Living in London’s poorest slum, Mercy Wilkins has little hope of a better life. When she’s offered an opportunity to join a bride ship sailing to British Columbia, she agrees. After witnessing so much painful heartache and loss in the slums, the bride ship is her only prospect to escape a bleak future, not only for herself but, she hopes, someday for her sister.Wealthy and titled Joseph Colville … Joseph Colville leaves home and takes to the sea in order to escape the pain of losing his family. As ship’s surgeon, he’s in charge of the passengers’ welfare aboard the Tynemouth, including sixty brides-to-be. He has no immediate intention of settling down, but when Mercy becomes his assistant, the two must fight against a forbidden love.
With hundreds of single men congregating on the shore eager to claim a bride from the Tynemouth, will Mercy and Joseph lose their chance at true love, or will they be able to overcome the obstacles that threaten to keep them apart?
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Mercy and Joseph’s story is more than the convergence of two worlds or a sweet tale of opposites and attraction.
Hedlund digs deep to the very core of compassion and humanity by exposing and stripping away societal expectations, prejudice, and even legacy. Both characters struggle to overcome obstacles, navigate the literal and figurative stormy waters of life, and discover their God-given purpose.
A Reluctant Bride has not only sparked my interest in the historical aspects but it has also pricked my heart for those who are suffering in similar and heaven-forbid worse circumstances at this moment somewhere in the world.
I highly recommend this story, eagerly anticipate the next installment of The Bride Ships series, and fully expect the characters, setting, and message to linger in my heart and mind for a long period of time.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions expressed are my own.
A Reluctant Bride, by Jody Hedlund, is the first book in The Bride Ships series. Rich with detail and drama, this compelling story is utterly engaging and memorable. Elements of adventure, history, and romance ensure that this book is fascinating and meaningful; while its immersive settings, authentic characters, and gripping plot elevate this novel and make it truly impressive.
Ms. Hedlund’s style of storytelling is thoroughly captivating. From the grit and desperation of the London slums in the late nineteen century, to the power and beauty of unpredictable ocean waters, to the cramped conditions on a wooden sailing ship, to the stunning grandeur of northwest Canada, the settings of this novel fully appeal to the reader’s senses and imagination.
Existing within the detailed settings, the characters in this novel add depth and heart to the story. They are believable, sympathetic, and intriguing. Their fears, desires, doubts, and motivations are thought-provoking and relevant. And it is through these characters that the plot flows easily, sweeping the reader along on an enthralling journey of danger, doubt, faith, and new beginnings.
Well-written and entertaining from the first page to the last, A Reluctant Bride is worthy of high praise. I absolutely enjoyed reading it, and I am eagerly looking forward to reading the next book in this series. I gladly recommend this novel to all readers.
*I was given a copy of this book from the publisher and from NetGalley. A review was not required. The review I have written contains opinions that are entirely my own.
Book one in the Bride Ships series, I didn’t know that bride ships were a real thing. Author Jody Hedlund did a good job with research and presenting historical facts in an interesting way. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
London wasn’t good to the poor during this time in history, and I knew that, but it still wasn’t fun reading about the things they had to deal with. I found myself urging Mercy to take the step of getting on the bride ship. Almost anything had to be better for her. And then there was Joseph and the pain he carried with him. The well developed characters will pull you into the story and take you on the journey to healing. Along with that, the descriptions within the book are very well done. I could have gotten seasick when the ship hit a storm.
So often we assume we know where a book is headed and how storylines will go but don’t do that with this one. Hedlund has a few surprises for her readers. All in all, I found myself emotionally into the story and I really am looking forward to the next book in this series. If you enjoy historical fiction with clean romance, then get a copy of A Reluctant Bride today.
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.
A new Jody Hedlund book is always something that I meet with great anticipation. When it’s the opener of a new series, even better! A Reluctant Bride is a lovely start to her Bride Ships series. I love that Hedlund tackles another intriguing historical event, this time women being a part of a bride ship to be sent to marry complete strangers. This is something I have vaguely heard about before but have never read any fiction concerning this happening.
