The Wilderness Is a Great Place to Hide Jacqueline Rivers manages a Pony Express station in 1860 Utah territory after her father’s death. There are daily stresses placed on her in this unconventional role–and now a government official is asking her to sniff out counterfeiters. When Elijah Johnson passes through on the stage while on an exhausting quest to find his boss’s heir, he doesn’t want … heir, he doesn’t want to leave the beguiling station manager. In fact, he may never leave when caught in the crossfire of the territory’s criminal activities. Jackie can’t decide if Elijah is friend or foe. Can she remain strong when secrets of the past and present are finally unearthed?
Join the adventure as the Daughters of the Mayflower series continues with The Express Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse.
More in the Daughters of the Mayflower series:
The Mayflower Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1620 Atlantic Ocean (February 2018)
The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo – set 1725 New Orleans (April 2018)
The Captured Bride by Michelle Griep – set 1760 during the French and Indian War (June 2018)
The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1774 Philadelphia (August 2018)
The Cumberland Bride by Shannon McNear – set 1794 on the Wilderness Road (October 2018)
The Liberty Bride by MaryLu Tyndall – set 1814 Baltimore (December 2018)
The Alamo Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo – set 1836 Texas (February 2019)
The Golden Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1849 San Francisco (April 2019)
The Express Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1860 Utah territory (July 2019)
more
‘Maybe God had brought him here to change him from the inside out.’
Elijah Johnson heads out in search of his partner’s long lost daughter. With little to go on, he travelled and searched, learning more about himself all the time. Carson Sink Station was a Pony Express station as well as a stage stop. Arriving in this far away spot, the decision to settle for a little while is easy to make. Jacqueline (Jack) Rivers is the station master since her father passed away. Would she be able to continue without him or would the company remove her responsibilities?
The author has done a fabulous job of allowing the reader to become immersed in the life of the Pony Express and all that was involved. I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about this early method of getting mail across our vast country. The number of riders and horses alone made this an incredible undertaking. Add some mystery with murder, accidents and counterfeit bills and you have a wonderful book you won’t want to put down until you have finished!
A complimentary copy was received from Barbour Publishing with no obligation to review. All impressions and opinions are my own.
The Express Bride, written by Kimberley Woodhouse, is a wonderful book of intrigue, action, suspense. Honestly, I don’t know much about the Pony Express so this was bonus info for me. The writing style really takes you into the 1860s with such attention to detail, you feel like you are there. This book is the next installment of the Daughters of the Mayflower series, and shows the real struggles of a woman in a mans world. However, since her father died, Jacqueline Rivers has no choice but to survive. She (Jack) becomes the manager of a station of the Pony Express. She knows nothing about her real father, who sends Elijah Johnson to look for her to make amends to her and her mother. Jacqueline is faced with real dangers, trust issues and trouble as she sorts everything out as she tries to reinvent herself in a world governed by men. This book was hard to put down, very well written & kept my interest throughout. I was given a complimentary copy of this book by Barbour Publishing & was under no obligation to post a review.
This is the 9th novel in the multi-author Daughters of the Mayflower series and 4th by Kimberley Woodhouse, and this is the best so far! The author gives us a wise young protagonist who is mourning the recent death of her father. The setting is Utah Territory in 1860. There is more than one mystery, involving both Elijah, the man searching for his boss and mentor’s daughter, and discovering who is passing US Treasury Notes through the Pony Express stations, including the one that Jackie aka Jack (Jacqueline) is running since her father passed. Spiritual lessons, one in particular, give heightened value to this novel.
Elijah has worked for Charles over a decade. He has become a good Christian man and businessman as a result. Charles has been an excellent mentor, but his health is failing and if he doesn’t take a long break, he won’t live much longer. He asks Elijah to do one huge project as he takes a break from working per his doctor’s orders. When Charles was much younger, his beloved bride left him while he was in yet another drunken rage. She took their infant daughter whose name he didn’t even know. After a pastor literally pulled him from the gutter and helped him stop drinking and grow in faith in the Lord, he wanted to make up the past to Anna. All he learned through the years, after hiring several private investigators, is that she went west, probably into Mexico territory; that her trail dried up at the Rocky Mountains. The only thing he ever received was an anonymous note telling him that Anna had died, and that her last couple years were very happy.
