The Runaway Bride Paperback - 2020

From the rear cover

Haunted by Mistakes in Her Past, Will She Ever Again
Trust Her Heart to Another?

Wealthy Arabella Lawrence flees to British Columbia on a bride ship, still bearing the scars of past mistakes. One of the few single women in the boomtown, she immediately attracts suitors, but she is determined not to find herself trapped again by making a poor choice.

Vying for her hand are two very different men. Lieutenant Richard Drummond is a gentleman in the Navy, held in high esteem. Peter Kelly is the town's baker who has worked hard to build a thriving business. He and Drummond not only compete for Arabella's affections, but also clash over their views of how the natives should be treated in the midst of a smallpox outbreak.

As Arabella begins to overcome her fears, she discovers someone in dire need--a starving girl left behind by her tribe. Intent on helping the child, Arabella leans on Peter's advice and guidance. Will she have the wisdom to make the right decision, or will seeking what's right cost both her and Peter everything?

"The Runaway Bride is an uplifting and well-crafted second installment in Hedlund's Bride Ships series. Hedlund has a knack for creating unlikely yet alluring matches. . . . Period details, such as relations with local Native Americans and a smallpox epidemic, help immerse readers in the story's 1862 world of cultural, class, and gender injustices. Tender moments of light sensuality infuse this inspirational romance with delectable heat."--Booklist starred review

"The book's inspirational aspect is also evident in the struggles the main characters have had in their past and their path to understanding God's plans for their future. It's not merely a romance, as the tension between the settlers and their Native American neighbors provides plenty of dramatic action. I found this book a real page-turner and look forward to checking out the other books in the series."--Historical Novels Review

Media reviews

Citations

• Booklist, 03/15/2020, Page 42