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The Daughters of the Mayflower #7
The Alamo Bride
Will Ellis Lose All at the Alamo?
Ellis Dumont finds a man in New Orleans Grey unconscious on Dumont property in 1836. As his fevers rage, the man mutters strange things about treasures and war. Either Claiborne Gentry has lost his mind or he’s a spy for the American president—or worse, for the Mexican enemy that threatens their very lives. With the men of her family away, Ellis must stand courageous and decide who she can trust. Will she put her selfish wants ahead of the future of the republic or travel with Clay to Mission San Jose to help end the war?
Join the adventure as the Daughters of the Mayflower series continues with The Alamo 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)
Ellis Dumont finds a man in New Orleans Grey unconscious on Dumont property in 1836. As his fevers rage, the man mutters strange things about treasures and war. Either Claiborne Gentry has lost his mind or he’s a spy for the American president—or worse, for the Mexican enemy that threatens their very lives. With the men of her family away, Ellis must stand courageous and decide who she can trust. Will she put her selfish wants ahead of the future of the republic or travel with Clay to Mission San Jose to help end the war?
Join the adventure as the Daughters of the Mayflower series continues with The Alamo 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)
256 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2019
44 people are currently reading
1522 people want to read
About the author
Kathleen Y'Barbo
132 books747 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 228 reviews
March 30, 2019
I have read every book so far published in the Daughters of The Mayflower series, this is number 7. While they are a series they can also be read as standalones. All of the books feature a woman main character who is a strong,encouraging role model/heroine. I enjoyed this story it takes us back to 1835 in New Orleans,Louisiana then we find ourselves in Quintana,Texas . The book is filled with tension,is intriguing and will love appear? I love Ellis's strong character. Upon finding a stranger on her land she cares for him as she has been taught to do by her mother, also a healer but due to his injury he has memory loss . Is he dangerous, can he be trusted?
This was well researched and I feel like I have learned a lot about Texas and Mexico.
Published February 1st 2019
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Book through NetGalley. Thank you. All opinions expressed are my own.
This was well researched and I feel like I have learned a lot about Texas and Mexico.
Published February 1st 2019
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Book through NetGalley. Thank you. All opinions expressed are my own.
December 11, 2022
In 1836, Ellis Valmont finds a man wounded and unconscious in a stolen pirogue (a type of canoe) she and her mother Sophie treat his wounds. Ellis saw the man disembarking with the New Orleans Greys the previous day in Velasco and why hasn’t he moved on with the other members of his unit? As his fever rages, he mutters odd things about the war and about buried treasure? Ellis writes down and keeps a record of what he talks about and she discovers his name is Clay Gentry.
Ellis is concerned he has lost his mind or he’s a spy for the American president Andrew Jackson or for the enemy who continues to threaten the republic of Texas. With her father Boyd and brother Thomas away fighting, Ellis has to follow her instincts and faith in god.
Ellis and Clay leave for the San Jose Mission, here Ellis takes care of the sick and wounded, with his memory slowly returning and Clay remembers his promise to help his friend Sam Houston. The story has links to the novel, Pirate Bride, many of Maribel’s descendants are included in the narrative and their history. Both Ellis and Clay are strong characters and role models, they believe in doing what is right and the lord is walking alongside them and keeping the Mexicans from crossing the river into Texas.
I received a copy of The Alamo Bride from NetGalley and Barbour Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Kathleen Y'Barbo has written a story with a Christian theme and it’s the 7th book in the popular Daughters of The Mayflower series. I liked reading about Ellis’s use of herbs in healing, the couples links to New Orleans and their budding romance. Three and a half stars from me and I wish I had read all of the previous books in the series.
Ellis is concerned he has lost his mind or he’s a spy for the American president Andrew Jackson or for the enemy who continues to threaten the republic of Texas. With her father Boyd and brother Thomas away fighting, Ellis has to follow her instincts and faith in god.
Ellis and Clay leave for the San Jose Mission, here Ellis takes care of the sick and wounded, with his memory slowly returning and Clay remembers his promise to help his friend Sam Houston. The story has links to the novel, Pirate Bride, many of Maribel’s descendants are included in the narrative and their history. Both Ellis and Clay are strong characters and role models, they believe in doing what is right and the lord is walking alongside them and keeping the Mexicans from crossing the river into Texas.
I received a copy of The Alamo Bride from NetGalley and Barbour Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Kathleen Y'Barbo has written a story with a Christian theme and it’s the 7th book in the popular Daughters of The Mayflower series. I liked reading about Ellis’s use of herbs in healing, the couples links to New Orleans and their budding romance. Three and a half stars from me and I wish I had read all of the previous books in the series.
January 13, 2019
While The Alamo Bride didn't steal my heart like the author's prior book in the series The Pirate Bride, it was a well written story. I especially enjoyed the way the author painted a picture of the geography. I could easily visualize in my mind the setting.
Ellis is a lovely name and a compelling leading character. She has spunk and stubbornness like her grandmother along with a love for family and Texas.
This series continues to be such a wonderful journey through history. My gratitude to Barbour Books for a complimentary NetGalley copy of the novel. I was not required to post a review and all opinions expressed are my own.
Ellis is a lovely name and a compelling leading character. She has spunk and stubbornness like her grandmother along with a love for family and Texas.
This series continues to be such a wonderful journey through history. My gratitude to Barbour Books for a complimentary NetGalley copy of the novel. I was not required to post a review and all opinions expressed are my own.
February 4, 2019
Having read The Pirate Bride where I adored Maribel, it was fun to read about her great-granddaughter, Ellis, who had a lot of the fun qualities I enjoyed in Maribel. Some of my favourite parts were interactions between her and her grandfather where her strong will came across in a humorousness way.
Clay, with his memory issues, was also an interesting male lead and I enjoyed the interaction between the two.
The author did a great job with describing the setting and there was a lot of action which kept me turning the pages and not knowing what to expect.
Even though I enjoyed the story, I'm only rating it 3.5 stars. Thinking back on this story now, there was a lot of things that felt either rushed or unfinished for me. I never really new what Clay did in the past which he wanted to correct, the treasure hunt which sounded promising in the beginning did not meet my expectations.
I still enjoyed this story and loving the series.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*
Clay, with his memory issues, was also an interesting male lead and I enjoyed the interaction between the two.
The author did a great job with describing the setting and there was a lot of action which kept me turning the pages and not knowing what to expect.
Even though I enjoyed the story, I'm only rating it 3.5 stars. Thinking back on this story now, there was a lot of things that felt either rushed or unfinished for me. I never really new what Clay did in the past which he wanted to correct, the treasure hunt which sounded promising in the beginning did not meet my expectations.
I still enjoyed this story and loving the series.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*
February 20, 2019
The Alamo Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo is book seven in The Daughters of the Mayflower series from Barbour Publishing.
I have enjoyed these peeks into history. Each one of these stories is unique and I gleaned new information into these periods of history. I eagerly await the next books!
The Alamo Bride is very well written. Ms. Y’Barbo weaves a very believable story. There is the quandary of Clay Gentry, a New Orleans Grey soldier, who gets injured and loses his memory. He only knows he has a mission to perform. He is nursed back to health by Ellis Valmont. Together they travel to The Alamo to rescue her brother, Thomas. As memory gradually returns, Clay’s mission is revealed as having something to do with helping Texas win freedom from Mexico. There is excitement as they face danger.
The overarching theme is taken from Psalm 91. Ellis has chosen to memorize this Psalm and Clay is very familiar with it. The Valmont family takes God and His Word very seriously, attributing all to God, never to luck.
