The Mayflower Bride tells the story of William Lytton and Mary Chapman and the hardships faced as they travel to America.  Mary begins the journey on the ship, Speedwell, while William is on the Mayflower.   Both William and Mary are strong, well-written characters. Mary and her family are Separatists while William is an orphan who does not have much religious background. I enjoyed The Mayflower Bride and recommend it to others who enjoy historical fiction. I received my copy of The Mayflower Bride from Barbour Books. This is my honest opinion.

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.

I heard a lot of great things about this book, "The Mayflower Bride"and that is what drew me to read it. This was the first book by Kimberley Woodhouse that I have read and I was quite disappointed. The plot was centered around the hardships endured by a  young separatist woman traveling via the Mayflower to the 'New World.' 

I really wanted to enjoy this book but I was bored to death and it was a struggle to finish the book. I found the dialogue lacking realistic elements. I was unable to connect with the main character as the author didn't expound on her feelings and thoughts. The romantic element of the book was shallow in that the two main characters spend very little time together due to their opposed religious beliefs which kept them from forming a bond except from afar. But somehow they still fell in love and her father blessed the marriage, all while they are barely talking to each other. 
I read Christian fiction because I like that they are clean of language and sex. I don't mind that scripture and spiritual lessons are weaved into the characters lives. I just found the amount of scripture and spiritual elements in this book to be overwhelming so much so that it detracted from the main plot and made it boring. I was looking forward to this series but now am skeptical about reading the other books even though they are by different authors. I would NOT recommend this book.

The Mayflower Bride
by Kimberley Woodhouse

Most Americans are pretty familiar with the trials of those who came over on the Mayflower, but this story draws us in, and we live through the voyage with these brave men and women in a way that makes the story and struggles become more real.  The majority of the story takes place through the eyes of two fictional characters, William and Mary Elizabeth.  They each work through personal difficulties and doubts, as well as the hardships of the voyage. I felt the characters’ struggles were very realistic.  

I really enjoyed this story and the extra information that the author provided before and after the story.  What originally drew me to the story was the fact it was a series that would focus one family’s descendants from the Mayflower through various times in history.  As a genealogy buff, this really appealed to me and reminded me of Gilbert Morris’ The House of Winslow series which I enjoyed many years ago.  I look forward to reading more of the series and would recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction.

MY RATING:  A solid 4 stars for entertaining me, holding my interest, and providing strong examples of relying on God in adversity.

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At my request, I received a free electronic copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review.  This review reflects my honest thoughts and opinions on the book, and I received no compensation for this review.

An alternating perspective historical story about a young woman, her family, and others journeying across the Atlantic on the Mayflower searching for new opportunities. 

This book seems well researched and detailed in the historical elements. You can tell the author did their homework with the way she describes the setting, nautical elements, and historical events. The characters themselves have detailed back stories; however, like many characters from Christian books, their major flaws end up being normal things that typical people feel on a day to day basis (grief at sad events, doubt during trials, etc. ). To me this made the characters seem less dimensional and at times, boring. There were some side characters that had some vibrant personalities that helped me stay interested, including the main characters brother and best friend. 


This book to me had more for lovers of history than lovers of romance. When I read the description of the book I assumed the romance would keep me turning the pages, it didn’t. Instead I felt like I was witnessing something not too far away from what romance could have truly been like on the mayflower, which was was less interesting than other elements of the story. In fact, when the romance was just beginning to develop was when I had the hardest time staying motivated to keep reading. 

This book will make any reader think more about the brave individuals who took a giant leap of faith hundreds of years ago. It will also make anyone grateful for running water, vegetables, and airplanes.

