Lieutenant Owen Masters and Emeline Baratt meet on a British warship as sworn enemies. Where will Emeline place her loyalties when forced to spy against her country? War Forces a Choice Between Love and Country A trip home from England to Maryland in 1812 finds Emeline Baratt a captive on a British warship and forced to declare her allegiance between the British and Americans. Remaining somewhat politically neutral on a ship where her nursing skills are desperately needed is fairly easy—until she starts to have feelings for the first lieutenant who becomes her protector. However, when the captain sends her and Lieutenant Owen Masters on land to spy, she must choose between her love for him or her love for her country.
Join the adventure as the Daughters of the Mayflower series continues with The Liberty Bride by MaryLu Tyndall.
More in the Daughters of the Mayflower series: The Mayflower Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1620 Atlantic Ocean (February 2018) The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo – set 1725 New Orleans (April 2018) The Captured Bride by Michelle Griep – set 1760 during the French and Indian War (June 2018) The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1774 Philadelphia (August 2018) The Cumberland Bride by Shannon McNear – set 1794 on the Wilderness Road (October 2018) The Liberty Bride by MaryLu Tyndall – set 1814 Baltimore (December 2018) The Alamo Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo – set 1836 Texas (February 2019) The Golden Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1849 San Francisco (April 2019) The Express Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1860 Utah (July 2019) The Rebel Bride by Shannon McNear – set 1863 Tennessee (December 2019) The Blizzard Bride by Susanne Dietze – set 1888 Nebraska (February 2020)
A Christy Award finalist and winner of two Inspirational Readers’ Choice awards, MaryLu Tyndall dreamt of tall ships and swashbuckling heroes during her childhood years on Florida’s Atlantic Coast. She holds a degree in Math and worked as a software engineer for fifteen years before she penned her first novel. Now, with more than twenty-five books published, she makes her home in California with her husband, six children, four grandchildren and various stray cats. Her hope is that readers will not only be entertained but will be brought closer to the Creator who loves them beyond measure. For more information, visit her website at marylutyndall.com
"Never you fear about that. God be wit' us." "How do you know God is not with the British?" "Don't matter wha' side 'e takes. 'E's still wit' you and me."
The Liberty Bride (2018, Barbour) by MaryLu Tyndall is the sixth book in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. It's a standalone Christian historical romance set on the sea in the Atlantic Ocean in 1814. I believe the last book I read by this author was Surrender the Sea, which is another great seafaring adventure.
Rating: 4.5 stars
The heroine: Emeline Baratt, 22, is returning to the states after two years in England with her great-aunt learning how to be a "proper lady." Emeline's an avid artist and has "medical skills she'd learned while accompanying her uncle on his rounds in Baltimore" prior to living in Brighton. Unfortunately, when her ship nears Baltimore, it's captured by the British navy. Emeline convinces the captain she's loyal to England, so she's only semi-imprisoned. While onboard, her artist and medical skills are put to use.
The hero: First Lieutenant Owen Masters, 25, of the British frigate that captured Emeline's merchant ship is actually an American spy, and has been looking for an opportunity to pass information on to the States. At his uncle's behest, he's looking for "just one bit of vital information. That's all we need." But "just when he was finally in a position to be of use to his country, now he had prisoners to protect." And one of those prisoners is Emeline, "the most stunning creature Owen had ever seen." Owen isn't the typical hero of Christian fiction, as he is a rake and fond of drink. "A bit of a wild card, Owen is, I mean Lieutenant Masters. The opposite of our captain, I'd say. But the men adore him. And despite the antics, the captain admires him as well. He can always count on Owen to volunteer for the most dangerous missions."
Christian elements:
*Emeline believes that when bad things are happening, it is because God is punishing her. "Either God had a rather peculiar sense of humor or He was still punishing her for her past rebellion." I think some people do think this way, and eventually need to learn that this isn't the way God works. Regardless, I still felt that this sort of thinking in Emeline popped up too much in the story.
*Owen, on the other hand, is completely closed-off to God. "...he had to conclude that God was not only distant, but perhaps even unloving."
