I absolutely adored the child Maribel, who served as the foundation for the grown-up Maribel. I really wish that as readers, we had been afforded a little more time to get to know her! But the love story of Jean-Luc & Maribel, from set sail to safe harbor, was destined from the beginning. The history of the time & places was rich and fascinating. This series just keeps getting better!

The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y'Barbo is book 2 in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. Although this book is part of a series, it is definitely a standalone novel. This book tells the story of a young girl who finds herself on a pirate ship for various reasons. The book spends a good amount of time on the character's youth, but I would not say that this book is for adolescents. The first half does move a bit slowly, but if you keep reading, it is well worth it because you won't be able to put the book down. I read this book on an airplane and was nearly done when we were landing. I did not want to put it away! Overall, this is a phenomenal book and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves maritime adventures, coming of age stories, and love stories. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher. These opinions are entirely my own.

Maribel Cordoba has been kidnapped by her nefarious father, captured by a privateer, lost at sea during a ship battle, and stranded at a convent on a secluded island. Will she be reunited with her mother and grandfather and will she ever see the handsome privateer captain again as he builds his alternate life as a respectable lawyer in New Orleans?

This book had an interesting premise, but the pacing and structure of the way the story unfolded was confusing and poorly done. There was too much backstory info dumps instead of weaving in of information. Also, the denouement and sudden attitude changes of the heroine were strange and unfulfilling.

Maribel Cordova is an intelligent young woman, she loves to read about pirates, but never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that her father's ship would be attacked by pirates. Maribel never knew much about her father, but when he comes to her demanding that she go with her, telling her that her mother is dead, she sees no choice but to go with him.



Jean-Luc Valmont is a privateer, pirating under the letters of mark from France. He has worked hard to bury his past, but the beautiful daughter of a pirate threatens to undo everything, and upend his plans for revenge.



Maribel is a charming young woman, with a thirst for adventure. She charms Jean-Luc's crew, playing games with them, and listening to their stories. She wants adventure like the ones that she read about in her books, Maribel loves to climb up into the crows nest, and has a good eye for scouting for ships.



Jean-Luc is very educated and skilled, and he even teaches her another language. He doesn't want to like the beautiful and adventurous red-head, but the more he gets to know her, the more he questions if he can carry out his plans and walk away from her forever.



This a fun action-packed read, the story takes place over the course of a couple decades. I really liked Maribel and her spunky, ready for anything spirit. It was fun seeing her grow up, and how the story came together. A highly enjoyable read from beginning to end!



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 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."

Second in the Daughters of the Mayflower series, this short (288 page) novel ticks all the boxes of and still manages to surprise a bit. As twelve-year-old Maribel Cordoba, great-granddaughter of Mary Chapman and William Lytton from The Mayflower Bride, has her first encounter with brash privateer Captain Jean Beaumont, she and her friend William are both enthralled with the idea of joining a "pirate" crew. But all of their paths diverge, and all three are older, a bit wiser, but never having forgotten their adventure together.

There are trials, dangers, disguises, and a mystery or three along the way to love between a now grown Maribel, who retains just enough of her childhood impishness to be relatable and adorable as a heroine, and the complex pirate/privateer who she has almost been convinced was merely a dream.

A thoroughly enjoyable tale, bringing to mind some of the pirate romances from the 80's in the best of ways, while being wholly it's own tale of adventure and romance on and off the high seas as Maribel and her pirate Captain find that not all, and not everyone, is what they seem to be.

Recommended for lovers of Historical Romance with a faith element and those who like a shorter novel at 251 pages, but still a bit of a romp. Though reading the novels in order is part of the fun of a family tree series, it is not necessary and The Pirate Bride could easily stand alone.

This review refers to an e-galley copy read courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Wow, this book was one of the best I have ever read. I loved the title, the setting and the characters. It kept me engaged. It would be a great summer read!

