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
A marvelous feat. Through The Mayflower Bride, Kimberley Woodhouse has woven a tender tale of love and endurance through a rich historical tapestry. The momentous voyage and landing takes on new depths of meaning through every carefully crafted page. What an inspiring tribute to the hope that filled those men and women’s sails, and to the courage that buoyed them through their storms.
When I started researching my family history, I found an in-law of an in-law of an in-law who could be traced back to the Mayflower. Since then, any colonial settings or books on the Mayflower have been added to TBR. I finally got around to reading this one and am excited to continue reading the Daughters of the Mayflower Series!
The story starts in Holland with two friends, Mary Elizabeth and Dorothy, and follows their journey to the New World. Because we know quite a bit about certain real life people involved in the voyage, the fictional story and characters closely follow real history. In some ways, I really enjoyed that because it was a history refresher. On the other hand, since I’ve studied the history of the Mayflower a little, I found the storyline a little predictable and wished for a little more fiction. Though, without giving away too much, I loved how Priscilla Mullins came to be a part of Mary’s life towards the end of the book. A very sweet twist!
Conclusion: The Mayflower Bride was a good read. It was clean, historically accurate and the foundation of a new, longer series in the CF market. It was kinda sad and slow at times, but given that this wasn’t just a story, but a fictional take on history, I appreciated that the author captured how the passengers must have felt coping with their losses and disappointments on the trip. I felt the characters had depth and I can’t wait to see what happens to Mary’s descendants in the rest of the series!
Years ago, my husband and I took a tour of the Mayflower II, a replica of the historic vessel that delivered Saints and Strangers to the New World. Kimberley Woodhouse drew those memories to the forefront of my mind as I began reading her newest novel, The Mayflower Bride. Pairing the two together, I felt a new appreciation for all the Separatists risked to escape persecution and gain religious freedom.
This story follows the path of a young woman by the name of Mary Elizabeth. Mary, along with her father and brother initially embark on the Speedwell, but after two failed attempts at the passing, they join the passengers of the Mayflower. Friendships, faith, and romance are forged amid the physical and emotional trials of the journey. Mary and her friend, Dorthy, were great examples of iron sharpening iron since they prayed for one another and encouraged each other to serve their fellow shipmates. Knowing the Separatists to be pious people, I was not surprised that the characters often voiced their reliance and trust in God. That being said, their positive influence on the Strangers (particularly William Lytton) seemed to be based equally upon their deeds as their speech.
I enjoyed the interpersonal relationships as well as the history Woodhouse has woven into this story. Even though the novel is fraught with tragedy, the messages of hope and perseverance prevail in the end. For this reason, I am looking forward to reading additional titles in The Daughters of the Mayflower series.
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I liked it very much, a very interesting book.
The Mayflower Bride is such an eye-opening book! I had no idea that the Separatists originally left from the Netherlands. I also had forgotten that it took them quite some time to establish Plimouth Colony once they finally arrived in America. I certainly don’t envy all of their hardships and the harsh conditions that they had to endure. However, Kimberley so beautifully portrays the Saints’ struggles and their devout faith throughout their entire journey. Mary Elizabeth’s and William’s relationship developed slowly and sweetly under these trying circumstances, and understandably, this book has a lot of emphasis on faithful endurance through life’s trials. I could’ve done without the one aspect of the story that involves William’s record keeping for the Virginia Company. It added so little to the story, and its resolution wasn’t very climactic or exciting.
***I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley and am under no obligation to provide a positive review. All opinions are my own.
I enjoyed reading about the religious division that caused people to leave all they had ever known to seek true freedom to live as they wished. The trials experienced were vividly portrayed and most of the characters were likable causing me to hope for their success as the story progressed.
The Mayflower Bride is a fabulous historical novel that includes real who came from Holland, then England, in 1620. The primary characters are not actual historical people; however, most of the Separatists (Saints) and others traveling with them are real people. (The author specifically notes who is or isn’t one of the travelers.) The tumultuous time faced by the Separatists coming here for religious freedom is relevant especially in this season of US history. Characters, beliefs, and descriptions of what must have seemed like an unending ocean journey are portrayed with sensitivity, demonstrating the cost paid by those who arrived in winter, 1620. This is a novel that should not be missed!
