A Bride of Convenience by Jody Hedlund

Happy Sunday!  I want to share with you some books that will be out in early July.  Promises of Tomorrow by Shelley Shepard Gray releases July 6.  A Springtime Heart by Marta Perry publishes July 7 along with The Amish Schoolteacher by Jerry Eicher and Steadfast Mercy by Ruth Reid.  A Walk Along the Beach by Debbie Macomber publishes on July 14 and so does What You Wish For by Katherine Center.  Are any of these upcoming releases on your wish list?

Victoria, Vancouver Island

A Bride of Convenience by Jody Hedlund has Zoe Hart arriving in Victoria, Vancouver Island on a bride ship in January of 1863.  Zoe was a mill worker in London along with many of the women on the ship.  She is determined to find her brother, Zeke who left home a year ago bound for the gold fields of British Columbia.  Zoe is visiting her dying friend in the hospital when she meets Pastor Abe Merivale.  Herman Cox walks in with his infant daughter.  He is no longer able to care for Violet and wants Pastor Abe to find her home.  Zoe is instantly taken with Violet, a mixed breed child, that she wishes to keep.   The only way to do that is to take a husband right away.  Dexter Dawson, an unscrupulous man, offers to marry Zoe, but Pastor Abe cannot let that happen.  After receiving surprising news, Abe marries Zoe upsetting Abe’s superior.  Both have regrets after the ceremony, but they are determined to make this marriage of convenience work out.  There will be difficulties ahead for this newly wedded couple.  Can this convenient marriage become something more?

Victoria Harbor

A Bride of Convenience is the 3^rd 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.

Cotton Mill in England

A Bride of Convenience comes out June 30 and can be pre-ordered from Amazon*.  The other two novels in The Bride Ships series are A Reluctant Bride and The Runaway Bride.  The next tale in the captivating The Bride Ships series is Almost a Bride which will be out on August 25.  It will feature Zoe's brother, Zeke Hart and Kate Millington who traveled on the ship with Zoe.  Thank you for reading my review.  I will be reviewing His Pretend Amish Bride by Rachel J. Good tomorrow.  It is the part of the Unexpected Amish Blessings series.  I hope you have a bright day. My mask making project is not gotten farther than picking out the material (the fun part). I am off to watch a video tutorial that will hopefully spur me on to the next stage. I need to get to work since my county now requires the wearing of masks when out in public. I have a feeling I will be ordering one online.  Take care, stay safe, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*This post contains affiliate links.

The Runaway Bride by Jody Hedlund

Good Day!  I hope everyone is surviving this time of isolation.  It is a good opportunity to catch up on chores at home (or sit and read).  I collect vintage mystery series like Cherry Ames, Vicki Barr, Trixie Belden, and Beverly Gray.  I have been hunting for one book to complete the Vicki Barr Flight Stewardess series for year.  Whenever The Brass Idol Mystery is listed on Ebay, it is usually above my price point ($45 and up).  I had an alert set up and this week I found it for $12.99.  I was shocked and excited.  I went online and purchased it immediately.  Those of you who love books will understand my joy.  Now I just need a vintage Ski Nurse Mystery from the Cherry Ames series to complete that collection.  Here are some cozy mysteries that will be coming out this year.  Mousse and Murder by Elizabeth Logan is the debut of An Alaskan Diner Mystery series.  It comes out May 5 and I will be featuring it on May 6 as part of the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour.  Thread and Dead by Elizabeth Penney releases August 25.  It is the second tale in The Apron Shop series.  Goodnight Moo by Mollie Cox Bryan also comes out August 25.  It is the second A Buttermilk Creek Mystery.  Murder Outside the Lines by Krista Davis is the third A Pen & Ink Mystery.  It releases on October 26.  All of these books are available for pre-order.  I enjoy waking up and discovering new books on my kindle on release day (I am a book nerd).  

