Although I’ve lived in Tennessee for over twenty years, I have not yet visited the Cumberland Gap and pretty much all I know about it is that when the weather turns cold, the forecasters warn that those in that area should expect snow.

In The Cumberland Bride, author Shannon McNear brings to life the majesty and the danger of what could arguably be called the first gateway to the west (before Lewis and Clark forged their trail). The author draws readers in with the dangers surrounding Kate Gruener, her family, and the others in their traveling party. Even something as inconsequential as crossing a river can become deadly in the blink of an eye.

As if the land and weather isn’t enough, the group must also contend with rising tensions between the Indians and the white man. McNear doesn’t skirt the issue of what travelers faced when attacked.

As Kate digs for their guide’s story, he is determined to put distance between them while at the same time desiring to protect and care for the young woman with golden hair like the sunshine.

Another winner in the Daughters of the Mayflower series, and a solid novel from McNear (who is now an author I’ll be watching for more from).

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

My Thoughts: The Cumberland Bride is a strong historical novel with a strong plot twist. The depth of research and attention to detail struck me almost immediately. McNear weaves in such an authentic feel to the everyday lifestyle as well as the scenery. I did feel like it took me longer to get into, but once I was hooked, I was WAY in. I don’t want to ruin anything but wow! The plot twist was remarkable and it completely changed the course of the story. I was enthralled by the new tidbits of Shawnee culture that I had never heard of before. And McNear brings all of this together with a strong Christian message of saving faith and living out your faith in Christ. I appreciated all the Scripture she weaved in for the reader.

Rating and Recommendation: I’d recommend this one to Christian Historical fans, especially those interested in Native American stories. I’m giving it 4.5 stars.

~ I received a copy from the publisher. I was not compensated for my review and all thoughts are my own.

What a beautiful story that is rich in history which captures the essence of a time period that I love reading about. I loved how the author described the terrain that Kate and her family were traveling on. There was threat of Indians around them. Traveling by horses to Kentucky would take courage, stamina and hope.

I enjoyed Thomas and his commitment to Kate's family. It was interesting to read about his connection to the Indians. His ties to them will become very important as danger surrounds the travelers. Kate finds herself in a treacherous situation and her life is threatened when the Shawnee find her in the wilderness.

I loved how the story depicted a true account of how families were willing to travel long distances to find a better life. Thomas takes his job serious and is willing to keep Kate and her family safe. There is an interesting account about Thomas's past that really brought out the historical aspect in the story. Don't miss this captivating story of survival and hope.

I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing . The review is my own opinion.

The Cumberland Bride is the fifth book in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. I’ve liked that I’ve been introduced to new to me authors in this series as is the case with this one by Shannon McNear. I enjoyed the authors writing and her characters quite a lot, making her book a pleasure to read.

I love the spirit of Katie Gruener, her family and Thomas, who had the job of leading them and other families across the Wilderness Road to their destination. Not as cut and dried as it sounds because he had to keep his ears open for news of a Shawnee unrest.

The dangers travelers faced in 1794 were definitely not for the faint of heart. No, not at all and I’ll just admit that I am not a person who does outdoor type things, so my family would have left me behind. Luckily Katie and her family were much more brave and set out with pack mules and very little of their personal possessions.

The Cumberland bride is a great addition to this historical fiction series and as with the other books, I learned things during this time in history. Full of adventure, danger and a little bit of romance this was one of my favorite books in the Daughters of the Mayflower series.
I received a complimentary book from Barbour Publishing through Netgalleyand was under no obligation to write a review. All opinions are my own.

Set in Tennessee in the spring of 1794, The Cumberland Bride, by Shannon McNear, follows Kate Gruener, and her family as they and other families follow the Wilderness Road through the Cumberland Gap, and into the frontier land of Kentucky. This is the fifth, and latest book in The Mayflower Brides series, a historically accurate series that follows fictitious descendants of the Mayflower through American history. I have read three of them, and thoroughly enjoyed each one.

McNear weaves an engrossing tale of what it must have been like to live during those dangerous years when the new government signed treaties with the Native American tribes only to “forget” about them. It didn’t help that the British roused the tribes to fight against new settlers.