Food for thought:
*"But followin' a bunch of rules don't make you righteous in God's eyes."
*"Certainly God wanted the Americans to win… to keep their freedom. Didn't he? Or perhaps he took no interest in the governments of men."
*"How can you praise God down here?" " 'E is worthy to be praised everywhere. It don't matter our situation."
Is it clean/chaste? Yes. There is one point when Emeline admires Owen's muscles when he is briefly shirtless. She does drop her gaze, though. Trigger warning: There's also one steamy kiss I could have done without.
Other content: Some alcohol served aboard the ship. Some British swearing:
What I liked:
*A character apologizes to God for lying. I dislike seeing ambiguity in Christian fiction as to whether or not lying (or any other sin) is a problem. It's good for characters to be flawed, but sin needs to be acknowledged in some way in Christian fiction.
As a side note, there's a brief discussion on whether or not lying is okay during war. This is something I don't remember ever contemplating, so I found that pretty interesting.
*The captain of the British army that captured Emeline is a good man - one that respects God. I think that's a bold choice on the part of the author, given that he is the "enemy" of the story. It adds a nice complexity to the tale.
What I didn’t like: Just the items mentioned under the "Is it clean/chaste" header in this review. And I found only one typo.
***********
The bottom line: I loved this novel set on the sea. I recommend it to fans of historical Christian fiction or of seafaring adventures, as long as the content doesn't sound like it's too much for the reader. The next book I read by Ms. Tyndall might be Surrender the Night.
I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley.
I enjoyed the early American setting on both land and sea and the theme of patriotism that runs throughout the book. There is plenty of action and I appreciated the historical details that brought authenticity and made me grateful I live now instead of then! The swift pace of the plot made it hard to put the book down and even though I didn't quite connect with the main characters' emotions, I found the story captivating with twists and turns that made me wonder how on earth there would be a happily ever after. I loved the premise that Emeline and Owen are both spying for the same side, yet don't know that about each other and hold the perceived loyalties of the other against them. I would have thought that they'd realize it sooner, but I understand the risk involved if they happened to be mistaken. They were both likeable characters that grew in their faith and learned important life lessons.
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
I have read and loved all of the Brides of the Mayflower series. I loved following along with it as it progresses with time. This series started out in 1620 and as of the sixth book we are now up to 1814 Baltimore. I live two hours from Baltimore and enjoy walking along the harbor there so this was even more enjoyable for me. MaryLu Tyndall does an amazing job with her description of the ship and the going on's on it. Strong, faith filled book that is another favorite in this series. Pub Date 01 Dec 2018 I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley. Thank you. All opinions expressed are my own.
“History never really says goodbye. History says, ‘See you later.’” –Eduardo Galeano
Rating: Clean: although there was an attempted assault: faith-based: This is Book 6 in the Daughters of the Mayflower series.
“You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world’s problems at once but don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.” –Michelle Obama
Although it was still considered a young country, America found itself once again at war. The year was 1814 and British ships had formed blockades on American ports. Any ship they caught, they impressed the Americans sailors into the Royal Navy. American ships were just as prolific with their privateers capturing British ships and using them to snare other ships and run supplies. This was where our story began with Emeline Baratt on her father’s ship headed home to America. She had been living in England with an aunt until her death. Her father had arranged for one of his privateering ships to retriever her. They were almost home when they were captured by a British warship. It was there that she met Lieutenant Owen Masters.
Those familiar with the War of 1812 know that the year 1814 was the year Washington D.C. was burned and the British ran their siege on Baltimore, pivotal points in the war. It was during this conflict that our couple struggled with the strategies of war and their allegiance to the country they love. We have them fighting on the water and on land. We find historical figures like Rear Admiral Cockburn, General Ross and other men who made a stand for their countries.
