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The Daughters of the Mayflower #2
The Pirate Bride
Can a former privateer and a determined heiress find lost treasure in 1725?
Pasts Collide in New Orleans when a Treasure Goes Missing
One hundred years after her mother's family came to the New World on the Mayflower, Maribel Cordova has landed in New Orleans to seek the man who holds the key to finding her father’s lost treasure. Attorney Jean-Luc Valmot has buried his past life so deep that no living person will ever find it—or so he hopes as he accepts a position on the governor’s staff. But the daughter of an infamous pirate threatens all he holds dear. Can Maribel and Jean-Luc compromise so they both can hold onto what they most desire?
Join the adventure as the Daughters of the Mayflower series continues with The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo.
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)
The Chisholm Trail Bride by Kathleen Y'Barbo - (April 2020)
Pasts Collide in New Orleans when a Treasure Goes Missing
One hundred years after her mother's family came to the New World on the Mayflower, Maribel Cordova has landed in New Orleans to seek the man who holds the key to finding her father’s lost treasure. Attorney Jean-Luc Valmot has buried his past life so deep that no living person will ever find it—or so he hopes as he accepts a position on the governor’s staff. But the daughter of an infamous pirate threatens all he holds dear. Can Maribel and Jean-Luc compromise so they both can hold onto what they most desire?
Join the adventure as the Daughters of the Mayflower series continues with The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo.
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)
The Chisholm Trail Bride by Kathleen Y'Barbo - (April 2020)
259 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2018
109 people are currently reading
3145 people want to read
About the author
Kathleen Y'Barbo
132 books748 followersPublishers Weekly bestselling author Kathleen Y’Barbo is a multiple Carol Award and RITA nominee of more than one hundred novels with almost two million copies in print in the US and abroad.
A tenth-generation Texan and certified paralegal, she has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award as well a Reader’s Choice Award and is the winner of the Inspirational Romance of the Year by Romantic Times magazine.
To connect with her through social media, check out the links on her website at www.kathleenybarbo.com.
A tenth-generation Texan and certified paralegal, she has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award as well a Reader’s Choice Award and is the winner of the Inspirational Romance of the Year by Romantic Times magazine.
To connect with her through social media, check out the links on her website at www.kathleenybarbo.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 419 reviews
September 8, 2018
Loved the fun shipboard parts to this. It's got more than a few nods to classic swashbucklers, which I appreciated, as I'm a big sucker for Sabatini and such. The first two thirds was five stars, but the last third became too hurried and the ending, while satisfactory, didn't delve so deep into the characters and tied things off too fast, leaving me with a bunch of questions about what happened next. I think if it had been a regular length novel with a longer, more detailed ending, it would have easily gotten five stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and Goodreads giveaways for my free copy. A favorable review was not required.
Thanks to NetGalley and Goodreads giveaways for my free copy. A favorable review was not required.
May 10, 2018
Delightful! In book two of the Daughters of the Mayflower Series, the main character Maribel "Red" Cordoba is a spunky ten year old enamored with the lives of pirates and has her head stuck in a book. The banter she has with the captain of her ship is pure fun. Secondary characters added depth and enjoyment to the first part of the novel.
Maribel is a young woman in the second half of the story. Her spunk and love for books is still pleasantly in place. I would have liked for the second half to been a bit more developed. I felt like a bit of it was rushed.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and am so pleased to have found a new author with a back list to investigate. If you enjoy humor with your historical romance, don't miss The Pirate Bride!
My gratitude to publisher Barbour Books for a complimentary NetGalley copy of this novel. I was not required to post a review and the opinions expressed are my own.
Maribel is a young woman in the second half of the story. Her spunk and love for books is still pleasantly in place. I would have liked for the second half to been a bit more developed. I felt like a bit of it was rushed.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and am so pleased to have found a new author with a back list to investigate. If you enjoy humor with your historical romance, don't miss The Pirate Bride!
My gratitude to publisher Barbour Books for a complimentary NetGalley copy of this novel. I was not required to post a review and the opinions expressed are my own.
April 2, 2018
It's been a little while since I've stayed up all night and read a book. Spring break was last week for my kids and with lots of projects and activities planned as a family, I hardly even sat down to read at all. Not even audiobooks. Well Saturday evening after all the kids were in bed, I told my hubby that I was disappearing in a book. Ha! I had just finished a collection of novellas that I read so piecemeal that I just wanted to sit and devour a book. Now, I hadn't intended to read the whole thing in one sitting. Nope. Just wanted to read a few hours and then bed. Well, that was one good intention that went out the window when I was hooked from the very beginning of this book and kept saying, "just one more chapter because I have to know what happens next." I honestly did not want to set it down and wait. And, what's more, I didn't want the book to end.
Now, I will say that there were a couple things that I wanted more clarification for and something with her father didn't quite add up, or maybe I should say, it just needed a little more info/clarification. But other than a couple very minor things, this book was wonderful! Unputdownable! I enjoyed the first book well enough, but it didn't suck me in like this one did. The story line and setting, the characters and their personalities...just loved it! I actually want to go back it pick it up again right now.
I think I might need to add a few more pirate books into my reading list in the near future. I love them. Captain Jack Sparrow, eat your heart out because captain Jean-Luc is here to save the day!
Revenge, devious characters, pirate books, precocious children, loving parents and grandparent, ships galore, Havana, New Orleans, orphanage, Nuns, Islands, cannonballs, topmast, stars, friends, slaves, rag tag band of pirates (er um, excuse me privateers), French, Spanish, enemies, scheming thieves, money, beauty, time, adventure and love.
Mirabela Cordova is pulled away from everything she knows and loves when her father tells her that her mother and grandfather are dead and she must relocate with him. Thus she finds herself crossing the ocean, caught up in a pirate attack, losing her father and joining said pirate crew. Captain Jean-Luc, leader of said pirate crew doesn't know what to do with this redhead precocious child who has his crew bowing to her every whim and willing to mutiny for her sake.
Maribela was such a fun character. She begins the story at the age of 12 and is just a spitfire and a handful, but most importantly a good friend. She endears many hearts to her precocious ways and becomes in a way the heart of the ship. Many adventures abound until nefarious schemes are put into play and her life on the ship is turned topsy-turvy.
Jean-Luc has many secrets and will work very hard to keep them all hidden. For his safety, his family's safety, the safety of the crew, but most especially for young Maribela. When schemes come against him and he loses Maribela, his life balances on the edge of death and defeat. Years later everything he's believed and known will change by a chance encounter. But he must work quickly to uncover the plots that have been building for years if he is to have a chance to fix what was wrong.
I really enjoyed this one. Hence, me staying up all night...like ummmmmm, maybe I shouldn't tell you how late. *blushes* Ok, I stayed up until about 2:30. I just couldn't help myself. Well, actually, I read the book until 2:30 at which time I finished it. Then I laid in bed thinking over and over about it and wishing that there could be more. I wanted more, I had questions and I wanted answers. It ended in a way that worked but after growing to enjoy these characters, I wanted more. No, I didn't stomp my foot on the ground like a petulant child who didn't get their way. Although, I might have been tempted. Ha! Just kidding. I guess it's left to my imagination to decide what happens.
Something that I didn't realize when I picked up this second book (they can be read as stand alone novels-at least the first two that I have read-we'll see about the others when they come out), is that the characters are related. Maribela is the great-grandaughter of the couple from the first book. So that was a fun connection. There's just a very minor mention of them. I am excited to see if that familial connection continues on in the third book, The Captured Bride. I have the third one waiting for me as I received an ARC of it. Can't wait to read it!
Obviously I highly recommend this book for sure. A fun read that hooked me from the beginning. Some reviewers have said that they didn't get hooked until Maribela was finally in New Orleans, which is almost half way through the book. Nope, I was hooked right away. I loved her character. Innocent, naive and a spitfire that melted my heart. If you're looking at reading this series, or a couple of the books, I have to say read this one for sure! And probably the Captured Bride as well because Michelle Griep is a favorite author. This is my first full length novel by Kathleen Y'Barbo, although I think I might have read a novella by her (not positive though), but it won't be my last. I really enjoyed her writing style a lot. If you're a fan of hers then I think you'll be in for a treat with this one.
