This book was a joy to read. The characters, setting, and description were vivid and rich. I think some romances can be predictable and unbelievable but this one was captivating.

I was so excited to read the 3rd book in Jody Hedlund's Bride ship series and this book was outstanding! This is a story that I thought about when I had to set it down and continued to think about after I finished it. I enjoy thought provoking books and this one fit the bill!

Zoe Hart came on the 2nd Bride Ship from Manchester England. She had worked at a cotton mill until most the workers were let go. She decided to follow her twin brother to British Columbia. She did not have high expectations of marriage- she just wanted someone who could care for her. When she becomes entrusted with a half native baby her desire becomes simply to find someone who will care for her and the baby.

Pastor Abe, who played a small roll in the previous books, meets Zoe soon after she arrives when he helps her pray over her deceased friend and is present when she accepts responsibility for the baby. He cautions her about her planned marriage of convenience and encourages her to take her time in finding a husband. However, upon his own discovery about his longtime fiance in England and a slight misunderstanding, Pastor Abe soon weds Zoe himself.

They head to Yale BC, where Pastor Abe has been based during his ministry and embark on their new life together. I loved reconnecting with the beauty of British Columbia, the goodness of Pastor Abe and developing a respect for Zoe. As they each learn their new places, they experience growth and understanding for each other and God's will for them. 

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romantic historical fiction or just a good read! 

I received a complementary copy of this book from the publisher and ebook from Netgalley. My review is my own and I received no compensation for this review.

This is my favorite in the series. I love a good marriage of convenience!

I really loved watching Abe and Zoe figure out their married life. It definitely wasn't easy for either of them. He was a bachelor set in his ways and she wasn't exactly passive. It was a joy to watch them fall in love.

I also really loved the heart that Zoe had for orphans and loved how the story ended.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

This story shared a unique perspective for this genre (a man struggling with lust), however it really rendered the celibate aspect unbelievable. Marriages of convenience were not uncommon, but rather the norm. Keeping the relationship chaste after marriage was unusual (and yet that's 99% of the representations I read). I could see a man giving his new bride a week or two to adjust and be more comfortable, but that's about it, and even that would be the exception. So again, considering everything, I found this premise unrealistic.

Zoe is a strong woman with a natural pull toward abandoned children. She's forthright and outspoken. Abe was a little less admirable, as he tries to serve two masters, but I found that relatable; it's easy to think you're serving God when trying to please/obey religious leaders, but Zoe makes an excellent point, reminding him that no man has the power to truly take away what God wills. And though the Bishop is set up as an obstacle, I appreciated his character. It was easy to see what drove him and why he said/did what he did and I thought he was well represented.

The plot (confrontations and declarations) became a bit dramatic and predictable toward the end, but it was an enjoyable read overall.

Reading A Bride of Convenience by Jody Hedlund, I wondered how I waited so long to read this book. Hedlund’s The Bride Ships series’ third book was a real pleasure. I enjoyed the history Hedlund accurately wove into the narrative about Canadian mining towns, English brides, and the smallpox epidemic that the Vancouver native Americans endured in the mid-late 1800s. It was sad to see such a great amount of prejudice and mistreatment against the native Americans. Zoe is a great heroine, rising from a ”nobody” to somebody who stands tall because of her character. And then there’s loveable, rather hapless Abe, struggling to figure out exactly what direction God wants his life to take. I felt like Abe was torn between what people such as the Bishop told him he should do, and what God was leading him to actually do. Will Abe choose comfort or honor? My favorite secondary character is Mrs. Moresby. What a difference she made in the brides’ lives.
A Bride of Convenience is a delicious serving of English bride ships and Vancouver history with a side of social commentary wrapped up in compelling romantic prose that will keep you eagerly reading from the first page to last. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the author and publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily leaving this review. All opinions are my own.

Did not finish.  I felt uncomfortable with so much lust in this novel.  Jody Hedlund is a good writer so it's unfortunate that she went overboard (in my opinion) with so much focus on desire.