Our main character Mercy is a desperate woman. Given the option of the workhouse, living on the streets, or perhaps an even worse fate, Mercy decides to forgo them all and agrees to sail on one of the bride ships. Bound for a colony and potential marriage to men they have never met, Mercy and the other women are kept under strict separation by their chaperones. Mercy, however, has a gift for tending to those who are ill, and becomes a great help to the ship’s doctor. This doctor, Joseph Colville, happens to be an aristocrat, and the stark contrasts between their stations in life is one of the fascinating elements of this story. From living conditions in London to sailing conditions on the ship, Hedlund shows the contrast between the sheer desperation of the poor and the ease of the rich.
While this novel is classified as a historical romance, the plot doesn’t suffer any from that distinction. Plenty of plot points held my attention, and I also enjoyed Mercy and Joseph trying to work through their obvious differences in stations of life. The romance is easy to root for, of course, and readers looking for some sigh-worthy moments will not be disappointed. I’m hopeful that some of the secondary character from this story will be back with a story of their own in coming books.
A Reluctant Bride is the perfect summer read to sink into with its fascinating history, endearing characters, and tender romance. I am eager to see where Hedlund takes the series next!
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review, and the opinions expressed here are my own.
Jody Hedlund has done it again! This is another 5 star, must read historical novel! Somehow she gets me so wrapped up in the story. I just couldn’t put it down! I loved it! I cared so much about the characters and their circumstances. I just had to know what was going to happen. I can’t wait to read more! I highly recommend this book!
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
I love reading Christian fiction. It’s certainly my favorite genre and I have many favorite authors. Not all Christian fiction is created equal, and even among my favorite authors are stories and characters that stick in my mind long after closing the final page. This is one of those stories!
In A Reluctant Bride, author Jody Hedlund takes us on a journey back to 1862 with Mercy and Joseph, from the worst slum in the poorest section of London to on board a ship bound for Vancouver and British Columbia.
As much of a history buff as I am, I’m more of a student of American History. I was fascinated to learn about the Columbia Mission Society of London and their efforts to bring good Christian women to the miners and migrants in the Canadian west. I was also delighted as this story unfolded that it reminded me at times of Gilbert and Lynn Morris’ The Stars For A Light, the first Cheney Duvall, MD novel in the series that still and maybe always will, sit at the top of my “favorites” shelf.
A Reluctant Bride begins by introducing us to Mercy Wilkins. She is the 18 year old second daughter of a rag picker and sewage cleaner in London’s poorest neighborhood. Mercy hasn’t had an easy day in her life. Used to the horrors of the slums, she endures loss, starvation, and fear on a daily basis. We first meet her carrying a terribly sick child from her neighborhood to the doctor, with little hope that her efforts will make much difference. Mercy doesn’t long for better things… she barely knows they exist. She only hopes to survive and exemplify her name to the people she can help.
Things go from bad to worse, for when Mercy’s mum loses her job, it becomes obvious that she’s become a burden. Her efforts at finding a job fail and she resigns herself to joining her beloved sister at the workhouse. But her sister Patience, who loves Mercy with her whole heart, has another plan. Too sick to go herself, Patience convinces Mercy to apply to travel on a ship bound for British Columbia to start a new life. Reluctant, Mercy does so out of love for Patience, with no idea that the main job the women are expected to get in the new world is that of wife!
Also setting out on the journey is ship’s surgeon Joseph. LORD Joseph Colville. A man with wealth and title, Joseph has been running from the life society has deemed he should have ever since the loss of his parents and brother to cholera. He has instead thrown himself into training and working tirelessly as a doctor. A veteran of several voyages to exotic places, when approached by a captain who knew his father about joining the trip to the Pacific Northwest, Joseph jumps at the chance to once again escape London. Little does he know that 60 of the passengers he will be responsible for are single women!
