This book started well for me but I just couldn't keep interested in it. It took me several weeks to read and it just never 'wowed' me.

“My sweet Olivia, it’s important to remember the hardships of those who have gone before us and to see how they persevered and survived.”

In a relatable style, Kimberley Freeman shares the inspirational story of three Christians who help each other withstand temptation and shine the light of Christ into a very dark culture. Early on, the main character, Olivia, feels herself a failure and determines that she can never allow herself to know love and joy. Her stalwart brother Daniel encourages her by sharing journals left behind from their ancestors—women like Olivia who overcame hardship with God’s help.

Olivia is awed to read the words of these brave women—some from as far back as the 1600s. “To think of generations before her. . . penning their words for future generations—like her—to read. The realization was almost overwhelming.”

Through the testimony of these family members, Olivia grows in the Lord. Her negativity transforms to godly optimism. She learns to tap into God’s strength for the joy to face her future. Then she is able to trust the love of the third character, the upright and kind Joseph.

“Oh, the promises that I have! Why haven’t I been clinging to them—because by them I’m a partaker of the divine nature! My way of escape is clear through Him. The encouragement that has thrilled my heart today, I can only wish that it seeps onto this page and I am reminded of it again and again.”

This novel is sure to uplift females of any age—from teens on up to grandmas. I teach in a Christian high school, and it’s exactly the kind of story many my young readers will enjoy and learn from. Very well done!

Thanks to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for the opportunity to read this book!

This book was beyond marvelous, definitely my favorite of the series! I loved this colorful, exciting history of San Francisco, the characters, the inspiration I gained from reading it, and just the whole story! My heart was in my throat a few times. Thank goodness for prayer that resolved the huge problems! I've read several things by Kimberley Woodhouse and have really enjoyed all of them.

The Golden Bride is the newest installment of the Daughters of the Mayflower series. I love that you can read them in any order without becoming muddled or confused. They are part of a series but have their own singular story.

Out of the many books I’ve read in this series, I was pulled in most quickly by this one. I instantly connected with Olivia and sympathized with her plight. She was put in an impossible situation (for that time) and I could imagine making some of the same choices (and mistakes) that she did. I had a difficult time believing the guilt she felt though.

I love the central themes of faith and family, bringing strength and softness to the story that I find appealing. Olivia’s relationship with her brother Daniel feels devoted and authentic, and the attraction to her brother’s friend, Joseph, felt organic. Daniel has kind spirit and succeeds at being a decent guy in an indecent place. But overall, my favorite character is Joseph. I find his tenderness and substance appealing and honorable.

I can picture the entire story so well. The descriptions aren’t overdone—just enough to paint the scene. A full and satisfying Christian story—my favorite of the Daughters of the Mayflower series.


#TheGoldenBride

Author: Kimberley Woodhouse
Publisher: Barbour
Series: Daughters of the Mayflower series (Book 8)
Pages: 256
First Line: No matter how much he thought he deserved to be one, Olivia Brighton’s husband of six weeks was not a king.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a review.

I had a lot of fun reading this book. It was interesting visiting San Francisco at a time where it was far from glamorous. Olivia had to face several unfortunate situations in her life, and I liked seeing her grow and become stronger through them. Being the only single woman around hundreds of men would be a whole different situation in itself. It was fun to see Olivias spunk and how she took the men to task if they got too out of hand. This story kept me on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t see how it was going to possibly end where I felt that everything was tied together, but it totally did. It was fun watching Olivia and her long lost brother get reacquainted with each other, and how she grew in her faith because of him. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Historical Romance. There was just the right amount of suspense to keep me biting my nails, while hoping for the best. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is the eighth in the Daughters of the Mayflower, and as usual, each story is more lovely than its predecessor. This one lacks some of the action/adventure found earlier in the series, but this one makes up for it in angst and character growth. It’s a beautiful piece set during the San Francisco gold rush, with characters you want to root for. And I love the references to the heroines from The Mayflower Bride and The Patriot Bride - really reminds you of the enormous family tree.

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

Widowed after only 6 months, Olivia has come to know more than her fair share of hardship and grief.  She blames herself for the accident that took her husband's life and has built up a wall around her heart. Will she be able to forgive herself and discover the life that God has planned? Working along-side her brother at his restaurant in San Francisco she sees first hand the hardship of these people. Olivia joins with her brother and his friend, Joseph Sawyer to make changes that will improve the town. 

With this 8th book in the Brides of the Mayflower collection, we travel to the wild and unruly gold town of 1849 San Francisco.  This stand-alone story is sure to pull you in and carry you along on a delightful mystery as you try to discover who is the mastermind behind the slave-trade, among other nefarious deeds. 

