Having read "the Priate bride" where I adored Maribel, it was fun to read about her great-granddaughter, Ellis, who had a lot of the fun qualities I enjoyed in Maribel. Some of my favourite parts were interactions between her and her grandfather where her strong will came across in a humorousness way.

Clay, with his memory issues, was also an interesting male lead and I enjoyed the interaction between the two.

The author did a great job with describing the setting and there was a lot of action which kept me turning the pages and not knowing what to expect.

Even though I enjoyed the story, I'm only rating it 3.5 stars. Thinking back on this story now, there was a lot of things that felt either rushed or unfinished for me. I never really new what Clay did in the past which he wanted to correct, the treasure hunt which sounded promising in the beginning did not meet my expectations.

I still enjoyed this story and loving the series.

3.5*

I've enjoyed this Daughters of the Mayflower series a lot. I have two that I need to catch up on and am looking forward to them.

Kathleen Y'Barbo wrote a previous book in this series, The Pirate Bride. I thoroughly enjoyed it and her writing style. That was my first time reading a full length novel by this author. I did enjoy reading, The Alamo Bride, but it didn't capture my attention as much as, The Pirate Bride, did. It was fun though that the main character, Ellis, in this book was talked about being similar to her great grandmother, the main character from, The Pirate Bride. That was fun to have that connection again.

For me the story really picked up once Ellis and Clay had their first meeting. It was a good amount into the story. But there was some different setting up that the author had to achieve before they could meet and interact. I loved Ellis as she was trying to help and heal Clay, especially with trying to interpret his delirious ramblings when he was unconscious. I did skim a little bit here and there. Not necessarily because of the story or the writing but with my busy schedule and wanting to see what happened with these characters' story.

The ending was great. It came full circle and I loved the sweet family reunion. There is a strong sense of family throughout this book and I really liked that aspect a lot. If you haven't picked up any of these books yet, you can definitely read any of them as stand alone novels. If you read them in order you will understand the family history that is written about throughout the different novels. The authors do a good job at making sure you can understand the family history and allow these to be stand alone novels. So if you're worried that you won't be able to make sense of who is who, no worries, you can.

Content: Clean. These can be labeled as Historical Christian fiction. The characters think and look to God for guidance yet I didn't feel like it was over the top or preachy. It was a good balance, especially thinking about how people would have thought and been at this time period. There are some moments of peril. Some blood and battles but not overly graphic at all. I would recommend this book for older YA readers and up.

I received a copy from the publisher, Barbour Books, via NetGalley. I also won a kindle copy in a Goodreads giveaway. Yay! All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

Another “Daughter of the Mayflower” series, I have liked this one the best! Written with intelligent dialog, wonderful facts about history that I hadn’t really considered before, and a story line that was captivating, I was hooked from the beginning. I loved Kathleen’s use of scripture throughout the book, how it tied the storyline together and even sparked my desire to look up some of the passages.

Clay has the best of intentions for Texas, but Ellis comes to the rescue and the story is off. A nice romance develops even as the story of the Texians and their history is revealed. I would have loved to see this novel given more writing as I would have enjoyed even more behind it.

The entire “Daughter of the Mayflower” series has been delightful. Thank you to the publishers for believing in these writers and giving us some worthwhile reads. I was happy to read an advance copy from Barbour Publishing and Net Galley – which in no way influenced my five star rating for Kathleen Y’Bardo and The Alamo Bride. Well done!

Obviously, I am a sucker for The Daughters of the Mayflower series (Mayflower, Pirate, Captured, Patriot, Cumberland, and Liberty) and Alamo was absolutely wonderful. A quick read, we meet a fiery, passionate, strong woman named Ellis. In a fun twist of fate, she ends up and saves Clay.

Clay is sweet, calm, and steady and the perfect opposite for Ellis. Their adventure in providing freedom for a free and independent Texas was the perfect blend of action, historical accuracy, and sweet romance. I also appreciate that as the series continues through time, the propriety changes and the authors make sure the voices change too.

In all, if you need a sweet quick romance for a Sunday afternoon read, this is your best bet.

