Book Review

“The Pirate Bride” is the second novel to release in a new, multi-author series – The Daughters of the Mayflower – being published by Barbour Publishing. Release date is April 1, 2018. For me, the main female character, Maribel Cordoba, is a mixture of the plucky, inquisitive Anne from Anne of Green Gables and the more determined, [and let’s face it, pirate-fixated] Elizabeth Swan from Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean series. I happen to love both of those story-lines, so Maribel was rather a fun character.

This book is very clean, and is not at all preachy. For these reasons I believe both a Young Adult reader and the average Christian fiction reader would enjoy it. I also believe it is aimed at a female reader more than at a male reader. Though there is some high-seas drama involving cannon ball fire etc. the motivation to follow the story through until the end is primarily via the point of view of the female lead. And … as the title’s inclusion of the word ‘bride’ gives away – it is a bit of a romance. Not that there isn’t any adventure too …

I’m rating this one 4 out of 5 anchors.

Cover Review

The trend of the closely cropped main character filling the cover space has grown on me. I used to be a little bothered by it to be completely honest. After much examination I think it’s tied closely to the fact that I’m of a certain age … and cutting off people’s heads in photos was a big no-no when cameras still required the use of film. [And my ten-year-old just wandered into the room and asked me why they were showing the lady’s back? ha ha] But it’s 2018 … and now that this trend has been around a few years to grow on me I find this style to be artistically expressive.

I am free to picture the rest of the character on the cover – much the same as I do the other characters when I’m reading the novel itself. The beautiful blue color of her dress against the elegant white lace, and white text is both eye-catching and effective. I would be drawn to this novel if I spotted it on the shelf or saw it for sale in my favorite online store. The only negative I still harbor is that without the text I would have no idea it involved pirates. I feel like there is room in the skyline for at least the faintest hint of a ship’s mast on the horizon? It could be extremely subtle, but right now … on first glance, I only know it’s a historical due to the style of the dress.

I’m rating this cover 4.5 anchors out of 5.

Please note: I received this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo had a very good plot. Unfortunately there was not a lot of development. There was very little transition to various points in the story. I was left wanting so much more. I really did like the storyline but it could have been so much better. Thank you Net Galley for this advance copy.

I liked The Pirate Bride much better than I liked the first book in this series, The Mayflower Bride. Maybe it's because I'm less familiar with this time period/region; maybe it's because there was more action.
The blurb for The Pirate Bride is a bit misleading. There is a lot that happens before the events described take place. The first half of the novel tells the story of Maribel, a twelve year-old Spanish girl who is traveling with her father when their ship is boarded by French privateers. The second half occurs eleven years later in New Orleans.
The pace, although not at all slow in the first half, really sped up in the second half. Towards the end, it felt a bit rushed.
I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!

The dialog is overwrought, there is too much telling instead of showing and the opening three chapters had me confused and repeatedly flipping back to try to see where I'd missed information.

The Lytton family saga continues with the great-granddaughter of the original couple to come over on the Mayflower. I found The Pirate Bride more enjoyable that the first book in the series, The Mayflower Bride. In the Pirate Bride we meet Maribel Cordoba & Capitan Jean Beaumont. Who are thrown together and separated by acts beyond their control. Each of them deal with their own life and death situations and a sacrifice is made to save Jean. They are thrown into dangerous and complicated situations that you as the reader believe are settled but surprises arise in their lives as family secrets come to light and the people who are thought dead but are not including Maribel and Jean. Secrets are kept to protect both Maribel and Jean and their families only to be revealed when the circumstances bring them back together. Between the alleged death of Maribel's family and her reunion with her Capitan enough time has elapsed for her to grow into a young woman. In the meantime Jean has loved and lost and continued with his life under his real name. Maribel is reunited with her family which brings her into Jean-Luc's life once again. Both are stunned that the other lives and begin to work together to bring an old enemy to justice even though he has a family connection. A misunderstanding threatens the happiness of Maribel and Jean. Kathleen Y'Barbo weaves a story of intrigue, love and separation and reunions, and all in God's intended time line.

Enjoyed this clean, historic adventure! This is history and fiction very well done. It's about a love that began on the high sea, she was a child, he was a grown man. As fate would have it they were separated for 11 years, met again and she no longer a child. Pirates, Privateers, New Orleans, the French and the Spanish. Loved it all, and the fact that God was a part of it made it even better. A must read and keeper!

