I have really enjoyed this series’s. You are looking clean books that have adventure, love and a bit of mystery. You will love this series!! Happy Reading 🤩

Book 7/12 in the ‘Daughters of the Mayflower’ series. Stick a fork in me… I’m done with this series. This review/rant may contain spoilers. Just saying. 

I started this story several times and finally decided to finish it to get it off my reading device. Maybe it was me and I was having an off day, week, month, or year. I see all the 5-stars in the ratings; however, I did not enjoy it and not just because I knew what was going to happen at the Alamo. **** SPOILER: that actually happens off the page and was only a line or two as someone quickly explained that it had fallen and what happened after. So, no worries… no angst… I was concerned for nothing. **** End Spoiler ****

One of the main problems with this story were the many plot holes and choppy writing that left me not knowing what was happening half the time. I found myself asking… [What?] quite a bit throughout the story. Plausibility was one problem… why did they do that? How the heck did they accomplish that? Propriety was another… what were they thinking? They should know better… but apparently didn’t know or didn’t care. What was up with our heroine? She couldn’t decide what she wanted to do about our hero. She took her jolly good time in trusting him and telling him what he needed to know in order to do his duty. The old amnesia trope is a risky plot-line. This one slowed the story down to a crawl and I wanted to scream to get it over with. I wanted to shake both characters. I had some sympathy for him but she was getting on my nerves.  

The author seemed fixated on snakes. I hate snakes and snakes were mentioned way too many times. There were snakes everywhere. Snakes didn’t need that much attention. I am still shuddering just thinking about… you know… them. Then to top it off… I worried the whole book only to find out the problem had already been taken care of… back at the beginning of the story and I and the hero didn’t know about it until the end. He just shrugged it off… but I, on the other hand, was furious. What-the-heck? Why didn’t they tell me… um… him? This was vital information and seemed like a cheap shortcut at a way to end the story with his honor intact with minimal explanation. Really? 

I volunteered to read this from the publisher via NetGalley with no expectations of a review. The views and opinions expressed are my own. Read at your own risk. I enjoyed the forward [author’s family history in Texas] more than I did the story. Go figure.

My thoughts

Would I recommended it? Only to the ones that love this type of romance.

Will I read more of this series ? I have a few to read but after reading them I won't be going on with the rest of the series 

Would I read more by this author? no

Sadly this series isn't for me since I can't seem to get into Christian  Romance, but on the other hand I do love  historical romance just not this type. The story is well written and she does bring her characters to life as well as the history and places she's written about,But I'm just not enjoying it as much as I was hoping.And at times I want to just put it down but that's  just me and since I do have a few of the others I'll be reading them as well and hopping that there's something about this series that I'll like to keep going on with it, With that said I want to Thank NetGalley for letting me at least try this out to see if its something I would like.

I enjoyed reading this book, but I felt like it had a lot of great parts that never really came together the way they could have. I love a good amnesia story, but this one was fairly tepid. All the tension built with the amnesia just sort of fizzled and the story ended. It was the same with several other plot points. It did have great characters though. All of this sort of combined to make what I felt was a good book that should have been great. I enjoyed the references back to Maribel from The Pirate Bride, but again, they felt like could have been more somehow.

As a new resident of the state of Texas, I was hoping to learn more about the Alamo and the fight for Independence, and I did learn a few things, especially about what it might have been like for the common people already living here. I also did not know about the Greys from Louisiana.

All in all, this was an enjoyable read, but I don't think it lived up to its potential.

I read this a while ago and forgot to post my review ... I liked the book, it was interesting if average. Honestly, it was really good just slightly predictable for me but I liked reading about the Alamo since I haven't read many books on the time period, though I have watched several movies about it.

It’s 1836 and Ellis Dumont finds Claiborne Gray unconscious. Gray has been mumbling strange things and Dumont isn’t sure if the words about treasures or war; if he’s lost his mind or a spy. Dumont does learn that the man does know a thing or two about the war and knows people in the area.

As part of The Daughters of the Mayflower series, I was more than happy to read Alamo Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo! Each book in this series is written by a collection of authors and not one is better than another. As a reader, I’m often pleasantly surprised at the historical facts included in the books and the intertwining of an unexpected love story mixed in.

It’s amazing how the women in this series find strong and courageous men who swoon them! Claiborne Gray goes from unconscious to protector between the covers of this romantic storyline. Sometimes I wonder where I went wrong!

Ellis Dumont is unsure who to trust along the way. As the reader, I wasn’t sure who to trust either!! This book had several unexpected events and characters that leaves the reader wondering what’s real and what’s not.

The Alamo Bride was provided complimentary on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I give it five out of five stars because it kept me engaged and it fits in well with The Daughters of the Mayflower series! This a great getaway from the COVID-19 self-quarantine life!!

