The Runaway Bride by Jody Hedlund

1862
I was so glad to return to the Bride Ship Series. These girls enter your heart and you want only the best for them. You don't need to read the first book in the series before this, but you'll want to. In each, the characters search for God’s purposes and plans for them, and find strength in His courage. And they're thoroughly entertaining, keeping you engaged and holding your breath to the end. This story is about Arabella, a wealthy girl who had good reason to run away from her betrothed and go on a Bride Ship to seek a new opportunity on Vancouver Island, where men far outnumbered women. Pete was a baker there, with a love for the native population in the area. He battled the injustice of the English navy stationed there, controlling a smallpox outbreak by denying vaccinations to the natives and scattering them, wiping out much of their population. There are always people who see injustice and fight to expose it, but that doesn't mean it's easy. These people struggle to do what is right in God's eyes and persevere. 

I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
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A Reluctant Bride by Jody Hedlund

Deeply satisfying. This girl knows how to write a story, and how to end it, with a promise for more, and you can't wait. Based on historical facts. Mercy was from the poorest of the poor, living in the slums of London. But she had been raised with love and caring, mostly by her sister - who was in a Workhouse and near to death. She made Mercy promise to go on a ship to British Columbia for a new start. A ray of hope for the hopeless. Reluctantly, Mercy went, not realizing that it was a Bride Ship. She accepted the role that she had lived as due her station, felt she was the bottom of the bottom of society. She reached out to help all around her in any way that she could, primarily nursing the sick. She became deeply attached to each in her care, showing kindness and love. Joseph is a member of Society, but chose to be a ship's surgeon. He learns a lot about himself and how he and his peers treat the poor. Mercy proves to be a perfect nurse, and they spend time together as they travel. Each learns they have prejudices, and work through the assumptions of those who surround them on the ship. The author must have done a lot of research to know what it was like to live in a ship at that time, because you can easily picture everything. A story where you become attached to the characters - need a two five-star rating to give it justice. Eagerly awaiting the next in the series!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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