The Captive Bride

In an era when hygiene was nonexistent, Gilbert Morris, is overly concerned about outward physical looks, everybody is judged as to whether they are "beautiful", "well proportioned" or "homely" and "unattractive" and off course all of the Winslow's are the cream of the creation of God. The truth is for this time period people were unkept, smelly, with bad teeth, They did not have toilet paper and used leaves or corn cobs to wipe themselves. But, if you ignored the facts its a pretty good story.

I LOVED this book so much more than the first that was all anger and hostility between Gilbert and Humilty. I agree with another customer that Morris was in a hurry when he wrote this. Morris gives the reader a "crash course" on the Salem Witch Trials, which I found diappointing. The Salem Witch Trials are an interesting though tragic part of American history. Also there are some historical discrepancies such as Edward Winslow's presence in the year 1659 when he had in fact died in 1655 and the governor of the colony being Oliver Bradford instead of Josiah Winslow, Edward's son! In spite of that, though, I learned quite a lot from this book about people like John Bunyan who wrote Pilgrim's Progress and about people and events I had never heard of before like John Sassamon, King Philip and King Philip's War. It made me want to learn more about it. Also, it was interesting seeing Gilbert confronting himself as it were in his son Matthew. It seemed like a bit of poetic justice. And I loved Rachel. She is beautiful, spirited and interesting, not at all whiny like Humility in The Honorable Imposter. A very good and essential read!

Rachel doesn't know if she can ever forgive her father for leaving her and her mother, Lydia, and when she finally does, she may lose him and the rest of her family forever. You are taken to Salem, Massachusetts to see how everyone was suspicious of being a witch. Even if you were a good Christian woman/man! Rachel and her family are taken up against the people of the town who are out to say "they are of the devil." Will their strong Christian faith keep them alive or drive them to their doom? Which ever it is, they are willing to do it because they love the Lord so much. However, they struggle with hunger, and sickness while awaiting a trial. Can someone here on Earth be of any help, to anyone? I enjoyed this book emensely and it helped to further my knowledge on this particular historiacal event. Just like the other House of Winslow books did. They not only were educational, but enjoyable and a good Christian romance! I recomend them to all men and women as well as young adults and teens!

I have most of the House of Winslow books in hard cover and they are excellent. My problem is that I cannot find the rest of them in hard cover so that I can keep them looking great. The books I have were a Christmas gift to me and I have read everyone of them more than once.

I have read the whole series of the house of winslow and would highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good romanc mixed with history, family and religion. It holds your attention throughout the whole book.

I first started with The Captive Bride, because my teacher recommended it. Now I'm hooked on the series! I'm on book number nine and still going!