Content: Clean. Religious aspects throughout but it was not preachy. I really enjoyed how it was woven into the story and fit perfectly for the characters and time period. Mostly just talking about allowing God to judge and for us to not hold onto our anger, that he will take care of everything. Some battles, on land and sea but nothing overly graphic. There is some death. No sexual content.
I received a copy from the publisher, Barbour Publishing, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading!!!
Now, I will say that there were a couple things that I wanted more clarification for and something with her father didn't quite add up, or maybe I should say, it just needed a little more info/clarification. But other than a couple very minor things, this book was wonderful! Unputdownable! I enjoyed the first book well enough, but it didn't suck me in like this one did. The story line and setting, the characters and their personalities...just loved it! I actually want to go back it pick it up again right now.
I think I might need to add a few more pirate books into my reading list in the near future. I love them. Captain Jack Sparrow, eat your heart out because captain Jean-Luc is here to save the day!
Revenge, devious characters, pirate books, precocious children, loving parents and grandparent, ships galore, Havana, New Orleans, orphanage, Nuns, Islands, cannonballs, topmast, stars, friends, slaves, rag tag band of pirates (er um, excuse me privateers), French, Spanish, enemies, scheming thieves, money, beauty, time, adventure and love.
Mirabela Cordova is pulled away from everything she knows and loves when her father tells her that her mother and grandfather are dead and she must relocate with him. Thus she finds herself crossing the ocean, caught up in a pirate attack, losing her father and joining said pirate crew. Captain Jean-Luc, leader of said pirate crew doesn't know what to do with this redhead precocious child who has his crew bowing to her every whim and willing to mutiny for her sake.
Maribela was such a fun character. She begins the story at the age of 12 and is just a spitfire and a handful, but most importantly a good friend. She endears many hearts to her precocious ways and becomes in a way the heart of the ship. Many adventures abound until nefarious schemes are put into play and her life on the ship is turned topsy-turvy.
Jean-Luc has many secrets and will work very hard to keep them all hidden. For his safety, his family's safety, the safety of the crew, but most especially for young Maribela. When schemes come against him and he loses Maribela, his life balances on the edge of death and defeat. Years later everything he's believed and known will change by a chance encounter. But he must work quickly to uncover the plots that have been building for years if he is to have a chance to fix what was wrong.
I really enjoyed this one. Hence, me staying up all night...like ummmmmm, maybe I shouldn't tell you how late. *blushes* Ok, I stayed up until about 2:30. I just couldn't help myself. Well, actually, I read the book until 2:30 at which time I finished it. Then I laid in bed thinking over and over about it and wishing that there could be more. I wanted more, I had questions and I wanted answers. It ended in a way that worked but after growing to enjoy these characters, I wanted more. No, I didn't stomp my foot on the ground like a petulant child who didn't get their way. Although, I might have been tempted. Ha! Just kidding. I guess it's left to my imagination to decide what happens.
Something that I didn't realize when I picked up this second book (they can be read as stand alone novels-at least the first two that I have read-we'll see about the others when they come out), is that the characters are related. Maribela is the great-grandaughter of the couple from the first book. So that was a fun connection. There's just a very minor mention of them. I am excited to see if that familial connection continues on in the third book, The Captured Bride. I have the third one waiting for me as I received an ARC of it. Can't wait to read it!
Obviously I highly recommend this book for sure. A fun read that hooked me from the beginning. Some reviewers have said that they didn't get hooked until Maribela was finally in New Orleans, which is almost half way through the book. Nope, I was hooked right away. I loved her character. Innocent, naive and a spitfire that melted my heart. If you're looking at reading this series, or a couple of the books, I have to say read this one for sure! And probably the Captured Bride as well because Michelle Griep is a favorite author. This is my first full length novel by Kathleen Y'Barbo, although I think I might have read a novella by her (not positive though), but it won't be my last. I really enjoyed her writing style a lot. If you're a fan of hers then I think you'll be in for a treat with this one.
Content: Clean. Religious aspects throughout but it was not preachy. I really enjoyed how it was woven into the story and fit perfectly for the characters and time period. Mostly just talking about allowing God to judge and for us to not hold onto our anger, that he will take care of everything. Some battles, on land and sea but nothing overly graphic. There is some death. No sexual content.
I received a copy from the publisher, Barbour Publishing, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading!!!
September 8, 2018
"We are privateers, not pirates… We operate legally under Letters of Marque, and we conduct ourselves with honor and in accordance with the laws of France."
The Pirate Bride (2018, Barbour) by Kathleen Y'Barbo is second in the The Daughters of the Mayflower series. It is a Christian historical novel (with some romance) in multiple settings: "in the waters of the Caribbean Sea; April of 1724" and on the fictional "Isla de Santa Maria … and New Orleans, Louisiana; May of 1735." It is definitely a standalone story, linked to the previous book only in that the heroine is a descendant of a character in book one. I requested The Pirate Bride from Netgalley because two of my favorite authors each have a book in this series.
Rating: 4 stars
The heroine: Maribel Cordoba, 12, is the great-granddaughter of Mary Chapman, who was the heroine of The Mayflower Bride . This book opens with Mirabel mourning "that Mama and Abuelo were now with the angels" while enroute from Spain to the Caribbean with her father. Mirabel likes to keep her nose in a book - especially in high places - and her favorite book is The Notorious Seafaring Pyrates and Their Exploits. Soon after the book opens, she ends up on a privateer's ship… and spiritedly requests to become a crew member. She was "a wisp of a girl with flaming hair who was better at spotting and naming vessels than any man…" Mirabel is awesome. She's very loyal, a book nerd, and full of pluck. In the second half of the book, she is a 23-year-old adult, but I feel it's too spoiler-y to discuss that portion of the story at all.
Mirabel: "...I feel like I ought to warn you about me. See, what I decide to do and what I turn out to do is not always the same thing. So if I don't follow orders very well right now, I would like you to know I will only get better at it the longer I keep trying. I'm working on it, but I've got a long way to go."
Privateer: Miss Maribel, you and me both. You and me both.
Christian elements:
*There are a few Bible verses and some mentions of God throughout. There's one point where God's voice is audible to one of the main characters. Even with that, it did not feel as if God or the Bible were pervasive. I wouldn't say this was Christian Lite, but it didn't feel preachy either.
*"Just as Mama had taught her [Mirabel], she turned her fear of this unknown place that would become her new home into prayer." Turning fear to prayer. I love that!
*Regarding a former slave: "How was a man who was taken prisoner at the hands of his enemies and sold into slavery able not only to forgive those men but to rise above it all and still hold on to his faith in God? It made no sense."
Is it clean/chaste? Yes!
What I liked:
*Part of the story is a seafaring one. I liked that about The Mayflower Bride as well.
*The main and secondary characters are great. There's one character that confuses me a little bit, but everyone else is great.
*There's a blind character in the story.
*There's a character who I felt sure would end up being a bad egg, but that person turned out to be just the opposite. Kudos to the author for fooling me so completely!
*There's a very nice section at the end with historical notes.
What I didn’t like:
*In my opinion, a person who says, "I will tell no lies" did so.
*Instalove is very definitely present here. I checked back, and I felt that The Mayflower Bride also had instalove, which makes me wonder whether the entire series is going to be more adventure-driven than romance-driven. In general, I think it's still possible to have a romance occur more slowly and naturally, even when romance isn't the primary focus. However, I do acknowledge that it would have been extremely difficult to do that in this book since Mirabel is an adult only for the second half of the story, and the romance was in maybe the last quarter.
*This is an issue of personal preference only: This book spans years, and the story skips ahead several times, once jumping by about a decade. It gives the story more of an epic feel, which is not my personal preference. However, it does makes sense for this particular story.
