I received this book from NetGalley and Barbour Publishing, and thank you Kimberly Woodhouse for writing it.

My goodness the perils the first colonists endured to get religious freedom. Which in turn caused me to not want to put this book down. The story is about Mary Elizabeth Chapman, her brother, and father,. It also follows the lives of her best friend Dorothy, and William Lytton - a carpenter on the Mayflower. The ships encounter setbacks, illness, and terrible seas. But through it all Mary Elizabeth and William find friendship and then love. Departing so late put the Mayflower arriving in the New World later than expected. It also put them in line with terrible storms which cause horrible seasickness -- to which Mary Elizabeth and Dorothy cared for the settlers. Once they reached the New World is when Mary Elizabeth faced her biggest tribulations. But in the end her faith, love for others and William get her through, to which she is truly happy.

This book was very good, you could tell the author did a lot of research into the events of the crossing of the Mayflower and its passengers. The things they encountered on their travels over were so much more than I could ever imagine. I would highly recommend this book to other readers. Now on to the next book.

First off, thank you to both NetGalley and Bookish First for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I really wanted to like this book - I read the excerpt on Bookish First and couldn't wait to read the rest of the novel. I love historical fiction and I have not read a book set in this time - the founding of the United States. Love when the author incorporates real historical figures into the fiction (Myles Standish, etc). However, while the story started off strong, it sort of petered out after that for me. I would have liked more writing about the way they were going to build the settlement, the struggles, and triumphs rather than continued musings of the main character which I soon found boring. I also did not realize that this was a faith-based book - while that is fine and I like learning about different faiths and cultures, I felt like the relating of scripture overtook the book rather than enhancing the story; that may make the book more enjoyable for some, but just not my thing (and I wish I had realized this in advance). As I said, I really wanted to like this book, but it, unfortunately, fell flat for me.

I've often wondered what it would be like to live during some of the more famous events from history. Not that I necessarily want to live during some of those events but just wondering about the people who did live during those events. I have several ancestors who have been in some amazing parts of history, reading some of the stories that have been kept about those events have been neat. One of my favorite movies is based on the book, North and South. In it Margaret goes to the Great Exhibition in London to see all the wonders of the world. I always love that scene because I have an ancestor who lived at that time who walked several miles to visit her grandmother. Her grandmother wanted the granddaughter to stay and go see the exhibition, and especially the first steam powered locomotive. My ancestor talked about how they laid tracks down on the street to watch this train engine work. To think about how much of an advance that was for them but to us it seems small due to all that we have and see in our lives today.

The first printing press, the first airplane, the first lightbulb. Columbus sailing off to find a new world. Pilgrims leaving behind all they knew to find religious freedom in a land unknown and undeveloped. The fears they might have had. The excitement. The stress. The joy. All of it building as they sold their possessions and chartered ships and land agreements and worked towards that day arriving and setting sail into the vast and open ocean. The unexpected (or maybe expected and anticipated) casualties and sorrows. The sickness. The change in plans. The weather. All that they had to encounter to go from point A to point B and being those early pioneers(yes they were called pilgrims but I use the word pioneer because they were pioneering the way) to help bring about change.

This book opens with two dear friends, Mary Elizabeth (our main female character) and Dorothy, eavesdropping on the meeting of the elders to discuss leaving for this new land and who would go with the initial group. Dorothy is full of excitement and adventure and is practically bouncing off the walls with anticipation when she first hears the plan. Mary Elizabeth? Not so much. She is reserved, scared, fearful of what's to come, fearful to leave behind her life and fearful of how her family will survive. She's already lost her mother to illness, her father is still mourning her and has not been himself since her passing. Mary Elizabeth is unsure about the path that lies before her. But drawing from her deep beliefs that God will direct her path as she puts her faith and trust in him, she moves forward in preparing for her journey.

Our main male character then comes on the scene in his own story. He is in a different part of Europe than Mary Elizabeth and has had his own struggles in life. He is joining the group bound for the new world as a master carpenter and is happy to not look back on his dear old mother land. Life has not been anything marvelous and wonderful for him. Being orphaned young, ignored and unwanted by family, living on the streets for years until finally a kind man rescues him and teaches him the skills of a carpenter. His rescuer dies after encouraging William to join this group and find a better life.

These two characters' lives collide as they start their adventure on the two ships bound for America. The love story between them is sweet and tender and very befitting a Separatist's life. It's not easy or necessarily pleasant at some points but it was very sweet. They help strengthen each other with all the trials and sorrows that come their way on this journey.