This story was a fascinating depiction of circumstances surrounding the incident at the Alamo, with just a brief mention of the actual battle there. Ms. Y’Barbo has done an impressive job researching the area and time period.
If you like good historical fiction, give this book and series a try.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*
I have enjoyed these peeks into history. Each one of these stories is unique and I gleaned new information into these periods of history. I eagerly await the next books!
The Alamo Bride is very well written. Ms. Y’Barbo weaves a very believable story. There is the quandary of Clay Gentry, a New Orleans Grey soldier, who gets injured and loses his memory. He only knows he has a mission to perform. He is nursed back to health by Ellis Valmont. Together they travel to The Alamo to rescue her brother, Thomas. As memory gradually returns, Clay’s mission is revealed as having something to do with helping Texas win freedom from Mexico. There is excitement as they face danger.
The overarching theme is taken from Psalm 91. Ellis has chosen to memorize this Psalm and Clay is very familiar with it. The Valmont family takes God and His Word very seriously, attributing all to God, never to luck.
This story was a fascinating depiction of circumstances surrounding the incident at the Alamo, with just a brief mention of the actual battle there. Ms. Y’Barbo has done an impressive job researching the area and time period.
If you like good historical fiction, give this book and series a try.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*
February 4, 2019
3.5*
I've enjoyed this Daughters of the Mayflower series a lot. I have two that I need to catch up on and am looking forward to them.
Kathleen Y'Barbo wrote a previous book in this series, The Pirate Bride. I thoroughly enjoyed it and her writing style. That was my first time reading a full length novel by this author. I did enjoy reading, The Alamo Bride, but it didn't capture my attention as much as, The Pirate Bride, did. It was fun though that the main character, Ellis, in this book was talked about being similar to her great grandmother, the main character from, The Pirate Bride. That was fun to have that connection again.
For me the story really picked up once Ellis and Clay had their first meeting. It was a good amount into the story. But there was some different setting up that the author had to achieve before they could meet and interact. I loved Ellis as she was trying to help and heal Clay, especially with trying to interpret his delirious ramblings when he was unconscious. I did skim a little bit here and there. Not necessarily because of the story or the writing but with my busy schedule and wanting to see what happened with these characters' story.
The ending was great. It came full circle and I loved the sweet family reunion. There is a strong sense of family throughout this book and I really liked that aspect a lot. If you haven't picked up any of these books yet, you can definitely read any of them as stand alone novels. If you read them in order you will understand the family history that is written about throughout the different novels. The authors do a good job at making sure you can understand the family history and allow these to be stand alone novels. So if you're worried that you won't be able to make sense of who is who, no worries, you can.
Content: Clean. These can be labeled as Historical Christian fiction. The characters think and look to God for guidance yet I didn't feel like it was over the top or preachy. It was a good balance, especially thinking about how people would have thought and been at this time period. There are some moments of peril. Some blood and battles but not overly graphic at all. I would recommend this book for older YA readers and up.
I received a copy from the publisher, Barbour Books, via NetGalley. I also won a kindle copy in a Goodreads giveaway. Yay! All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading!!!
I've enjoyed this Daughters of the Mayflower series a lot. I have two that I need to catch up on and am looking forward to them.
Kathleen Y'Barbo wrote a previous book in this series, The Pirate Bride. I thoroughly enjoyed it and her writing style. That was my first time reading a full length novel by this author. I did enjoy reading, The Alamo Bride, but it didn't capture my attention as much as, The Pirate Bride, did. It was fun though that the main character, Ellis, in this book was talked about being similar to her great grandmother, the main character from, The Pirate Bride. That was fun to have that connection again.
For me the story really picked up once Ellis and Clay had their first meeting. It was a good amount into the story. But there was some different setting up that the author had to achieve before they could meet and interact. I loved Ellis as she was trying to help and heal Clay, especially with trying to interpret his delirious ramblings when he was unconscious. I did skim a little bit here and there. Not necessarily because of the story or the writing but with my busy schedule and wanting to see what happened with these characters' story.
The ending was great. It came full circle and I loved the sweet family reunion. There is a strong sense of family throughout this book and I really liked that aspect a lot. If you haven't picked up any of these books yet, you can definitely read any of them as stand alone novels. If you read them in order you will understand the family history that is written about throughout the different novels. The authors do a good job at making sure you can understand the family history and allow these to be stand alone novels. So if you're worried that you won't be able to make sense of who is who, no worries, you can.
Content: Clean. These can be labeled as Historical Christian fiction. The characters think and look to God for guidance yet I didn't feel like it was over the top or preachy. It was a good balance, especially thinking about how people would have thought and been at this time period. There are some moments of peril. Some blood and battles but not overly graphic at all. I would recommend this book for older YA readers and up.
I received a copy from the publisher, Barbour Books, via NetGalley. I also won a kindle copy in a Goodreads giveaway. Yay! All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading!!!
April 5, 2020
"I doubt a man who marries her will be worried about whether she will starve him. He'd have much bigger problems than an empty belly if he were to take that lady on as a wife."
The Alamo Bride (2019, Barbour) is a standalone Christian historical romance set in 1885 in New Orleans, Louisiana and in the sister cities of Velasco and Quintana, Texas. Written by Kathleen Y'Barbo, this is the seventh installment of the multi-author Daughters of the Mayflower series. According to the series' official website, "This . . . series follows a family tree linked by the daughters across American history from the landing of the Mayflower through the events of World War II."
Rating: 5 stars
The heroine: Ellis Valmont
Ellis, a Texan - or rather, a Texian - is descended from "Spanish noblemen and French privateers. . . Her family tree was populated with brave souls who fought and died for a cause greater than themselves."
The Valmont family is a significant contributor to the fortification of Texas. "It was a source of pride to both Papa and Grandfather that Valmont Shipbuilders was bigger than any other enterprise in Velasco other than the military outpost of Fort Velasco." Also, Ellis' brother and father are in the military supporting the cause. She worries about their safety. . . and wonders whether they're still alive.
Side note: Initially, I had a moment of confusion and stopped reading to confirm that Ellis is, in fact, a female character. Looking it up, I found the following on Babynameshub.com: "Ellis: It's a boy! Since 1880, a total of 37,229 boys have been given the name Ellis while 7 girls were named Ellis." (Try your own name on this website!)
The hero: Claiborne Gentry
Clay is "aiding General Houston to bring freedom to Texas." Hailing from Tennessee, but possessing papers declaring him to be a citizen of Louisiana, Claiborne is ". . . the nephew of a governor [William Claiborne] . . . and the grandson of a pirate [Andre Gallier] who sailed with the infamous Jean Lafitte. . . . Here in New Orleans, Clay's resemblance to the grandfather his family never spoke of had caused him to fit in rather than look out of place. And when a man was carrying a secret on behalf of the president of the United States, looking out of place was not the goal."
Historical setting:
From the book:
"We are all citizens of Mexico until the question is finally settled with war." -- Ellis' grandfather
"Just yesterday, news of the battle in Gonzales had reached the city. A squabble over ownership of two cannons very likely had launched what would become a full-blown war."
This description is referring to the Battle of Gonzales, which is considered the beginning of the Texas Rebellion.
Christian elements:
"No buts… Trust does not allow for any buts. We pray for their safe return until the Lord shows us proof that was not His will." -- Ellis' grandfather
*By two percent into the story, I was happy to see that there were already two Bible passages.
*"He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust" is a recurring theme in the book.
Just for fun, check out this video clip showing a hen protecting its chicks from the rain.