Thus begins the Tynemouth’s journey, and also journeys of self-discovery for Joseph and Mercy. Through seasickness, mutiny, a hurricane, and threat of disease, Joseph and Mercy become friends. With a million reasons why they shouldn’t, their forbidden feelings for each other begin to grow, despite both of their misgivings about forming any relationship at all. They are drawn to each other’s character, despite the chasm between their places in society. Their love story is not an easy journey, much like the physical journey of the ship.
Here is where I stop, with the hope that you’ll purchase this wonderful novel and read it for yourself. I struggled to put it down. The way Jody paces the narrative urges you to keep journeying until you get to the end.
The history lover in me loved learning about the real-life journey of this bride ship, class structure during this era in London, and the realistic descriptions not sugarcoating how awful life was in the slums or on the ship.
The romantic in me melted over the realization that Jody based this love story on the actual events of the ship… how the ship’s surgeon and one of the brides-to-be fell in love while working together on board. Though little is known about the actual couple, Jody has preserved their love story forever on the pages of this novel.
I completely and totally recommend this story to history and romance lovers alike. Also to lovers of Christian fiction, because as usual, Jody does not disappoint. She carefully weaves the struggle of faith into Mercy and Joseph’s lives.
Neither have an easy time with their faith either. Joseph often draws comparisons of himself to Jonah, running from God’s true calling. And Mercy struggles with her feelings of unworthiness. The idea that God created everyone to be on the same level is something she struggles to understand.
I received a copy of this book as a gift from Jody Hedlund for the purpose of helping promote it. I was not required to be positive, but how could I not be after reading this wonderful story?
Pick up A Reluctant Bride and go on the journey with Mercy and Joseph. You won’t regret it! I certainly can’t wait for the next installment.
“Though her hair was damp and unkempt, face smudged and weary, her garments soggy and splattered with all manner of filth, for a reason he couldn’t explain, she had grown more beautiful and not less.”
What an incredible journey! Jody Hedlund is well-known for her beautifully written historical fiction and this beginning of a new series about bride ships will surely delight her fans and garner more followers. The story sets out in Victorian London where squalor, poverty, and hopelessness abound and moves across the oceans to Vancouver Island (British Columbia) where untainted beauty and new opportunities await. Truly this story enveloped me completely and had me right there next to Mercy and Joseph as they battled the darkness of London, the trying and emotionally confusing voyage across the different oceans and waterways, and the uncertainty in a new world.
Mercy, in her sweetness and goodness, is instantly lovable. Though meek by practice in her world of poverty, she has a fire and persistence that allow her to keep loving those around her and tend to the sick with gentleness and care. She’s been beaten down by the difficulties of life yet still holds on to her desire to help others in their suffering. Joseph is a privileged peer who has chosen to become a physician and finds himself at home serving others. But he’s running away from responsibility because of his deep-seated wound of having lost his family at a young age. Separated by class and so much more, their friendship is unlikely and frowned upon, especially since she’s unwittingly become one of the prospective brides on a bride ship to Vancouver Island and he’s the ship’s surgeon. Yet their like-mindedness in caring for the sick and their shared life experiences bring them together and their relationship unfolds ever so sweetly.
This book is a must-read for all fans of historical fiction. I received a copy of the book from Bethany House Publishers and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
I was DYING over this book and kept wanting to flip to the end to make sure they ended up together. (But I listened to the audiobook and couldn’t do that, haha. So I just held on through the intense parts and hoped!) It was SO GOOD. I love how well-developed Mercy and Joseph were and how they were truly perfect for one another; that it wasn’t just attraction bringing them together, but they noticed one another’s virtues and that they helped one another and made each other want to be better people. This was so complex and the hardships Mercy grew up in were heart-wrenching. Mercy and Joseph’s romance was delightful and gripping. It made me all kinds of fluttery inside and I loved their story so much!!
My Review:
Genre: Romance, historical, fiction.
My Rating: 4 and 1/2 stars.
