginning. The heartbreak of Jane to meeting Abe, I just knew I would love Zoe. The story is so well planned out, I couldn’t guess what would happened next. The historical aspects of her books are researched so well. The characters are well defined and engaging. It is a Christian historical and since Abe is a minister, there are many references to religion. I enjoyed the way Abe and Zoe worked together to help those around them. This is the third book in the Bride ship series, they can be read individually. I am looking forward to book 4!
Thank you to Bethany house publishers and net galley for my copy of this book. This is my honest review of A bride of convenience.
Author Jody Hedlund has written and absolutely beautiful marriage of convenience story in her novel A Bride of Convenience. The story is of pushing through the struggles of living in the colonies. It’s about overcoming unexpected circumstances, including an unexpected marriage and then a rapidly growing family, as well as rediscovering a lost brother. And most of there is the romance that will take away the breath of readers as swoon with the romantic tension throughout the story. Readers will love the compassion and the love that Zoe has for orphaned children and the faith of Paster Abe and as they come to create a family all their own. This story is delightful from cover to cover and readers will not want to set it down.
Series: The Bride Ships
Genre: historical, romance, Christian
Publisher: Bethany House
Publication date: June 30, 2020
Number of pages: 352
Other books in the series:
1-A Reluctant Bride
2-The Runaway Bride
4-Almost a Bride (coming August 25, 2020)
Disclosure statement: A complimentary review copy of this book was provided from tour groups, publishers, publicists, and authors, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, Or borrowed from Kindle Unlimited OR pre-ordered/purchased for review. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book! The story line was great as were the main and supporting characters. The romantic pull and tension between the two main characters was there, causing you to root for them throughout the book.
Great interweaving of history in the story to make it enjoyable but not heavy.
As a Christian fiction book, the author did a good job showing the characters’ relationships with God and how it affected their relationships with others.
Strong willed, kind, resourceful Zoe made this story worth it. As a ship bride her future was uncertain but her heart sure. I admired how she never allowed fear stop her from doing the right thing no matter how hard. So much more that her determination and faith greatly influenced Abe. I loved his heart for the colonies where he was a preacher and how he loved to connect with those others shunned.
Together they both lived out God’s purpose for their lives despite opposition and expectations.
Their love story was so beautiful.
Beautiful historical story.
I recieved a copy of this book from Netgalley and this is my honest opinion
A Bride of Convenience, by Jody Hedlund, is the third book in The Bride Ships series. Rich with history, adventure, and romance, this captivating story is truly engaging and memorable. Its immersive settings, authentic characters, and gripping plot ensure that this book offers a fantastic reading experience to all who venture into its pages.
With a remarkable gift for story development, Ms. Hedlund has crafted yet another novel that is compelling and full of heart. From small colonial towns along a winding river, to the rustic warmth of a one room cabin, to the mountainous woodlands of northwest Canada, the settings in this novel appeal fully to the reader’s senses and imagination. And it is within these detailed settings that the characters in this book endeavor to make amends, heal broken relationships, pursue God’s calling, redeem that which was lost, discover their purpose, and nurture their faith. Page after page, these characters show themselves to be genuinely believable and intriguing. Their hopes, fears, insecurities, and convictions are moving and relevant. Through these characters, the story flows naturally carrying the reader along on a riveting journey of uncertainty, hope, danger, doubt, compassion, love, and new beginnings.
Well-written and entertaining from beginning to end, A Bride of Convenience is a novel worthy of attention. It is thought-provoking, uplifting, and meaningful. I thoroughly enjoyed this touching story, and I am eager to read the next book in this series. I highly recommend this novel to all readers.
*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher and NetGalley. A review was not required. The review I have written is voluntary and contains opinions that are entirely my own.
Book 3 in the Bride Ships series continues following women who chose to leave England for Victoria, spending months on a ship to marry a stranger and hope for a better life. While this one can be a stand alone, I highly recommend reading books 1 and 2. They’re really good!
