I absolutely adore this series! (I'm not-so-secretly hoping they add some more to the list as well). I love how the series has been laid out in a way that each of the authors contributing are able to create their own stories that both stand alone, and fit together at the same time. I've been able to read stories from author's I've read in the past, along with being introduced to some that are new to me. Shannon McNear is one of them. Her writing style fit in very well with the series, but it's also peaked my interest to look into more by her.

One character that had me really intrigued throughout the story though was Thomas Bledsoe. His connections (both physical and emotional), to both the "whites" and the Indians really added another layer to the whole story. If his past hadn't been what it was, it would have literally changed the whole book. Often when children learn about history, they hear one side of the story--the one that won out for space in their history books. An entire people can be misunderstood and essentially demonized simply because their side is never considered. Shannon shares some more about this in her author's note at the end, but she shares that she felt it was more important to share something more historically accurate than modernly accepted. I can really respect this. I also was able to learn from it too!

I really felt bad for Kate's character because of how injury-prone she appeared to be throughout the story.  As Shannon shared in her notes at the end, there were a whole lot of dangers and illnesses that travelers faced on their journeys. It certainly wasn't a trip to be taken lightly. Shannon shared that each of the events she had in the story really happened to other travelers, though not all from one story. It's a good thing Kate was a strong young woman, because I would not have enjoyed her journey!

I really enjoyed The Cumberland Bride and I'm curious to see what's next, both for the series and for Shannon McNear! Although the books can easily be read as stand-alone novels, I'd suggest starting at the beginning and reading all of them anyways simply because it really is a great series. I hope you enjoy them too!

*I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to share a positive review. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.