I started reading Kimberley Woodhouse books because of the Daughters of Mayflower series. The Golden Bride was book 8 in the series and Kimberley Woodhouse wrote three books in the series. The entire series is wonderful. And The Golden Bride was yet another book that has me hooked on Kimberley Woodhouse books. They are a good mix of historical fiction and romance. Not only is The Golden Bride a “must read” but so is the entire series.
The Golden Bride is set in California during the gold rush of 1849. It involves a widow in an incredibly impossible situation. And it includes the best and worst of San Francisco history. There is love, intrigue and mystery. I enjoyed the historical fiction aspects of this book.
I received a complimentary copy of The Golden Bride from Net Galley with no requirements.

I enjoyed this story of perseverance and faith, set against the backdrop of San Francisco's Gold Fever era. I thought the characters were true to the era and behaved as I want to believe real (Christian) people of the setting would have acted. The author brought out some of the ugliness of the era without getting graphic so the story remains appropriate for a wide range of ages.
I voluntarily read an advanced review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley and I offer my honest opinion in response.

I really am loving reading this series and learning about different cities and the important history taking place there in days past. This one focuses on San Fran. Olivia's brother is older than her by 10 years and has been living there for awhile. After her parents and husband of a very short time pass away she knows she must travel there to be with, Daniel, her bother and only family left.
I loved the author's authentic description of this Gold Rush city and how life was back then. She touched on many historical things and how corrupt so many of the people there were. Makes sense to me though, all those people flocking there for a gold rush, there wasn't enough gold for all of them. The journal is an important book that is mentioned in the first book in this series and everyone one after that. It gets passed down to a daughter in the family. It's beautiful because the words in it are so encouraging and an important faith message. I love how good I feel after reading one of this author's books because I learn fascinating history and her pages are filled with God's encouraging faith message.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour through NetGalley. Thank you. All opinions expressed are my own.

Another wonderful read in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. I found myself wanting to look at other historical books about the Gold Rush in California simply because this author made the period come alive in a way not depicted in history books. My childhood history teacher never mentioned the lawlessness and lack of women during that time. I had no idea of the slavery extent, even though I had read about Chinese slaves. To make the history come alive, two of the characters find themselves kindling a romance that is sweet, real, and the desire most women would have in a suitor. The ending was supremely satisfying, but I still wish the story had continued on. Wonderful read!

This is the third or fourth book I’ve read from this series, Daughters of the Mayflower, and I found it to be quite a bit slower paced than the other ones I’ve read.
The story follows grieving Olivia Brighton, who lost her parents just before the opening of the book, and who found herself in a loveless marriage of convenience. She’d made the hasty decision to accept a complete stranger’s offer to pay off her parents’ debt and take her to San Francisco where he was headed, and where her brother lived. In the opening chapter we see the regret Olivia experiences in making such a hasty decision. Within pages she becomes a widow and has more guilt hanging over her head as she continues on alone to the booming city of gold.
Her brother Daniel, and his best friend Joseph Sawyer, are working hard at keeping honest businesses running and reaching the city for Christ. The city is full of greed, evil deeds, and just money-hungry men, few women, and no government to bring things to order. Joseph is instrumental on helping to bring the first mayor and police unit about, however, his deepest desires for the city are constantly thwarted by an unnamed benefactor.
There’s a bit of action, a whole lot of chaos and of course, a love story to tie up at the end.
What I appreciated about this story was that Olivia was given journals from her ancestral grandmothers – brides featured in earlier novels by Kimberley Woodhouse. This was the only thread I could see from other novels in this series.
This was an okay read for me, not terribly exciting or fast paced. It felt like there were too many things to tackle about the infancy of San Francisco that it just got all mashed together – poverty, the big fire, crime, start of government, gold rush, Chinese/child slave trade, brothel/madams. I would have preferred just focusing on one aspect with a brief mention of other things, rather than bringing in everything else and trying to make it work.
I received an ecopy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Heat Factor: There’s a fire but it’s not figurative.
Character Chemistry: They’re well-matched personalities
Plot: Woman is suddenly widowed shortly after marrying the wrong man for the wrong reasons and blames herself for it. After reuniting with her brother at his business in the wild, heathen San Francisco settlement, she starts to fall for his best friend. Meanwhile, mysteries ensue.
Overall: Like my teen years, this one’s got some issues.

