The Brideship Wife by Leslie Howard.
Publication Date: May 5, 2020. Out today!
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Description from NetGalley...
“England, 1862. Charlotte is somewhat of a wallflower. Shy and bookish, she knows her duty is to marry, but with no dowry, she has little choice in the matter. She can’t continue to live off the generosity of her sister Harriet and her wealthy brother-in-law, Charles, whose political aspirations dictate that she make an advantageous match.

When Harriet hosts a grand party, Charlotte is charged with winning the affections of one of Charles’s colleagues, but before the night is over, her reputation—her one thing of value—is at risk. In the days that follow, rumours begin to swirl. Soon Charles’s standing in society is threatened and all that Charlotte has held dear is jeopardized, even Harriet, and Charlotte is forced to leave everything she has ever known in England and embark on a treacherous voyage to the New World.

From the rigid social circles of Victorian England to the lawless lands bursting with gold in British Columbia’s Cariboo, The Brideship Wife takes readers on a mesmerizing journey through a time of great change. Based on a forgotten chapter in history, this is a sparkling debut about the pricelessness of freedom and the courage it takes to follow your heart.”

Thank you to @NetGalley, @simon&schustercanada @simon&schuster for the digital ARC in return for my honest review.

My thoughts...
I wanted to read this book because I’m a fan of historical fiction. I was enjoying the beginning of the book. It portrayed the role of women and how they were treated during that time period well enough. The narrative was easy to read. But, there was way too much and quite random dramas for me. Unfortunately, I didn’t connect with any of the characters. I would have liked to have read more about the brideship; explored and focused more on the women who were subjected to board it. Overall, it was an interesting story, but it just wasn’t the book for me.

Were you always bored in history class in elementary and high school? I was a pretty good student but even I couldn't get excited about history in school. I'm a big fan of historical fiction these days though and I almost always use the novels as a starting point for learning more about what really happened way back when. Sometimes I read novels about things I should have learned in school and have just totally pushed out of my head. But sometimes I come across a story that features a part of history that almost everyone has forgotten about. The Brideship Wife was one of those novels. Author Leslie Howard stumbled on the history of brideships in the 1800s and decided it was the perfect setting for a novel.

Here's the synopsis:
Tomorrow we would dock in Victoria on the northwest coast of North America, about as far away from my home as I could imagine. Like pebbles tossed upon the beach, we would scatter, trying to make our way as best as we could. Most of us would marry; some would not.
England, 1862. Charlotte is somewhat of a wallflower. Shy and bookish, she knows her duty is to marry, but with no dowry, she has little choice in the matter. She can’t continue to live off the generosity of her sister Harriet and her wealthy brother-in-law, Charles, whose political aspirations dictate that she make an advantageous match.

When Harriet hosts a grand party, Charlotte is charged with winning the affections of one of Charles’s colleagues, but before the night is over, her reputation—her one thing of value—is at risk. In the days that follow, rumours begin to swirl. Soon Charles’s standing in society is threatened and all that Charlotte has held dear is jeopardized, even Harriet, and Charlotte is forced to leave everything she has ever known in England and embark on a treacherous voyage to the New World.
From the rigid social circles of Victorian England to the lawless lands bursting with gold in British Columbia’s Cariboo, The Brideship Wife takes readers on a mesmerizing journey through a time of great change. Based on a forgotten chapter in history, this is a sparkling debut about the pricelessness of freedom and the courage it takes to follow your heart.
I really felt like I was going on this journey with Charlotte. I don't know exactly what the settings would have been like, of course, but the worlds Howard created in this novel were brought to life for me. It was vivid, without being overly descriptive, and it was very much like a movie in my head.

I did struggle with a few things in this novel that kept me from loving it, like I kind of expected to. There was a lot happening in this novel. A lot. There was the scandal that pushed Charlotte out of England (which has multiple layers to it in terms of class and gender inequality) and the main purpose of the story, to explain the history of the brideships. But then there was the smallpox pandemic and how it devastated the Indigenous population in what was to become Canada. There were race issues, both with the Indigenous in British Columbia and with Charlotte's friend Sarah, who was half black, and her father. Then there was a devastating fire, which happened often in gold mining towns (and yes, there was a lot on the gold rush, too) that were built entirely of wood, which closed the book on a random character who was not at all necessary to the plot. Oh, and a laudanum addiction pops up too. Yeah. A lot. And on top of all that, Charlotte is a gentlewoman. She had some education but she seemed to know way more than a woman of her class would have.