Author Jody Hedlund has crafted a story with strong characters, both good and bad. She gives us such incredible descriptions of the country, of the people, of the villages, that you will feel a part of the book. Abe and Zoe are both struggling with low self esteem. We see them grow and develop as they learn to trust God and each other.
If you enjoy historical fiction that is based on true happenings, has danger and love, then you’ll enjoy this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.
In this third book of The Bride Ships series, we revisit Vancouver, British Columbia and a few of the characters from the previous books. This is the story of Pastor Abe Merivale.
Zoe Hart has nothing left to keep her in England so she boards a Bride Ship to British Columbia in search of her twin, Zeke, who is in the gold fields there. With so many men clamoring for a bride, Zoe can hardly choose. But she becomes desperate and almost marries an evil man. Pastor Abe steps in and offers a marriage of convenience. Together they have charge of a mixed race baby girl. Zoe has a real heart for orphaned children and Pastor Abe considers them a part of his ministry. He has established connections with the people in remote areas and has plans to build a Church in
Yale. There are many obstacles for Zoe and Abe, from the weather to an unsympathetic Bishop to the man who says Abe stole Zoe from him.
Ms. Hedlund fleshes out her characters and gives them interesting backgrounds that all fit together in a story of faith and hardship, falling in love and learning to rely on God. Zoe: “If God gives us our ministry, then no one else has the power to take it away. Not even the bishop.”
As always, Jody Hedlund takes historical facts and weaves a plausible, inspiring and entertaining story. This is one of her finest.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House on behalf of the author. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*
I love this series so much!
Loved it
Reading A Bride of Convenience by Jody Hedlund, I wondered how I waited so long to read this book. Hedlund’s The Bride Ships series’ third book was a real pleasure. I enjoyed the history Hedlund accurately wove into the narrative about Canadian mining towns, English brides, and the smallpox epidemic that the Vancouver native Americans endured in the mid-late 1800s. It was sad to see such a great amount of prejudice and mistreatment against the native Americans. Zoe is a great heroine, rising from a ”nobody” to somebody who stands tall because of her character. And then there’s loveable, rather hapless Abe, struggling to figure out exactly what direction God wants his life to take. I felt like Abe was torn between what people such as the Bishop told him he should do, and what God was leading him to actually do. Will Abe choose comfort or honor? My favorite secondary character is Mrs. Moresby. What a difference she made in the brides’ lives.
A Bride of Convenience is a delicious serving of English bride ships and Vancouver history with a side of social commentary wrapped up in compelling romantic prose that will keep you eagerly reading from the first page to last. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the author and publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily leaving this review. All opinions are my own.
“A Bride of Convenience” the Bride Ship series (book 3) – Jody Hedlund
I loved this story. There is heart-break and joy, faith and trust, and lots of love in the book. Although this story can be enjoyed as a stand a-lone I recommend reading the series in the order written for your best over-all enjoyment. Also, be sure to stick around at the end for the authors notes for a bit of historical background which enhances the story, at least it did for me. This is a worthy read. Happy Reading ! !
Note: I downloaded this audiobook from my state library. This is my honest opinion
Note: there is a book 4… at this moment in time I am on the wait list for my turn, estimated wait 10-weeks.
(3.5 / 5)
In the 1860s, women were shipped from England to Victoria, in what is now Canada, to become wives for the bachelors who lived and worked in the British colonies. Author Jody Hedlund imagines what might have happened to some of the women on those ships in her series The Bride Ships. This is book #3 of that series, though can be read as a standalone. Only a day off the ship, Zoe becomes the guardian of an abandoned infant. While a local pastor named Abe attempts to find the baby’s father, Zoe resolves to care for the baby herself. But single-motherhood is not only difficult, but nearly impossible in this untamed land. Through a misunderstanding, Zoe and Abe marry and then are faced with the difficult decisions that come from a hasty marriage of convenience.
