A Bride of Convenience kept my attention from start to finish. The idea of getting on a ship to sale to a whole other continent with the purpose of finding a husband, fascinates and horrifies me.

Zoe Hart is one of the women who takes the chance, driven by desperation and fueled by bravery. She’s hoping for a better future after a wretched past. She meets a man who seems to be a good prospect without realizing he had nasty, ulterior motive.

Meanwhile, Pastor Abe is waiting for his fiancée to join him, until he gets word she is betrothed to another. He’s distracted from his heartbreak by being giving an orphaned baby to find a home for. Cue Zoe. A wedding of convenience ensues and that’s really where the trouble starts .

A missing brother, a very unmarried fiancée and a temperamental bishop all effect the course of Zoe and Abe’s relationship, and whether they’ll survive with their growing family in tact or not, is another matter.

This book transported me from 2020 Virginia amid a pandemic, to the wilds of Canada where life can change in a second and there’s everything to fight for.

A Bride of Convenience, by Jody Hedlund, is the third book in The Bride Ships series. Rich with history, adventure, and romance, this captivating story is truly engaging and memorable. Its immersive settings, authentic characters, and gripping plot ensure that this book offers a fantastic reading experience to all who venture into its pages.

With a remarkable gift for story development, Ms. Hedlund has crafted yet another novel that is compelling and full of heart. From small colonial towns along a winding river, to the rustic warmth of a one room cabin, to the mountainous woodlands of northwest Canada, the settings in this novel appeal fully to the reader’s senses and imagination. And it is within these detailed settings that the characters in this book endeavor to make amends, heal broken relationships, pursue God's calling, redeem that which was lost, discover their purpose, and nurture their faith. Page after page, these characters show themselves to be genuinely believable and intriguing. Their hopes, fears, insecurities, and convictions are moving and relevant. Through these characters, the story flows naturally carrying the reader along on a riveting journey of uncertainty, hope, danger, doubt, compassion, love, and new beginnings.

Well-written and entertaining from beginning to end, A Bride of Convenience is a novel worthy of attention. It is thought-provoking, uplifting, and meaningful. I thoroughly enjoyed this touching story, and I am eager to read the next book in this series. I highly recommend this novel to all readers.

*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher and NetGalley. A review was not required. The review I have written is voluntary and contains opinions that are entirely my own.

I enjoy marriage of convenience stories, so when I saw this book entitled A Bride of Convenience, I was pretty sure I would like it. And I was right. Author Jody Hedlund brings readers the third in her Bride Ships series with Zoe and Pastor Abe's story. I have not read the first two and felt A Bride of Convenience was a solid stand-alone book. But I would like to go back and read the first two stories as the concept of women coming on a ship to America to find husbands is a fascinating concept, and I'd like to find out more about it. There was lots of romantic tension in the story. Zoe and Abe connect early on in the book, but it takes a lot of back and forth before they are willing to admit their love for the other, and for that matter, to admit even to themselves. I loved the characters from Zoe and Abe to a curmudgeonly bishop, good friends, and a couple of sweet children too. A Bride of Convenience is a quick read with a fast-paced plot, intriguing historical tidbits, great dialogue, and a strong faith in God threaded throughout the story. Readers who enjoy historical romance will not want to miss this one.
I read a complimentary copy of the book and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.

This is hedlund's third book in the brideship series. And Even though it can be read As a stand alone, I would recommend you to read the whole series. You won't regret it. I loved this book of all my heart. The concept, the Main characters with their heart of gold. I loved the plot. And i loved the rural surroundings. A must read

A Bride of Convenience is the 3rd novel in The Bride Ships series. It can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading this engaging series in order. I thought A Bride of Convenience was well-written with developed characters. Jody Hedlund captured the time-period and I enjoyed her descriptions of Vancouver Island. I was especially taken with the cave with the hot spring. In A Bride of Convenience, it is women who worked in the cotton mills who are on the bride ship. They have been unemployed, and food was lacking at home. Zoe Hart’s family fell apart when her mother passed. Her father took to the bottle while her sister, Meg became addicted to laudanum. Two things haunt Zoe. The loss of her sister’s baby and the reason her brother, Zeke fled England. Zoe came on the bride ship to find Zeke and set things right for him. Pastor Abe Merivale is three years into a five-year assignment in British Columbia. After his time there, he wishes to return to England to marry his sweetheart and get his own parish. Abe has plans to become a bishop. First, though, he must do well on this assignment and get the local bishop’s recommendation. Zoe is a spunky woman who is kind, caring, and compassionate. She has a natural affinity with children. Abe has the same qualities. He wants to do more than just address his parishioners’ spiritual needs. Abe has a hands-on approach. He wishes to make sure they have a good home life, food, and shelter. Abe even finds ways to keep the kids occupied during the long winter months. The Christian element is developed and integrated into the book. I liked how all the various parts of the book worked together for one complete story. It was interesting learning about headache remedies utilized. I could feel for Zoe and the pain she suffered. I could tell the author did her research for this series, and I enjoyed reading the Author’s Note at the end of the book. A Bride of Convenience has drama, suspense, family, friendship, and romance. A Bride of Convenience is a captivating tale with a neglected newborn, a bullying bishop, an immoral man, an absent brother, and a wanton woman.

