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 love it when I read a Christian historical book that gives me a “you are there” feeling. I experienced that with this book as I followed the characters through their journey to the New World, and felt empathy with them for all they were experiencing during the voyage. The characters of both William and Mary Elizabeth were interesting and likable. There is an encouraging theme of trusting in God that carries throughout the story. There were a couple of historical details that I wasn’t quite sure about, but it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story.

This book is sweet and clean. I’d have no hesitation for a teenage girl to read it. At only 256 pages, it’s an easier read than some of the more involved historical novels I’ve read. It’s a good start to a new series, and I’m looking forward to the next book.

"The Mayflower Bride " by Kimberley Woodhouse shows the voyage of Mayflower in 1620 and the hardships of establishing a new colony by the Separatists. And let me tell you they went through… a lot!
It is a Christian fiction novel. The book was engaging and the historical details were described with care. The Separatists were without doubt true believers and God-fearing people, so references to scriptures, prayers and finding consolation in God were understandable. The novel showed how the Separatists suffered on the Mayflower and later in the new colony. Their lives weren’t easy and they were brave, determined people. It must have taken an enormous leap of faith to travel to live in the New World.
Still, I found the characters one-dimensional. The villains of the story didn’t feel like real characters at all, they were only fulfilling the purpose the author created for them. There was no spiritual struggle. No crisis of faith that had to be overcome. The first contact with the native people in the New World didn’t feel real. It must have been a cultural shock for the Separatists, it is hard to imagine otherwise. But it was not described this way.
Overall it was an interesting read, showing an important event in the history of America. But it left me a little disappointed, I was hoping for more.
I received "The Mayflower Bride " from the publisher via NetGalley. I would like to thank the author and the publisher for providing me with the advance reader copy of the book.

A perfect blend of history and fiction to make this a very believable story. I liked that the author shared notes about the time period at both the beginning and end of the book. That helped with keeping things straight. Very enjoyable story about the Mayflower and it's voyage. Recommended.

Woodhouse certainly did her research for this book about the Mayflower voyage. She created strong characters and brought them to life as we read of their perils on the ship that brought them to the New World. Our forefathers sacrificed much to come to America. So much danger to their lives, sickness, scurvy, pneumonia and loss of life. Babies were born on the voyage, some lived and others didn’t. So it is not difficult to believe that young couples would meet and fall in love. Enjoyed this historical read of the ocean voyage of the Saints and the Strangers. Also the landing and building of their community. I received this book from Barbour Publishing and was not required to leave a review but am happy to do so.

In The Mayflower Bride, Kimberly Woodhouse created a word picture of the Mayflower voyage that captures the imagination and fills the mind's eye with vivid images. From the sailors climbing up the sails to the tumultuous tossing of the sea, and the horrific conditions of the Pilgrims trapped below deck by the tossing sea, I could see it all.

I thought that the characters (most of them) were pretty likable. I learned a bit about the Mayflower journey that I did not know before. That's saying something since we studied it every year when the kids were little as part of our homeschooling. I think that the author used a bit of poetic license, but it did make for a good story. Most of the story does take place on the ship during the journey. Compassion and service were two important themes through the novel.

I enjoyed the novel. I think that it is a nice, relaxing read. I didn't feel compelled to keep reading, but not every good book needs to be compelling. Sometimes just spending time with the characters is enough. Although it may not be expressly accurate, I think this book gives a good taste of what life on the Mayflower was like. Therefore, it is good for historical fiction and romance readers alike.

Disclosure: I was sent an e-book of this product for review purposes only. I was not compensated in any way. All opinions are my own based on my experience with this product. 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 by KIMBERLEY WOODHOUSE is a romantic historical novel with a strong Christian message. The Author has obviously done a great deal of research and has followed the account of the Mayflower's crossing with the addition of some fictional characters.
It is the story of the Separatists who left England to escape the dogmatism and persecution of the Church of England, living in Holland until the opportunity arrived to cross over to found a new colony in America. These people were brave and totally committed to the truth of Scripture and to one another. There were also people who did not believe as they did on the voyage, and they were known as Strangers. To start with there was conflict, but high seas, sickness and death drew them together. It is an encouraging story of overcoming in dreadful circumstances.
William Lytton, a fictional character, was orphaned as a baby and was given the opportunity to have a new life by the man who took him in and taught him carpentry. His mentor bought him passage on the Mayflower.
Mary Elizabeth Chapman, her father and young brother David, also fictional characters, were among the passengers on the Speedwell who ended up on the Mayflower when the Speedwell sprung a leak.
We see how the desperate circumstances brought the best out of so many of the passengers, amongst whom were William, Mary Elizabeth and David.
I found the story interesting, the characters real, and the Christian content good. I am looking forward to the next novel in the series.

