Tuesday, March 3, 2020

"The Runaway Bride" by Jody Hedlund -- Book Review

About the Book 


Wealthy Arabella Lawrence flees to British Columbia on a bride ship still wearing the scars of past mistakes. One of the few single women in the boomtown, she immediately has suitors, but she is determined not to find herself trapped again by a poor choice.

Vying for her hand are two very different men. Lieutenant Richard Drummond is a gentleman in the Navy and is held in high esteem. Peter Kelly is the town's baker and has worked hard to build a thriving business. He and Drummond not only compete for Arabella's affections, but clash over their views of how the natives should be treated in the midst of a smallpox outbreak.

As Arabella begins to overcome her fears, she discovers someone in dire need--a starving girl abandoned by her tribe. Intent on helping the girl, Arabella leans on Peter's advice and guidance. Will she have the wisdom to make the right decision or will seeking what's right cost both her and Peter everything?


My Thoughts

"The Runaway Bride" is the second book in the Bride Ships series.  I think the books are connected enough that it would be beneficial to read them in order. The first book is Mercy Wilkins' story, but Arabella Lawrence is introduced to us. This book is Arabella's story, but Mercy still plays a role in it. I was glad to be able to get Arabella's story and why she was on the Bride Ship. I found the book to be well written and with a strong biblical thread. The characters grew and changed throughout the book. There were unexpected twists that surprised me. It was frustrating the control that some people used to be able to hold over other people simply because of their station at birth. I look forward to reading more books in this series and by Jody Hedlund. 

About the Author 

Jody Hedlund is the author of over twenty historicals for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Award.

Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. Although Jody prefers to experience daring and dangerous adventures through her characters rather than in real life, she’s learned that a calm existence is simply not meant to be (at least in this phase of her life!).

When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.



"The Runaway Bride" is available in paperback:
  • Series: The Bride Ships (Book 2)
  • Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (March 3, 2020)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0764232967
  • ISBN-13: 978-0764232961
  • Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1 x 8.5 inches

and in Kindle edition:
  • File Size: 7998 KB
  • Print Length: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (March 3, 2020)
  • Publication Date: March 3, 2020
  • Sold by: Amazon.com Services LLC
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B07VPL25T2

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review.

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