I've read a handful or so of this author's books now, and yet always end up surprised by how much I enjoy them each time Jody Hedlund releases a new book!

I really enjoyed the previous book from her Bride Ships stand-alone series, and expected no different, yet it's such a delight to read a book you have high hopes for, and end up enjoying it even more than expected! This is one such book!

I loved getting to know these characters more, as well as meeting new ones as we learn Zoe's story, and get to see her and Abe struggle to find the right choice when everything seems to be going wrong. When an infant is found, will Abe and Zoe be able to find it a loving home? More so, how will they manage to pick up the pieces in their own crumbling lives? This is just a taste of what these characters face, and I loved seeing them learn and grow as they lean into their faith, and as they start to trust each other in the process.

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley for this eARC, which gave me the opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.

She didn't want to care too deeply about a husband. Her heart ached too much already, and she didn't want to allow herself to love again only to lose. No, she was a bride of convenience. And she planned to remain that way.

Famous last words. But it is fun to get there. The time and setting brings this love story to life. The rugged west in British Columbia where Abe had settled as the community priest. Abe had invested his time in this part of the country and loved the people he served. Back home, he had a girl waiting for him. Lizzie was the girl of his dreams. Abe had found himself at the docks where the Bride Ships were coming in. Single women wanting a husband and the wild west wanting to establish families. Abe had his reservations about this arrangement, however, he knew a strong community came from strong families. He noticed Zoe as she was fighting off advances of the notorious thief. He was drawn to her and has fate would have it, they meet at the hospital where Zoe is comforting her sick friend.

Their meeting brings an admiration of each other that eventually leads them to a marriage of convenience. This is one of those romances that I like to read every once in awhile as there is a innocence but also a passion. A contrast of emotions that lead to dance of feelings not realized and everything comes together. The best part is the obstacles they overcome. Abe's Dear John letter and the bishop that doesn't agree with him. Zoe with a heart of gold for children. Together they overcome these obstacles and then some only to find that marriage is more than convenience.

A special thank you to Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review

This is such a heartwarming book. I absolutely love the characters and how they come to life. Zoe is kind, caring, and looking for a new life. She goes on a bride ship to not only find a new life, but to look for her brother that ran away years before. Abe is gentle, god loving pastor who love ministering to the miners. He is hoping that one day he goes back to England to marry his sweetheart. However, things never are quite what they seem. God has other plans for both Zoe, and Abe. When their lives collide in an inopportune time, they are both set forth on a path that they must travel together. Yet, with the past catching up to both of them, they need to form a solid front to survive the new frontier. I love this series and can't wait to read more. Happy reading my friends.

This was a great story! I would highly recommend reading the entire series, but I think this could be read by itself if you wished.  I felt like the characters were so well created, I connected easily with them, and I really cared about what was happening.  

This felt like a well-researched story, and I was so glad. The bride ships are something I have recently encountered in literature, and I'm really enjoying reading about it!  I liked that there were so many details to help create the situation and build the world!

Overall, I would recommend this book to readers that enjoy a clean historical fiction. It's a great book with wonderful characters, and an exciting story!

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

In this 3rd and I believe final book of the Bride Ships, the author tells the story of a mill girl sailing on the bride ships. I found the story, believable from what I have read of history, even though in keeping with what we know of people now, we would struggle with the idea of a marriage of convenience simply because you needed to be married. 
I found myself wondering if somehow the world of online dating was somewhat similar to this, and could relate to Zoe a bit. I enjoyed the author's note with a bit of her research notes as I always wonder what or whom the characters were based on.

I enjoy Hedlund's books and look forward to her next series. This one was not a disappointment -- excellent read, solid characters and description. Well done.

Another Hedlund story that hits all my sweet spots. My words will not be adequate to express how much I love this tale of loyalty, and love, and the seriousness of marriage vows. This is the third in the Bride Ships series and this story is about Zoe Hart who comes to British Columbia on the 2nd ship. Zoe has encountered a lot of loss in her young life. She is looking for her twin brother, Zeke, to make some things right. What she gets is more loss, a native baby, a stranger husband, and a convenient marriage.

