From the Back:
A New Life Awaits Her across the Horizon
Living in London's poorest slum, Mercy Wilkins harbours little hope for a better life. So when she's offered the opportunity to join a bride ship sailing to British Columbia, she agrees. The journey abroad is her only prospect to escape a bleak future--both for herself and to help her sister, who's suffering in a workhouse.
Wealthy and titled Joseph Colville leaves everything behind and takes to the sea to escape the pain of losing his family. As the 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 along the shore of Vancouver Island, eager to claim a bride from the Tynemouth, will Mercy and Joseph miss their chance at true love, or will they overcome the obstacles that threaten to keep them apart?
Living in London's poorest slum, Mercy Wilkins harbours little hope for a better life. So when she's offered the opportunity to join a bride ship sailing to British Columbia, she agrees. The journey abroad is her only prospect to escape a bleak future--both for herself and to help her sister, who's suffering in a workhouse.Wealthy and titled Joseph Colville leaves everything behind and takes to the sea to escape the pain of losing his family. As the 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 along the shore of Vancouver Island, eager to claim a bride from the Tynemouth, will Mercy and Joseph miss their chance at true love, or will they overcome the obstacles that threaten to keep them apart?
My Reflections:
I think Jody Hedlund has to be one of my favourite authours currently. I can always expect her novels to be filled with solid plot lines, likable characters mixed with well-researched themes. Her newest book "A Reluctant Bride" did not disappoint! Can you imagine boarding a ship filled with women who are going to be married to complete strangers? The dangers are many and the voyage harsh.
At the insistence of her ailing sister Patience, Mercy Wilkins boards a ship with the Columbia Mission Society, not until she is boarded and on her way does she discover exactly what is expected of her.
Mercy has grown up in the poorest part of London and having seen her shares of death and heartache she is determined to forge a new path for herself and ultimately her sister. This includes not getting married and forgoing the same fate as her mother and so many of the women she helps in her slums.
Unfortunately, she finds herself in a new predicament the new land she is headed for, Beautiful British Columbia is desperate for female workers...and apparently brides. Not quite what Mercy imagined she signed up for.
Dr. Joseph Colville is not running away, he is serving where he is needed, or that's what he tells himself. After all the loss he has experienced, doing good is just what he needs right now. As the ship named "Tynemouth's" new doctor, he works hard to keep illness and death at bay. Not quite the life his parents had planned for him.
I loved how Hedlund took many of the scenarios from real-life events and crafted her story around the realities of life in the 1860s. Her attention to detail and research is exemplary. One disclaimer I may add is there are a few scenes that I would consider rated for mature audiences, though it is a clean book, the reference to desire is mentioned. Hence I recommend this book be rated for 16 years and up.
I may have squealed out loud when I heard a book mention Vancouver Island! It's not often that a novel I read gives reference to the very island I live on. This alone made this book extra special for me. I found myself doing all kinds of research on Bride ships to Vancouver Island in this time period. I can't wait for book number two in the Bride Ships series!
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
I think Jody Hedlund has to be one of my favourite authours currently. I can always expect her novels to be filled with solid plot lines, likable characters mixed with well-researched themes. Her newest book "A Reluctant Bride" did not disappoint! Can you imagine boarding a ship filled with women who are going to be married to complete strangers? The dangers are many and the voyage harsh.
At the insistence of her ailing sister Patience, Mercy Wilkins boards a ship with the Columbia Mission Society, not until she is boarded and on her way does she discover exactly what is expected of her.
Mercy has grown up in the poorest part of London and having seen her shares of death and heartache she is determined to forge a new path for herself and ultimately her sister. This includes not getting married and forgoing the same fate as her mother and so many of the women she helps in her slums.
Unfortunately, she finds herself in a new predicament the new land she is headed for, Beautiful British Columbia is desperate for female workers...and apparently brides. Not quite what Mercy imagined she signed up for.
Dr. Joseph Colville is not running away, he is serving where he is needed, or that's what he tells himself. After all the loss he has experienced, doing good is just what he needs right now. As the ship named "Tynemouth's" new doctor, he works hard to keep illness and death at bay. Not quite the life his parents had planned for him.
I loved how Hedlund took many of the scenarios from real-life events and crafted her story around the realities of life in the 1860s. Her attention to detail and research is exemplary. One disclaimer I may add is there are a few scenes that I would consider rated for mature audiences, though it is a clean book, the reference to desire is mentioned. Hence I recommend this book be rated for 16 years and up.
I may have squealed out loud when I heard a book mention Vancouver Island! It's not often that a novel I read gives reference to the very island I live on. This alone made this book extra special for me. I found myself doing all kinds of research on Bride ships to Vancouver Island in this time period. I can't wait for book number two in the Bride Ships series!
Jody Hedlund
Jody Hedlund (www.jodyhedlund.com) is the author of over 20 novels, including Love Unexpected, Captured by Love, Unending Devotion, The Preacher's Bride, and A Noble Groom, and is the winner of numerous awards, including the...
Continue reading about Jody Hedlund
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