If you read Mayflower Bride by Kimberly Woodhouse, which I recommend, please don’t skip the “Dear Reader” and “Note to the Reader” sections. Woodhouse has provided wonderful information that will add to most readers’ knowledge of the times and events surrounding the crew and passengers of the Mayflower. Where most works of historical fiction include a few real people among the fictional characters, Mayflower Bride includes a few fictional characters among the real people who traveled to the New World on the Mayflower. This book is well researched which adds to the appeal for fans of historical fiction.
Among the fictional characters are Mary Elizabeth Chapman and her brother David. Their father volunteered to voyage with fellow Separatists in an effort to assuage his grief from the passing of their mother. Another fictional character is William Lytton, a Stranger encouraged and supported in joining the voyage by his mentor and foster father of sorts. Having had the seeds of Christianity planted while living with his mentor, William’s faith grew as he lived among the Separatists on the Mayflower. Mary Elizabeth found her faith strengthened as she worked among the sick during the trying voyage and continuing after their landing in the New World. William and Mary Elizabeth find God’s using their budding relationship to minister to one another as they face many trials.
I thank NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for providing me with a copy of Mayflower Bride in exchange for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation.

Having been to Plimouth Plantation and seen the replica of the Mayflower II, I was quite interested in reading The Mayflower Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse. Woodhouse has done a great job with the history and setting of this story. The reader feels like they are right there in the middle of the scenes. The mix of fictional characters with historical figures makes the story interesting and authentic. The sweet romance between Mary Elizabeth and William is engaging and delightful to watch unfold despite secrets and differences. The characters are vivid and lovable and their growth and maturity throughout the story is realistic. The Mayflower Bride is replete with information about the history of our nation and the struggles the passengers of the Mayflower endured. The author makes the story intriguing with some suspense as to the outcome of the passengers and to William in particular. And with a strong thread of faith in God throughout, the book is also inspirational as the reader can see how God's hand is at work in the lives of the individuals. I'm looking forward to reading more in this Daughters of the Mayflower series.

The Mayflower Bride is a book that takes you into the journey of the Separatists to Virginia in 1620. The story is told from the viewpoint of Mary Elizabeth Chapman, her young brother, and William Lytton, a carpenter.

Mary Elizabeth has lost her mother and now she, her younger brother and her father are going to board the Speedwell and head to the America. Mary Elizabeth gains courage to take the trip from the Lord and from her best friend who is also making the trip. But the Speedwell begins to have trouble with repeated leaks and despite several attempts to fix the ship, they find themselves boarding the Mayflower to make the long trip. The conditions in the Mayflower are overcrowded and the trip is plagued with bad weather and rough seas. Before long sickness sets in and one by one passengers become very ill. Mary Elizabeth finds herself taking care of the sick and meeting the needs of her fellow passengers on the ship. David, Mary Elizabeth's younger brother, also tends to the sick. He does what ever is asked of him and some of those duties are not pleasant yet he does it any way. The strong faith in God that the Separatist have helps them to endure the long and unpleasant trip.

William Lytton is a carpenter that is hoping for a new life in the Virginia. He is a former orphan who lost his caregiver recently. But during the trip to the Virginia, William finds two things: faith in God and a bride. He meets Mary Elizabeth and the two are instantly smitten with one another. As William grows in his relationship with God, he accepts the ways of the Separatists. As passengers begin to die, William finds himself comforting Mary Elizabeth. He forms a relationship with Mr. Chapman and makes promises to him. As the passengers begin to succumb to illness and die, faith is all that get them through.

As they approach land, the find they are further north than they anticipated. They begin the task of writing a charter, finding acceptable land and then building homes for the passengers.

The Mayflower Bride really takes you into the journey of 1620 and how challenging it was for the Separatist to settle in Plimouth. I really enjoyed the book and found it to be very well written. There is underlying drama that comes to light in the later part of the book and that adds an interesting element to the story.

This novel is a lovely read about the Pilgrims of Plymouth. I enjoyed it quite thoroughly and would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in this era.

It was so much fun to read it in the days leading up to Thanksgiving even though the first Thanksgiving didn’t happen on-page. Got me in the stuff-myself-to-death mood with all the starvation and what-not. *shudders*

It was a light, clean historical romance read – though the romance thread wasn’t too heavy. Not the best I’ve ever read … but quite sweet.

