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The Shenanigans of a Bookish Mama journeying through Motherhood, Homeschooling and lots of Books!

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Winning MIss Winthrop by Carolyn Miller ~ Book Review + Giveaway

February 27, 2021

About the Book


Book: 
Winning Miss Winthrop
Series: Regency Brides: A Promise of Hope, Book 1
Author: Carolyn Miller
Genre: Regency Historical Romance
Release date: March 27, 2018
Pages: 320

 

Catherine Winthrop is almost at her last prayers, rejected years ago by the man who stole her heart. When tragedy brings him back into her life, she must suffer further grief in silence, amid her family’s pain and hostility, which eventually sends her to seek solace in Bath. 
Jonathan Carlew might be wealthy, but the mystery surrounding his birth has shadowed his life, bringing fresh challenges as he takes on the Barony. Caught between appeasing the Winthrop family’s concerns and doing what he could to salvage their failing estate, he must also weigh the echoes of the past with the demands of his new responsibilities.
Two hearts must decide whether present speculation will condemn them to the dust of their memories, or if the whispers of forgiveness can provide freedom for the future.
 
Click here to get your copy!
 




My Thoughts


If you are fan of Jane Austen (like I am) you will definitely enjoy this story. The author definitely knows her Regency Era and writes it perfectly. I was immediately drawn by the picturesque setting and all the descriptive detail. The characters were intriguing and well written. The story had some mystery and the tension in the romance just kept you reading!

Catherine has lost her father and because of this her mother and her find out that her father and husband has really left them basically nothing. He has gambled all their monies and has some questionable morals that people enjoy gossiping about. Top top it all of the person inheriting the estate is none other than Carlew which just happens to be Catherine's former love. Somehow there has been a miscommunication between them and they both hold these resentments toward each other on how things were left. 

The characters were definitely endearing while some like her mother you couldn't help to chuckle at. You will either love her or love to dislike her. If you have ever seen the Pride and Prejudice movie with Colin Firth... she definitely reminded me of Mrs. Bennett! Always complaining about something, never satisfied with the outcome. 

I really enjoyed this story my only complaint is that the romance seemed to lag... I just wanted them to make some progress a little earlier. I mean, it definitely made for good anticipation but still... I definitely would of enjoyed a little bit more of Carlew and Catherine together! He definitely falls into my swoon worthy category! The ending was good and it definitely left it open for other character's stories. I can't wait to hopefully see these characters again but to see what happens to the rest of them! 

Overall it was a great story and if you like the writing of Austen, Klassen and Ladd then you will also enjoy this author and I recommend you grab one of her books!

My Rating: 4 Stars/ I really liked it!!

Swoon Worthy Rating: 💗💗💗

I received this book through Celebrate Lit. I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. 


About the Author


 

Carolyn Miller lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. Together with her husband she has pastored a church for ten years, and worked as a public high school English and Learning and Support teacher. 
A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer’s Regency era, Carolyn holds a BA in English Literature, and loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives. Her Regency novels include The Elusive Miss Ellison, The Captivating Lady Charlotte, The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey, Winning Miss Winthrop, Miss Serena's Secret, The Making of Mrs. Hale, A Hero for Miss Hatherleigh, Underestimating Miss Cecilia, and Misleading Miss Verity, all available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Koorong, etc.
 


More from Carolyn


In 2015 I was fortunate enough to visit England and see my sister who was living there at the time. What followed was three weeks of visiting parts of England, Ireland and Scotland in a whistle-stop tour of some of the places I’d long dreamed about visiting, but never thought I’d get the chance: London, Brighton, the Blarney stone in an Irish castle, Chatsworth in the Peak District, Loch Ness and Culloden in the Scottish Highlands, the gorgeous grounds of Dunrobin Castle, and the beautiful Cotswolds of England, which includes World Heritage-listed Bath.

I’ve used many of the places I’ve visited as inspiration behind my historical stories, but none as much as the places I visited while in Bath. Pretty much every place I visited – Sydney Gardens, Bath Abbey, the Pump Room, The Assembly Rooms and more – were mentioned in my story Winning Miss Winthrop, which I view as my homage to Jane Austen’s Persuasion, which vies with Pride and Prejudice as my favorite Austen novel.

I loved my all-too-brief time in Bath, and I love this story, with its depiction of two people learning to overcome the misunderstandings of the past in order to find a future. Winning Miss Winthrop is the first book in the Regency Brides: A Promise of Hope series, and has the attention to period detail, romance, banter, and faith threads that readers in the Regency Brides series have come to expect. I hope readers enjoy Catherine and Jon’s story.



