Tidewater Bride by Laura Frantz

ABOUT THE BOOK 

Selah Hopewell seems to be the only woman in the Virginia colony who has no wish to wed. True, there are too many men and far too few women in James Towne. But Selah already has her hands full assisting her father in the family's shop. And now she is in charge of an incoming ship of tobacco brides who must be looked after as they sort through their many suitors.

Xander Renick is perhaps the most eligible tobacco lord in the settlement. His lands are vast, his crops are prized, and his position as a mediator between the colonists and the powerful Powhatan nation surrounding them makes him indispensable. But Xander is already wedded to his business and still grieves the loss of his wife, daughter of the Powhatan chief.

Can two fiercely independent people find happiness and fulfillment on their own? Or will they discover that what they've been missing in life has been right in front of them all along?

MY BOOK REVIEW

Laura Frantz painted a beautiful story. She takes us back to 1634 in James Towne, Virginia Colony. "Tidewater Bride" has so many twists and turns.  She tells a wonderful story about the struggles of survival in the 17th century. On every page, we learn about the characters. We see the way they live, their customs, and their personalities. 

Selah Hopewell and her family are merchants. Selah remains unmarried at the age of 26. Alexander has a successful tobacco farm. He is a widower, having married a Powhatan princess who died of a fever, leaving him with a son. 

are taking care of a young Indian girl.  Xander Renick is kind. He refuses to enslave Africans and relies on indentured servants for his land. He lost his Indian wife to sickness but is pursuing Selah.  We get to see how their relationship began to grow from friendship and admiration to a deep devotion. They had great chemistry.  "Tidewater Bride" explores the fragile relationship between the Powhatan nation and the Virginia Colony communities. It also shows the reality of slavery and the lack of rights for women. We see the uneasiness with the Native Americans. Praying to God asking him to make MotherNature give them the right environment for their crops. 

She paints the scenes and the struggles from merchanting, to owning and farming land to dealing with native people who live nearby. Laura has a history researcher background and it shows in "TideWater Bride".  I love reading historical stories because you get to escape from our time frame for a little while. It is important to be reminded of how people lived in those days and their customs. The book has a pretty good pace. The beginning was a little slow, but it picked up pretty quick.  I didn't want the book to end. I wanted to stay with the characters.  "Tidewater Bride" would be a great film. I highly recommend this book. It is full of information about the 17th century. 

I received this book from Revell in exchange for my honest opinion. All thoughts are my own. I was NOT required to write a positive review. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laura Frantz is a Christy Award winner and the ECPA bestselling author of eleven historical novels, including The Frontiersman's Daughter, Courting Morrow Little, The Colonel's Lady, and The Lacemaker. When not reading and writing, She loves to garden, cook, take long walks, and travel. She is the proud mom of an American soldier and a career firefighter. When not at home in Kentucky, she and her husband live in Washington State. Learn more about her by clicking her. 

Her website: Click Here

MORE ABOUT LAURA:

I was born and raised in Kentucky, living first in Ashland, Mammoth Cave, Bowling Green, and then Lexington. But my heart has always been in Berea, Madison County, the place my family has resided since the 18th-century. I came to know Christ there at the age of 12, was baptized, and spent my childhood roaming through the woods and swimming in the rivers of my books. 

My earliest memories are of the public library, standing in front of shelves filled with those little biographies of famous historical figures like Daniel Boone and George Washington, and Sacajawea. I began scribbling stories at age 7 and thankfully never stopped. My passion then and now is history and all the wonders of past centuries. 

I attended college at Denison University in Ohio and also in England, living in a manor castle and studying the American Revolution from the British perspective. Shakespeare and 18th-century literature form the backbone of my English degree. Strangely enough, I only took one creative writing class. 

It was never a desire of mine to be published. I simply love to write for the sheer joy of writing-- and that was enough. But as Proverbs 16:9 says "The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." 

I hope my books bless you. 

Laura