Book Review: The Cumberland Bride

Series: The Daughters of the Mayflower Series

Publisher: Barbour Publishing

Release Date: October 1, 2018

Genre: Clean Historical Romance

In 1794, when Kate Gruener’s father is ready to move the family farther west into the wilderness to farm untouched land, Kate is eager to live out her own story of adventure like he did during the War for Independence and to see untamed lands. And she sets her sights on learning more about their scout, Thomas Bledsoe. Thomas’s job is to get settlers safely across the Kentucky Wilderness Road to their destination while keeping an ear open for news of Shawnee unrest. But naïve Kate’s inquisitive nature could put them both in the middle of a rising tide of conflict. Is there more to Thomas’s story than he is willing to tell? Is there an untapped courage in Kate that can thwart a coming disaster?

My Review ♥️

Reading tales of the perils that many of the early settlers faced is always unfathomable to me. The bravery and heroism that it must have taken to leave everything, travel under the most difficult of circumstances, all in hopes of a more prosperous life is commendable to say the least. Kate and the young Gruener family, along with several other families, leave the only life they've known in hopes of a brighter future. Kate's faith throughout the journey is inspiring and her craving to document everything she can makes her a woman after my own heart.

Thomas is hired to help lead, and protect, the expedition all while at a crossroads of his own. The attraction between Kate and Thomas is noticeable to everyone, no matter how much each of them try to deny it. Poor Kate is accident prone throughout the entire novel yet somehow Thomas is always there to help, making your heart swoon for both of these characters.

This dynamic, paired with their characters growing in such a short amount of time, the obstacles throughout the journey, and a beautiful backdrop of uncharted Tennessee territory, made for a sweet and enjoyable story. My only negative is that there are parts of the book that do tend to lag but other than that The Cumberland Bride is a superb historical fiction and another wonderful installment in The Daughters of the Mayflower series.

My Rating: ★★★★

Other Books in The Daughters of the Mayflower Series

★ Be sure to also check out MY REVIEWS of The Mayflower Bride, The Pirate Bride, and The Captured Bride

Get to Know & Connect With Author

Shannon McNear

Shannon has been writing one thing or another since third grade and finished her first novel at age fifteen—but waited more than thirty years for her first book contract. In the meantime, she graduated from high school, attended college, met and married her husband, birthed nine children, lost one, taught five to drive, revised that first story innumerable times, and completed six others.

Her first published novella, Defending Truth, in A Pioneer Christmas Collection (Barbour, 2013 & 2015), was a 2014 RITA® nominee. She writes regularly for Colonial Quills, is a member of ACFW and RWA, and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.

Transplanted to North Dakota after more than two decades in Charleston, South Carolina, she loves losing herself in local history. When this homeschooling mom isn't sewing, researching, or leaking story from her fingertips, she enjoys being outdoors, basking in the beauty of the northern prairies.

*I have reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the Barbour Publishing through NetGalley. All opinions are completely honest, and my own.