Book Review & Giveaway ~ The Cautious Maiden, by Dawn Crandall
The Cautious Maiden is the first book I’ve read by author Dawn Crandall, and it will certainly not be my last. I loved this tender, romantic story. This is inspirational historical romance at its *sigh* finest.
A little more about Dawn
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 traditionally published, he encouraged her to quit working 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.
Apart from writing books, Dawn is mom to two precious little boys. She also serves with her husband in a pre-marriage 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 series were semi-finalists in ACFW’s prestigious Genesis Contest, the third book going on to become a finalist in 2013.
About the book
Violet Hawthorne is beyond mortified when her brother Ezra turns their deceased parents’ New England country inn into a brothel to accommodate the nearby lumberjacks, but when Violet’s own reputation is compromised, the inn becomes the least of her worries. In an effort to salvage her good name, Violet is forced into an engagement with a taciturn acquaintance, Vance Everstone.
As she prepares for a society wedding, Violet learns that her brother had staked her hand in marriage in a heated poker game with the unsavory Rowen Steele, and Ezra had lost. Now Rowen is determined to cash in on his IOU.
With danger stalking her and a new fiancé who hides both his emotion and his past, Violet must decide who to trust, and who to leave behind.
My Review
The story opens with a surprising and perfectly sweet scene between hero and heroine. Hero Vance, a reformed rake whose actions must speak louder than his words to win over careful, tender-hearted Violet, is both swoon-worthy and realistic.
A glowing mix of tender romance and mysterious intrigue, The Cautious Maiden swept me away immediately with skilled first person point of view and plenty of unique story twists and turns. Lovely, shy Violet and reformed rake Vance have a sweet chemistry that intensified with each page.
The Cautious Maiden is a true gem of a story, reminding readers that grace and forgiveness go hand in hand, and loving someone requires a step of faith. I loved how the characters’ faith was woven so thoroughly into each scene, without bogging down the story.
Bravo Dawn, for a thrilling and touching story I thoroughly enjoyed. Now to get the first three in this series!
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In honor of the release of The Cautious Maiden, Dawn is offering a print copy of the story to one commenter! Please leave a comment with your name, let us know if you’ve read any of Dawn’s stories, and leave your email so I can contact you if your name is drawn.
The drawing begins Saturday, October 15th and ends Saturday, October 22. Please, for continental U.S. residents only. Thank you!
Filed under: Musings Tagged: Author Dawn Crandall, Author interview, Book giveaway, books, candidkerry, Christian fiction, Historical fiction, Inspirational Historical Fiction