The story opens with Kate taking her mother’s letter to the post rider, where she is immediately smitten with him. Her father hires Thomas Bledsoe as a scout/guide to take their family along the Wilderness Road. Imagine Kate’s surprise and delight when it turns out to be Thomas, the post rider. Alas, he is a confirmed bachelor. Well, he thinks he is.

As the two sneak sly glances at each other, everyone else notices the attraction. Finally, at a time of extreme danger, they can no longer deny their love for each other.

The descriptions of the wild beauty of the Appalachians, the Shenandoah Valley, and the Blue Ridge lead the reader to feel as if he or she is right there on the trail with Thomas and the Gruener family.

Prayers are said, and scripture is quoted periodically through the story, particularly in life and death, or otherwise dangerous situations. The scripture passages chosen by the author fits the scenes perfectly.

The author’s notes at the end of the book are especially interesting – almost as interesting to this history buff as the book itself. She shares some of her research, and how her views changed as she increased her knowledge base.

What Makes This Book Reviewer Grumpy?
• Incorrect use of the phrase, “begs the question”. This is a phrase from philosophy and philosophers. It has to do with arguing a point, but in no way relates to the phrase, “raises the question”. The misuse of “begs the question” began in the very late 20th century, and was not in common use in the 18th century setting of this book. Additionally, an uneducated man such as Mr. Hughes would not likely have known the phrase.

• A large number of split infinitives;
• Beginning sentences with conjunctions;
• Mistaking “further” for “farther” (the two words are not interchangeable);
• Misplacement of the word “only” within sentences.
Follow me online as The Grumpy Book Reviewer

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

Shannon McNear”s “The Cumberland Bride” has it all! It is packed full of adventure, danger and romance. “ The Cumberland Bride” is the fifth installment in “The Daughter’s of the Mayflower” series. It is 1794, when settlers are eager to claim their piece of new untouched land in the west. A land that has been hunting grounds for indian tribes for centuries. The Gruener Family is excited to make this adventure to this new land. They have hired Thomas Bledloe to take them saftly across the wilderness and into Kentucky, keeping watch for known dangers and indian attacks. What they are unaware of is their scouts past connection to the Shawnee tribe, which have grown increasingly restless with the white men settling their sacred lands.

Kate Gruener, the eldest daughter is brave and ready for adventure. In her quest to discover more about their handsome and mysterious scout, she finds herself falling for him, however he seems to want nothing to do with her. It’s not until they both find themselves in dangerous territory that they need to rely on each other and their faith to get them though.

Review posted on Goodreads and Amazon.

Even before I finished this I knew it would be my favorite book of the Daughter's of the Mayflower series! Wow, and I'm gonna say it again, WOW! Absolutely loved this book!
This book was so rich in historical detail and I just gobbled it up. You want to tell me about the Wilderness Road in great detail, the terrain,weather conditions,native vegetation along the way? You want to tell me about the natives,their habitat,foods,customs, oh yes please I am all ears. I could visualize the story taking place as I read. I need a bit more time to digest this as I am still visualizing it. I am the person who reads a nonfiction historical book for enjoyment like a novel. As far as historical recommendations the author mentions Laura Frantz and Lori Benton, now I have another recommendation if I may, Jocelyn Green. Like the two previous author's her books are well steeped in historical detail. I loved the author sharing about more history of the area and historical filled facts in the back of her book. It's a shame only about one percent of author's research is able to be used in books but I can see how that's possible. Eagerly await what the author puts out next.
Pub Date 01 Oct 2018
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing, Inc. through NetGalley, thank you. All opinions expressed are my own.

The setting of the latest Daughters of the Mayflower starts out at Bean's Station, Tennessee in the year 1794. Thomas Bledsoe hires on with the Gruener family to move them across the Wilderness Road to Kentucky where they have purchased land. What follows is a tale of adventure, mishaps, Indian threats, secrets kept & revealed, family ties, and two hearts falling in love!

