Historical fiction is so loved because it gives the reader a real sensory feeling of being at another point in time. Tidewater Bride by Laura Frantz uses it’s descriptions of place, taste, sound as atmosphere to transport us to the 1600s about 30 years after Jamestown was founded. Although the excitement in the colony was centered at the time around the “tobacco brides” which came from England to provide spouses for the men there, the novel is mainly about an established family who runs the trade store. The Hopewells are positioned to know all the local news on incoming ships, local government and the shaky relationship with the Powhatan people. Their daughter wants to be a bride too. Being from that part of Virginia, oh how I loved being immersed in the Native tribe names and descriptions of the landscape. Frantz uses all this in her latest novel to create a story that is all at once adventure, romance and mystery. The format and immersion into surroundings gave me the comforting feeling of a Victoria Holt novel, just a different timeframe.

“Here at the roofline of the house the vista was unmatched. Fields formed a patchwork of greens, rolling toward a haze of bluish mountains on the distant horizon that looked more watercolor. Wanderlust danced at the corners of his conscience. Whatever lay on the other side of those rolling, winsome swells beguiled him. Yet he was entrenched here, still besotted with the rivers and tides of coastal Virginia.”

We find that the spirit there is not yet for the United States, but for the New World. A frontier where just going to visit a neighbor is dangerous. Yet the colonists are very strong in their faith and knowledge of scripture. I loved that the characters did not hesitate to pray for others when in tough situations, and also were human in their anticipation of what God had in store for their lives. I absolutely loved this book and its characters. I think it had the perfect ending to set up a series of more adventures for the colony, so I am hoping for a sequel!

Laura Frantz is one of those writers who transport me so completely into the setting of their novel. She continually captivates me with the storyline, and when I reach the last word I can't help but sigh. A sigh of utter satisfaction mixed with a bit of sadness that the epic tale that I have been immersed in is over. How I always want her stories to never end!

Frantz books read like a 90's Kevin Costner movie. Rich in description and filled with characters who are deep and multidimensional. I can easily picture her stories in my minds eye. The Ballantyne series is my absolute Frantz favorite, but a wee bit of Scots is included in Tidewater Bride as well. Loosely based on the story of John Rolfe and Pocahontas, the story focuses mainly on the relationship with John and the woman he marries after Pocahontas's death. Set in Virginia during the 17th century, the story also explores the tenuous relationship between the Virginia colonists and the Naturals at the time. I was surprised to learn of the custom of "peace children" as I hadn't heard of that happening before.

Tidewater Bride is Christian Fiction, rich in themes of faith, trust, forgiveness and waiting on the Lord for His plans and His perfect timing.

I enjoyed Tidewater Bride very much, I think it is one of Laura's best!

Thank you Revell and NetGalley for the free copy of Tidewater Bride. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I enjoyed Tidewater Bride by Laura Frantz. Her writing style, rich characters, and believable storyline quickly drew me in and kept me anticipating what would happen next. Tidewater Bride was a don’t want to put it down type of book. The 1600’s timeframe was an interesting change to most historical fiction settings. This was the first book I’ve read by Laura Frantz, I will be reading more. I rated Tidewater Bride 5 out of 5.

Tidewater Bride is a well written inspirational romance. Characters and plot are well developed. If you enjoy historical and inspirational romance I recommend this book. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and Netgalley. This is my unbiased review.

Tidewater Bride is an intriguing look at early colonial life in Virginia. Everything is a study in contrasts: Old World vs. New World, Naturals vs. colonists, slavery vs. indenture. The vocabulary was my largest stumbling block in this book as I had to look up what different articles of clothing were as I had either never heard of them or did not know the difference between various items.

Despite the contrasts between them, I liked that no groups of people were shown as wholly good or evil. While we do not see as much of the Powhatan peoples, they are not painted as either noble savages or ignorant imbeciles. Instead, they are shown as a different people group, neither better nor worse than the encroaching colonists, just different. In the same vein, the colonists are shown as having aggressive members and more peaceful people.

The Tobacco Brides start the story but are quickly put aside for everyday life and the struggles of living in an untamed land. It struck me as odd because of the emphasis on these brides in the synopsis, but that quickly passed as I enjoyed the tense story as trouble begins.

There is a large cast of characters, and all of them acted as I expected from the first introductions. This isn't necessarily a bad thing as each character remained distinct with their own quirks and traits. The children especially are an adorable addition to the cast.

This book is well worth reading, especially if you are interested in Christian fiction in the early colonial years.

I knew Laura Frantz would write a good book, she always does. But this book is more than just good! The Tidewater Bride is about love, hate, turmoil, friendship, and trust. I love how this book reveals the love of Christ and shows it in the practice of the characters. Selah, a young daughter of a merchant, works alongside her parents to ease the way of the tobacco brides to James Towne. She doesn't put herself in that position because she wants a man to love and that loves her. James Towne is a busy and rough place with many rules and edicts. Alexander is trying to make changes for the good in James Towne although he is often met with opposition. Many people opposed his first marriage to an indian maiden, Mattachanna, and his son Oceanus. When Selah's father, Ustis, begins to have health problems the family decides to move the store out of James Towne to their land up river next to Alexander's property. Selah is happy because she has feelings for Alexander and he is finally bringing his son home from visiting in Scotland. But Oceanus does not come home alone. He brings a nurse, Ms. Lineboro, and the factor, Mr. McCaskey. Alexander meets with the indians "Naturals" and brokers a deal with them to exchange English children for Natural children. In the exchange is Selah's brother, Shay, for the chief's grandaughter, Watseka. I love how this book emphasizes the innocence of children. That is how the Bible says all people should be. But then this book shows us how dispicable some people can be. I absolutely loved this book and I would recommend everyone read it. Thank you NetGalley and Revell for allowing me to read it.

As with all of Frantz’s writing, Tidewater Bride is compelling, well-written, and fascinating from a historical standpoint. The author takes the reader through a variety of unexpected turns and was unpredictable in a good way. Perhaps my only complaint would be the constant stress/tension I felt throughout the read. Perhaps a good sign of being drawn into the story, or perhaps an indicator that too many negative events occurred in a short time in the book. I’m not sure which was the case. Other than needing breaks because I felt anxious about the outcome, I couldn’t quit reading the book and quickly finished the title. Definitely worth the read - perhaps just not in a time of high stress on the reader’s part. ;)

The author has a wonderful way of bringing history to life! This story is based on the story of Pocahontas and John Rolfe. The history is fascinating was the author highlights the brides coming by ships to find a husband. I found it interesting that the payment for a bride was tobacco, thus the name of this book. Life was hard, strained relations been the settlers and the Naturals and everyday life in general. I found the dialect a little hard to follow but it made the story more authentic. Historical fiction readers will enjoy this book! Recommended.

A beautiful Jamestown love story--somewhat loosely based on John Rolfe and Pocahontas--which I'm totally down for anything based on them! This is a well researched and written novel. The plethora of characters wasn't too much and they were definitely maintained by Frantz quite well--which is something a lot of authors can't do. My only issue was I struggled to connect with the characters and truly feel a lot when I read this one. Obviously, that won't be the case for everyone, but...for me, it just didn't quite snag me in the feels--which is somewhat what makes or breaks a book for me.

*I received a copy of Tidewater Bride from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Part history textbook, part romantic fiction, this book brings to life an era of history that we only see romanticized through Disney films such as Pocahontas. It was an extremely difficult existence for the men and women who eked out a new life in the new colonies. In efforts to populate the new land, brides were sent from England and could be bought for a load of tobacco. You can tell that the author did quite a bit of research into how things really were, with the Native Americans, the colonists, the hardships, and the overcomings. A great read!

Laura Frantz is one of those historical fiction authors that readers just love. She does her research well and brings new perspectives to the history of the time. The time of this novel is the seventeenth century and the location is James Towne, Virginia Colony. The situation is a shipload of "Tobacco Brides," coming to marry the tobacco growers who have plantations, but no wives to help run them.

Selah is the daughter of the town merchant, and really has no desire to marry any of the growers in the area, except one...

Xander Relnick is a tobacco grower who uses indentured servants to run his plantation at a time when African slaves are being brought into the colonies for cheap labor. Xander's opinions were not often popular in the township, especially his desire to forge peace among the native tribes who lived in the area. One of his ideas was to allow the native children come to live with the colony's families while children of the colonials lived with the native tribe. Through this exchange, Selah's family became guardians of a young girl, Watseka, while Selah's brother, Shay, goes to live with the tribe.

I really enjoyed this book. There is so much going on that keeps the reader involved in the plot from the beginning to the end. There are despicable men, honorable men, shifty women, and Naturals (as the natives were called during the times) who wanted nothing but peace and a place to call their own. There are parts of the plot that moved slower than others, but all the parts come together to make a cohesive whole. This is a strong Four-Star book.

Revell Publishing and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I have been a fan of Laura Frantz since her very first book, The Frontiersman's Daughter. I suspect that I will forever be a fan of her work. She has chosen her genre well because she writes a historical novel like no other. I get so caught up in her books that I lose all sense of time and find myself nearly an actual part of her stories.

'Lord, wilt Thou not help?'

Frantz knows her history. Her research is incredibly impeccable; so much so, that I find myself anxious to do research into the time period myself, just to learn more! Her turns of phrase always leaves me wanting to know more and more. Her depictions of characters, even scenery are so moving, I picture walking along the same paths her characters walk. Reading a Laura Frantz book is not just a few hours' worth of entertainment, but an unforgettable experience as she takes her readers on a journey through the wonderful and indeed, dangerous times in our nation's history. Her books are to be read leisurely so they can be absorbed and cherished. For that is what they are to me. Cherished treasures for my keeper shelf. Highly recommended.

I received this book from Revell Publishers via Net Galley. I received no compensation and the opinion in this review is expressly my own.

My interest was piqued from the moment that I saw Laura Frantz was writing a Tidewater book! Laura excels at bringing a setting to life and I was looking forward to her treatment of an area and history I'm familiar with- 17th century Jamestown, Virginia. Tidewater Bride was inspired by the life of John Rolfe after Pocohontas passed away. I find it delightful to read the old fashioned language in the narration as well as the dialogue. The reader gets a real sense of the challenges and tension that English settlers faced thirty years after the settlement was established.
This is my third Frantz book, and am starting to see the author's "types," such as the powerful, respected landowner MC and the hardworking, prudent woman he eventually marries. And I can't say that I mind. 😄 For one thing, the romance is free of the more petty angsts of modern love stories. In Tidewater Bride, Alexander Renick is a widower recently out of mourning and balancing the responsibilities of his tobacco plantation, indentures, settlement government, Native relationships, and a young son. He eventually sets his sights on Selah Hopewell, an old friend and neighbor who has turned into a spinster by being choosy and even holds Alexander in judgment.
The romance was gentle and thoroughly enjoyable. I personally don't enjoy as much books with an obvious villain, in this case a French neighbor who wreaks havoc in every relationship he touches. Since that is personal preference and this book was so well done, I still gave it five stars. For one thing, the characters, setting, and story haven't left me yet the day after finishing, and I keep wondering about little details and wishing the story could have gone on. I would be happy to return to this time and place in another book, perhaps a story for Selah's brother Shay in a few years?

This is the second book I've read by the author. Set in Virginia's colonies in the 17th century, the bride ship arrives to bring more women for growing the population of the settlements. As Selah is charged with matchmaking among them, the question continuously posed to her is that will she be a bride among them, but her desire is to marry for love, not for practical reasons.

The widowed man who has caught her attention, is someone she has wronged, we see her humility, in the midst of her strength and independence, to make reconciliation. We learn the resolve of some to treat indentured servants and slaves with integrity, the cost it took to do so by going against the culture at the time. There's strained relationships between the settlers and the Native Americans, and we see how peace efforts were both sought and broken.

I enjoyed the characters and the history of this story. Rooted deeply in faith and trust in God's provision and guidance for the future and for navigating all the challenging situations that they face.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of the book, and the opportunity to post an honest review.

Colorful and interesting, Tidewater Bride by Laura Frantz, is a masterfully spun tale, the delicate story fabric being interwoven with historical-fiction-romance, pieces of real history, and Christian ideals.

The characters are believable, the atmosphere picturesque, the plot well-paced.

Tobacco brides were a commodity of trade that were imported from England to James Towne, VA, USA, via ship passage in the 1630's. A tobacco farmer could bid on a perspective bride in auction, and buy her for 150 lbs of prime good leaf tobacco, (an extravagance denied many), only after the women disembarked, were churched, then lodged in married households being looked after, until their choices of husbands were made. There was a courting period, and if the young woman was agreeable, she would give her dowry she had to marry the gentleman, becoming mistress of his manor.

However, as the time period depicts, it wasn't an easy life. Much life in Virginia was still an ongoing fight for survival, and there was all sorts of Indian unrest.

Ms. Frantz' notes at the end of the book are most fascinating. Alexander Renick's character was inspired by John Rolfe, just as Mattachanna was inspired by Pocahontas. Helpful sources of research came from Pocahontas's own people.

This story would appeal to those who like the Christian-romance, Historical Fiction genres.

My thanks to NetGalley and Revell Publisher, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I just downloaded this book and as much as I wanted to read this novel, there were blocks of text missing as well as pages. No thanks...I know this is only a pre=published print, but it's the the worst I've ever seen.

Tidewater Bride by Laura Frantz is a wonderful historical fiction novel that takes place in (“The New World”) Jamestown, VA 1630s.

Here we get to delve into the wonderful world of the colonists as they try to make a future and world for themselves and their families. I learned so much while reading this book. I sadly knew nothing of the concept of Tobacco brides that were sent to Virginia. It is not a new concept in general, however in this particular circumstance, I did not know that this practice was used.

It was fascinating to be placed into a historical time that I have always found so intriguing. Forging into new and uncharted territories, creating a life and homestead from the land, starting over, and the bravery that this all needed is just stunning. The author’s ability to convey this all within this narrative is impressive.

I loved the full character cast, Selah Hopewell, and I also enjoyed the author’s ability to interweave real historical figures in with fictional characters. I loved the pacing, plot, history, romance, and of course, the ending. This book was such a joy to read, and is what I feel, is the best picture of what historical fiction should be.

I also enjoyed the Author’s note at the end to give us information on her inspirations, the historic facts that were included, and the fictional additions added to help make the narrative appropriate and smooth.

I have read several books by this author, and I feel that this is a great addition to her portfolio. You can feel her passion, love, and extensive research that took place to bring the reader this work of art. I look forward to additional books by Ms. Frantz.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Revell Publishing for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR, Instagram, and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.