Fleeing persecution for their religious beliefs, 16-year-old Mary Elizabeth Chapman along with her father and eight-year-old brother David, join their congregation aboard the Speedwell in hopes of prosperity and religious freedom. After having to return to port for repairs to the ship on more than one occasion, the passengers are eventually transferred to the Mayflower to complete their journey. William Lytton was orphaned as  baby and raised until the age of nine by relatives who did not want him. Thrown to the streets, he survived on his own until a man named Paul took him under his wing at age 13 and treated him as a son, including teaching him of the LORD and of his trade as a carpenter. Knowing his time was near, Paul purchased a ticket for William’s passage to the new colony as well as an extra stake in some land for him to be able to prosper and start his own family. At first William isn’t receptive to hearing about the LORD and his love, and it isn’t until they are at sea that William truly discovers his need for the LORD in his life. The journey is a difficult one, with nearly all of the passengers falling ill, including many deaths. It is aboard the first ship that William and Mary Elizabeth are introduced. Mary Elizabeth’s best friend Dorothy teases her about her immediate interest in him, but over time their affections truly grow for each other. They work together (along with any of the few not ill at any given time), to care for the sick aboard the ship. I will not spoil any events, however I will share that the heartache is great and death touches nearly every family. In an attempt to stay true to historical accuracy, the author takes the reader deep into the heartache of sickness and death of loved ones. Once the ship makes it to land, they hope that all will be well, but they continue to face more heartache as they struggle to build homes for their families and feed their community. As William and Mary Elizabeth work hard to help build their new colony, is the love they’ve developed for each other enough to sustain them?

A lot of research and preparation went into the writing of this novel as the author shares in snippets both before and after the book. While the main characters are fictional, several of the characters were real people aboard the ship (and she even shares some interesting lineage about some of them at the end). While the book does fall under a romance category, it’s also full of history. Both Mary Elizabeth and William’s stories are shared including their own struggles and heartaches aside from that of romance. Life in 1620 aboard the Mayflower was certainly no walk-in-the-park, and the author did a wonderful job of sharing just how painful and difficult life could be for the early settlers. While sad in many parts, the settlers clung to their faith in the LORD to sustain them through the difficulties they faced. This was a very emotional yet powerful read, and one I would greatly encourage.

*I received a free copy of the book from the publisher for an honest review*

I just finished reading The Mayflower Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse (Daughters of the Mayflower (book 1) and I found it rich in history! This book was a great, quick read. I read it in a few days, picking it up here and there. I loved the characters and the story line. Sailing over to America took over half of the book. And I wish there was more story line after arriving here, but I guess that would be more of a Plymouth story than a Mayflower one. I would recommend this to other history buff readers that like a little love story in the middle. I would definitely like to check out the other book in this series.  Special thanks to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing, Inc. for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 

#TheMayflowerBride #NetGalley

The Mayflower Bride
Daughters of the Mayflower (book 1)
by Kimberley Woodhouse
Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Barbour Books
Christian , Historical Fiction
Pub Date 01 Feb 2018
I am reviewing a copy of The Mayflower Bridre through Barbour books and Netgalley:
Mary Elizabeth and her family learn they are to go to the New World. They are to leave from Holland.
Mary Elizabeth and her family board the speedwell in 1620 in search of a better life in the New World. William Lytonn embarks the Mayflower as a Carpenter looking for new opportunities in the New World and when a man from The Virgina Company offers him a job recording the records of the journey!  When they leave the season is late and the Waters are rough many become sick, some doe on the journeys but reaching land is not better, with food scare and people to sick and weak to work from the voyage.

Will Mary Elizabeth survive to face spring planting and unknown natives, or will she succumb like like many others had?

I give The Mayflower Bride five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

The writing felt a little stilted so I had a hard time pushing through. The story really picks up as it goes on and the author does a great job of making you feel like you were really there.

" 'When you don't know what to pray, Mary Elizabeth, pray the words Jesus taught us… pray scripture.'  Mother's words floated over her, and a single tear slipped down her cheek."

"The Mayflower Bride" (2018, Barbour), first in the "The Daughters of the Mayflower" series by Kimberley Woodhouse, is a historical Christian romance set between 1620-1621 mostly on the open seas.  The novel is a standalone story.  I chose to read this book because two of my absolute favorite authors, Michelle Griep and MaryLu Tyndall, are contributing books three and six, respectively.  I decided I might as well start at the beginning of the series even though I was nervous that a story set on the Mayflower would be too depressing.  Not because of what I remember from school, but because of what I remember from the "Peanuts" special "The Mayflower Voyagers"! 