Is it clean/chaste? Yes, certainly.
What I liked:
*The following is a slight spoiler, but it occurs early on in the story.
*I enjoyed the conversations between Ellis and Clay.
"I see you like it," she said without looking over at him.
"That is one possibility," he said as he scooped more eggs onto his plate . . . "Or perhaps I am just too polite to tell you that the eggs need more salt and the bacon wasn't crisp enough."
What I didn’t like:
*In the first half of this story, there isn't much dialogue between Ellis and Clay.
***********
Below are links to my reviews for all the previous books in the series. The Pirate Bride was also written by Ms. Y'Barbo.
Book 1: The Mayflower Bride
Book 2: The Pirate Bride
Book 3: The Captured Bride
Book 4: The Patriot Bride
Book 5: The Cumberland Bride
Book 6: The Liberty Bride
Other recommendation(s): The concept of this series reminds me very much of the American Adventure Series, an excellent Christian historical children's series that I read part of, years ago. The first in the series is ( The Mayflower Adventure. )
The bottom line: This was a very enjoyable historical fiction novel. I recommend The Alamo Bride to fans of the Daughters of the Mayflower series, American history, and Christian historical fiction.
It was a pleasure to read something by this Ms. Y'Barbo again, and I'm sure I will read more of her books in the future. I hope to read the rest of the books in this series, even if I can't get them via NetGalley at this point.
I got this particular book as an ARC, so my thanks to NetGalley and Barbour!
The Alamo Bride (2019, Barbour) is a standalone Christian historical romance set in 1885 in New Orleans, Louisiana and in the sister cities of Velasco and Quintana, Texas. Written by Kathleen Y'Barbo, this is the seventh installment of the multi-author Daughters of the Mayflower series. According to the series' official website, "This . . . series follows a family tree linked by the daughters across American history from the landing of the Mayflower through the events of World War II."
Rating: 5 stars
The heroine: Ellis Valmont
Ellis, a Texan - or rather, a Texian - is descended from "Spanish noblemen and French privateers. . . Her family tree was populated with brave souls who fought and died for a cause greater than themselves."
The Valmont family is a significant contributor to the fortification of Texas. "It was a source of pride to both Papa and Grandfather that Valmont Shipbuilders was bigger than any other enterprise in Velasco other than the military outpost of Fort Velasco." Also, Ellis' brother and father are in the military supporting the cause. She worries about their safety. . . and wonders whether they're still alive.
Side note: Initially, I had a moment of confusion and stopped reading to confirm that Ellis is, in fact, a female character. Looking it up, I found the following on Babynameshub.com: "Ellis: It's a boy! Since 1880, a total of 37,229 boys have been given the name Ellis while 7 girls were named Ellis." (Try your own name on this website!)
The hero: Claiborne Gentry
Clay is "aiding General Houston to bring freedom to Texas." Hailing from Tennessee, but possessing papers declaring him to be a citizen of Louisiana, Claiborne is ". . . the nephew of a governor [William Claiborne] . . . and the grandson of a pirate [Andre Gallier] who sailed with the infamous Jean Lafitte. . . . Here in New Orleans, Clay's resemblance to the grandfather his family never spoke of had caused him to fit in rather than look out of place. And when a man was carrying a secret on behalf of the president of the United States, looking out of place was not the goal."
Historical setting:
From the book:
"We are all citizens of Mexico until the question is finally settled with war." -- Ellis' grandfather
"Just yesterday, news of the battle in Gonzales had reached the city. A squabble over ownership of two cannons very likely had launched what would become a full-blown war."
This description is referring to the Battle of Gonzales, which is considered the beginning of the Texas Rebellion.
Christian elements:
"No buts… Trust does not allow for any buts. We pray for their safe return until the Lord shows us proof that was not His will." -- Ellis' grandfather
*By two percent into the story, I was happy to see that there were already two Bible passages.
*"He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust" is a recurring theme in the book.
Just for fun, check out this video clip showing a hen protecting its chicks from the rain.
Is it clean/chaste? Yes, certainly.
What I liked:
*The following is a slight spoiler, but it occurs early on in the story.
*I enjoyed the conversations between Ellis and Clay.
"I see you like it," she said without looking over at him.
"That is one possibility," he said as he scooped more eggs onto his plate . . . "Or perhaps I am just too polite to tell you that the eggs need more salt and the bacon wasn't crisp enough."
What I didn’t like:
*In the first half of this story, there isn't much dialogue between Ellis and Clay.
***********
Below are links to my reviews for all the previous books in the series. The Pirate Bride was also written by Ms. Y'Barbo.
Book 1: The Mayflower Bride
Book 2: The Pirate Bride
Book 3: The Captured Bride
Book 4: The Patriot Bride
Book 5: The Cumberland Bride
Book 6: The Liberty Bride
Other recommendation(s): The concept of this series reminds me very much of the American Adventure Series, an excellent Christian historical children's series that I read part of, years ago. The first in the series is ( The Mayflower Adventure. )
The bottom line: This was a very enjoyable historical fiction novel. I recommend The Alamo Bride to fans of the Daughters of the Mayflower series, American history, and Christian historical fiction.
It was a pleasure to read something by this Ms. Y'Barbo again, and I'm sure I will read more of her books in the future. I hope to read the rest of the books in this series, even if I can't get them via NetGalley at this point.
I got this particular book as an ARC, so my thanks to NetGalley and Barbour!
February 7, 2019
“Whatever else you know or do not know about yourself, you have the heart and mind of a hero.”
--Jean Paul Valmont to Clay Gentry
A tale of espionage, war, intrigue, hidden memories, and a feisty red head! This tale brings together beautiful, lively Ellis Valmont, a young woman from Texas, and Claiborne “Clay” Gentry, a member of the New Orleans Greys, a volunteer militia formed during the Texas War of Independence. As these two young people from disparate backgrounds work to piece Clay’s memory back together, their conflicting distrust and attraction creates a continuous thread of tension in this story.
It is fall of 1835 when Ellis finds Clay lying in a boat along the Brazos River with multiple serious wounds. As she works to nurse him amid family drama, she stealthily works to make sense of his unconscious ramblings about the war, treasure, and an important meeting. Ellis tries to put together the bits of information she gathers as Clay struggles to regain his memory in bits and pieces. Mistrust and suspicion keep the two from sharing their information initially.
Rich in historical detail, this story offers intrigue and romance as well. In addition, subtle reminders of faith are woven through the story. Lively characters, historical settings, and a captivating plot ensure that this book will capture the interest of historical and inspirational fiction fans. Enjoy Book Seven in this series! Coming next is The Golden Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse, set in 1849 in San Francisco.
This ARC copy was received from Barbour Books and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. The above thoughts and opinions are wholly my own.
4/5
--Jean Paul Valmont to Clay Gentry
A tale of espionage, war, intrigue, hidden memories, and a feisty red head! This tale brings together beautiful, lively Ellis Valmont, a young woman from Texas, and Claiborne “Clay” Gentry, a member of the New Orleans Greys, a volunteer militia formed during the Texas War of Independence. As these two young people from disparate backgrounds work to piece Clay’s memory back together, their conflicting distrust and attraction creates a continuous thread of tension in this story.
It is fall of 1835 when Ellis finds Clay lying in a boat along the Brazos River with multiple serious wounds. As she works to nurse him amid family drama, she stealthily works to make sense of his unconscious ramblings about the war, treasure, and an important meeting. Ellis tries to put together the bits of information she gathers as Clay struggles to regain his memory in bits and pieces. Mistrust and suspicion keep the two from sharing their information initially.
Rich in historical detail, this story offers intrigue and romance as well. In addition, subtle reminders of faith are woven through the story. Lively characters, historical settings, and a captivating plot ensure that this book will capture the interest of historical and inspirational fiction fans. Enjoy Book Seven in this series! Coming next is The Golden Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse, set in 1849 in San Francisco.
This ARC copy was received from Barbour Books and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. The above thoughts and opinions are wholly my own.
4/5
November 13, 2018
The newest addition to the Daughters of the Mayflower series has plenty of action, interesting history and courageous characters. The author does a thorough job of reminding readers of the family's history, connecting back to characters from her previous book in the series, The Pirate Bride. The introduction and historical notes at the end fill in the blanks about the real people and events mentioned in the text, showing her careful research. This made me curious and had me looking up names like Jean LaFitte, Sam Houston, and William Claiborne, and their connections to Andrew Jackson.
“He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust.”
Both Ellis and Clay take great comfort in reading the Book of Psalms, focusing on Psalm 91. Trusting in the Lord for help and comfort, and doing what they believe to be right was an important theme throughout. In a time of war that can be tricky, especially when helping wounded soldiers who appear to be spies or possible enemies. Ellis is brave, and willingly serves others with her knowledge of 'doctoring' using herbs. She seems to carry the burden for her family a lot. It was unclear what Clay was hiding from his past, and didn't seem to matter in the end. The idea of a possible treasure hunt was intriguing.
Readers who enjoy stories based on real historical events, with a clean romance, may like this latest addition to the series. They all easily read as stand alones. The Pirate Bride will fill in more of the backstory alluded to here about Maribel Cordoba.
(An e-book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.)
“He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust.”
Both Ellis and Clay take great comfort in reading the Book of Psalms, focusing on Psalm 91. Trusting in the Lord for help and comfort, and doing what they believe to be right was an important theme throughout. In a time of war that can be tricky, especially when helping wounded soldiers who appear to be spies or possible enemies. Ellis is brave, and willingly serves others with her knowledge of 'doctoring' using herbs. She seems to carry the burden for her family a lot. It was unclear what Clay was hiding from his past, and didn't seem to matter in the end. The idea of a possible treasure hunt was intriguing.
Readers who enjoy stories based on real historical events, with a clean romance, may like this latest addition to the series. They all easily read as stand alones. The Pirate Bride will fill in more of the backstory alluded to here about Maribel Cordoba.
(An e-book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.)
November 22, 2019
The Alamo Bride by Kathleen Y'Barbo is a historical romance that takes place during the time of the Alamo and is wonderfully Christian-based. It has a powerful message that deals with trusting and believing in God and trusting God when one is unsure of what the future holds.
I found the book hard to put down once I started. It is a well-written novel by this author and was filled with an abundance of history, action, drama with a tremendously lovely ending. Highly recommend the read.
I received a copy of this book by Barbour Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions contained herein are my own.😊
4.5-Stars
I found the book hard to put down once I started. It is a well-written novel by this author and was filled with an abundance of history, action, drama with a tremendously lovely ending. Highly recommend the read.
I received a copy of this book by Barbour Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions contained herein are my own.😊
4.5-Stars
January 3, 2022
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
I wanted to enjoy this book and fully expected to, especially because another book in this series by the same author was my favorite one in the Daughters of the Mayflower collection so far. However, this book didn’t reach that same level for me.
There were aspects that I enjoyed. I really adored the grandfather character. He very much reminded me of Anthony Quinn’s character in the movie A Walk in the Clouds. The family aspects of this story were pretty good. The family reunions were really great. I liked that a road trip was featured; I’m a sucker for that sort of thing, so I definitely enjoyed those scenes.
The title was very deceptive to me. With Alamo right in the title, I fully expected the battle of the Alamo to play a huge part in the story. The Alamo wasn’t mentioned until 66% in, and there was only one or two tiny scenes that took place there. Talk about a huge let-down! There was only one tiny skirmish that the leads were on the outskirts of, but there was never a piece of the battle for the Alamo that I saw the leads participate in. I was very disappointed in that whole aspect.
I was uncomfortable with how certain characters were drugged just so they wouldn’t be trouble for their caretakers. This seemed excessively done.
The pace was super slow for my taste. The guy was in a coma or in and out of consciousness for 50% of the story and had very little memory with not much remembrance happening for the remaining half of the book. This kept the pace really slow for me, especially since there were only a couple of pockets of action sprinkled in. I wasn’t expecting such a slow pace, since The Pirate Bride by the same author was action-packed and quick-paced.
I was excited that there were spying and treasure hunt aspects… until they vanished. I had been hooked in by the early premise of Clay’s being a spy and on a secret treasure-hunt mission to support his cause. However, those aspects disappeared and never returned except to be breezed over in a one-sentence mention that they didn’t really matter anymore. Well, they mattered to me.
Some portions of the story felt stilted with non-natural speech patterns, and there were some too-contrived plot points that were clearly by design to make the characters struggle or mistrust someone. I wish they could have been smoothed out to feel more organic.
I really liked the snake moment and the whole chore-list angle. Those were fun aspects but were over in a blink.
I adored that this story took place in Texas, and I enjoyed learning more about the New Orleans Greys.
However, I’m now not sure how much of that information was accurate, because the author’s note mentioned that history was “bent.” I purposely don’t read the “alternate history” genre, because I don’t like altered-history stories, because they don’t accurately reflect what happened in history. Being a history nerd, I really appreciate when historical fiction stories (that are not labeled as “alternate history”) accurately represent historical eras, facts, and figures.
Since it was mentioned in the author’s note that future books will continue to “bend” the facts that the author feels “need bending,” I won’t be reading any additional Y’Barbo books, unless I still have some in my NetGalley backlist. I’m sad to remove her books from my to-be-read lists, because I have really enjoyed a couple of her stories prior to this one and had considered The Pirate Bride a favorite.
Content: gambling mentioned
I wanted to enjoy this book and fully expected to, especially because another book in this series by the same author was my favorite one in the Daughters of the Mayflower collection so far. However, this book didn’t reach that same level for me.
There were aspects that I enjoyed. I really adored the grandfather character. He very much reminded me of Anthony Quinn’s character in the movie A Walk in the Clouds. The family aspects of this story were pretty good. The family reunions were really great. I liked that a road trip was featured; I’m a sucker for that sort of thing, so I definitely enjoyed those scenes.
The title was very deceptive to me. With Alamo right in the title, I fully expected the battle of the Alamo to play a huge part in the story. The Alamo wasn’t mentioned until 66% in, and there was only one or two tiny scenes that took place there. Talk about a huge let-down! There was only one tiny skirmish that the leads were on the outskirts of, but there was never a piece of the battle for the Alamo that I saw the leads participate in. I was very disappointed in that whole aspect.
I was uncomfortable with how certain characters were drugged just so they wouldn’t be trouble for their caretakers. This seemed excessively done.
The pace was super slow for my taste. The guy was in a coma or in and out of consciousness for 50% of the story and had very little memory with not much remembrance happening for the remaining half of the book. This kept the pace really slow for me, especially since there were only a couple of pockets of action sprinkled in. I wasn’t expecting such a slow pace, since The Pirate Bride by the same author was action-packed and quick-paced.
I was excited that there were spying and treasure hunt aspects… until they vanished. I had been hooked in by the early premise of Clay’s being a spy and on a secret treasure-hunt mission to support his cause. However, those aspects disappeared and never returned except to be breezed over in a one-sentence mention that they didn’t really matter anymore. Well, they mattered to me.
