A Reluctant Bride (#01 in The Bride Ships Series)

You would never expect that a beautiful romance could come out of such deprivation and squalor, but Hedlund does it in such a way that it feels raw and real. The story opens with Mercy Wilkins on a mission of mercy, rushing a very sick child to the dispensary, only to find she's toon late and the child dies anyway. Little does she know that she's about to embark on the adventure of a life time with the doctor she has just met. \\nI loved the characters and drama in this book! Mercy has such a charisma and beautiful personality and then you have others like the arrogant Mr Scott, who assumes poverty naturally means a poor character. \\nI couldn't put this book down! Very thought provoking and littered with spiritual references.

Love this new series from Jody Hedlund. \\nVery sweet romance novel filled with interesting historical accuracy. Love that Mercy and Joseph were loosely based on a real couple. Readers of historical fiction will delight in this first of four books centered around bride ships travelling from London to Vancouver Island!!

This captivating and engaging story of love, hope, faith, redemption and loss gives a realistic glimpse of what life might have been like living in the slums of London and travelling on a ship to a new colony to gain ones freedom. From start to finish this moving and beautiful story will take a reader on a journey that will capture their heart and imagination. Jody Hedlund has blended historical information of actual events with detailed fictional characters that were very realistic, in this well written and researched novel which bring the past to life. A delight to read.