If you doubted that we read it all at TSR, doubt no longer--because we do. This week, I’m reaching way back to my college theology class to tackle a Christian romance!

Look, if you adhere to a religion, some romance novels might not be for you--and that’s okay. But luckily, writers are getting really creative about who they feature and how they write, and although we tend to be naturally drawn to more secular romance niches, I decided try something a little more niche this week.

When Olivia Livingston’s parents pass away and leave her with debts, she marries someone for all the wrong reasons and finds herself in a wagon bound for San Francisco with someone she’s struggling to tolerate, let alone love. When she’s suddenly widowed, she becomes aware of her supposed failings as a wife and partner and vows not to go down that road again. Unfortunately (or fortunately, as you might imagine), when she ends up safe with her brother again she finds that his best friend is impossible to ignore and slowly falls in love with him. At the same time, Joseph, the best friend, is struggling to solve some human trafficking crimes that are somehow linked to a mysterious member of the town council, and his double life causes Olivia to doubt his trustworthiness.
Throughout the novel, as the characters sort out their personal issues and strive to serve their community, they find themselves constantly turning to their faith to determine how to move forward.

I’m going to unpack this in two ways: first, the plot and the romance, and second, the faith-based considerations.

First, the plot is fairly engaging. The characters seem to have a fairly natural camaraderie, and there’s some interesting historical details that were charming. While I wouldn’t describe Olivia and Joseph’s relationship as steamy, it’s sweet and it’s well-matched. They clearly want the same things, and they truly do want to step into a life together in a thoughtful, faith-based way. It’s not too stressful or forced. It’s generally a nice, chaste, sweet romance novel.

The second aspect is more murky here. While I do commend the author on her ability to pull appropriate biblical verses to support the plot without distracting from it, and while an effort is clearly made to suggest the main characters are accepting of those who aren’t like them, on a fundamental level the spiritual nature of this book is about the righteous, clean, holiness of the Christians and the dirty, dangerous, tactless, disgusting “other”. For example, at one point, yes--Olivia goes out of her way to become friends with an ex-Madame who is crying in their restaurant and she invites the Madame to their bible study. But the author makes a point of saying that this woman has already been saved and she sought them out on purpose. So it’s not like Olivia is really reaching out to people who aren’t like her (a flimsy use of “love thy neighbor as thyself” here) --she’s still firmly entrenched in own sense of Christian superiority. So the very wonderful biblical verses chosen to express the acceptance of the ex-Madame are made trite by the very nature of that relationship. That bothered me greatly.

The descriptions of virtually all other characters are sweeping and flat; those who aren’t Christian are all grouped together as being filthy, untrustworthy, and dangerous. From what I remember about the Gold Rush, yes--I’m sure that’s probably a fairly accurate simplification of the time and place. But the way it was used in this story really cheapened the interactions between the main characters and everyone else for me. And maybe I’m expecting too much detail from a book this size, but to me those nuances are vitally important.

So despite the plot being fairly engaging and the characters relatable and lovely, I’m not sure I’m comfortable recommending this one--the values claimed just don’t seem to match the exposed values. But--that doesn’t mean I’d write off Christian romance novels altogether. I’ll keep looking!

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

The Golden Bride is book eight in The Daughters of the Mayflower series, and was written by Kimberley Woodhouse.
Summary: Olivia Brighton has had a rough year. First, her parents pass away. Then, her husband. If only she had been a better daughter. A better wife.
But now, she must press on to San Francisco. Her brother owns a successful restaurant there, and she hopes to reconnect with him and start a new life. That is, if she can survive all of the guilt she feels.
Will Olivia be able to come to terms with her past and open her heart again to someone new? Or will everything she and her brother have worked for be destroyed by a disastrous fire?
My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. It is well-written, covers a lot of interesting history from the time of the gold rush in California, and how unruly and disorganized San Francisco was at that time. It also has some really good messages about redemption and God’s grace.
I have not read any of the previous books in this series, but can say this book stands on its own, and it is not necessary to have read any of the others in order to enjoy this story.
This is a wonderful historical romance, and I encourage you to pick it up!
As always, I thank Barbour Publishing, Inc. for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!