Blog Stops


Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 16

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 17

lakesidelivingsite, February 17

For Him and My Family, February 18

Texas Book-aholic, February 19

Labor Not in Vain, February 19

KarenSueHadley, February 20

Woven by Words, February 20

Artistic Nobody, February 21 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

deb’s Book Review, February 22

Mia Reads, February 22

Inklings and notions, February 23

All-of-a-kind Mom, February 23

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, February 24

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, February 24

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 25

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, February 26 (Author Interview)

Melissa Wardwell’s Back Porch Reads, February 26

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, February 27

Connie’s History Classroom, February 27

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 28

Spoken from the Heart, February 28

Simple Harvest Reads, March 1 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Hallie Reads, March 1


Giveaway



 

To celebrate her tour, Carolyn is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon prize and a paperback copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1074d/winning-miss-winthrop-celebration-tour-giveaway




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First Line Friday ~ Sing in the Sunlight

February 26, 2021


 Happy Friday!

What a busy week and it is also a busy weekend ahead. Our friends are moving and we are so super sad. Excited for the opportunity they have but sad for us and our kids who will miss each other greatly! So we will be busy this weekend hanging out with them for one last time before they move 😭. In other news... it's First Line Friday!! Hosted by Hoarding Books and today my firsts line is coming form Sing in the Sunlight by Kathleen Denly!


Your turn! Grab the book closest to you and drop the first line in the comments!
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A Bride's Choice in Central City by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer ~ Book Review

February 25, 2021


 ABOUT THE BOOK


Author:
Diana Lesire Brandmeyer
Series: Frontier Legacy Brides, Book 3
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Publisher: DKD Books
Release Date: March 14, 2021
Pages: 229

She’s not who she thought she was…
…And he can’t keep a promise
Will they only disappoint each other?

Annabelle Singleton, a Southern socialite on her way to spinsterhood has her world broken when she discovers her life is a lie. While Annabelle searches for her place in society Thaddeus offers her a glimpse of what things could become. His young daughter grows attracted to Annabelle, but is she ready to be a mother when she isn’t sure who hers was?

Despite his intentions, investor Thaddeus Kincaid continues to break promises to his young daughter and late wife. The only way to keep his word is to spend less time managing his company or find a wife. Neither option is viable. Until he meets Annabelle. But she has a secret, and until he finds out what it is, he can’t consider a future with her.

In the end, does the truth make you who you are?

Annabelle will have to decide.

You will root for Annabelle in A Bride’s Choice because everyone understands making a decision for love.



MY THOUGHTS

I really enjoyed this story. This is book 3 on the Frontier Legacy Brides series and I recommend you pick up the first two in order to follow the characters and understand them a little better.  Once again we were transported into Colorado territory and this time I was reunited with some previous lovable characters and introduced to some new ones. I really enjoyed Anabelle and Thaddeus story. 

Anabelle has recently lost her father and has found out that she has been adopted. Her aunt kicks her out angry that she has inherited everything and is not really a Singleton. I felt for Anabelle all she wants to know is where she belongs and who she is. Thaddeus is single father, trying to balance home and work life and doing a poor job about it. His father-in-law sure does extend him some grace. At times I felt like Thaddeus took a little advantage of that situation instead of prioritizing between work and life. 

The love story between them is sweet and comes very naturally which I thought worked perfectly! In the midst of their story we see our previous characters Nora and Raymond finally complete their journey and love story! I was glad of the way that all worked itself out. I also enjoyed seeing Jake and Cornelia once more and seeing how it all ended up with them. 

I am not sure if this is the end of this series. It very well could be but I am left wondering what happened to Sadie and if  she made it to her destination safely. (I tend to get too invested in characters! Haha!) 

Overall I thought it was a great story of grace, forgiveness and new beginnings. The author did an excellent job and I can't wait to read more from her. 

My Rating: 4 Stars/ Really Liked it

I received a copy of this book from the author. I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Affiliate Links
AMAZON | GOODREADS
Also available through Kindle Unlimited




ABOUT THE AUTHOR

When I was small, I discovered a blanket tossed over the top of my desk made a great hiding spot and I began scribbling stories in a notebook. Still to this day no one can read my handwriting. If I hadn’t been given an old Royal typewriter I might never have had a book published.


