A Reluctant Bride

Bride Ships, Book 1

By: Jody Hedlund

Narrated by: Esther Wane

Living in London's poorest slum, Mercy Wilkins has little hope of a better life. When she's offered an opportunity to join a bride ship sailing to British Columbia, she agrees. After witnessing so much painful heartache and loss in the slums, the bride ship is her only prospect to escape a bleak future, not only for herself but, she hopes, someday for her sister.

Wealthy and titled Joseph Colville leaves home and takes to the sea in order to escape the pain of losing his family. As ship's surgeon, he's in charge of the passengers' welfare aboard the Tynemouth, including 60 brides-to-be. He has no immediate intention of settling down, but when Mercy becomes his assistant, the two must fight against a forbidden love.

With hundreds of single men congregating on the shore eager to claim a bride from the Tynemouth, will Mercy and Joseph lose their chance at true love, or will they be able to overcome the obstacles that threaten to keep them apart?

©2019 Jody Hedlund (P)2019 Tantor

Sweet and interesting

The tale of Mercy and Joseph is interesting on many levels. First, the history of the Bride Ships is fascinating by itself. The route and method of propulsion, the perils and sights all make for interesting reading. Second, the imbedded tale of class differences, attitudes and the idea of whether rank and privilege are adequate judges of intelligence and ability not to mention humanity and a determination of worth made this novel in a rare class above the basic romance. Cheers to Jody Hedlund on this excellent work.

Lovely character and amazing narrator!

Great story that warms the heart, love that makes you literally smile. Joseph and Mercy both find healing that so many of us need.

I love this book!

This story was awesome! I highly recommend for anyone wanting a wholesome, warm storyline. Narrator did a great job as well!

Good listen

I enjoyed this book. It was a good listen. I like a good love story without any vulgarity

Conflicted

I enjoyed the romance of the main characters. JH does a really great job of using romantic tension in her stories and yet keeping it clean.
I agree with previous reviewers that the repetitive inner dialogue made the story drag at times.
After such a drawn out romance the story ended too abruptly for my preference. After so much angst I’d have enjoyed more depth in the
resolution.
While other reviewers didn’t care for the narrators FMC voice I liked it. I thought the narrator portrayed the FMC’s purity and naivety well.

My conflict-there is so much Christian bashing in our world today, I was disappointed to read a Christian author create a villain who is a church leader. Not that we are perfect as Christians but I find it tiresome when the church is constantly bashed in novels. I understand it in secular authors as that’s their view of the church but disappointed in authors who share the faith.
I did like the portrayal of other heroic Christian characters so I suppose J H did show a balance.
Overall I liked the book and will read more of the series.