The Pelican Bride: A Novel (Gulf Coast Chronicles) (Volume 1)

Breathtaking portrayal of life in New France!

Beth White makes history come alive in vivid detail with beautiful, spoiled French belles; puffed-up, money-hungry "aristocrats" ruling the colony;French traders who question their loyalty to the crown, but detest England; and the native Indians, who are many groups and varied in purposes and friendliness towards the colonists.There is plenty of romance with the women who came across the ocean on the Pelican finding matches in the colony, esp. Genevieve Gaillain ,and her sister, Aimee, plus the Lanier men. King Louis XIV's court doesn't have anything on the suspense and intrigue that occur within and without the fort due to people's aspirations of power and money. Secrets. Genevieve is hiding show more some big ones. But so are Tristan, Nika, and some of the rulers of the colony.Each of these secrets affect many of the colonists in their own way. Did I mention hair-raising suspense and disaster are part of this volume as well?!What a fabulous historical read!! Fortunately, it's only the first in the Gulf Coast Chronicles. My eyes are peeled!! I received this book from bookfun.org in exchange for an honest review. show less

I have read several contemporary romance novels by Mississippi native Beth White. She always brings a great sense of place to her books, so when I heard she had written an historical novel set in the fledgling Louisiane colony, I knew I had to read it. Filled with rich historical detail, The Pelican Bride is a perfect read for those who love history and romance.

Genevieve Gaillain, along with her sister Aimee and other women from France, is transported upon the Pelican to find a husband among the French soldiers and Canadian craftsmen that have settled into the new Louisiane colony (now Mobile, Alabama). What they encounter definitely does not exceed their expectations. Rough living conditions, even rougher perspective beaus, an unstable show more political environment and hostile Native peoples combine to create at least a little fear. But their contracts state that they must find husbands, so the courting begins. But Genevieve has secrets that make choosing a husband tricky. Can she trust God to safely lead her in the New France?

Set in 1704, The Pelican Bride was meticulously researched. The peoples and place that was the capital of the French colony in the American South come to life in Beth White’s hands. New-to-me history and an intriguing plot kept me reading. I especially liked the political machinations and the relationship between the French settlers and the Native Americans. There is plenty of political intrigue and detail about the Huguenot persecution to create a well-developed historical setting. The blend of characters, both historic and fictional, was interesting as well. My favorites were Jesuit priest, Father Mathieu and Nika, a native woman integral to the plot. The romance is a bit predictable and perhaps stretches believability. The two main characters, Genevieve and Tristan Lanier. resist their attraction for the first half of the book and then suddenly marry and fall in love. But The Pelican Bride is first and foremost a romance and follows along the prescribed lines for the genre.

All in all I would recommend The Pelican Bride to all who love an historical romance. The little known era detailed in the book makes it a fresh and interesting read.

Recommended.

(Thanks to Revell for my review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) show less

This is the first novel by this author that I have read. I was attracted to the book - honestly - because of the cover and the interesting title. I did find that it was a little hard to get into but I did enjoy the over all story. I am not into sticky overly romantic books with lots of gushy mushy love story stuff and this one did not have that element. This author did an excellent job of fleshing out a love story without a lot mushy scenes.

Genevieve and her sister board a boat that had a course set for the religiously free American colonies after her father was murdered for his anti-catholic practices. I found this to be a nice look into this particular era of history and Christian persecution. The name of the boat was Pelican - thus show more the name of the book. The last thing young Genevieve was looking for was a love story but that is precisely what she finds. Not only love but excitement and mystery and a little bit of danger. Secrets are never a good thing, and sometimes one's past sometimes pops up in the most unexpected ways and demands to be dealt with - this is what the characters in this book face.

