Can Olivia survive the crime and Gold Rush fever of 1849…and the countless marriage proposals? A series for fans of all things related to history, romance, adventure, faith, and family trees. The Daughters of the Mayflower series continues when Olivia Brighton finds herself widowed and working her brother’s restaurant in San Francisco during the height of the rush for gold. Even though she … rush for gold. Even though she receives at least twenty marriage proposals a day, she will never marry a gold miner. Her brother’s friend Joseph Sawyer has gotten caught up in local politics and the plight of Chinese in forced labor. The more Joseph gets pulled into investigating crime in the city, the less Olivia sees of the compassionate man. And just when she thinks she could love again, a fire threatens to steal all hope.
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 Battle of the Alamo (February 2019)
more
The Daughters of the Mayflowers series has been an interesting book. I have learned the history about Sans Francisco and things happening like the great fire before it was settled into a city. I also love the little things that makes a book real to the readers. Crime was rampant but Olivia, Joseph and Daniel were strong characters. Olivia really had a lot to overcome and to try to find her brother on her own. I loved the way their faith shined in a town filled with ugliness and how they started a way to witness to other people.
If you like historical romance fiction with a little faith mixed in you will probably like this book. It’s part of a series but can be read and understood without reading the other books.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher/author and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Woodhouse Strikes Gold in this volume! My emotions were greatly moved by The Golden Bride by Kimberly Woodhouse! A clear picture of the smutty town of San Francisco during the gold rush emerges from the pages of The Golden Bride, # 8 The Daughters of the Mayflower, crafted by Kimberly Woodhouse. This is Ms. Woodhouse’s finest offering to the series yet. While each book stands alone, Ms. Woodhouse ties the other two books of the series she authored to this by some special objects that change Olivia’s attitude towards her life. Also, I was very impressed by the way I was drawn into the narrative while consuming history. This time, the time period presented seamlessly melded with the beauty of the romantic, yet tragic story being revealed.
How many times have we repeated about someone, “He’ll never change”? Yet, The Golden Bride is a great example of less-than-wonderful people who decide to follow God, and who then find themselves walking a different path.
I loved the way Olivia refused to be forced into society’s mold but instead chose to see people through God’s eyes. So often we as Christians are afraid to be different from the world, then we wonder why the world doesn’t want our God.
A reminder we should be careful not to judge each other, but instead be encouragers:
“We’re all sinners, Olivia. All of us. We all struggle. But your brother told me when I first came to town to exhort one another. We’re all going to feel beaten down at some point and we’re all going to lose our confidence. It’s our job to help each other through the muck and mire.”
Evil in San Francisco was like an iceberg; while a great deal was visible, yet a huge, majority of it lay unseen beneath the surface.
A quote as true today as it was in 1849:
“People are afraid to stick their noses where they don’t belong, and so evil facts face no resistance.”
A great book crafted by Kimberly Woodhouse, I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Widowed after a short and somewhat disastrous marriage, Olivia is determined to start a new life with her brother in San Francisco. The only problem is that San Francisco in the middle of the 1840s gold rush is a dirty, lawless shanty town and no place at all for a good and Godly woman.
It should be noted going in that Barbour Press is a specifically Christian publisher, and the degree of evangelical fervor does vary between books. I’d put this one at the more fervent end of the spectrum, with the heroine starting a Bible study group and lots of quotes from Scripture, so if that’s not your thing you may want to give this one a miss.
If you do decide to read on, though, you’ll discover a strongly written and well researched story which will immerse you deep in San Francisco’s boom town origins. The author doesn’t shy away from the ill treatment many, particularly children and Chinese immigrants, received at the hands of the unscrupulous, and real facts about the city’s founding figures are nicely interwoven with fictional characters to make this a history lesson you’ll thoroughly enjoy.
The romance between Olivia and Joseph, her love interest, is very slow burn, which fits nicely within the context of the story as Olivia comes to terms with her past and chooses direction for her new life. I really enjoyed the way Olivia had plenty of agency despite her movements being necessarily curtailed for her own safety. She acted with common sense in accepting reasonable restrictions, something too many too-stupid-to-live heroines don’t do.
I’m happy to give this five stars for the quality of research and the believable romance. The only caveat I have is that evangelizing isn’t to your taste, you might want to give this one a miss.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review through NetGalley.