My first stories were so bad they would bring tears to your eyes if you read them today. After much writing, re-writing and reading I've learned the best way to tell a story is from the heart and then let the mind edit it so others can read it.

I have studied with The Children’s Institute of Literature, Margie Lawson and a plethora of writing classes. I have taken so many classes I have been advised by my writing friends to stop, and start writing.

I will admit to a love of learning followed by a desire to procrastinate.

Currently, I and my husband live in Southern Illinois with one cats. We have 3 sons who have moved out of the nest, married and are now parents. Grandchildren are the best thing on earth. I was unaware of the power the little ones had until they placed the first one in my arms. That’s all it took. Overnight, I became the annoying grandmother with photos on my phone.

CBA and ECPA best-selling Christian author, Diana Lesire Brandmeyer, writes historical and contemporary romances. She writes fiction about women choosing to challenge their fears to become the strong women God intended them to be.

Author of, Mind of Her Own, A Bride's Dilemma in Friendship, Tennessee, We’re Not Blended-We’re Pureed, A Survivor’s Guide to Blended Families, and Hearts on the Road.

Once widowed and now remarried she writes with humor and experience on the difficulty of joining two families be it fictional or real life.

http://dianabrandmeyer.com/

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Abducted in Alaska by Darlene L. Turner ~ Excerpt + Giveaway

February 24, 2021

 


 Welcome to the Blog Tour for the Abducted in Alaska by Darlene L. Turner, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!


ABOUT THE BOOK


Abducted in Alaska

Title: Abducted in Alaska
Author: Darlene L. Turner
Publisher: Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense
Release Date: March 1, 2021
Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense


Protecting a child…
could cost them their lives. 

Saving a boy who has escaped his captors puts Canadian border patrol officer Hannah Morgan right into the path of a ruthless child-smuggling ring. Now with help from police constable Layke Jackson, she must keep the child safe. But can they rescue the other abducted children and bring down the gang…all while protecting a little boy and keeping themselves alive?

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookDepository | IndieBound | Christianbook | BookBub





EXCERPT

Layke stumbled on the uneven surface and turned back. The Suburban’s front tire slipped under water. He pointed. “Run! Get to the road!”

“Not without you,” Hannah yelled.

“Get Gabe to safety. Now!”

The frozen river continued to separate from the weight of the vehicle. He took a step back toward the road.

A chunk of ice broke apart beneath him and water gushed to the surface.

His legs weakened as his heartbeat exploded in his chest. A terror he’d never faced overtook his body just as the ice divided and plunged him into the arctic waters.

The last thing he heard was Hannah yell his name. Would he ever see her beautiful face again?




ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Darlene Turner 

Darlene L. Turner’s love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message.

Darlene won the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense twice and an ACFW Genesis award. She’s represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. Her debut book, Border Breach, released in April 2020 with Love Inspired Suspense. She has two books releasing in 2021: Abducted in Alaska (March) and Lethal Cover-Up (August). 

Darlene met her husband Jeff at the turtle races in Ontario, Canada. She loves flavored coffee and plaid shirts. You can connect with Darlene on her website where there’s suspense beyond borders. 

CONNECT WITH DARLENE: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a prize package including a Bible study book, swag, and a $25 Amazon gift card!


Abducted in Alaska JustRead Giveaway


Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight February 23, 2021 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 2, 2021. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.


ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Abducted in Alaska JustRead Blog Tour


JustRead Publicity Tours 

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

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Ruby's Redemption by Edwina Kiernan ~ Book Review

February 23, 2021


 ABOUT THE BOOK

Author:
Edwina Kiernan
Series: Gems of Grace, Book 1
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Publisher: Moliant Publishing
Release Date: November 1, 2020
Pages: 389

A gentle clergyman. A broken prostitute. A blossoming love that will endanger both their lives…

Forced into depravity by her tyrannous guardian after her parents’ death, Ruby’s life is one of vile deeds and violence. Unable to remember much of life outside the brothel’s walls, years of despair and abuse have crushed all hope of ever breaking free from her captor’s iron grip.

Until an unlikely encounter with Henry, a gentle country clergyman, sets an escape in motion that will change both their lives. But when Ruby’s worst fears are realized, the uncommon pair will face more devastation than either thought possible.