Such a fun book. I loved the young Maribel dedicated to becoming a pirate and her love of reading books in trees. Adventure on the high seas is a dream of many young boys, but seldom of the girls. Maribel’s love of her pirate book was quite endearing to me as an ex-tree climbing reader.
The story unfolds in such a carefully planned plot to drag the reader into the admiration that Maribel carries for “her captain” Even the ending was quite a surprise. I won’t spoil this delightful read by giving away too much of the plot. Please don’t miss this one.

I also really enjoyed the authors note at the end of the book about some of the historical background of the book she authored. I rarely read those so congratulations on holding my interest there as well.

You will quickly be drawn into this exciting and mysterious story full of secrets. Take a journey with Maribel and her captain to find adventure, romance, danger, and secrets revealed at last.

The Pirate Bride was the second book in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. The story is set in 1725 New Orleans and covers piracy and the tensions between the French and the Spanish. Maribel Cordoba is an 11 year old girl on board her father's Spanish ship when the ship is seized by a French privateer vessel. Maribel befriends the young captain, and enjoys the sailing life until she is washed overboard in a storm. She ends up being taken in by a covent orphanage believing her family is gone. Years pass, Maribel receives a letter revealing that her mother and grandfather have been looking for her, and she journeys to New Orleans to be reunited with her family. In New Orleans, her path crosses again with the mysterious French captain of her past, and she learns of his double identity. Read The Pirate Bride for a tale of adventure, mystery, and love!

This is the kind of book, that I call a treat. Well, romance is always a snack- and if it's got shifters, then it's a delightful snack, but this was indeed a guilty and fun pleasure!
You've got pirates, sorry...I mean privateers, and a young girl called Mirabel with green eyes and red curls and a whole lot of spunk! If you're looking to delve into some historical fiction that has witty characters who surprise you when they make a turn in their lives, then this would be a great story to snack on. There's also the author's way of touching on the rivalry between the French and the Spanish and slave trade that's cleverly woven into the tale. Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.

The Pirate Bride was a wonderful and delightful read. Join Jean-Luc and Maribel on the adventure of a lifetime. Their journey together and apart is filled with excitement, growth, and romance. This’ was my first book by Kathleen Y’Bardo but not the last.
I received this book as ARC from netgalley , however the review is my honest opinion of the book. ( Which I throughly enjoyed and would highly recommend!

Maribel Cordoba is the daughter of a Spanish ship captain named Antonio Cordoba. When their ship is taken over by Captain Jean Beaumont and his men, Maribel (Red) instantly annoys the captain with her insubordination and chatter about pirating which she says she learned from the book The Notorious Seafaring Pyrates and Their Exploits by Captain Ulysses Jones. He informs her that he is a privateer not a pirate, and it’s different because he is working under the authority of the French king. Yet while the young girl irritates the captain, he also develops a soft spot for her. When tragedy strikes the ship and Maribel is thrown overboard, Captain Beaumont and his men search for her until they are attacked and the captain himself is injured and (thanks to a lie by one of his crewmen), is returned to his family.

A few of his men are able to rescue Maribel and she is sent to a convent orphanage to be raised. They vow not to inform their captain that she has survived in order to protect their lives due to a bounty out for the captain’s life. However eleven years later after she receives a surprising letter, Maribel is off to New Orleans to be reunited with family she believed to be lost. Shortly after she arrives she learns of devastating money issues with her family and she goes off in hopes to fix it herself. While attempting to see if she can do anything to help, she discovers Captain Beaumont (real name Jean-Luc Valmont). The dynamic they had before remains, except now Maribel is a grown woman and Jean-Luc finds himself desiring her. Can they solve her family’s money problems before it’s too late?

I’m a bit torn with how I feel about this book. I honestly feel if it were lengthened a bit some of the holes could be filled in more. I thoroughly enjoyed the first part of the book, but I felt that the second part was lacking. When Maribel and Jean-Luc are reunited it’s as if they are instantly engaged without any romantic pursuing or understanding of how their relationship exists as it does. The last time Jean-Luc saw Maribel she was only 12, so a different type of relationship should have formed between them instead of “wow you’re alive I missed you! We have a problem to fix, let’s do it, and oh by the way will you marry me?” I can honestly say the romance was clean but really only because there wasn’t any. I feel like more attention should have been given to them forming a bond instead of instantly deciding to wed. With exception to the romance piece however, I enjoyed the rest of the story.

Since I don’t believe I have come across this before, I feel it is important to note that each of the books in this series (Daughters of the Mayflower), is written by a different author. So while this is second book in the series, it’s the first by this author. Although new to me, I think it can be a good experience to see how multiple authors are able to work together and have their creative differences come together to form a single series.

*I received a complimentary advanced copy for an honest review from NetGalley and the publisher. Opinions expressed in this review are mine only.

