The Rebel Bride (2019)

About the Book

Book: The Rebel Bride

Series: Daughters of the Mayflower #10

Author: Shannon McNear

Genre: Historical Romance

Release Date: December 1, 2019

Can Love Form Amidst Tensions of War?
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During the clash between Union and Confederacy, quiet Tennessean Pearl MacFarlane is compelled to nurse both Rebel and Yankee wounded who seek refuge at her family’s farm. She is determined to remain unmoved by the Yankee cause—until she faces the silent struggle of Union soldier Joshua Wheeler, a recent amputee. The MacFarlane family fits no stereotype Joshua believed in; still, he is desperate to regain his footing—as a soldier, as a man, as a Christian—in the aftermath of his debilitating injury. He will use his time behind enemy lines to gather useful intelligence for the Union—if the courageous Rebel woman will stay out of the line of danger.

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My Thoughts

I’ve greatly enjoyed the Daughters of the Mayflower series. What I’ve appreciated the most is finding new-to-me authors such as Kathleen Y’Barbo, MaryLu Tyndall, and Shannon McNear. Honestly, all of the authors who have written for this series are amazing, but I have to say that Ms. McNear is a stand-out to me. I was completely blown away by The Cumberland Bride, and now with The Rebel Bride, I can confidently say that McNear is a novelist I will definitely follow. The Rebel Bride is superb storytelling. The plot is outstanding, the conflict is so engaging I couldn’t help but stay up late into the night turning pages, Pearl and Josh’s romance had me swooning, and the history is so artfully brought to life I felt like I was in Tennessee in 1863. Truly, The Rebel Bride is an amazing ride!

To keep things simple, I’ve created a list detailing why I love this book.

• The conflict between Pearl and Josh is perfect. A Confederate woman falls in love with a Unionist soldier. Talk about compelling the reader to turn page after page! On their own, Pearl and Josh are unique characters. Pearl is feisty and strong and courageous and so hardworking. And her faith! I long to have faith like Pearl. Josh is rugged, handsome, polite, and so strong. And his need to protect Pearl — be still my heart! Separate, as unique characters, Pearl and Josh are great, but together they are an amazing couple. And the chemistry between the two is perfect. I love how their relationship builds over the course of the story — very genuine and realistic.
• I love that historically speaking Ms. McNear wrote the truth. She didn’t sugarcoat or romanticize anything. The Civil War was truly awful and it killed thousands upon thousands of men. Not all men for the Union fought to free slaves. In fact, many men in the Union were worried about losing jobs to the now-freed slaves. And, many Southerners found slavery repugnant. What they hated was a government forcing its will upon sovereign states. Isn’t that why America fought against the tyrannous British during the Revolutionary War? What I appreciate about The Rebel Bride is that McNear does an excellent job of illustrating a realistic portrayal of the men and women and children affected by the Civil War. There are no stereotypes in this story, and it really gets the reader thinking.
• My most favorite aspect of this novel is the illustration of relying on God. Pearl is forced to open her home to the enemy. Not only is she forced to give her enemy food and shelter, but she is also required to care for them and nurse them back to health. On her own, Pearl is incapable of such a task. But with God, Pearl is able to rise above her circumstances and her very real feelings and do what needs doing. At first, it is awful. She goes to God often. She is in prayer every minute she can spare, and her earthly father quotes apt Bible verses to help keep her on track. Over time, Pearl does come to see that her notions about the enemy are mostly incorrect and that the men who have come to her for care are men just like her brothers, cousin, and father. But she never would have been able to get to this point if it weren’t for God.

I could go on and on about how excellent this novel is, but I won’t because I don’t want to spoil a single thing. Suffice to say, The Rebel Bride is an excellent novel — one I cannot recommend enough. Purchase a copy for yourself today. You will not be disappointed!

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Barbour Books, via NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.