PLOT: 4/5
At times, it did seem like it just wouldn’t get to the point. It was always quite interesting, and I never was exactly bored, but still. I kept waiting and waiting for something to happen out of the ordinary going-to-Plymouth of history (lol) … and it was forever until something did!

I also take issue with the title. What bride? She was no longer on the Mayflower, per se, by the time she became a bride – at the very, very end of the book. This book should be The Mayflower Single Girl. ;)

None of this is to say that I didn’t enjoy the book! It’s just easier to list the negatives than the positives. It was a really good book, and I’m happy to have read it.

CHARACTERS: 5/5
All very well-done! I liked them a lot, and they all seemed well-developed. The author plainly took time to create them all individually.

There were quite a few characters, but it was never confusing. Don’t let that long list at the beginning deter you! They were all individualistic. I loved the way they all got along together and cooperated on the Mayflower and then when they finally arrived at Plymouth.

Mary was a sweet, brave girl. I just want to give her a hug! Poor angel … she had to bear so much in her life. I really got to understand her feelings and thoughts as the book progressed. It was like being right there with her!

William was also cool. I mean, he wasn’t exactly swoon-worthy, but he was still a neat, upstanding guy. It was cool to see him grow close to Christ. His backstory was so sad, poor baby. *gives him lots of chocolate*

SETTING: 5/5
Very well done! I was surprised by the depth of the research. I know a lot about this era and these people (got a little obsessed when I was younger – or rather my mom did, haha), and I was deeply impressed.

A fellow reviewer has mentioned some historical errors. The first is that pneumonia was not diagnosed until the late 1800s (this article contains more details) and the second that washing a person’s mouth out with soup as a punishment for swearing wasn’t used until later.

But … honestly, I didn’t even notice – nor do I care – and it didn’t decrease my enjoyment one whit. Still, if you’re a super history buff, I guess that’s something to think about.

WRITING: 4/5
I really appreciate that the author chose to use slightly more modern speech. I love Shakespeare as much as the next gal, but I don’t want to have to unravel what people are saying when I’m reading a just-for-fun novel!

Still, it definitely wasn’t too modern. Modern enough to be understood – but not slangy or full of contemporary terms.

The book was fairly well-written overall. There was a time or two when I thought sentences could have been improved upon, but these were few and far-between and more a matter of personal preference than anything. *is a writer who edits peoples’ books in my head* *shrugs*

CONTENT: 1/5
Language: n/a

Violence: people fear that the local Indian tribe may attack

Sexual: brief mentions of childbirth and pregnancy

Other: passengers on the Mayflower are ill a great deal and many die, lots of hunger

Squeaky clean! Probably 13+ for reading level, but no objectionable content.

OVERALL: 4.5/5
I really did love this book! I haven’t delved in the Pilgrims’ lives in forever, and I was so glad to have the opportunity to do so again! Definitely a book I’d recommend to anyone interested in or studying this era or simply historical romance/adventure readers looking for their next novel.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R1I7GJNI0IT7ST/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8

I know a book is good when I read half of it in one sitting. This is what happened when I sat down to begin The Mayflower Bride. The story was captivating and soon had me swept away into the world of Mary Elizabeth Chapman and her experience on the Mayflower and in the New World.

I liked the mixture of fictional characters and historical figures. It lent a believability to the story and made it interesting. The author lets the reader know at the beginning of the book that there is a mixture so the reader doesn't have to guess who is real and who isn't. All the characters soon seemed real to me and it was easy to have empathy for them as they made a not-so-pleasant journey to a new life. I liked Mary Elizabeth and William and really enjoyed reading the natural progression of their relationship. I also enjoyed Mary and Dorothy's friendship and how they were always there for each other and were almost like sisters.

One of my favorite things about this book though was the character development. These characters change and grow throughout the story and the author did an excellent job of expressing these changes. Mary goes from a girl to a young woman who is much stronger than she ever thought she was. Watching this occur was an enjoyable part of the story for me.

I like this author's writing style and her way of describing events that made me feel as if I were there with the characters experiencing everything along with them. The story has a good pace to it and I didn't find any parts to be boring. I'm glad that she didn't use the language of the day and bog down the story with a lot of "thee's and thou's". (She explains at the beginning of the book she wrote it in modern day language and that we could thank her later so her is her thank you from me.)