The Golden Bride #8 Daughters of the Mayflower by Kimberly Woodhouse
Olivia Brighton ends her long journey to her brother, Daniel, and finds herself in the mist of 1849 San Francisco’s gold rush. I love the way Daniel welcomes her with open arms and love and provides a home for her. Olivia works in Daniel’s restaurant, but not all customers are polite or courteous. They quickly learn that Olivia can stand up for herself. . .there’s the pie episode that had me laughing and the men watching their “p’s and q’s”. Joseph Sawyer, Daniel’s friend, is a man of integrity and the kind of man Olivia needs in her life. Will she allow her heart to find love?
San Francisco is overflowing with people and chaos: gold seekers on every corner, drunks and unsavory characters, tents and shanties fill every space available, corruption and lawlessness, new beginnings, enduring faith and love and historical elements woven into this heartwarming story.
~I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher via NetGalley (no monetary gain were exchanged), this is my honest review~
As I’ve noted in previous reviews, this series, The Daughter’s of the Mayflower, published by Barbour Publishing has become one of my top favorite series. In book 8, author Kimberly Woodhouse, The Golden Bride is set in the mid-1800’s San Francisco.
If the reader knows history, then they will soon realize that this skillfully written story provides a glimpse of the early days of San Fransisco, California. A place full of rough, unclean men determined to discover a wealth of gold no matter what they need do or who they need killed to do it. Very few women consider living in San Fransisco, and the majority of them are “in service” to the many men of the city.
After the tragic deaths of her parents, Olivia Brighton sells the farm to pay off debt, marries a man who turns out to be a ne’er do well, both set off across the country, he to gain his fortune in gold, and she to find her brother. Unfortunately, hubby dies along the way and Olivia continues on to find her brother. His restaurant was not hard to find, though the trip was quite difficult, Olivia just wants a place of quiet and rest. She soon discovers that is not to be as she becomes a much needed waitress in the restaurant. With the level of debauchery making it unsafe for a woman to venture out alone, Olivia soon finds herself, exhausted, in one of two places, the restaurant dining room or her brother’s apartment on the second floor. Not quite what she was hoping for.
When she’s discovers a young boy being severely beaten by a rather large and threatening man. Stepping in, the man threatens Olivia too but she’s rescued by her brother’s partner. With the young boy near death, Olivia and Joseph Sawyer transports him to the doctor where following a few days of recovery, a stranger shows up claiming the boy as “his”. Olivia, her brother and Joseph soon discover there is an undercurrent of something more evil than any of them had ever heard. Children were bought and sold as slaves. The Chinese were being lured, brought over by ship where they were enslaved in terrible conditions.
There seems to be one person behind it all and the three put their own lives on the line to save hundreds of others. Question is will they be able to stop the destruction of so many lives and the city of San Fransisco before this person succeeds?
I highly recommend The Golden Bride by Kimberly Woodhouse, an author who is a skilled storyteller with attention to history, writing novels that teach history more effectively than any grade school history book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and am under no obligation to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions therein are solely my own.
I’ve read most of the books in the Daughters of the Mayflower series and have enjoyed them all. I’ve especially liked learning more about the different historical time periods in our country’s history. I’ve heard a lot about the California gold rush but haven’t really delved into the sordid things that went on during that time, so The Golden Bride was quite an eye-opener for me. The relationship between Olivia and her brother Daniel was sweet, and Daniel’s friend Joseph made a wonderful hero—kind, patient, and caring about others and proactive in trying to improve the situations in San Francisco.
This is a Christian fiction story, so it’s expected that there will be spiritual elements to it. I felt it was a little heavy on the spiritual side, however, which pulled me out of the story a bit. All in all, it was a satisfying read, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher/NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
“It all boiled down to the fact that God wasn’t done with any of them yet. He was a God of second chances.”
The Daughters of the Mayflower series continues with book eight written by Kimberley Woodhouse. The lineage of the Lytton family whom we met in book one of the series continues across the country in the year 1849 during the California gold rush.
San Francisco was a filthy, crime ridden city filled with the worst of humanity all striving to strike it rich. Olivia Brighton, a resilient young woman, finds herself widowed outside San Francisco and on her own only six weeks after a hurried marriage to a strange man. In order to find her older brother, Daniel, she must get herself into the city of San Francisco and locate his thriving restaurant.