***********
The bottom line: The Pirate Bride is quite an adventure that held several surprises for me as a reader. I recommend this book to fans of historical Christian fiction and swashbuckler tales. I look forward to reading more books by this author, and plan to read Beloved Castaway. I also plan to read the next in the series, The Captured Bride by Michelle Griep.
The Pirate Bride (2018, Barbour) by Kathleen Y'Barbo is second in the The Daughters of the Mayflower series. It is a Christian historical novel (with some romance) in multiple settings: "in the waters of the Caribbean Sea; April of 1724" and on the fictional "Isla de Santa Maria … and New Orleans, Louisiana; May of 1735." It is definitely a standalone story, linked to the previous book only in that the heroine is a descendant of a character in book one. I requested The Pirate Bride from Netgalley because two of my favorite authors each have a book in this series.
Rating: 4 stars
The heroine: Maribel Cordoba, 12, is the great-granddaughter of Mary Chapman, who was the heroine of The Mayflower Bride . This book opens with Mirabel mourning "that Mama and Abuelo were now with the angels" while enroute from Spain to the Caribbean with her father. Mirabel likes to keep her nose in a book - especially in high places - and her favorite book is The Notorious Seafaring Pyrates and Their Exploits. Soon after the book opens, she ends up on a privateer's ship… and spiritedly requests to become a crew member. She was "a wisp of a girl with flaming hair who was better at spotting and naming vessels than any man…" Mirabel is awesome. She's very loyal, a book nerd, and full of pluck. In the second half of the book, she is a 23-year-old adult, but I feel it's too spoiler-y to discuss that portion of the story at all.
Mirabel: "...I feel like I ought to warn you about me. See, what I decide to do and what I turn out to do is not always the same thing. So if I don't follow orders very well right now, I would like you to know I will only get better at it the longer I keep trying. I'm working on it, but I've got a long way to go."
Privateer: Miss Maribel, you and me both. You and me both.
Christian elements:
*There are a few Bible verses and some mentions of God throughout. There's one point where God's voice is audible to one of the main characters. Even with that, it did not feel as if God or the Bible were pervasive. I wouldn't say this was Christian Lite, but it didn't feel preachy either.
*"Just as Mama had taught her [Mirabel], she turned her fear of this unknown place that would become her new home into prayer." Turning fear to prayer. I love that!
*Regarding a former slave: "How was a man who was taken prisoner at the hands of his enemies and sold into slavery able not only to forgive those men but to rise above it all and still hold on to his faith in God? It made no sense."
Is it clean/chaste? Yes!
What I liked:
*Part of the story is a seafaring one. I liked that about The Mayflower Bride as well.
*The main and secondary characters are great. There's one character that confuses me a little bit, but everyone else is great.
*There's a blind character in the story.
*There's a character who I felt sure would end up being a bad egg, but that person turned out to be just the opposite. Kudos to the author for fooling me so completely!
*There's a very nice section at the end with historical notes.
What I didn’t like:
*In my opinion, a person who says, "I will tell no lies" did so.
*Instalove is very definitely present here. I checked back, and I felt that The Mayflower Bride also had instalove, which makes me wonder whether the entire series is going to be more adventure-driven than romance-driven. In general, I think it's still possible to have a romance occur more slowly and naturally, even when romance isn't the primary focus. However, I do acknowledge that it would have been extremely difficult to do that in this book since Mirabel is an adult only for the second half of the story, and the romance was in maybe the last quarter.
*This is an issue of personal preference only: This book spans years, and the story skips ahead several times, once jumping by about a decade. It gives the story more of an epic feel, which is not my personal preference. However, it does makes sense for this particular story.
***********
The bottom line: The Pirate Bride is quite an adventure that held several surprises for me as a reader. I recommend this book to fans of historical Christian fiction and swashbuckler tales. I look forward to reading more books by this author, and plan to read Beloved Castaway. I also plan to read the next in the series, The Captured Bride by Michelle Griep.
April 16, 2018
This is the second book in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. A wonderfully enjoyable read . I enjoyed reading about this scrap of a girl, a fiery redhead. I don't read many books taking place mostly on a ship let alone a privateer ship in the warm Caribbean. I love following the family through American history. A bit of a mystery follows the family. Likable, for the most part characters , believable plot that wrapped up nicely. It was refreshing to see Maribel Cordoba is not one of those prim and proper females simpering around males with her fan. She was her own person and stayed true to her beliefs even though her relatives tried to change her. Well done, Maribel. Looking forward to the next book in this series.
Pub Date 01 Apr 2018
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing, Inc. through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
Pub Date 01 Apr 2018
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing, Inc. through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
April 19, 2020
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. These are my honest thoughts.
The first impression of this book carried a blip. The previous book in the series had said that Mary Elizabeth had eight children, but this story’s character list declared that she had thirteen. I had a friend check her paperback copy of this book, and sure enough, that number was not corrected before it went to print. Thankfully, this number mattered not when it came to the actual story of The Pirate Bride, because the numbers of great-aunts and -uncles was not mentioned anywhere once the tale began. Thus, this miscommunication between authors of book one and book two was noted but did not in any way affect my rating.
Now to the good stuff.
This story had an unusual presentation, as the leading lady was twelve years old for nearly half the story. This was so unique and interesting and instantly unpredictable that I was enraptured directly from the first page. The author never once let me go either, because she kept the floodgates of surprises wide open and gushing waterfalls of twists. I truly gasped aloud and screeched a few times when certain somethings were revealed. I even texted a friend in all caps, which I hardly ever do, and I couldn’t help gushing to her about how amazing the plot twists in this book were.
Of course, I can’t talk about those twists here. Where would the element of surprise be for you, dearest reader friend? Please just tell me that you’ll read this book and discover the amazingness of it for yourself.
The characters, even the baddies, were spectacular. Nothing to complain about there. Everything to gush about, really. The spunkiness of Maribel—and what a lovely name!—was clear from page one and consistent throughout. The mystery surrounding Captain Beaumont kept me off kilter in a fantastic way. I love a book that is written so well that I don’t mind the mental vertigo it gives me because the twists and character development and settings and any number of other writerly things worked intrinsically together to create an incredible story that kept me guessing on and glued to every single page of the entire story.
Speaking of the setting, the boats, islands, ocean, gulf, and cities were described with such vivid detail that they instantly came alive in my imagination. The author’s love of history and detailed research is clear throughout, and it was fun to read more about her process in the author’s note following the story. Be sure to check that out after you read the story, because there are major spoilers back there if you jumped ahead. So insightful!
Mrs. Y’Barbo—and I would love to know how to pronounce this unusual and beautiful surname—has such a great and wonderful talent for storytelling. I’m eager to read more of her books, so if you’ve got a favorite, I’d love to hear which book of hers you think I should try next.
I thoroughly enjoyed every moment spent in this book, and I’m planning on purchasing a keeper copy as soon as my book budget allows. Yep, it cruised to the top of that list, as well as the top of my favorites list for this calendar year (2020). If you’re looking for a distraction from the worldwide pandemic of COVID-19, the adventure within the pages of this book awaits!
The first impression of this book carried a blip. The previous book in the series had said that Mary Elizabeth had eight children, but this story’s character list declared that she had thirteen. I had a friend check her paperback copy of this book, and sure enough, that number was not corrected before it went to print. Thankfully, this number mattered not when it came to the actual story of The Pirate Bride, because the numbers of great-aunts and -uncles was not mentioned anywhere once the tale began. Thus, this miscommunication between authors of book one and book two was noted but did not in any way affect my rating.
Now to the good stuff.
This story had an unusual presentation, as the leading lady was twelve years old for nearly half the story. This was so unique and interesting and instantly unpredictable that I was enraptured directly from the first page. The author never once let me go either, because she kept the floodgates of surprises wide open and gushing waterfalls of twists. I truly gasped aloud and screeched a few times when certain somethings were revealed. I even texted a friend in all caps, which I hardly ever do, and I couldn’t help gushing to her about how amazing the plot twists in this book were.