*At the time of this posting this book has not yet been released. The expected release date is currently April 1, 2018.

The Pirate Bride, by Kathleen Y'Barbo - Daughters of the Mayflower, book 2








The Pirate Bride
The Daughters of the Mayflower - book 2
Kathleen Y'Barbo
www.kathleenybarbo.com


256 pages
Barbour Publishing
Coming April 1, 2018









Can a former privateer and a determined heiress find lost treasure in 1725?
A brand new series for fans of all things related to history, romance, adventure, faith, and family trees.

Pasts Collide in New Orleans when a Treasure Goes Missing
The last time New Orleans attorney Jean-Luc Valmont saw Maribel Cordoba, a Spanish nobleman’s daughter, she was an eleven-year-old orphan perched in the riggings of his privateering vessel proving herself as the best lookout on his crew. Until the day his infamy caught up with them all and innocent lives were lost. Unsure why he survived but vowing to make something of the chance he was given, Jean-Luc has buried his past life so deep that no living person will ever find it—until a very much alive and very grown up Maribel Cordoba arrives on his doorstep and threatens all he now holds dear.

Join the adventure as the Daughters of the Mayflower series continues with The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo.

More to come in the Daughters of the Mayflower series:
The Mayflower Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1620 Atlantic Ocean (coming February 2018)
The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo – set 1725 New Orleans (coming April 2018)
The Captured Bride by Michelle Griep – set 1760 during the French and Indian War (coming June 2018)
The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1774 Philadelphia (coming August 2018)?
The Cumberland Bride by Shannon McNear – set 1794 on the Wilderness Road (coming October 2018)
The Liberty Bride by MaryLu Tyndall – set 1814 Baltimore (coming December 2018)



Months ago, I was initially drawn to this series by the beautiful book covers and the premise of the series appealed to me so I was looking forward to reading my first story from the Daughters of the Mayflower. Although this is marketed as a series you don't need to have read The Mayflower Bride in order to thoroughly enjoy The Pirate Bride. I am reading The Mayflower Bride now, having read The Pirate Bride first.

I have never read anything written by Kathleen Y'Barbo and I have to say I found this story to be quite enjoyable. The Pirate Bride is a fun, entertaining story that I would categorize as "light reading". I really enjoyed Maribel's banter and how she just never. stops. talking. The story has a strong emphasis on faith, forgiveness, and the power of prayer. I wished that the story had been a little longer and has eased into the romance component and lingered there for a while.

If you are looking for a light hearted read that is satisfying and adventurous, then The Pirate Bride is the book for you! It will be available for purchase from your local or online book retailer on April 1, 2018

Thank you Barbour Publishing and Net Galley for the free e-copy of The Pirate Bride to read in exchange for my honest review.

This was an enjoyable historical Christian fiction read with a romantic element. I found this entertaining and easy to read, while also feeling as if I were realistically experiencing a slice of history. I think this will especially appeal to readers who enjoy stories involving privateers and pirates, especially when there is a strong female lead and an honorable captain. This book is also for readers who like a happy and neatly tied up ending.

There is an unmistakable Christian bent to this book in the sense that the Christian religion is a natural and essential part of many of the main character's lives, and they mention things such as praying and answered prayers. There were also short bible passages in a few places, such as a verse from the Book of Psalms at the beginning of a section. However, nothing upstages the story.

This was my first Kathleen Y’Baro novel. The description sounded just like my cup of tea: I love romance stories set at sea, especially when you add in that dash of pirate danger and adventure. I was curious to see this author’s style of writing and experience her storytelling skills.

The Pirate Bride lacks the depth I typically enjoy in novels, what I find especially important in historical ones, with a faster pace and glossing-over of important, intense moments that were crucial enough to the story to have warranted more attention. I was enjoying Jean and Mirabel’s story enough to not let it bother me too much. The interactions between Jean and the young girl Mirabel had a charm—and humor—much like Lori Wick’s “The Hawk and the Jewel.” This subtle similarity to one of my favorite novels endeared Y’Baro’s characters to me.

Jean - he is bitter and of high-temperament, yet the cracks in his armor appear at odd moments with Mirabel in the picture, giving him just enough of his heart and vulnerability that you hope, just like Mirabel, that he really is tender and kind deep down, with the potential to be an applaud-worthy hero.

Mirabel - A true spitfire, you almost wonder if she is conniving and maybe a tad spoiled. Young and beautiful, and valiantly trying to take command of her own life after the loss of her mother and the harsh, unloving demeanor of her father. From overly-talkative and social butterfly, to vulnerable and soul-searchingly kind. Poor Jean is at a complete loss to know what to do around her.

