1849 San Francisco is the setting for the 8th novel in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. Many are familiar with the gold rush from that time period. The author does a nice job of highlighting the formation of city government and rampant crime that existed as well.

Widow Olivia is one of the few females in San Francisco. Having lost her husband and parents, she is thankful for her brother Daniel as she begins to start over. I loved her heart for those in need.

This entire series has been wonderful.

The author gives us a peek into the dirty underbelly of San Francisco during the gold rush while still providing a tale of faith and triumph. Well written, while at turns heartbreaking and heartwarming, the characters struggle with issues of trust, loyalty, and conviction. Romance and scripture weave into each chapter and forgiveness and acceptance are huge undertones. A classic tale of light in the darkness. Recommend for those who enjoy Christian historical fiction - values and virtue abound. Watch for this title hitting bookshelves on April 1st!

I received a copy of this title via Netgalley with thanks to the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

Set in the Gold Rush of 1849 in San Francisco, this book does not really paint a pretty picture of that time - slave trade and all.

Olivia is recently widowed and starts off the book with guilt about her husband having lost his life within 6 weeks of their marriage, and still holding grief over her parents' death 3 months ago. She moves to San Francisco all by herself to live with her brother Daniel who runs a popular restaurant there. She meets Joseph, a close friend of Daniel and also a gold miner. Olivia, who does not want anything to do with gold miners, falls for Joseph pretty soon, and the feelings are mutual. There's also a connection to the previous books in the Daughters of the Mayflower through a journal Olivia finds of her ancestor who also had to move to America. Also, Joseph with the help of Daniel, wants to help rid their town of all things nefarious.... And, yeah, that's pretty much the story.

I found the plot to be lacking anything impactful. It just seemed to meander a lot without anything ever happening. There were talks of danger lurking and an 'unseen benefactor', but things just never came alive and the pace never picked up. The romance between Joseph and Olivia was sweet enough, and yet felt a little bland to me. But the author did manage to paint an accurate picture of the Gold Rush with all its debauchery, so props for that.

It was a decent enough read, but the writing was not to my taste.

First off, I would like to say that I did not realize this was a Christian romance. I would not have requested it since that is not my kind of reading. However, I did enjoy the story and learning about life during the California gold rush.
I received an ARC from the publisher. The opinion is my own, freely given.

This book reminded me why I love historical fiction. There is so much that you can do with the genre. This is the first book I have read aboit the gold rush and it has sparked my interest in that time period. I enjoyed the main character and her sense of independence. The disconnect with me was with the writing style. I prefer my historical fiction novels to be a little more descriptive. That said, I am intrigued to pick up more books in the series.

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

This is the 8th novel in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. It takes place during the early days of the California gold rush. The historical context was interesting as I know very little about that time frame. Rather than the main event, the story of Olivia and Joseph seemed almost a side story to the history of the period. I never really understood the plot idea of the “unseen benefactor” who was really a bad guy.

In The Golden Bride, Kimberley Woodhouse continues the next book in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. Based in the mid-1800, this book is set in San Francisco during the gold rush. At the beginning of the book, you meet Olivia Brighton. Olivia’s goal is to reach San Francisco to find her brother. He owns a restaurant there in town. After several trials, she finally makes it to this new town that has been waylaid by men looking for gold. They all have one goal and that is to become rich. However, she gets to know her brother’s friend, Joseph, who is not like all of these other men. He does own a gold mine, though, and she is hesitant at first to be around him because of this. In this book, the reader will be reminded of Olivia’s ancestors and will get brief glimpses into the past. This historical novel continues down the family line for this one family. This is a unique and interesting series. Each book introduces the reader to a new time period. The books can be read alone, but I would recommend all of the books in the series. I highly recommend this book and believe you will not be disappointed!
***I was given a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. This is my honest opinion. Even though I received this copy free, I have purchased her books before.

What is it about reading about a gold rush, or buried treasure that is so fascinating? Is it the fun in daydreaming that maybe someday I’ll be the one to strike gold or find buried treasure? Or could it maybe have something to do with the mystery and adventure surrounding something most people have never been a part of? However, the California gold rush in 1849 was not all as exciting and fun as I’d always imagined. Kimberley Woodhouse shows that fact in The Golden Bride.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. While it might have changed my view of the gold rush, it taught me many golden nuggets of American history that I never knew before. There were so many historical details about San Francisco during this time that were incorporated into the story, but I was so focused on the actual story and the problems the characters found themselves facing, that I didn’t even realize I was learning quite a bit. The story itself was well written and kept my attention. I was drawn into the story of Olivia, Daniel, and Joseph and their fight against the crime in San Francisco. I found myself wanting to go out into the city and help them fight! However, I would be a little late considering it was over 150 years ago! I also enjoyed how there were short portions from previous books in the Daughters of the Mayflower series that showed how Olivia was tied to her relatives who were heroines in other books in the series. It was definitely an interesting book and I absolutely enjoyed reading it.