This is the second book in the Daughters of the Mayflower series that is written by different authors. This is the first book that I have read by Ms. Y’Barbo. The Pirate Bride is a historical novel that occurs during 1700’s. Maribel Cordova is stolen away by her father as a young girl. Then, she is taken by a privateer. Many years later she meets the privateer in New Orleans. This novel has suspense at different times as well as the historical aspect. This series is an interesting series in that the main female characters are strong women and come down through a common family line. I am continuing to read the other books in this series. The historical information in the book is fascinating as well as the story of the main characters. I highly recommend not only this book, but the series as well. Readers, you will not be disappointed in the writings of Ms. Y’Barbo or the storyline!
***I was given a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher. This is my honest opinion. Even though I received this copy free, this is my own opinion.

An enjoyable read.. not my normal choice but I read a lot of differing stories. Well written and easy to keep the characters straight. It's always a good ending when she gets her man!

This was a very entertaining book. It is the second in the Mayflower series by different authors but can definitely stand alone. I enjoyed the read and consider it a 3 star fun read for your summer stack.

I gave only 3 stars because I found though the storyline was very enthralling, the last quarter of the book was disappointing and the resolution was too quick and questionable. The Captain fell in love with the heroine too quickly when reunited; otherwise, you have to believe he fell in love first with a 12 year old child. I believe that there could have been affection develop and then when they met again they might fall in love but not at the speed the ending was written. I'm sorry to say because I have read good books by this author.

I received this book from Netgalley for my honest review.

I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book. I fell in love with Kathleen Y'Barbo's writing. This is the first book I ever read by her and I will definitely be reading all her other novels. The character development and the plot that was created was action packed as well as swoon worthy. I could not put this book down. I constantly wanted to know what was going to happen the Maribel.

The characters relationships throughout the novel were extremely sweet and made the story even better than it already was. Maribel's spunk and stubbornness made me laugh out loud in some parts or say to myself, "I so see myself in her". I loved that this novel was not focused on the love interest. It was focused on the story of how they lost each other and found each other which I thought was beautifully executed.

As someone who is in love with historical fiction, pirates, and a woman who fights for what she believes in, this novel had it all for me. I could not recommend it enough

This is the second book in the Daughters of the Mayflower series, following a line of descendants from the original couple in book 1. The heroine in this book is the great-granddaughter of the original couple but this story can be read as a stand-alone. I really enjoyed the first part of the book when Maribel is a young, precocious, pre-teen interested in pirates and climbing trees. Although Jean-Luc is over a decade older, their banter was quite funny. The storyline was filled with danger, action, and humor and I couldn't read it fast enough. Then the time shifts ahead 11 years or so and the story felt differently. Maribel was still enjoyable and fun to read but some things felt off. Her mother seemed more concerned about propriety rather than rejoicing at seeing her daughter after such a long time. There was a mystery concerning a financial situation that was kind of confusing and the book description didn't really match what actually happened. The romance for the older Maribel and Jean-Luc happened rather quickly but I guess it's because they knew each other. They were such likable characters, I would have liked to see them spend more time together as an older couple. There was light spiritual content mostly about prayer. Overall, I did enjoy the first part of the book and I found the heroine to be quite entertaining.
* I received this book free of charge from NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my candid review.

I really enjoyed this book. It is not "great literature" in that the story is rather predictable, but that is typical for Romantic Historical Novels. So, I give this book high marks because it has a very interesting story line that is loosely based upon some historical characters.

I loved the story of the pirates, oops, privateers, and the historic references to the love/hate relationship between the Spanish and the French which continues into colonial America.

It was a very enjoyable, quick read. I recommend it.

On the whole, I like this series very much. The titles are all standalone and make for great recommendations to patrons who read a certain period of history. Of course, it is a great series to read through from beginning to the ultimate end as the historical research to this point has been outstanding

This is the second book in the "Daughters of the Mayflower" series by Barbour Books.  It was written by Kathleen Y'Barbo.