Some portions of the story felt stilted with non-natural speech patterns, and there were some too-contrived plot points that were clearly by design to make the characters struggle or mistrust someone. I wish they could have been smoothed out to feel more organic.
I really liked the snake moment and the whole chore-list angle. Those were fun aspects but were over in a blink.
I adored that this story took place in Texas, and I enjoyed learning more about the New Orleans Greys.
However, I’m now not sure how much of that information was accurate, because the author’s note mentioned that history was “bent.” I purposely don’t read the “alternate history” genre, because I don’t like altered-history stories, because they don’t accurately reflect what happened in history. Being a history nerd, I really appreciate when historical fiction stories (that are not labeled as “alternate history”) accurately represent historical eras, facts, and figures.
Since it was mentioned in the author’s note that future books will continue to “bend” the facts that the author feels “need bending,” I won’t be reading any additional Y’Barbo books, unless I still have some in my NetGalley backlist. I’m sad to remove her books from my to-be-read lists, because I have really enjoyed a couple of her stories prior to this one and had considered The Pirate Bride a favorite.
Content: gambling mentioned
February 9, 2019
Kathleen Y'Barbo's love for her home state shines through this wonderful addition to the Daughters of the Mayflower series. The books in this series can be read as a stand alone and penned by several authors. Most of the story of the Alamo Bride is set away from the historic site, in the days leading up to the famous battle of Texas' fight for independence from Mexico.
While the historic details are definitely a part of the story, most of the story centers primarily around Ellis and her care for an injured stranger. His injuries cause a memory loss, and his incoherent ramblings while healing make it difficult for Ellis to determine his loyalties. I loved how both relied on their faith in God to strengthen them.
Kathleen Y'Barbo's ability to pen a great story with well-researched historical detail make this book a must read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
While the historic details are definitely a part of the story, most of the story centers primarily around Ellis and her care for an injured stranger. His injuries cause a memory loss, and his incoherent ramblings while healing make it difficult for Ellis to determine his loyalties. I loved how both relied on their faith in God to strengthen them.
Kathleen Y'Barbo's ability to pen a great story with well-researched historical detail make this book a must read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
February 4, 2019
As an adopted Texan (I lived there for 32 years) and having taken a college class in Texas history, I appreciated the author's wonderful historical research on Texas' battle for independence. She brought the life and times of the Texians into a vivid picture that set the reader right there as it was all happening. She also pulled in some lesser known facts such as the New Orleans Greys role in the fight for independence.
My favorite character was Ellis. She was a strong, independent, feisty woman just like her grandmother, Maribel, who starred in Y'Barbo's Pirate Bride. The slowly developing relationship between Ellis and Clay didn't overshadow the main focus of the war for independence which I really appreciated.
I wish there had been a little more action throughout the story as the first half seemed to focus predominantly on Ellis caring for Clay. There wasn't much depicted of the actual fighting itself to give the reader a picture of what the battle for independence was really like especially the Battle at the Alamo and the capturing of Santa Ana at the Battle of San Jacinto.
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.
My favorite character was Ellis. She was a strong, independent, feisty woman just like her grandmother, Maribel, who starred in Y'Barbo's Pirate Bride. The slowly developing relationship between Ellis and Clay didn't overshadow the main focus of the war for independence which I really appreciated.
I wish there had been a little more action throughout the story as the first half seemed to focus predominantly on Ellis caring for Clay. There wasn't much depicted of the actual fighting itself to give the reader a picture of what the battle for independence was really like especially the Battle at the Alamo and the capturing of Santa Ana at the Battle of San Jacinto.
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.
April 3, 2020
I feel like I read a completely different book than all the 5-star reviewers.
This was not my favorite of the Mayflower series.
Lots of attention was paid to first two-thirds of the book while we were getting to know Clay, Ellis and her grandfather and while Clay was healing. It really had my interest until Clay and Ellis left her home to look for her brother. After that not enough detail was given about their travels or what was happening at the mission where Ellis was staying for weeks while Clay was off finding her brother. Most chapters at the two missions were time-fillers making you think it had something to do with the rest of the story, or what would happen at The Alamo (after all, it is the title), but it lead to nothing. And the last few chapters felt rushed with little detail.
Fourteen mentions of November 18 throughout the book, and the mission Clay had to fulfill in Texas on that date, should have been significant. Yet it came and went with no fanfare, nor did Ellis give Clay what he needed for his mission. In fact she was going to use it to pay for someone to take her to her brother! This was uncharacteristic of her, plus the reason the woman lied was nonsense. There was no reason for her to lie. The truth would have made more sense. This was all so garbled I had to reread portions to see if I missed anything.
I don’t know...this one just left me confused. Four stars for the first half, two stars for the second half gives this a three.
This was not my favorite of the Mayflower series.
Lots of attention was paid to first two-thirds of the book while we were getting to know Clay, Ellis and her grandfather and while Clay was healing. It really had my interest until Clay and Ellis left her home to look for her brother. After that not enough detail was given about their travels or what was happening at the mission where Ellis was staying for weeks while Clay was off finding her brother. Most chapters at the two missions were time-fillers making you think it had something to do with the rest of the story, or what would happen at The Alamo (after all, it is the title), but it lead to nothing. And the last few chapters felt rushed with little detail.
Fourteen mentions of November 18 throughout the book, and the mission Clay had to fulfill in Texas on that date, should have been significant. Yet it came and went with no fanfare, nor did Ellis give Clay what he needed for his mission. In fact she was going to use it to pay for someone to take her to her brother! This was uncharacteristic of her, plus the reason the woman lied was nonsense. There was no reason for her to lie. The truth would have made more sense. This was all so garbled I had to reread portions to see if I missed anything.
I don’t know...this one just left me confused. Four stars for the first half, two stars for the second half gives this a three.
January 26, 2019
The Alamo Bride by Kathleen Y'Barbo is book 7 in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. I've really enjoyed going on this journey through history with this series. All the books can be read as a stand alone but starting with The Mayflower Bride and working my way through history has been an adventure I have loved.
The Alamo Bride is not one of my favorites in the series but it was interesting to learn about different aspects of that time frame. I do wish there had been more of the actual Alamo adventures included. Being a Texan, I'm always ready for a trip through Texas history. I can't wait to see what's in store in The Golden Bride, set during the Gold Rush.
I received this book from the publishers via NetGalley. This is my honest opinion of The Alamo Bride.
The Alamo Bride is not one of my favorites in the series but it was interesting to learn about different aspects of that time frame. I do wish there had been more of the actual Alamo adventures included. Being a Texan, I'm always ready for a trip through Texas history. I can't wait to see what's in store in The Golden Bride, set during the Gold Rush.
I received this book from the publishers via NetGalley. This is my honest opinion of The Alamo Bride.
January 7, 2019
To be honest, The Alamo is the first historical event in this amazing series, The Daughters of the Mayflower, of which I had preconceived ideas and, as such, I cracked The Alamo Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo open with hesitation. If I could read with my eyes closed that would have been how I tackled this one. At the same time, I don’t like skipping a book in a series, and thank goodness I don’t, this one is a gem! Sit back and enjoy it with the knowledge that, despite it’s historic setting, the author creates a beautiful story and the ending is a good one!
My knowledge of the Alamo was limited to the disaster and massive loss of life but this book expanded my horizon to the context, the people and complexity of the conflicts. Ellis is headstrong, independent and empathetic. Claiborne is, through his own behaviours, trying to work out who he is and where he stands in the war raging around them. For the most part, the discoveries are made from Ellis’ home through storytelling and reflection.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, five out of five on the en-JOY-ment scale and can’t wait to tuck into the next in the series! If you haven’t started reading this collection, don’t hold back, it’s fabulous!