Twenty-six years after Anna left, it is Charles’ hope that his protégé, now his business partner, can find his daughter while he is still alive. He is one of the wealthiest men in America and loves and believes in the Lord. He can’t make it up to Anna, but he to make it up to his daughter before he dies.
Jackie has chosen to let the Pony Express owners continue to consider her as “Jack”, so she doesn’t lose the station and the young riders who have become as family to her. When James Crowell, secretary to the US Secretary of the Treasury rents a room, he asks for her help with a situation that her father had been helping him with. There are many, many forged treasury notes being used in the west, primarily in or sent through local Pony Express stations. The loss to the government is huge, and they are trying to find who is passing the forgeries and arrest them.
This novel is captivating! I enjoyed the characters, especially Jackie, and appreciate how hard it was for Charles to tell Elijah about his past and how dedicated Elijah is to fulfill Charles’ dream. I especially enjoyed learning about the day-to-day workings of the Pony Express. Most of all, I enjoy how those at this Pony Express station love the Lord and study the Bible together, a practice Jackie’s father had begun years earlier. Seeing Jackie, Elijah, and Charles demonstrate their faith through prayers and actions is a vital (but not overbearing) inclusion, as are the spiritual lessons! The end is satisfactory, and I am looking forward to the next one! I highly recommend this novel, and this series, to fans of Christian historical fiction in which the historical period is well-researched along with mysteries and romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
Kimberly Woodhouse’s The Express Bride (Daughters of the Mayflower #9) was an excellent read. As the story suggests it is about the Pony Express. A young mother flees her home with her young daughter before her abusive husband can hurt her again and or their new daughter. A young woman, Jacqueline Rivers’ father has died and she is running the Pony Express and stagecoach stop. “Jack” is fearful that since she is a woman that she will be replaced. Meanwhile, two mysterious strangers show up. One is looking for a missing girl, who would be a young woman in her twenties. The other man works for the government and is looking for a counterfeiter. A very informative book about the Pony Express and life in the Utah Territory. The Express Bride is historical Christian fiction and reads with ease, has good likable characters, and is an interesting book. I definitely recommend.
I loved this book. It started out great and just got better the more I read. The Pony Express was a short but exciting time in our history. This book had the excitement of the Pony Express as well as a couple of mysteries going on. loved that God’s forgiveness was a big part of this story. I really appreciate all the research the authors have done for this series, and I always like reading the author notes at the end of the book I would recommend it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no ob ligation to post a review.
Pony Express! You will admire Jacqueline “Jack” Rivers as she takes over running the Pony Express station and stage coach stop after the death of her dad. Charles Vines regrets the person he was in the past and has never stopped looking for his wife and daughter who left him for their safety. Young Elijah Johnson is a handsome man who has been given the job of finding Charles’ daughter. Elijah does a great job of adapting to life in the west as he searches for the unknown daughter. The Express Bride gives you a taste of life at a Pony Express station. I recommend Express Bride to anyone who enjoys western historical fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
I liked the pacing in this book. Although foreshadowing made it easy to guess ahead to some of the outcomes, the story carried on with the world-building and the introduction and development of new characters as they came onto the scene. More “historical fiction” that includes a romance than “historical romance,” I enjoyed the details of the Pony Express station operations and the criminal suspense plot that also carried the story forward. I am hoping to see the loose ends from this and the previous volume tied up together in a later book in this series.
I voluntarily read an advanced review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley. I offer my honest opinion in response.
Barbour has a great concept with The Daughters of the Mayflower series. Covering some of America’s most auspicious historical events, the characters all descend from two Mayflower passengers, and yet each story stands alone so that they can be read in any order. Add to that the wholesome Christian perspective and you have a compelling series that addresses true periods of history from a fictional viewpoint. Having read each book as it releases, I have enjoyed every one of them, but some have left a deeper impression than others.
Kimberley Woodhouse’s “The Express Bride”, The Daughters of the Mayflower book nine, ranks among my favorite installations in this series. To begin with, it focuses on a brief but fascinating interval in American history, one that I have always found rather enthralling. Upon reading the author’s note at the end, I was surprised to learn that the Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company, better known as the Pony Express, actually failed financially during its short-lived run. The brevity of its existence makes it all the more interesting to me, and I was quickly drawn into the tale.