Of course, I can’t talk about those twists here. Where would the element of surprise be for you, dearest reader friend? Please just tell me that you’ll read this book and discover the amazingness of it for yourself.
The characters, even the baddies, were spectacular. Nothing to complain about there. Everything to gush about, really. The spunkiness of Maribel—and what a lovely name!—was clear from page one and consistent throughout. The mystery surrounding Captain Beaumont kept me off kilter in a fantastic way. I love a book that is written so well that I don’t mind the mental vertigo it gives me because the twists and character development and settings and any number of other writerly things worked intrinsically together to create an incredible story that kept me guessing on and glued to every single page of the entire story.
Speaking of the setting, the boats, islands, ocean, gulf, and cities were described with such vivid detail that they instantly came alive in my imagination. The author’s love of history and detailed research is clear throughout, and it was fun to read more about her process in the author’s note following the story. Be sure to check that out after you read the story, because there are major spoilers back there if you jumped ahead. So insightful!
Mrs. Y’Barbo—and I would love to know how to pronounce this unusual and beautiful surname—has such a great and wonderful talent for storytelling. I’m eager to read more of her books, so if you’ve got a favorite, I’d love to hear which book of hers you think I should try next.
I thoroughly enjoyed every moment spent in this book, and I’m planning on purchasing a keeper copy as soon as my book budget allows. Yep, it cruised to the top of that list, as well as the top of my favorites list for this calendar year (2020). If you’re looking for a distraction from the worldwide pandemic of COVID-19, the adventure within the pages of this book awaits!
March 20, 2018
The Daughters of the Mayflower series:
Book 1: The Mayflower Bride
Book 2: The Pirate Bride
The Pirate Bride worked as a stand-a-lone since each of the other books will feature different time periods. Future books in this series will be published throughout the rest of this year and will feature different authors. These books of faith present stories of love, historical settings, high adventure, and family trees.
Jean-Luc Valmont first met Maribell Cordoba during the conflicts between Spain and France. Or was that France and Spain? They were always flipping back and forth between being at peace and at war. Maribell, 12-years-old, watched the notorious pirate/privateer, Captain Jean Beaumont and his ‘Ghost Ship,’ take their Spanish ship Venganza and its treasure. Her father, whom she barely knew, was lost in the struggle. She then spent time on the Ghost Ship along with its Captain and crew. I loved these guys. As supporting characters, they made the story. It would have been dry toast without them. Those that were killed during the conflicts… I grieved their loss.
But then Maribell’s adventure came to an end. France had a warrant for the capture of Captain Jean Beaumont and after a battle to take him, she was lost and presumed dead. Later, the unconscious child was rescued and taken to a convent to be raised by the nuns. Our story then jumps eleven years into the future where she was now a teacher at the convent, with vague memories of her adventures on the high seas. Little did she know that her past was about to come for her along with the secrets held these many years.
This story was like a canoe riding on the surface of the water. It never went deeper with its emotions and feelings and was rather bland in the romance department. It was like ordering ice cream… I was expecting Rocky Road and got Vanilla instead. I just didn’t get this couple. I didn’t feel the romance between our two main characters. I realize this was a faith-based story… but even the Bible can curl your hair if you read the right chapters. It is possible to be romantic without being sleazy.
A lot of the drama happened off the page and we were just told about it. All the elements were there, but just couldn’t seem to pull it together. It jumped about; I had trouble knowing who the bad guys were and who were the good. The ending was rushed and I’m still not clear what happened. Like I said… it happened off the page and someone came running to tell our main characters… hey, it’s OK now. Really???
I volunteered to read an unedited galley from the publisher and NetGalley. The views expressed are my own. The projected publishing date is April 1, 2018.
Book 1: The Mayflower Bride
Book 2: The Pirate Bride
The Pirate Bride worked as a stand-a-lone since each of the other books will feature different time periods. Future books in this series will be published throughout the rest of this year and will feature different authors. These books of faith present stories of love, historical settings, high adventure, and family trees.
Jean-Luc Valmont first met Maribell Cordoba during the conflicts between Spain and France. Or was that France and Spain? They were always flipping back and forth between being at peace and at war. Maribell, 12-years-old, watched the notorious pirate/privateer, Captain Jean Beaumont and his ‘Ghost Ship,’ take their Spanish ship Venganza and its treasure. Her father, whom she barely knew, was lost in the struggle. She then spent time on the Ghost Ship along with its Captain and crew. I loved these guys. As supporting characters, they made the story. It would have been dry toast without them. Those that were killed during the conflicts… I grieved their loss.
But then Maribell’s adventure came to an end. France had a warrant for the capture of Captain Jean Beaumont and after a battle to take him, she was lost and presumed dead. Later, the unconscious child was rescued and taken to a convent to be raised by the nuns. Our story then jumps eleven years into the future where she was now a teacher at the convent, with vague memories of her adventures on the high seas. Little did she know that her past was about to come for her along with the secrets held these many years.
This story was like a canoe riding on the surface of the water. It never went deeper with its emotions and feelings and was rather bland in the romance department. It was like ordering ice cream… I was expecting Rocky Road and got Vanilla instead. I just didn’t get this couple. I didn’t feel the romance between our two main characters. I realize this was a faith-based story… but even the Bible can curl your hair if you read the right chapters. It is possible to be romantic without being sleazy.
A lot of the drama happened off the page and we were just told about it. All the elements were there, but just couldn’t seem to pull it together. It jumped about; I had trouble knowing who the bad guys were and who were the good. The ending was rushed and I’m still not clear what happened. Like I said… it happened off the page and someone came running to tell our main characters… hey, it’s OK now. Really???
I volunteered to read an unedited galley from the publisher and NetGalley. The views expressed are my own. The projected publishing date is April 1, 2018.
April 14, 2018
This book was not quite what I expected as I thought it would be about another woman who was on the Mayflower. Instead, it is about Maribel Cordoba, a descendent of Mary Chapman Lytton the heroine of Book 1. But it was a well written, high seas adventure with pirates, appealing characters, plot twists, and faith.
Maribel is a sweet tomboy, fiercely independent, intelligent, determined, unforgettable, and a bookworm. Her favorite book is about pirates and she spends many an hour dreaming of being a member of a pirate ship crew. When her much absent father spirits her away and they are forced aboard Jean-Luc's privateer ship known as the Ghost Ship, her adventures begin. Life takes unpredictable twists and turns for Maribel just like the rolling ocean she learned to love.
The romance thread was sweet with Marible dreaming often of the much older Jean-Luc; and, in turn, Jean-Luc fighting constant memories of the independent, outspoken, "I can do anything," Maribel. I felt the ending was rather rushed and somewhat predictable; but still, overall, this was a very enjoyable book.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.
Maribel is a sweet tomboy, fiercely independent, intelligent, determined, unforgettable, and a bookworm. Her favorite book is about pirates and she spends many an hour dreaming of being a member of a pirate ship crew. When her much absent father spirits her away and they are forced aboard Jean-Luc's privateer ship known as the Ghost Ship, her adventures begin. Life takes unpredictable twists and turns for Maribel just like the rolling ocean she learned to love.
The romance thread was sweet with Marible dreaming often of the much older Jean-Luc; and, in turn, Jean-Luc fighting constant memories of the independent, outspoken, "I can do anything," Maribel. I felt the ending was rather rushed and somewhat predictable; but still, overall, this was a very enjoyable book.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.
August 28, 2018
Rating 4,5 stars
I loved this book. It was filled with adventure, humour, fun memorable characters and twists I did not see coming.
Maribel was a fun, independent, adventurous 12 year old and later 23 year old women. I loved her love for books and adventure and how she stayed true to herself, even though society saw things different when she came to New Orleans.
Jean-Luc was a dashing spirited character. I enjoyed all his adventures and especially the scenes with him as a privateer.