Starting out, I thought these minor annoyances of the storytelling could be overlooked, until they began to unravel the connection I felt with the characters themselves, and my hope for this book sadly dropped to almost nothing. Here’s why: The author skips action scenes—I began to wonder if the author was either uncomfortable or inexperienced with action scenes, so she just glossed over them—jumps ahead, and leaves you scrambling suddenly to catch up with what just happened and where you are in the story. As soon as you settle back in, she jumps time again with a sentence or a paragraph explaining what has happened in the last “seven weeks”, “four months”, etc. I was left in a whirlwind of confusion and surprise. Just before the middle of the book, I was frustrated with yet another bizarre and abrupt skipping of time and story, and felt like I was completely distanced from Jean, in particular, and Mirabel, and the direction their lives had taken them (through these missing gaps of story). Those characters I had begun to get to know and enjoy reading about were suddenly strangers; I was going to have to catch up with their “backstory” and form a bond with them all over again. I didn’t think it was worth the effort.

I think the characters had the greatest potential in this story, but the author’s storytelling skills and style were not for me.

I was given an advanced reader copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was quite an interesting book. Maribel Cordoba leaves her home in Spain with her father, headed for the Caribbean. On the way, their ship is attacked by privateers. Maribel's father falls overboard and she herself is taken onto the privateer's ship. Believing her mother and grandfather dead, Maribel tries to join the crew along with her friend, William Spencer. Captain Jean Beaumont will not have a twelve year old girl on his ship, so he entrusts her to the care of a matronly widow on an island. As they set sail, he discovers a new young crewman. Maribel had snuck back aboard. Reluctantly, he allows her to stay.

Thus begins Maribel's months as a privateer. She learns to identify all the different ships in her role as lookout. One night, the ship is fired upon and Maribel falls into the sea. She is rescued by Israel Bennet and Mr. Rao, but does not remember it. They taker her to a convent to be raised by nuns.

Oh, Evan Connor! I was so sad! He gave his life to save Jean-Luc.

Anyway, the privateers keep watch over Maribel as she grows, but keep their distance. It would put them and her in great danger if she were to remember or recognize them. When Maribel is twenty-three, she receives a letter and a visit, informing her that her mother and grandfather are very much alive and have been looking for her. Back with her family, she is once again reunited with her "Captain", who's family are good friends with her own.

Okay, here's where things got odd. Her mother and grandfather seriously allowed ELEVEN years to go by before contacting her? I get that they were afraid of her father (yes, he lived), but there was nothing to be done well before that? I don't buy it. Then there is Maribel and Jean-Luc's romance. I couldn't buy that either. Fast romances aren't realistic, but in books and movies, you can generally roll with it. Not this. It just didn't work for me. I mean, it was sweet, but the speed was almost awkward.

All in all, it was a fun book, about a time and place and theme that I never read about. I think this is going to be a really neat series and I'm looking forward to the next one. It would be awesome if NetGalley provides me with ARC copies of each book!!!

The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo is an exciting historical novel that will keep you reading till the end.
Twelve-year-old Maribel is aboard her father’s ship as the story begins. The only thing she left of her mother is her memories and her scarf. She loves to read, especially about pirates, so she also has a book with her. Her father has not been an active part of her life but showed up to tell Maribel that her mother and grandfather have been killed in an accident and to take her with him on his ship sailing from Spain to the Caribbean where he has been named Consul General. They are soon overtaken by French privateers and Maribel is captured while her father drowns. What will the French captain do with a girl on his ship? The answer is found within the pages along with lots of exciting adventures.
I loved this book! It is full of excitement and keeps the reader engaged the whole time. Kathleen’s characters are full of life and each one is unique. This is a very fresh and unique take on pirate stories and the pirates or privateers are not at all the stereotypical pirates. There are a lot of twists and turns in the plot that surprised me and kept me reading; it is hard to put this book down. The actual history is blended seamlessly along with the fictional characters. The characters and reader is reminded throughout that God is always in control. I give this book 5 of 5 stars. I highly recommend it to everyone who enjoys history along with romance and a trust and dependency on God.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

One hundred years after Mary Chapman and her family arrived in the New World on the Mayflower, Maribel Cordova arrives in New Orleans to find the man who holds the key to finding her father's lost treasure. Attorney Jean-Luc Valmont has buried his past so deep that he hopes that no one will ever be able to find it, especially since he just accepted a position on the governor's staff. But, the daughter of an infamous pirate threatens his new life. Can Maribel and Jean-Luc compromise so they can both get everything they want?