I recommend this book for someone who enjoys historical fiction and romance.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Golden Bride (Daughters of the Mayflower #8) by Kimberly Woodhouse is a work of fiction based on historical facts.After her parents death Olivia and her new husband set our for a new life. Fate changes that when her husband dies before they reach their destination. A young woman, Olivia, arrives in San Francisco. The conditions in 1849 San Francisco are deplorable. Dirt Roads, poorly built buildings, no law enforcement, no fire departments, human trafficking, dirty gold miners are a few of the things Olivia finds. The biggest surprise is when Olivia finds love. Great read for historical fiction and Christian fiction fans.

A sweet historical romance that is more inspirational than romance. It is definitely a feel good novel about second chances and the power of putting your faith in God.
This story is another addition to her Daughters of the Mayflower series. This story is more Christian bible focused than some of her other stories.

This is Book 8 of the Daughters of the Mayflower series that brings a lot of history, interesting characters, and a lot of faith, with a bit of romance intertwined. Olivia Brighton finds herself in need of a husband and also needs all the courage she can to face all of the challenges that San Francisco can bring in the year of 1849. It is “gold rush” and Daniel, her brother provides her a safe haven to live and work at his restaurant.

Livvy has a lot to overcome as she deals with the lost of her parents and short marriage. The gold mines, fires, brothels and other day-to-day chaos makes this book worth the read. This is a heartwarming story of a woman who reaches out to help others regardless of her circumstances. One note in this story that was very interesting was the journal readings of her ancestors that added to her faith in God and letting her know she was not alone in her journey. Her brother and Joseph his friend, were nicely written as men of integrity and who held the faith and beliefs that she did.

As I have not had the privilege of reading all in this series and only a few, this story did not fail in keeping this reader interested. The author did a very nice job of letting you see into the city and all the goings on around. Very historical and well written even though there are some darker sides in the city during that era. I loved the plot and thought this was a nice historical Christian story full of faith with a bit of romance. It is an easy and comfortable read.

I received a copy of this ARC provided by the Author/Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

A wonderful addition to the Daughters of the Mayflower series. The author's accurate portrayal of San Francisco during the gold rush brings to light the tent cities, filth, crime and corruption. I like the way the author has real people in the story to add the historical element. Each of these books in this series provides readers glimpses back in history in an interesting way. Readers will be touched by Olivia's story as she struggles with grief and guilt. I love how the journals from the past help Olivia with her faith. Recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for an ARC of this book! Release date - April 1, 2019

So I think this book started off pretty good. I've enjoyed previous books in the series (and because I requested one NetGalley keeps sending me new ones without being requested), but this was definitely my least favorite. It's the first one in the series I've read by [author:Kimberley Woodhouse|2931393] and I kinda think her style is just not right for me.

First of all, there's really not much plot here AT ALL. The storyline with the secret slave trade sounded great in theory, but really nothing happened. It was a lot of "something bad is going on here, I hope we can figure out what it is and stop it," without anything actually happening. The love story between Olivia and Joseph was mostly "I really like him but he probably doesn't like me" and "I really like her but she probably doesn't like me." It was painfully obvious that they would end up together from their first meeting and there was nothing reasonably keeping them apart besides some lack of communication. If they'd have just been like "hey I like you," they'd have been married on page 10.

My second problem was the very heavy-handed religious agenda. Previous books in the series only fell into the "Christian" genre in my opinion because they were clean and a character would occasionally be like "God help me" in a tough situation. And those things didn't bother me. But this book had such in depth Scriptural references and so much detail about different individuals "finding God." I'm a religious person but I don't really like religion in my books. It was so much in here that I feel like this was the only reason for writing the book, since the plot was pretty non-existent. It was so overbearing that I considered not finishing the book but I didn't want it to count against me on NetGalley and it wasn't a very long book.

Last complaint is a spoiler. At first I thought they were hinting that the wicked "mysterious benefactor" who pretended to be a good person was going to be revealed to be Olivia's brother Daniel or at least a character we knew in the book. But it ended up being a completely random person we hadn't been previously introduced to. And his identity wasn't "revealed" until like 90% into the book. It just made no sense for this to be a mystery and a big reveal because it didn't mean anything to the reader. It would have been terrible for it to have been Daniel or any other supposed good character, but at least that would have been interesting.

Overall this book was just not for me. I'm sure I'll be sent another ARC of the next book in the series automatically by NetGalley, so I hope it's better.

I have enjoyed some books in this series more than others so I’m happy to report this one is great. The characters are noble and good and their story is well written. This is one of those books that is paced well and you will enjoy it from the beginning. It has less action and a heroine who is a bit milder, and perhaps more realistic, than some of the more adventurous ones found in other books in this series. Olivia is a sweet character who must put her past experiences behind her and believe in herself to move forward. She travels to San Francisco to be with her brother and is shocked by the state of the city. Readers might also be appalled at what was going on during the Gold Rush. Most references are oblique so I don’t think that will be be a problem for most readers. I had never considered the consequences of the lawlessness that pervaded that time and it was eye opening. Aside from Olivia’s journey to San Francisco, which is very brief, the entire book takes place in the city.