I adored Abigail, she brought such a different atmosphere with her care and truthfulness.
The ending was a bit of a let down. I was expecting a bit more action.
The other reason for deducting 0.5 stars, is that the synopsis gives me an entirely different expectation for the story than what it was actually about. From the summary, I expected a exciting treasure hunt type of story line.
I will definitely read more from this author. This was the first book I've read from her and really enjoyed her style.
Recommended to fans of Historical fiction filled with adventure.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*
I loved this book. It was filled with adventure, humour, fun memorable characters and twists I did not see coming.
Maribel was a fun, independent, adventurous 12 year old and later 23 year old women. I loved her love for books and adventure and how she stayed true to herself, even though society saw things different when she came to New Orleans.
Jean-Luc was a dashing spirited character. I enjoyed all his adventures and especially the scenes with him as a privateer.
I adored Abigail, she brought such a different atmosphere with her care and truthfulness.
The ending was a bit of a let down. I was expecting a bit more action.
The other reason for deducting 0.5 stars, is that the synopsis gives me an entirely different expectation for the story than what it was actually about. From the summary, I expected a exciting treasure hunt type of story line.
I will definitely read more from this author. This was the first book I've read from her and really enjoyed her style.
Recommended to fans of Historical fiction filled with adventure.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*
April 18, 2018
I loved the adventure in this book! I learned the important difference between a pirate and a privateer, and loved Maribel's enthusiasm for her adventure at sea. The story begins with a young Maribel being kidnapped by her absentee father who is being chased by the infamous privateer Captain Jean Beaumont. Her immediate allegiance to Jean was interesting, and he and his crew couldn't help but be won over by her bright and frank personality. There are politics, skirmishes, and intense battles that led to unexpected plot twists. The pace was swift but felt a bit disjointed as the author took large jumps forward in time and switched perspectives unevenly. I enjoyed Maribel's spunky character immensely and felt that she was very well-written. Jean's motivations for privateering were murky until the very end of the book, and I felt like it was a bit harder to get to know him, that the depths of his characters weren't fully explored, although he is likeable enough. I appreciated that this story veered from the usual clichés and took me on an adventure that kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next.
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
October 3, 2020
Wow, what a read! The first half was a little slow, but the second half was so action-packed and lovely that it ended way too fast!!!
I absolutely loved Maribel and Jean-Luc from the start! Maribel is independent, quick-witted, adventurous, and a little wiley. Not to mention, very bookish! As she has grown up away from society, she is true to herself and blissfully unconcerned with following the rules of society as well as of what other's think of her.
Jean-Luc is a strong leader and well-respected. He does right by those around him, even if it costs him.
There were a few things that took me by surprise, which seems to be a bit of a rarity lately. I should have seen them coming but I didn't, so that was fun! But, honestly, by the time I was on the last few pages, I was hoping for an epilogue or some other continuation of the characters' story! 😍
My one complaint with this book may seem trivial, but it is one of my biggest pet peeves with published books: Inconsistencies! The main one in this book that really bugged me the whole time is Maribel's age. Sometimes she is 12 years old, sometimes only 11, and her age as she grows up seems to follow this pattern of inconsistency.
I absolutely loved Maribel and Jean-Luc from the start! Maribel is independent, quick-witted, adventurous, and a little wiley. Not to mention, very bookish! As she has grown up away from society, she is true to herself and blissfully unconcerned with following the rules of society as well as of what other's think of her.
Jean-Luc is a strong leader and well-respected. He does right by those around him, even if it costs him.
There were a few things that took me by surprise, which seems to be a bit of a rarity lately. I should have seen them coming but I didn't, so that was fun! But, honestly, by the time I was on the last few pages, I was hoping for an epilogue or some other continuation of the characters' story! 😍
My one complaint with this book may seem trivial, but it is one of my biggest pet peeves with published books: Inconsistencies! The main one in this book that really bugged me the whole time is Maribel's age. Sometimes she is 12 years old, sometimes only 11, and her age as she grows up seems to follow this pattern of inconsistency.
December 12, 2019
I enjoyed the first book in this series, but this one, not so much.
Oh, actually, I really liked the first 80%. But after Maribel, the main character (missing 11 years, whose mother and grandfather searched for year after year) was "found" in a convent and brought home... it went downhill from there.
Story issues for my benefit only. Spoiler, so I don't suggest reading on.
However, I loved the author's research, loved the history, loved many of the characters, and I loved how the privateer captain grew into a man of honor.
Sadly the ending was disjointed, just didn’t come together properly, or seem well thought out.
Ah well. I’m still looking forward to the next book in the series by Michelle Griep.
Oh, actually, I really liked the first 80%. But after Maribel, the main character (missing 11 years, whose mother and grandfather searched for year after year) was "found" in a convent and brought home... it went downhill from there.
Story issues for my benefit only. Spoiler, so I don't suggest reading on.
However, I loved the author's research, loved the history, loved many of the characters, and I loved how the privateer captain grew into a man of honor.
Sadly the ending was disjointed, just didn’t come together properly, or seem well thought out.
Ah well. I’m still looking forward to the next book in the series by Michelle Griep.
March 19, 2018
Though this is the second installment in the Daughters of the Mayflower series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone novel.This book offers the reader a fantastic adventure on the high seas. Pirates, political intrigue, family secrets and romance make this a fast-paced enjoyable read. I loved the feisty heroine, Mirabel. The hero, Jean-Luc inspires unfailing loyalty.
Although this book appears to be a quick, entertaining read, don't miss the spiritual thread woven throughout. Some of my favorite quotes were insightful and held meaning for this reader.
One of my favorite quotes by a young Mirabel, " What I decide to do and what I turn out to do is not always the same thing. So if I don't follow orders very well right now, I would like you to know I will only get better at it the longer I keep trying. I'm working on it but I've got a long way to go."
Favorite quote spoken to Jean-Luc- " So when you ask me to take you down a path where you will very likely add more scars to the ones you've collected? I follow your lead because you are my friend and my captain, but I do not follow that lead willingly."
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.
Although this book appears to be a quick, entertaining read, don't miss the spiritual thread woven throughout. Some of my favorite quotes were insightful and held meaning for this reader.
One of my favorite quotes by a young Mirabel, " What I decide to do and what I turn out to do is not always the same thing. So if I don't follow orders very well right now, I would like you to know I will only get better at it the longer I keep trying. I'm working on it but I've got a long way to go."
Favorite quote spoken to Jean-Luc- " So when you ask me to take you down a path where you will very likely add more scars to the ones you've collected? I follow your lead because you are my friend and my captain, but I do not follow that lead willingly."
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.
January 5, 2018
This is what I’d call my guilty pleasure type of book. The fast pace kept me engaged and entertained. A fun way to spend a few hours.
November 6, 2018
3.5 stars
The Pirate Bride was so much better than the first book, The Mayflower Bride. I really liked the characters and found it interesting how the story started out with the MC being young and then jumped ahead 11 years. I found both portions of the book to be interesting.
The romance was okay; I didn't connect to it, but that may have just been me and my reading mood at the time. The writing style was great and I found it to be an easy read.
All in all, The Pirate Bride was a good read and I am looking forward to the next one in this series.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 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.*
The Pirate Bride was so much better than the first book, The Mayflower Bride. I really liked the characters and found it interesting how the story started out with the MC being young and then jumped ahead 11 years. I found both portions of the book to be interesting.
The romance was okay; I didn't connect to it, but that may have just been me and my reading mood at the time. The writing style was great and I found it to be an easy read.
All in all, The Pirate Bride was a good read and I am looking forward to the next one in this series.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 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.*
March 23, 2018
The Pirate Bride was full of many interesting and dangerous situations. I feel that I learned a lot as I read the story.
This book was divided into two sections. One setting took place around the time that the main character, Maribel, was a child and detailed the events that surrounded her capture by privateer Jean-Luc Valmont. The other setting took place in the time when Maribel was a grown young woman.
