Vying for her hand are two very different men. Lieutenant Richard Drummond is a gentleman in the Navy and is held in high esteem. Peter Kelly is the town's baker and has worked hard to build a thriving business. He and Drummond not only compete for Arabella's affections, but clash over their views of how the natives should be treated in the midst of a smallpox outbreak.
As Arabella begins to overcome her fears, she discovers someone in dire need--a starving girl abandoned by her tribe. Intent on helping the girl, Arabella leans on Peter's advice and guidance. Will she have the wisdom to make the right decision or will seeking what's right cost both her and Peter everything?
...my thoughts...
The Runaway Bride is one of those books that hooked me right away. This is book 2 in Jody Hedlund's Bride Ship series and while you can read this one on its own, you may want to consider reading the first book in the series, The Reluctant Bride. Both of these books are very good. I have been waiting for this book because I wanted to read more about Arabella, who was introduced in The Reluctant Bride. I have lived in the inland Pacific Northwest all of my life yet never knew about the bride ships from England until I started this series.
Arabella is a lady who escaped the conventions of her class when she boarded the ship for a life unknown waiting in British Columbia. She only knew it had to be better than what she left behind. Once on board, she put the future on hold until that final day when she left the ship to face her new surroundings. Imagine her surprise when she and the other brides disembarked and found the shore lined with men gaping and ogling at them. This was nothing like England. Her lodgings were beneath anything she had been exposed to at home. She no longer had the comfort of her trusted servant Hayward, who cared for her since the death of her mother. It was Hayward who saw Mr. Major for what he was and firmly put Arabella on that ship so she would be free from a deadly match. She landed with both feet on the ground and though she was on that bride ship, she wasn't sure she was truly ready for marriage. Her thoughts lead her down a path full of self doubt that was carefully crafted by people who didn't have her best interests at heart. Conventions, thought processes and the false idea that she was not good at anything. All wrong.
It took just one look at her to capture the hearts of two very different men. Dashing Lieutenant Drummond, who could offer her the lifestyle she was accustomed to in England. Peter Kelly, handsome and bold, a self made man set on his goals. Both set their sights on Arabella but only won would win her hand in marriage. But in this new world, filled with possibilities, this young woman began to learn that many things were open to her that were denied back home. She began to see the things with new eyes and once granted the opportunity to become her own person, things shifted for her. It was good to see how she grew from the timid girl who shrank from notice to the woman who could make things happen.
I enjoy historical fiction, especially if it leads me to look for more beyond the story. Jody Hedlund made this story come alive. Her research, as always, is thorough and she engages her readers in part because of this. The characters are complex and believable.
I received a copy of this book from the author for an honest review. My opinions, however, are my own. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a twist of romance.
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