My knowledge of the Alamo was limited to the disaster and massive loss of life but this book expanded my horizon to the context, the people and complexity of the conflicts. Ellis is headstrong, independent and empathetic. Claiborne is, through his own behaviours, trying to work out who he is and where he stands in the war raging around them. For the most part, the discoveries are made from Ellis’ home through storytelling and reflection.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, five out of five on the en-JOY-ment scale and can’t wait to tuck into the next in the series! If you haven’t started reading this collection, don’t hold back, it’s fabulous!
November 10, 2019
"Alamo Bride" was another interesting addition to "Daughters of the Mayflower" series. It is a Christian historical romance novel. The setting of the novel was interesting and well done by the author. I liked the main character Ellis Valmont. She was courageous, smart and self-confident enough to speak her mind to anyone. I also appreciated that she saved the hero's life early in the story and then nurtured him back to health. It is always refreshing when the heroine is the one, who saves the hero, not the other way around. Clay had to regain his strength and memory, because he suffered from amnesia and forgot the important mission, that he was undertaking to aid General Houston. The feelings between the main characters developed gradually. At the beginning there was distrust and suspicions between them, but at the end all doubts were clarified and it all led to the happily ever after!
I received "The Alamo 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 received "The Alamo 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.
February 6, 2019
This is the 7th book in the multi-author series. I liked this one (a strong 3 stars). It's the greatest battle for Texas ever, the Alamo. As a Texan who has also sent several years in Louisiana, I'm a sucker for Southern history!
First, you meet Clay, a soldier looking to help the President when his memories fly out of his head after an attack. Enter Ellis, our lovely leading lady (alliteration!). She coaxes Clay back to help and together they single-handedly save the Alamo...no, wait...that's not right. I guess you just have to read it for yourself to see what happens!
There are some edge of the seat moments and a bit of misdirection. Of course, that makes for a nice read. I mean you know it's a HEA (happily ever after) story but getting to the end was worth it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
First, you meet Clay, a soldier looking to help the President when his memories fly out of his head after an attack. Enter Ellis, our lovely leading lady (alliteration!). She coaxes Clay back to help and together they single-handedly save the Alamo...no, wait...that's not right. I guess you just have to read it for yourself to see what happens!
There are some edge of the seat moments and a bit of misdirection. Of course, that makes for a nice read. I mean you know it's a HEA (happily ever after) story but getting to the end was worth it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
January 27, 2019
Find this and other reviews at: https://historicalfictionreader.blogs...
As background, I want to note that while I read Christian fiction fairly regularly, I do not consider myself a genre fan. I am first and foremost a reader of historical fiction and my interest colors my assessment of this story. This is not to say that I discount the novel’s incorporation of faith, just that I might not weight it as heavily as someone who is more invested in the religious aspects of Y’Barbo’s work.
The Alamo Bride marks my first experience with the Daughters of the Mayflower series so I’m not entirely sure how it fits in the grander scheme of things, but I enjoyed the novel well-enough as a standalone and thought the scope of its historic content creatively presented in the experiences of Ellis Valmont and Claiborne "Clay" Gentry.
Historically speaking the book covers the Texas Revolution and includes a wealth of research on the time period. Y’Barbo offers many introductions to key players in the conflict and I love what she did in highlighting the New Orleans Greys. That said, I think the story offers a far wider view than the title suggests and encourage readers to understand these pages chronicle more than a single siege.
As far as the religious elements of the story are concerned, I’d classify the content as moderate to heavy. I did not find Y’Barbo’s themes abrasive by any means, but I’d definitely mention this material as significant when recommending The Alamo Bride to secular readers.
As background, I want to note that while I read Christian fiction fairly regularly, I do not consider myself a genre fan. I am first and foremost a reader of historical fiction and my interest colors my assessment of this story. This is not to say that I discount the novel’s incorporation of faith, just that I might not weight it as heavily as someone who is more invested in the religious aspects of Y’Barbo’s work.
The Alamo Bride marks my first experience with the Daughters of the Mayflower series so I’m not entirely sure how it fits in the grander scheme of things, but I enjoyed the novel well-enough as a standalone and thought the scope of its historic content creatively presented in the experiences of Ellis Valmont and Claiborne "Clay" Gentry.
Historically speaking the book covers the Texas Revolution and includes a wealth of research on the time period. Y’Barbo offers many introductions to key players in the conflict and I love what she did in highlighting the New Orleans Greys. That said, I think the story offers a far wider view than the title suggests and encourage readers to understand these pages chronicle more than a single siege.
As far as the religious elements of the story are concerned, I’d classify the content as moderate to heavy. I did not find Y’Barbo’s themes abrasive by any means, but I’d definitely mention this material as significant when recommending The Alamo Bride to secular readers.
December 20, 2018
I love this series and love each additional book in the series (I secretly hope they keep it going, I would love to see what an author does with the Civil War, WW I, and WW II, which are my favorite times). This was a solid 4.5 star read. But this one kept me wanting to read, even though I HAD to keep putting it down. This day job thing is just getting in the way.
This is a book about Ellis Valmont (the great-granddaughter to Maribel Cordoba and Jean Luc Valmont from Book 2) and Claiborne "Clay" Gentry. Clay works with Sam Houston, is friends with Andrew Jackson, and enlists in the Grays from New Orleans to get to Texas for a mission. Little does he know is mission does not go as planned once he gets to Quintana, Texas, where Ellis and her family now live. Ellis and her mother are both healers and find Clay in a dire situation, and no memory of who he is or why he is in Texas. With skirmishes with Mexican soldiers and fighting at the Alamo, Texas is a hot spot for war. When Ellis' father and brother fighting, and word that her brother has been captured, it makes it necessary for Clay to proceed with his "mission", if only he could remember, and Ellis holds the key.
This was a good book, a good insight to the beginning of how the Alamo fell. As the author says, some details were bent, but based on actual events. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and how Clay and Ellis fall in love, and the heartache and joy that comes with it. If you enjoy this series, you will really enjoy this book.
This is a book about Ellis Valmont (the great-granddaughter to Maribel Cordoba and Jean Luc Valmont from Book 2) and Claiborne "Clay" Gentry. Clay works with Sam Houston, is friends with Andrew Jackson, and enlists in the Grays from New Orleans to get to Texas for a mission. Little does he know is mission does not go as planned once he gets to Quintana, Texas, where Ellis and her family now live. Ellis and her mother are both healers and find Clay in a dire situation, and no memory of who he is or why he is in Texas. With skirmishes with Mexican soldiers and fighting at the Alamo, Texas is a hot spot for war. When Ellis' father and brother fighting, and word that her brother has been captured, it makes it necessary for Clay to proceed with his "mission", if only he could remember, and Ellis holds the key.
This was a good book, a good insight to the beginning of how the Alamo fell. As the author says, some details were bent, but based on actual events. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and how Clay and Ellis fall in love, and the heartache and joy that comes with it. If you enjoy this series, you will really enjoy this book.
February 3, 2019
A copy of this review can be found at Book Ink Reviews.
Thank you to NetGalley, Barbour Publishing, and Kathleen Y'Barbo for this free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Obviously, I am a sucker for The Daughters of the Mayflower series (Mayflower, Pirate, Captured, Patriot, Cumberland, and Liberty) and Alamo was absolutely wonderful. A quick read, we meet a fiery, passionate, strong woman named Ellis. In a fun twist of fate, she ends up and saves Clay.