This third installment in Jody Hedlund’s Bride Ships series is my favorite yet! I adore a marriage of convenience story and Hedlund has delivered a doozy of one. Zoe’s story begins anchored off the coast of British Columbia as the women prepare to step foot on their new homeland. Zoe willingly left her hopeless home in Manchester, England looking for two things: her twin brother Zeke, and a fresh start. Soon after her arrival however, she and Pastor Abe Merivale find themselves caring for an abandoned child and married, much to their confusion at first. Zoe and Abe were so clearly the perfect match although neither of them could see it at first for focusing on their own insecurities and the rocky start to the relationship.

The setting was once again amazingly displayed through Hedlund’s beautiful writing and her research always stands out in her stories. Abe’s differences with the Church over styles of ministry played were interesting to see play out as well. You can read this book as a standalone without missing anything. Although, I think you’ll definitely want to read the rest of the series once you finish this one!

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

A Bride of Convenience, the third book from Jody Hedlund’s series, The Bride Ships. I have loved the previous two books in the series, and this one is probably my favorite. Abe and Zoe’s story was wonderful and entertaining. I never knew what was going to happen between the two. I had to read the whole book in one sitting to find out.

I am giving A Bride of Convenience a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy clean and inspiring historical romance.

I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

This third book in The Brideships series is an excellent follow up. I don’t think I’ve ever read a series where each book is equally as engaging as the first, nor as connected.
The story begins with the wedding kiss of Peter and Annabella (from book 2) and Pastor Abe’s obvious discomfort in watching the kiss. This is Pastor Abe’s story of a childhood love, betrayal, hasty decisions, a marriage of convenience and awkward situations that point him to his happily ever after.
Zoe is a mill worker from Manchester, determined to find the twin brother who’d fled England in anger. She sets sail on a bride ship in hopes of finding a man who would take her up the rugged mountain terrain to locate her brother. She’s willing to become a bride of convenience to get to him.
I loved both characters. Pastor Abe has always been a delightful character in previous books, but we get to see his heart in this one. He struggles with self-worth and his goals of becoming a bishop sees him working through a strenuous relationship with the Bishop of the Church of England who is rigid in his ways. It’s an interesting contrast between a servant heart and ministering to all the needs of the people vs what organized religion stands for.
Zoe is an outspoken character who fights for the poor and cares for the orphans. Her quick wit and generous spirit wins her over with the townspeople of Yale. She’s quick to take in stray children without thought of provision or how she’ll meet their needs, and she has a huge heart for the oppressed.
Through a misunderstanding, Pastor Abe and Zoe form a quick union and the rest of the story follows them trying to work through their new arrangement.
There’s some action and quite a bit of intimate tension, a bit more than one would expect for a Christian Fiction novel, however within the context of marriage it is appropriate.
I received an ecopy from the publisher through Net Galley. All opinions expressed are my own.

A Bride of Convenience
The Bride Ships #3
By Jody Hedlund

Zoe Hart's goal in joining the Bride Ships is two-fold - obtain a better life in British Columbia and to find her brother, Zeke. She never expected to take on the care of an abandoned baby just days later, but Violet needs her. Pastor Abe (Abraham) Merivale is helping Zoe get supplies she needs while hoping to reunite Violet with her grieving father.

But when finding a husband becomes imperative to keeping Violet, Zoe lets the eligible bachelors know that she needs a husband. There is just one problem with her plan, Violet's mixed heritage is a definite deterrent in Zoe receiving many offers. One miner alone promises not only can she bring Violet along, but he just may be able to help her locate Zeke. Pastor Abe knows that Dexter is among the worst possible choices for any woman to make if only he can get Zoe to see the truth in time. In a most intriguing chain of events, Abe and Zoe find themselves wed hastily.