My Favorite Character/s: Mercy was so different (in a good way, I promise!), her character so strong and kind — never caring for herself, but for others. I don’t really understand where she was coming from and it was nice getting to see why she did what she did.
My Verse for Mercy is Luke 10:33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, (King James Version.)
Joseph was a wonderful character and he was so good for Mercy even if they didn’t know it at first, and I enjoyed reading when he put a curtain . . . Mr. Collins (Pride and Prejudice) like character in his place.
My Verse for Joseph is Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (King James Version.)
My Thoughts: In the past, I’ve heard of Bride Ships, the idea of them was odd, interesting, and yet slightly romantic and scary . . . I guess?
I’ve read Mrs. Hedlund’s books before and enjoyed them, which led me to sign up for the launch team with little hope of getting on since I hadn’t been on any launch teams for the author before . . . But, after a while, I got an email saying I got a place and to expect my ARC paperback in the mail soon. Long story short I got it in the mail a few weeks later and, um, read it within hours. I just couldn’t put it down, the romance was perfect, the characters bond so sweet and loving. In all this is a wonderful novel from Hedlund!
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review and am truly happy to provide it.
A Reluctant Bride by Jody Hedlund
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A Reluctant Bride is book one of The Bride Ships series. I simply adore this book and the series. A Reluctant Bride is one of my favorite books of all time. I honestly couldn’t put it down. I read it all in one night. Jody is one of my favorite authors. I simply loved this storyline and the characters. Mercy and Joseph’s story is one of my favorites of all time. I have yet to find a book by Jody that I don’t love! Jody Hedlund never surprises me with her phenomenal writing.
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Living in London’s poorest slum, Mercy Wilkins harbors little hope for a better life. So when she’s offered the opportunity to join a bride ship sailing to British Columbia, she agrees. The journey abroad is her only prospect to escape a bleak future–both for herself and to help her sister, who’s suffering in a workhouse.
Wealthy and titled Joseph Colville leaves everything behind and takes to the sea to escape the pain of losing his family. As the ship’s surgeon, he’s in charge of the passengers’ welfare aboard the Tynemouth, including sixty brides-to-be. He has no immediate intention of settling down, but when Mercy becomes his assistant, the two must fight against a forbidden love.
With hundreds of single men congregating along the shore of Vancouver Island, eager to claim a bride from the Tynemouth, will Mercy and Joseph miss their chance at true love, or will they overcome the obstacles that threaten to keep them apart?
A Reluctant Bride by Jody Hedlund
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A Reluctant Bride is book one of The Bride Ships series. I simply adore this book and the series. A Reluctant Bride is one of my favorite books of all time. I honestly couldn’t put it down. I read it all in one night. Jody is one of my favorite authors. I simply loved this storyline and the characters. Mercy and Joseph’s story is one of my favorites of all time. I have yet to find a book by Jody that I don’t love! Jody Hedlund never surprises me with her phenomenal writing.
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Living in London’s poorest slum, Mercy Wilkins harbors little hope for a better life. So when she’s offered the opportunity to join a bride ship sailing to British Columbia, she agrees. The journey abroad is her only prospect to escape a bleak future–both for herself and to help her sister, who’s suffering in a workhouse.
Wealthy and titled Joseph Colville leaves everything behind and takes to the sea to escape the pain of losing his family. As the ship’s surgeon, he’s in charge of the passengers’ welfare aboard the Tynemouth, including sixty brides-to-be. He has no immediate intention of settling down, but when Mercy becomes his assistant, the two must fight against a forbidden love.
With hundreds of single men congregating along the shore of Vancouver Island, eager to claim a bride from the Tynemouth, will Mercy and Joseph miss their chance at true love, or will they overcome the obstacles that threaten to keep them apart?
There is so much about this book I could talk about; it was incredibly rich in historical details, romance, and full of heart. I was completely moved by Mercy’s tale as well as Joseph’s backstory. The plight of the poor was truly heartbreaking; it was devastating to realize how terrible things for some people were. The author tastefully brought those realities to life while maintaining a clean platform and delivering inspiring messages as well as weaving in some beautiful Christian themes without coming across preachy.