Aspiring healer Ellis Dumont finds a man unconscious, feverish, raving about treasure and war, on their Texas land. Ellis's father and brother are away fighting with the Texans. She's convinced that he is either crazy or a spy, but for which side?



Claibourne Gentry doesn't remember his mission, or what brought him to the Dumonts. 



Will Ellis risk it all for her family on the word of a man she just met?



A bit slow to start it takes a awhile to get going because of how long Claibourne is unconscious, and the uneasiness of their acquaintance, as well as the situation. 



Ellis's grandfather is a strong a protective patriarch, watching out for Ellis, her mother, and younger brothers.  



Ellis grows over the course of the book finding a sense of purpose in helping others. Clay also finds a chance at a new start upon meeting the Dumont family. Ellis struggles to put faith over fear, and is inspired by the strong women in her family. 



Overall, a entertaining read, though it had a slow start, and at times the way that the plot moved was hard to follow. I admired Ellis's desire to help others and do meaningful work. A pleasant historical read. 



I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A map leading to a family treasure is a great way to begin this fictional account of the Alamo battle. It is not really a story about the battle but about Clay and Ellis. 
Clay is shot quite early in the book and is saved by Ellis and her mother. As a result of falling after that Clay loses his memory and can’t remember why he is where he is. He had an important meeting but why he couldn’t remember. Thus starts his recovery and eventual love for Ellis. 
For me this was a rambling account of their eventual travel to the Alamo and the reunion of Ellis’ family. I really enjoyed the read and can recommend to anyone. A good clean book but without a lot of Christian influences although there were some Biblical quotes. I read a lot of Christian novels but don’t let this deter you either way.
I believe even if you are not a Christian you could enjoy this book as well. 
I received an e-copy of this book from NetGalley and barbourbooks. Thanks for the opportunity to read this preview the opinions are my own

I liked this book.  Clay is on a mission from Andrew Jackson and gets hit in the back of the head.  When he wakes up he realizes that the money he had has been stolen but he is going to go on his way anyway.  He ends up getting shot and loses his memory.  Ellis finds him and nurses him back to health.  Ellis is a very stubborn young lady and doesn't listen to anyone nor to reason.  Ellis and Clay both try to find her father and brother and there are tricks along the way.  The romance between Ellis and Clay was so sweet and I liked how they developed that.  The rest of the book in regards to the history part was a little dry for me but all in all I liked the book.  I received this book for free and I am giving my review.

"I doubt a man who marries her will be worried about whether she will starve him.  He'd have much bigger problems than an empty belly if he were to take that lady on as a wife."

"The Alamo Bride" (2019, Barbour) is a standalone Christian historical romance set in 1885 in New Orleans, Louisiana and in the sister cities of Velasco and Quintana, Texas.  Written by Kathleen Y'Barbo, this is the seventh installment of the multi-author "Daughters of the Mayflower" series.  According to the series' official website, "This . . . series follows a family tree linked by the daughters across American history from the landing of the Mayflower through the events of World War II."  

Rating: 5  stars

The heroine:  Ellis Valmont

Ellis, a Texan - or rather, a Texian -  is descended from "Spanish noblemen and French privateers. . . Her family tree was populated with brave souls who fought and died for a cause greater than themselves."

The Valmont family is a significant contributor to the fortification of Texas.  "It was a source of pride to both Papa and Grandfather that Valmont Shipbuilders was bigger than any other enterprise in Velasco other than the military outpost of Fort Velasco."  Also, Ellis' brother and father are in the military supporting the cause.  She worries about their safety. . . and wonders whether they're still alive.

Side note:  Initially, I had a moment of confusion and stopped reading to confirm that Ellis is, in fact, a female character.  Looking it up, I found the following on Babynameshub.com: "Ellis: It's a boy!  Since 1880, a total of 37,229 boys have been given the name Ellis while 7 girls were named Ellis."  (Try your own name on this website!)

The hero:  Claiborne Gentry

Clay is "aiding General Houston to bring freedom to Texas."  Hailing from Tennessee, but possessing papers declaring him to be a citizen of Louisiana, Claiborne is ". . . the nephew of a governor [William Claiborne] . . . and the grandson of a pirate [Andre Gallier] who sailed with the infamous Jean Lafitte. . . .  Here in New Orleans, Clay's resemblance to the grandfather his family never spoke of had caused him to fit in rather than look out of place.  And when a man was carrying a secret on behalf of the president of the United States, looking out of place was not the goal."

Historical setting:

From the book:  

"We are all citizens of Mexico until the question is finally settled with war." -- Ellis' grandfather

"Just yesterday, news of the battle in Gonzales had reached the city.  A squabble over ownership of two cannons very likely had launched what would become a full-blown war."

This description is referring to the Battle of Gonzales, which is considered the beginning of the Texas Rebellion.  