3.5 stars- This is the next book in the Mayflower Brides series and tells the story of Olivia and Joseph in 1849 San Francisco during the infamous gold rush. One thing I enjoy about Kimberly’s books is the depth of her research and how much I learn about the time period her books are set in and the events of that day. It was very interesting to read about the absolute chaos of San Francisco during the gold rush. The greed and blood lust of the men that flooded the town in search of gold and riches is insane. And how difficult and dangerous it would have been for a young woman (really, any woman) to live there.
For me, some of my favorite chapters were the first couple, where we’re introduced to Olivia and her new husband Hezekiah. These chapters were at times humorous and other times tragic, but I felt they helped me feel gain a better emotional connection to Olivia and her plight.
The nice thing of having Kimberly write multiple stories within this series is that she can easily reference them within the different books. I enjoyed revisiting Mary Elizabeth from the first book and Faith from “The Patriot Bride” via their journals.
Joseph and Olivia’s brother Daniel both had a tough calling to live Godly lives in such a blatantly sinful place but did so admirably. I was intrigued by the story’s plot and Joseph’s fight to break up a slave ring.
I am enjoying this series and am looking forward to the next book in the series. I received a copy of this book for free from NetGalley. I was not required to post a positive review and the views and opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoyed this latest novel in The Daughters of the Mayflower series. I thought that the story was interesting and the characters were easy to like. Olivia was a great heroine and I really loved how strong and resilient she was. I loved that this book had a heavy faith element and that the character’s were burdened for their lost city. I enjoyed that Olivia and Joseph created a strong friendship before they shared any romance, it made their relationship more genuine. I enjoyed that journals from Olivia’s ancestors made an appearance in this book, it really helped to connect this book to the series. The Golden Bride was a great addition to this series!

Kimberley Woodhouse does it again!
Interesting historical facts delivered in an amazing way, feisty characters, and a sweet love story!
Evil villains, beautiful (clean) romance and history galore run rampant in Woodhouse's newest novel. And I must say, she did not disappoint!

This book, I think, is my favorite of this author's!
I loved the characters; the story was amazing as usual, though difficult to read at times. Woodhouse captured 1849, San Francisco in all its real hardship. I was surprised to learn it was very much like "modern" day Sodom and Gomorrah.

As always with Kimberley Woodhouse's books I learned an abundance (Thanks for writing amazing stories that count as my history lesson for the day!)

My heart soared and melted with the cute scenes of Olivia and Joseph!
But they weren't all cute. Woodhouse went into deep topics (though I was shocked to discover she didn't write all the horrific details, I shuddered and cried at what she did write ) with this newest installment of "The Mayflower Brides Collection."
Human slave trade, terrible sin, greed, this author is not afraid to speak about the things we shy away from.

In the midst of these difficult topics there was light hearted banter, a sweet brother/sister relationship, and a sweet, sweet love story, not just man/woman but Child/God.


Olivia and Joseph (and Daniel because I liked him too much not to mention!) were relatable, encouraging, and inspired me to deepen my faith in Christ.
I appreciate the life lessons Woodhouse weaves into her stories, I'm always so blessed by her writing.

I can't tell you the number of times I sighed with delight and contentment
I was really into these characters and this story, I'm heart broken to let them go. But the ending could not have been more beautiful.
I leave with a full and happy heart, with a love bursting for these new friends that will forever live in my heart.

Definitely, definitely don't miss The Golden Bride!

~Rebekah

**Thank you so much to the author/publisher for a free copy of this book. I was in no way obligated to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are purely by own. **

The Golden Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse is the final book in the Daughters of the Mayflower series, but it can be read a stand alone novel. It takes place during the gold rush of 1849 in San Francisco. Olivia Brighton's new husband dies during their journey to San Francisco. Widowed, Olivia works in her brother's restaurant, but catches the eye of her brother's best friend, Joseph Sawyer. The problem is that Olivia has closed her heart and will not even consider Joseph Sawyer because of his involvement in the gold mining business. As Joseph tries to win her affection, they are brought together through an investigation into political corruption and forced Chinese labor. As the danger mounts, will Joseph and Olivia find a path to love with one another?

