The Cumberland Bride by Shannon McNear

With the hope of settling and building a home of their own, Katarina (Kate) Gruener's family undertakes a journey into the Kentucky frontier with like-minded families and a scout, Thomas Bledsoe. Kate's penchant for hearing and recording the stories of others creates conflict on more than one occasion, but she is thoroughly intrigued by the handsome and reticent scout. Thomas values his privacy and determines to keep Kate at a distance. But when Thomas' past overtakes them, it is only by leaning into the past that they can survive. Read more in The Cumberland Bride by Shannon McNear.

The Cumberland Bride by Shannon McNear is the fifth novel in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. Like the rest of the novels in this series, The Cumberland Bride focuses on a descendant of the Lytton family (Kate), but can be read as a stand-alone novel. There were some references to one of the author's previous novellas.

Overall, I liked The Cumberland Bride. I spent the first part of the novel savoring the descriptions of the terrain and journey as Kate and Thomas' attraction/relationship grew slowly (maybe too slowly). However, the plot action and relationship development picked up substantially in the second half and then I happily devoured the rest of the novel. The author's writing style is solid in spite of the slow start. Thomas' spiritual wrestling with legitimate questions about God added depth and character development to the story. I liked Kate's desire to explore and document the stories of others as I can identify with that on a personal level.

I think The Cumberland Bride by Shannon McNear will appeal most to readers looking for an inspirational novel that combines history, danger, faith, and love.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.