A lovely story of loving your enemies. It had been a while since I read a civil war romance that I enjoyed as much as I enjoyed Shannon McNear's The Rebel Bride!

I found this to be a historically accurate story which I liked even more

I voluntarily received and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. ( )

Title: The Rebel Bride (Mayflower Brides #10)
Author: Shannon McNear
Pages: 256
Year: 2019
Publisher: Barbour Books
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
The Mayflower Bride series are stories that take history and make the various events come alive as readers follow the ancestry of one fictional family, named Lytton, throughout the years. In the latest installment set during the Civil War years, readers are taken on a heart-gripping tale in Tennessee in the year 1863.
Pearl MacFarlane is a woman who is shouldering much responsibility during the tumultuous years of the war. Her cousin serves in the Confederacy and has now deposited the sick and wounded at her door. What hardships the family has already endured have just increased exponentially since supplies of all kinds are almost nonexistent.
Grudgingly she begins to care for those who need her ministrations, but it is her heart that the Lord is working on. Pearl’s father is a man of faith whose own failing health brings more sorrow than Pearl is sure she can bear. What will become of one of the recovering men she has taken care of? Will he be shipped off to prison and more than likely death? Or will he be able to help care for those who still need tending?
There is much heart and soul woven in the pages of the story. I can tell that the author put forth much time in researching and I wager in prayer. The story is told in such a way that shows the hardships to both body and soul in the war, as well as extoling how God cared for the MacFarlane family and soldiers. I cannot wait for others to read and enjoy such an engaging tale!
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility. ( )

The Rebel Bride is set in southeastern Tennessee during the Civil War. The Union troops are encamped in Chattanooga, and the Confederate troops are encamped outside of the city. Both sides have suffered terrible losses at the recent Battle of Chickamauga, and as the Confederate army is collecting Union soldiers from the battlefield to hold as prisoners, Union soldier Joshua Wheeler is picked up. Joshua’s injuries require amputation of his hand and much time to recover before being sent to a Confederate prison, and he and several others are taken to the home of the MacFarlane family to recover. Pearl MacFarlane is charged with caring for the soldiers, and at the same time, she is trying to care for an ailing father and a younger brother, all while grieving the loss of her three older brothers in recent battles. Pearl is not eager to help enemy soldiers recover, but as she begins caring for their most basic needs, she finds herself connecting with them and truly caring, especially for Joshua Wheeler. But how could a Union soldier and a Rebel girl ever make a life together?

I was quickly drawn into the story of The Rebel Bride. I found the characters to be well-developed, likeable, and relatable. There were many strong emotions in this story, and those emotions really came through. The debate between Joshua and Pearl over the sides of the war and the internal struggle that many characters had about the two sides was also compelling. And the story of the relationship between Joshua and Pearl was beautiful. Overall, I found The Rebel Bride to be exciting and emotional and a real pleasure to read.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. ( )

I was really looking forward to this book after reading an earlier Daughters of the Mayflower novel by Shannon McNear. While her previous book brought to mind authors such as Laura Frantz, Michelle Griep, or Jocelyn Green; The Rebel Bride fights for its place in a full field of Civil War novels. It alternately is compelling and then more of a textbook. The first sign of struggle is when the author, Shannon McNear, pens a very cautious "note from the author.” While I was impressed McNear wants me to follow her way of thinking, I did not feel she came across as confident in her ability to convince me.
The storyline itself was sound and seemed at times strong, at other times weaker. A Sergeant from the Union Army, Joshua Wheeler, has had an arm amputated. He finds himself and several other very ill, POW Union soldiers billeted in a humble house in Georgia, following the Battle of Chickamauga. Pearl McFarlane, on the other hand, is the one pressed into caring for these grievously ill enemies. Can she handle the events God allows into her life around this time?
I liked the secondary characters that McNear factored into the story.
A father who is progressing through dementia; a wandering, curiously absent brother when work needs doing; and a shunned sister-in-law.
There were times the narrative shone, but it just didn’t flow smoothly, consistently, as I would have liked.
The author's ending note was quite long and a little off-putting because of said length. In retrospect, I believe there may have been too much information the author wanted to share, and the pressure of that came across in the written page. Please remember this is only my opinion and others, including yourself, may see the book quite differently.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley, which in no way influenced my opinions. ( )

This story illustrates how you can’t help who you will fall in love with. Pearl was a rebel and Josh was a Union soldier who was injured and captured after a battle in Tennessee. These two characters learn that no matter ones beliefs it won’t keep you from falling in love. I loved the romance and the history that was woven into the story. Not many stories I have read about the Civil War take place mainly in Tennessee. This series never disappoints me. I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishers for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will. ( )