THE REBEL BRIDE

Amazon Link

Link to Pinhurst Pottery
During the Civil War, the confederate
soldiers had to melt down their tin
cups in order to make bullets. The
potters of North Carolina made them
pottery “cups” they could use-
a style that was large enough to
double as a bowl for stew as well as
a coffee mug. Signed with God Bless You.
All Nichols Pottery is hand made and signed.

Lydia ushered her to the kitchen and made her sit, then pressed a cup of something warm into her hands. “Drink this,” she whispered.

Hands shaking, Pearl could hardly lift the cup. She tasted mint and- was that whiskey?...

“I’ve never seen you so upset…” “I just shot a man,” she snapped. “Two, actually.”

After another gulp of her tea, she folded an arm on the tabletop, lay her head upon it, and let the tears come.

The Rebel Bride – Book #10 Daughters of the Mayflower Series by Shannon McNear

•°o•:*:•.Rich, Close-up View of Civil War Era Characters.•:*:• o°•

I found this 1863 historical, faith-filled romance interesting, but for me the topic is a bit heavy.  War is hard. These people did their best to get through it and deal with the matters at hand.  The Civil War was especially hard on our country as family members choose sides or multiple sons did not return.  The lack of medical training and supplies that left men broken – so much to think about here. But, Pearl does her best to do as she is told and house wounded Yankee soldiers in her Rebel home.  With the help of her father, she learns to see the men as humans and not just the enemy.  Likewise, I appreciated how Josh was able to learn the same lesson as Pearl showed him and the others hospitality in nursing, feeding, and caring for them even though they were prisoners forced on her by the military (as were many in the surrounding farm homes). I think my view of the cause of the war has changed.  I thought it was primarily about slavery, but this book gave me a better understanding that it was about the Northern States wanting to be united (Unionists), believing that’s what the forefathers intended and what was best for our country, while the Southern States wanted Secession (Secessionists) – governing themselves freely and that slavery was only a small part of the issue. I learned several tidbits from the beginning and the back of the book.  For example, I always assumed Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, was black, not white. The Fifteenth Wisconsin was mostly comprised of Norwegian immigrants, plus some Swedish, Danish and Dutch who were full of pride to fight for their new homeland. The character Berndt Thorsson is a tribute to those men. Both sides used flags and torches to signal each other across battle lines, which was a system created by Albert J. Myer – an assistant surgeon who later became the first Chief Signal Officer.

Quote I enjoyed: “If we have not the comfort of knowing our Savior, Pearl, and doing our best each day to serve and follow Him, what do we have? Are not all equally lost, whether North or South, white or black, without knowledge of Him? We must seek to know God, and Him only. ‘I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.’”

I believe the author has treated the topic with respect and passion.  I would recommend this book as a solid read for those enjoying historical, Christian fiction with a touch of romance.  The Civil War details are not the forefront of the story, but rather the backdrop as we get to know the characters and the challenges they are dealing with.

I received an eCopy from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review with no further compensation or expectation.

So far in this series, twelve books have been written by varied authors so they loosely reference each other’s characters in the family tree, and therefore need not be read together or in order. You can read about them at DaughtersOfTheMayflowerDotCom.

Barbour Publishing 12/2019

4 stars

Until next time, hugs and a "cups" of tea!

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