“The Express Bride” offers a glimpse into the routine and way of life of a combined express and stagecoach station in 1860. Located in the isolated wilderness of what was then the Utah Territory, the Carson Sink station serves as a tiny town unto itself. More remarkably, a young woman named Jacqueline “Jackie” Rivers runs the station and takes care of the riders who live there. As she adjusts to life without her recently-departed father, she finds herself embroiled in helping James Crowell root out a counterfeiting operation while also assisting a man named Elijah Johnson in the search for his employer’s heir.
Several aspects of this story appeal to me. The main characters are endearing, and the residents of the Carson Sink station have an easy camaraderie that adds depth to the narrative. Jackie is tender-hearted but also has admirable strength of character as she shoulders many responsibilities while still dealing with her grief. With a prominent Christian element, this story highlights the virtues of forgiveness and loving one another, and I appreciated that the author points out that two of the characters had been unequally yoked because one had not truly accepted Jesus into his heart. Not being much of a fan of romantic angst, I also enjoyed the fact that intrigue and discoveries dominate much of the narrative, with the romantic thread serving as an overall small portion of the book. Containing an inspirational message throughout, historical details about the unique Pony Express venture, and mysterious happenings, I highly recommend “The Express Bride” as a stirring western adventure.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
This book brought to life the days when The Pony Express was active in our American history. It is 1860 with Jacqueline (aka Jack) Rivers running the Carson Sink Station in Utah Territory, after her father died. She grew up there so was very capable and loved her “adopted brother” and the young Pony Express boys who was part of her station. The stage stop brought two men to Carson Sink with each one requesting assistance or information from Jack. She was glad to assist but sure would have preferred that her dad, Marshall Rivers, was still living. There are multiple layers to this story with the forgery of treasury notes being circulated among the stations, a request to find the lost daughter of Charles Vines, a millionaire in Kansas City and the daily happenings at a Pony Express Station with the documentation and quickness of exchanging horses and riders.
The Express Bride is truly a wonderful read depicting our historical era of the Pony Express, challenges faced in solving a forgery scandal, locating a missing daughter, romance and an underlying Christian message. I appreciated the way the author interwove the characters’ Bible Study of Scriptures into the story with scriptures being cited. This book can easily be read as a standalone, even though it is book nine in The Daughters of the Mayflower series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. All thoughts expressed are my own.
The Daughters of the Mayflower series has been a joy to follow. The richness of the distinct eras covered has provided more history than I ever remembered from History class. It is quite evident that the authors have done their research, which they have woven seamlessly into their stories.
The Express Bride continues in the tradition of the previous books in the series. Kimberley Woodhouse has written a tender historical tale of love, forgiveness, mystery, and healing.
I love what I learned about the Pony Express, information I don’t recall learning before. But the voyage of her characters and rich description of their surroundings is what kept me wrapped up in the story and kept me reading to discover what happened next.
If you haven’t read this series, you can pick up at any point. Each story is self-contained. But how fun it has been to read from the beginning and follow the Daughters of the Mayflower through the ages.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.
The Express Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse is #9 in the Daughters of the Mayflower series by Barbour.
I have so enjoyed these Daughters of the Mayflower books. Each is unique but very well written. The Express Bride has become on of my favorites and is a priceless addition to the series. The cover of this and all the others are so fittingly beautiful to each story.
What a wonderful story of the short time the Pony Express was in service. Most of the book takes place in 1860 in Utah Territory. It is clear that Ms. Woodhouse has done a lot of research for this book. She always includes helpful links in the author’s notes about the subject of her stories.
This tale had several mysteries that unfolded. Ms. Woodhouse let us uncover them in a methodical but intricate way. The theme of the story dealt with forgiveness. She showed how the hero and heroine could have a strong faith and still rely on God when obstacles are thrown at them. The clear Salvation message was conveyed naturally through letters and typical activities that people of that era would be doing.
Elijah Johnson is on a quest on behalf of his mentor and partner, Charles Vines. Will he find more than he bargained for? Jacqueline, “Jack” Rivers’ father has just died and she is tasked with keeping a stage and Express station running smoothly. She soon finds her job, indeed her whole world is in jeopardy. Is there a secret in her past that could change everything?
I highly recommend this book for lovers of Historical Christian Fiction.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishers on behalf of the author. I was under no obligation to post a favorable review . All opinions are my own.*
The Express Bride centers around the work of the Pony Express. I was surprised to learn that it only functioned for eighteen months total. They lost over two hundred thousand dollars in the process. But there were many hard working young men that helped it survive for even this short time.