I was very interested in seeing how things played out for these characters throughout the years. The action and adventure of the time at sea with the privateers was exciting and I enjoyed reading about the things that went on with the characters on the ship. The second portion of the book did not capture my interest in the way that the first portion did. I was happy to see how things worked out for Maribel and Jean-Luc, but I did not feel the chemistry between the two of them that I was hoping for. An overall interesting story to read, but the romance wasn’t really there for me.
(3.5 stars)
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
You can read this review on my blog:
https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...
This book was divided into two sections. One setting took place around the time that the main character, Maribel, was a child and detailed the events that surrounded her capture by privateer Jean-Luc Valmont. The other setting took place in the time when Maribel was a grown young woman.
I was very interested in seeing how things played out for these characters throughout the years. The action and adventure of the time at sea with the privateers was exciting and I enjoyed reading about the things that went on with the characters on the ship. The second portion of the book did not capture my interest in the way that the first portion did. I was happy to see how things worked out for Maribel and Jean-Luc, but I did not feel the chemistry between the two of them that I was hoping for. An overall interesting story to read, but the romance wasn’t really there for me.
(3.5 stars)
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
You can read this review on my blog:
https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...
January 20, 2018
This book was such an enjoyable read. It followed Maribel Cordoba (Red) the young daughter of a Spanish ship captain and Jean-Luc a French ship captain. After taking over the ship of Maribel and her father, Jean-Luc forms a special place in his heart for Red, though he does not realize it for years later. Maribel is a reader of pirate books, knowing all ships, the duties of all aboard, and cannot help but irritate the French captain. After years of searching for the rebellious Red who has grown up in a convent on a Caribbean island, Maribel finds her family, and Jean-Luc finally finds her by pure chance.
I liked this book for its story on the ocean, the life of a privateer, and of course the love it brought to Maribel and Jean-Luc. I have to admit it did take me a good bit to get into, but once Maribel made her way to New Orleans, the story really picked up and I enjoyed where it was going. I would recommend this book, especially if you enjoyed the Mayflower Bride. This is a great series and I cannot wait to read the next.
I received this from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
I liked this book for its story on the ocean, the life of a privateer, and of course the love it brought to Maribel and Jean-Luc. I have to admit it did take me a good bit to get into, but once Maribel made her way to New Orleans, the story really picked up and I enjoyed where it was going. I would recommend this book, especially if you enjoyed the Mayflower Bride. This is a great series and I cannot wait to read the next.
I received this from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
August 5, 2020
This is the story of a girl finding adventure. It is supposed to be a love story but I would not call this a love story. I wouldn't even call it a history novel. You do learn a little about the time and privateering and how that is different than pirating. We follow Maribell and Jean Luc on a long adventure spanning 11 years. I just didn't find myself pulled into the story or invested in the characters. The kiss at the end was so disappointing. I waited all that time for insta love and "they kissed". Oh well. The book was interesting and the storyline a good one. Just not an author who's style I like.
January 25, 2018
An enjoyable read full of adventure! A descendant from the Lytton family tree from book one of the series, Maribel Cordoba finds herself having quite an adventure as a twelve year old when out at sea with her estranged father. The story fast forwards to eleven years later on as she begins a new life in New Orleans, in 1724.
I enjoyed the character of Maribel, with her insatiable curiosity, friendly nature and intelligent bantering with the shipmates, especially Captain Jean. It was a fun story to read, and had me guessing how she would adjust to life later on as an adult. The twists and turns with the many characters popping in and out of her life, made it move along quickly. The ending felt a bit rushed and condensed, with the romance part a bit awkward, but it was a satisfying read overall.
Recommend to fans of sea going tales, Christian historicals and clean romances. Reads fine as a standalone. 4.5 stars
(An e-book was provided by NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.)
I enjoyed the character of Maribel, with her insatiable curiosity, friendly nature and intelligent bantering with the shipmates, especially Captain Jean. It was a fun story to read, and had me guessing how she would adjust to life later on as an adult. The twists and turns with the many characters popping in and out of her life, made it move along quickly. The ending felt a bit rushed and condensed, with the romance part a bit awkward, but it was a satisfying read overall.
Recommend to fans of sea going tales, Christian historicals and clean romances. Reads fine as a standalone. 4.5 stars
(An e-book was provided by NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.)
June 14, 2018
The premise and historical context of this story were fascinating but the execution missed the mark for me. There was a lot of telling, not enough showing, and the character and plot development just weren’t there. Quite a bit was going on plot wise, but the author glossed over the lot of it. I’m sorry I didn’t like this more. :(
The message that God can be found in our messed up world was the best part of this story, and the ending was sweet as well. An epilogue would have been appreciated, but maybe there’s mention of these characters in the next book.
The message that God can be found in our messed up world was the best part of this story, and the ending was sweet as well. An epilogue would have been appreciated, but maybe there’s mention of these characters in the next book.
May 28, 2018
Synopsis: As a child, Maribel was on the privateer Jean-Luc's ship. Years later, Jean-Luc has put his pirating days behind him...until a grown Maribel, who never forgot him, appears on his doorstep. Can he open his heart to someone from his former life?
The Good: This was well-written and engaging.
The Bad: Parts of it I had trouble following, but, the story was so sweeping, I didn't mind.
The Good: This was well-written and engaging.
The Bad: Parts of it I had trouble following, but, the story was so sweeping, I didn't mind.
June 1, 2021
This book was cute and enjoyable and I liked the writing and storytelling. The characters were fun and lively.. especially the lead character: Maribel Cordoba, I enjoyed her energy and boldness.
My biggest issue is that it was too short! It was rushed and the ending finished way too fast! It was all tied up in one chapter without any real resolution.
The romance was also sudden.. at least for my taste. No build up to feelings.. it was just “boom” and all of a sudden they loved each other.
With that said, I still enjoyed the book and would look into other books from this author.
My biggest issue is that it was too short! It was rushed and the ending finished way too fast! It was all tied up in one chapter without any real resolution.
The romance was also sudden.. at least for my taste. No build up to feelings.. it was just “boom” and all of a sudden they loved each other.
With that said, I still enjoyed the book and would look into other books from this author.
July 14, 2024
What a great story! Loved it.
April 9, 2018
Ahoy there, mateys! This book was a lot of fun. I loved Maribel—she reminded me of a swashbuckling Anne of Green Gables. I was intrigued from the very first page.
While this book left me with a few unanswered questions and I felt that the pacing was a bit erratic, I still thought this book was quirky and enjoyable. Again, I can’t help but compare it to Anne.
The story felt fairly juvenile to me but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Not to be redundant but the quirk and humor are what sold this book for me. I loved how spirited and free Maribel was. She was just crazy. Not bad crazy but crazy in an adorable Jack Sparrow kind of way.
As I already stated, I did have a few issues with this book. For one, I couldn’t figure out Jean-Luc’s fascination with Maribel. I didn’t get weirded out that Maribel was 11 and he was 25ish or so when they met. He didn’t fall for her until she was an adult. I never once felt that inappropriate lines were crossed or anything like that.
But, after so many years apart, their instant attraction upon meeting as adults felt like an insta-love story trope for me. Which I often have a hard time buying. Yes, they had a history together. However, you cannot take that into account without getting creepy.
I just don’t know what the deal is here. I couldn’t buy such a strong love developing so fast. It felt rushed and I just needed more time to accept Jean Luc and Maribel together as a couple.
I also felt that the ending was rushed. I needed more action. I just didn’t feel like my timbers adequately shivered. Savvy?
Note: Kristin reads and reviews both Christian and secular fiction on A Simply Enchanted Life. Out of respect for my readers, I am including a content review. This content review will help you decide whether this book is suitable for you.
Christian or Secular: Christian
ASEL Rating: Mild Violence (see below for more)
Content to be aware of: A girl falls in love with a man who is many years her senior. Having first met him at 11 years old, some readers (in other reviews) have found the relationship disturbing. Though she is 21 when they next meet.