What I didn’t like: The love aspect was a bit thin. It took a long-long-long time to settle who were the spies and which country held their allegiance. I was beginning to lose interest. The love aspect couldn’t begin until their allegiance was settled. That flipped back and forth too many times as our couple had their feet in both camps. It was dangerous and tedious. Some of the antics were a bit far-fetched. It was an interesting story but not something that I loved or would read again.
This was a faith-based story. Many characters were people of faith. They discussed their beliefs, prayed for each other, died with grace, attempted to lead another into the faith, and prayed to a higher power during times of trouble when all seemed lost. There were instances where we might think the miraculous had happened as a natural phenomenon helped change the course of history. This was not done in a preachy way and would have been normal during this time period as characters shared their faith.
“We are not makers of history. We are made by history.” –Martin Luther King, Jr.
Book 1: The Mayflower Bride: Kimberley Woodhouse: pub Feb 1, 2018 Book 2: The Pirate Bride: Kathleen Y’Barbo: pub April 1, 2018 Book 3: The Captured Bride: Michelle Griep: pub May 15, 2018 Book 4: The Patriot Bride: Kimberley Woodhouse: pub July 15, 2018 Book 5: The Cumberland Bride: Shannon McNear: pub Oct 1, 2018 Book 6: The Liberty Bride: MaryLu Tyndall: pub Dec 1, 2018
I volunteered to read an uncorrected digital galley from the publisher [Barbour Books] via NetGalley. The views expressed are my own. Publication date: 12-1-18.
Another great addition in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. I think my favorite thing about this series (ok one of my favorites, aside from finding new authors to follow, great characters, sweet love stories and more) is the historical aspects of this series. I've really enjoyed learning more about the wars, the historical settings and significant moments of history.
This book focuses on the War of 1812 and follows two characters, Owen Masters and Emeline Baratt. I don't want to give anything away. To be honest, I had several books that I'm trying to catch up on because summer has been busy and I'm behind, and I thought I could just quickly skim through this one so I could read it to know what was happening, the struggles and the resolution. I was wrong! So wrong! I couldn't set it down and I just really enjoyed it. So if you are thinking like me that you're just going to grab it, skim it and that's that...you're wrong, so wrong. You'll be finding yourself reading it all and enjoying Owen and Emeline's story just like I did.
This book is full of patriotism for country, sacrifice, love, friendship, betrayal, heartache, pain, deception, false identities, trust in God, ships, battles, spies, war, love, and much, much more!
If you've been following along with this series, you'll enjoy another great read. If you haven't, no worries, these can all be read as stand alone novels. Yay! That makes it easier if you just want to pick and choose and not have to read 8+ books that you may not want to read. Although, I've enjoyed them all and will encourage you to pick up more than one or two of them if that's possible. This author was a new to me author when I started this series and I've come to appreciate her writing style and her characters and their development. I'll keep watching for more of her books in the future.
Content: Clean. This is a Christian fiction novel and as such has moments throughout where the characters talk of God. They turn to Him in their need, offer some prayers to Him, talk with other characters about Him. There is a scene with an attempted rape but nothing happens. Of course since this is about the War of 1812 there are battles and some moments of suspense.
I received a copy from the publisher, Barbour Publishing, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
This series has been wonderful! In this sixth book of the Daughters of the Mayflower series, author MaryLu Tyndall takes us to east coast of the United States during the War of 1812.
Main character Emeline was born in Baltimore and has family in England. She believes in God and following a set of rules. Although she is a rule follower, she is also willing to take a risk to help others. Emeline is a wonderful character and it was a joy to spend time with her aboard a ship and on land.
I loved the author's note at the end providing historical facts for readers. She does a nice job of incorporating historical details into the novel.
My gratitude to publisher Barbour for a complimentary NetGalley copy of the novel. I was not required to post a review and all opinions expressed are my own.
I received a ARC of The Liberty Bride from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a honest and fair review.
MaryLu Tyndall...what a very delightful and well worth the read story. I am a bit disappointed that this is the 6th book in the series and I have never enlightened myself with you as an author and your other novels.