As the dawning of a new life of peace and love is ripped from her grasp, Ruby discovers that true freedom has a high cost…



MY THOUGHTS

What an amazing book. I read it in one sitting, not because it was short but because it was so captivating to me. It reminded me of Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. Ms. Kiernan wrote characters that truly tug at your heart and you go through this emotional journey with them. We immediately meet Ruby who is just a broken woman. She is immersed in a lifestyle that was not her choice. She is forced to do this day in and day out with fatal consequences if she refuses. Until by divine chance Henry, who is a pastor, happens to come into her room and just completely changes her outlook in life. He brings with him hope and a love that is pure. God's love. 

I was enraged with Millforte as I think anyone who reads this book will be. He is the epitome of evil. The way he treats those girls in the brothel and especially Ruby. He is an "uncle", and I use that term loosely since he is not related to her at all, but the things he has done to her are despicable. I rejoiced when Henry stood up to him and was not afraid to protect Ruby despite the consequences that occurred in him doing so. 

All the characters were very well written and I loved them all especially Browne. He seemed to be the voice of  peaceful reason amongst all of them. Not that all of them needed it but for example when Henry's aunt Abigail got a little miffed at Ruby he was there to make sure she didn't say anything she would regret. There was a love story between Henry and Ruby and it was lovely  but to me the most of important part was Ruby's Redemption. When she realized that God truly loved her for who she was and that she was forgiven for everything that she had ever done, I must admit I teared up and rejoiced. I know its a fictional character but it's amazing how a character makes you think of how people in our world need to hear and see the goodness of God through us. We are His vessel and like Henry we need to see the person or the soul of the person as God sees it. 

I really enjoyed this story and I am looking forward to reading any others that Ms.Kiernan writes. I recommend you pick this one up.  Definitely an author to look out for in the future. 

My Rating: 5 stars/ I loved it! It touched my heart. 

Reviewer's Note: This book does mention prostitution and the abuse that goes with it. I just want you to be aware especially it this is a subject that is sensitive or a trigger for you. 

I received this book from the author. I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Affiliate Links
AMAZON | GOODREADS
Also available through Kindle Unlimited




ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Edwina Kiernan is a Christian writer, and author of the new novel, Ruby’s Redemption.


An enthusiast of classic novels and history, Edwina combines her faith, imagination and research in hope-infused tales set in times past. Her latest novel is the first in a new Inspirational Regency romance series, Gems of Grace.

A lifelong word admirer, with Welsh and Irish heritage, she started writing stories early in childhood. She still loves to learn, taking courses from places like Oxford University and the Beau Monde, for both fun and further education.

When she’s not writing, Edwina loves spending time with her dashing husband and lively little son, reading and studying the Bible, getting lost in a captivating novel and drinking more types of tea than most people realize even exist.

Join her mailing list for free gifts, updates and lots of classic and historical fiction goodness. 
https://edwinakiernan.com/

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The In-Between Place by Kat Armstrong Blog Tour + Excerpt & Giveaway

February 22, 2021

 


Welcome to the Blog Tour for The In-Between Place by Kat Armstrong, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!



ABOUT THE BOOK

 


The In-Between Place

Title: The In-Between Place
Author: Kat Armstrong
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: January 5, 2021
Genre: Christian Life/Spiritual Growth

Jesus’ journey to the woman at the well in Samaria offers insights and hope for women today to make peace with the past, find hope in the present, and step into the future. 

God wants us to move toward the goodness He has planned for us. But what do we do when challenges stop our forward momentum? What’s the next step when we fall into a pit of despair with the determination knocked right out of us? 

On his way from Judea to Galilee, Jesus traveled through Samaria, a broken place everyone knew to avoid. In Samaria he stopped in Shechem, where evil had gained such a foothold of power that it eventually reigned. Yet the place once condemned as somewhere no one wanted to visit—let alone hang out in for a while—was the location of one Samaritan woman’s most hope-filled encounter with the Savior. 

The In-Between Place offers deeply important insights to anyone who feels stuck and can’t see a way forward. It is for the person who feels that if she looks left, her face will be scraped by an immovable boulder, and if she looks right, she’ll see nothing but hard to handle. It’s for the person who feels lost and is not sure she is worth the effort to be found, for the person who feels overlooked and unfulfilled. Because sometimes Jesus saves our greatest spiritual breakthroughs for our in-between places.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookDepository | IndieBound | Christianbook | BookBub


EXCERPT


Have you ever felt frozen in time while everyone else seems to be moving ahead at Mach speed? Like you’re the only one who’s crashed on some turn in life while the rest of the crowd speeds through detours like future thought- leaders and experts? The feeling is mutual and, I think, universal. Using text messages to poll my friends, I asked if anyone else had experienced feeling stuck—like there was no way out of their current situation and it didn’t make one ounce of sense how their family/work/church happenings were unfolding. Turns out, everyone in my life feels stuck, at least in some form or fashion.