The romance was super swoony and I cheered for Mercy and Joseph the entire time. Joseph’s overall goodness was so incredible. I also loved the charity they both had towards others even when their circumstances dictated they shouldn’t serve as they did.
I definitely enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the other novels in this series.
I’ve read several of Jody Hedlund’s books lately. And I really like them. I like the way she puts her characters in real situations. And the way she has them think about God, the way they would have. Especially in historical times. She just makes these characters and plots jump off the page for me. And I love it!
This one features Mercy. Mercy’s life at the beginning of the book made me so sad. She lived in the slums of London. Death was no stranger to her. And her family was really messed up. The saddest thing was her sick sister at the factory. So when Mercy gets the chance to go to Victoria, Canada on a boat, she takes it. And makes her sister promise to be on the next ship. But…Mercy doesn’t realize that she’s on a bride ship. Each of the women is supposed to go and get married.
Joseph is the male lead. He’s a doctor and asked to go on the ship by the captain. He longs for adventure. And to have something. His whole family had died, leaving him alone. I liked the way he was kind to Mercy and the other girls like her. Many weren’t, including the pastor who went with them to be their chaperone. He was awful!
I loved the setting of this one. Victoria is one of my very favorite cities. And I was really excited to get to see a little of how it came to be. That part was one of my favorites. The author did such a great job with her settings, London, the ship and Victoria were all almost real to me.
I loved this story! Can’t wait to read more of this series.
It’s so awesome
“A Reluctant Bride: Bride Ships Series, book 1” by Jody Hedlund
I am ever so glad that I requested/downloaded this audiobook from my state library. This story tore my heart to pieces and put it back together again … several times in this mid-1800’s adventure. It is a clean sweet historical romance that is well worth the read… It was also worth the wait for my turn to access this title.
I am now on the wait list for book 2.. Happy Reading ! !
This one was just ok for me. Towards the end I was sorta wishing it had been 100 pages shorter. I hate when people know they’re in love, but keep finding excuses to stay apart. I loved hearing about the bride ships and the doctoring and even the conditions of the people in the slums. I maybe just didn’t enjoy the love story part of it.
Expertly woven.
The historical significance of the Bride Ships was a real eye opener, never read of such a thing. Great reading!
Absolutely a must-read!
A Reluctant Bride recounts the sailing of the bride ship Tynemouth to Vancouver Island and British Colombia during the 1860s. The novel is full of rewarding messages about grief, callings, and self-image. Romance is expertly woven within the folds of A Reluctant Bride and I greatly enjoyed the threads of adventure throughout the novel.
I can’t wait to read the next books in the series!
Overall Rating: 5 stars
Story Rating: 5 stars
Narrator-Esther Wane: 5 stars
I had a copy of this book and purchased the narration from Audible.
My thoughts about this book:
• A loved the story between a man and a woman from two different classes. A wealthy Lord that was a doctor and a woman who came from the slums of London.
• I was intrigued by the premise of a bride ship headed to Vancouver.
• I liked the relationship of caring that Joseph and Mercy had with each other. I felt it throughout the book. They were people I easily became attached to.
• How much baggage do we carry with us in life? Do we unconsciously drag it along life’s pathway hindering our forward progression? These were questions I pondered as I read this book. I like books that make me think.
• The descriptions of locations and emotions were well done and easy to visualize. I felt a part of the scenes.
• The author writes with an easy-to-follow prose that guides the reader without confusion.
• There were some religious overtones in this book, but it was a natural part of the characters’ lives. This book was not preachy.
• This story was well edited.
• This was a clean read.
• The narrator did an exceptional job and brought this story to life.
I enjoyed this book very much and I highly recommend it. It is a unique romance and I think you’ll enjoy it. I plan to read more books by this author.