Thank you to NetGalley, Barbour Publishing, and Kathleen Y'Barbo for this free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is number seven in the Daughters of The Mayflower series. I have read and enjoyed all of them and this book is no exception. All the covers on these books are beautiful and  a promise of what is to come on the inside.....This is a wonderful, inspirational romance set against the backdrop of the Texas Revolution, and of course the Alamo as the title suggest. I loved reading about the young Texas and even some about New Orleans.  Amidst the war and battles there is romance, we even have the hero, Clay Gentry, with a case of amnesia after being attacked. Much of the story is about remembering who he is and why he is in Texas. A young feisty woman, Ellis Durmont, with the aid of her grandpa helps him to heal from the attack and also in remembering.              My thanks to Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel. I am please to leave a review.

Kathleen Y’Barbo certainly knows how to create heroines who are intelligent, feisty, compassionate, and loyal. This is exactly what she’s done in creating the character of Ellis in this book. She’s also very good at matching her heroines with heroes who are worthy of them, and she does that with the character of Clay. Both are loyal to Texas and willing to risk everything for the cause. Their romantic storyline adds interest to the plot, but it does not overshadow the overall historical context of the this book. The author has done a good job of incorporating her research into the story and keeping it interesting for the reader. Both Ellis and Clay share their trust in God and His care for them, and this is an important theme in the storyline.

My only disappointment in this book was that I felt everything was leading up to the battle at the Alamo, but because of an incident that changed the storyline, there’s no actual “battle scenes” from the Alamo. I felt a little lost when reading because I felt as if I’d missed the “main event”. The plot worked the way it was written, but it lost some depth because of this. I would have liked a longer ending to this story. Even an epilogue would have helped. But even with this, I very much enjoyed this book and am glad I read it. Kathleen Y’Barbo still gave us a good story with a great historical setting.

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

The breathtaking sixth in the Daughters of the Mayflower multi-author series, The Alamo Bride is exciting and stirring. The historical research into Texas and the era is shared in a way that is fascinating, almost as if one is there. This is a beautifully-written Christian action and romance novel that fits well into the series and can easily be read as a standalone.

Ellis Valmont loves living in Texas, even though she could have enjoyed family wealth in New Orleans. She is happy with her life as a healer, a woman who uses herbs and training to help others who are ill, injured, or ready to give birth. Her ancestry is of Spanish noblemen and French privateers; she is a strong and loving young woman. Her father, Boyd, and older brother Thomas have gone off to fight the war for the freedom of Texas. Ellis, her mother, and her younger brothers are trying to keep the chores done and the land cared for until Papa’s return. Her grandfather lives nearby in Velasco, across the Brazos river from her home in Quintano.

One day Ellis and her younger brothers are out; her brothers find a canoe in the reeds at the river’s edge. The man inside looks severely injured, so she sends her brothers to find their mama to help. He is taken, in the pirogue, to their barn where a bullet is removed and they treat his fever, other gunshot wounds, and head wounds. They don’t know whether he will survive; all they know is that he is wearing the uniform of a New Orleans Grey, troops from Louisiana who will fight against the Mexican army.

As the soldier suffers, unconscious, with fever and pain, he murmurs various bits and pieces of the special mission he is on. Fascinated, Ellis writes down some of the unusual things he says while being unsure of whether he is friend of Texas or an enemy. He claims at one point to be working for President Jackson, but whose side is he really on? Finally, Clay regains consciousness. He remembers almost nothing, not even who he is, only that there is something important he is supposed to do. The primary connection they have when he is awake and recovering is Psalm 91, which Ellis was trying to memorize while she was watching over him, and Clay’s mother used to read to him.

The character definitions are impressive; I like Ellis for choosing to live where she can participate in life rather than relax in luxury. Even when she may be inconvenienced, she will not turn aside someone in need of medical care or ready to deliver a baby. She and Clay made a journey together when looking for her father and brother, and their faith in the Lord and respect for each other improved their friendship. I enjoy seeing the people of faith and prayer, also, including Elli’s grandfather.

This is an impressive novel on many levels – showing people of faith in less than favorable, even tragic wartime circumstances, the extensive history, and the plot and surprising twists. There is so much I have forgotten since those long-ago history classes that I appreciate a quality author weaving her research effortlessly in an appealing novel and as part of a series. I highly recommend The Alamo Bride to those who appreciate Christian historical fiction, learning more about 1800’s Texas, and romance.

From a grateful heart: I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

A Romance During Texas’ Fight for Independence

Clay Gentry is in New Orleans. He has been entrusted with a mission for Andrew Jackson, but somehow he has been betrayed. Hating that he was unable to accomplish his mission he enlists in the New Orleans Grays to get to Texas and try to complete his mission.

