MY REVIEW:

After reading and reviewing Dawn Crandall’s “The Hesitant Heiress”, I knew I would have to read the rest of The Everstone Chronicles series. I am fortunate that Dawn has entrusted me with the opportunity to do so by sending me digital copies to review. I have always loved historical fiction and Dawn’s novels have proved to meet my qualifications for must read books.  Although I loved “The Hesitant Heiress”, “The Bound Heart” may be even better. If this is any indication, I can’t wait for “The Captive Imposter”. I already know it will be wonderful.

It will be difficult to review “The Bound Heart” without any spoilers but I will certainly try. This novel features Meredyth Summercourt, a young woman whose one indiscretion with a man she found attractive led to severe guilt and the idea that she was “ruined”. She felt bound to Vance Everstone and was convinced that the only way she could atone for her sin was to marry him. Meredyth’s situation reminded me of some teaching I heard years ago about “soul ties” and how physical intimacy creates them between two individuals – a tie meant to take place within marriage but a reality even outside its boundaries. It helped me to understand how strongly Meredyth felt that her only redemption was marriage to Vance regardless of his poor character and even despite the love she had discovered for her longtime friend Lawry.

Now Lawry – well Lawry is one of the best heroes I have encountered in awhile. Perhaps he is handsome and comes from a prominent and wealthy family but Lawry’s character just shines throughout the book. Lawry is a man whose ambition is to care for orphans plus any other needy people who may cross his path. His love for Meredyth has increased through the years and all he wants is to spend his life with her. His compassion and restraint are admirable and his love of the Lord is evident in nearly everything he does. Meredyth cannot help loving him but is certain that she does not deserve someone as good as Lawry.

I could go on but I am getting close to possible spoilers. “The Bound Heart” is an emotional roller coaster that illustrates the devastating effect that one mistake can have on a person’s entire life. It is also a beautiful story of forgiveness and redemption that leaves the reader with hope for themselves. I highly recommend “The Bound Heart” but suggest reading “The Hesitant Heiress” first.

A digital copy of this book was provided for review by 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 encouraged her to quit her job in 2010 in order to focus on writing The Hesitant Heiress. It didn’t take her long to realize that writing books was what she was made to do. Dawn is represented by Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary.