"We are privateers, not pirates… We operate legally under Letters of Marque, and we conduct ourselves with honor and in accordance with the laws of France."

"The Pirate Bride" (2018, Barbour) by Kathleen Y'Barbo is second in the "The Daughters of the Mayflower" series. It is a Christian historical novel (with some romance) in multiple settings: "in the waters of the Caribbean Sea; April of 1724" and on the fictional "Isla de Santa Maria … and New Orleans, Louisiana; May of 1735." It is definitely a standalone story, linked to the previous book only in that the heroine is a descendant of a character in book one. I requested "The Pirate Bride" from Netgalley because two of my favorite authors each have a book in this series.

Rating: 4 stars

The heroine: Maribel Cordoba, 12, is the great-granddaughter of Mary Chapman, who was the heroine of "The Mayflower Bride." This book opens with Mirabel mourning "that Mama and Abuelo were now with the angels" while enroute from Spain to the Caribbean with her father. Mirabel likes to keep her nose in a book - especially in high places - and her favorite book is "The Notorious Seafaring Pyrates and Their Exploits." Soon after the book opens, she ends up on a privateer's ship… and spiritedly requests to become a crew member. She was "a wisp of a girl with flaming hair who was better at spotting and naming vessels than any man…" Mirabel is awesome. She's very loyal, a book nerd, and full of pluck. In the second half of the book, she is a 23-year-old adult, but I feel it's too spoiler-y to discuss that portion of the story at all.

Mirabel: "...I feel like I ought to warn you about me. See, what I decide to do and what I turn out to do is not always the same thing. So if I don't follow orders very well right now, I would like you to know I will only get better at it the longer I keep trying. I'm working on it, but I've got a long way to go."

Privateer: "Miss Maribel, you and me both. You and me both."

Christian elements:

*There are a few Bible verses and some mentions of God throughout. There's one point where God's voice is audible to one of the main characters. Even with that, it did not feel as if God or the Bible were pervasive. I wouldn't say this was Christian Lite, but it didn't feel preachy either.

*"Just as Mama had taught her [Mirabel], she turned her fear of this unknown place that would become her new home into prayer." Turning fear to prayer. I love that!

*Regarding a former slave: "How was a man who was taken prisoner at the hands of his enemies and sold into slavery able not only to forgive those men but to rise above it all and still hold on to his faith in God? It made no sense."

Is it clean/chaste? Yes!

What I liked:

*Part of the story is a seafaring one. I liked that about "The Mayflower Bride" as well.

*The main and secondary characters are great. There's one character that confuses me a little bit, but everyone else is great.

*There's a blind character in the story.

*There's a character who I felt sure would end up being a bad egg, but that person turned out to be just the opposite. Kudos to the author for fooling me so completely!

*There's a very nice section at the end with historical notes.

What I didn’t like:

*In my opinion, a person who says, "I will tell no lies" did so.

*Instalove is very definitely present here. I checked back, and I felt that "The Mayflower Bride" also had instalove, which makes me wonder whether the entire series is going to be more adventure-driven than romance-driven. In general, I think it's still possible to have a romance occur more slowly and naturally, even when romance isn't the primary focus. However, I do acknowledge that it would have been extremely difficult to do that in this book since Mirabel is an adult only for the second half of the story, and the romance was in maybe the last quarter.

*This is an issue of personal preference only: This book spans years, and the story skips ahead several times, sometimes once jumping by about a decade. It gives the story more of an epic feel, which is not my personal preference. However, it does makes sense for this particular story.

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The bottom line: "The Pirate Bride" is quite an adventure that held several surprises for me as a reader. I recommend this book to fans of historical Christian fiction and swashbuckler tales. I look forward to reading more books by this author, and plan to read "Beloved Castaway." I also plan to read the next in the series, "The Captured Bride" by Michelle Griep.

