Mercy's Refuge by Rita Gerlach

 

ABOUT THE BOOK

A young woman’s journey to the New World.

Inspired by William Bradford's 'Of Plymouth Plantation’, Mercy's Refuge is a sweeping historical novel of romance and adventure in the year 1620. Mercy McCrea, orphaned as a child and raised by her aging grandparents, lives in poverty. The only thing keeping her and her family from starvation is to work as a kitchen servant for a rich nobleman.

When catastrophe strikes and Mercy’s life is in danger, she flees England for her uncle’s farm in Holland. There she meets Caleb, a carpenter, and finds refuge among the Separatists who fled the wrath of the English King. Beginning in Ipswich, a North Sea port town in Suffolk, England, the novel takes the reader on a voyage across the English Channel to Holland, and then aboard the Mayflower.

When Mercy and Caleb face the dangers of the sea, their faith and love for each other is strengthened by the strong bonds of a people whose courage forged a nation. 

MY REVIEW

A truly amazing book along with a great author!

It's hard to believe that it will soon be the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower.

I love Gerlach's research and the stories of each person of what might've been.

History intrigues me. I've loved history ever since I can remember.

Authors like Gerlach make me love it that much more.

This wonderful book y'all! I just couldn't put it down! I stayed up late to finish it. I didn't want the story to end. I was sad when it did.

I think out of all the characters I liked real life Dorothy Bradford best. She just seemed so down to earth..I mean in getting to know her and all. Kind, gentle and helping others in their time of need.

Gerlach also has done a wonderful job in describing the scenes of the book that I could see in my mind and picture the people in what they might've done and how they looked.

I really enjoyed learning about the Separatists and their faith.

I will say that my favorite scene was being aboard the Mayflower and since I live by the ocean now, it isn't a problem to imagine smelling the salt from the ocean in the air. Best smell there ever was! However; I don't like storms at all so I can understand their fear.

I cannot say enough in how much I enjoyed this story and I want others to enjoy it too! I highly recommend this book.

There's some great references the author has included and I really enjoyed looking at those.

Thus is my favorite read by her.

I'm looking forward to seeing what she comes out with next!

I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rita Gerlach lives with her husband and two sons in a historical town nestled along the Catoctin Mountains, amid Civil War battlefields and Revolutionary War outposts in central Maryland.

"Inspirational romantic fiction is one way people can escape the cares of life and be transported back to a time of raw courage and ideal love," she says. "The goal of my writing is to give readers a respite, and inspire them to live fully and gratefully."