Clay is sweet, calm, and steady and the perfect opposite for Ellis. Their adventure in providing freedom for a free and independent Texas was the perfect blend of action, historical accuracy, and sweet romance. I also appreciate that as the series continues through time, the propriety changes and the authors make sure the voices change too.
In all, if you need a sweet quick romance for a Sunday afternoon read, this is your best bet.
Thank you to NetGalley, Barbour Publishing, and Kathleen Y'Barbo for this free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Obviously, I am a sucker for The Daughters of the Mayflower series (Mayflower, Pirate, Captured, Patriot, Cumberland, and Liberty) and Alamo was absolutely wonderful. A quick read, we meet a fiery, passionate, strong woman named Ellis. In a fun twist of fate, she ends up and saves Clay.
Clay is sweet, calm, and steady and the perfect opposite for Ellis. Their adventure in providing freedom for a free and independent Texas was the perfect blend of action, historical accuracy, and sweet romance. I also appreciate that as the series continues through time, the propriety changes and the authors make sure the voices change too.
In all, if you need a sweet quick romance for a Sunday afternoon read, this is your best bet.
February 18, 2019
The Daughters of the Mayflower has been a great series and The Alamo Bride is a great addition to the series. What I love about each of the books is that they are so well written and they feature a strong woman who perseveres and finds love in the process.
In The Alamo Bride, Ellis Dumont finds a man in an officer's uniform shot on a boat on her property. She and her mother take care of him. Neither of them trust him because they are in a time of war when the Texians are facing the Mexicans.
Claiborne Gentry is a spy with an important meeting he has to keep that is a matter of safety for the Texians. He enlists in the armed forces so that he can get to a location that can help him uncover treasure that would help the cause, little did he know he would be shot while doing it.
While Clay is recovering he makes many statements that Ellis records. These statements tell of a meeting and a mission. Ellis is unsure if they are real or if it is ramblings due to his injuries. When Clay heals and has memory loss, Ellis is the key to helping him remember who he is and the mission he needs to complete. When Clay and Ellis set off on a different mission, they realize they value one another and have come to love on another. The question is can they complete their missions and have a future together. Just when all hope is lost, well you gotta read the book.
I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest feedback.
In The Alamo Bride, Ellis Dumont finds a man in an officer's uniform shot on a boat on her property. She and her mother take care of him. Neither of them trust him because they are in a time of war when the Texians are facing the Mexicans.
Claiborne Gentry is a spy with an important meeting he has to keep that is a matter of safety for the Texians. He enlists in the armed forces so that he can get to a location that can help him uncover treasure that would help the cause, little did he know he would be shot while doing it.
While Clay is recovering he makes many statements that Ellis records. These statements tell of a meeting and a mission. Ellis is unsure if they are real or if it is ramblings due to his injuries. When Clay heals and has memory loss, Ellis is the key to helping him remember who he is and the mission he needs to complete. When Clay and Ellis set off on a different mission, they realize they value one another and have come to love on another. The question is can they complete their missions and have a future together. Just when all hope is lost, well you gotta read the book.
I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest feedback.
March 22, 2020
A map leading to a family treasure is a great way to begin this fictional account of the Alamo battle. It is not really a story about the battle but about Clay and Ellis.
Clay is shot quite early in the book and is saved by Ellis and her mother. As a result of falling after that Clay loses his memory and can’t remember why he is where he is. He had an important meeting but why he couldn’t remember. Thus starts his recovery and eventual love for Ellis.
For me this was a rambling account of their eventual travel to the Alamo and the reunion of Ellis’ family. I really enjoyed the read and can recommend to anyone. A good clean book but without a lot of Christian influences although there were some Biblical quotes. I read a lot of Christian novels but don’t let this deter you either way.
I believe even if you are not a Christian you could enjoy this book as well.
I received an e-copy of this book from NetGalley and barbourbooks. Thanks for the opportunity to read this preview the opinions are my own
Clay is shot quite early in the book and is saved by Ellis and her mother. As a result of falling after that Clay loses his memory and can’t remember why he is where he is. He had an important meeting but why he couldn’t remember. Thus starts his recovery and eventual love for Ellis.
For me this was a rambling account of their eventual travel to the Alamo and the reunion of Ellis’ family. I really enjoyed the read and can recommend to anyone. A good clean book but without a lot of Christian influences although there were some Biblical quotes. I read a lot of Christian novels but don’t let this deter you either way.
I believe even if you are not a Christian you could enjoy this book as well.
I received an e-copy of this book from NetGalley and barbourbooks. Thanks for the opportunity to read this preview the opinions are my own
January 27, 2019
The Alamo Bride is the seventh installment of the Daughters of the Mayflower series. I have had the privilege of reading the previous books, too, and I have developed a fondness for this series. Don’t worry, each book can be read seperately very well! Usually each book has all new characters, but this time the book went back to The Pirate Bride by the same author as this book, Kathleen Y’Barbo. Unfortunately that is the only book in this series I have not read, but that wasn’t a hindrance.
What I did expect to be a hindrance was my absolute zero knowledge of Alamo nor the Texas war (I’m not from the US). However, Kathleen explained all the background stuff very well, without an info dump. Her writing style is very fluid and is easy to read. There are many mentions of Christian faith, but it never gets preachy, nor are there weird voices etc. This makes the characters seem far more human and real. We have Ellis, who learns to be a healer under her mothers wing, and she is very stubborn, in a good way. Her grandfather plays quite a big role and he’s just amazing. Then we have Clay, who is found near to death and lost his memory. I usually dislike this trope, but in this story it is excellently done! Due to circumstances they end up spending a lot of time together and discovering what Clay knows and remembers and trying to fix the puzzle. There wasn’t much action in this novel, it was more about the characters, and love that. But don’t worry, there is action enough for everyone, it just doesn’t overshadow the plot. The only faults I can find with this novel is that some plot points weren’t resolved or were resolved in a sentence where it had been Clay’s basic drive from page 1, for me that fell a bit flat. But the writing and the characters made it a solid 4 star read. Also, can I just say how much I love this cover? It's stunning!
This e-arc has been given to me through Netgalley (thank you!), but my opinions are my own!
What I did expect to be a hindrance was my absolute zero knowledge of Alamo nor the Texas war (I’m not from the US). However, Kathleen explained all the background stuff very well, without an info dump. Her writing style is very fluid and is easy to read. There are many mentions of Christian faith, but it never gets preachy, nor are there weird voices etc. This makes the characters seem far more human and real. We have Ellis, who learns to be a healer under her mothers wing, and she is very stubborn, in a good way. Her grandfather plays quite a big role and he’s just amazing. Then we have Clay, who is found near to death and lost his memory. I usually dislike this trope, but in this story it is excellently done! Due to circumstances they end up spending a lot of time together and discovering what Clay knows and remembers and trying to fix the puzzle. There wasn’t much action in this novel, it was more about the characters, and love that. But don’t worry, there is action enough for everyone, it just doesn’t overshadow the plot. The only faults I can find with this novel is that some plot points weren’t resolved or were resolved in a sentence where it had been Clay’s basic drive from page 1, for me that fell a bit flat. But the writing and the characters made it a solid 4 star read. Also, can I just say how much I love this cover? It's stunning!
This e-arc has been given to me through Netgalley (thank you!), but my opinions are my own!