But this marriage of convenience has a few drawbacks, especially when both Zoe and Abe start having confused feelings for one another. And then there is Abe's bishop who is anything but supportive of Abe's new married state - with, of all things, a common laborer. And offering a home to a Native child is just not to be done. Marriage is not quite either expected, and they both have some serious work to do if they hope to have a marriage partnership that is more than just a convenience and in name only.

A Bride of Convenience, the third book in the Bride Ships series, focuses on women from a different bride-ship than the first two books in the series. Zoe is determined to not have her heart yet again broken, but she's determined to make sure that Abe doesn't come to regret his decision to marry her and bring Violet into his home. Abe wants, no needs to prove to Bishop Hills that having a wife and won't distract him from his ministry. Can two such determined people come to understand just what God's purpose in their marriage of convenience is?

I have to admit each time Bishop Hills makes an appearance, I like him less and less. As a reader, one can hear the main characters' thoughts, and it can, at times, be exasperating that they just don't talk and clear the air, so to speak. Just think of all trouble they could save themselves in the long run by saying what they are feeling. Of course, then we would have a far less intriguing book to read. And this indeed is and was an enjoyable book to read. This can be read as a stand-alone title, and the reader will have no getting caught up in the story.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion - all thoughts expressed are my own.

***4.5 stars***

A bride of convenience is just what Paster Abe needed, he just didn't know it.

It is satisfying when you put down a book that leaves you with a great feeling. This book is inspirational, romantic, and enjoyable.

I loved the characters of Abe and Zoe. They are two people who have a "heart of gold" and live their lives helping others do and be better. When the two of them enter a marriage of convenience they became even better. They complement and understand each other. I loved that they took in a child who was not their own and of mixed ethnicity. They saw the worth of a soul rather than what everyone else was trying to tell them they need to do. I loved the baby. I could almost picture myself snuggling her right along with Zoe.

This is a book that leaves you feeling better in the end.

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This series just keeps getting better and better! I really enjoyed Zoe and Abe's story. Something that particularly stood out to me was the inner conflict between the two of them as they build a relationship from a marriage of convenience. Abe's position as a pastor had a personal connection as my own husband is a pastor. A lot of the things Abe struggled with are relevant struggles today. I also liked that from the beginning you get to see that Abe is a man of God, but he's also a man with real desires and struggles. It made his character much more believable and helped with the development of the tension.The things that Zoe struggled with related to Abe's position I could very much connect to. I loved the way that Zoe doesn't waste time judging others but shows God's love to everyone.
The romantic tension between the two main characters almost made me crazy...lol. I would consider romantic tension one of Jody Hedlund's writing specialties. But it doesn't stop there. The detailed descriptions of every person and place helped me visualize every part of the book so clearly. A few twists and turns in the plot rounded out an enjoyable reading experience. While you can read this book as a standalone, I would highly recommend the other books in the series.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion, which I gave.**

Book 3 in the Bride Ships series continues following women who chose to leave England for Victoria, spending months on a ship to marry a stranger and hope for a better life. While this one can be a stand alone, I highly recommend reading books 1 and 2. They’re really good!

Author Jody Hedlund has crafted a story with strong characters, both good and bad. She gives us such incredible descriptions of the country, of the people, of the villages, that you will feel a part of the book. Abe and Zoe are both struggling with low self esteem. We see them grow and develop as they learn to trust God and each other.

If you enjoy historical fiction that is based on true happenings, has danger and love, then you’ll enjoy this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

When Zoe Hart loses her job at a mill in England, she jumps at the chance to join one of the bridge ships carrying marriageable women to the lonely bachelors of British Columbia. She figures she can marry the first man who asks—as long as he promises to take her to the interior of the wild country to find her missing twin.

Anything beats staying at home and enduring her father’s abuse, the crushing loss of her infant niece, and the immoral alternatives to having no income. She desperately wants to find her brother to ease his mind and return the cross he threw at her feet when they parted ways two years earlier.

Pastor Abe Merivale ministers to miners and miffs the bishop with his hands-on, relationship-building ways with his parishioners. Abe serves as an unpaid missionary for the Church of England. His experience in England convicts him that ministers must do more and be more in this new, untamed land. His heart for service causes him to take in the infant daughter of one of his parishioners whose wife has died. Fortunately, Zoe Hart, one of the bride ship women offers to help him out.