The Liberty Bride is set during the War of 1812 where the heroine, Emeline Barrett becomes hostage on a British ship. Contrary to the other brutal crew members, she meets Lieutenant Owen Masters who shows kindness to the prisoners of war aboard the ship. There is espionage, adventure, intrigue and romance. I thought the events that took place in the story were realistic and welcomed the originality of the plot and portrayal of the characters. Although there were times when the plot slowed a little, it did not detract from what the author intended. The attraction between the two main characters is visible and it is this attraction that I think overshadows their deceptions that somehow brings them close to spiritual freedom.
I greatly enjoyed this seafaring adventure and wasn't expecting the entire story to take place on a ship. Ms. Tyndall brings tension, twists, adventure and heartwarming romance. I recommend this book as a read..😊
The Liberty Bride by Marylu Tyndall is 6th in the series The Mayflower Brides.
Adventure abounds during this tale of the War of 1812. It is now 1814 and the British are planning to take Washington D.C. and Baltimore. Owen Masters is the son of an apostate preacher and wants nothing to do with a God he perceives as distant and authoritarian. Throughout this book, he encounters people who are genuine Christians and they help him to discover the true God who loves him. While Owen is far from God, he is a staunch patriot even going so far as securing a British commission as a Naval officer in order to spy for America.
Emeline Baratt is returning to her home in Baltimore after several years in England with her wealthy aunt. Her ship is overtaken by the HMS Marauder where she meets Owen. They try to keep their American loyalty from eachother and the British ship’s crew as obstacles meet them at every turn. Eventually they band together to try to accomplish their goal of fighting for America’s freedom.
If you want an exciting tale and want to learn a bit of history, this book is for you. Ms. Tyndall has captured the foreboding of the hero and heroine as they seek to spy for their homeland.
*I was given a complimentary ARC of this book by the author. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*
This is a story of Emaline Baratt, an American, returning from England in the War of 1812 when her ship is taken by the Royal Navy, and First Lt. Owen Masters. Once Masters learns she knows how to treat people medically, he sends her below to treat the Americans and the British. Emaline is also artistically talented and is commissioned by the ship's captain to paint his portrait, in the same room where strategies are discussed for future battles. Once Emaline gains the captain's trust and he knows she has connections in Baltimore, he sends her, Masters, and two others to Baltimore to find out the American strategy. But along the way Emaline and Masters find much more than just the American strategy, they find their way back to God, their trust in Him, and in each other.
I liked this book, it was kind of a mash up of The Pirate Bridge (as 2/3 of this story happened on the ship) and The Patriot Bride as it brought two Americans together who were both spying, but didn't know it. The story was good, I would definitely recommend it, especially if you are reading the series. It can be a stand alone, it has a timeline in the beginning showing she was the granddaughter of Mercy Lytton and Elias Dubois, and mention of her touching her grandmother's necklace.
In all a good book, I am loving this series, and cannot wait for the next book.
The Liberty Bride is a very nice addition to the Daughters of the Mayflower series. This is a series in which each of the books stand alone. They tell the stories of men and women during major events in history. They are tied together only in the sense that the women in the stories come from the same family tree throughout the ages.
I really enjoyed The Liberty Bride. Emeline and Owen were characters who had based their views relating to God on the words and actions of their fathers. They both struggled with the idea of God’s grace throughout the story.
The settings for this novel were interesting and engaging, both on land and at sea. There were quite a few tense moments that built up the fear that either Emeline or Owen’s true loyalties would be revealed to the British. I also enjoyed watching Owen and Emeline fall in love with each other, even as they thought that they were on opposing sides of the war.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Emeline Baratt is the 7th generation of the Lytton family when Tyndall once again picks up the saga of the Lytton family. With her mother deceased, her father has sent her to her Great Aunt in England to become a lady. Instead Emeline finds herself a caregiver for her great aunt who has become ill. After 2 years, her aunt has died; and Emeline is returning home on an American ship that is taken over as bounty by an English vessel. War has broken out between the Americans and English once again in 1812 as England attempts to return the US to its control.