I loved the dynamic characters and a rich historical tapestry of this delightful story. You are sure to be enchanted with this story. Be sure to pick-up your copy today!

(I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own.)

Olivia Brighton married in haste, and has many reasons to regret her decision as well as to feel guilty about her attitude. She has only been married for a few weeks when her husband dies in an accident on their way to look for gold. Olivia carries on by herself to find her brother Daniel, who operates a successful restaurant in San Francisco. Thankfully he offers her a place to live, employment, and plenty of love and support. Soon she also meets Daniel's best friend, Joseph Sawyer. Joseph is kind and trustworthy, and treats her with courteous respect. But Olivia has made up her mind that she won't marry again, and she certainly won't marry a gold miner. Joseph soon finds himself in love with Olivia, but respectfully gives her time and they become friends as they work together with Daniel to bring godly influence and law and order to the city.

Joseph has a very successful gold mine, and is on the newly formed city council. When his Chinese foreman comes to him requesting help for his brothers who are being held in forced labor, Joseph is determined to investigate who is being the crimes and to establish a police force and make San Francisco a safer and more civilized place. But his commitment to finding evidence about the slave trade takes him away from Olivia and may put them both in grave danger.

This was a very enjoyable read and an interesting perspective on the San Francisco of 1849. I especially liked the detail of the journals Olivia had inherited from her mother, grandmother, and her ancestor from the Mayflower - other Daughters of the Mayflower - and how the writings of these women inspired and encouraged her. This tied the series together beautifully, although of course each of the books can be read on its own. The characters were warm and believable, and I liked the patience and gentleness shown in the developing romance between Olivia and Joseph.

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

"Joseph wondered why the Lord tarried. It had to grieve Him to see the way the world had gone."

Interesting story of the early days of San Francisco, during the days of the gold rush. Tens of thousands of people descended on the area in just a matter of months. Two prosperous young men were trying to live in kindness and goodness amongst all the sin and corruption. They were the best of friends. Then Daniel's sister came to live with him. He owned a restaurant and she began to help him, fitting right in with him and his friend.

It's very realistic, through their thoughts seeing the struggle and difficulties of making a way for goodness when the evil around them was so strong. There wasn't any law or government, and there wasn't room for everyone. People lived and ran businesses out of tents. Discrimination, theft, all types of crime were unchecked. These characters all had and developed strong faith together, doing all they could to help others. Excellent investment in your time!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

This was my first read in the Daughters of the Mayflower series, but now I want to read more. The Golden Bride is set in San Francisco during the Gold Rush. Olivia Brighton, the main character, becomes widowed while traveling to San Francisco to work for her brother. When she arrives, she finds herself in a complete hellhole. San Francisco is not the city she imagined when deciding to take a wagon to get there. Riddled with crime, and the lack of women create citizens that are crude and dangerous. Olivia finds herself in danger more than a few times. I enjoyed this book as there is a love interest that blossoms in this otherwise nasty place. Seeing that develop and bearing fruit was a lovely thing in this story. I do recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

If you want to read the others in the series, here they are:

More in the Daughters of the Mayflower series:
The Mayflower Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1620 Atlantic Ocean (February 2018)
The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo – set 1725 New Orleans (April 2018)
The Captured Bride by Michelle Griep – set 1760 during the French and Indian War (June 2018)
The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1774 Philadelphia (August 2018)
The Cumberland Bride by Shannon McNear – set 1794 on the Wilderness Road (October 2018)
The Liberty Bride by MaryLu Tyndall – set 1814 Baltimore (December 2018)
The Alamo Bride by Kathleen Y'Barbo - set 1836 Battle of the Alamo (February 2019)

I have never read a book by this author before but I can say with confidence that I will certainly read more. Fascinating story about the Gold Rush in the 1840s and life in California for a widow working in brother's restaurant. Great story.

Kimberly Woodhouse has a gift of writing Christian fiction. She does great research for her stories, and is then able to incorporate those facts in a readable and interesting story. She has done this again in telling the story of Olivia and her life in San Francisco in the year 1849. San Francisco was a corrupt city at that time and the author helps us to see that corruption without overwhelming the good parts of this story.

Olivia has faced heartache in the death of her beloved parents. To be able to travel to her brother in San Francisco, she impulsively makes a decision to marry a man she has known for only one day. But tragedy occurs before they reach the city, and Olivia finds herself facing her future alone with only her brother, Daniel, for support. She gives up all her dreams of marriage and a family, and throws herself into her work in San Francisco.

