I received an arc of The Pirates Bride from Netgalley. I loved the cover, and my favorite character was Red as a little girl. The writing style of the author wasn’t for me. The book description sucked me in, but unfortunately, this book lacked excitement and adventure. All the five-star ratings are misleading.

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.

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.

This fictional book is written by Kathleen Y'Barbo and has a great storyline which combines a fascinating plot of history between the French, Spaniards and privateers. Ultimately, I like this book because the author put down so many good ideas and I could tell she really used her imagination to write a creative story. Most of the book was great although some parts seemed to drag.
In all honesty it is my opinion that the author did not put enough focus on many parts of the book. I would have loved to read more on the background of Maribel's parents and why her father lied to her and took her away from her mother and grandfather. What first drew her mother Mary to her father and why is there an irreparable rift between them at the time of the story? I think it would have added so much to the overall story to hear more on the events leading up to the deaths of Jean-Luc's mother and baby brother and then years later his wife and newborn baby. These events have many emotions tied into them and motivated Jean-Luc's actions later in life so i think they should have had more space in the book. I also feel like I was missing out on the story of Israel Bennet and his search for his wife and then the start to their family.
Especially toward the end, the book read as if the author was in a hurry to finish it. It was quite a disappointment because I find getting to the end of a book to be bittersweet and do my best to enjoy the last pages. Due to the sense of urgency in the book's last chapter, I felt as if the author was pushing me to hurry along and finish it. The feelings between Maribel and Jean-Luc were rushed the most toward the end and it made their declarations of love seem very phony. Had the author taken more time and consideration I think the ending would have had a much more memorable and sweet touch to it.
I give this book 3 out of 5. It's a great book to read in a couple sittings or to be drawn out by a couple weeks.

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.