Emeline is definitely a lively and engaging character. As she plays her double role, she portrays the perfect English lady while internally staying true to her American roots. Owen Masters, a British Lieutenant, is the perfect hero playing his double role to a tee. Both of them were intensely loyal to the US whilst playing their roles as a British lady and officer. Yet never knowing the true person behind the facade. Yet hints are shown in their kindness and caring for the American prisoners taken aboard the English ship.
This book hooked me from the start and was another definite success in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. This series can be read as stand alones but are more enjoyable when read as a series.
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Books through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.
Once again, author MaryLu Tyndall sweeps the reader away on an exhilarating, seafaring adventure set against the backdrop of the War of 1812! I would've learned so much had Tyndall been my history teacher in school. With her unique voice I was taken captive to that very horrific time and place...experiencing the scent and wild beauty of the sea, the horrors of war, and the first blush of romance.
First Lieutenant Owen Masters is quite the perfect hero. Who can resist a man with hair slicked back in a queue and intense brown eyes, a witty sense of humor, and a devil-may-care attitude? Not the saucy Emeline Baratt, although she must fight her feelings as the rakish Owen is British...the enemy. Like it or not, however, the two must come to one another's rescue time and again to fight off nefarious soldiers and to spy for the British. Emeline spying for her enemies the British? La! You'll have to read this amazing, faith-filled, heart-pounding novel for yourselves to see how THAT came about! Another winner by the great MaryLu Tyndall!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This was another great story in the Mayflower series. Both Emeline and Owen had their own adventurous journey in finding God while being a spy for America on a British ship. There was a few moments which made me smile when they saw each other as traitors when in fact they were on the same side. I loved the scene where Owen forced Emeline's hand to show on which side she was.
Portions was hard to read due to the brutality of the British. People being flogged and beaten just for the sake of it. What made it a bit more difficult is knowing that in South Africa, we also experienced this brutality during the "Boere oorlog".
It was quite saddening to see some of the British hardness towards their enemy, though there were others who showed some compassion. I wish we all can learn to love our enemy and show compassion, even in times where a "battle" is required.
I really love this series since my knowledge about America's history is quite limited and seeing it told in this story line is interesting and entertaining, plus I'm being introduced to a lot of knew-to-me talented authors.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*
I enjoyed this book immensely. The historical adventure is filled with action, suspense and a good dose of friction between a few of the characters. A building attraction between main characters, Emiline and Owen, who question the patriotic loyalty of one another is magnetic. I enjoyed the smooth plot that centers around Americans and British during the War of 1812. Tyndall has really created an excellent story that flows with history and makes it very interesting. With a ship as the main setting for most of the story the author kept the book fascinating with descriptions of life at sea.
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy of the current book in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. This is another excellent read.
With lively, dynamic characters, and a fun story plot of spies and secrets, I was eagerly along for a fun adventure both on the sea and on land!
Emeline didn’t plan on becoming a spy, however, when she finds herself a captive on a Brittish warship, it becomes clear that her best option of survival is proclaiming herself a loyalist while secretly helping the cause of liberty. The lie she’s forced to tell eats away at her, and she struggles to be good, and follow the rules.
Emeline’s father once told her that God blesses and loves those who are good. Yet, as Emeline see’s the effects of this war she has a hard time understanding how a loving God could let bad things happen to good people. While Emeline comes to have a stronger faith in God, and she learns to trust in Him. She never really seems to understand why bad things happen. While this question wasn’t a main thread of the story, it was a minor thread left undone.
I don’t know if MaryLu Tyndall has ever sailed a ship, but her intimate knowledge of all things dealing with sailing shines through and adds authenticity. I felt like I was standing on the bow of the ship along with Emeline. The salty brine heavy in the air and the sound of the sails snapping overhead in the breeze while the boat gently rocked side to side with the pull of the tides.
While this is this 6th book in The Daughter’s of the Mayflower series, each book stands on it’s own with a unique voice and a window into American History. The tie-in for the books is a family history. A family tree is located at the beginning of the book showing the family ties.
(I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own.)