This was a really well-written book about a time in history that I don't see much about in books. This is a book with characters that I won't soon be forgetting. I'll definitely be adding this author to my must-read list.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was not obligated to write a review. All opinions are mine.

The Mayflower adventure brought to life…I really enjoyed this book on the Mayflower. The story starts from two different viewpoints. Mary Elizabeth, a member of the Separatist, is fearful of leaving Holland where she has spent most of her life. William, a carpenter in London, had been an orphan and suffered through life until adopted by a master carpenter. William believes in God but his faith is not strong due to his experience of life. Their intertwining story and love bring this story to life. This book details the hardship life on the ship and the first few months in the new world. The historical research that the author did enriched this story. It really brought the Mayflower adventure to life. I also enjoyed the scripture references and how their faith helped them endure. I received a copy of this book from Net Gallery. This is my honest and voluntarily given review.

The Mayflower Bride by Kimberly Woodhouse mixes historical facts with fiction to create a must-read novel.
The Saints along with some non-believers called Strangers are leaving Holland to sail to England and then on to the new world. Their passage is being paid by investors and the funds will be repaid with proceeds over the first seven years of the new colony. The families of Mary Elizabeth Chapman and her best friend Dorothy Raynsford are chosen to go with the first group to settle the colony and then others will follow. Dorothy is excited and ready for adventure; Mary Elizabeth is more reserved and not sure this is a journey on which she wishes to embark. The journey proves to be full of setbacks and challenges the faithful to hold steady to their belief that God is guiding their journey to religious freedom. Will Mary Elizabeth and Dorothy and their families be able to survive the journey? Will Mary Elizabeth and Dorothy find love on the Mayflower or in the new land?
I was completely immersed in reading this book and was surprised when I got to the end. The author mixes real life and imaginary characters in a seamless way so the reader tends to forget that the story in not historical non-fiction. The characters come alive on the pages and I had tears when some passed away and rejoiced with them when land was finally spotted. The story is well-researched and there is a lot of historical information from various sources included. I knew the story generally but there was a lot I learned from reading this novel. I highly recommend this book and can give it a solid 5 out of 5 stars rating. Everyone who enjoys history and fiction will enjoy reading this book.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first of a series about the Daughters of the Mayflower. Being a genealogist, I love this time period. I have also given a webinar about the sail ship passages of the early years. It seemed very true to form and I had described it similary from my studies.

I enjoyed how the fictional and non-fictional characters interacted. It was an enjoyable historical fiction.

This is the first book that I have read from this author and liked it. It had great descriptions and I felt that I was visualizing what she wrote about in the book.

I was given a copy of this book from Barbour publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a review. All thoughts are my own.

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.

A couple falls in love during the time period of when the Mayflower arrives in the new world. They were the first people to decide to settle and live. Many died during the voyage, it was hard to stay optimistic. They were the first Pilgrims and Strangers. Would any make it?

I enjoyed this story, was a little saddened by all of their loss. I am glad they remained faithful that God would be faithful.

Faith, hunger, hardship, sickness, loss, and grief are strong threads through this story, though they failed to engage me as a reader. The mixing of the fictional leads, however, with the historical figures was well done. I found I quite liked the portrayals of Miles Standish, John Alden, and especially Priscilla Mullins. The fictional characters did not fare so well and I found I had little sympathy or liking for them.

As a draft, this would be fine, though in need of some work to give the story a good flow, enrich the descriptions, provide stronger motivations and make the dialogue more natural while making it have more of a feel for the actual speech, values, and behavior of the times. The author herself notes that she chose not to use language like 'thee' and 'thou' to make it more readable, and that does sometimes benefit the modern reader, but there seems to have also been a loss of authenticity in the dialogue as well as the story.

2.5 stars. Rather than transporting me to the 1600's, this story brought fourth grade social studies units to mind. If you are interested in this series, as I am, then this is worth a quick read as it is the foundational novel in a linked series.

My thanks to Barbour Books for allowing me to read an e-galley through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

To be completely honest, I’m not usually a huge fan of colonial-period romance. There’s always a lot of death involved, or if there’s not, the story isn’t very accurate. As such, I was really dragging my feet to start on this one. Well, boy I regretted that!

