I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. No compensation was received for sharing this review and all opinions are my own.
Series: Daughters of the Mayflower #1
Published by Barbour Publishing on February 1st, 2018
Source: Barbour Publishing
Genres: Christian, Fiction, Historical, Romance
Pages: 256
Can a religious separatist and an opportunistic spy make it in the New World?
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 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?
Note: Kristin reads and reviews both Christian and secular fiction on A Simply Enchanted Life. Out of respect for my readers, I am including a content review. This content review will help you decide whether this book is suitable for you.
Christian or Secular: Christian
ASEL Rating: Safe for most audiences.
The Mayflower Bride is book #1 in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. Other books in the series include The Pirate Bride, The Captured Bride, The Patriot Bride, The Cumberland Bride, and The Liberty Bride.
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. 
About Kimberley Woodhouse
Kimberley Woodhouse is the best-selling and award-winning author of more than a dozen books. She is a wife, mother, author, and musician with a quick wit and positive outlook despite difficult circumstances. A popular speaker, she’s shared at more than 2,000 venues across the country. Kimberley and her family’s story have garnered national media attention for many years including ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, The Montel Williams Show, Discovery Health channel’s Mystery ER, The Hour of Power, The Harvest Show, and over 1,000 other TV appearances and radio interviews. She lives and writes in Colorado with her husband of twenty-five years and their two amazing kids.
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