I really enjoyed this story! McNear wrote in it such a way as to engage the reader with all five senses. I felt like I followed along with the traveling party who set out to make a new life in a new land. Seeing for the first time through their eyes how the terrain changed, the emotions they felt, the camaraderie between scout leaders & family units. You could feel the excitement crackle in the air as they make their way in anticipation and also trepidation as the threat of Indian attack ever increases. As for the characters, the author creates each one with flaws like ourselves and inner struggles. Thomas carries a secret past while Kate grapples with negative feelings that can overwhelm her at times. They also fight growing feelings between them for reasons the reader will learn as details unfold. I really loved the rest of the Gruener family and you can see their devotion, strong ties and love between each member. I also enjoyed seeing history come to life. I think that's my favorite thing about the books in this series! Watching how our great nation was formed and getting to know the people who made it happen. Each author has done a fantastic job in the retelling and I am impressed with McNear's contribution. Well-written, engaging, wonderfully detailed, fleshed out characters, rich historic details and love found in hardship make for an adventure the reader doesn't want to miss!

*I received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. *

A wonderful romance!! When Kate's father decides to move the family west, she sees it as another grand adventure! As they travel the Kentucky Wilderness Road, Kate finds herself drawn to their guide, Thomas Bledsoe. He is supposed to be leading them all safely to their destination, but the curious Kate proves a dangerous distraction. There is an ever present threat of danger from the native Shawnee. Thomas tries to stay aware of the way things are going and feels a conflict is eminent. Just how close is Thomas to the Shawnee? Just how strong is Kate? You'll have to read it to find out...

The Cumberland Bride by Shannon McNear is a fabulous Christian historical novel and the fifth book in The Daughters Of The Mayflower series. It can be read as a stand-alone.
History comes alive for the reader as we journey with those early pioneers determined to conquer and settle in new territories. Along the way we encounter Native Americans, mishaps and we catch that pioneering spirit.
The novel shows the bravery and determination of those early settlers in 1794 as they pack up their lives and families, and travel on horseback into unchartered territory. Scouts were hired for their protection and knowledge of the land.
Family is important. They stick together and pull together.
In times of crisis characters turn to God in prayer. They receive internal peace despite external circumstances.
Life has dealt blows. "If God was so great and so merciful, why had He taken Mama?" God does not 'take' anybody out of spite. Illness and disaster happen. God does then receive souls. The school of hard knocks means people move away from God but He never moves away from us. When we cannot see or feel God, we need others to intercede for us. "Help him... know You are with him. Even if he thinks You are not."
The novel shows how God can take bad circumstances and turn them round for good. The reader is reminded that that is exactly what God did for Joseph in Genesis 49. God loves us and wants good things for us but sometimes free will interferes.
Within the story the reader witnesses the delicate relationship between the white and Native Americans. Both are wary of the other as the whites journey into the Native American lands.
The Cumberland Bride is a fabulous read. It is a tale of love, loyalty and a search to belong and be loved. It is a journey of discovery both literally and figuratively.
Absolutely marvellous.
I received this book for free from Barbour publishing on net Galley. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

If I had to choose a favorite series, it would be Daughters of the Mayflower. Cumberland Bride is book 5. This series follows a family generation by generation through American history. It is filled with adventure and history. As the title implies this book in the series is written about a family who traveled thru the Cumberland Gap, the gateway to the West.
Cumberland Bride is not for the faint hearted. The author does a great job revealing the difficulties of the journey. This is a very realistic story. Shannon McNear also shares some interesting facts about the Cherokee Indians. I found this fascinating. It was an interesting balance to learn about the massacres but also the kindness the Cherokee’s showed to those who they kidnapped and then adopted.
Cumberland Bride was well written. It captured my attention from the first page to the last. I am not a big romance fan. But I do love history and Cumberland Bride had a good balance of history and romance. I can’t speak for those who enjoy romance. But I can say those who like historical fiction will enjoy Cumberland Bride.
Each and every book in the Daughters of the Mayflower has been enjoyable. I can’t wait for the next in the series. Just a note that each book in the series can be read as standalone. The characters are not the same in any of the books. But I would suggest reading them all. I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley

I posted this on Goodreads, Amazon, CBD, and Books a million and are waiting for the confirmed links.