Abe Merivale is a pastor and he has been trying to bring the Gospel to miners and natives alike. He is also a lonely man waiting for his fiancé. When he decides he can wait no longer he sends off a letter asking her to come to British Columbia and to marry earlier than planned. What he gets is heartbreak and a wife, a stranger he was not anticipating from the bride ship.

I enjoyed watching Abe and Zoe grow in their relationship. First they were strangers, tentatively becoming friends, while stronger feelings lay just below the surface. I adore marriage of convenience stories, and this one was one with a lot of obstacles to get around. Very meaningful truths are seamlessly woven throughout.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

This third in the bride ship series is my least favorite, mostly because of Abe. Abe's waffling feelings and actions regarding Zoe drive me a little crazy. I understand that societal and occupational pressure is hard to resist, but I wish he had been more steady. The bishop is awful! His influence hurt more than anything.
Zoe has all of my sympathy. Her efforts are thwarted continuously. She has a generous nature that is admirable but she is taken advantage of. I do love that she does everything she can in order to care for the baby she adopts.
A marriage of convenience is one of my favorite tropes. I think the developing relationship can be intriguing. Bride of Convenience is worth the read even though Abe needed a good talking to a few times. 
Thank you to Bethany House and NetGalley for the e-book copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

Thanks to Bethany House for the free review copy. All opinions are my own.
I have enjoyed these bride ship books, so I was looking forward to reading Pastor Abe's story since I got to see him in the first two books. I also was intrigued by Zoe. She was a great woman who really rose to meet all of the challenges she was presented with throughout this book. I haven't really read a book about a convenience bride, so I was interested in how this story would go. Hedlund kept me entertained and invested in this book. 
My only complaint with the book is how much lust there is in it. I wished the characters had just decided to talk about the level of intimacy they were expecting to get out of this convenience marriage. These characters did leave me frustrated when it came to their marriage because of the lack of all communication.

Let's take a little quiz. Are you looking for a story about a marriage of convenience? Are you looking for a book that includes an adorable baby? Are you looking for a book that takes place in British Columbia? Are you looking for a historical romance? If you answered yes to any of those questions then, I would highly recommend you read A Bride of Convenience by Jody Hedlund because it has all of that and more! This book was probably my favorite one in the series for several reasons. First, the baby was adorable. Really, she was. Second, Zoe was such a good homemaker and inspired me to do a better job with homemaking. Third, the story itself kept my attention throughout the whole book and made me not want to put it down, even when I had housework of my own to take care of . I recommend this book for those who are enjoy historical romance, especially about marriages of convenience.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was quickly drawn into this believable tale of two friends Jane and Zoe young ladies heading into uncharted territories on a ship bound for Vancouver in 1863. These brave and strong ladies are doing their best to stay alive. But Jane begins to cough.. ” While Jane might be able to muffle the deep hack, there was no hiding the bright crimson that seeped through the linen.” The unthinkable happens and Zoe is left to ride out this journey alone.

In walks Pastor Abe who dresses in regular clothes so people can relate to him better than his Pastor attire. Abe first meets Zoe when Jane passes. He feels for Zoe of her loss as he has just lost his fiancé. They join forces in a search for the father of an abandoned baby. They come up empty. Zoe feels strongly for this little one and becomes the guardian.

 I enjoyed these flawed characters fighting the good fight. This story had a good mix of unexpected events, tender moments, hard times with fun, relatable characters I could rooted for.  Zoe is a nineteen-year-old woman of faith and Abe is a local pastor they make the best of a crazy situation. 

Being a single mother is not acceptable and/or practical back then. Zoe gets two marriage proposals and she chooses Pastor Abe. These strangers marry, trying to do right by this innocent little one. It doesn’t take long for them to discover neither of them is prepared to care for this babe.  Hard choices need to be made. I enjoyed their journey. I liked that they are respectful with each other as they learn about discerning the path God would have them be on. They fight the feelings that surprise them both as they become friends hoping for something more. It’s a sweet, intriguing story with flawed characters I could root for in their journey through real hard-ship, and mistakes that test their faith. “Sometimes our worst mistake can turn out to be a great blessing.”