The budding romance between Olivia and her brother’s friend Joseph is very sweet. In fact it’s so well written that it would be a great example for a young woman in finding the right qualities in a husband. There is a scene where Joseph is being considerate that brought to mind a Bible passage for Olivia on how a husband should treat his wife that is so wonderful. It’s something I would want my daughter to read when she is older.

Olivia is dealing with doubt and Joseph is confronting real danger in the city. Olivia will turn to God and the Bible to resolve her struggles. Joseph will put himself at risk to save others. Eventually they will overcome their struggles. While danger is fictional the author put in some real characters from time period and a few real quotes from them as well. This was a great read!

I love this series. This book is now one of my favorites. It is full of historical facts about San Francisco during the gold rush. It is full of faith in God. It has romance. Will Olivia and Joseph find love and a life together in this new frontier? Thanks to Barbour Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Kimberley Woodhouse again delights with her newest book in the Daughters of the Mayflower Series, The Golden Bride. Set during the gold rush of 1849 in San Francisco, I learned more about the real down and sometimes dirty history of really happened in that era. As always intrigues me in historical novels, this one has been well-researched, and I felt a part of the story.

Poor widow Olivia Brighton, after being married only 6 weeks, goes in search of her only living relative, Daniel, who runs a restaurant in San Francisco. Through the discovery of her ancestor’s journals, Olivia finds a lifeline to help heal her heart, and we see her blossom from a discouraged young woman into a very strong, courageous woman.

She, Daniel, and friend Joseph Sawyer vow to help put a stop to the degradation happening in the fast-growing city. As they tackle their objective, Olivia learns to open herself up, listen to what God is telling her, and to find real love.

You won’t want to put this book down, the plot twists will keep you turning the pages!

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

I absolutely loved reading The Golden Bride! The characters pulled me into the story, I adored Olivia. Olivia was such a strong and Godly woman who found joy in God’s work. I found myself so engrossed in the story that I could almost see the over crowding, and tents set up all over the place. The author does a excellent job of describing the conditions of the city and the people of that time. This story brings hope of a future and of good that God has for us. My emotions were a whirl wind with this beautiful book, I’m excited to see what Kimberly Woodhouse writes next.

My favorite part of this book was the legacy of the journals. I'm a journaler and I hope that my thoughts and words will encourage my descendants one day. That aspect was special for me and that Olivia continued the tradition was so sweet! God used her ancestors' words to help heal and restore her and I thought that was super cool.

Joseph was a very excellent, godly man with strong principles and morals. Daniel as well. I liked how the situation with the "madam" was handled by Daniel. Totally thought THAT ending was going to happen :)

Another sweet addition to the Daughters of the Mayflower series.

•°o•:*:•. COULD NOT FINISH .•:*:• o°•
When a book becomes too monotonous and no longer enjoyable, I have to admit defeat and lay it aside over forcing myself to plod through it. I normally finish a novel in 1-2 days, but with this, I keep looking for excuses to lay it aside and do something else.

The story feels forced and the subject matter is depressing. 1849 Gold rush period of California territory set in San Francisco when it is still primarily a tent city and debauchery reigns supreme. A yet unnamed villain (I have completed 41% of the book at this point) wants to appear good and decent, but is secretly vying for power and money and now kidnapping legal, Chinese immigrants for slave labor. "The fortune to be made was in gambling, liquor, and women."

Our heroes are a sister and brother (Olivia and Daniel) and rich, recently come-to-Jesus gold mine owner (friend of the brother), Joseph Sawyer, who all want to see the town grow and succeed and direct the people towards God. The young sister has made some bad choices and chapter after chapter laments those choices and cannot forgive herself. While I appreciate the continued Christian theme, it seems forced rather than natural. Also, I noted that while reading her relative's journal from the 1700s the entries were quoted in today's modern English. I found that frustrating.
Of practical note, I highlighted: "the woman studied God's Word on her own and wrote down her thoughts and life applications in the journal." Good advice for any of us.

A quote I liked written by her mother about the women in her ancestry: "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."

I was approached by Barbour Publishing and asked to review an eVersion of this book without fee, expectation or compensation. My opinion is my own and offered freely. Please read other reviews for a well-rounded purchasing decision.
© April 1, 2019, Barbour Publishing 3 stars – writing is not horrible, simply not my cup of tea.

I have been in a kick of reading books of this era. I find the gold rush to be so interesting. This book did not disappoint. The main character is a feisty gal that seems to find trouble. A rash decision of marriage leads her to be a widow and eventually find her brother in San Francisco and work in his restaurant. The story takes us to see the more rough and often unsavory characters of the time. I liked the book and the characters. Well done.