February 6, 2019
Thanks to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for an ARC of this book! Release date - February 1, 2019
I definitely enjoyed this book, although it has been my least favorite so far in the series. While The Pirate Bride and The Liberty Bride, the other two I have read in this series, were still fluffy love stories, I felt like they had more depth and more exciting action. There was little to no action in The Alamo Bride, and the romance wasn’t that strong either, it was kind of obvious and not a lot of suspense. With previous books, there was a legitimate reason for the characters not to be together, even though you knew they would be in the end. In this one, it’s memory loss and keeping secrets for no reason at all.
As with the other two books, I really enjoy these fictional characters in real historical moments in history. And the books are clean, interesting, and easy to read. They also take place years apart, with ties to characters from previous books, but are basically stand-alones. This one was not my favorite, but that’s not to say I won’t continue to read the series.
I definitely enjoyed this book, although it has been my least favorite so far in the series. While The Pirate Bride and The Liberty Bride, the other two I have read in this series, were still fluffy love stories, I felt like they had more depth and more exciting action. There was little to no action in The Alamo Bride, and the romance wasn’t that strong either, it was kind of obvious and not a lot of suspense. With previous books, there was a legitimate reason for the characters not to be together, even though you knew they would be in the end. In this one, it’s memory loss and keeping secrets for no reason at all.
As with the other two books, I really enjoy these fictional characters in real historical moments in history. And the books are clean, interesting, and easy to read. They also take place years apart, with ties to characters from previous books, but are basically stand-alones. This one was not my favorite, but that’s not to say I won’t continue to read the series.
February 13, 2019
3.5 stars
"She had to believe him an enemy until he could prove himself a friend."
Hiding behind the shadows of obscurity, Clay Gentry is on a dangerous mission for his country, going undercover to deliver much needed funds to the Texans in their fight for independence from Mexico. His efforts have already been seriously thwarted, so he decides to capitalize on a family secret in order to prove himself trustworthy to his superiors; he just didn't plan on being shot and delivered to Ellis Valmont's shoreline in a stolen pirogue.
Ellis Valmont doesn't know what to think about the handsome soldier in her family's barn who is on the verge of death after surviving two gunshot wounds and a serious blow to his head. Fortunately, Ellis and her mother are healers and have the capability to treat the anonymous man while they try to determine if he is friend or foe. During his fevers, he says all kinds of things in different languages that make little to no sense. . . . . unless they do.
There's much to love about Ellis and Clay, for their journey will require great faith in the words spoken so long ago by another mighty warrior; "He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust".
"She had to believe him an enemy until he could prove himself a friend."
Hiding behind the shadows of obscurity, Clay Gentry is on a dangerous mission for his country, going undercover to deliver much needed funds to the Texans in their fight for independence from Mexico. His efforts have already been seriously thwarted, so he decides to capitalize on a family secret in order to prove himself trustworthy to his superiors; he just didn't plan on being shot and delivered to Ellis Valmont's shoreline in a stolen pirogue.
Ellis Valmont doesn't know what to think about the handsome soldier in her family's barn who is on the verge of death after surviving two gunshot wounds and a serious blow to his head. Fortunately, Ellis and her mother are healers and have the capability to treat the anonymous man while they try to determine if he is friend or foe. During his fevers, he says all kinds of things in different languages that make little to no sense. . . . . unless they do.
There's much to love about Ellis and Clay, for their journey will require great faith in the words spoken so long ago by another mighty warrior; "He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust".
May 17, 2022
For lack of definite feelings toward this book, I have lagged in my review. But I feel the setting, the beginning, and the history deserve to be out in words. And some other parts of this book.
The history of the Alamo has always fascinated me. And before reading this novel I binged Davy Crockett's The King of the Wild Frontier movie just to get myself in the mood. You know, to watch them fight for freedom. So, you could say my first disappointment is that the Alamo itself, has very little to do with this book. That hurt a little.
While I enjoyed getting to know Clay and Ellis, they began to feel stilted from the middle on. But Kathleen handled their slow-burn romance great. I adored the beginning aspect of Clay also being a spy at first. But near then end--when that actually never mattered or was mentioned again-- I was left feeling confused. The characters were entertaining at best and bland at worse.
The setting drew me in though, as well as the clothing and details to their way of life in Texas at this time. Very well researched and done with a skilled hand
While I also adored Clay being idled and Ellis caring for him, I grew annoyed with his recovery because of how many times the man switched languages. How did he not realize? Because I sure did. It was mentioned every time! ( SPOILER-- I also found it rather strange how Clay and her brother did survive the Alamo. I felt the character arc and story would have been affected for the better if it had been left with Clay dead after fighting for freedom. But, just an opinion...) SPOILER DONE--
From the beginning this book took me to Texas and made me search for my own rebozo to have. Sadly, some things that bother me in books and the lack of a more detailed battle of the Alamo, made me yearn for more from this story.
Reviewed on BB
The history of the Alamo has always fascinated me. And before reading this novel I binged Davy Crockett's The King of the Wild Frontier movie just to get myself in the mood. You know, to watch them fight for freedom. So, you could say my first disappointment is that the Alamo itself, has very little to do with this book. That hurt a little.
While I enjoyed getting to know Clay and Ellis, they began to feel stilted from the middle on. But Kathleen handled their slow-burn romance great. I adored the beginning aspect of Clay also being a spy at first. But near then end--when that actually never mattered or was mentioned again-- I was left feeling confused. The characters were entertaining at best and bland at worse.
The setting drew me in though, as well as the clothing and details to their way of life in Texas at this time. Very well researched and done with a skilled hand
While I also adored Clay being idled and Ellis caring for him, I grew annoyed with his recovery because of how many times the man switched languages. How did he not realize? Because I sure did. It was mentioned every time! ( SPOILER-- I also found it rather strange how Clay and her brother did survive the Alamo. I felt the character arc and story would have been affected for the better if it had been left with Clay dead after fighting for freedom. But, just an opinion...) SPOILER DONE--
From the beginning this book took me to Texas and made me search for my own rebozo to have. Sadly, some things that bother me in books and the lack of a more detailed battle of the Alamo, made me yearn for more from this story.
Reviewed on BB
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2019
The Alamo Bride is the seventh installment from the Daughters of the Mayflower series. I enjoyed this historical. It takes the reader back to the Texas Revolution in 1836. I loved Ellis from the start and admired her bravery and determination throughout.
I liked The Alamo Bride and am giving it four stars. I found it to be a good addition to the Daughters of the Mayflower series. Looking forward to next installment from it.
I received this book from the publisher, but was not required to write a review. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
I liked The Alamo Bride and am giving it four stars. I found it to be a good addition to the Daughters of the Mayflower series. Looking forward to next installment from it.
I received this book from the publisher, but was not required to write a review. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
January 23, 2019
This is another interesting story in the Mayflower Brides series. Clay is a member of the New Orleans Grays, or is he just posing as one? After being shot he is cared for by Texians, including Ellis, who isn't quite sure she trusts him. Unrest stirs the atmosphere as the Mexican army fights to lay claim to the land that the Texians want to declare independence for. Clay is a mysterious sort and Ellis is a proud independent fighter just as the people who are trying to give rise to Texas are. This is an interesting story that shows what life could have been like for one family during the days before the Alamo was marked for all time. It is a good addition to the series.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced reader's copy.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced reader's copy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2019
I loved the setting of this book in Texas, right before the Battle of the Alamo. The author did a great job of illustrating what daily life was like back then. The characters were all interesting. I particularly liked that the main female character, Ellis, was so strong and independent. The love story was very cute.
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. Yay!
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. Yay!
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