I liked Olivia and had sympathy for her being in such a difficult situation. Her impulsive decisions and gloomy outlook takes over her personality at the beginning, but it was interesting watching her grow and change as she studied the Bible along with her brother. She becomes a strong woman of character in a city filled with evil. Both Joseph and Daniel are honorable Christian men who desire to help individuals and make a difference in their city and all three make a great team. The romance between Olivia and Joseph is very sweet and makes a nice contrast to the suspenseful part of the storyline.

Even though this is part of a series, this story stands on its own. I’d recommend going back and reading this series as all the stories have been good.

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

I have loved this series since the first book, The Mayflower Bride which was also penned by Ms. Woodhouse. The Golden Bride is my absolute favorite that I've read in the series.

Olivia Brighton is such a wonderful character stealing my heart on each page. She has a difficult task ahead of her as she travels alone to San Francisco after experiencing devastating losses. I was just as relieved as she was when she finally reunited with her brother, Daniel. Their relationship was one of warmth and genuine caring for each other which added to my enjoyment of the storyline.

I had admiration for Joseph Sawyer a good friend to Olivia and her brother. I loved that he stood up for those who couldn't stand up for themselves and was willing to take risks to help those in need. Olivia was blessed to be have the love and support of her brother and Joseph. Olivia didn't; care for the gold rush and she certainly didn't care to become involved with a gold miner which proves trickier than she imagined when she spends more time with Joseph and in the town of the old rush.


San Francisco was dangerous and an unpleasant place to live during that time but also very sad with the Chinese forced labor. I cannot imagine the horrible treatment and the living conditions people were forced into. The author did a wonderful job of writing their plight but I loved the way she added a strong faith element making the convictions of the characters more relatable. The author clearly did her research for this well written novel and added a few twists and turns with a touch of romance. I highly recommend The Golden Bride to readers who have enjoyed this series or to anyone who is looking for a fantastic read. This book can be read as a stand alone.

I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley and was under no obligation to write a review. All opinions are my own.

Another interesting book in The Daughters of the Mayflower series. It continues with  Olivia Brighton who finds herself widowed after just a few weeks married to a man she hardly knew. After her parents died, she was left with a great debt and had to sell the farm to pay the debt. She married Hezekiah Brighton who helped her to pay the debt completely and because Hezekiah is heading to the California gold fields where her brother lives. Then Hezekiah dies on the trail, and Olivia must now finish the trip and fend for herself. Besides the heavy load of guilt she carries because she did not love Hezekiah she has very little resources to last until she can find her brother. Because of her guilt she vows to never remarry. She arrives in San Francisco which was a very corrupt city, finds her brother and tries to restore her faith in God, which is very low at this point in her life. There is much excitement in the city with the thousands of gold miners and the stench, unlawfulness, and immorality filling the streets of San Francisco. Women are very scarce and she finds herself getting many proposals daily. Her brother's close friend, Joseph is instantly attracted to Olivia and she to him. She fights against the attraction because of her guilt and her vow to never remarry.  With suspense and romance, a strong cast of characters, and a well researched San Francisco setting, this was another great story in the series of the Daughters of the Mayflower.........I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley, and I am pleased to leave a review.

The Golden Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse is number eight in the Daughters of the Mayflower. This is such a good series with interesting history and wonderful romance. I have read several of Kimberley's books and enjoy her writing. This book takes place during the California Gold Rush where a widow who plans on never marrying, Olivia, gets multiple offers of marriage everyday. She meets her brother's friend, Joseph who is trying to help the enslaved Chinese immigrants. There is danger, self-discovery and forgiveness.

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

The Great Rebellion of 1857 provides the backdrop for the opening of this riveting, well crafted allegory of the biblical tale of Ruth and Boaz. The story transitions from India to England with numerous flashbacks to set the stage for two scandalized widows enduring incredible hardship, constant disappointment and rejection. Rena is determined to care for her mother-in-law but how can she as a despised, now penniless foreigner?

I enjoyed the updated timeframe of the story but sometimes had to remind myself that it was a novel as some scenes were so real and others not so much. I went from totally seeing how this could take place to shaking my head with the unreality of the story.

I will not retell the story here. I recommend you read it.
I look forward to reading more by Naomi Stephens. She truly is a gifted writer.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under not obligation to post a review.

