Can a religious separatist and an opportunistic spy make it in the New World?A brand new series for fans of all things related to history, romance, adventure, faith, and family trees. Mary Elizabeth Chapman boards the Speedwell in 1620 as a Separatist seeking a better life in the New World. William Lytton embarks on the Mayflower as a carpenter looking for opportunities to succeed—and he may have … for opportunities to succeed—and he may have found one when a man from the Virginia Company offers William a hefty sum to keep a stealth eye on company interests in the new colony. The season is far too late for good sailing and storms rage, but reaching land is no better as food is scarce and the people are weak. Will Mary Elizabeth survive to face the spring planting and unknown natives? Will William be branded a traitor and expelled?
Join the adventure as the Daughters of the Mayflower series begins with The Mayflower Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse.
More to come 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)
more
Well written, organized, beleiveable, liked the use of actual character from history woven into fictional characters which were beliveable, happy outcome. Hardships of live on a ship with too many people were easy to see and be gtarefull I wasn’t one of them. Made me appreciate what people did to build this country.
reading this right now, so far would recommend
Historical fiction.
Well written and researched for truth and action. Made you think how others suffered to form this great nation.
I loved this book. Great read. I love how she blended the fictional characters with the real ones. I highly recommend this book.
Great historical fiction
This is an incredible historical novel!
The author starts by explaining which characters are fictional. I really appreciate that information. I found these characters very well developed and easy to connect with as the story progressed. At times I found myself verbally counseling William, the male lead, in how I felt he needed to deal with situations and people.
I had learned the story of the Mayflower in school. The story of these brave people came alive in this wonderful book. It is no longer just dry history facts. The people became more real to me. Their fears and heartaches were easy to take on personally while reading.
I received a free eBook copy of this novel through NetGalley. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.
Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion – which I’ve done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*
The Mayflower Bride is the first book that I’ve read by this author and I honestly enjoyed it. This book wasn’t without flaws, however. The story stalled at times with the ridiculous (though accurate) amount of sickness and deaths aboard The Mayflower. While this was realistic, I almost became desensitized to the deaths and by the time that key figures in the book became ill, I found that I couldn’t bring myself to be too upset about it.
Overall, I thought the characters were endearing and likable. I enjoyed Mary Elizabeth’s journey to the new world. I watched her struggle to overcome her fears and become a woman of great faith. William’s conversion felt rushed and forced to me. I think this was because he was studying with the brethren while I was occupied with yet another round of illness aboard the ship.
The ending felt slightly rushed, especially with the time jump. I felt there could have been more depth to the story but it wasn’t a bad read. At 256 pages, this book is more of a novella. The length is what (in my opinion) contributes to the lack of depth. Having said all of that, I actually enjoyed the book and I’m interested in reading more by this author.
This book was provided to me by Barbour Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. All opinions are my own.
Historical fiction is a much-loved genre for me. One of my absolute favorites. It is particularly enjoyable to me when an author does their due diligence and fills a fictional story with genuine detail. Such a well-written book feels like it transports me to another time entirely, and that is my favorite part. Woodhouse excels on all points of historical accuracy, as far as I can tell. I was utterly entranced with the idea of taking a true tale with all real circumstances and people, and adding just a handful of fictional characters to make the story come to life in a more personal way. I was very excited for this book!
I was a little disappointed in the actual reading, I’m sad to say, and there were two main reasons for this.
First, the story jumped around, leaving gaping holes in the reading. I did expect some jumping, strictly due to the fact that when working off of legitimate historical documents, there will, in fact, be holes in the data. Documents being lost, some things never being written down at all, etc. I was prepared for and okay with a certain amount of holes in the story. Frankly, though, I expected many of them to be closed or at least lessened by the love story of the fictional characters that were added. I did not find that to be the case here.
Certain things were troubling, such as the way Peter popped up only about once every 50 pages or so, then only for one or two paragraphs, and then ultimately being concluded by having a complete character transformation that is never explained. Why would he suddenly act so differently from the way he had in each small instance that he was described in the story? I would have loved to read the moment of epiphany for him.
The second issue I had during reading was the lack of literary description. I missed that so much. It’s one of my favorite parts of reading. I love when writing is so clear and vivid that it feels as though the story’s picture has been plucked out of the author’s head and dropped straight into mine! I feel like there were a great many missed opportunities here, though.
In the trip across the ocean, what were the smells that Mary Elizabeth experienced? The gun hold where all the passengers were sick, and the stark difference when they were able to open hatches and let in fresh air. What did the wet boards of the ship itself smell like? What was it like to walk on those boards? Did she ever get a splinter? What about when she tripped and tumbled across the deck to check on Mr. Lytton? What did the salt air feel like to her, on her first trip on the open ocean? How did the sight of the cramped sleeping quarters compare to the endless ocean with no land in sight? I wish these things had been included, because I feel they would have brought the story that much more to life without jeopardizing the historical accuracy in any way.
