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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Well written and entertaining, I will be reading from this author again!
I had never heard of these Bride Ships before. I loved the historical facts mixed so well with the imagined ones! It made me look up some history to this particular voyage, and the Bride Ships in general, which I enjoyed.
And I was fond of these characters, as well.
I am forever affected by the excellent conveyance by Jody Hedlund of the squalor conditions in London’s slums at that time.
I really enjoyed reading this book.
Interesting book showing the hardships of economically deprived people just trying to put food on their table, With no means of bettering their situations but to leave their homes and families and move to a different country.
Lynn Austin failed to use her engaging writing style, disappointing!
This was an excellent book based on historical events. The author depicts life for the impoverished in a descriptive and heart-wrenching way and true to reality. Judy Hedlund is a gifted writer and I recommend any book she writes.
Based on historical facts, loved this book. Mercy is a real example of her time. Joseph was a brave man for 1860. Hope you enjoy as much as I did
Nothing makes a boring chore like staining a deck pass quickly like a good book, and Jody Hedlund kept me lost in her world so completely that I didn’t notice the time. She included a great cast of characters, including some I didn’t like (and wasn’t supposed to) who represented the time period well. She tied up most of the questions she created throughout the story, only leaving one left about a character who is the focus of the next book. I enjoyed this story and that character enough that I will continue to read but am also content with how this book ended. That’s a delicate balance the author handled well for a wide spectrum of readers.
Beautifully written! This book captured my heart and would not let go! I love historical fiction that takes you into the time and place such as A Reluctant Bride takes me into the ship where the sea breeze ruffles the pages.
A Reluctant Bride by Jody Hedlund is the first story in The Bride Ships series. I loved this story! It had everything I look for in a historical romance. The storyline was interesting and original, the main characters were wonderfully written, and the romance was perfect! I was so wrapped up in these character’s lives that I did not want this story to end.
I adored both Mercy and Joseph. Mercy is one of the most selfless characters I’ve read, and Joseph comes in at a close second! Even though they came from completely different worlds and had a lot to overcome, they were perfect for each other. I loved that their romance was not seamless, which made it more realistic and how they both grew throughout the story.
My favorite thing about this story is that so much of it was inspired from actual history. I cannot wait for the rest of the stories in this series. With this story, Jody Hedlund is now one of my auto buy authors.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Good book. I am SO GLAD that we don’t have such stringent class attitudes today as they had in earlier times.
So much to learn about a time in history that is romanticized and often caters to the life of the well to do Londoner of the era. There was another world happening in London that was heart-breaking and tragic. This was a good read and a great history lesson.
This was the best book I read in 2019. Hedlund is an extremely exceptional storyteller/writer with great depth and breadth of ability to deftly draw reader deeply in to each page because the characters their circumstances, the unbelievable drama that occurs, the period in history with all its riveting drama are all so compelling I found it challenging to put the book down. I finished it in 2 days! Her spiritual insight is amazingly impressive and I am still moved by this story and in the best way altered by it. Outstanding story I highly recommend and looking forward to her book 2 in this series which I’ve preordered.
Jody Hedlund is an outstanding Christian historical fiction novelist. Her writing reveals her thorough historical research and it brings her characters to life. Ms. Hedlund faithfully transports her characters to the time and place of her novels. A Reluctant Bride is no exception. From the novel’s opening scene, my heart was captivated. The smells, the sights, the heroine and the hero’s feelings and experiences. The author writes in such a way that I felt and experienced them all. Her beautiful descriptions and thoughtful use of language enrich her story greatly. Each word she writes has purpose to propel the characters and their stories forward. Mercy and Joseph are believable characters. They must overcome challenges and obstacles. Throughout the story, the author weaves a redemptive thread into the characters’ struggles. It encouraged me and reminded me as it did the characters to not lose hope. God uses all things in life for one’s good and His glory. He will provide the strength to persevere and to endure to the end. This exquisite story captured my heart and mind to its conclusion. As with each book Jody Hedlund pens, I was saddened to see the last page arrive. Alas, her stories always satisfy, yet I am looking to her next novel in the series with great anticipation.