I think a good way to describe this book is to connect it to its subject matter. The Separatists group. Nothing flashy and glamorous. Not anything fast paced and big. But slow and steady (I mean that in a good way, not degrading). The pacing of the book is constant, but it isn't fast. There are moments of peril and many, many moments depicting struggles and trials that were faced by this group. The author did a great job in her research of this group and compiling it all into her novel. Each chapter has a date in the voyage so we see the time frame of the voyage and of how long certain events or sicknesses lasted. There are many, many characters within this book that she pulled from actual people who were on the voyage. At first when I was reading the list of characters at the beginning of the book, my head spun a little bit. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to keep them all straight or not. Honestly, there are a lot. But I took a deep breath and decided that at least I had a reference chart to look back at if I couldn't remember who was who. But guess what? I didn't need it. The way they were presented was done in a way that me, with my spinning head, was able to keep them all straight and I didn't feel overwhelmed once with who was who. Most of those listed were just minor characters but the author shows us who they are at the beginning in a glossary of characters. So don't fret if you see the big list and think, like me, how you're going to keep them straight.

There were moments that I skimmed. Ok, maybe I should explain something. I'm a very fast reader. Usually I read each and every word. But when I skim through sections I'm still taking in everything that is happening. So my skimming is not quite the same skimming as other readers. Does that make sense? If not, no worries. Maybe speed reading sections might be a better way to say that. I don't know. But some parts were a little slower paced that I needed to move along the story otherwise my super exhausted brain was going to fall asleep. Not because of the book, but because of everything going on in my life that keeps me very busy and going full speed right now.

The writing was well done. The style and characterization fit very nicely with the time period and the group of people being written about. I think any reader who loves history, especially this time period or subject matter, will give this book 5 stars or more because it is done well. I enjoyed it but there are only so many times I can read about sickness after sickness, and struggle after struggle, and not feel completely wowed by the book. But this book is about the group on the Mayflower so I know why it was included.

There's peril in the form of a bad guy. He's angry and feels slighted so he's out to cause problems and gain back what he feels should be his. So watch out for him. Hell hath no fury like a woman, um scratch that cause it's a man in this case...Hell hath no fury like a man scorned. Ok, maybe not quite the best reference for the bad guy here because all said and done he really wasn't super scary or horrible. But, he did fit in great with the rest of the feel and pacing of the book. So kudos to the author for keeping it all connected that way.

Overall it was a great depiction of this time and group of people. Their trials, their beliefs, their having to sacrifice and say goodbye to home, friends and family. There is a lot of depiction of death and storms on the seas, tragedies but some happiness too. If you're looking for a good historical read this is one that I would recommend picking up. I know many will really enjoy it. It is a Christian fiction genre book. I think that those who love that genre will really love this book and if you're not usually one to read Christian fiction because of the fear that it might be preachy but you love historical novels, I will say this to you...try it. Go into the book with the knowledge that it is about a group of people who were seeking for religious freedom. It is very historical and it does have a lot of talk about God and their beliefs but remember that was who these people were and why they were sailing on the Mayflower, crossing the ocean to find a new home. It's not preachy but it's who they were and what they lived. Just a little thought for you. If you still aren't interested, no worries. I am looking forward to the other books in this series. I've not read anything else by this author but did notice that she wrote one of the other books in this series. I'm looking forward to reading that book by her as well to see how I like it and her writing style with a little bit different time period. Each book moves forward in time just a little bit.

Content: Clean. I think I've pretty much touched on everything that should be listed in the content section throughout my review. But for anyone who just jumped to the bottom to see if I listed content, here you go. Moments of peril due to storms on the sea, sickness, death from sickness, but nothing graphic. Some mild religious talk but that is due to the Separatist group that the story is about, I wouldn't say that it is preachy.

I received a copy from the publisher, Barbour Books, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

Overall it was a good book. The research was excellent. I liked the main characters. I just wished for a bit more intrigue or something to keep me reading. I love history, so I knew I would enjoy this story about the Mayflower. It certainly took courage to leave everything behind and endure the hardships and privations that the early Pilgrims suffered. It makes me more appreciative of those who came before us.

I am sorry, but I am unable to finish this book. It is predictable and formulaic.