Ellis Valmont and her family live in Quintana, Texas. Clay only gets as far as the Valmont property. He’s wounded and when Ellis finds him he’s feverish and out of his mind muttering about his mission. When he wakes up he can’t remember who he is, and with Ellis’ help they try to piece his story together.

Although the era of this novel was filled with action: armies clashing, and, of course, the Alamo, the story has little action. Much of it is taken up with talk between Clay and Ellis trying to solve the puzzle of who he is and what he was doing in Texas. If you like action, this story may not be for you.

However, the novel is well written. Historical detail is usually accurate, although as the author points out in her discussion at the end, she has taken liberties with the time line. If you enjoy history, I highly recommend reading this section.

The characters are well done. Ellis is brave and headstrong wanting to play her part in history. Clay is a more vague character. He doesn’t know who he is and finds out through his conversations and stories with Ellis. I particularly enjoyed Ellis’ grandfather. He made the book memorable.

I received this book from Barbour Books for this review.

The Alamo Bride is the seventh book in The Daughters of the Mayflower series, and the second penned by Kathleen Y'Barbo. It is the story of Ellis Valmont, great granddaughter of Maribel Cordoba from The Pirate Bride. Ellis is the adult daughter, the only girl with three living brothers, of Boyd and Sophia Valmont. She is learning the healing skills of the time from her mother, skills that possibly save her own life as well as the lives of others, including Claiborne “Clay” Gentry. Clay is on a secret mission for President Andrew Jackson, one that might have great influence on the Texas war for independence from Mexico. The circumstances that bring these two together may make their cooperation essential.

As always Y'Barbo's notes enlighten the readers as to the realities of the time period she is writing about. Being a self-described “history nerd” helps to breath life into her characters. This is a wonderful series and Y'Barbo's contributions to it are exceptional. I am grateful to have received a copy from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I was under no obligation to write a positive review, and received no monetary compensation.

Ellis Dumont’s family had moved from New Orleans to Texas and now her home was preparing for war with the Mexicans. Ellis was a healer like her mom and when she found an unconscious man dressed in a New Orleans Grey uniform suffering from gunshot wounds, as well as a head wound, she knew she couldn’t just leave him to die regardless of where his allegiances lay. She discovered that his name was Claiborne (Clay) Gentry. She nursed him back to health and helped him to heal. During his unconscious and feverish state, sometimes he would mutter strange things that didn’t make any sense but she began to write them down. When he finally came to, he couldn’t remember who he was or what his mission was.

Ellis was confused as to who she could trust and while she wanted to trust Clay Gentry she wasn’t sure if he could be trusted. The more time she spent with him, though, the more she saw that he was a good man wanting to protect her and her family and the country that she loved. When Clay’s memory returned, would he be the man Ellis imagined him to be or would be be a traitor to Texas and her heart?

The Alamo Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo

Rating : 1 out of 5 stars

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Kathleen Y’Barbo brings to the “Daughters of the Mayflower” series a story that is based in the time of the Battle for the Alamo that unfortunately lacks a cohesiveness to make the story good.