In the midst of beginning a new life with her brother, a decent man who feels compelled to do good for his fellow man, Olivia meets Joseph Sawyer, her brother’s best friend and another man of faith and personal integrity who works with him to bring some much needed stability and faith to San Francisco. Olivia and the two men encounter criminals, prostitution, and a variety of other vices in their challenge to help stabilize the new city. Read this interesting, faith filled adventure to see what surprises life has in store for Olivia, Joseph, and Daniel.
The book contains some very interesting historical notes at the end and includes real historical figures sprinkled through the story. I love the history woven through this story as well as the very satisfying epilogue that draws the book to a close. Readers of historical fiction and inspirational historical fiction will enjoy this story very much!
This ARC copy was received from Barbour Books and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. The above thoughts and opinions are wholly my own.
#TheGoldenBride #NetGalley
I enjoyed this story of perseverance and faith, set against the backdrop of San Francisco’s Gold Fever era. I thought the characters were true to the era and behaved as I want to believe real (Christian) people of the setting would have acted. The author brought out some of the ugliness of the era without getting graphic so the story remains appropriate for a wide range of ages.
I voluntarily read an advanced review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley and I offer my honest opinion in response.
This is a wonderful story about the beginning of San Francisco and how life was going during the gold rush. I loved how brave Olivia was to travel to find her brother. This shows how brave the men and women were who helped to create a town. I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
The Golden Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse is eighth in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. Having read the previous seven I couldn’t wait to dig into this one and I was not disappointed. The books in this series are easily read as stand-alone stories and are such a great collection of stories about the history of the United States. Woodhouse has done a great job with the history and setting enabling the readers to feel like they are right there in the middle of the scenes. The mix of fictional situations with actual historical events makes the story interesting and authentic. The mid-1800s was a dark time for San Francisco with the greed of the gold rush eliciting evil and crime beyond measure and there is lots of action and mystery in this multilayered story to keep the reader’s interest high. Joseph, a gold miner, is fascinated with Olivia and yet she had nothing good to say about gold miners. Would she be able to see past her biases to find more than friendship with Joseph? The sweet romance between Olivia and Joseph is engaging and delightful to watch unfold despite the difficulties they encountered. The characters are vivid and relatable and their growth and maturity throughout the story is realistic. I enjoyed the portrayal of the sibling relationship between Daniel and Olivia–the love and trust they share. With a strong thread of faith in God and spiritual truths throughout, the book is also inspirational as the reader can see how God’s hand is at work in the lives of the individuals.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions are my own.
I absolutely loved the first line, which drew me immediately into the story.
The characters were likeable, and believable, with a natural progression of romance building throughout the story. Obstacles and historical events added an interesting backdrop to the story. A message of forgiveness and reconciliation provides an inspirational tone without being too preachy.
The Golden Bride is a lovely story of finding love in a time and place where love is an anomaly and giving up hope the norm. I recommend this story!
I so very much enjoyed the story of Olivia and Joseph, along with the people they meet along the way. There were a number of moral, emotional and environmental obstacles in the time of the California Gold Rush as well as in San Francisco itself, to overcome, but eventually Olivia and Joseph recognize the depth of their ttrue feelings and have a lovely courtship. Naturally disaster strikes when least expected, and Olivia feels abandoned and forsaken. She has to lean on God, as well as the wisdom from her ancestors journals to help guide her along her way. Olivia is somewhat more retiring than some of the other Brides in this series but it’s lovely to see how deeply she and Joseph care for each other, as well as the relationships they share with Olivia’s brother Daniel. A beautiful and well crafted story! I received A complementary copy of this story from the Barbour Publishing via NetGalley and was under no obligation to leave a review.
4.5 stars
I love it when a previous author of this series comes back to write another book because there is some connection to their past characters. It’s now 1849 and Olivia Brighton is on the other side of the country than her ancestors, but the wisdom of the women who have endured the challenges of life before her stands the test of time.
Olivia’s a grieving young woman when she arrives in San Francisco in search of her older brother Daniel. She’s made up her mind about what her future will—or won’t—hold for her. Yet when she reads the journals of her ancestors, she’s challenged to live in faith instead of fear.