His superior sees it differently—holding out the threat of refusing to recommend Abe for a higher position when his mission term ends. Everything comes to a head when the bishop issues an ultimatum about the infant, the woman he thought he’d marry sends word that she’s married someone else, and the beautiful Zoe Hart shows up at the cathedral looking for someone to marry her.

A Marriage of Inconvenience

When a fellow missionary shows up at the cathedral and agrees to perform the wedding ceremony, Zoe feels slightly taken aback—after all, she wanted Abe to perform the ceremony, not play the part of the groom. But since the other guy showed up late and she likes Abe better, she says nothing.

What God has joined together, all sorts of men wish to pull asunder. But Abe and Zoe commit to a marriage of convenience for the sake of the infant and the promise of help locating her brother.

Neither one remotely understands what they’ve gotten themselves into. But the more they get to know each other, the more apparent it becomes to everyone else that God really has joined them together.

You’ll love this book if you love historical inspirational romance with a little mystery and suspense thrown in. Although part of a series, one needn’t read the first two books to completely enjoy this one. Characters from other books make minor appearances, so if you have read A Reluctant Bride or The Runaway Bride, you’ll enjoy learning more about other characters from the series.

Hedlund weaves faith into her characters’ lives without ever feeling preachy. I’d lend my copies of any of the Bride Ship books to non-believers and know they wouldn’t feel turned off because of the inspirational content.

Zoe travels to British Columbia on a bride-ship and finds it a challenge to figure out just where she belongs and to whom she should marry.  When she thinks she's asking a pastor to marry her, she finds herself married to the pastor and not the man she was asking him to marry her too. Action, suspense, delightful children and characters that warmed my heart and some who I cheered against! 

I requested this book through NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. My review is voluntary.

A Bride of Convenience has taken over the top spot as my favorite of Hedlund's Bride Ships novels! I mean ... a marriage of convenience coupled with Hedlund's trademark romantic chemistry? How could I not love it?

I absolutely loved Zoe's spunk and her determination to care for the children God placed in her path. And Abe's concern for the miners, even at the potential cost to his relationship with his superior the bishop, was inspiring. Abe's dilemma—serving God or man, which is even more complicated by the fact that the person most in opposition to what Abe felt called to do was the bishop—is something we all can identify with, and I thought his struggle felt authentic.

And then there's the romance! I love Jody Hedlund's romances because of the intense chemistry between characters, and that's certainly true of Zoe and Abe. Because of the way they got married (which led me to chuckle a few times), they had plenty of things to work through ... but chemistry was never their problem!

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the humor in this novel. I can't recall laughing so much while reading a Jody Hedlund novel before! Much of the humor came because of Zoe and Abe's sudden marriage, and it added a welcome levity to the story. (I'm still chuckling as I think of the scene in the mercantile.)

Basically, from start to finish, I was completely immersed in this novel. I only wish it didn't have to end! 5 stars.

Note: While this is the third in the series, it can be read without having first read the other novels. Abe is a character in The Runaway Bride, and the main characters of that novel (Pete and Arabella) do play minor roles in this story, as do a few other overlapping characters. But you don't need any knowledge of them to enjoy this story.

I have really enjoyed the first two books in this series, and was really looking forward to reading this one as well. While it was just as well-written as the other two, I struggled a bit with it, mainly because there was so much...lust...going on in the story. This is a clean read, but it seemed like any time we got inside Abe's head, that's all he was thinking about. I can definitely understand those feelings, but I think it was focused on a bit too much in this story, especially when there were so many other things going on.
Both Abe and Zoe are wonderful, strong characters, and I enjoyed watching them try to navigate married life while they were still basically strangers. Zoe's gift with children was heartwarming, and I appreciated the forgiveness and change of heart that some of the characters experienced. I enjoyed seeing a few of the other characters from previous books as well. I hope there is another book in this series.

Another great story from The Bride Ships! Zoe has come to western Canada on a bride ship hoping to find her twin brother Zeke who escaped there when he was wrongly accused of a crime in England. Zoe's best friend Jane becomes ill on the ship and, when they dock, a young minister, Abe, comes to pray with her before she dies. Abe and Zoe marry early in the story because of a misunderstanding! They are both great protagonists but Zoe was the one I admired! She is so caring and has such a big heart. Abe learns that when we decide to do what God has called us to do, He will work things out in ways we never imagined possible. I recommend A Bride of Convenience to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. I received an advance e-book through the publisher and NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.