Mary Elizabeth, her father, and younger brother David set out from Holland; they are part of the Separatists. Her best friend Dorothy and her parents are also on the journey. They sailed on the Speedwell from Holland, joining the Mayflower in England. They had to turn back more than once due to leaks in the Speedwell, finally leaving it behind.
Many people fell ill, some terribly seasick, then susceptible to anything from pneumonia to scurvy. Mary Elizabeth fears losing her family friends. She and Dorothy nurse the sick. Due to their late start to the New World, they were in severe storms that only increased seasickness. The cramped conditions, lack of fresh air, and sunshine contributed to their illnesses.
Mary Elizabeth, who never looked at a man twice, meets William on the Mayflower. He is a not a Saint, however, so she could not allow any feelings for him. She struggles with many things, including their mutual attraction and her fears. Dorothy began to help her pray through the fear, and Mary prays frequently on her own, beginning to let the Lord teach her more. As more sicken, William begins to learn the Bible from one of the Saints.
I like Mary Elizabeth and Dorothy very much. As best friends, they encourage each other in various ways. Dorothy is more open and ready to embrace new challenges. Since Mary Elizabeth’s mother died, she is more hesitant to accept change. Dorothy nicknamed David “King David” since he was born, which endeared her to him. William didn’t have a great start in life. He had no reason to believe in God, even though his mentor took him to church and walked his faith every day. How ironic, then, that he is on a ship with many Saints, as well as captivated by a beautiful woman whose faith in God doesn’t repel him.
This is an exciting venture, to see history come to life through the author’s talents! One of the most famous voyages to the New World gently reminds the reader of the heritage of faith in our country as well as the cost to those who undertook the journey, and how strong our ancestors were to endure all they did. I didn’t realize is that those who traveled with the Saints were called Strangers. Descriptions of the conditions on board ship, the scenery, and the storms bring the reader onto the Mayflower, then stepping foot onto the new land. I enjoyed being an armchair traveler! The author includes real events and people. I appreciated the simple, heartfelt prayers, reminding me that prayer is not fancy or complicated. How humbling it is to see the characters with a scripture verse memorized for many challenges, and how quickly an apt verse can calm the heart! I highly recommend this Christian historical novel.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
Mary Elizabeth is wary of the future. Standing on the deck of the ship Speedway in 1620, she reminisces about her life in Holland and is worried about her trip to the New World. Holland wasn’t home but it was where her mother had taken her final breath, and having to leave her behind is gut wrenching for Mary Elizabeth, her little brother David, and their father. They are hoping the New World will also mean a new and better life away from persecution. A new beginning.
Mary Elizabeth and her family are members of the Separatists, a religious sect who had chosen to break away from the Church of England, in pursuit of spiritual freedom. This choice has made them detestable in their land and so they fled to Holland to break free from religious persecution. Now a number of their congregation are headed to the New World to help start a new settlement where they can freely worship and live for the Lord.
William is also ready for a fresh start. He is an orphan who has had a hard knock life thus far, being kicked out of his foster home at the tender age of nine, and was on the streets barely able to survive. This is until a kind-hearted gentleman took him in and taught him the trade of carpentry. He is on the Mayflower, the ship that is to sail alongside the Speedway, loaded with supplies for the New World.
The Mayflower Bride tells this harrowing story of the trip across the Atlantic through the eyes of Mary Elizabeth, William, and several other inhabitants aboard the Mayflower. Your hopes rise and fall with the characters, who deal with a ship that almost sinks, bouts of seasickness and scurvy, and such severe illness that it brings with it death. Intermingled with the sadness there is also the beautiful story of love, friendship, finding inner strength, and living by faith and faith alone.
This is the first book in The Daughters of the Mayflower series and I believe it to be an incredible beginning. What I really enjoyed the most was the Note to the Reader at the end of the book where the author explains in greater detail the genealogy of several of the characters that were actually on the Mayflower and connecting them to famous figures that we all know and love today! Ms. Woodhouse was even able to trace her own lineage to Virginia in 1659!
There are a few historical inaccuracies which the author does explain both at the beginning and ending of the book, but in my opinion they do not hurt the integrity of the actual story of the Separatists or the circumstances of the Mayflower voyage whatsoever. I highly recommend this book for those that love history and appreciate the plight the early settlers had to endure to create the freedom we have today.
