The shrill, desperate screams of a hungry baby can cut straight to a woman's heart. And this, on our opening page, is where we meet Elizabeth. Unable to let a newborn, motherless child die of starvation, this young Puritan maiden oversteps her welcome and gently, yet determinedly, takes responsibility for the child's welfare. John Costin, a well-respected - and now widowed - preacher is the father of this child and three others, one of whom is blind. With a young brood and politically dangerous circumstances to endure, John has no choice but to allow this woman into his life. But while faced with fresh grief, mistrust and constant misunderstandings, can John really appreciate all that Elizabeth has sacrificed to help his family? In this novel, new author on the block, Jody Hedlund, takes us on a rollercoaster journey through a turbulent period in British history. Based on the life of the famous preacher and writer John Bunyan (author of Pilgrim's Progress), The Preacher's Bride is a well-crafted tale of love, faith and hope shining brightly for God in the dark face of loss, persecution and uncertainty. A brilliantly penned story from beginning to end, and utterly impossible to put down! I'm very much looking forward to reading more of her work in the future.

The shrill, desperate screams of a hungry baby can cut straight to a woman's heart. And this, on our opening page, is where we meet Elizabeth. Unable to let a newborn, motherless child die of starvation, this young Puritan maiden oversteps her welcome and gently, yet determinedly, takes responsibility for the child's welfare. John Costin, a well-respected - and now widowed - preacher is the father of this child and three others, one of whom is blind. With a young brood and politically dangerous circumstances to endure, John has no choice but to allow this woman into his life. But while faced with fresh grief, mistrust and constant misunderstandings, can John really appreciate all that Elizabeth has sacrificed to help his family? In this novel, new author on the block, Jody Hedlund, takes us on a rollercoaster journey through a turbulent period in British history - fraught with religious and political dangers - whilst also romancing us with the simple life of a poor, but faithful, Puritan family. We are drawn to Elizabeth's kind-hearted, yet resilient, nature and we find John's complete devotion to his calling both admirable and frustrating. Hedlund paints a vivid picture of life in 17th Century England, and captures all the scenes of violence and romance successfully without the use of graphic language. Based on the life of the famous preacher and writer John Bunyan (author of Pilgrim's Progress), The Preacher's Bride is a well-crafted tale of love, faith and hope shining brightly for God in the dark face of loss, persecution and uncertainty. A brilliantly penned story from beginning to end, and utterly impossible to put down! I'm very much looking forward to reading more of her work in the future.

The shrill, desperate screams of a hungry baby can cut straight to a woman's heart. And this, on our opening page, is where we meet Elizabeth. Unable to let a newborn, motherless child die of starvation, this young Puritan maiden oversteps her welcome and gently, yet determinedly, takes responsibility for the child's welfare. John Costin, a well-respected - and now widowed - preacher is the father of this child and three others, one of whom is blind. With a young brood and politically dangerous circumstances to endure, John has no choice but to allow this woman into his life. But while faced with fresh grief, mistrust and constant misunderstandings, can John really appreciate all that Elizabeth has sacrificed to help his family? In this novel, new author on the block, Jody Hedlund, takes us on a rollercoaster journey through a turbulent period in British history - fraught with religious and political dangers - whilst also romancing us with the simple life of a poor, but faithful, Puritan family. We are drawn to Elizabeth's kind-hearted, yet resilient, nature and we find John's complete devotion to his calling both admirable and frustrating. Hedlund paints a vivid picture of life in 17th Century England, and captures all the scenes of violence and romance successfully without the use of graphic language. Based on the life of the famous preacher and writer John Bunyan (author of Pilgrim's Progress), The Preacher's Bride is a well-crafted tale of love, faith and hope shining brightly for God in the dark face of loss, persecution and uncertainty. A brilliantly penned story from beginning to end, and utterly impossible to put down! I'm very much looking forward to reading more of her work in the future.

The shrill, desperate screams of a hungry baby can cut straight to a woman's heart. And this, on our opening page, is where we meet Elizabeth. Unable to let a newborn, motherless child die of starvation, this young Puritan maiden oversteps her welcome and gently, yet determinedly, takes responsibility for the child's welfare. John Costin, a well-respected - and now widowed - preacher is the father of this child and three others, one of whom is blind. With a young brood and politically dangerous circumstances to endure, John has no choice but to allow this woman into his life. But while faced with fresh grief, mistrust and constant misunderstandings, can John really appreciate all that Elizabeth has sacrificed to help his family? In this novel, new author on the block, Jody Hedlund, takes us on a rollercoaster journey through a turbulent period in British history - fraught with religious and political dangers - whilst also romancing us with the simple life of a poor, but faithful, Puritan family. We are drawn to Elizabeth's kind-hearted, yet resilient, nature and we find John's complete devotion to his calling both admirable and frustrating. Hedlund paints a vivid picture of life in 17th Century England, and captures all the scenes of violence and romance successfully without the use of graphic language. Based on the life of the famous preacher and writer John Bunyan (author of Pilgrim's Progress), The Preacher's Bride is a well-crafted tale of love, faith and hope shining brightly for God in the dark face of loss, persecution and uncertainty. A brilliantly penned story from beginning to end, and utterly impossible to put down! I'm very much looking forward to reading more of her work in the future.