A well written tale of a time in history when the California gold rush of 1849 made the growing city of San Franscisco a place of greed, crime, prostitution, abuse of the Chinese, and a literal fire trap. Follow Olivia, her brother Daniel, and good friend Joseph as they fight their own demons of self guilt and shortcomings as well as the evil of the corrupt town they call home. I enjoyed the mix of mystery intertwined throughout the story.
I received a copy of this book through Net Galley. My opinions are my own.

Olivia has lost her parents and gotten married to a man she barely knows. They are on their way to San Francisco . Her husband is hungry to for gold and she is looking to find her brother the only family she has left. On the way there her husband dies and she is left to finish the trip alone. When she arrives she find a place that is full of greed and sin. Her brother Daniel has her helping him with his restaurant. Daniel brings Olivia family journals that help her find peace and she is able to forgive herself. She had been blaming herself for her husbands death. His friend Joseph comes into the restaurant and is taken with Olivia. Joseph is trying to find out who is behind a slave market in the town after his assistant at the gold mines brothers are held captive. Olivia, Daniel and Joseph start a bible study at the restaurant to try and show people a different way of life. The one God wants them to lead.. Joseph finds himself in to deep and is taken . Daniel comes to his rescue. They both come back to find Olivia has been trapped in a fire at the restaurant. This book has a lot of life lessons. One of which is not to judge people , love one another as God loves us.

The Daughters of the Mayflower series has grown to be one of my favourites and The Golden Bride by Kimberly Woodhouse is a wonderful addition! In this novel, we head to California at the time of the Gold Rush. When greed is at the heart of San Francisco, trouble abounds. Grieving and world-weary, Olivia arrives exhausted and desperate at her brother’s restaurant.

Coming to terms with both her guilt and the criminal activity around her, Olivia learns about both judgement and forgiveness. Her tussle with her faith whilst exploring both is interesting and empathetic.

The humour and light-hearted banter between siblings and their friend, Joseph, breaks the building tension of the abuse and horrific conditions those in forced labour are enduring.

Mystery abounds as the one lurking behind all the evil happenings is hidden until right at the end of the book and I enjoyed the twists and turns along the way.

I can’t wait to read more in this series and highly recommend this one! It’s five out of five on the en-JOY-ment scale.

I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this one as I am not a big of Gold Rush stories. In all honesty, I was drawn in from the first paragraphs and completely committed to Olivia's story by the time the fullness of the Gold Rush was established. It was so well written and engaging! The chemistry between Olivia and Joseph is so genuine and pure. A lovely depiction of how Christ truly redeems us and makes us new creations.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Golden Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse is the next book in the “Daughters of the Mayflower” series. It can be read alone if you haven’t read the others; there is enough background that you will not feel lost.
This story begins with Olivia Brighton and her husband Hezekiah somewhere between San Jose and San Francisco CA. Olivia married her husband one day after meeting him and shortly after the death of her parents. He has promised to get her to San Francisco where her only relative, her brother Daniel, lives. Olivia has many doubts about the relationship and blames herself when Hezekiah is accidentally killed. Will she be able to make it to San Francisco on her own? Will her guilt pull her away from a relationship with God? Will she be able to forgive herself and find love again?
I really enjoy Kimberley’s style of writing. She mixes history and fiction together seamlessly to create a story that you can’t put down. The characters are so well written that they come alive on the pages. Whether a good or bad guy you can understand their motives for what they are doing. She also includes details of her research and explains which parts of the story are historical and which are fiction and which characters were real people. I enjoy reading this almost as much as the story. I give this book 5 of 5 stars and believe it will appeal to a wide audience of Christian readers.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book and it is now probably my favourite of the series. The characters' interaction and the building romance reminded me a bit of Karen Witemeyer's books. The plot of the slave trade black market was intriguing and I enjoyed following Joseph's path to try and uncover this and set the slaves free. And then you have two Godly men who strives to always walk in God's will and Olivia who grew from a nagging fearful girl to a courageous women of God.

One of my favourite parts was where Olivia stood up and befriended Julia, while everyone basically disowned her. And the theme of how God can change you, wipe your past clean and use you for good and His will was so beautifully displayed.

What I've come to love about Kimberley Woodhouse's books is how her characters have a relationship with God and you are there, part of their journey in getting to know Him more intimately and allowing Him to change and grow them to become better versions of them.

What I specifically loved from this book was how Olivia read her great-great-great-great (probably another great in there)' and great-grandmother's journals (from The Mayflower Bride and The Patriot Bride) since I loved both of there ladies and their stories as well.

I think Kimberley Woodhouse did a great job of bringing a story about San Francisco's darker past to light and she had me smiling a very cheesy grin at the ending.