I am really enjoying this series. Each book gives the reader a wonderful story at different pivotal moments in American history. Although it follows the members of the same family, each book can be read as a standalone.
MaryLu Tyndall is at her best in describing life at sea in her stories. The beautiful prose appeals to the senses as the reader is drawn into the story, experiencing the sights, sounds and smells aboard a British warship. Nearly half of the story is set on board a ship as Emeline Barrett's ship is captured and she is taken aboard a British warship during the War of 1812. Tyndall gives us a heroine that is courageous, kind, intelligent and filled with grit. Although they appear to be enemies, First Lieutenant Owen Masters cannot help to admire the kindness Emeline shows to everyone regardless of their loyalty to America or England. Emeline, Owen and some of the crew members go ashore seeking information, but each is questioning the other's true loyalties. Tyndall pens a well-researched story filled with adventure and romance. The spiritual theme of freedom found in Christ was not lost on this reader. This is a story of a journey of faith. One scene in particular tugged at my heart. One of my favorite quotes is " Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty".
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Adventure, intrigue, and romance in a time of war! Set towards the end of the War of 1812, this story involves real events and details that bring an authentic feel to the plot and characters. The author brings her careful research to life from real battles, to the gritty details of life at sea, in a country under major attack.
The tension mounts as they get closer to the epic battle of Baltimore in 1814, and the main characters wrestle with their consciences. I wondered who would crack first in revealing their true loyalties. The romance is a tense one, complicated with the deceptions they both operate behind, plus the spiritual baggage they carry. Both main characters seemed to believe God is like their own fathers--uncaring, distant, and disapproving. Trying to earn God's approval by being a "proper lady" drives Emeline to despair and seems to add to her dilemma. It was a lovely part of the story when an unlikely source bears witness to them to see God's grace extended through relationship in Christ. Therein lies real freedom, in trusting Christ, not in following rules.
Readers who enjoy an adventure with romance set during war, with some grittiness, may like this latest addition to the series. The index includes an interesting history section with a biography. 4.5 stars
(An e-book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.)
The Liberty Bride is a book set during the end of the War of 1812. The heroine is taken captive and held on a British ship. The hero is an officer on that ship. There is an immediate attraction between the two, but they are enemies. Or, are they? This is a book you would expect from Marylu Tyndall with seafaring adventures, nefarious characters and heart warming romance. I think anyone who loves stories rich with history and adventure will also enjoy this book. *I was given a copy of this book by Barbour publishing via netgalley. I was not under any obligation to leave a review. This is my honest opinion.
Wow! She was captured and kept on a ship for months, made to treat wounded and sick sailors. She was strong and made the best of it when it was so hard. When forced to choose British or American she had to play the part of double agent and her shipmates that were captured with her felt betrayed. The times and trials she goes through was so interesting! The ending was unexpected but perfect. I may read this one again! "I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review."
It is a quite lovely addition to "Daughters of the Mayflower", Christian historical fiction series. The main character of "The Liberty Bride" is Emeline Baratt, an artist at heart, who loves painting and secretly longs for adventure (don't we all?).
The novel takes place in August 1814 when England and America are at war. During voyage by a privateer's ship from England to Boston, Emeline is captured by English warship. She is considered a prisoner of the Crown, so to help other prisoners and facilitate her own escape, she decides to pretend that she is loyal to England and become a spy. She has no idea there is another American spy very close to her, that watches her every move and despises her for betraying her country...
Frederick Tudgay (1841-1921) via Wikimedia Commons
First Lieutenant Owen Masters just waits for an opportunity to steal valuable information from the British and escape from hated service. He wants to fight for the American cause, but for the moment he has to pretend and lie. He is fascinated by Emeline, her courage and beauty, but of course he is determined to stay away from her. No such luck, they are both send on a dangerous mission, that could mean the destruction of American resistance. What makes everything even more dangerous is that they are still not sure about each other's loyalties.
Emeline and Owen need to learn the importance of trust and that sometimes an enemy can be an ally in disguise. Overall, it was an enjoyable read.