This was the second in the Daughters of the Mayflower series and the first in the series written by Kathleen Y'Barbo. It was incredibly well written and I could tell that she did a huge amount of research into the customs and history of that time period, even into the differences between piracy and privateering. The characters were all very well written and I particularly liked Maribel and Jean-Luc, but really enjoyed all aboard the ship and the nuns, as well. Really, this was an all around enjoyable read and I'm really looking forward to reading both more of the series and this author's work.

Writing a review of a book I don't like is not easy. I understanding how much work must have gone into this book, but I would be remiss if I just gave it a pass. I was looking forward to this novel because I love historical fiction. I love all the details that make me feel as if I know how the people of the time lived. But none of this is present in The Pirate Bride, by Kathleen Y'barbo.

What I Liked:

I found so many issues with this book, there was nothing in it that appealed to me.

What I Was Mixed About:
Religion:

I did find it refreshing that the characters prayed so much in this book. For the time this book was set in, religion would have been a integral part of the lives of any person.

However, as the characters were of French and Spanish origin, it was strange to me that they didn't seem to be Catholic. Where are the rosaries? The saints? The crucifixes? The priests? The absence of these details made the characters feel inauthentic.

What I Didn't Like:

Historical Details:

The story is said to take place in 1724 (?) but there are so few details, it could have happened in 1824 (or 1924). Despite the lovely cover, there are few discussions of clothing, food, or even locations. The novel moves from Spain, to an island in the Caribbean, to New Orleans, yet there are almost no descriptions of these places beyond the basics.

Along with that, the characters are supposed to be French and Spanish. Yet, other than calling Maribel's grandfather, Abuelo, and there being a few smatterings of French names, I got no sense they were of any particular country. There most certainly would have been customs (and food) from their homelands that would have been central to the characters as they settle into a new world.

Characters:

Maribel begins the story as a twelve year-old, but she seems to act like she's eight. I was really struck by this because a girl of that age growing up in Spain would have been more mature. She would have been taught to behave as an adult by that time.

Later, as a twenty-three year-old, she gets very affectionate with Jean-Luc, excusing her actions with saying she was raised by nuns so she doesn't understand proper etiquette. I found this ridiculous. If she were raised by nuns, she would have been taught to have very strict behavior around men. She would know better than to hug a man in public, and would know the implications of kissing a man (instant engagement or social ruin).

She also doesn't seem at all torn up about the apparent death of her childhood friend, Will Spencer, yet she is devastated by the deaths of all the pirates, whom she barely knows.

Romance:

The romance between Maribel and Jean-Luc was creepy! They started out knowing each other when she was twelve and he was twenty-five. Suddenly, it is eleven years later, and they are instantly attracted to each other. I can believe that Maribel may have had a crush on Jean-Luc as a child, but it was weird that he seemed to be attracted to her, even when she was a kid. There is a line in the book where he says, "When I couldn't find you, I didn't want to go on.", referring to when she was twelve. What? Why was he so attached to her as a child?

Story:

The description from Goodreads doesn't match the actual book. I wonder if a quick summary of the story was sold to the publisher and then it wasn't updated when the book was released? It was that disjointed.

Reading the actual novel, the story fell flat because of the lack of buildup to critical moments throughout the book. Perhaps the author felt this would drag down the story, but there needed to be a foundation of actions and emotions for the payoff at the end.

For instance, we never get to understand how Maribel feels about losing her family or her friends. There is no explanation as to what is going on with her mother and her father. Is her mother cooperating with the father, or is she being coerced? There were many references to everyone trying to shield her from her father, but no pay off at the end to explain this. Why did the father even try to bring her to Havana in the first place? Wouldn't it have been more logical for him to place her in a convent in Spain? These are just some of the plot points I found confusing.

Pirates! =) Oh, no! I meant: Privateers!

This book was fun. The heroine named Maribel was a charming girl and when she grew up, she became a lovely, adventurous lady. There were many adventures and friendly privateers, that risked their lives to save strange small girls. It was hard to suppress a smile while reading how kind and protective these privateers were. Times and places described in the book were interesting and colourful.

However, the whole story felt a bit juvenile. There was a lot of friendly banter. It was funny and easy to read, but at the same time it felt too modern. Also, the behaviour of Maribel wasn't adequate to the world she lived in. She was educated in a convent for eleven years! And then she didn't know how to behave in the society and what a position of an unmarried woman was ? It was very hard to believe.

It will be a perfect book for readers looking for a light-hearted, funny story with kind characters and lots of amusing dialogue.

I would like to thank the author and the publisher for providing me with the advance reader copy of the book.