All that being said, the themes Howard presented were very, very good ones. I appreciated that she focused on race and gender issues because so many of those issues are still prevalent today. Perhaps not as extreme as it once was but we still have a lot of work to do. The women who were on the brideships, and others who made their way to the New World in other ways, still had some societal restraints but they were also afforded many more freedoms than they had had in Victorian England. It was so wonderful to read as these women grabbed ahold of their new lives and made the most of it because they knew they deserved it.

I've been loving the historical fiction Canadian authors are writing right now. My favourite is Genevieve Graham and she was the one who reminded me that we have some interesting history in our country - even if we're a young country. Howard has contributed to the genre as well with her debut which focuses on a part of history that we were in danger of forgetting. I'm looking forward to even more historical novels about Canada's history. (Hear that, authors and publishers? Give me what I need.) Have you read other authors who write about Canadian history specifically (especially Indigenous authors)? I'd love to hear about them.

While I didn't love the novel The Brideship Wife I did love what Leslie Howard was attempting in her debut novel. I think historical fiction fans, especially Canadians, should consider reading this one because it tells a story of our history that we shouldn't forget.

*An ARC of this novel was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

This was a very interesting read. The romance was good but the historical aspect was fantastic. I had never heard of bride ships before and cannot imagine being in that predicament. I love historical fiction and this did not disappoint. Highlights lots of issues of the time and also shows that some things haven't changed as much as we would hope. The rough voyage on the ship and the wild landscape of the Canadian west are great settings for all of the drama. Ms. Howard really gives you insight into the social mores of that time and place and brings it all to a vivacious life. Excellent book!
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher and voluntarily chose to review it.

Author Leslie Howard has channeled her passion for Canadian province history into her debut novel, The Brideship Wife. I had not heard of the brideship women previously, and I was intrigued to learn more about it. Apparently, England seemed to enjoy shipping away their problems. The shipment of criminals to Australia is widely known, but how many of us had an idea they were also shipping off their inconvenient and troublesome women to northwest Canada?

While it is purported that women of various classes were “offered the opportunity” to marry or live independently in the new colony of British Columbia, Ms. Howard’s story leads me to believe that these women did not often find better opportunities in this faraway colony.


The Brideship Wife is set in 1860s England and Canada. The stiff dialogue greatly represents the stuffy, class-conscience attitudes of the time. The book is divided into three parts: the story set-up in England, the maritime journey from England to British Columbia, and life in the “new world”. The life in England is a fairly typical read, and modern readers will be justly aghast at the deplorable treatment of women. The life at sea was a bit too long for my taste. New characters were introduced and relationships established, and while that second act was critical for the heroine’s growth, I felt like I had been stuck on a ship for months with her.

Ms. Howard’s descriptive narrative of life in British Columbia made me feel like I was experiencing the place along with Charlotte. Newly wealthy men desperate for a wife proposing to women the minute they step off the boat. Rowdy, crass men looking to take advantage of desperate women. The lawlessness of the more remote towns. Trading shares in gold mines, land grabs and the same social and political hazards they thought the left at home. Through all this mayhem, Charlotte behaves like a much more modern woman than the naïve, bookish young lady that she is purported to be.

I was looking forward to more in-depth information on Canada and the details of the brideship program than I got; however, I did appreciate the history that was included, and it made me curious enough to explore more on my own. This sweeping, Victorian-era novel is sure to be loved by anyone looking for a story about strong, independent women.