I absolutely adored this book!!! I was super intrigued by this book after I saw a review where they said they loved the character in this book more than Jack Sparrow!! Mix that in with the fact that this is Christian Fiction and I am sold. Plus I also think the cover is absolutely beautiful! This book packed an amazing action packed adventure. I love how in the beginning you get to see the MC as a small precocious child at age 12.and you get to see her later in life and how she got where she was. This book really was wonderful in its historical aspect. I felt like the author put a lot of research into this novel. There was lots of pirate lore to it. There was a wonderful underlying message to this novel as well but you will have to read it to find out. This book was a one click read for me and I highly recommend it. 5 stars from me!

11 yr old Meribel's absentee Father lies, & tells her her Mom & Grandfather have died. He quickly takes her to a ship leaving Spain for the Caribbean. Meribel first meets young Captain Jean-Luc as the Privateer, who rescues her, after her father drowns. But his Privateer Name isn't his Real Name.

After some sea adventures, a tragedy separates them. Meribel is left at a Catholic Orphanage to be raised by Nuns, on a Cuban Island. Jean-Luc ends back in New Orleans, with his wealthy & influencial family, & his responsibilities as the family Lawyer.

Subsequently, Meribel's Mom & Grandfather come to New Orleans to conduct their search for her in the Caribbean. They become close friends with Jean-Luc's parents, over the years.

10 years pass. Meribel is now a young adult, & a Teacher at the Orphanage. An investigator has found Meribel at last. She travels with him to New Orleans, & is joyfully reunited with her Mother & Grandfather. But there's a problem with their finances. Where did it all go?

This is where Meribel & Jean-Luc meet again. He dearly remembers her, but isn't sure if she remembers him. She does! As a lawyer, he helps Meribel figure out what happen to her Grandfather's money? They fall in love in the process.

But they also find danger too. Why do they flee New Orleans together? Will God bring Meribel & Jean-Luc their HEA? I Highly Recommend you get the book & find out. This is the 2nd story in Kathleen Y'Barbo's wonderful, enthralling "Daughters of the Mayflower" Christian Historic American Romance series. It's a real page-turner you won't be able to put down!

I received a free copy of this eBook from NetGalley, & voluntarily chose to review it. 😍📖

The Pirate Bride Broccoli a the second book in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. This one is just as good as the first one, which I didn't know if it could be done. This one is about a fierce and fiery red head. Which includes a good mystery - that sounds like a good mixture to me. Maribel is the descendant of Mary (the one who came over on the Mayflower). She is wanting to find something of her dad's. This book is about treasures, pirates, mysteries, plot twists and most of all Faith. She runs into Jean Luc - if you want to call it running into - I do say that tongue in cheek - you have got to see how they meet. So what happens? Something you won't believe and you have got to read it for yourself.

This is a fast-paced adventure about a young girl, Maribel that was abducted by her less than stellar father and ended up on a "pirate's" ship. Redheaded Maribel was quite the little spitfire and a very enjoyable character. I enjoyed learning about ship life and the differences between pirates and privateers. An added bonus is the historical information in the author's note.

Delightful! In book two of the Daughters of the Mayflower Series, the main character Maribel "Red" Cordoba is a spunky ten year old enamored with the lives of pirates and her head stuck in a book. The banter she has with the captain of her ship is pure fun. Secondary characters added depth and enjoyment to the first part of the novel.

Maribel is a young woman in the second half of the story. Her spunk and love for books is still pleasantly in place. I would have liked for the second half to been a bit more developed. I felt like a bit of it was rushed.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and am so pleased to have found a new author with a back list to investigate. If you enjoy humor with your historical romance, don't miss The Pirate Bride!

Novels about pirates have always been a favorite of mine. Love the drama that can occur on the high seas and this book delivered that in its storyline. I loved Maribel—her wonderful high-spirited personality and unconventional behavior were a high point in this book. Jean-Luc was a strong male, living two very separate lives, as both a pirate and a lawyer, both lives lead by his great integrity. I enjoyed reading about their lives both together and apart, however, I wish there would have been more to the development of their romance (it seemed too rushed). The author has done her research and she includes some added information of great interest (especially to history buffs) at the end in her "Author's Notes". I was given a copy of this book for my honest review and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves pirate stories, as well as those who love historical novels.

