The Pelican Bride (Gulf Coast Chronicles, Book 1) by Beth White

      "It is 1704 when Genevieve Gaillain and her sister board a French ship headed for the Louisiana colony as mail-order brides. Both have promised to marry one of the rough-and-tumble Canadian men in this New World in order to escape religious persecution in the Old World. Genevieve knows life won't be easy, but at least here she can establish a home and family without fear of beheading. But when she falls in love with Tristan Laneir, an expatriate cartographer whose courageous stand for fair treatment of native peoples has made him decidedly unpopular in the young colony, Genevieve realizes that even in this land of liberty, one is not guaranteed peace. And a secret she harbors could mean the undoing of the colony itself."





      This was a very well done Christian novel. The characters and the action stayed captivating throughout. There were some adult themes of some of the harsh realities of the time (such as beheading, rape, and adulterous behavior), but the language is kept clean and while making it clear that these are very serious issues, there is no inappropriate language describing such scenes. The main character's wedding is also consummated, but once again, the knowledge is there, but the language does not go into any descriptions besides the joy of the newly married couple. The references to God are also very universal and kept respectful and uplifting. I found this novel extremely well-written and an enjoyable clean read.

Buy it on Amazon.