The Brideship Wife by Leslie Howard⁣⁣⁣⁣
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Rating: 🌟🌟🌟💫⁣⁣⁣⁣
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⁣⁣⁣⁣Brideships were a piece of my country’s history that I knew little of. In that respect, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was well-written and interesting, but I never had the urge to hide under the covers to keep reading into the wee hours. That’s my measuring stick of a great read. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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⁣⁣⁣⁣After a series of horrid events (and swirling rumours), Charlotte finds herself in a position where she is no longer considered suitable marriage material in England. She, along with her sister, Hari, set off with other women who find themselves in a similar position for the “new world”. Their travels highlight how hemmed in women were by their station in society and the reality of how dangerous the long voyages were, as individuals set out for better lives. Once in, what is now Victoria, British Columbia, the dangers continued as the women tried to find their footing after leaving behind everything they’ve ever known.
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This book was like a bucket of cold water over the head for me. I am well aware of the difficulties women faced in the past, but often feel a kinship to days gone by. I love traditions, antiques and sometimes think I was born in the wrong era. Nope. This book was a staunch reminder that these little tootsies are lucky to be where they are. I’m not known for biting my tongue and am not short on opinions, so I’m sure I would have been sent on that ship faster than you can say tickity-boo. The idea that a woman was defined by virtue of the man she married makes me cringe. The fact that women were so easily dismissed from society at large makes my blood boil. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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This book also served to remind me how much more I need to learn about the history of Canada and its Indigenous people. There is still so much work to be done in the realm of reconciliation, but the first step for me is to become more informed so that I am in a position to teach my children. ⁣⁣⁣⁣
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If you have any recommendations of books that will provide an honest depiction of this part of Canada’s history please DM me. ⁣ ⁣⁣
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Thank you to @netgalley and @simonschusterca for an advanced copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The book starts in England, where Charlotte is at the mercy of her brother in law and needs to find a suitable husband soon .... then a few things happen ( which felt more like the set up of a romance novel really )and Charlotte and her sister find themselves on the Brideship headed to Canada. Most of the novel takes place on the ship with a lot of side stories that really do not add much to the story at all.

There were some interesting facts about Canadian history that I enjoyed reading about in this book, I had never heard of the bride ships . However as historical fiction I found the book lacked depth. A lot of facts where shared and not really a part of the story, Charlotte’s character made some really silly mistakes that just made no sense at all and landed her in the situations that she ended up in. Most of the characters are unlikable, with the exception of one or two,

There was missed opportunity here for a great story,

3 ⭐️

I love historical fiction and I'm always excited to find a book that tells the story of a chapter in history that's new to me. "The Brideship Wife" is one of those books.

Leslie's Howard's meticulously researched debut novel starts in Victorian England where 21-year-old Charlotte, who has no dowry and no inclination to get married, falls out of her wealthy and ambitious brother-in-law's favor and must leave her home behind on a "brideship" bound for the New World. These ships were filled with unmarried women of different backgrounds - upper class "spinsters" like Charlotte, impoverished gentlewomen, members of the serving class and factory workers - who were sent to the British colonies in Canada where they might have a better chance at forging a successful future, either by marrying well (there was a lack of "quality" British women in British Columbia) or finding a trade that would allow them to live independently.

Charlotte is a woman who knows her own mind and it's interesting to follow her journey - both her actual travel and what life on the brideship was like for her as a gentlewoman vs. that of the others onboard - as well as her emotional one. Her relationship with her sister Harriet, who is forced by her husband to travel with Charlotte, is interesting, as are the ones she develops with the other women she meets along the way. Her tenacity proves especially helpful once she arrives in British Columbia where, for the first time in her life, she must determine her own fate. Howard describes life in the colonies vividly and her inclusion of the effects of Colonialism were stark reminders of how opportunity for some meant ruin for others. I rooted for Charlotte to find her happy ending which for many women of the time would have meant a husband but for her simply meant making her own way.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada, and the author for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely adored this book! I had known nothing about British Brideships before reading this novel . I greatly admire the resilience and the tenacity of the main characters in this story. All that they overcame in order to make better lives for themselves. Also the plight of natives in British Columbia during that time was horrendous! I really enjoyed reading the author's note at the end of the book.

The Brideship Wife by Leslie Howard is the story of 21 year old Charlotte who through no fault of her own finds herself on a ship from 1862 England to British Columbia to be a bride.

The thing about historical fiction is sometimes the historical facts are more surprising than the fiction. Women in England who had no dowry or were in a low social class were given hope by being told by the government that they could be brought to British colonies to marry and have financial security. For some this was true but for many it was a guarantee life of poverty and abuse.

From the beginning Charlotte has an aptitude for medicine but as a woman in the 19th century her choices are limited. Her sister won't even let her think of being a veterinary assistant but has no problem shipping her off to be a bride of an unknown person. There was a lot in this story that as a woman in the 21st century made me angry.

Our heroine Charlotte is feisty and independent, and despite more bad luck than walking under a ladder with a black cat and stepping on a mirror, manages to have a life of prospect and hope.