Victoria, British Columbia 1862

The Runaway Bride by Jody Hedlund has Arabella Lawrence fleeing England aboard a bride ship Tynemouth for Victoria, British Columbia in September of 1862.  Upon Arabella’s arrival, she has men vying for her attention.  Two, though, are more ardent than the others.  Lt. Richard Drummond, a gentleman in the Navy, who would provide Arabella with a life like she was accustomed to in England.  Peter Kelly, the local baker, is working hard to make his business a success and to purchase land he has coveted.  Arabella would not have fine clothes nor servants.  The two men have history which adds tension as they compete for Arabella’s heart.  Peter and Richard have different views regarding the natives and how they should be treated.  Early one morning, Arabella discovers a native girl who is starving and ill.  She immediately takes the girl to Peter knowing he will help.  The more time Arabella spends with Peter, the more she is attracted to the charming baker.  But she cannot help hearing her stepmother’s voice in her head lecturing her on the proper way to behave and act.  Arabella also worries that the man she fled from in England has sent his servant to drag her back to England.  Which man will win Arabella’s affections?  Can Arabella get the courage to make the right decision?

Victoria 1865

The Runaway Bride by Jody Hedlund grabbed by attention from the very first page.  I have not yet had the opportunity to read The Reluctant Bride (I have moved it to the top of my pile).  I was glad that The Runaway Bride could be read as a standalone.  I thought the story was well-written with realistic, developed characters.  Arabella Lawrence has left England for a new life in British Columbia.  She fled England before her wedding to Mr. Major.  The match was arranged between her father and Mr. Major.  The man was old enough to be Arabella’s grandfather and his other wives only lived a couple of years after they were wed.  Arabella has had rigid rules drilled into her by a nasty stepmother.  She arrives in British Columbia on a bride ship and hopes to make an advantageous match that suits her position.  Lt. Richard Drummond is among the dignitaries greeting the ship and he is instantly taken with Arabella.  Peter Kelly, the local baker, meets Arabella the same day and knows she is the woman he wants to marry.  Two very different men with differing belief systems vying for Arabella’s attention.  Peter Kelly is a charmer from the very beginning.  I can see why Arabella was taken with him.  I could feel Arabella’s mind versus heart dilemma.  She knows she should marry someone of her social station, but Arabella is attracted to Pete.  She also feels she can talk to him and that he likes her despite her flaws.  The author showed the contrast between the two men as well as how society would perceive Arabella if she did not do as expected of her.  I thought Jody Hedlund captured the time period and how it felt to arrive in a new country on a bride ship.  These women had no idea what the area would be like or what type of men would be waiting for them.  I liked that none of the women were forced to marry.  They were allowed to take their time in finding the right life partner.  The author’s vivid descriptions brought the story alive for me.  I could visualize the scenery and the characters.  I felt I was in the canoe with Arabella as she saw the wildlife and traversed along the water to the native’s village.  Included in the story is a little girl who needs help.  Smallpox has infected the natives, and many were worried it would claim those in Victoria.  There are those who wished to help the natives and others who wanted to drive them away.   Why Arabella fled England is revealed a little bit at a time.  I do want to let readers know there is violence which will make you cringe.  My favorite phrase from The Runaway Bride is “If we’re living rightly before God and pleasing Him, then that’s all that matters.”  Christian values were beautifully incorporate into the story.  It is an integral part of The Runaway Bride.  I stayed up very late to finish this moving historical novel.  I am looking forward to reading the other books in The Bride Ships series.  The Runaway Bride is a touching story with a beguiling baker, fierce frays, a shocking sickness, rapid rumors, a spiteful soldier, and beautiful brides.

The Runaway Bride is available from Amazon* (Barnes & Noble, CBD, Kobo, Google Play and other booksellers) along with the other novels in The Bride Ships series.  The first novel in the series is The Reluctant Bride.  A Bride of Convenience is available for pre-order and releases on June 30. The fourth book in The Bride Ships series is Almost A Bride which comes out August 25.  I hope you find The Runaway Bride as enjoyable as I did.  Thank you for visiting today.  Tomorrow I am sharing my review of Light Shines on Promise Lodge by Charlotte Hubbard. It is the fifth novel in The Promise Lodge series.  I hope you have a day filled with joy.  By the way. . .Why is Peter Pan always flying?  He neverlands! Please stay home if you do not need to go out.  Take care, stay safe and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*This post contains affiliate links.