The Mayflower Bride is an amazing and thoroughly researched novel. Ms. Woodhouse thoughtfully provides a cast of characters at the beginning of the book so her readers will know which ones are fictional and which ones were true Mayflower travelers.

I knew the travelers faced hardships, but I truly never thought of just how bad it was until I read of the illness, hunger, horrible weather and loss of life they experienced. They had hopes and dreams, but most importantly, they had faith.

I loved seeing Mary Elizabeth become a young woman filled with dignity and grace. I admired her compassion for others, especially since she faced the same thing as the other passengers did. William is another character that I grew very fond of as the story progressed. I admired his work ethic and his desire to succeed. Most of all, I loved how Mary Elizabeth and William formed a close bond, helping each other and their fellow passengers on their journey.

Overall, this book has everything a historical fiction reader appreciates. Wonderful characters, a perfectly paced storyline and impeccable writing.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Kimberly Woodhouse takes you to the 1620/1621 in America with the arrival of the most famous group of American settlers to ever arrive. The people on the Mayflower. Unfortunately the book had a little too much history and real members of the colony for my taste, Also a more scriptures and praying than I like to read. I just couldn't keep concentrated on the story of William Lytton and Mary Elizabeth Chapman. I thought the story could've spent a little less time on the actual Mayflower. William and Mary Elizabeth really were more caught up in what was happening on the ship than spending time together even though it was a several months journey. I'm all for being historically accurate but I think by other books I've read that the real characters were woven into the other books as secondary characters. I really didn't get a good idea of the feelings between William and Mary Elizabeth until they were about to their final destination and then they really didn't spend much time together. I felt that Mary Elizabeth grew as a character and learned to be a survivor and stronger because of the deaths of most of the people closest to her. During the voyage William got in touch with God but had an unknown enemy lurking in the background and was able to put aside his past, Just hope the next books in the Daughters of the Mayflower series are a little more exciting, I look forward to getting to know some of the later members of the Lytton family, Especially since Mary Elizabeth and William had many children and grandchildren and survived almost 5o years in America, Hopefully there will be descendants of Mary Elizabeth's brother among the books. I'd love to know about those ancestors of the Mayflower as well. If you enjoy Christian Historical family romance I think this series would be a good one to read. The Mayflower Bride is the first book in the Daughters of the Mayflower Series. I'm looking forward to reviewing the next in the series soon The Pirate Bride.

This book was not at all what I was expecting. My thoughts are all over the place on this one. There were some good quotes/faithful insights sprinkled throughout. And the author clearly did her research. I found the introduction interesting and thorough. However, the books itself seemed to ride a strange line between serious and historical and lighthearted and more modern. Some of the attitudes and ideas expressed by the characters didn't seem to fit their personalities or the historical era. I don't think I will be continuing the series, but who knows. Maybe in the future I'll feel differently.

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. *

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)

Impeccably researched and well written! Captivating story of change, love, endurance, friendship, family, and freedom. I learned so much through this fiction book. The author does an incredible job of making historical events come alive for the reader. The characters are well written and relatable. They are so close to real people! They add to the historical information in a great way that doesn’t detract from the actual events. There’s something for everyone in this book. I loved it. Can’t wait to read the others in the series.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. I was in no way required to write a review.

Kimberly Woodhouse managed to transport me back in time to the Mayflower and it was fascinating. I love historical fiction. This was the first time I read books by this author. But it definitely won’t be the last. This was such a heartwarming story. I enjoyed reading this and am so excited for the rest of the books in the series to be released.
The Mayflower Bride provided some great information about the Separatists who traveled on the Mayflower. While history books teach us that the settlers face some incredible hardships, this book is what really made the hardships come alive. While I really didn’t get drawn into the characters of the Mayflower Bride, the historical facts captured my attention and kept my attention to the end. I was overwhelmed by the amount of faith it took for those first settlers to come to the New World. I finished this book with a great appreciation of the sacrifice made by our founding fathers.
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.
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This is a brand new series, every book will be written by a different author. I haven’t read a lot of books based on the travel to America so I thought I would read this one.