I enjoyed this well researched historical novel. Considering the heaviness of the subject it was still an easy read that gave me gratitude for being a woman in more modern times.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

I love reading historical fiction novels as a general rule, and especially when the story teaches me about something in history that I never knew before. That is the reason I’m very glad I was able to read The Brideship Wife by Leslie Howard.

This book chronicles the lives of a group of young women who left England in the early 1860s to travel halfway around the world to Vancouver Island. All of these women were encouraged to travel to help settle the region by becoming wives of gold miners and other men who had moved to the area. For the women, it was a chance to make a better life for themselves as well, since most were either impoverished gentlewomen or working class women from the mills and factories with little chance to live decent lives in their homeland.

In this novel we see the story through the eyes of one of the gentlewomen forced by circumstances in her life to join the ship headed for Victoria, Vancouver Island in 1862. It is a harrowing trip for her and the other women she meets on this journey, full of hardship and sorrow, but also friendship, hope, and love.

This is Ms. Howard’s debut novel, and it is a very good beginning for her writing career. She did an excellent job researching the facts and incorporating them into the story. Many of the events that happened to the characters in this novel actually happened to the real brideship wives. The story is well written and does a wonderful job of letting us see what these courageous ladies went through to try to improve their lives. The characters are well developed, and easy to connect with. I became invested in these characters as I read about all they went through.

This is not a historical romance, though there was some romance in the story. This is a story that demonstrates how far we as humans will go to make a better life for ourselves; a story of the resilience of the human spirit.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Brideship Wife, and I think you will enjoy it as well.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an honest review.

This gave insights into a time period and event I didn't know about with England sending women to BC to marry. It also seemed well researched about the English side and the local Canadian side. Charlotte was born into high society but life throws some twists at her that she and her sister get sent to BC, to try again. You will love Charlotte how is the helper on the ship and wants to do right by the locals once in Canada.


The ending was rushed and wish it had a couple more chapters at the end of the "setting" Canada part of the story. Also, would have been nice to learn more about the lower class girls and not have so much of the high society parts.. This book was well written and enjoy the main character so much! I can't wait to read more of Leslie Howard's books!

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received a free electronic copy of this ARC historical novel from Netgalley, Leslie Howard, and Simon & Schuster Canada. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read The Brideship Wife of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am looking very much forward to the future works of Leslie Howard. This debut novel is an excellent start to hopefully many years of works from Leslie Howard.

There are many books covering the importation of brides to the wild woods of Oregon and Washington state, but this is the first reference I have encountered to these unmarried English women traveling to Vancouver Island in hopes of finding a man or a job or a life. Leslie Howard does a fine job of presenting these most accurate historical facts in a format acceptable to us historical/romantic/fiction readers. The storyline is compelling, the protagonists sympathetic, and the ending is much too soon. More, Please, Ms. Howard.
pub date May 05, 2020
Simon & Schuster Canada
Reviewed on Goodreads and Netgalley on May 2, 2020.

This was such an incredible and lovely story! I've really been enjoying historical immigrant stories lately, with (usually British) heroines travelling across the ocean to arrive in the New World to begin a new life.

Charlotte is our wallflower, bookish heroine. Though she has no dowry, she has a generous sister she loves and a very wealthy brother-in-law with political connections--and who may be able to help her marry upwards. However, when a party goes disastrously wrong and Charlotte's very reputation is at risk, she's forced to board a ship to what would later become Canada.

I truly loved this story. I loved the female relationships, particularly between Charlotte and Harriet. I also liked that a chunk of the narrative actually took place on the boat itself, propelling them toward the New World--it's an aspect some stories gloss over, but the details and realism were excellent. I loved seeing Charlotte grow and gain both confidence and independence.

This was a stunning, well-written, and engaging debut, and I'm excited to see what the author will write next.

Leslie Howard’s debut novel is a wonderfully crafted and meticulously researched story into a relatively unknown chapter of Canadian history. Brideships and the courageous and desperate women, of different backgrounds including impoverished gentlewomen and serving class, a chance to marry or live independently in the colony of British Columbia. These women fought to get what they deserved at a time where women had virtually no rights.

