The Cumberland Bride by Shannon McNear ~ Review

Lucie's Review:

Kate Gruener is excited to travel with her family into the uncharted and untamed wilderness territories. She has a passion for telling stories, and intends to document her adventures in the new land. She is intrigued by their scout Thomas Bledsoe, a jack-of-all-trades kind of man, with a vast knowledge of the wild, but beautiful land around them. But there is more to Thomas than he lets on, and will Kate's curiosity get them into more trouble than they bargained for?

Slow to start, it took a while for this one to get going, but I'm glad that I kept reading because it was worth it. The story builds and increases in intensity as the story progresses. I liked how it focuses on a lesser thought about time in history, and settling the Southern parts of the United States.

Kate has a thirst for adventure and telling stories, she wants to write about Thomas and tell his story, and talks to him almost non-stop. She learns to rely on a faith of her own, as she fights to survive the wilderness territory and the dangers that it brings.

Thomas is a man who casts two shadows, walking in between two worlds, but never fully in either. he struggles to find his place in the world, and though initially annoyed with Kate's chatter, he does warm to her attention. I liked how he and Kate have deep discussions, and also talk about their faith.

Overall, I'm really glad that I hung around for this one, I almost didn't finish it and that would have been a shame. It wasn't till about thirty percent of the way through that it really picked up, and when it did, the intensity continued to grow, ultimately coming together for a heartpounding and satisfying conclusion. Strong characters, with excellent themes of faith and hard to put down adventure.

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