I enjoyed this story but was uncomfortable reading about the desires each had for the other after they were married. It was more than I wanted to know. They are respectful of each other but just like when you see a couple in public, I don't want to see them make out and the rest. They can do all that in private. It would have been a great read except for that. If that does not bother you than this will be a perfect read for you.

This is the third novel in the Bride Ships series. I’ve enjoyed this authors book. This book would work well for your book club pick. There is so much to talk about.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. 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”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

A Bride of Convenience stands as the third novel in The Bride Ships series by Jody Hedlund, but can be read as a stand-alone. The story immediately drew me into Zoe’s world and I didn’t want to set the book down. I liked the plot’s pace with its superb mixture of action and internal reflection by the characters. The novel was a quick read for me despite its substantial length.

Zoe, the leading lady in A Bride of Convenience, possesses admirable boldness and a protective mama heart. She accepted needy children and loved them as her own. As for Abe, I admired his heart to serve God and the people around him. I liked that Zoe and Abe complemented each other well and could do more good together than separately. Although their romance had less tension and swoony moments than I expected, I still rooted for them to get together and enjoyed watching their relationship grow. 

While A Bride of Convenience held a few laugh-out-loud moments, it also explored important themes. An embedded theme about finding God’s will and trusting him to work things out laced throughout the story, but I especially liked how it played out in the end.

Overall, I really enjoyed A Bride of Convenience by Jody Hedlund and I look forward to reading the next book in this series. Four stars!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

The Bride Ships trilogy concludes with a beautiful tale of a mill worker, a missionary and the small child that brings them together. Whereas the previous novels were set in the city of Victoria, A Bride of Convenience takes readers to a rough and ready community once known as “the wickedest little settlement in British Columbia,” where Pastor Abe makes his home among miners and madams. 

Pastor Abe is a man who believes that evangelism isn’t merely about preaching the Word of God. He insists on being a man of the people. He gets involved with the community and develops personal relationships. In short, he goes way beyond what is expected of him by legalistic Bishop Hill. Actually, the only part of this book I had a problem with was the bishop’s portrayal because I couldn’t accept that a man of God would insist only on the strictest form of evangelism. Still, it brought about the interesting question of what is a pastor’s role? Is it to only preach the gospel or to also get involved in social issues? That’s especially pertinent in these current times of change and uncertainty.

Despite that particular portrayal of a secondary character, however, A Bride of Convenience is my favorite of this trilogy. This is a story where you knew there had to be the required happy ending, but you couldn’t quite work out how it would happen. But happen it did, and I can safely say I believe that Jody Hedlund left the proverbial best until last in terms of storylines and the emotions provoked. 

Does it help to have read the previous books? Let’s just say it’s worthwhile to have done so, although probably not necessary. Characters from the previous title, The Runaway Bride, reappear as quickly as the second chapter, and there are also references to events that took place in the earlier books. 

Disclaimer: Although I received a copy of this book from the publisher and author, the words and opinions below are my own.

Zoe has no job and no family left in Manchester, England. Faced with bleak prospects she and her best friend decide to board one of the Bride Ships that are being sponsored by a local charity. This ship will deliver single, young women to the British colony in Canada, a rough area full of bachelors with good financial prospects. Abe is  a British ex-pat sent to Canada by the Church of England to establish ministries. After several tragedies strike, Zoe and Abe find themselves in need of the security of marriage and, although they are virtual strangers, they marry each other in a rush one evening. They have an immediate, easy friendship but both are unsure of whether they can have a real marriage. 

I thought this story was delightful. This was a period of history and an event that was new to me and made for a great plot. There were twists and turns, villains and romance. I will definitely look for more works by Jody Hedlund and would recommend it to anyone who loves historical romance.

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley for this eARC, which gave me the opportunity to share my honest review.