I fell in love with this book by the end of the first chapter. I had never read a book by this author so I was excited to find I really liked it. I liked the plot. I don't think I've read a book with a plot quite like this one. It was an exciting book that kept my attention the whole way through. I found myself cheering for the characters that everything would work out right for them. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author. It was a well written and edited book, which is important to me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing, Inc. through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Kathleen Y’Barbo’s, The Pirate Bride is a throughly exciting read full of adventure, hidden secrets and romance. I could hardly put it down!
When Maribel Cordova, a young girl with fiery red hair and a personality to match, is torn from her home in Spain by a father she barely knows, a series of events leads her on a an unexpected adventure involving pirates. When that comes to an abrupt end, she finds herself on an island in the Caribbean being raised by nuns. Always imagining another life of adventure she eventually finds herself uncovering family secrets with one pirate that always held her heart.
The author did a wonderful job developing her characters, however, I found by the end I was hoping for a little bit more. Overall, beautifully written and a lovely read. I look forward to ready more from Kathleen Y’Barbo.

I have posted a review on both Goodreads and Amazon.

I enjoyed this clean and sweet story of a young Spanish girl, Mirabel, taken by her father to the New World. She was told her mother and grandfather had been killed, and she was to go with her father was to his new post. Along the way, they encounter privateers and end up onboard their ship. After a fight, she sees her father go overboard and assumes he, too, is now dead. After the ship is destroyed in a storm, she is taken to an island convent where she spends the next 11 years. Finally, someone comes to take her to New Orleans, to her mother and grandfather who have been looking for her all this time.
The twists and turns in the story are not predictable, making it a delight to read. Yes, Mirabel gets her man in the end, as well as reconnects with her family. This touching love story about a captain and his 11 year old passenger is certain to become a favorite of historical romance readers of all ages.

I received a copy from NetGalley; this is my honest review. #TheMayflowerBride #NetGalley
-Captivating, riveting, engrossing. Pick one, they all apply to this book.
-Privateer/Pirate life at its upmost. Adventure, thrills, suspense, mystery, grief all tied together.
-I liked how the Captain and Red ended up together, how they lost each other, and then found each other again, with such a surprising and beautiful end too.
-No prayers or sermons. One single passage at the beginning of each part (there are two I think). You just knew they believed and the author didn't feel the need to fluffed up the page count with actual verses. Thank you.

This book was an excellent historical read that brought to life the time period. I thought that Kathleen did an excellent job with the story!

This swashbuckling tale was fun to read. I enjoyed sailing the seas with these characters. I felt like so much of the story takes place while Maribel is a twelve year old that it left the ending feeling rushed and the romance a little creepy. Twenty something year old man who is far too concerned for and obsessed with a twelve year old girl. Even when reunited years later the switch from captain/older brother to lover seemed a little disturbing. An interesting read and fun characters but story is a little disturbing as written. Need a little more time to establish the characters as adults and events to play out a bit more coherently.

The book started off well and I did enjoy the characters and plot. The majority of the book is when Maribel is young and on the ship. After she is put off the ship and grows older, the story just stalled for me. It was a little unbelievable how Maribel seemed to not be able to remember her time on the pirate ship as a child. When she is older and finally does meet Jean-Luc again, the story just did not work for me at all.

If you haven't started reading the new series Daughters of the Mayflower you need to start. The second book in the series The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y'Barbo was filled with adventure right from the beginning. I found it incredibly hard to put down. Each book in the series has a different author too, so it is fascinating to see where this series will go.

Y'Barbo has done an excellent job in making me feel I was right on board the ship with our main character Maribel Cordoba, who at the age of 12 is taken captive by our other main character Jean-Luc Beaumont when he attacks and sinks the ship on which she is travelling. But not before he saves her first. Unfortunately, his ship is also attacked, and young Maribel is lost at sea. Or is she? The story continues to pick up speed, and we soon see Maribel a grown woman who knows things about Captain Beaumont that he would prefer to be kept secret.

I enjoyed this book, so I was somewhat taken aback by how it finished and how Captain Beaumont reacted to Maribel when he saw her again. The romance surprised me (on his end, not hers) given their previous history. Plus the "danger" she was in was resolved before it even got started, so it was somewhat of a letdown at the end. Despite that, I still enjoyed the book, and I look forward to the next one in the series.