A native Texan and 5th generation native Houstonian, I always enjoy stories based in my home state and especially in areas I’ve visited. And although I have been a bit bored with the stories that have been added to this series lately, I decided to give it another shot, hoping for a good story once again. But the best thing I can say about this story is that the places it referenced were fun to read about. My family vacations in the Fort Velasco/Quintana area each summer and I loved reading about how those names were chosen and the original plan for which the area was designed. But when it came to the story and the characters, I felt no real connection or emotion for them. Rather, I just wanted the story to end so I could find another book to read. Its not that the plot was particularly bad, it was just poorly fleshed out and scattered in its telling. The story began with a young soldier named Claiborne Gentry arriving in New Orleans on a mission for President Jackson. Things do not go as he planned and thus require him to seek out the treasure of his family to ensure that a monetary need is met for the safety of all those fighting the Mexican forces under Santa Anna. But passage is not freely given to unknown individuals wishing to go to Texas. So Clay joins the infamous Greys to make his way safely into the Texas borders. But his mission is stopped by several bullets and an unintentional blow to the head that leaves Clay with critical injuries and total amnesia. Young healer, Ellis Dumont, finds the unconscious Clay and brings him to the family home. Unsure of his loyalties or mission, both Ellis and her grandfather are wary of the handsome soldier, but Ellis’s mother determines to do what she can for him regardless. They are awaiting news of Ellis’s father and brother who are presumed missing in battle and wish to help any who might bring them home. As Ellis takes her turn watching over this stranger, she finds herself drawn to him. His incoherent ramblings lead her to believe he is either very dangerous or very necessary to the cause for Texas freedom. Until she learns different, Ellis determines to keep quiet of what she hears, making notes for the future. Clay eventually comes awake but cannot remember his name or purpose. Hoping his memory will return soon, Clay accepts the Dumont’s offer to remain with them until he heals. But danger is coming soon unless Clay can help stop it and it will require everything he has to complete the mission he was assigned. Ellis finds herself learning much of Clay during his stay and when given the chance to find her missing brother, she accepts his offer to travel with him to Mission Alamo. Upon arrival, they find themselves pulled in opposite directions as they fulfill their purposes, but a time is coming soon when they will have to decide if they want to have a life together or apart. See! A great plot with plenty of material to work into a great story. Why it isn’t, I haven’t a clue. The first two thirds of the story went along at an almost snail pace, bringing in random facts about the Dumont family or their past. There were long discussions about Clay’s memory that could have been shortened dramatically if Ellis had helped him along with his memories. That made me so mad! Why she refused to tell him what he had said in delirium was just wrong!! Its not her place to decide what Clay knows or does. I realize she wanted to protect her family but she should have helped him remember then helped him see her side if need be. Ellis isn’t God and she should have told him what he said when he was sick. That for sure made me not like Ellis and care little if she succeeded with Clay. And once she told him, the rest of the story flew by with so much time passage and little explanation of what was happening. It was irritating to basically speed read through several months of time that could have been expanded to make the rest of the story better. There was a mild attempt at teaching trust through the characters but I didn’t believe their “come to Jesus” moment at all. And there is no way that there will be a good relationship between Clay and Ellis given her complete distrust of him and all her secret keeping. I will not recommend this book to others as there are much better stories to be had. I’m glad I didn’t pay for this one as I would have certainly wanted a refund. There is one more book in the series that I will at least attempt to read, but I am approaching it with extreme wariness.

I received this E-book free of charge from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

Another fun book in the Daughters Of the Mayflower series. Ellis and Clay craft an intriguing story set against the backdrop of the Alamo. I am not nearly as familiar with this time period, so the historical details were very helpful to my understanding of the story. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing, Inc. through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Ellis Valmont, a headstrong young lady of Spanish and French descent, finds herself nursing a handsome young bilingual soldier back to health. He has been shot before seeing duty in Texas against Santa Ana. As Ellis nurses him, she discovers the soldier may hold very important secrets- but on which side does his loyalty lie?

This novel hit the sweet spot for me with frequent references to Ellis’s great-grandmother, Maribel Cordoba. Maribel’s story was told in The Pirate Bride, a wonderful story, also by Y’Barbo. Every mention of Maribel’s name brought flashbacks of that vicarious adventure and how much I enjoyed it. This, in turn, increased my enjoyment of The Alamo Bride. Still, I think this novel can stand on its own if one hasn’t read Y’Barbo’s previous tome.

I enjoyed seeing the relationship development between Ellis and Clay. Ellis is quite the spitfire (like her great- grandmother, Maribel) when she decides that she wants to do something. We see that same personality trait as Ellis deals with her beloved Grandfather, as well.

I was really impressed with what a frightening time in the Texians’ history this would have been to live. Y’Barbo kept me feeling off-balance right along with her uncertain characters.

Quotes:
“I don’t believe in luck... The Lord takes care of us in His own way. If we manage to have something go our way, we figure it’s because it is His way.”
“In times of war, not all friends were truly friends. And sadly, not all family escaped the title of enemy.”

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinions, for which I am solely responsible. I was not required to leave a positive review.

I have read a few books in this series and unfortunately this one is my least favorite, which is surprising because my favorite was The Pirate Bride by the same author. Our main characters Ellis and Clay are both great but unfortunately there’s very little going on in the story. For about half the book Clay is recovering from injuries and Ellis is taking care of him. As a young woman she is obviously wary of this stranger and suspicious of his loyalties. About two thirds of the way in the book they finally trust each other and head out to find Ellis’ brother who is believed to be taken captive. Ellis has a delightful grandfather who was a fun character but there is no way he would allow the two of them to head out together. It would have been a violation of propriety and he very much believed in protecting her reputation. I wish there had been a better plot point for this. After setting out they are very quickly separated and the story moves quickly with battles mentioned at too rapid a pace to follow. There is very little to learn in the way of history in this book. It’s not boring but not exactly riveting if that makes sense. I wish these characters could have had a more interesting story because they are both solid characters. I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kathleen Y'Barbo has done it again! This is the seventh book in this series (not all of them by Miss Y'Barbo), and they just keep getting better. I really don't enjoy romances, but these historical fiction reads with just a splattering of romance keep my attention from beginning to end. From character development to putting the reader right in the middle of the scene this book does it all. Yet, the descriptions are not so wordy I want to skim through them. There's just enough history to keep those of us who don't enjoy romances coming back, but the historical nature isn't overwhelming. The history is the backdrop, nicely woven into the plot. If you'd never heard of General Houston or the Alamo, you might imagine the author created these characters and places. I truly enjoyed "The Alamo Bride" and highly recommend it!

