The Rebel Bride is book #10 of the multi-author Daughter of the Mayflower series. On the surface, The Rebel Bride seems like a typical Confederate-Union romance of opposites. But McNear provides so much more.
Pearl MacFarlane is not your stereotypical Confederate. She doesn’t believe in slavery, and she respects African-Americans. But she does have a deep-seated love and allegiance to the South.
Joshua Wheeler is a devoted Yankee. Convinced that God is on his side, he has no qualms that the Union cause is the right cause. Until he meets the MacFarlanes.
McNear paints a thought-provoking picture of two conflicting sides believing they are both sanctioned by God. By underscoring the issues through the characters rather than a soapbox, McNear leaves the reader examining their own opinions of the Civil War. Was one side completely in the right? Or were they both guilty?
While not my favorite Shannon McNear story, I can’t deny the pull that made me keep turning pages. By straying away from the stereotypes and assumptions, McNear presents the emotionally-charged turmoil of a war-ravaged countryside. Her characters are captivating and sympathetic. There’s also a poignant aspect as McNear strips away the glory of war to reveal the impact of a nation torn asunder. As she presents the negative aspects of both sides.
Anyone with a love of history can’t go wrong with The Rebel Bride, especially if you love to read stories set in the Civil War. If you adored Tamera Alexander’s With This Pledge, you will find some of the same gripping aspects in this novel.
More Information
The Rebel Bride releases December 1. Click the book cover to pre-order it from Christianbook.com.
And for more information on The Daughters of the Mayflower series, check out their website. You can sign up for alerts or look at the family tree that binds the novels together.