I read this book immediately following The Mayflower Bride since it is a series but they can be read as standalones. Maribel is the great granddaughter of Mary but that's the only real mention from the first book. This is a Christian/Young Adult/Historical Fiction book and I really enjoyed it. In fact I flew through it and liked it more than the first of the series. Thank you for not having that preachy feel with this book.

Maribel is 12 when she loses her mom and grandfather and is forced to cross the sea to join her father. When privateers attack and her father is also killed she is left joining the crew to survive. She is fierce and passionate while still being innocent. I admired her bravery and strength to stick to her beliefs.

Jean-Luc is surprised with how quickly the little redheaded Maribel has captured the hearts of his crew and does his best to get them safely across the high seas. He in turn gets separated from Maribel and has to try to leave his past to get on with his life.
Maribel travels to New Orleans trying to find the man who holds the location of her father's wealth and property surprised to be reunited with Jean-Luc and sharing another adventure together as an older woman this time.

I received this book from Barbour publishing and NetGalley in exchange for my fair and honest review.

I really enjoyed Jean and Maribel's story. The first few chapters are a little bit slow and lengthy, but hang in there, it is worth the time! The story has a good foundation and trust me when I say that several times you go "oh no"!! You are sucked in and keep being engaged throughout the chapters to see what happens to Jean and Maribel after they get separated! I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

This is the first book in the Daughters of the Mayflower series that i have read. i would say it was not a disappointment at all , A wonderfully enjoyable read & as this was my 1st book by Kathleen ,liked her writing style & quite talented she is... The story is about Maribel who is a sweet tomboy, fiercely independent, intelligent, stubborn,daring,bold and a bookworm. Her favorite book is about pirates and she spends many an hour dreaming of being a member of a pirate ship crew. Jean-Luc is a privateer who has a ship known as the Ghost Ship.Jean-Luc is a strong , dashing pirated & when Maribel is rescued by Jean .her adventures begin. Life takes unpredictable twists and turns for Maribel just like the rolling ocean she learnsto love. The book has all the elements Pirates, adventures aplenty, endearing characters, plot twists, politics, action, Romance,intrigue,mystery , suspense, heart warming love, sizzling chemistry . The pace was fast not boring at all but a bit lengthy but still a very well developed plot .. I definitely recommend this book for sure. A fun read me which i liked very much ..Kathleen's penmanship is excellent . i would very much like to read more books in this series ...Well done Kathleen ...keep up the good work...

Ahoy there, mateys! This book was a lot of fun. I loved Maribel—she reminded me of a swashbuckling Anne of Green Gables. I was intrigued from the very first page.

While this book left me with a few unanswered questions and I felt that the pacing was a bit erratic, I still thought this book was quirky and enjoyable. Again, I can’t help but compare it to Anne.

The story felt fairly juvenile to me but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Not to be redundant but the quirk and humor is what sold this book for me. I loved how spirited and free Maribel was. She was just crazy. Not bad crazy but crazy in an adorable Jack Sparrow kind of way.

As I already stated, I did have a few issues with this book. For one, I couldn’t figure out Jean-Luc’s fascination with Maribel. I didn’t get weirded out that Maribel was 11 and he was 25ish or so when they met. He didn’t fall for her until she was an adult. I never once felt that inappropriate lines were crossed or anything like that.

But, after so many years apart, their instant attraction upon meeting as adults felt like an insta-love story trope for me. Which I often have a hard time buying. Yes, they had a history together. However, you cannot take that into account without getting creepy.

I just don’t know what the deal is here. I couldn’t buy such a strong love developing so fast. It felt rushed and I just needed more time to accept Jean Luc and Maribel together as a couple.

I also felt that the ending was rushed. I needed more action. I just didn’t feel like my timbers adequately shivered. Savvy?

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed the storyline of this book greatly. I do feel that maybe some of it had details where none were needed and others where I wondered there was not enough description to feel real. While I didn't find the entirety of the book to be overly believeable, it was a well written novel with a new cast of characters and plot that was refreshing.