With her well developed characters and compelling easy to read narrative, Howard brings to life the many perils these women faced as they journeyed into an unknown world. Their struggles with the altered social demands, the natural hazards of the journey from England to British Columbia, and the harsh reality of the new world. A refreshing and enlightening look at this tumultuous time in the establishment of Canada.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Having relatively recently read another book about the brideships, I was excited to get a Canadian author’s take on the event with The Brideship Wife. And I ended up loving this book for how it tackles that little known historical event, paying tribute to the real life women who traveled on the Tynemouth, while also using it as an opportunity to discuss a compelling reason a single woman would make that choice.

I loved seeing Charlotte come into her own through her experiences, as before that, she was in a precarious situation of allowing her family to make choices for her future, as was expected, and when a man violates her, she is the one who faces ruin. But through striking out on her own, she learns more of the world.

I could not help but compare and contrast her arc to that of her sister’s. The two ultimately made different choices, but I think part of Charlotte’s growth into being able to become independent is seeing how ill-used her sister was by her former husband.

There’s a great supporting cast throughout, from the forward thinking Dr. Carson, who takes Charlotte under his tutelage, to the sweet romantic interest, the clergyman John Crossman, and the widowed Sarah, who is also a target of scorn.

I loved this book; it’s a wonderful historical novel commenting on women’s precarious position in society, while also exploring a little known historical event in British/Canadian history. I recommend this to anyone who loves historical fiction.

I received an ARC of The Brideship Wife by Leslie Howard, and chose to read this debut novel because I was unfamiliar about this British resettlement program in Victorian times. I was not disappointed. From England to British Columbia, on board The Tynemouth, I followed the journey of these young women, learning about women's rights, class distinction, Independence, bravery, and adventure. The characters were appealing, and their losses appropriately emotional. I recommend this historical tale to anyone who wants to learn about women in this era.

I appreciated the close and supportive relationship between the sisters in this story. And also between the women who were on the ship, all going from London to British Columbia in search of new lives, more opportunities and husbands. They are strong women who lived in a tough time, 1860s. Makes me glad I was not living then! I found the story entertaining, enlightening, and hopeful. Enjoyable read.

A well-researched look at a relatively little known aspect of Anglo=Canadian history when young women of all social classes were shipped out to British Columbia in the hopes of finding a suitable husband.
Charlotte, the main character is an adventurous young woman seeking a fresh start in life, but in the latter half of the nineteenth century, independence was difficult to find for most women. Charlotte struggles in her quest for freedom as she is encouraged to marry for money and position rather than love. Well written and with engaging characters, this novel makes a fascinating read as we follow Charlotte's courageous journey in a new and comparatively lawless land.
Thanks to Net Galley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an advanced copy in exchange for my review.

I was impressed with the amount of research that went into The Brideship Wife, -- I enjoyed reading about a time period and topic I didn't really know about, but there were parts of the story that just seemed to unrealistic for me to really like this book.

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Today we will be jumping back in time looking at The Brideship Wife written by Leslie Howard. I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book was released today May 5, 2020--so all of you can go find a copy for yourselves now!

When this book popped up in NetGalley to request I was very excited because so much of the historical fiction genre focuses on the World War II era, so I have been trying to request some books outside of that era.

Charlotte is our main character, and we meet her in 1862, while her elder sister Harriet is trying her hardest to find a good match for Charlotte. But those efforts go awry, and finally Charlotte's last option is to sail from England, all the way to the British Columbia colony on one of the brideships. Historically these ships brought unmarried, poor, disadvantaged women to the colony in hopes for a better life of more marriage and work opportunities.

This book does a good job of demonstrating what social etiquette was like during this time period, while also allowing our heroine to defy those norms. It was refreshing seeing a well-born young woman who understands working hard. Harriet is banished to British Columbia with her sister, as punishment from her husband. For most of the trip she was still concerned with Charlotte marrying well, not really making a plan for creating a living. It seemed much more realistic, or at the very least more relatable, to show Charlotte finding a position and fumbling her way through making money to support herself.

I also thought it was very interesting to see the effects of laudanum addiction amongst the rich. I have read other books in the past that briefly mentioned rich women taking laudanum for their nerves, but they didn't really convey an understanding of addiction like Howard illustrates in The Brideship Wife. In general, I loved that the characters weren't just handed a happily-ever-after.

All-in-all I really enjoyed reading this book, and I'll definitely be checking out others written by Howard.

Happy reading :)