I truly loved it. Immediately after reading it, I put the first book on hold at my local library! If you enjoy a bit of romance with a lot of adventure this book is for you. Most romances are so predictable, but this one had several twists I wasn't expecting.  She adds just enough of the gospel to share the love of Christ, while allowing some characters to remain skeptical. I enjoyed the characters as well as the story line, and since I was unfamiliar with Miss Y'Barbo's work, I was a bit hesitant when it was offered as a book to review. But I'm glad I did!!!

#ThePirateBride #NetGalley

I love this series, it is well written and I find the historical facts fascinating. It a look back in time but not laden with boring dry facts. A fun adventure that makes you want to know what happens next.

This is the second book in the Daughters of the Mayflower Series: a series of books, written by different authors, all revolving around the descendants of a fictional couple who met on the Mayflower (which is the story recorded in the first book of the series, The Mayflower Bride). I did read the first novel in the series, but you certainly don’t have to read it to understand the story, since they take place about a hundred years apart.
I kind of enjoyed the first part of the story, where Mirabel is a young girl with a love for reading (especially reading about pirates), who is “captured” by privateers and charms them into allowing her to be a member of the crew.
After that, it kind of went downhill for me. I felt like the second part of the book was the Reader’s Digest Condensed Version: the writing seemed rushed and not as developed as it did in the first part. We skip ahead to Maribel as a young lady, teaching in the orphanage she was raised in. Then suddenly her family finds her and all these secrets begin to come to light one after the other. I got to the end and felt like I’d missed something.
And I really didn’t feel like the book blurb truly matched the story that I read, so I was a bit disappointed. It was a quick read and relatively diverting, but I did feel like there was something a bit off about it. Possibly because when they first meet and become somewhat enamored of each other, Maribel is only around eleven, while Jean-Luc is in his early twenties. That was awkward. Nothing untoward happens until they meet again about ten years later at a more appropriate age, but still.
If you need a quick and easy read, try it, but I won’t be putting it in my re-read pile. Which is a bummer, because I do love good historical fiction and pirates usually make any story better (they were the best part of this story!).
Thanks to Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for the digital copy of this book for review purposes. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my very own! 🙂

I enjoyed reading this book but it was lacking a certain wow factor - while I would read another book from the author I will not be waiting on pins and needles

Thanks to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for an ARC of this book!

I think this book is more like a 3.5 for me. It had a lot of good things going for it. The characters really were really likable and I found myself thinking about them even after I had stopped reading. The writing was good and several times I said I was only going to the end of the chapter and then I’d want to keep reading when I got to there. And I will admit that I thought this book was very straightforward, just going to be a coming of age/love story, and then there was something towards the end that took my by surprise that I truly was not expecting.

However, I did get the feeling that this book was somewhat juvenile. Any slight bit of action or mention of violence was skipped over, which felt weird in a book about pirates. I also felt like there wasn’t a lot of depth to any characters besides Jean and Maribel. I would have liked to know more about Israel and his wife, Maribel’s mother and grandfather, Jean’s wife, and more. Things that would have added so much to the story happened and were over within a sentence or two.

Overall though, it was entertaining and well written. I really liked the historical portrayal New Orleans and privateers. I might be interested in reading some of the others in the series when I’m in the mood for a quick light historical fiction.

Maribel Cordoba loves to read adventure stories, especially pirate stories. One day she is forced to live out her own adventure when her father kidnaps her and takes her aboard a ship sailing for Havana. A privateer vessel catches up to them, and Maribel ends up sailing with them instead and becoming fast friends with the captain and his crew. After many years, Maribel is reunited with the captain in New Orleans under unique and dangerous circumstances, and both of them must make difficult decisions concerning life and love.
I enjoyed this book, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if it would have been longer. I really liked the concept of the story (because pirates are awesome), but I felt like the first half of the book was so much more detailed than the second half. I thought the portion where Maribel became an adult was too rushed and contrived, and the romance seemed odd because they fell in love in a matter of days based on childlike affection from years earlier. That being said, I did enjoy the story and I thought the writing was very descriptive and interesting. If you like adventure and pirate stories, you will like this book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

"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.

***********

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.