I’m getting more selective in the books I choose to review. This one wasn’t my usual choice, but something about it drew me to accept the review invitation. I’m glad I did. Tidewater Bride is a wonderful story that kept me captivated to the end.
Tidewater Bride doesn’t follow the typical romance formula. There’s no cute meet because the love interests already know each other. It’s not even a case where they know each other but hate each other. No, theirs is a slow romance that develops over time. It further deviates from the formula when they get together but that’s not the end of the story.
I think the secret to Tidewater Bride is that it’s not just a romance. It’s a well-researched look into colonial times that happens to have a love story.
Historical fiction is my genre of preference, but so often I can’t make it through books because it’s so obvious that the author failed to grasp the time period. They plop modern characters into a historic setting, insert a few cool trivia facts they learned, and run with it. But a proper historical fiction book requires an in-depth understanding not only of the wardrobe and meals of the times, but the behaviors and customs and thought processes. Tidewater Bride does that. Laura Frantz went way beyond the surface to truly capture the people and places of the 1600’s. She includes a grittiness that is often missing in romances. She also includes faith elements that are integrated into the characters’ lives and are congruent with the times.
Although I wasn’t familiar with Laura Frantz, I see that she’s the author of many historic romances. I look forward to reading more.
If you’re looking for a book to transport you in time and hold you there until the last page, you’ll want to check out Tidewater Bride.
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Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. Opinions expressed are my own.
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