(3.5 / 5)

In the 1860s, women were shipped from England to Victoria, in what is now Canada, to become wives for the bachelors who lived and worked in the British colonies. Author Jody Hedlund imagines what might have happened to some of the women on those ships in her series The Bride Ships. This is book #3 of that series, though can be read as a standalone. Only a day off the ship, Zoe becomes the guardian of an abandoned infant. While a local pastor named Abe attempts to find the baby's father, Zoe resolves to care for the baby herself. But single-motherhood is not only difficult, but nearly impossible in this untamed land. Through a misunderstanding, Zoe and Abe marry and then are faced with the difficult decisions that come from a hasty marriage of convenience.

Marriages of convenience have always been something that draw my attention, especially in a Christian setting. The story of Zoe and Abe and how they get to know each other, become friends, and hope for more, was sweet and captivating. If my rating were based only on that, it would have been at least 4 stars, maybe more. However, my lower rating is because of the physical lust that I had to wade through.

I'll start with the positives, though, because outside of the physical stuff, or if I'd been able to skip over it, I really enjoyed the overall story. I liked both of the main characters as individuals, which seems fairly uncommon in romances I read these days. Abe had some issues being assertive (which I can related to), but found a backbone when it was needed. Zoe was uncertain about her ability to be a "proper" pastor's wife, but had a lot more actionable compassion than she realized. I was able to predict what happened near the end, but would have been pretty surprised about the way the rest of the story had gone if my prediction had not come true. I would actually like to see more of these two, as long as they can keep their physical desires about each other out of the narrative.

So obviously, the fact that Abe and Zoe are married through most of the book is going to involve some physical desires. And because they're married, even though they're still basically strangers, it's okay, right? Sure, I don't have a problem with a husband and wife lusting after each other, even if they've only just met, or if their marriage was not borne of love for each other. And I really appreciate the fact that they were completely respectful of each other, because, as Zoe herself observes, in the confines of being married, Abe may have felt he had the right to take whatever he wanted. But what did bother me was the near-constant leering. More specifically, it's the fairly detailed descriptions of the leering that made me uncomfortable as I read. Just because two people are married doesn't mean I want to hear the details of their love lives, lusts, or desires. Even Abe himself, in the story, finds himself uncomfortable in the presence of his friend and friend's new bride, as they apparently made out in front of him a lot. Just because they're married doesn't mean we all want to watch them enjoying each other.

I'm sure it might seem to some like there's no way around it, given the story presented, but I think that it could have been toned way down. And because this is a Christian book, which will be expected to be clean and okay for younger people, I wanted to make sure to mention this possible issue for others. To be fair, there's nothing I would call explicit, but it's about the closest I can remember reading in a Christian book. From the other reviews, it's clear that I'm in the minority here, but as another reviewer stated, I would not allow my daughter to read this when she's a teenager, and would be very uncomfortable listening to an audiobook of this with any members of my family around.

I hate to say this, because I do think the story was well-written. I have a feeling the other books in this series, maybe others by the author too, likely don't have the same problem (I certainly hope not, at least). But I would have a difficult time recommending this book too widely. If you aren't bothered by this kind of thing and enjoy Christian romance, certainly give it a try. But be careful where you're reading it or listening to it, and please make sure to read it before allowing your teenager to read it.

This is the third Bride Ship book. Each book can be read alone. This is a fascinating series to me. The concept of women leaving everything they knew to go to a new country and be married astounds me. The courage and fortitude to do such a thing, along with the level of desperation they were at is evident. This book is the story of Zoe and Abe. Abe is a local missionary pastor. Zoe is searching for her brother and a new life. The two end up married hastily when Zoe determines she will care for an abandoned, orphaned baby. Neither had planned to marry the other and challenges arise. In my opinion, I thought this was well done and an enjoyable read. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All views stated here are my own.

This is the third book in the Bride Ship series by Jody Hedlund. I really like Jody Hedlund’s books and I really like this series. I have loved learning about the bride ships since I knew nothing about them before this series. Jody does a wonderful job of bring us into this world and making us love the characters. I loved how Paster Abe and Zoe’s marriage started out as just a convenience to help protect a child but how as they came to know each other more, they fell in love. I really loved this series and I’m looking forward to the next one.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.