Thanks to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for an ARC of this book! Release date - February 1, 2019

I definitely enjoyed this book, although it has been my least favorite so far in the series. While The Pirate Bride and The Liberty Bride, the other two I have read in this series, we’re still fluffy love stories, I felt like they had more depth and more exciting action. There was little to no action in The Alamo Bride, and the romance wasn’t that strong either, it was kind of obvious and not a lot of suspense. With previous books, there was a legitimate reason for the characters not to be together, even though you knew they would be in the end. In this one, it’s memory loss and keeping secrets for no reason at all.

As with the other two books, I really enjoy these fictional characters in real historical moments in history. And the books are clean, interesting, and easy to read. They also take place years apart, with ties to characters from previous books, but are basically stand-alones. This one was not my favorite, but that’s not to say I won’t continue to read the series.

Making the Impossible choice… After Clay is shot on a secret mission, Ellis slowly nurses him back to health. While he is burning up with fever Ellis writes down his phrases about treasure and meetings. This book focuses mainly on the growing relationship between Ellis and Clay. Ellis worry is whether they should trust Clay. Ellis and Clay might be faced with an impossible choice. I received a free copy of this book from the author. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. After a slow start, I enjoyed reading this book. Since the book is mainly written about the period leading up to the Alamo, there is limited suspense in the book. Even though I didn't enjoy this book as the previous ones in the series, it was still an interesting read.

" Matters of trust, subterfuge, loyalty, and love muddy the waters as they weigh their contributions to the greater good against their individual desires, hopes, and dreams. " reviewed for Hope By The Book magazine's online bonus content

Together with her mother and two young brothers, Ellis Dumont is keeping the farm as best they can while her father and older brother are away fighting for Texas. While visiting her grandfather, she sees a company of New Orleans Greys arrive, come to help the Texians in the brewing conflict with the Mexican army. Later she finds a man dressed in the uniform of the Greys injured and unconscious in a pirogue. She and her mother tend to his wounds and keep him sheltered in hopes that he will recover. In his fevered state, the man talks about treasures and maps and meetings. Ellis takes to writing down some of what he says, unsure of where his loyalties truly lie.

When Claiborne Gentry regains consciousness, he finds he is a sort of captive of the beautiful Ellis and her family, but he has very little memory of his past or what his mission in Texas is. As Clay tries to piece together the few details he remembers and make sense of who he is to meet and why, he must also earn Ellis's trust and figure out for himself which side he is on.

Ellis is fiery and headstrong, much like one of her ancestors in this series, and has to keep her impulsive streak under control and be wise when it comes to whether she will trust Clay. For his part, Clay doesn't have much in the way of his own memories to go on, so he wrestles with his purpose and loyalty, and what his responsibilities may be. He has only a vague sense of a mission that he must complete, and his loyalty and affection for Ellis must be weighed against the importance of the mission.

This was an entertaining read for me, although I felt a little unclear about what was happening in the beginning. I had the sense that the first chapter about Clay was a bit disconnected from the rest of the story. It did explain his mission to a certain extent, and since he loses his memory before he meets Ellis, it's important for the reader, but I felt that a shorter prologue establishing that would have been just as effective. The characters were likable and the plot moved quickly but in places was vague. Although this is part of a series, it's not necessary to read the books in order as each stands well alone and are only loosely connected, as the lead characters are all part of a large family tree.

This is the seventh in the series but can be read as a stand-alone. Rich in history, readers will be transported back into the time of the Alamo. The two main characters, Ellis and Clay are both very likeable. I like that Ellis was determined to help Clay even though he may have been the enemy. Readers wanting to learn about history of Texas in a fictionalized way will enjoy reading this story. Recommended!