This is truly a remarkable, informative book. Things, that I never knew. I absolutely find this, to be a firm foundation of the Declaration of Independence! America was founded on Christian beliefs, this book proves that. I believe this would make a great Movie!
I highly recommend! Thanks! Enjoy!
carolintallahassee 👒

.Kimberley Woodhouse has written a heartbreakingly beautiful, yet realistic story of the life happenings onboard the Mayflower as it traveled to the New World. During all the struggles, deaths and sickness, but not losing sight that God was with them.
I truly wait in anticipation for the next Mayflower Bride book!
This is definitely a Five Star + book.

The Mayflower Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse is a great read! 4 1/2 stars. So much history that I didn't know about. The hardships and dangers in coming to the New World. The fictional characters of William and Mary Elizabeth and her brother fit well into the story of the Mayflower. You get a glimpse of how the Separatist and Strangers were able to make it through illness, discouragement, and loss of life to start a new life.

I look forward to more in this series of Daughters of the Mayflower as we journey into history. I received this book from NetGalley for my review and all opinions are my own.

The Mayflower Bride is the beginning of the new series, Daughters of the Mayflower. I thought it was a great start to this series and look forward to the others when they release. I give this one 4 stars.

A sweet romance involving a young woman who travels with her father and younger brother from Leyden, Holland to England, and then on to the New World in search of religious freedom. An unmarried woman in the 1600s has little choice about her destiny, and Mary Elizabeth Chapman doesn’t really want to venture to the proposed colony. She’d rather stay safe in her known world, near her mother’s grave. Only the fact that her best friend, Dorothy will be on the voyage bouts her courage enough to accept her father’s decision.

William Lytton, orphan, once again finds himself alone in the world—this time after his mentor and friend passes away. William honors his mentor’s wish and signs on to travel to the new colony. Before the voyage, one of the shareholders approaches him and asks him to keep record of what happens with the Separatists. William agrees, after all what harm could come of simply keeping record?

After multiple problems with the ship, the Separatists find out that they’ll have to join their fellow travelers on the more seaworthy Mayflower. The crowded conditions throw two unlikely people together—Mary Elizabeth and William. The storms and sickness that torment the passengers and crew test both of their mettle. As William leans more about the group, he starts to reconsider his lack of belief in God.

The author does a nice job of presenting a historically accurate novel. Mary Elizabeth and William grow as characters as they face each new hardship. The elements and the ship act as the real antagonist of the journey, but the author has included a one-dimensional antagonist that causes problems for William later on in the story. The resolution seems a little contrived. I didn’t love the book, but I didn’t hate it, either.

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

After reading this book about the 'Separatists'--the group we commonly call the Pilgrims--I find myself very thankful, like Mary Elizabeth, for all the seemingly small things that I take for granted. Clean water, fresh fruit and vegetables, a warm house, and clean clothes. This group was amazing in their zeal for worshipping God as they believed from their Bible study, leaving everything (more than once) to live according to their faith, and traveling to a new land. Endurance and faithfulness were key themes, also trust, grace and hope as they suffered tremendous hardship and loss.

The author does a good job of mingling fictional characters with historical ones, recreating the journey of extreme hardship and many losses. It was easy to imagine from the descriptions what it must have been like on the journey. The growing faith of William and Mary Elizabeth was inspiring. William was my favorite character. Honorable, hardworking, hoping for a fresh start in a new land. His relationship with Mary Elizabeth was tender and sweet. I liked how she went from a timid, insecure young woman, to a stronger, caring, outgoing individual as she helped others, believing that "...I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me."

Recommend to readers who enjoy historical Christian fiction based on real events, with a squeaky clean romance. This would be a good read for teens. 3.5 stars

I usually love historical fiction but this was not one of my favorites. It was very hard for me to stay connected in the story. It seemed like it was very well researched but the actual story was just flat to me.

A very well thought of and researched novel that takes us back to the pilgrimage. To be presented with the toughness and dangerous these people faced during their crossing makes me wonder how far off is it from the people fleeing for a better life today...
Along with thought-provoking moments, we get a tender romance and a story about endurance through storms and trials. Truly inspiring.

Come on board and travel to the New World on the Mayflower. The author weaves a fascinating historic tale of the voyage of the Mayflower and the early settlement in Plymouth. This story was well written and the author vividly captured the trials and difficulties of our Separatists, who fled England because of religious persecution. The author provided a lot of detail, her research paid off.. Some parts of the story were slow moving but the ending was exciting. My favorite quotes of the book are: "But prayer was a beautiful thing. As soon as he laid his burdens down at the heavenly Father's feet, he knew he'd done the right thing." "There would never be a perfect church because it was filled with imperfect people." .and "Amazing what a few months of hardship could teach. To find joy in even the smallest matters."