Well, I have to say that "The Golden Bride" another great addition to the" Daughters of the Mayflower" series. Kimberley Woodhouse wrote a wonderful story. I was pulled in from the very first page and I had a hard time putting it down.

The story is about love, learning to forgive, and visiting the past.. You learn about Olivia's struggles to San Francisco, and struggles she faces once she arrives.
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My favorite parts of the whole book is when Olivia is able to read journals from five generations before her great grandmother. She learns about her families struggles, which starts from the trip over from Europe to America on the Mayflower. She is able to realize there is not much of a deference between past generation struggles and what she is going through today.

This is just a great book and I recommend it to anyone that likes a good Christian book.

The Golden Bride is the 8th book in the Daughters of the Mayflower series, but it can be read as a stand alone novel. In a novel full of danger, intrigue, and romance, widowed Olivia Brighton makes her way to San Francisco during the Gold Rush in 1849, where she meets her brother's friend Joseph Sawyer and the hope for a better life. The author was authentic in her descriptions of San Francisco during this pivotal time in American history. In the hurry to get rich quickly, San Francisco was taken over by crime, filth, and a lot of drunken and inappropriate behavior. A special trunk with family heirlooms connected Olivia with her ancestor who traveled to America on the Mayflower. This inspirational novel demonstrated the strength and compassion of those who worked tirelessly to make San Francisco a better and safer place.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

I loved The Golden Bride. This eighth installment to Daughters of the Mayflower series was a great addition to it. I am giving it a well deserved five stars.

I've read 5 of the Brides of the Mayflower books and have enjoyed them all. As I've read them out of order I haven't yet read Ms. Woodhouse's other contributions to this wonderful series.

This novel takes place in San Francisco during the Gold Rush of 1849. Olivia is a lovely and compassionate heroine, although why she initially thinks she's flawed and unworthy is a mystery to me, as I found her guilt misplaced. Making her way to San Francisco alone after her husband's tragic death, Olivia displays courage, determination and fortitude. Her brother Daniel and her love interest Joseph are both upstanding, generous and moral men. What I found particularly inspiring is the trio's treatment of the brothel owner, Julia, in spite of others' opinions. There are fires, human trafficking, and general corruption, sad realities of San Francisco at the time.

As in the other novels in this series, the historical details are accurate and informative.

I love this series, and The Golden Bride was a great addition. It brought to life the happenings within San Francisco during the gold rush, not out in the fields finding the gold.

It is the story of Olivia Brighton, a young woman on her own after tragedy takes her husband of just a few short weeks. Olivia is on her way to San Francisco to see her brother after her parents suddenly die. Her brother, Daniel owns a prosperous restaurant there and she is bound to get to him. Once there she works in the restaurant and meets Daniel's best friend, Jacob Sawyer. Jacob is everything Olivia despises particularly a gold rusher. But it is his faith in God and his love for God that draws Olivia to him. With no actual law in the city, fires and crime are high on the city counsel's order to get underhand. But if George Banister and his silent partner have anything to do with the building of the city, they will do not so kindly, and it is up to Jacob to find out their secret.

This was a lovely book about life in the city of San Francisco, before it was a state, the fact that it was basically a tent city and the danger of fires, and the fact there was no law to uphold any law there may be. It was the story of a very prosperous restaurant owner and his sister, along with their friend that tried to bring God into these wayward men that were there for nothing other than to get rich. But it was the story of a young widow, who vowed never to marry again because of circumstances in her marriage, but that love can break down those walls. I love that Ms. Woodhouse puts an epilogue in her books so we know what happens to the characters later in life. I love this series and cannot wait to continue and see where it leads next.

I received this from Barbour Publishing and Netgalley. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for a positive review.

I sincerely hope that they once again decide to add more books to this series. I've enjoyed each one so far and I really liked how it was formatted to slowly move forward through time. While each of the books can be read as a stand-alone, the knowledge that the characters are related through the generations ties a stronger bond to the history of our nation. We are a product of the generations before us, and how this series ties that concept together is remarkable. While this book is similar in that it can be read as a stand-alone, it also contains journal entries from previous characters. It wouldn't necessarily lead the reader to feel lost in any way, but if you've read the previous books it will certainly give you a deeper appreciation for their connections.

I enjoyed each of the books in this series, but I have to admit that the ones written by Kimberley Woodhouse are my absolute favorites. The author's love of history is clearly observed in her writing. Not surprising, I read this book in a single evening. It was well written and highly engaging. I appreciate Kimberley's intent to be respective of history while wanting something a bit more light-hearted. In my opinion I think she was able achieve a satisfying balance.