I received "The Liberty Bride" from the publisher via NetGalley. I would like to thank the author and the publisher for providing me with the advance reader copy of the book.
I have loved these beautiful books called “The Daughters of the Mayflower”. In The Liberty Bride, Emeline tries to do the best she can in helping the wounded aboard her father’s privateers. American and England is at war and she gets trapped behind enemy lines. What does she do? Well she becomes a spy but feels bad about the wrong things and wants to understand and trust God. Emeline also starts to have feelings for Lieutenant Owen Masters who is the enemy. That’s as much as I’m going to say about that but the plot is great. Each character is passionate about their country and the secrets they keep. You will also feel as if you are on the ship with Emeline and Owen from Ms Tyndall’s description of the sea and the ship. Oh the adventures you will have reading this book. The Liberty Bride is part of a series wrote by different authors and can be read as a stand-alone. If you like Historical Fiction with romance, a war, spies and adventures you must read this one. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
This book was a miss for me. Mostly, I think it was just not to my taste. There was something I couldn’t quite figure out about it that rubbed me the wrong way. It could have been the suicidal thoughts in the lead that didn’t really match up with her goals. It could have been the inconsistency between the lead having “never wanted to marry” and suddenly deciding to give up everything and marry to “please her father.” It could have been the attempted rape that came out of nowhere with a claim that the lady flirted when there were absolutely no signs of that (she was only taking care of wounded men, as she was instructed by the ship’s captain). It could have been the leading man, who seemed to have split personalities. Things didn’t quite match up about him, as he was a spy trying to do the right thing while in his POV but was apparently a drunken womanizer when other people spoke about him while in the leading lady’s POV. He felt like two different guys, so it was difficult to understand him enough to root for him.
It took me a month to get to page 91 (the start of chapter 11). That is incredibly slow for me, and it isn’t normal to not want to pick up the book. So I chose not to finish it after giving it 10 chapters and nearly 100 pages.
Enjoyable read...great characters and faith theme. I didn’t really connect with the main characters as much as I would have like to do, but i did enjoy the read.
To me, the best part of this book is the faith theme that’s woven in so well.
MaryLu Tyndall’s addition to The Daughters of the Mayflower series, The Liberty Bride is a fabulous read! I believe it is my favorite of all of the series. I loved the adventure, action and historical details that made me feel like part of Owen Masters and Emeline Baratt’s story. I highly highly recommend The Liberty Bride. Especially, for readers who enjoy clean historical fiction that is full of faith and inspiration. I would give it 100 stars if I could.
I have read several of MaryLu Tyndall’s novels before and largely enjoyed them. When I found her latest was included in The Daughters of the Mayflower series, I excitedly began reading as soon as I could. The action begins from the earliest pages with characters that quickly embedded in my heart even as they tried to make sense of the world at war around them, and the battles that wage within their own hearts.
I really enjoyed both Owen and Emeline and could relate to them at different points in the story. They struggle for much of the novel, sometimes with their own desires, but often with God and what they think He wants from them. The questions are honest, and the faith journey of both is realistic, even though they come from different reasons and backgrounds. Nothing gets rushed, yet another way the depiction is authentic.
The adventure is high in this novel, though the action does not sacrifice the great romance, which is not an easy feat—often a book will have one or the other dominate. Perhaps it is the war-time setting that keeps the action up even as the characters try to understand their hearts. All I know is that the two, seemingly opposing facets of the story, somehow work in tandem to produce a book that I could not put down.
This is a wonderful novel with solid Christian content that lets us journey with new believers as they discover it is about relationship with Jesus rather than a list of rules to follow. Even with its strong message, the adventure in Tyndall’s latest cannot be denied, and the first-rate romance set during these tumultuous days will appeal to those who look for a fantastic love story. Current fans will no doubt enjoy this tale of ships and spies, though anyone with an interest in American history will find it riveting as well, perhaps winning new readers through this novel that really does have it all. I recommend it highly!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
"I try so hard to be good, but sometimes it seems the world, or perhaps God, is against me."
