The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse

Faith Lytton Jackson cannot abide a bully, whether it's an older boy or the King of England. As a wealthy widow and former ward of George Washington, she dedicates time and effort to the Patriot cause. When leaders of the Patriots propose that a woman deliver messages to the spy placed in the Loyalist ranks, Faith volunteers for the dangerous mission. The spunk and bravery she has possessed since childhood aid her as she embarks on nighttime meetings to deliver coded messages. Upon meeting Matthew Weber, the Patriot spy within the Loyalist ranks, she is drawn to him and eagerly awaits each meeting. Attraction buds between Faith and Matthew, but as war looms, it is an inopportune time for love. Read more in The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse.

The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse is the fourth installment in the Daughters of the Mayflowers series. It is a stand-alone novel that can be read completely independent of the other novels.

I struggled to finish The Patriot Bride. It wasn't for lack of action and suspense. The plot clipped along nicely and danger lurked constantly. I liked Faith. She was feisty, brave, and intensely loyal. However, there wasn't much character development – nothing about her as a person really changed from beginning to end. The plot was more about the events that occurred around and to her – carrying messages for the Patriot cause, dealing with an unwanted suitor, daydreaming about Matthew, etc. Speaking of Faith and Matthew, I think the story would have benefited from more development of their romantic relationship as it seemed overshadowed by the pre-war hostilities, Matthew's relationship with Benjamin Franklin, and Faith's relationship with George Washington.

Quite possibly my favorite part of this book was on page 81. Faith discusses Psalm 136 with a group of ladies and says, “The end of each phrase is the same – like an answer to a difficult question, the answer will always be the same. His mercy endureth forever.” What a wonderful perspective on that Psalm! For every question or difficulty, His mercy endureth forever, is the answer! I would have enjoyed seeing this theme fleshed out in the story.

The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse threads history and fiction together to create a story set on the eve of the Revolutionary War. Although, I won't read it again, this book may appeal to history lovers as it does contain lots of history and fictionalized versions of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin.

Read an excerpt from The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse on the publisher's website.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook courtesy of netgalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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