Christian elements:

"No buts… Trust does not allow for any buts.  We pray for their safe return until the Lord shows us proof that was not His will." -- Ellis' grandfather

*By two percent into the story, I was happy to see that there were already two Bible passages.  

*"He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust" is a recurring theme in the book.  

https://people.com/pets/hen-protects-chicks-from-rain-video/ Just for fun, check out this video clip showing a hen protecting its chicks from the rain.  

Is it clean/chaste?  Yes, certainly. 

What I liked: 

*The following is a slight spoiler, but it occurs early on in the story.  

SPOILER

In this book, I was treated to a favorite trope of mine:  a heroine nursing a sick or injured hero back to health.  The reverse situation is just as fun to read, but I don't see it used by authors as often.

END SPOILER

*I enjoyed the conversations between Ellis and Clay. 

"I see you like it," she said without looking over at him.

"That is one possibility," he said as he scooped more eggs onto his plate . . . "Or perhaps I am just too polite to tell you that the eggs need more salt and the bacon wasn't crisp enough."

What I didn’t like: 

*In the first half of this story, there isn't much dialogue between Ellis and Clay.

***********
Below are links to my reviews for all the previous books in the series.  "The Pirate Bride" was also written by Ms. Y'Barbo. 

Book 1:  "The Mayflower Bride"
Book 2:  "The Pirate Bride"
Book 3:  "The Captured Bride"
Book 4:  "The Patriot Bride"
Book 5:  "The Cumberland Bride"
Book 6:  "The Liberty Bride"

Other recommendation(s):  The concept of this series reminds me very much of the "American Adventure Series", an excellent Christian historical children's series that I read part of, years ago.  The first in the series is "The Mayflower Adventure."    

The bottom line:  This was a very enjoyable historical fiction novel.  I recommend "The Alamo Bride" to fans of the "Daughters of the Mayflower" series, American history, and Christian historical fiction.  

It was a pleasure to read something by Ms. Y'Barbo again, and I'm sure I will read more of her books in the future.  I hope to read the rest of the books in this series, even if I can't get them via NetGalley at this point. 

I got this particular book as an ARC, so my thanks to NetGalley and Barbour!

When Clay Gentry finds himself in a tight spot, he joins up with the Greys in order to find an old family treasure buried in Texas. After getting shot and losing his memories, Ellis is tasked with caring for Clay and bringing him back to full health. Since he rambled like a madman during his sleep-induced recovery, Ellis doesn't know if she can trust Clay.
For the most part, I enjoyed this story. Ellis's character is headstrong and reckless. Two traits that could make or break her character. At times, it did both. I loathed some of her decisions, but I suppose that's part of the point of the story. We don't always make the most honorable decisions, and Ellis had to learn from her mistakes.
I found the opposites in Clay interesting. Before leaving for Texas, quite a few years earlier in the story, I believe, he's given a treasure map, told to memorize it and then destroy it. Clay has an excellent memory for details, which makes his amnesia feel extraordinarily painful. Even if he doesn't know it because he can't remember what he was like before. His running joke that he could be told anything because he'd likely forget it later was funny and brought some comic relief to a few rather tense scenes.
The time Ellis and Clay spent together in the beginning of the story built a foundation for their relationship, but later on, Ellis's recklessness and don't-tell-me-what-to-do attitude rubbed me the wrong way. I don't mind a strong female lead, and Ellis was that, but her inability to listen was not pleasant.
Other than that, I thought this was a good story. Kathleen Y'Barbo included a bit of history mixed with some fictional characters into a book well worth reading and one I do not regret.
I requested a copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I have only read a few books in this series so far but I have loved them all and can't wait to read them all.  The Alamo Bride is no exception.  Y'Barbo did an amazing job bringing the reader into the story of Ellis and her family.  She finds an injured and disoriented man near her home in New Orleans and attempts to mend him back to health.  They form a sort of friendship but she is still not sure if he can be trusted.  Non the less she is a strong willed and brave woman and travels with him to help complete his mission.  Will they both get the futures they deserve and need?

"Alamo Bride" was another interesting addition to "Daughters of the Mayflower" series. It is a Christian historical romance novel. The setting of the novel was interesting and well done by the author. I liked the main character Ellis Valmont. She was courageous, smart and self-confident enough to speak her mind to anyone. I also appreciated that she saved the hero's life early in the story and then nurtured him back to health. It is always refreshing when the heroine is the one, who saves the hero, not the other way around. Clay had to regain his strength and memory, because he suffered from amnesia and forgot the important mission, that he was undertaking to aid General Houston. The feelings between the main characters developed gradually. At the beginning there was distrust and suspicions between them, but at the end all doubts were clarified and it all led to the happily ever after!

This is a captivating historical romance!