I adore, I breath, I ravish, I live history. I'm a major history buff. I'm a history nerd/geek and proud of it!
With that being said, I truly enjoyed this 5th book in Mayflower Brides series. The author took her time researching the territory and the trail in late 1700's. With her words, I can actually visualize everything she penned down. This had to be hard for her to write this because of the time period with the slaves and the indians. I know for a fact in that time period, life was hard especially after the Revolutionary War where there were bitterness among the traitors and the Tories.
This is a light contemporary Christian romance novel. It can be a stand-alone alone novel which I had no problem reading. I normally don't care for romance but in this book, it was more realistic.
The traveling from Shenandoah Valley to Cumberland Gap to find a place to find a home was a breathtaking, mesmerizing, daring, and daunting task to travel by foot/horses in those days. There was hardly any wagon in those days yet. Covered wagons came later. This is the period of time I would have so loved to live in that fresh clean wilderness. I wouldn't mind the hardship because I would be embracing life.

I truly embraced living in the book for several hours.

The only problem I have with this book is at the beginning of the book where a genealogy tree was revealed. Bear with me, I love family trees. But I'must not comprehending how that tree and the family in the story match up. Am I missing g something here?
I'm going to give this book a low four stars because of the political correctness of the indians and the slavery. I know the author held back because she wanted to focus more on other aspects of the book, rightfully so and the family tree which threw me off. I applaud the author for doing her research on history, genealogy, and geography for this book.
I would not mind picking up earlier books and am looking forward to the next installments. Cannot wait!

I received this adventurous ARC from Barbour Books through Net Galley in an exchange for my unbiased and honest review. Thank you!

The historical setting for this book was very well done. The author brought to life the mountains and the time period. Although, I thought the story lacked the uniqueness needed to keep me interested. It seemed a bit 'regular' to me, for lack of a different word.

I love this series! Mostly because it can e difficult to find good books set during the colonial period. This is the first book I've read of Shannon McNear's and I thought her writing style, plotting and characters were wonderful. In particular, the relationship between Kate and Thomas was wonderfully written and she writes the historical details very well.

A perilous journey

My rating is 4.5 stars

The language of The Cumberland Bride conveyed me into the late eighteenth century. T’was the careful selection of every word, in the conversation and in the narrative. It struck me that not many historical novels have so consistently carried the speech of the day throughout the entirety of the book quite as well as this one did.

The descriptions were so vivid and colorful. They not only evoked a wonderful mental image of the beauty of the Cumberland Gap, they had me feeling the dampness of the mist, smelling the richness of the spring and hearing the sounds of the forest. My emotions were filled with the strength of Kate’s steadfast faith and Thomas’ concern about the uncomfortable relations between the “Indians” and the settlers.

Author Shannon McNear very obviously cared about presenting the Indians in an honest light. Though there were incidents of violence in the story (not described with detail that would offend the squeamish – like me), there was no sense that the Indians were bad and the settlers were good. She did, in fact, point out that the Shawnee often adopted those they captured and truly made them family. While kidnapping someone to adopt them isn’t exactly a practice encouraged by polite society, it certainly shows a different side than the one most often portrayed. I was very touched by a comment she made in the Historical Notes:

While digging into the history of the Shawnee people, I’ve ended many a research session in tears, begging God’s mercy on those of us who did not know, who cannot change history, but who must find a way to go forward and seek peace “as much as lieth in you,” with those around us.

There is a restless watchfulness in the beginning that follows Kate’s family as they embark on their multi-week journey to their new home in the West. Though there is not much action at the onset, the pace of the story is perfect to create the sense of the weariness of the journey and the frustration over the minor incidents that caused so much inconvenience.

As I mentioned earlier, Kate’s faith was very admirable. Even when things were looking very bleak, she clung to her hope in the Lord in a way that I hope I will always be able to emulate. Thomas had not exactly abandoned his faith, he just didn’t believe that God cared particularly about answering his prayers as a result of tragic experiences he had lived through. I loved reading about his spiritual journey back to the Lord.

This was a fascinating account of an era of history that is not as often portrayed in fiction: the westward migration in the days when Kentucky was far to the West.