I am very excited for this series. I love the idea of a multi-generational saga covering the important historical events in the United States. And I loved that it started with the Mayflower because there are not enough books about the Pilgrims.
Having said that, this is the first novel I have read by Kimberley Woodhouse. And while the historical details were fascinating and seemed accurate, I felt that I was being told the story. I never lost myself in the story and never forgot I was reading a book.
I am looking forward to the rest of this series and to seeing what other authors and events I discover.

When I first learned that Barbour Books had contracted with a number of authors to write their new series, The Daughters of the Mayflower, I knew I was in for a treat.

Late last evening, or perhaps I should say in the wee hours of the morning, I finished reading the first book in the series, The Mayflower Bride, by Kimberly Woodhouse.

Having conducted extensive research, the author, has penned a captivating read about the Separatists and the Strangers on their voyage to the New World. While it is a work of fiction, some of the characters in the novel are historically real; such as Miles Standish; William and Dorothy Bradford; William and Mary Brewster; Edward and Elizabeth Winslow, along with others too numerous to name here.

In addition, a number of historical events are also included in the novel, events I do not recall having ever read previously and it most definitely was not included in my public-school education. In fact, due to not being familiar with some of the events, I took a few minutes to do a bit of research myself. Kimberly Woodhouse did an outstanding job of not only researching but also relating the events so as to make the reader feel a part of them.

Adding colorful and realistic fictional characters provided the novel with a realistic experience to the experience of the ocean voyage, including the cramped quarters; seasickness; discord between the Separatists and the Strangers; numerous storms; lack of food supplies; illness; death and burial at sea.
I could hear the waves as they crashed upon the ship; smell the sea salted air; the claustrophobia of the of the tight quarters below deck, along with the stench of illness and the lack of sunlight; feel the chill of constantly wet clothes and cry tears of grief as one after another of the Mayflower's passengers died offshore, before every getting to even set foot on the new land.

At the same time, I could feel the excitement and the apprehension of the Separatists as they prepared to leave everything they had ever known to cross a huge ocean to settle in a land they had never seen. Too, I could feel the excitement of finally seeing land and setting their feet on solid ground once again.

This is going to be a great series! I am very much looking forward to the next release.

Can I just take a moment to say how much I love the cover for this book? In fact Barbour has outdone themselves on exquisite covers for this whole series. It's one of the main reasons I wanted to read these books. Kudos! I was also really excited because I like unique books whether the setting, time period, plot, what have you. This book met fit the bill as there aren't a lot of books set during the time of the Mayflower. I do have to say, however, that the story itself fell a bit flat for me. There was an imbalance with showing vs. telling so the character seemed flat and I could never really picture myself in the story. The dialogue, also, did not sound like real people having a conversation but very much like a third person putting words into their mouths (like my daughter does when she plays with her dolls).

Thank you Netgalley for a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Mayflower Bride. It is a good, fast read. I read it in one sitting with a heated blanket and my pet dachshund. The writing is descriptive, the characters likeable, and I wanted to finish it quickly.

The story centers around Mary Elizabeth and William. Mary Elizabeth is a hard working but timid young woman who boards the ship, Speedwell. She and her father and brother are Separatists looking for religious freedom in the Virginia territory. William is a young man who has been dealt many hard knocks in his short life. Orphaned young, he was taken in by relatives, who promptly kicked out to fend for himself at the age of nine. He was rescued by a good Christian man named Paul, who taught him to be a carpenter and make something of himself.

At the beginning of the voyage, the Speedwell develops a leak that won't stop and the passengers are forced to board the Mayflower. So, Mary Elizabeth and William begin their adventure together. The story outlines the hardships the people faced on their journey. Storms, loss of water, scurvy, and starvation are just a few of the challenges that Mary Elizabeth must overcome to build a new life for herself.

Overall, I liked the story a lot. I especially enjoyed the author's notes at the end. She outlines who was real and who was fiction. She includes more history in the notes, which I enjoyed reading.

I saw that the Mayflower Brides is a six-part series. I look forward to reading the future parts.

The book was a nice lead in to the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. While it is about the true Separatists' journey to the New World, and there is a lot of history included in the text, there is also some of the modern myth included as well. It is a clean, Christian-fiction novel that will teach you a little bit about history, geography, people, and faith. I look forward to the next couple of books in this series, where they follow the descendants.