And then there’s her brother’s best friend. Joseph is a more recently converted Christian but he’s a man who strives to live his faith in everything he does even if it means putting himself in danger and not seeing the woman he’s falling in love with to keep her safe.
The perspective of the villain in The Golden Bride enhances the atmosphere of evil and greed that pervaded San Francisco during a time before the city was truly established.
Kimberley Woodhouse gives readers a story that proves faith, love, and people are greater treasures than gold.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books 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.
Recently widowed Olivia Brighton is beginning a new chapter in her life with the help of her brother Daniel. As she manages his San Francisco restaurant, her gold rush seeking patrons are less than clean in behavior and appearance. And this leaves Olivia with no desire to get to know any of them better.
Joseph Sawyer is her brother’s best friend when Olivia meets him, she’s less than impressed, as his life centers around mining. Joseph is a politician as well, and as a result, we get a glimpse into the plight of forced labor occurring in crime-ridden San Francisco in 1849 which author Kimberly Woodhouse writes about with care and compassion.
Do Olivia and Joseph find an irresistible attraction and a rush of love? Find out as you read this book and enjoy each wonderful page.
The Golden Bride is the 8th in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. It can be read as a stand-alone, but make sure to delve into the whole series, it’s wonderful.
I received this book from Barbour Publishing, the thoughts and opinions are solely my own. I was under no obligation to write a review.
As with each installment in the Daughters of the Mayflower series, “The Golden Bride” does not disappoint. Kimberley Woodhouse has written earlier books in this sequence, and this one delivers just as much vigor and dynamism. These books are fairly short for novels, but they are nevertheless overflowing with spiritual truths and faith in action. Aligning the plotlines with significant events in American history underscores the Christian foundation of our nation and its perseverance throughout times of war, personal trials, and provincial struggles. Realizing how much our forebears overcame provides strength for our own journey and an illuminating perspective for dealing with contemporary issues.
Indeed, the world of California in 1849 as illustrated in “The Golden Bride” bears a striking resemblance to today’s world. Corruption and immorality run rampant in the territory as people, mostly men, flock to the fields in search of gold. San Francisco is a lawless den of iniquity when newly widowed and heartbroken Olivia Brighton arrives in search of her brother, Daniel. He owns and runs Livingston’s Restaurant, and along with his best friend, Joseph Sawyer, serves as a beacon of hope in the face of evils such as gangs, brothels, and human trafficking and slave labor. Olivia joins their efforts to uplift and redeem the town despite opposition. Their ministry is deeply inspiring because they are able to truly make a difference in their community through determination, sacrifice, and most of all a strong reliance upon the Lord.
Olivia’s development as a character spoke to me more than any other. At the beginning of the novel, she is filled with self-loathing and guilt, but reading journals from her ancestors, who were women featured in previous stories in this series, positively influences her faith journey. One of my favorite passages describes so many of us: “she’d prayed for help but kept tight hold of the reins of her life.” We so often do the same. We carry burdens that were never meant for us and we allow fear to control us instead of trusting in the One who promises to work all things together for our good. As Olivia comes to realize, He has a plan and a purpose for each of us and can bring about goodness and blessing from every situation if only we will surrender to Him and trust Him.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
This was a great book. Stories set in San Francisco during the gold rush are always interesting. I thought Ms. Woodhouse showed a great balance between the corruption going on during this time and the good that people were trying to do. There were so many heart-warming elements to this story that I am not going to mention for fear of spoilers. I loved the relationships between Daniel, Olivia, and Joseph. This was a wonderful addition to the series and I would recommend it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
This has been a very enjoyable story to read. The author has taken us back to San Francisco in 1849. The town was in chaos because of the gold rush. So many people traveled there to get rich. I could visualize the tents and shanty’s that surrounded the town as swarms of families came to find gold. There was no law around to corral the thieves, drunken men or even anyone who would step in and settle a fight.
Olivia is a wonderful character who travels to be with her brother who lives in San Francisco. She carries a burden with her that causes her not to ever love again. I felt her pain as she grieves the loss of her parents. It was such a joy to read when she finally reunited with her brother. I loved how her brother Daniel welcomed her into his home with open arms. Working in his restaurant was very tiring and it sure wasn’t fun fighting off men in the restaurant. She is one woman who has no problem standing up for herself as one man finds out when a pie comes flying into his face. I think he will take a step back for now on instead of thinking he can put his hands on Olivia.