Rating: 4 stars

The heroine:  Elizabeth Chapman, 17, is a Separatist.  Years previously, the Separatists "fled England and King James' religious persecution… [and] made it to Holland."  Holland has been her home for as long as she can remember, and now a group of Separatists has been chosen to be the first to travel to the New World.  Elizabeth's family is in this group, and she's devastated.    

The hero:   William Lytton, 20, is a Stranger, defined as anyone who is not a Separatist.  A group of Strangers are going to travel to the New World to settle there along with the Separatists.  William, orphaned at birth, has become a respected carpenter, and is now excited to leave for a new life.  "They would all have to start with nothing.  They would have to build or create everything with their own hands.  They would be far away from everyone and everything they'd ever known.  That was fine.  Making a new life took hard work and sacrifice.  He was ready."  Needless to say, William is elated.

Christian elements:

*In the Ms. Woodhouse's dedication, she writes of Tracie Peterson, a veteran Christian fiction author:  "You are my dearest friend other than my precious husband…my prayer and Bible study partner, accountability partner, and listening ear."  

*Of the Separatists:  "The Saints, as they preferred to call themselves… believed only what the Bible told them, so they considered all the man-made rules and traditions of the Church of England to be wrong."  

*Of the prevalence of God and the Bible:  This is possibly the most scripture-laden book I've ever read.  The scriptures and prayers included seem culturally appropriate as well as relevant.  To me, it didn't feel preachy; it felt authentic.  For example, in the face of very real fear, Elizabeth's friend asks, "Why don't we recite the Twenty-Third Psalm together?"  And they do.  I thought it was a wonderful application.  It's atypical in the Christian fiction I read, but I did like it.  "The fear was because of her doubt and worry - neither of which was honoring to God.  She'd have to work on those areas of her life."  Amen!  

Is it clean/chaste?  Oh, yes!

What I liked: 

*As described in the foreword, Ms. Woodhouse "had to research each person on the ship and then bring aboard only a few fictional people."  I really liked this approach, as opposed to the usual approach of sprinkling in historical figures and events.  Thankfully, there is a list of characters before the story which indicates which characters are entirely fictional.

*There was also a glossary of seafaring terms at the beginning of the book.  That was fabulous, because I have read Kindle books with a glossary at the end and in almost every case, I didn't even realize it was there until after I finished the story!     

What I didn’t like: 

*The villain.  I didn't think he was necessary.  I cannot know for sure, but it seems as though the villain was created in order to manufacture conflict at the "right" time in a story arc.  I think this story had enough hardships without a villain in the mix.  Fortunately, he did not come into play overmuch.  I tried to not take much notice of him    

*Instalove.  Elizabeth and William are instantly attracted to each other, and it seems like that attraction equals love.  Once I got over that, I was fine with their relationship.

*The use of the word prayerfully.  This word was used several times to mean either thankfully or hopefully.  I don't know whether this is a correct use of the word, but it jarred me out of the story each time.

***********

The bottom line:  This was a good rendering of the Mayflower's journey.  I recommend this book to Christian fiction readers who won't mind that this book is NOT Christian Lite.  I look forward to reading the rest of this series, including book 4, which will be by the same author.
(See "The Patriot Bride").

I received this book from NetGalley.

I’m always amazed when I consider the enormous courage of the people that came over on the Mayflower. To leave one’s home, family, friends, and country and to settle in a new place full of dangers, it would require a lot of bravery.

Mary Elizabeth has to learn how to acquire that courage. As she sets out on the voyage, and encounters the many dangers, delays, and troubles, her courage grows, and her character grows as she learns to rely solely on the Lord.

I thought there would be more in the story about William and his spying, but on the other hand, he hardly had time to, what with all the adventures they had on the Mayflower.

This is a sweet book and the writing fits the classic story. I enjoyed it, and am very excited for this new series, The Daughters of the Mayflower. A new book in the series will be released every two months and will continue to progress through history, all connected because of the Mayflower.

This book started out slow but loved they history and back story great read and will be looking for more books by Kimberley Woodhouse. Reviewed for NetGalley!

Travel to America with the first residents!