Jackie Rivers becomes the manager of the Carson Sink station after her father passes away. Unknown for a woman to hold this position, she used the name Jack when she wrote to the owners about her father’s passing.
On the other side of the country Charles Vines continues to miss his wife and daughter who left and disappeared twenty five years ago. He sends his assistant/partner Elijah on a search and find mission. In the meantime government notes are being forged and cashed in for gold and silver. The Treasury Department sends out an official to investigate. They must find out the culprit and stop them before they bankrupt the young government. But danger lurks and men start getting shot and killed during the investigation.
This was an interesting story with a taste of American history for me. I’ve read each of the daughters of the Mayflower books so far and each one has a lesson in History that I’ve learned from and enjoyed.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
My Thoughts
I enjoyed the suspenseful pace of the book and the tangled web of family secrets, budding relationships, and dangerous circumstances. It was difficult to leave the book for long without wondering what clue Elijah or Jackie would find next in their quest to find the truth.
The cast of characters is unforgettable, and one of my favorite parts of the story was the family-like atmosphere of the station house. The young men of the Pony Express fit perfectly with Jackie and her motherly care of the boys. Their easy banter and care for each other made me wish I could sit at their table and try Jackie’s biscuits and gravy!
Jackie is a heroine I adore. Practical. Compassionate. Hard-working. Honest. It was just as easy to visualize her sitting in the parlor keeping company as it was sitting astride a horse and racing across the land to the next express stop.
Elijah is a kind and honest gentleman and his quiet adoration of Jackie is endearing. His consideration of her feelings over his own satisfaction makes him all the more attractive. You will find yourself rooting for him as you get to know him.
Overall, I thought the story was gripping and kept me turning the next page well past my bedtime. I enjoyed watching Jackie and Elijah’s lives intersect by more than chance, and I believe you will enjoy it, too!
Pony Express station in 1860 Utah territory becomes the home of a run a way wife of an abusive husband. We fast forward to her daughters life as she now is running the pony express she grew up in. She has some big surprises in store. Truths are coming out about her birth, dad and life at the station. I enjoyed the history woven into the story and the ending was a tense but wonderful surprise.
I was gifted a copy through NetGalley and Barbour publishing. No review was required. My review is voluntary.
The Express Bride. Woodh.ouse
Setting is of 1860.a carriage to take her bundle of joy, and jewelry when she was a treasure to her husband. The threats and bruises she’s wanting to get as far away as she could. To running a pony express station in Utah at the beginning of the civil war, to others she is know as Jack. The work is hard, and hopes she won’t be discovered. Then Elijah comes looking for the lost daughter of his employer, the clue he was given had to be wrong, a good historical era of time when we had the pony express.
Given ARC for my voluntary review and my honest opinion by Net Galley and Berkeley.
The Daughters of the Mayflower series follows the ancestors of William Lytton from the time of the Mayflower’s landing to the period of the Pony Express. Each book brings to life a particular historical period and paints intriguing tales of the descendants from one family who came to a new land. The series start with The Mayflower Bride followed by The Pirate Bride, The Captured Bride, The Patriot Bride, The Cumberland Bride, The Liberty Bride, The Alamo Bride, and The Golden Bride. Coming in December 2019 the next installment in the series is titled The Rebel Bride followed by The Blizzard Bride in February 2020. While it isn’t necessary to read each book in order, I must confess it’s been fun for me to read them all to this point!
Each story is unique and filled with history, romance, and ancestry from the first book to the current newly released book. In the latest installment, The Express Bride introduces to readers a woman who is running a Pony Express stop after her father’s death. Now, with no current prospect of marriage and living at and running the stop, “Jack” isn’t one of the boys. Jacqueline Rivers or “Jack” loves taking care of her boys and living out in Utah in the vast frontier.
Two men show up at her station. Each of them is on a mission. In time, the men seek help from Jack to complete their tasks and what they ask of her is astonishing! The author helps readers understand the Pony Express and its short history with exciting and daring adventure. The novel has action, adventure, heart, romance and even mystery that will keep readers engrossed for hours. I have read and enjoyed each book that has come out and loved the rich history shared via fiction and I hope you do too!
The Express Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse
I have enjoyed almost all of the “Daughter’s of the Mayflower” books, especially the ones written by Kimberley Woodhouse. She has a unique knack for bringing whatever time period she sets her stories in to life. Maybe it’s the extensive research she delves into (and it shows), or maybe it’s the way she fleshes her characters out, or perhaps it’s the exciting scenery she drops the reader into. Whatever it is, she does it well!!