Suggested Age: 15+
Want to see my reviews as they go live on the blog? You can follow A Simply Enchanted Life via Wordpress, bloglovin', social media or email!
This review originally posted on A Simply Enchanted Life
This book was provided to me by Barbour Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. All opinions are my own.
While this book left me with a few unanswered questions and I felt that the pacing was a bit erratic, I still thought this book was quirky and enjoyable. Again, I can’t help but compare it to Anne.
The story felt fairly juvenile to me but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Not to be redundant but the quirk and humor are what sold this book for me. I loved how spirited and free Maribel was. She was just crazy. Not bad crazy but crazy in an adorable Jack Sparrow kind of way.
As I already stated, I did have a few issues with this book. For one, I couldn’t figure out Jean-Luc’s fascination with Maribel. I didn’t get weirded out that Maribel was 11 and he was 25ish or so when they met. He didn’t fall for her until she was an adult. I never once felt that inappropriate lines were crossed or anything like that.
But, after so many years apart, their instant attraction upon meeting as adults felt like an insta-love story trope for me. Which I often have a hard time buying. Yes, they had a history together. However, you cannot take that into account without getting creepy.
I just don’t know what the deal is here. I couldn’t buy such a strong love developing so fast. It felt rushed and I just needed more time to accept Jean Luc and Maribel together as a couple.
I also felt that the ending was rushed. I needed more action. I just didn’t feel like my timbers adequately shivered. Savvy?
Note: Kristin reads and reviews both Christian and secular fiction on A Simply Enchanted Life. Out of respect for my readers, I am including a content review. This content review will help you decide whether this book is suitable for you.
Christian or Secular: Christian
ASEL Rating: Mild Violence (see below for more)
Content to be aware of: A girl falls in love with a man who is many years her senior. Having first met him at 11 years old, some readers (in other reviews) have found the relationship disturbing. Though she is 21 when they next meet.
Suggested Age: 15+
Want to see my reviews as they go live on the blog? You can follow A Simply Enchanted Life via Wordpress, bloglovin', social media or email!
This review originally posted on A Simply Enchanted Life
This book was provided to me by Barbour Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. All opinions are my own.
April 25, 2018
I read this book immediately following The Mayflower Bride since it is a series but they can be read as standalones. Maribel is the great granddaughter of Mary but that's the only real mention from the first book. This is a Christian/Young Adult/Historical Fiction book and I really enjoyed it. In fact I flew through it and liked it more than the first of the series. Thank you for not having that preachy feel with this book.
Maribel is 12 when she loses her mom and grandfather and is forced to cross the sea to join her father. When privateers attack and her father is also killed she is left joining the crew to survive. She is fierce and passionate while still being innocent. I admired her bravery and strength to stick to her beliefs.
Jean-Luc is surprised with how quickly the little redheaded Maribel has captured the hearts of his crew and does his best to get them safely across the high seas. He in turn gets separated from Maribel and has to try to leave his past to get on with his life.
Maribel travels to New Orleans trying to find the man who holds the location of her father's wealth and property surprised to be reunited with Jean-Luc and sharing another adventure together as an older young woman this time.
I received this book from Barbour publishing and NetGalley in exchange for my fair and honest review.
Maribel is 12 when she loses her mom and grandfather and is forced to cross the sea to join her father. When privateers attack and her father is also killed she is left joining the crew to survive. She is fierce and passionate while still being innocent. I admired her bravery and strength to stick to her beliefs.
Jean-Luc is surprised with how quickly the little redheaded Maribel has captured the hearts of his crew and does his best to get them safely across the high seas. He in turn gets separated from Maribel and has to try to leave his past to get on with his life.
Maribel travels to New Orleans trying to find the man who holds the location of her father's wealth and property surprised to be reunited with Jean-Luc and sharing another adventure together as an older young woman this time.
I received this book from Barbour publishing and NetGalley in exchange for my fair and honest review.
March 22, 2018
The Pirate Bride is a real treasure. It has been a long time since I read a novel featuring a pirate or rather privateer, as Captain Jean Beaumont continually reminds Maribel. The story and its characters engulfed me from the first page.
Y’Barbo has crafted an exciting tale of adventure on the high seas and in exotic locales. Combining snappy dialogue and witty characters, my attention never wavered. I did not experience one moment of boredom aboard ship or on land. The descriptions are incredibly vivid, creating pictorial images that made me long to spirit away on a ship to the islands. A hefty dose of danger and secrecy add paramount drama. And shiver me timbers, there is an unexpected twist to this story that made my jaw drop!
The Pirate Bride is the second book in The Daughters of the Mayflower series which will be comprised of six novels. Yes. Six! I have not read the first book in the series but I did purchase it as soon as I finished this one.
I was gifted a copy of The Pirate Bride from the publisher. I was not required to write a review. No compensation has been received.
Y’Barbo has crafted an exciting tale of adventure on the high seas and in exotic locales. Combining snappy dialogue and witty characters, my attention never wavered. I did not experience one moment of boredom aboard ship or on land. The descriptions are incredibly vivid, creating pictorial images that made me long to spirit away on a ship to the islands. A hefty dose of danger and secrecy add paramount drama. And shiver me timbers, there is an unexpected twist to this story that made my jaw drop!
The Pirate Bride is the second book in The Daughters of the Mayflower series which will be comprised of six novels. Yes. Six! I have not read the first book in the series but I did purchase it as soon as I finished this one.
I was gifted a copy of The Pirate Bride from the publisher. I was not required to write a review. No compensation has been received.
February 20, 2019
*thank you to Netgalley and Barbour publishing for this eARC in exchange for an honest review*
I am a huge historical fiction fan and I’m liking pirate tales lately so this book was perfect for me! Our MC, Maribel, is so fun of attitude and curiosity...the story is easily driven along by her adventures.
I really enjoyed this author’s use of the time period as a setting. Pirates and swashbuckling is always fun!
I am a huge historical fiction fan and I’m liking pirate tales lately so this book was perfect for me! Our MC, Maribel, is so fun of attitude and curiosity...the story is easily driven along by her adventures.
I really enjoyed this author’s use of the time period as a setting. Pirates and swashbuckling is always fun!
June 17, 2018
In a captivating tale of the seas, Y’Barbo gives readers a unique story of history and romance. Not just your everyday pirate tale, readers will fall in love with the troubled soul of a ship captain, and an unclaimed waif destines to take ownership of his heart. A story of loss, of love, and of the budding foundations of a nation still in infant form. This is a don’t-miss on my list!
February 25, 2018
Please Note: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence the opinions of my review in any way.
Writing a review of a book I don't like is not easy. I understanding how much work must have gone into this book, but I would be remiss if I just gave it a pass. I was looking forward to this novel because I love historical fiction. I love all the details that make me feel as if I know how the people of the time lived. But none of this is present in The Pirate Bride, by Kathleen Y'barbo.
What I Liked:
I found so many issues with this book, there was nothing in it that appealed to me.
What I Was Mixed About:
Religion:
I did find it refreshing that the characters prayed so much in this book. For the time this book was set in, religion would have been a integral part of the lives of any person.
However, as the characters were of French and Spanish origin, it was strange to me that they didn't seem to be Catholic. Where are the rosaries? The saints? The crucifixes? The priests? The absence of these details made the characters feel inauthentic.
What I Didn't Like:
Historical Details:
The story is said to take place in 1724 (?) but there are so few details, it could have happened in 1824 (or 1924). Despite the lovely cover, there are few discussions of clothing, food, or even locations. The novel moves from Spain, to an island in the Caribbean, to New Orleans, yet there are almost no descriptions of these places beyond the basics.
Along with that, the characters are supposed to be French and Spanish. Yet, other than calling Maribel's grandfather, Abuelo, and there being a few smatterings of French names, I got no sense they were of any particular country. There most certainly would have been customs (and food) from their homelands that would have been central to the characters as they settle into a new world.