*I am grateful to the author and publisher for providing a complimentary copy of this book. I was not obligated or expected to write a positive review. My thoughts and opinions are solely my own.*
This was a historical journey that took me to places and taught me things I didn’t know. I’ve read a lot but I have never read about the depravity of London in 1860 like this. Jody tells of a family living in the slums of London and what there life was like. I understand more completely why a woman would choose to get on a ship for months to leave this hell. The story is well done and the history was spot on and told well. I also got a very nice love story with some great moments. She weaves their story in so well and it was nice to find out it was based on truth. The Christian element was done well. It is part of the story and adds nicely. This is not a light read and very hard subjects are talked about but it is all done well. The prostitution, working conditions, lives of poverty were spoken of as a way to teach not to be crude or invoke shock to sell more books. I appreciated this. The story is long and did take me awhile to read it’s just a book you don’t want to speed threw.
I was enthralled by the journey of Mercy and her interactions with Joseph. There was a nice balance between the introspective thoughts of the characters and the adventurous plot as they travel through storms, illness, and other obstacles, all under the watchful eye of the bride program’s chaperones. I loved the historical details that brought the era to life while the emotions of the characters brought the people to life. Mercy and Joseph both have a large capacity for compassion, and the self-sacrifice they see in each other draws them together. They are so well-matched, even though they come from completely opposite ends of society’s spectrum. There is plenty of tension as they know they can never be together, but can’t help falling in love. It was obvious to me that the future they could have together serving the less fortunate in London as doctor and nurse would bring powerful change, but I had to wait for them to realize and get on board with it 😉 I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait for the next in the series!
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
Wow! Just wow! This book is beautifully written and captured me from the beginning. It is a lovely love story about learning to trust and recognize love, overcoming social expectations, and the plight of the poor. This is a story that I don’t think I will be able to emotionally let go of for a while.
As I read about the living conditions in London during the middle nineteenth century and the conditions on the boat for the poor, I started to think of my own ancestors who made the journey during that time period. I am sure that they traveled in steerage and lived in the less desirable areas. I am filled with greater gratitude for them and the sacrifices they made for themselves and ultimately for me. This book is filled with history and doesn’t sugar coat life for the people during that time period.
Jody Hedlund chose fictitious characters and put them in situations that really happened. I couldn’t help but love the characters, the setting, and the time period. This book entertained me while opening my eyes to history.
If you love romance and history, this is a book that I would highly recommend. It does contain kissing and Christian themes.
Source: I requested a copy from Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Jody Hedlund is an amazing storyteller as she brings to life the horrors of the London slums of the 1800’s (“The sour reek of human waste and rotting garbage was ever present.”), the difficulties of sea voyages of the time, and the challenges of being a poor woman. With no hope for employment, and a bleak future, poor women were eager to board a ship and sail for about 4 months to a distant colony and become the bride of a miner. Jody Hedlund tells the story of some of these women through her new series The Bride Ships. This is the first of the series and is the story of Mercy, who leaves her sister and family behind to allow the younger siblings more food. The author lightly weaves faith in God into the book, “Mercy had tried to be like her sister, to have the same strong faith, to believe that God was with them in their afflictions. But she’d never been quite as strong as Patience.” On the ship she befriends many of the younger women and helps the ships doctor – but encounters a foe in the reverend who is very pious but not very godly!
This was a fascinating story and I recommend it! I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I am freely writing a review – all thoughts and opinions are my own.
A Reluctant Bride by Jody Hedlund is the first book in her brand new series The Bride Ships. You definitely don’t want to miss out if you love inspirational historical romances.
Mercy Wilkins is doing the only thing she can think of doing to get her and her sister out of London’s slums. She sets out on the adventure of joining a bride ship that is headed to Vancouver Island in order to start a new and better life, but meeting and developing a forbidden love with the ship’s surgeon Joseph Colville makes Mercy question those plans. Can they get past the obstacles that are keeping them apart while learning to trust not only God, but each other and finding their chance at love and happiness?
I’m definitely looking forward to reading more books in this wonderful series!
I was given an ARC from the author/publisher. All conclusions are mine and mine alone.
My new favorite Jody Hedlund book! This takes us on an adventure both physically and in self discovery. Superb characters and story telling. I have never heard of bride ships prior to this story and I am more intrigued than ever to do more research. This will be a magnificent series!
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists,
and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive
reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this
in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.