This review was originally posted on Among the Reads


I was given a free copy of this item. This gift did not influence my opinion or review.

Yay! Another Daughters of the Mayflower installment! (# 5) If you haven’t read the previous books in the series, no worries, each story stands on its own.

The Cumberland Bride takes place post Revolutionary War, with a group of settlers moving west from Tennessee to Kentucky. With no wagons, the journey is difficult, with the threat of potential Native American attacks along the way.

It is easy to connect with Kate, a woman of courage and an inquisitive storyteller. Thomas is a frontiersman with an interesting backstory. His knowledge and involvement with the Shawnee provides what he needs to guide the settlers to their destination. The last thing on Kate or Tom’s mind is romance, but you never know—lightning sometimes strikes in a storm.

The historical details give this story richness and depth, and the descriptions make the scenes come alive. This story encompasses courage, love, and adventure.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a review.

This was the first book I read in this series and I will be looking for the others to read. Such a wonderful book. It was hard to put down. Fantastic characters and great story. I’ll be recommending this one as a book club read!

I have read all of the Brides of the Mayflower series and have enjoyed them all. I love to read Christian Historical fiction.......This book opens in 1794 in Tennessee and ends in Kentucky as the group travels along the newly expanded Wilderness Road through the Cumberland Gap. The characters are well formed and very believable and so interesting. If you enjoy reading of the perils that a wagon train encounters with Indians and sickness and other dangers along the trail, then you will surely love this one. Of course with romance added and a happy ending, then this book is definitely one you will want to read.......  An e-book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Several years ago, Thomas lived with the Shawnee for two years following his capture. When he was traded and returned to his sisters who had been grieving him, leaving a Shawnee woman grieving him instead, he declared that he would never again put himself in a position where a woman might be left grieving his loss. But he finds that he no longer quite fits into the 'white man's world', and works as a post-rider and scout in the wilderness. Kate and her family are moving west with a group of others to take up new land, and her father employs Thomas to scout for them on the dangerous journey. Kate is intrigued by the mysterious scout from the start, but finds him fairly prickly and often taciturn, though willing enough to get her out of scrapes. Then circumstances throw them together in a way that means Thomas is forced to decide how he really feels about Kate, and each must dig deep for the courage to face danger - together or apart...

I know very little about this sort of time period, and have read very little about Indians, but I was intrigued by the presentation of the Shawnee in this book - and interested to discover the basis for it in the historical note at the back. All in all, I think this might actually be my favourite of the series so far. This is the first book I've read by this particular author, but I hope it won't be the last, because I found her writing to draw me in and keep me involved in the story. My main quibbles would be that it felt like she was the only one in the party that ever had anything go wrong, which didn't seem quite fair, and his doubts about God seemed to just vanish for no reason. Nevertheless, well worth reading.

Characters: I cared about them, and felt for them in what they had to deal with.
Storyline: Held together well, and I appreciated the historical note at the back with further background information.
Content and language: Clean, some violence but nothing graphic, language good.
Message: A background message to rely on God, a bit of a discussion of God and suffering, but nothing very extensive, and problems not really solved, just moved past.
Rating: 4.5 stars.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

Let me start off by saying that I absolutely love how all of the “Daughters of the Mayflower” are related to each other and it is shown as a timeline through each of their own unique stories.

"You just haven’t found the right girl. One of these days, you’re going to meet one, get so attached that you won’t want to be without her."

I could already see where the story was going and which man she was going to choose in the first half of the novel and let’s just say that I wasn’t the happiest. “Why can’t the good guy ever get picked?!”, was my initial impression.

"He lifted her hand from his waist and brought it to his mouth. How was it this girl could seem such a complete match for him, after such a short time? And that he felt such a deep connection with her already? As if…his heart had found its home, at last."

Honestly, while predictable and a little cheesy, I did enjoy the story. I wanted to keep on reading and there was just enough conflict to keep the reader interested, but not overtake the idea of love present in the novel. One day, maybe, the guy will be able to change one of the daughters instead of the guy changing 🙂 (Sons of the Mayflower?)