The Golden Bride swore she would never marry any man who was involved with gold mining in any way.. Wow! What a life she must have had in San Francisco during the gold rush. To find young men of faith, one being her brother, trying to make their home town more live-able and safe was an informative and interesting story. The way women were treated and then the poor souls forced into slavery when there was no police or laws yet in this town was quite an eye opener! I thought the ending was perfect! I also liked the information the author shared about San Francisco at the end of the book, so interesting!
I requested a book through NetGalley no review was required. My review is voluntary.

After only being married for a short period of time, Olivia finds herself a widow and parent-less. Her only option being to take a dangerous journey (as a woman, too!) to her brother, Daniel, whom she hasn’t seen in a very long time. In a primarily male-dominated community, Olivia finds herself one of a few women in San Francisco during the Gold Rush fever of 1829.

While working in her brother’s restaurants, Olivia constantly finds herself in compromising positions with men who have no other women to look at besides herself. Avoiding endless marriage proposals and handsy men, Olivia learns to stand up for herself and what she believes in.

But, after so much heartache, Olivia finds herself blessed to come into the presence of her brother’s best friend, Joseph, who isn’t bad at look at, either! However, can Olivia’s opinion of miners change when she finds out Joseph is one himself?

A story of deception, justice, and a hint of romance, readers are likely to fall in love with this feisty woman and caring supporting men!

The Golden Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse is eighth in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. Having read the previous seven I couldn't wait to dig into this one and I was not disappointed. The books in this series are easily read as stand-alone stories and are such a great collection of stories about the history of the United States. Woodhouse has done a great job with the history and setting enabling the readers to feel like they are right there in the middle of the scenes. The mix of fictional situations with actual historical events makes the story interesting and authentic. The mid-1800s was a dark time for San Francisco with the greed of the gold rush eliciting evil and crime beyond measure and there is lots of action and mystery in this multilayered story to keep the reader's interest high. Joseph, a gold miner, is fascinated with Olivia and yet she had nothing good to say about gold miners. Would she be able to see past her biases to find more than friendship with Joseph? The sweet romance between Olivia and Joseph is engaging and delightful to watch unfold despite the difficulties they encountered. The characters are vivid and relatable and their growth and maturity throughout the story is realistic. I enjoyed the portrayal of the sibling relationship between Daniel and Olivia--the love and trust they share. With a strong thread of faith in God and spiritual truths throughout, the book is also inspirational as the reader can see how God's hand is at work in the lives of the individuals.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions are my own.

I so very much enjoyed the story of Olivia and Joseph, along with the people they meet along the way. There were a number of moral, emotional and environmental obstacles in the time of the California Gold Rush as well as in San Francisco itself, to overcome, but eventually Olivia and Joseph recognize the depth of their ttrue feelings and have a lovely courtship. Naturally disaster strikes when least expected, and Olivia feels abandoned and forsaken. She has to lean on God, as well as the wisdom from her ancestors journals to help guide her along her way. Olivia is somewhat more retiring than some of the other Brides in this series but it’s lovely to see how deeply she and Joseph care for each other, as well as the relationships they share with Olivia’s brother Daniel. A beautiful and well crafted story! I received A complementary copy of this story from the Barbour Publishing via NetGalley and was under no obligation to leave a review.

As with each installment in the Daughters of the Mayflower series, “The Golden Bride” does not disappoint. Kimberley Woodhouse has written earlier books in this sequence, and this one delivers just as much vigor and dynamism. These books are fairly short for novels, but they are nevertheless overflowing with spiritual truths and faith in action. Aligning the plotlines with significant events in American history underscores the Christian foundation of our nation and its perseverance throughout times of war, personal trials, and provincial struggles. Realizing how much our forebears overcame provides strength for our own journey and an illuminating perspective for dealing with contemporary issues.

Indeed, the world of California in 1849 as illustrated in “The Golden Bride” bears a striking resemblance to today’s world. Corruption and immorality run rampant in the territory as people, mostly men, flock to the fields in search of gold. San Francisco is a lawless den of iniquity when newly widowed and heartbroken Olivia Brighton arrives in search of her brother, Daniel. He owns and runs Livingston’s Restaurant, and along with his best friend, Joseph Sawyer, serves as a beacon of hope in the face of evils such as gangs, brothels, and human trafficking and slave labor. Olivia joins their efforts to uplift and redeem the town despite opposition. Their ministry is deeply inspiring because they are able to truly make a difference in their community through determination, sacrifice, and most of all a strong reliance upon the Lord.