Daniel is a hard working man who has worried about his sister for awhile. He is glad to have her near him again and I loved how he wasn’t ashamed to pray or show his faith. He is the kind of man who would be a good catch. Daniel is very protective of his sister and knows the danger that she could face in the city. The town has been taken over by unsavory characters and the author does a great job of giving us a glimpse into what it was like during this time period.
Joseph is Daniel’s best friend and they both want to help improve things in the city so it will be safer. Olivia and Joseph seem to hit it off at first until she finds out what he does for a living. She promised herself she would not get mixed up with another man who does what Joseph does for a living. They are both smitten with each other and Olivia will have to decide if she can accept what Joseph does. Joseph is a fair man and treats his employees with respect so maybe Olivia will change her mind about him.
I loved the intrigue in the book about men and children turning up missing There are a few characters in the story who are greedy and use people to benefit their own pockets. They need to be stopped before harm comes to innocent people. The story is a great adventure as Olivia learns about forgiveness, Daniel helps his friend who finds himself in danger and Joseph who will seek justice for innocent people. Don’t miss this story that takes us into the days of gold fever and a lesson in acceptance and forgiveness.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
Olivia Livingston Brighton certainly knows the meaning of loss. In the course of a few months she has buried both of her parents and the husband that she had known one day before marrying him! As she grieves for her beloved parents and feels guilt over her husband’s death, Olivia struggles to make her way alone to San Francisco to find her older brother Daniel. It is July 1849, the California Gold Rush is in full swing and Olivia is shocked when she finally arrives in this city that is now her brother’s home.
I love historical fiction because I usually learn something with each book and this is certainly the case with The Golden Bride. I hadn’t realized just how bad the living conditions were in San Francisco at this time. Men by the thousands traveled there and San Francisco was ill-prepared to handle this enormous number rushing to find their fortunes. These men were forced to live in tents and there was no law enforcement or organized city government. These conditions played a big part in this storyline and there is also a mystery considering an anonymous “benefactor” who is secretly conducting an underground slave trade ring. As I read the disturbing treatment that these innocent people faced I realized just how relevant this storyline is even today. One hundred seventy years later, in this 21st century, people are still being forced into human trafficking, or slavery!
Author Kimberley Woodhouse has created a fascinating story with three very intriguing characters. Daniel Livingston is the older brother that we all would love to have, Olivia is a sweet and caring young woman who is determined to never marry again and Joseph Sawyer is the swoon-worthy hero who just may change her mind. All three of them are Christian people who want to improve the conditions of the place they now call home. They have received God’s love and forgiveness and they want others to experience them also.
Woodhouse has written three of the eight books in The Daughters of the Mayflower series and I appreciated her references to the women who were the subjects of these previoius books. It was nice to recall their stories as Olivia read their diaries and drew strength from the accounts of their trials and triumphs. The Golden Bride is a wonderful book and I recommend it to anyone who loves history, mystery, and Christian fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
Life in early San Francisco was dangerous but Olivia Brighton learned to handle the rough men in her brother’s restaurant! For her safety, she was not allowed outside the restaurant unless escorted by her brother or his friend Joseph Sawyer! I admired Olivia who had made a poor choice in her first marriage but has a heart of gold. However, she does not like gold miners! Joseph Sawyer was a strong man who helped others and wanted to clean up San Francisco but kept quiet the fact that he owned a gold mine. People are disappearing in the city but where are they going? No one seems to care that fire is a great danger to the residents of the city. You will enjoy The Golden Bride as Joseph becomes a spy to find his foreman’s family. I received a complimentary copy of The Golden Bride from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
The Golden Bride was an enjoyable story with fascinating history. It was an easy read based in San Francisco during the time of the gold rush. The story did a good job of explaining the conditions of the city during that time.
I really wanted more about the characters themselves, but these books are slightly larger than a novella…but not as long as a novel. For the word count, the author did a great job with the story.
My favorite part was the sweet pieces of history from the previous books in the series! What a treat that was… I also enjoyed the strong faith theme in the book.
This is another delightful read in the Mayflower Bride Series.
I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.