Marriages of convenience have always been something that draw my attention, especially in a Christian setting. The story of Zoe and Abe and how they get to know each other, become friends, and hope for more, was sweet and captivating. If my rating were based only on that, it would have been at least 4 stars, maybe more. However, my lower rating is because of the physical lust that I had to wade through.
I’ll start with the positives, though, because outside of the physical stuff, or if I’d been able to skip over it, I really enjoyed the overall story. I liked both of the main characters as individuals, which seems fairly uncommon in romances I read these days. Abe had some issues being assertive (which I can related to), but found a backbone when it was needed. Zoe was uncertain about her ability to be a “proper” pastor’s wife, but had a lot more actionable compassion than she realized. I was able to predict what happened near the end, but would have been pretty surprised about the way the rest of the story had gone if my prediction had not come true. I would actually like to see more of these two, as long as they can keep their physical desires about each other out of the narrative.
So obviously, the fact that Abe and Zoe are married through most of the book is going to involve some physical desires. And because they’re married, even though they’re still basically strangers, it’s okay, right? Sure, I don’t have a problem with a husband and wife lusting after each other, even if they’ve only just met, or if their marriage was not borne of love for each other. And I really appreciate the fact that they were completely respectful of each other, because, as Zoe herself observes, in the confines of being married, Abe may have felt he had the right to take whatever he wanted. But what did bother me was the near-constant leering. More specifically, it’s the fairly detailed descriptions of the leering that made me uncomfortable as I read. Just because two people are married doesn’t mean I want to hear the details of their love lives, lusts, or desires. Even Abe himself, in the story, finds himself uncomfortable in the presence of his friend and friend’s new bride, as they apparently made out in front of him a lot. Just because they’re married doesn’t mean we all want to watch them enjoying each other.
I’m sure it might seem to some like there’s no way around it, given the story presented, but I think that it could have been toned way down. And because this is a Christian book, which will be expected to be clean and okay for younger people, I wanted to make sure to mention this possible issue for others. To be fair, there’s nothing I would call explicit, but it’s about the closest I can remember reading in a Christian book. From the other reviews, it’s clear that I’m in the minority here, but as another reviewer stated, I would not allow my daughter to read this when she’s a teenager, and would be very uncomfortable listening to an audiobook of this with any members of my family around.
I hate to say this, because I do think the story was well-written. I have a feeling the other books in this series, maybe others by the author too, likely don’t have the same problem (I certainly hope not, at least). But I would have a difficult time recommending this book too widely. If you aren’t bothered by this kind of thing and enjoy Christian romance, certainly give it a try. But be careful where you’re reading it or listening to it, and please make sure to read it before allowing your teenager to read it.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bethany House for providing me a copy of this book to review.
This third in the bride ship series is my least favorite, mostly because of Abe. Abe’s waffling feelings and actions regarding Zoe drive me a little crazy. I understand that societal and occupational pressure is hard to resist, but I wish he had been more steady. The bishop is awful! His influence hurt more than anything.
Zoe has all of my sympathy. Her efforts are thwarted continuously. She has a generous nature that is admirable but she is taken advantage of. I do love that she does everything she can in order to care for the baby she adopts.
A marriage of convenience is one of my favorite tropes. I think the developing relationship can be intriguing. Bride of Convenience is worth the read even though Abe needed a good talking to a few times.
Thank you to Bethany House and NetGalley for the e-book copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
As you can probably guess from the title, the third book in Jody Hedlund’s The Bride Ships series is a marriage of convenience story.
The ship Zoe sails from England to Canada is a different one from that in the first two books with a group of women from a different social class. Zoe’s tender heart is apparent the first time she appears on the page as she cares for her friend and only gets better from there.
The way Abe and Zoe end up married is somewhat humorous but also a very good thing because it not only saves Zoe from a marriage that would have been horrible, it brings two people who make a wonderful team together.
Hedlund develops the romance between these two characters in a natural way that begins with appreciation and recognition of the strengths of each other and grows into love. Of course there are obstacles to them expressing their love but those just make A Bride of Convenience a richer read.
Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.