Instead of struggling to get through it, I struggled to put it down. Kimberley Woodhouse weaves an engaging tale of early colonists learning about love, strength, courage, and God’s power in the darkness. The story is well researched, detailed without being weighty, and historically accurate enough that this layman found little to no problems. Unlike many colonial period novels, I found The Mayflower Bride to be extremely readable and significantly less depressing. While over 50 people die through the course (which is demanded by the historical account of 53 deaths), Woodhouse directs the readers’ attention toward the proverbial horizon as her characters learn to rely on God more fully.

All together, I was extremely pleased with this novel, and am looking forward to the next in the series, The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo .

This story is too predictable. Boy meets girl, many troubles happen, boy and girl fall in love, and get married. The historical aspect of the novel caught my attention, but I was disappointed in the modern influences entering in to a 400 year old account.

If you interest is in Christianized romances, this book is for you. If you want a solid historical novel, look elsewhere.

Sadly, this is a book that did not live up to the great hype that preceded it. I am usually a fan of prologues and glossaries and such in the front of a book, but I thought this book was never going to start. There was just too much extraneous information, and I was tired before it began.

Mary Elizabeth Chapman,17, travels across the ocean with her father and her younger brother, David. She is fortunate enough to have her good friend, Dorothy along on the adventure as well.

Mary Elizabeth finds herself attracted to William Lytton, well-known for his carpentry skills. Unfortunately, Lytton is a Stranger. Thus we have a romance with obstacles.

Many trials await the Mayflower travelers. These were portrayed accurately if not compellingly. Woodhouse goes to great lengths to be sure her account is factual. She has done extensive research and it shows.

Surprisingly, there was more added material at the end. By this time, I felt like I had read a thinly disguised textbook.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. I also bought a copy. All opinions are solely my own and no positive review was required.

So…let me just start this off with saying that I think I fell in love with William Lytton. Why don’t they make men like that anymore? William is a man who knows how to treat a lady: chivalrous, prays with Mary Elizabeth (sighs), spends time with her little brother, attempts to speak with her father, and most importantly, would do anything for the girl he loves. Not only all of those glorious things, but he is also handy and honest…the complete opposite of most men these days.

We are persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but we perish not.

Now, onto the story, the Separatists, originally from England and now living in Holland, are looking to adventure into the New World after facing religious persecution. Initially planning on settling in Virginia, and after several failed attempts on the Speedwell, the Separatists, the crew, and the craftsmen aboard the Mayflower and embark on the daunting journey of creating a settlement in Plymouth. Along the way, many characters struggle with faith, honesty within themselves, and of course, health.

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

I love that Psalm 18:2 is mentioned in this novel, since it is my favorite! I think a lot of times, many of us struggle with being strong, and especially in these times, we feel lonely. But we are never alone and we never have to fear because God is always with us. In the beginning of the novel, Mary Elizabeth is a quiet, soft-spoken woman uncertain about the New World. As the story continues, we see Mary Elizabeth growing into a confident, outspoken women certain of her abilities. She begins this process by helping the sick of those on the ships, faltering slightly with the death of those close to her, but then becoming the strong women others look to in times of trouble and heartache. Mary Elizabeth has the characteristics she admired of those around her: strength, bravery, and full-heartedness in God.

I would love to live in this time period and be able to experience the hardships and fulfillment of creating a new settlement completely from scratch, which is why I found it so enjoyable. If you are looking for a book that is Christian, historical, and slightly romantic, then this is the book for you.

A great book with loads of twists and turns, must read

I love the cover of this book. I fell in love with it before I read it.
I enjoyed the story setting quite well.
The characters had a lot going for them, but the angst fell a little flat for me. I wished that there would have been a bit more closer at the end, but it was a good light read, a nice one for spring break.

The details that were pretty incredible, with the historical details of the Mayflower, the Speedwell, and the burials at sea. I did feel as though I was rocking and swaying to the swells of the waves as I read.

This is my first book by this author. I was impressed by the historical accuracy and attention to the true events surrounding the mayflower voyage. I just recently read a non-fiction account of this harrowing tale and it was interesting how the author wove so many facts into a fictional tale.
That being said, the only reason that I have it this rating is because the type of writing appears to be more geared to a YA audience. I usually avoid this type of style, because it is personally not my taste. But I would recomend it to anyone who enjoys YA historicals.

Delightful historical fiction. Although the main characters were fictional, the story was based on historically accurate research. It really helped me understand what passengers of the Mayflower endured (I have an ancestor of the Mayflower passenger list.) It should make all Americans grateful for what those who went before have done.