For a novella, Virginia Company Bride by Gabrielle Meyer packs a wallop. I devoured this highly-engaging story in a single day. As with all Meyer novels, I did not want to put this book down. Virginia Company Bride is a great blend of historical fact and fictional romance. I was delighted to discover at the end of the story that the protagonists — Anne and John — were real people. How cool is that? I don’t know why, but it always makes me enjoy a Historical Romance all the more when it is based off of humans who actually lived and loved and journeyed through life. Anne’s story is harsh. I won’t spoil anything, but her life leads to her being the sole English woman abandoned in America in 1608 at the tender age of 17. Terrifying! I really appreciate how strong Anne is. 100% she is scared and unsure and frightened of everything, but she accepts that this is where God has her, so she pulls herself up by her bootstraps and gets to work. Anne is awesome! John is the hero readers of historical romance love — he is super hardworking, has a strong moral compass, and pays attention to all the details. John is put off by Anne at first, but quickly changes his mind once he sees how good her heart is and how dedicated and hard working she can be. For a novella, I found the pacing of Anne and John’s relationship from acquaintances to friends to lovers to be quite realistic, especially given the nature of their meeting and their time period. I so enjoyed everything about Meyer’s characters, but I also appreciated her attention to historical detail and the timely themes discussed. Overall, this novella is a home run!

Virginia Company Bride is a stellar Historical Romance. I highly recommend this book, and I very much look forward to reading book 2 in the collection. If you’re in the mood for a well-written, fast-paced Historical Romance that will teach you a bit and leave you smiling, then this is the novella for you!