Just hours after musing about what it would feel like to escape her impending life of stuffy expectations by plunging into the sea, Emeline Barratt is trapped on board a Royal British Navy vessel as a prisoner of war. Prompted by her travel companion to use her feminine wiles to full advantage, she feigns allegiance to Britain; using her recent stay in England with a great aunt to corroborate her story.
Lieutenant Owen Masters is walking a fine line, serving aboard the HMS Marauder while he gathers intelligence information for the American military. Shocked to discover a beautiful young woman on board as a prisoner, Owen thinks her to be a co-patriot until she spouts off her true loyalties to his captain. Except that she is an enigma, using her nursing skills to treat both American and British soldiers, while quietly deflecting attention off of herself. The women that Owen has known, and there have been quite a few of them, never seemed to think about anyone but themselves.
When duty forces Owen and Emeline to share a dangerous mission, the mantra "give me liberty or give me death" rings loud and clear. This heart throbbing tale, with its boatloads of riveting history and war time romance, showcases this author's signature ability to craft an enticing adventure on the high seas, during the war of 1812.
The Liberty Bride is the last in The Daughters of the Mayflower series and MaryLu Tyndall takes it out with a bang. Set mainly on board a ship, which is her specialty, the book is full of suspense, heroism and war.
Emeline Baratt is on board a ship from England to America to rejoin her father when the ship is captured by a Royal Navy frigate. Emeline is taken on board with the others on board their ship and held as prisoners on the frigate. Lt. Owen Masters of the Royal Navy is shocked to see a woman on board the ship and even more shocked to think she may be a traitor to her country. After a while, the British captain sends both Emeline and Masters on land to spy for the British. They both are forced to make very hard choices now.
MaryLu Tyndall has always written such wonderful books and I've long been a reader of those books. She is great at what she does and I absolutely love her pirate books. She brings part of that specialty to this last book in a most wonderful series. Recommended.
*I was given a complimentary copy of this book by Barbour Publishing and the author and was under no compulsion to leave a positive review. All opinions stated here are entirely my own.
Thanks to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for an ARC of this book!
This series is great for a not too serious, easy to read, clean, historical love story. I enjoyed an earlier book in the series, The Pirate Bride, and enjoyed this one just as much. Each book takes place during a different time period with different main characters so they can be standalones.
This book takes place during the War of 1812 and I found the historical aspect to be really well done. You can tell the author did a lot of research and dropped these fictional characters into some real historical events. I also thought the premise was really good - Owen and Emeline are both loyal to the Americans, but for different reasons pretend to be loyal to the British. So on the surface, they appear to be on the same (British) side, while inwardly thinking they are each other’s enemy, while in reality they are secretly and unknown to each other on the same (American) side. It was a really good dynamic and made the story interesting and at times frustrating in all the right ways.
The ending was satisfying, and getting there wasn’t quite as straightforward as I was expecting which was nice. Several obstacles and little twists kept getting in the way.
I’ve enjoyed both books in this series I’ve read so far so I’d definitely be interested in reading more of them!
A bit of light historical fiction set on the high seas. Piracy ship captured. British naval superiority. Spies on both sides of the conflict.
The female protagonist, Emeline, is a bit of frivolous fluff and somewhat wishy washy in characteristics. I truly like her maid or companion, Hannah. She seemed to help keep Emeline grounded. Emeline was foolhardy and risk taking. She put herself in questionable situations which really went against the mores of the times.
The story is good. The history interesting. Parts of the story were really attention grabbing. I really like that Emeline had a strong, compassionate, and caring personality. It overrode her weaker character traits.
The "Daughters of the Mayflower series" of books from Barbour Publishing are all interesting and feature momentous events in American history. In The Liberty Bride the historic event is the ending of the War of 1812 - often called America's Second War for Independence.
A good, clean read with lots of history, a liberal sprinkling of romance, and enough action to satisfy most readers. Recommended!
I received a complimentary copy to facilitate this review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given.