The first book in the Daughters of the Mayflower series was great. The trials and tribulations of those that chose to go on the journey and their spirit was amazing. Hard to believe so few survived but knowing how small those ships were, and the closeness of the quarters, it is not surprising. Reading about William, Mary, and David, made this event even more real.
As someone who descended from a family on the Mayflower, I was already interested in this one. Kimberley Woodhouse did an amazing job on her research. I am terrible grateful that she didn’t make me wade through those creative spellings in her direct quotes too! Even with the liberties she took with the characters she added, I felt like they could have been on that trip. And with historical fiction, I am always on the prowl for plausible creative license. (That is probably a side effect of double majoring in history and creative writing in college lol). Mary Elizabeth’s resilience in the face of hardship and loss was beautiful, moving, but most importantly believable. I was really rooting for her! And it probably makes me a bad person for being happy the sailor that tormented them was the first person to die on the ship, but I never claimed that I wasn’t a sinner in need of grace! I was highly recommend this one!
Disclosure: This is a goodreads giveaway book. My opinion is just that—all mine. I won the Kindle version, but downloaded the Audible version through the Escapes package. I will review both since I used the Whispersync feature while listening.
I enjoyed the reader (Sarah Zimmerman). She has a lively aspect to her voice that keeps me interested.
I enjoyed the story, but there were a few places where the language used in conversation was too 21st century for this 17th century story. I believe I read another review that detailed some aspects of the story that weren’t historically accurate. I’m not as well-versed in historical accuracy as that reviewer, because I never caught those issues.
What I enjoyed most about this story was how the author kept the Separatist characters turning to God in prayer for even small requests—not petty, but just total reliance on God. As a leader of a Christian fiction book club, I know that this book (& perhaps the entire series if it continues in this vein) will be a hit with the readers of my group.
This was a refreshing, light-hearted treatment of the Mayflower voyage in that it is a fictional romance centered around a very famous historical event. The author did a good job & I look forward to enjoying the next book in the series.
Group of people from England travel on the mayflower to the new world. Real history with a little twist in story with people that weren’t in the real story, but made a great story better. Adventure and suspense!
Oh My Goodness! This book is absolutely fantastic! The wonderful history that this story is FULL of the sweet, sweet love story between Mary Elizabeth and William., the difficulty that those sailing to the New World encountered, and the beautiful story of God’s never ending love for us…this is a must-read novel. I was drawn in immediately and couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.
I greatly enjoyed reading the story of Melissa. Her travels here on the Mayflower. A terrible journey for all. How she found when she thought herself so weak that when it came right down to it she was strong! History written inside its pages drew me first. Then getting to know Melissa and what she faced. Also the others. The Strangers and the Separatists. And how in the end they set aside their differences and came together! Reading made me feel very thankful for the blessings of today!
I have to admit, I first wanted to read this book because of the amazing cover. I was intrigued by the historical setting and what story the author would tell. While the book has plenty of details of the Speedwell and Mayflower voyages, they were basic and I didn’t find them very compelling and didn’t feel immersed in the setting. I felt like I was being told facts instead of experiencing it along with the characters. I liked Mary Elizabeth and the realistic portrayal of her fears, and how she relied on her faith to give her strength to overcome. Her friend Dorothy was a bright spot with her optimism and enthusiasm. William has a background that is tragic yet redeeming, and his developing friendship with Mary Elizabeth is sweet. Somehow I didn’t feel a connection to the emotions they described, and felt like what depth was there was repeated throughout the book.
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
This had good character development. The behaviors of the characters seemed true to the time period. The story line was interesting and seemed realistic. What I did not care for with this book, was the abrupt conclusion. It left me feeling as if the author had contracted to wright a certain number of pages and rapidly wrapped up the story at that point.
This might be a good book, but I couldn’t get past the old language used. I quit reading it after the first chapter.
the plot was great, but i had such a difficult time getting into it; a lot going on in life right now. An excellent story line. Historically enlightening. Very motivating to question what i believe and whether it is Bible-based, or culturally-based.
History in a very intriguing package. Loved the characters and the story line.
I’ve always heard about the hardships of the early settlers of America but never more realistically than this account. This book should be mandatory reading in schools to bring a sense of the morals on which this country was founded back to the general population who seem to have forgotten why they have the privileges they do and their obligations to this country.