MY REVIEW:
I will be totally honest and admit that I did not remember entering to win a copy of “The Hesitant Heiress” when the author notified me that I had won a digital copy. I had seen brief mention of the book on Facebook a few times but had no other knowledge of it. I found I had some open space on my review calendar due to the late arrival of a book so I decided to go ahead and read it. As far as I know, this is Dawn’s first novel so I had no preconceived expectations.
Well, it looks like I have yet another new author to add to my “To Read” list. The well-paced plot with beautiful prose and captivating characters drew me in immediately. Although not exactly brooding, the overall tone of the story reminded me just a bit of the old Gothic novels by Victoria Holt or Mary Stewart that I so loved when I was younger. It is a historical romance with just the right touch of mystery and unanswered questions to hold my interest. I really liked the fact that Amaryllis and Nathan actually conversed – a lot. And sometimes they even talked about their faith. It was not just instant attraction but a relationship that grew as they got to know each other better, even though Amaryllis was so determined that she could not trust Nathan. There were times that I became a little frustrated with Amaryllis because nearly every time Nathan attempted to explain his feelings for her, she managed to change the subject.
During the first half of the book or so, the author seemed to concentrate on developing the back story for both Nathan and Amaryllis while their tempestuous relationship ebbed and flowed. Then as the story progressed toward its climatic end, the drama built, secrets were revealed, and there was even some action and danger. As all good stories do, this one ended well, leaving me anxious for the next installment of The Everstone Chronicles. I am thankful that I am on the list of influencers who will receive an advance copy to review.
So, if you are looking for a new author who writes really good historical romance, be sure to check out “The Hesitant Heiress”. I’m glad I did!
I won a digital copy of this book during its book launch contest.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
After being unjustly expelled from the Boston Conservatory of Music, Amaryllis Brigham sees her dreams of founding a music academy disappearing before her very eyes. Now the only way to achieve her goal comes with high stakes for someone set on avoiding men as much as possible: marry within the year to inherit her grandmother’s fortune. Amaryllis reluctantly takes part in her aunt’s society, intent on getting to the west coast on her own… and without a husband.
Despite her own misgivings, she soon finds herself falling in love with the most unlikely of men, Nathan Everstone, whose father not only had a part in her expulsion, but whose ominous presence has haunted her dreams for a decade since her mother’s tragic death. Nathan turns out to be much more than he seems and everything she never knew she wanted. But just as everything Amaryllis has recently hoped for comes to fruition, it all falls apart when she finds that the real culprit who has been “managing her life isn’t who she thought at all.
ENDORSEMENTS:
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dawn Crandall is the author of The Hesitant Heiress (released August 1, 2014).
A graduate of Taylor University with a degree in Christian Education, and a former bookseller at Barnes & Noble, Dawn Crandall didn’t begin writing until 2010 when her husband found out about her long-buried dream of writing a book. Without a doubt about someday becoming published, he let her quit her job in 2010 in order to focus on writing The Hesitant Heiress. It didn’t take encouraged long to realize that writing books was what she was made to do. Dawn is represented by Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary.
Apart from writing books, Dawn is also a first-time mom to a precious little boy (born March 2014) and also serves with her husband in a premarriage mentor program at their local church in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Dawn is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, secretary for the Indiana ACFW Chapter (Hoosier Ink), and associate member of the Great Lakes ACFW Chapter.
The Everstone Chronicles is Dawn’s first series with Whitaker House. All three books composing the serieswere semifinalists in ACFW’s prestigious Genesis Writing Contest, the third book going on to become a finalist in 2013.