Because these things are so important to me and because they were missing, I can only give this book three stars. I will say, though, that I absolutely adore the fictional characters, and I feel that Woodhouse did a remarkable job of writing the Separatists accurately, compellingly, and with compassion.
This is a must read for lovers of historical fiction. Author Kimberley Woodhouse skillfully weaves well researched historical facts into her heart-warming tale in such a way that the past comes to life, as do her characters as they change and grow.
Reading what these pilgrims had to endure, along with many twists and turns, will keep you turning the pages. It certainly took great faith to do the things necessary to survive. The price they paid was high indeed.
For those looking for some romance, you won’t be disappointed with the tenderness displayed in this story. Well worth reading!
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.
Set sail on July 22nd, 1620 aboard both the Speedwell and Mayflower towards Virginia, joining a group of Separatists seeking to settle a colony in the new world! High adventure on the rough seas brings tragedy, triumph, loss and love.
I enjoyed revisiting a time in history that I was unfamiliar with. I’m sure we studied this in history class in school, but Kimberley brought it all to life for me. Told from the viewpoint of several people—Mary Elizabeth, her brother David, Dorothy her best friend, William Lytton, along with several others—I got a complete picture of what it must have been like through their eyes. I can’t imagine the trepidation Mary Elizabeth felt leaving the only home she knew in Holland to an unknown future, or the elation William felt in wanting to start a new life from his old past. The journey across the vast ocean brought much tragedy for many passengers when sickness and disease struck. I enjoyed seeing the character growth in Mary Elizabeth as she cared for those around her & how she clung to her faith though it all. My most favorite was William, he was a Stranger who didn’t know or want anything to do with God due to his past, but with gentle guidance & teaching by Mr. Brewster, he eventually gave his heart to the Lord. The tender love that grew between Mary Elizabeth and William was blissfully satisfying! Lastly, I especially enjoyed the notes in the “Dear Reader” & “Note to the Reader” sections in the front and back of the book. It gave historical details and what she used to put this wonderful book together. I always love it when an author includes this, as it brings more depth to the story for me! I’m looking forward to the rest of the Daughters of the Mayflower series written by several authors and thoroughly enjoyed the first installment in “The Mayflower Bride”.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. *
A very enlightening read that brings history to life aboard the Mayflower. I found it inspiring that the author was able to weave a fictional love story amidst characters that actually sailed on this treacherous journey. I found myself drawn in by their plight and suffering endured in confined quarters. The strength and Faith of the Separatist was so inspiring. This book made it easy to comprehend the sights and smells of sickness, death, and human waste these people endured. Well written and original. I look forward to the next book in the series.
I received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
Many of us have heard about the people who boarded ships to travel to new land. They had hopes of a better life and dreams of owning their own land. The book was a big eye opener for me. I never realized how much the people went through as they traveled on treacherous waters at times. I can’t imagine seeing water seeping up to a point where you fear you may drown. The author has done an exceptional job of making this story so accurate with historical facts. I was mesmerized by the dangers everyone was willing to take a to find a new beginning.
Mary Elizabeth was my favorite character. She was someone you could rely on and pitched in when needed. After having to depart from one ship that kept sinking to board the Mayflower was a daunting task. I was so emotional as I read of all the sickness these people endured. The accommodations were crowded and supplies were dwindling. I know Mary Elizabeth was happy to be traveling with her family, but will they be able to get to their destination as storms thrash the ship with waves that could cause devastation? I loved knowing that Mary Elizabeth had her best friend with her. They were abłe to gather strength from each other when times were almost hopeless as sickness and death surrounded them.
William was a delight to read about. He is so kind to Mary Elizabeth and helps her as much as he can when so many people become ill. The story is filled with tragedy, hope, trust and a dream of a bright future. Grab a copy of this book and travel with a group that were willing to risk their life for a better future.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing abs was under no obligation to post a review.
Come on board and travel to the New World on the Mayflower. The author weaves a fascinating historic tale of the voyage of the Mayflower and the early settlement in Plymouth. This story was well written and the author vividly captured the trials and difficulties of our Separatists, who fled England because of religious persecution. The author provided a lot of detail, her research paid off.. Some parts of the story were slow moving but the ending was exciting. My favorite quotes of the book are: “But prayer was a beautiful thing. As soon as he laid his burdens down at the heavenly Father’s feet, he knew he’d done the right thing.” “There would never be a perfect church because it was filled with imperfect people.” .and “Amazing what a few months of hardship could teach. To find joy in even the smallest matters.”