Olivia’s development as a character spoke to me more than any other. At the beginning of the novel, she is filled with self-loathing and guilt, but reading journals from her ancestors, who were women featured in previous stories in this series, positively influences her faith journey. One of my favorite passages describes so many of us: “she’d prayed for help but kept tight hold of the reins of her life.” We so often do the same. We carry burdens that were never meant for us and we allow fear to control us instead of trusting in the One who promises to work all things together for our good. As Olivia comes to realize, He has a plan and a purpose for each of us and can bring about goodness and blessing from every situation if only we will surrender to Him and trust Him.

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

4.5 stars

I love it when a previous author of this series comes back to write another book because there is some connection to their past characters. It’s now 1849 and Olivia Brighton is on the other side of the country than her ancestors, but the wisdom of the women who have endured the challenges of life before her stands the test of time.

Olivia’s a grieving young woman when she arrives in San Francisco in search of her older brother Daniel. She’s made up her mind about what her future will—or won’t—hold for her. Yet when she reads the journals of her ancestors, she’s challenged to live in faith instead of fear.

And then there’s her brother’s best friend. Joseph is a more recently converted Christian but he’s a man who strives to live his faith in everything he does even if it means putting himself in danger and not seeing the woman he’s falling in love with to keep her safe.

The perspective of the villain in The Golden Bride enhances the atmosphere of evil and greed that pervaded San Francisco during a time before the city was truly established.

Kimberley Woodhouse gives readers a story that proves faith, love, and people are greater treasures than gold.

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.

The Golden Bride is a well written inspirational romance. I enjoyed the plot and the Gold Rush era. Fans of historical romance will enjoy this book.

This has been a very enjoyable story to read. The author has taken us back to San Francisco in 1849. The town was in chaos because of the gold rush. So many people traveled there to get rich. I could visualize the tents and shanty’s that surrounded the town as swarms of families came to find gold. There was no law around to corral the thieves, drunken men or even anyone who would step in and settle a fight.

Olivia is a wonderful character who travels to be with her brother who lives in San Francisco. She carries a burden with her that causes her not to ever love again. I felt her pain as she grieves the loss of her parents. It was such a joy to read when she finally reunited with her brother. I loved how her brother Daniel welcomed her into his home with open arms. Working in his restaurant was very tiring and it sure wasn’t fun fighting off men in the restaurant. She is one woman who has no problem standing up for herself as one man finds out when a pie comes flying into his face. I think he will take a step back for now on instead of thinking he can put his hands on Olivia.

Daniel is a hard working man who has worried about his sister for awhile. He is glad to have her near him again and I loved how he wasn't ashamed to pray or show his faith. He is the kind of man who would be a good catch. Daniel is very protective of his sister and knows the danger that she could face in the city. The town has been taken over by unsavory characters and the author does a great job of giving us a glimpse into what it was like during this time period.

Joseph is Daniel's best friend and they both want to help improve things in the city so it will be safer. Olivia and Joseph seem to hit it off at first until she finds out what he does for a living. She promised herself she would not get mixed up with another man who does what Joseph does for a living. They are both smitten with each other and Olivia will have to decide if she can accept what Joseph does. Joseph is a fair man and treats his employees with respect so maybe Olivia will change her mind about him.

I loved the intrigue in the book about men and children turning up missing There are a few characters in the story who are greedy and use people to benefit their own pockets. They need to be stopped before harm comes to innocent people. The story is a great adventure as Olivia learns about forgiveness, Daniel helps his friend who finds himself in danger and Joseph who will seek justice for innocent people. Don't miss this story that takes us into the days of gold fever and a lesson in acceptance and forgiveness.

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

Life in early San Francisco was dangerous but Olivia Brighton learned to handle the rough men in her brother's restaurant! For her safety, she was not allowed outside the restaurant unless escorted by her brother or his friend Joseph Sawyer! I admired Olivia who had made a poor choice in her first marriage but has a heart of gold. However, she does not like gold miners! Joseph Sawyer was a strong man who helped others and wanted to clean up San Francisco but kept quiet the fact that he owned a gold mine. People are disappearing in the city but where are they going? No one seems to care that fire is a great danger to the residents of the city. You will enjoy The Golden Bride as Joseph becomes a spy to find his foreman's family. I received a complimentary copy of The Golden Bride from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.