Singles, marrieds, mothers (both single and married), widows, divorcees, stay- at- home moms, gig- economy workers, corporate executives— all the women I asked, even the ones “running in their lane,” mentioned their struggles with decision fatigue, the feeling of being overwhelmed when barraged by constant decision making.

Every single person who confided in me asked, “Is there something wrong with me?” 

This is where my tendency to challenge comes into play. I’ve got to push back on these assumptions. Being stuck is normal because you are not a robot. You are a human. Part of being human is living through unwanted and unexpected change, wading through confusion, and persevering through seasons you wish were much shorter. Although my group of friends expressed concern that their in- between places corresponded with their deficiencies— a lie I wholeheartedly rejected— another pattern emerged. The whole lot of us testified to supernatural experiences with God in the middle of testing times.


Taken from “The In-Between Place” by Kat Armstrong. Copyright 2020 by Kat Armstrong. Used with permission from Thomas Nelson.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kat Armstrong 

Kat Armstrong has been emboldening women to be all-in for Jesus for twenty years as a speaker, Bible teacher, author, and podcast host. As cofounder of The Polished Network, a nonprofit connecting and gathering professional women to navigate career and explore faith, her mission is to create holy curiosity.

Kat holds a master of Christian education from Dallas Theological Seminary. She and her husband, Aaron, have been married for eighteen years, and live in Dallas, Texas, with their son, Caleb. They attend Dallas Bible Church, where Aaron serves as the lead pastor. 

CONNECT WITH KAT: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a print copy of The In-Between Place and No More Holding Back!


The In-Between Place JustRead Giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight February 22, 2021 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 1, 2021. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

The In-Between Place JustRead Blog Tour


JustRead Publicity Tours 

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

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The Hesitant Heiress by Dawn Crandall ~ Book Review + Giveaway

February 20, 2021

 


About the Book


Book:  
The Hesitant Heiress
Series: The Everstone Chronicles, Book 1
Author: Dawn Crandall
Genre: Christian Historical  Romance
Publisher: Whitaker House
Pages: 320

After being unjustly expelled from the Boston Conservatory of Music, Amaryllis Brigham sees her dreams of founding a music academy in her hometown of Seattle, Washington, 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 the immense fortune of her estranged grandmother. Amaryllis reluctantly moves in to her aunt’s Boston home and rubs shoulders with fashionable society. Despite her own misgivings, she soon finds herself quickly falling in love with the most unlikely of men–Nathan Everstone, the envy of every eligible female, whose father has haunted her dreams for the decade following her mother’s tragic death. However, 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.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 



My Thoughts


Oh this story!! I absolutely loved it! This book definitely gave me Pride and Prejudice vibes and I was all for it! It was so descriptive and draws you in from the very beginning! The characters are all likeable and you can't help but fall in love with them. It definitely had a little mystery intertwined in it but what drew me the most was the romance!! (seriously it was amazing!!) 

This book has many stories going on as we do get introduced to lots of characters that I am sure we will meet in the following books but this one  is all about Amyrillis, a young woman who has lost her mother, is estranged from her father and her only desire is to open up a music school in her beloved Whidbey Island. She gets kicked out of the Boston Conservatory of Music for reasons that she doesn't quite understand but you do find out in the story!! Her Aunt Claudine takes her in and announces to her that she has a large inheritance coming to her but the only caveat is that she must get married in order to obtain it. As you can imagine it all goes topsy-turvy from there. 

Let's talk about Aunt Claudine for a second, she was comical in the way she did things. She definitely is pushy but not in a mean way. She truly made things complicated in trying to set Amyrillys up and I was all for it especially when she has Nathan Everstone come and stay with them! (Needless to say I was rejoicing about this!) Let's just say that Nathan sounds heart-throbbingly (I may have made that word up) dreamy!! 

The relationship between Amyrillis and Nathan is comical. She is definitely playing hard to get without even realizing it. I mean he is bold in his advances and she is taken with him but will not budge on releasing her heart all because she believes her aunt has put him to it and because of his last name! (I won't give too much because you need to read the story!)

I will not spoil it for you but this book was quite lovely and the theme of forgiveness and redemption are very clear as you are reading it. I honestly did not know what to expect when I first received this book but to say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement. I loved this story. The author truly captivated me with her writing and had me wanting more. I cannot wait to read more of the series as I have added all of these to my TBR list. I need to know what happens to Lawry, Meredyth and the rest of the Everstone's!