The Pony Express has been one of the most fascinating industries in history and I can’t seem to get enough books to read about it. Living in the 21st century, I can’t imagine when mail had to be delivered by horse across county taking a couple of weeks to get there! I really love seeing how it plays out in the riders Woodhouse has chosen in this story. One rider said he had to go 75 miles in one day pushing his horse to go as fast as he can, all while looking out for danger in the form of robbers or savage Indians! I just can’t wrap my head around that! I also love Jacqueline—or Jack for short—who runs the station in such an efficient manner, making sure everything runs smoothly. Her late father was station master & taught her all she knows. She has no idea her world is about to come crashing down around her in the form of Elijah Johnson; sent to find his employers long lost daughter. An immediate spark develops between these two but must be tempered while also trying to capture forgers of stolen Indian bonds. Since I don’t want to spoil it for other readers, I’ll just say this is quite an adventurous story that has so much going for it! It stands out to me as being a favorite of mine. I think one thing that I really liked about it was how the romance developed between “Jack” and Elijah. He never had a good living example of what love between two people really was & she had parents (though both deceased) who loved her unconditionally and showed her what it really meant. They both also had strong faith in the Lord and it showed, Woodhouse didn’t skimp on the faith thread and made it feel a natural part of the story. Be sure to read the “Note from the Author” at the end where she talks a little about her research & how she incorporated it into her story, it really is intriguing!
I think if you’ve enjoyed the other books in this series, you will enjoy this one too! These all can be read as stand-alone and can be read in any order, that’s the nice part. Maybe you just might find a “favorite” author or two for yourself!
*I received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishers and was under no obligation to leave a review. All opinions are my own. *
Kimberley Woodhouse takes an adventurous piece of history, the Pony Express, and spins her own special story with a unique twist. This intriguing story actually begins back in 1834 in St. Louis when Anna Vines runs for her life with her baby daughter, Jacqueline; however, the core of the story takes place at the Carson Sink Station in Utah Territory in 1860.
Jackie Rivers’s life changes drastically in just a few months as she deals with the loss of her beloved father and takes over running the Pony Express station at their home, along with an inn for the stagecoach stop. At twenty-six Jackie is a lovely, young woman who wears many hats in her life as manager of the Carson Sink Station. The life she leads leaves little opportunity to meet someone and minimal time for romance. Two unexpected visitors show up on the stagecoach one October day both bringing unexpected activity, adventure, and a bit of romance to the Station.
Check out this intriguing tale of a spirited young woman living life on her terms back in the days of the Pony Express. The story is laced with historical fact and embellished with fictional characters and adventures. A great historical fiction read and one that fans of inspirational fiction will also enjoy very much! This is the ninth book in the series, but works perfectly as a standalone.
This ARC copy was received from Barbour Books and Netgalley. The above thoughts and opinions are wholly my own.
#TheExpressBride #NetGalley
What a wonderful book! It is written in such a way that you can see all the scenery and action that is taking place. This is a christian historical romance that is full of action, mystery and suspense. This is the first fiction book I’ve read about the Pony Express and really enjoyed it. I highly recommend this book. Thank you Barbour Publishing via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own and I’ve pre-ordered the paperback version. Yes, it’s that good!!
The Express Bride is the 9th book in the Daughters of Mayflower series. Although I have not read all of the stories, the ones that I have read were truly wonderful. In this story, we have a woman on the run from her abusive husband and in order to protect her child, she has no recourse but to flee. The story picks up later of Jacqueline Rivers, know as “Jack” who runs her own station house on the Pony Express. The story also involves Elijah’s search for his employer Charles Vines’ long-lost daughter.
The story grips you from the start and keeps you intrigued. I found it difficult to put it down as I wanted to find out the outcome in the end. Although there were some slower parts of the story, there were other parts that made up for them. Bother Jack and Elijah were very nice characters to the story and were a delightful couple where you could see how sweet and true their romance evolved. As with the others in the series, there were quite a bit of religious overtones that I did not mind as I do love Christian stories.
I thought the story was very well-written with a bit of mystery, murder, romance and religion…especially one having a heart to forgive. The author did an outstanding job with this one and do recommend reading this book in the series.