Thanks to Revell for this review copy. show less

What a fantastic historical fiction novel! This is my favorite genre to begin with but this book was amazing!
Two young sisters, Genevieve and Aimee Gaillain, take a perilous journey to the Louisiana colony in 1704 as mail order brides. Their transport, the French ship the Pelican seems to be the answer to the problems they are facing in their homeland. Their father, a baker, became a martyr for their religious beliefs that went against the Catholic Church. Genevieve is also fleeing execution as a murderer for shooting a soldier to defend her family.
Scared but hopeful they embark on their journey in hopes of finding a good husband and religious freedom. They quickly find they Louisiana is not as promised. Instead they find themselves show more thrown into the midst of a disorganized settlement filled with filth and immorality. The men they have to choose from are dishonest and crude, even the officers. They must continue live in fear and secret concerning their religious beliefs. Genevieve has protected a portion of her father’s yeast from his bakery that she plans use to make a living as a baker in this new world. Her young sister Aimee is awed by the pomp and importance of the officers, failing to see their glaring lack of sincerity and character. Tristian Lanier, a widower who has nursed a broken heart for many years surprises everyone and asks Genevieve’s hand in marriage. Even more surprising he does so before leaving on a 2 month journey to encourage support and peace of local Indian tribes. His chances of coming back alive are slim.
In addition to the disgusting conditions of the settlement, lawlessness rules, especially in the corrupt leadership. Genevieve finds herself stretched thin trying to help the other suffering women, protect herself and Aimee, and living with the uncertainty and fear for their lives.
One thing that made this such a fantastic historical Christian novel is how the author included so very many detailed facts of politics at that time and the raw and difficult living conditions of the people. The story was fast paced and exciting. Do not read when going to bed at night! It certainly made me think about how blessed we are with our religious freedom today!
I received this book free from Revell publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. show less

Albeit a little sappy, this wasn't a half bad inspirational historical fiction. Based on a largely forgotten piece of little known history, this story followed the plight of the french women sent to the Americas aboard the Pelican to become brides to military men holding down a fort in Louisiana. They became known as "the Pelican brides" and unfortunately many of them succumbed to sickness on the way their and upon arrival. This fictionalized account follows young Genevieve Gaillain and her sister as they escape France and try to find refuge in The New World. If they thought they would be safer in Louisiana they were solely mistaken. Men fight for the women's attentions, sickness claims many, "savages" roam the streets; they traded one show more hellish adventure for another. Genevieve soon finds herself falling for the roguish, brute, Tristan Lanier and wonders if he could ever love her, despite her sordid past. Filled with political intrigue, romance, brawls, and suspense. This is a good crossover book for those who are thinking about dipping into the inspirational romance genre. It's not too heavy handed, yet plays an integral part of the story line.

I received this book for free from Revell Reads in return for my honest, unbiased opinion. show less

A Fascinating Story!

This is the first time I've read a novel by Beth White and I'm very impressed!

The Pelican Bride is set in the early 18th Century Mobile region of the Louisiana Territory. This is an era of history of which I know little about. I learned much while reading this fascinating book. I also found the main characters to be strong and quite endearing.

There were many religious differences in the early 1700's. In this story, Genevieve Gaillain and her sister, Aimee, arrive in America on a ship named the Pelican. They journey to the Louisiana Territory in search of husbands, but primarily to flee religious persecution. They expect much more than they find in the New World. Life is difficult, disease is common, and the region is show more tense with political problems.

Tristan Lanier is the first man Genevieve meets as she leaves the Pelican. He helps her ashore and their paths continue to cross. Both Genevieve and Tristan harbor past secrets. Tristan has lost his faith in God, and Genevieve is true to her faith no matter how much, or how often, that faith is tested. They seem to be at odds, yet feel an undeniable attraction to each other. Many hardships and much intrigue forge their relationship. Tristan and Genevieve continue to grow individually, and as a couple, throughout the book.

As I said, I was unfamiliar with this period of history when I began reading. By the end of the book I had learned so many things about early Gulf Coast history! I was drawn into the story and really enjoyed discovering how the plot unfolded. Beth White is a gifted writer who is able to transport the reader to another time and place in a way which educates and entertains. The Pelican Bride is rich in historic detail, romantically touching, and thought provoking in spiritual matters. I can't wait for the release of the next book in the Gulf Coast Chronicles!

I received this book from the publisher, through The Book Club Network, in exchange for my honest review. show less

This book holds so much in it. There is mystery, romance, intrigue, and history. Beth White creates vivid characters with rich opportunities to move beyond their comfort zones. Some I cherished and others disdained. What adds to the mystique of the book is there are many threads that weave throughout and come together in the end which is very satisfying. Suffering and joy flow next to each other and keep you wondering how people in the past could live such difficult journeys in search of freedom of expression and religion. One special romance shines all throughout and lifts hope into the often dark occurrences. I enjoyed The Pelican Bride and highly recommend it.