Jody Hedlund's Latest Bride Ship

The Runaway Bride is the second in the Bride Ships books by Jody Hedlund.  It took me a while to figure out why this book felt like I'd read it before, it was a continuation of the previous novel (reviewed here).

Arabella's father wants her to marry a man older than himself.  Arabella has tried to break off the wedding with him a couple of times to her own detriment.  She finally finds a way out by booking passage on a Bride Ship heading to Vancouver Island, British Columbia.  Before disembarking from the ship, Arabella captures the attention of a couple of men--Pete Kelly, the baker who supplied bread to the ship before it docked: and Lieutenant Drummond, a British Naval Officer assigned to the port.

Jody has built a lot of drama into the book, even flashing back to when her father's choice of a groom abused her.  Lt. Drummond and Pete both have animosity toward each other in regards to the treatment of the natives who live on the island.  Lt Drummond wants them removed from the island and Pete believes they are of no harm to the new immigrants coming to the island. Arabella is caught in the middle of them and really can't choose which one she wants for her groom.  She is falling in love with Pete, but Lt Drummond will give her the lifestyle she's accustomed to. 

This is a five star novel, with two thumbs up, and a freshly baked slice of cake to go with your coffee. 

Bethany House and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review and the opinions expressed here are my own.