After facing desperate heartache and loss, Mercy agrees to escape a bleak future in London and join a bride ship. Wealthy and titled, Joseph leaves home and takes to the sea as the ships surgeon to escape the pain of losing his family. He has no intention of settling down, but when Mercy becomes his assistant, they must fight against a forbidden love.
I don't think I've ever read anything about the bride ships that came to Canada from England. It doesn't necessarily surprise me that something like that happened but what does surprise me is the "how" of it all, I guess. The author took many of the events of this book from actual accounts so the story was very true to what really happened. I really love that because it gives me such a good feel for where the brides came from and how they may have felt and acted. It was so interesting! I love learning about lesser known events in history which would explain my love for historical fiction.
Mercy is such an awesome character. Despite her horrible upbringing she embodies everything kind, gentle and compassionate. I loved her almost instantly. The author does such an incredible job of bringing the characters in this book to life. They felt like real people with struggles and growth. The growing intensity between Mercy and Joseph was fantastic. I was completely caught up in it and invested every step of the way.
This is one of my favorite books this year, I think. I have a handful of them now. I can't wait to see what comes next in this series!
Content: peril, mild violence, kissing
- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