Oh Ms. Crandall if you ever read this I must know.... when you wrote this who did you picture for Nathan's character? I simply must know!

My Rating; 5 Stars/Absolutely Loved it!!

Favorite Musings/Quotes:

"He was able to captivate me so easily, and I had no idea how he did it. Or why."

"I've done so many things in my life that I regret. I love you, but I know I hardly deserve you. True, I didn't know you back then. Well, I knew your name, but I didn't know you were...her. The one I should have been waiting for all along."

Swoonworthy Level: 💗💗💗💗💗

I received a copy of this book from the author. I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.



About the Author


Dawn Crandall’s debut Gilded Age Victorian romance, The Hesitant Heiress, was a 2015 ACFW Carol award finalist in the debut category and received the 2015 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, the 2015 Write Touch Reader’s Choice Award and the 2015 Romancing the Novel Reader’s Choice Award. Her follow-up novel, The Bound Heart, received the 2016 Laurel Award from Clash of the Titles. Dawn earned a BA in Christian Education from Taylor University. She’s been balancing books and babies lately as her two sons were both born as the four books of her Everstone Chronicles series were being released from Whitaker House from 2014 to 2016. Dawn lives with her husband and two young sons on a hobby farm in her hometown in northeast Indiana.

 

More from Dawn


Some things just float your boat, you know? What are some of yours? I’m thinking, for many of you, having piles of awesome newly released novels to read is one of those things. Do you remember what it was that you loved to do more than anything else… when you were a kid? Well, for me, at least, it hasn’t changed much. I remember being in third grade and KNOWING that I was meant to write books. But having ADD in the 80’s and feeling like I was a pretty lousy student through most of my school years sort of put my dreams of being a published author in the category of “pipe dream”. Then during my senior year of college, I had one glorious spring break week of creative thinking, and I came up with the name of the heroine I would (hopefully) write someday—Amaryllis Brigham. And I also came up with the last name of the hero, and the family I would write a series about—the Everstones.

Five years after I graduated from college, I got married. And because I had lots of extra time at that point, I decided to check out some books about character development from the library. Which was the first clue to my husband that I wanted to write a novel. Yes, I hadn’t even told him! Then another five years went by while I worked full time at a daycare. I had definitely thought more about writing it by then, but I didn’t really know how to start.


But then I did. At the age of 32, during January 2010, I finally started writing The Hesitant Heiress. I just dove in, half planned and half one-chapter-at-a-time. I love history so much, when I’m doing research the world as it was just comes to life in my imagination and the story possibilities are endless! And really, I wrote Nathan and Amaryllis’s story for myself—for the joy of writing! Creating story, I found, was my favorite hobby beyond reading them! I did have a dream once during the two year process of writing THH, and I very vaguely saw a cover face out on a shelf. But again, to me it seemed like an impossibility, and I just kept focused on the joy I attained from writing it. If you would have told me back then that that first novel I loved writing would be traditionally published and on the market two and a half years after I finished writing it, I would have laughed in your face! And then, when I first saw Amaryllis on the cover of that first book in my series of five… I thought back to the dream I had that one time, and she was it. The way Amaryllis Brigham is situated on the cover of my published novel was very similar to the vague book cover of my dream. God had done it; He had taken the biggest desire of my life, given me a dream even when I was too cautious to hope, and He had made it a possibility.


Blog Stops


Locks, Hooks and Books, February 11

Worthy2Read, February 11

Inklings and notions, February 12

Mia Reads, February 12

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 13

Labor Not in Vain, February 13

A Baker’s Perspective, February 14

deb’s Book Review, February 14

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 15

Rachael’s Inkwell, February 15

Rebecca Tews, February 16

Mypreciousbitsandmusings, February 16

Texas Book-aholic, February 17

Connie’s History Classroom, February 18

Blogging With Carol, February 18

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, February 19

Bliss, Books and Jewels, February 19

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, February 20

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, February 20

For Him and My Family, February 21

Simple Harvest Reads, February 22 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, February 22

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 23

Beauty in the Binding, February 23

Hallie Reads, February 24

Guild Master, February 24


Giveaway




To celebrate her tour, Dawn is giving away the grand prize package of the complete Everstone Chronicles series in paperback and a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/10744/the-hesitant-heiress-celebration-tour-giveaway




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