The Golden Bride
By Kimberley Woodhouse
Olivia Brighton has faced the death of her parents, loss of her farm and now the death of her husband only shortly after their marriage began. Feeling guilty and alone, Olivia travels to San Francisco to find her brother. Unprepared for the lawless city Olivia finds herself isolated to her brother’s restaurant. As a waitress and being a female in the male-dominated town, Olivia draws the attention of many men. Although marriage is not on her mind her brothers best friend Joseph is prepared to wait. Giving Olivia time is easy compared to cleaning up the city of San Francisco. God has changed Josephs life and he is determined to help change San Francisco. Will Olivia find forgiveness and healing? Can Joseph bring the change San Francisco needs to grow into a law-abiding town? Josephs heart for the Lord and compassion for others begins to soften Olivia’s heart. Josephs went missing though. Did Olivia wait too long to share her feelings?
This was a sweet book and an enjoyable read. Well written, this story will open your eyes to the challenges during the gold rush. Although the environment was described as dangerous and evil, I am sure my imagination does not do justice to what the people of San Francisco actually faced. Greed is an ugly thing and leads people down a selfish path. While I enjoyed this book, I think that it was a little too” happily ever after.” It was too neat and tidy perhaps. I would still recommend it to those historical Christian romance readers though.
Here are the rest of the Daughters of the Mayflower series:
The Mayflower Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1620 Atlantic Ocean (February 2018)
The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo – set 1725 New Orleans (April 2018)
The Captured Bride by Michelle Griep – set 1760 during the French and Indian War (June 2018)
The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1774 Philadelphia (August 2018)
The Cumberland Bride by Shannon McNear – set 1794 on the Wilderness Road (October 2018)
The Liberty Bride by MaryLu Tyndall – set 1814 Baltimore (December 2018)
The Alamo Bride by Kathleen Y'Barbo - set 1836 Battle of the Alamo (February 2019)
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion which I share here. https://simplyannehere.wordpress.com

I really love learning history in the pages of a book! The California Gold Rush era is a particular favorite of mine, so it was with great anticipation that I read ”The Golden Bride” and Kimberley Woodhouse did not leave me disappointed!

Finding herself widowed and alone on her way to San Francisco, Olivia Brighton makes her way to her brother’s restaurant where he’s promised to give her a job. Her late husband suffered from gold fever and she’s vowed to stay far away from gold miners. In a town full of those kinds of men, it’s impossible to avoid them! Her brother Daniel and his best friend Joseph have a heart & passion for people and feel God has lead them to minister to anyone in the sin-filled town. But Joseph harbors a secret, one that could jeopardize his friendship and blooming relationship with Olivia.

I admired both Joseph and Daniel; they have a passion to show Christ’s love in a city full of sinners. Their heart for the downtrodden makes them true heroes in my mind. I also love that they want to take action to keep the city safe in whatever capacity they can; Joseph has sway being part of the city council and especially advocates for fire protection. A much needed commodity! This story also touches on human trafficking and forced slavery, a subject that I felt was handled well by the author. She shows compassion & grace through Joseph as he strives to bring justice to those who are helpless victims, risking his very life! The character growth in Olivia was heartening. She goes from guilt-ridden to being set free as she studies God’s word and bathes in His unconditional love for her. That in turn, frees her for the possibility of love again.

This story is a real gem and has lots of elements to keep the reader interested! I found myself reading this quickly and engaged in both storyline and characters. A great addition to the “Daughter’s of the Mayflower” series.

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

The Golden Bride is a wonderful addition to the Daughters of the Mayflower series! I really enjoyed how Kimberely Woodhouse tied in the stories from the past. I also enjoyed the characters...they worked together toward a common goal, they were each strong yet in need of personal growth, they relied on each other, and helped each other when needed. I appreciated the spiritual thread throughout the story as well. Ms. Woodhouse did a fantastic job making it prominent and yet, not preachy...just well thought out and natural. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series, along with seeing what's next for Kimberely Woodhouse!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. A positive review was not required. All opinions expressed are my own.

San Francisco has been known for its periods of corruption. This was true during the time of the great Gold Rush, a very dark time in the city's history. The living conditions in tent communities was undisciplined and unhygienic. Prices of goods were unbridled. Human trafficking abounded, along with every manor of vice. Swindling and thievery were commonplace. This is the environment that Olivia Livingston Brighton, a young widow, found herself in as she sought her brother and his protection. Daniel Livingston, a Christian, honest businessman, and restaurateur, along with his best friend, Joseph Sawyer, also a Christian and an owner of a gold mine, worked diligently to improve conditions in their city, and to spread the truth of Christ. Olivia was welcomed into their lives and eagerly joined their efforts. Each of them were willing to sacrifice their lives in these endeavors.

The Golden Bride is the latest installment in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. Readers will be happy to reflect on previous characters as Olivia is inspired by the words of her ancestors, Mary Elizabeth Chapman and Faith Lytton Weber, as she reads their journals which have been saved and passed down through generations of her family. Kimberley Woodhouse has given us another treasure to enjoy and truths to embrace within the covers of this book. I am happy to have received this book from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review and received no monetary compensation.