I think my favorite piece of this story is the concept that life often doesn't turn out as we expect--both the good and the bad. When Olivia's brother Daniel moved to San Francisco, there was no way he would know how quickly the area would boom. With the reason for that growth circling around a wide-spread, selfish desire for wealth--it's no wonder that it brought with it a whole lot of trouble. Yet despite the conflict, Daniel continues to seek the Lord in his steps for the future. In the beginning Olivia was hit with the recent death of her parents which resulted in a quick marriage of convenience followed by unexpected widowhood. How does one move forward when life throws the unexpected at you? I really liked how the author fleshed this out in the story.

I honestly don't think I can recommend this series enough. While I admit I had my favorites, I've enjoyed each story and appreciate the generational history contained in the pages (fictional or not). I hope they decide to continue moving through history, but if not I can at least say I've appreciated the time I've already been able to spend in it.

*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.

The Golden Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse is the newest installment in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. Set during the San Fransisco gold rush, this story led me through a story of mystery, justice, and discovery. As one who loves historical fiction, I greatly appreciated the attention to detail and accuracy interspersed in a plot that kept me riveted. The continued sense of suspense combined with hope carried the story through the end, and I found myself lost within its pages. This is truly a must read not only for the engaging plot, but also for the unforgettable characters.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Set in San Francisco during the Gold Rush, this is a great addition to this series. Filled with just the right about of suspense, drama, and romance to bring this story to life. As with all the other books in this series, I loved this one also.

This was a great story about a young lady that grows in her faith as she faces a city filled with crime. I enjoyed watching her character grow throughout the book. She developed a backbone and she also grew in her relationship with Christ. Joseph was making a way for himself in the city of crime and trying to make the city better. I liked his redemption story and how Olivia's brother had a hand in helping Joseph meet Jesus. Their friendship was deep and similar to David and Jonathon's in the Bible. Joseph had a compassionate heart and used to reach out to those in need. I enjoyed watching how the three of them took on the crimes that were plaguing their city. At times the book was slow to read, but the depth of the characters was great. I felt like I really knew them. I would recommend to anyone that enjoys historical romance and enjoys books with a Christian theme.

I was unable to finish this story. I very much enjoyed the history throughout the book. I thought the two heroes presented were well rounded and interesting. I couldn't come to grips with the heroine however. She kept claiming a Christian background and then turned around and discussed what a horrible person she was. Her horrible side, was so far from horrible, it made her impossible to relate to. My favorite aspects was how she presented the city of San Francisco during the gold rush. I'll keep trying to finish the story just to read more about that.

The Golden Bride is beautifully written. The romance between Olivia and Joseph is so endearing. There is enough suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat. It is full of suspense, drama, and romance, set in San Francisco in the 1880s during the gold rush. Overall, I love this book and highly recommend to people who are the fan of mystery, romance and historical periods. It easily reads as a stand alone, with a few recaps from previous books.

I have been reading the Daughters of the Mayflower series since the beginning, and you'd think that it might be wearing a little thin by now - it isn't.

If you enjoy history, adventure and romance you will enjoy this series and this book in particular. Author Kimberley Woodhouse takes the family tree a little further into the gold rush era (a long way from the Mayflower), but as Olivia Brighton discovers, her ancestor's journals still have a valuable lesson to teach her.

I loved how the author did not stray from highlighting the faith of the main characters - Olivia, Daniel and Joseph. The theme of trusting in God and relying on Him when things are bad was evident as Olivia struggled to come to terms with some bad choices she made, but for which she believed she deserved "punishment" from God. As she discovers, that's not how God works.

As she, her brother Daniel and her romantic interest Joseph, soon discover, waiting on God and trusting in Him to do great things is vital in a sin-filled world.

I look forward to the next book in this series.

This is the latest book in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. In this story, Olivia finds herself as a widow with regrets of past choices made. Now in San Francisco she starts to rebuild her life along with many gold miners who cross her way while working at her brother's eating establishment.

Again a wonderful Christian read with interesting historical information. Really enjoyed this book. And have enjoyed the series! Well, worth your time reading.

I received an ebook copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

I recently read The Golden Bride and enjoyed it! This book is part of a series of stories about brides throughout history. Each one is set in a unique time period and faces challenging situations. I love how each story threads our need for God in our everyday life.

Olivia is heading to California with a foolish husband when tragedy strikes. She must reach her brother in San Francisco when she becomes a widow. Olivia is a serious young woman who has experienced a hard life. Readers may feel she is forced to handle too much throughout the book but life is often difficult and we must turn to God for strength to keep going.

Joseph is a gold-miner turned town leader in the story and he is best friend to Olivia's brother. He must help keep San Francisco safe from an unscrupulous and anonymous business leader. Together Olivia and Joseph learn to trust and work together. There is danger and secrets as Olivia and Joseph make the city safe for the abused and disadvantaged immigrants.

This is an enjoyable, somewhat predictable novel.