A Reluctant Bride

(The Bride Ships #1)

After facing desperate heartache and loss, Mercy agrees to escape a bleak future in London and join a bride ship. Wealthy and titled, Joseph leaves home and takes to the sea as the ships surgeon to escape the pain of losing his family. He has no intention of settling down, but when Mercy becomes his assistant, they must fight against a forbidden love.

My Review: 8.5/10

Jody Hedlund takes you right into the pit of the suffering of the slums in A Reluctant Bride. It was brutally honest at times and I was grateful and eager for Mercy to get a ticket out. It was interesting reading about the experience of women who signed up for Bride ships - what they came from, why they were chosen, what it was like on the ship, and what they could hope and expect waiting for them when they arrived. I loved the ways faith and integrity were woven into the story. Loss and healing too. And I thought the portrayal of characters like Mr. Scott and Mrs. Robb was just; they may not have been soft and likeable, but their motives and actions were understandable, especially given the time period.

These are the kinds of stories that make me love historical novels - the way they transport you to another time with different realities and challenges, so that strength, creativity and perseverance look different too. Thoroughly enjoyed this story.