This is definitely a series I will continue to follow.

Mary Elizabeth is a sweet girl who has never considered herself brave but finds she has to be to survive her travels on the Mayflower.

William has never really known what a family is but finds himself wanting one and also wondering about the faith he sees in Mary Elizabeth.

I will be honest, I was never really sucked into this book. I guess nothing reached out and grabbed me. The premise is good and like I said, I will be reading the next book in this series (I already have it). As always, this is my opinions only.

A copy of this book was given to me through Netgalley.com. All opinions are my own.

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.

I enjoyed this book very much. I like historical fiction and this fit that perfectly plus I like the way the author used the foundation of God establishing our country in the book. The struggles of coming to the New World on a ship that was crowded and conditions were terrible had to be so difficult. Losing loved ones and friends would be so devastating. It would take the love and strength of God to get them through. I enjoyed the story of Mary Elizabeth and how she would come to depend on God to get her through all the difficulties and loses. It was a book that made me appreciate how God brought the people to America and even in the hardships He cared for them and provided. Thank you NetGalley for the kindle copy of the book in exchange for my review.

Years ago, I started reading an incredible series for a review project including American’ Dream, which includes four stories of girl-hood journeys in our American history. The first of which was called Sarah’s New World which was a story of a young girl’s journey on the Mayflower across the great ocean to the shores of the colonies. As I started into turning the pages upon The Mayflower Bride, my mind was sent back to how I enjoyed reading Sarah’s New World years ago. I actually even retrieved the book from my shelf and handed it to my eight year old advanced reader and said here, have a fun read for school. Her eyes lit up as she knew she was going on an adventure and one to share with me as I read my book and she read hers. The entire Sisters in Time series is available on Kindle as eBooks (both as the reprint omnibus and single story editions) and I truly hope to collect them all for my girls to read in their homeschool studies.
While, I’m familiar with the name of Kimberley Woodhouse and know I’ve got here with a Tracie Peterson book around here somewhere, this is the first time that I have really dived into a book of her own solo. I’m always nervous when it comes to introducing myself to a new-to-me author of Christian Historical Fiction and intrigued at the same time.

In my own genealogical history, I know that we have claim to members of ancestry being on the Mayflower and so on of ships. We’ve been on the American continent for ages, and perhaps it is because of this that I often find these books of Christian Historical Fiction of special interest. This story is about a girl, a young woman with quite the spirit and personality, her name is Mary Elizabeth. And then, of course, a young man of a rough past, William.
Reading this story, coming in with my own knowledge and attention to detail, it is apparent that Kimberley Woodhouse has indeed done her research and provided a vivid tale of the times. The opening notes really set the background and while I’ll read this series for fun as that is the kind of person I am, I fully intend to set these aside to be a feature in our high school studies as I bring my girls back around to study to earliest in American history days once again. This is a great book for a read, as well as a good resource for homeschool living literature.

I was really excited to have an opportunity to read and review the first book in the Daughters of the Mayflower series,The Mayflower bride. I really love reading historical facts and learning historical things in books I read. Now I know this is a fiction book but many of the facts presented I was not aware of since I don't regularly read in the time period presented. The author included a glossary of terms used in the book and I found it so helpful since a lot of the terms refer to parts of a ship which I'll admit I am not familiar with. The cast of characters listed was also very helpful as well. Beautiful historical story that is the introduction to the series as it sets up the story for the upcoming books in the series. The hardships,hunger,depression,sickness,loss and raging storms is just incredible on this voyage. When they make it to land will it be too late for the planting season? Will things work out for Mary Elizabeth Chapman so she is able to marry William or will he be branded a traitor and expelled?
This was a smooth reading fabulous book that I had trouble putting down. I can't wait to read the next books and continue the series.
Pub Date 01 Feb 2018
Thank you to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing, Inc. for a review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Still is dealing with her Mom recent death, Mary Elizabeth, a young puritan, is very hesitant to make the trip to America. William, a non-puritan carpenter, sees the advantages for going to the new world.

God uses this trip to draw William into a personal relationship, even as Mary Elizabeth & William are drawn into a romantic relationship. Many hardships, sicknesses, heartaches, & losses occurred in the establishment of new Puritan settlement in America.

I Highly Recommend this fantastic Historic Christian Romance by Kimberley Woodhouse! 📖