What a pleasure to be able to read the first in this new series. My husband and I have been tracing our ancestry back as far as we can. In each instance, we would love to have a journal or something that belonged to our people so that we can understand their journey and know more about how they lived. Stories like this are so helpful to us. The author did a LOT of research before writing this story. I still find it fascinating how an author takes facts, creates new characters to illustrate, and fills in an individual’s day to day thoughts and actions to tell the tales. Kimberly is another great author who brings history and the people to life. 

The two main characters of the book had their trip on the Mayflower decided for them.  They both grew in strength and learned how to live in faith. And found each other to share their troubles, individual thoughts and fears. 
I bookmarked two of the passages, the first a quote from scripture, that go to the heart of this story:
“. . . Count it exceeding joy when ye fall into diverse temptations, knowing that the trying of your faith bringeth forth patience. And let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing. “
And
“…but it wasn’t until I found salvation through Jesus Christ and my new faith that I was able to let go of the past.”

All of the passengers on the Mayflower (and that of other immigrants after) went through exceedingly hard times. It’s a wonder that any from this voyage made it at all, or that others still kept coming afterward. Timing is everything, and theirs was not good yet it's God who directs all of our lives, and uses many of us in one way or another to help and shape the lives of others. 

Mary Elizabeth is carried along on the journey by her father and her best friend. They are very enthusiastic about the opportunity, but she would rather stay where they are in Holland. Yet the Separatist community they lived in felt that this was getting to be as bad as what they had left in England, so it was decided to emigrate. 

William was orphaned as a baby and given to relatives to raise, who used him as a slave then kicked him out at 9 years of age. He lived on his own, working as he could to live, until a man found him, took him in and taught him the trade of being a carpenter. His mentor purchased a share on the Mayflower and a place in developing the new colony in America – so his path was set for him. A good and honest person, he had developed an excellent reputation – but because he was an orphan he would never have a social standing if he stayed in England. However, that early life had shaped him too, and fed his fears. He knew something was missing in his life, and found it when he sailed to America with the Separatists.

This is an excellent read that makes you wish you could learn even more about this time and the people who lived through it. I highly recommend it!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the Bethany House Publishers - Netgalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have 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.”

Mary Elizabeth Chapman is seeking a better life and freedom from religious persecution in the new world when she steps on board the Speedwell in 1620. When William William Lytton boards the Mayflower as a carpenter, he's seeking opportunities to succeed, and he may have just found one when a man with the Virginia Company offers him a significant amount of money to keep a close watch on the company's interests in the new colony. They've left too late in the season for good sailing and the storms are raging but reaching land isn't any better with food being so scarce and the people being so weak. Will Mary Elizabeth and the rest of her group survive long enough to see the spring planting and the natives? Will William be branded as a traitor and expelled from the colony?

I really enjoyed this sweet story a great deal. I could tell that Kimberley Woodhouse did a great deal of research into the Mayflower's journey and the very different groups, of Saints and Strangers, who set sail aboard her. I loved that she included a glossary so that those of us who aren't well versed in sailing terms and/or the vocabulary of the day can keep up easier. She was able to write and describe each scene so well that you can almost see it, almost feel like you were experiencing it for yourself, or at least watching it unfold, like a play. The characters were also extremely well written, even the ones you didn't want to like, the ones who were just unlikeable people, were still dynamic. I have always loved this period in history and Woodhouse certainly lived up to my expectations. This may have been the first book I've read by this author but I certainly hope that it won't be the last!

I received this book from Barbour Publishing and Netgalley and was attracted to it right away by the cover.  Although colonial America is not my favorite historical setting, Woodhouse definitely seems to enjoy it and researched it well.  There were many facts and tidbits I've read elsewhere, but it grounded the story in authenticity.  The romance between her fictional family didn't feel out of place with the actual historical characters she grafts them into, taking into account that she modernized their speech for ease of reading by the modern audience.  It was a sweet, clean romance read that was easy to get into.  Although it didn't grip me and make me compelled to look for more in the series just yet, it was a comfortable, middle-of-the-road read that will certainly make me look for more from this author in the future.

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.