Characters:
Maribel begins the story as a twelve year-old, but she seems to act like she's eight. I was really struck by this because a girl of that age growing up in Spain would have been more mature. She would have been taught to behave as an adult by that time.
Later, as a twenty-three year-old, she gets very affectionate with Jean-Luc, excusing her actions with saying she was raised by nuns so she doesn't understand proper etiquette. I found this ridiculous. If she were raised by nuns, she would have been taught to have very strict behavior around men. She would know better than to hug a man in public, and would know the implications of kissing a man (instant engagement or social ruin).
She also doesn't seem at all torn up about the apparent death of her childhood friend, Will Spencer, yet she is devastated by the deaths of all the pirates, whom she barely knows.
Romance:
The romance between Maribel and Jean-Luc was creepy! They started out knowing each other when she was twelve and he was twenty-five. Suddenly, it is eleven years later, and they are instantly attracted to each other. I can believe that Maribel may have had a crush on Jean-Luc as a child, but it was weird that he seemed to be attracted to her, even when she was a kid. There is a line in the book where he says, "When I couldn't find you, I didn't want to go on.", referring to when she was twelve. What? Why was he so attached to her as a child?
Story:
The description from Goodreads doesn't match the actual book. I wonder if a quick summary of the story was sold to the publisher and then it wasn't updated when the book was released? It was that disjointed.
Reading the actual novel, the story fell flat because of the lack of buildup to critical moments throughout the book. Perhaps the author felt this would drag down the story, but there needed to be a foundation of actions and emotions for the payoff at the end.
For instance, we never get to understand how Maribel feels about losing her family or her friends. There is no explanation as to what is going on with her mother and her father. Is her mother cooperating with the father, or is she being coerced? There were many references to everyone trying to shield her from her father, but no pay off at the end to explain this. Why did the father even try to bring her to Havana in the first place? Wouldn't it have been more logical for him to place her in a convent in Spain? These are just some of the plot points I found confusing.
Writing a review of a book I don't like is not easy. I understanding how much work must have gone into this book, but I would be remiss if I just gave it a pass. I was looking forward to this novel because I love historical fiction. I love all the details that make me feel as if I know how the people of the time lived. But none of this is present in The Pirate Bride, by Kathleen Y'barbo.
What I Liked:
I found so many issues with this book, there was nothing in it that appealed to me.
What I Was Mixed About:
Religion:
I did find it refreshing that the characters prayed so much in this book. For the time this book was set in, religion would have been a integral part of the lives of any person.
However, as the characters were of French and Spanish origin, it was strange to me that they didn't seem to be Catholic. Where are the rosaries? The saints? The crucifixes? The priests? The absence of these details made the characters feel inauthentic.
What I Didn't Like:
Historical Details:
The story is said to take place in 1724 (?) but there are so few details, it could have happened in 1824 (or 1924). Despite the lovely cover, there are few discussions of clothing, food, or even locations. The novel moves from Spain, to an island in the Caribbean, to New Orleans, yet there are almost no descriptions of these places beyond the basics.
Along with that, the characters are supposed to be French and Spanish. Yet, other than calling Maribel's grandfather, Abuelo, and there being a few smatterings of French names, I got no sense they were of any particular country. There most certainly would have been customs (and food) from their homelands that would have been central to the characters as they settle into a new world.
Characters:
Maribel begins the story as a twelve year-old, but she seems to act like she's eight. I was really struck by this because a girl of that age growing up in Spain would have been more mature. She would have been taught to behave as an adult by that time.
Later, as a twenty-three year-old, she gets very affectionate with Jean-Luc, excusing her actions with saying she was raised by nuns so she doesn't understand proper etiquette. I found this ridiculous. If she were raised by nuns, she would have been taught to have very strict behavior around men. She would know better than to hug a man in public, and would know the implications of kissing a man (instant engagement or social ruin).
She also doesn't seem at all torn up about the apparent death of her childhood friend, Will Spencer, yet she is devastated by the deaths of all the pirates, whom she barely knows.
Romance:
The romance between Maribel and Jean-Luc was creepy! They started out knowing each other when she was twelve and he was twenty-five. Suddenly, it is eleven years later, and they are instantly attracted to each other. I can believe that Maribel may have had a crush on Jean-Luc as a child, but it was weird that he seemed to be attracted to her, even when she was a kid. There is a line in the book where he says, "When I couldn't find you, I didn't want to go on.", referring to when she was twelve. What? Why was he so attached to her as a child?
Story:
The description from Goodreads doesn't match the actual book. I wonder if a quick summary of the story was sold to the publisher and then it wasn't updated when the book was released? It was that disjointed.
Reading the actual novel, the story fell flat because of the lack of buildup to critical moments throughout the book. Perhaps the author felt this would drag down the story, but there needed to be a foundation of actions and emotions for the payoff at the end.
For instance, we never get to understand how Maribel feels about losing her family or her friends. There is no explanation as to what is going on with her mother and her father. Is her mother cooperating with the father, or is she being coerced? There were many references to everyone trying to shield her from her father, but no pay off at the end to explain this. Why did the father even try to bring her to Havana in the first place? Wouldn't it have been more logical for him to place her in a convent in Spain? These are just some of the plot points I found confusing.
April 7, 2018
The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo.
This is second in the series The Daughters of the Mayflower and is set in 1724 to 1735 in the Caribbean and New Orleans.
Building on the heritage of faith seen in the first book, this was an exciting tale of the times when the relations between Spain, France and England were constantly changing. Kathleen has done an admirable job incorporating her research into the story of a spunky heroine and a swoon worthy and upstanding hero.
Maribel Cordoba and her father, Antonio, are on a ship that attacks the Privateer captained by Jean-Luc Valmont in the Caribbean waters. However, the Spanish ship is the one that goes down and Maribel is rescued by Jean-Luc.
This delightful story follows Maribel and Jean-Luc during the eleven years they are apart and culminates with their reunion. Maribel is raised by nuns on a small island not far from Jamaica and her faith grows strong but she does not lose her adventurous ways. Jean-Luc forgoes his Privateering life for a place as a lawyer in his father’s lucrative business in New Orleans. But he has never given up hope of finding Maribel who he fears was lost at sea. Many things are not what they first seem and that keeps the story very intriguing.
Kathleen writes such interesting secondary characters. Among them are the blind Mother Superior in charge of the orphanage and Jean-Luc’s right hand man Israel Bennet, a freed slave. I enjoyed the interaction of the Valmont family. They are closeknit, caring and their faith means much to them. This faith is presented naturally throughout their lives. They recognize that their prayers are answered and that the outcome of situations can only be by the hand of God.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions are my own.*
This is second in the series The Daughters of the Mayflower and is set in 1724 to 1735 in the Caribbean and New Orleans.
Building on the heritage of faith seen in the first book, this was an exciting tale of the times when the relations between Spain, France and England were constantly changing. Kathleen has done an admirable job incorporating her research into the story of a spunky heroine and a swoon worthy and upstanding hero.
Maribel Cordoba and her father, Antonio, are on a ship that attacks the Privateer captained by Jean-Luc Valmont in the Caribbean waters. However, the Spanish ship is the one that goes down and Maribel is rescued by Jean-Luc.
This delightful story follows Maribel and Jean-Luc during the eleven years they are apart and culminates with their reunion. Maribel is raised by nuns on a small island not far from Jamaica and her faith grows strong but she does not lose her adventurous ways. Jean-Luc forgoes his Privateering life for a place as a lawyer in his father’s lucrative business in New Orleans. But he has never given up hope of finding Maribel who he fears was lost at sea. Many things are not what they first seem and that keeps the story very intriguing.
Kathleen writes such interesting secondary characters. Among them are the blind Mother Superior in charge of the orphanage and Jean-Luc’s right hand man Israel Bennet, a freed slave. I enjoyed the interaction of the Valmont family. They are closeknit, caring and their faith means much to them. This faith is presented naturally throughout their lives. They recognize that their prayers are answered and that the outcome of situations can only be by the hand of God.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions are my own.*
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