The Chapel Car Bride Disappoints

The Chapel Car Bride takes readers to the backwoods of Finch, West Virginia in 1913, pre-WWI era introducing the reader to life in a coal mining community.

After living a sheltered life in Pittsburg, nineteen year old Hope longs for something much more adventurous.  She convinces her father, the Reverend Irvine, to let her accompany him on his travels. Hope seems sweet and genuine although somewhat naïve. Traveling by chapel car, the Irvine's journey would land them in Finch.

Miner Luke Hughes works for the Finch Coal Mine Company trying to take care of his widowed mother and younger siblings. However, the company doesn't always provide steady work, and more importantly does not make the welfare and safety of their workers a priority. When the chapel car arrives in town, Luke is intrigued by the gentle Hope and is eager to learn all that the Reverend Irvine can teach him about the Word.

The Chapel Car Bride was my first introduction to Judith Miller's books. To be honest, I found it a struggle to get through this book. I didn't have the usual motivation I have for reading and I wasn't connecting to the characters or the story. The plot was a bit slow moving. The ending of  some of the chapters didn't always leave me wanting to read on and sometimes I felt it jumped a bit from scene to scene.

~~The Chapel Car Bride was provided to me by Bethany House in return for my honest opinion. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, for which I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone ~~