I love both of the main characters in this book. Ellis fascinated me. She had been trained by her mother as a healer. She was strong and resilient. She was willing to help anyone in need whether they were friend or foe. Clay Gentry is a little more difficult to understand since he has lost his memory. He doesn’t even understand himself and because of that I kept wanting to see him remember and stand up for what was right.

I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that one of the things that connected Ellis and Clay was the fact that they had memorized the same verse of scripture. Many times throughout the book this verse came up and it helped them both stay focused on God and His care for them.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

I found The Alamo Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo to be a great 7th book to this series of the Daughters of the Mayflower put out by Barbour Publishing.  I loved the way this author brought about the journey of this man and the twists along the way.  I loved the compassion and intelligence the mom and daughter had to help him when he was hurt and to nurse him back to good health.  Not remembering anything about himself was fun to watch unfold.  I loved the idea of her note taking as he was fighting high fevers and talking about a lot of things.  The other thing that plays through my mind with this one was the rescue of him out of the water and the black water snakes.  SUPER scary!  This was a great read and I have enjoyed every book to this series.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.


***Also posted on Amazon, CBD, B&N

This is Ellis & Clairboune's ♥️ Story. This Great Historic Romantic Suspense Novel by Kathleen Y'Barbo, is set in Louisiana & Texas around Texas' battle for Independence. Clairboune's is a spy; but for Mexico or the U.S.? As Ellis works to find out, she can't help but fall in love with him. I Highly Recommend you Read "The Alamo Bride", you'll be as engrssed in it as I was. ♥️📖⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Alamo Bride #7 Daughters of Mayflower
by Kathleen Y’Barbo
New Orleans, Louisiana October 1832- Quintana, Texas October 1835...the story of Ellis Valmont and Clay Gentry is an interesting one. The turbulent times certainly would make one cautious in caring for a stranger as Ellis decides to do when she comes across a very injured Clay. As a retired RN, I can understand her desire to nurse him back to health and enjoy reading of the nursing / medicinal practices of the era. She is a courageous woman of faith and acts accordingly. I enjoyed their interactions once Clay was coherent enough to communicate. Even so, can Clay be trusted? I enjoyed the faith elements woven within the story-line and especially the reference to Psalm 91 and how it impacts every part of their lives. The historical details are woven seamlessly throughout the story. I really enjoy the family tree and historical notes the author includes in the book. This is #7 in the Daughters of the Mayflower but can be read as a stand-a-lone.

~I purchased an e-book copy and also received a paperback copy of this book from the author/Barbour/Netgalley publishing (no monetary gain were exchanged), this is my honest review~

The Alamo Bride by Kathleen Y'Barbo is book 7 in the Daughters of the Mayflower series.  My favorite in the series so far is The Pirate Bride, another book in this series by this author.  I was excited to pick up this book as a result. The Alamo is a fascinating time period and I really enjoyed reading a book set in this time period. However, this book was a bit slow at times and not a favorite of mine. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Will they both survive the battle of the Alamo?

When I saw the title of this book, The Alamo Bride, I got pretty excited about reading it. I've been fascinated by the Alamo since childhood when I heard the old Marty Robbins song from my parents generation, as well as watching the Fess Parker and John Wayne movies when I was a little older.

I've only read a couple of Kathleen Y'Barbo's books but I knew I would be in for a treat when I read this one. And I was not disappointed in any way. I really enjoyed every minute of the book! To be honest, I think that of the few books that I've read in the Daughters Of The Mayflower series this is probably pretty close to my favorite one so far. 

I already knew a little bit about the Alamo but not as much about the events surrounding it so I was quite intrigued  by how the author wove her story around those events and made the historic Texas landscape and its people come to life on the fiction page. 

The Alamo Bride was an excellent addition to the Daughters Of The Mayflower series and Kathleen Y'Barbo was the perfect person to pen this tale of danger and romance during one of the most pivotal times in Texas history.

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

This is the seventh book in the Daughters of the Mayflower series and it can be read as a stand-alone although Ellis is the great-granddaughter from the couple in book 2 of the series, The Pirate Bride. I liked both Ellis and Clay and they were a good foil for each other. The hint of danger related to Clay’s mission felt promising and I was looking forward to how it would fit in with the events of the Alamo. However, the pacing of the story felt uneven. There is a lull in the middle while Clay is injured/has memory loss and Ellis is unsure whether to trust him. Then the action picks up towards the end and everything happens so quickly. Clay’s original mission falls to the wayside and is resolved off the page. There was a lot of historical information and it’s clear the author did her research but the Alamo is really not a major part of this plot so the title is a bit misleading. I liked Ellis’s spunk and the interactions with her grandfather. Overall, this story had some likable characters, light spiritual content, and interesting historical information. Since I read The Pirate Bride, I was glad to catch up with Maribel and Jean-Luc’s descendants.
* I received this book free of charge from NetGalley.