12 August 2014

Review: The Hesitant Heiress by Dawn Crandall


Excellent Historical Debut


It is 1890, and Amaryllis Brigham is a talented musician, but a slanderous letter from the rich influential Bram Everstone ends her study at the Boston Conservatory of Music, and sends her to the home of her Aunt Claudine. Here she is reintroduced to her childhood friend, cousin Lawry Hampton, and his friends, Jay Crawford and Nathan Everstone … Bram’s son.

Amaryllis discovers she is a rich heiress, but she must marry in order to claim her inheritance. She has no desire to marry, yet the money would enable her to return home to her beloved Whidbey Island, Washington, and establish a music school. Logic would dictate that the handsome Jay would make the ideal husband, as he’s a preacher in search of a wife to accompany him to fulfil his call to preach in Washington. Yet Amarillys finds herself attracted to Nathan, the son of the man who has ruined her life in more ways than one.

The Hesitant Heiress is written in the first person, which is an unusual choice for a historical romance, but it works. So many of the characters are hiding secrets, and first person enables the reader to uncover those secrets slowly, and means they have the same element of surprise to us as they do to Amaryllis. I liked that, as it added to the suspense.

This story has it all—fascinating characters, secret love, obsession, suspense, loads of romantic tension, and a few rather fabulous kisses. I thoroughly enjoyed The Hesitant Heiress. The only thing I didn’t like was the teaser for the sequel, because now I’m going to have to wait months to find out what happens. Recommended for fans of historical romantic suspense from authors such as Colleen Coble.

Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review. You can find out more about Dawn Crandall at her website.

7 comments:

  1. The first person point of view creates a great suspense atmosphere in this book! Loved it...and I hate waiting as well! :) ewe_r_merritt(at)yahoo( dot)com

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  2. I love that Whitaker House Publishers added the prologue to Meredyth Summercourt's book {The Bound Heart, November 2014} at the end of Amaryllis's book!!! Thanks for the FABULOUS review, Iola!! I'm glad you mentioned the romantic tension and fabulous kisses!! I'm so giddy knowing they've been adequately appreciated!!! :D

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  3. Readers can read the first chapter of The Hesitant Heiress FREE from my publisher here: http://whpub.whitakerhouse.com/dawncrandall/heiress.html

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  4. Thanks for sharing your review! I'm a big fan of good romantic tension- it makes it all the better when the main characters finally get together :)

    colorvibrant at gmail dot com

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  5. This sounds like an excellent story. Will certainly put it on my to be read list...
    d_stevens310 at live.com

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  6. Thanks for stopping, Anne, Heidi and Deanna!! I love a good love story with awesome tension too, Heidi!!

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