HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE HESITANT HEIRESS BLOG TOUR

 

The Hesitant Heiress Blog Tour wraps up today and it has been such a wonderful journey of book love from reviews to interviews! Thank you all so much bloggers and readers for participating in my first full blog tour! All of you are awesome!

Did you miss any of the reviews/interviews? Now is the time to go back and check them out!Be sure to enter the giveaway as well since it ends tonight at 9pm EST! I'll be on my Facebook Author Page for most of the day, and that's where I'll announce the Kindle Fire Winner! 

{Book Reviews}

“My favorite thing about this story was how much “page time” the two main characters spent together. I enjoyed following the progression of their relationship and how easy it was to believe them in their various moments of “love and war”. I was glad to find their frequent encounters throughout and watch their complicated romance build to a boil. You won’t be disappointed, trust me.” 

 ~ Savanna Kaiser, THE ENGRAFTED WORD

“Really, really a delight to read.  I can’t wait for the next two books in the Everstone Chronicles!”

 ~ Lisa Henson, FLYING THROUGH LIFE WITH FAITH!

“Crandall did a great job with the pacing of the novel as well as the tension.  I loved the ending because it was fast paced and I was truly surprised by it. The Hesitant Heiress had all the elements of a good (clean) historical romance. I would definitely recommend it!”

 ~ Stacey Daniel, THE GREAT ADVENTURE

“Dawn Crandall has set the bar pretty high with her first book….  I love her writing style, it’s fresh and unique.  I can’t wait for book 2!” 

~ Stacey Zink, SUBURBAN THOUGHTS

“I was hooked from page one. And it wasn’t until halfway through the book I realized it was written it in first person. I didn’t “feel” like I was only in Amaryllis’s POV. All the characters seemed so close, familiar. I’m not sure I even know how to explain it, except to say I felt like I knew what they were thinking.”

~ Terri Weldon,  THE OKLAHOMA ACFW CHAPTER BLOG

“Historical romance with a touch of mystery. Dawn Crandall does a very credible job of bringing her characters to life. She paints a setting that will have you sniffing the sea air and relishing a relaxing tea in the parlor. The plot twists and character quirks will keep you turning those pages - or scrolling that screen. All together an enjoyable read that is hard to put down.” 

~ Pegg Thomas, THE SHEEPISH SCRIBE

“I’m not a fan of FIRST PERSON point of view stories—USUALLY—but it didn’t take me long to realize I wasn’t even aware of the TYPE of POV—but was totally engrossed in the story.” 

~ Joy Avery Melville, JOURNEYS TO JOY

“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.” 

~ Iola Goulton, IOLA’S CHRISTIAN READS

 

“Normally, I am somewhat lost on 1^st person accounts, more because I—apparently—like action and settling into various viewpoints. The Hesitant Heiress, however, captivated me from the beginning. I found myself turning pages to learn whether Amaryllis would finally see the truth about her worth.”  

~ Karlene Jacobsen, THE BARN DOOR

“From the very beginning, the conflict tugged at my heart and kept me turning pages. Amaryllis Brigham meets her troubles head on with an inspiring faith. But this girl doesn’t know how beautiful she is, nor what’s in store for her in the person of Nathan Everstone. The characters are richly drawn and engaging. Dawn Crandall’s historical research is impeccable, but so expertly woven in that you don’t even notice, you’re just there.” 

~ Jody Bailey Day, LOVE COLORED GLASSES

“The Hesitant Heiress stands out as an exceptional novel because Crandall develops all of her characters in equal measure, whether main or secondary, male or female, villain or hero/heroine. There is no doubt between the various settings and plot lines that every single character will grab readers’ attention and hearts. Even characters who appear for brief moments are significant to the story and have their moments to make an impression upon readers. The male protagonist, Nathan Everstone, charms his way into the page from the very first moment his character enters the story. Handsome, intelligent, charismatic, and persuasive, Nathan is a man who is used to getting what he wants when he wants it.” 

~ Marisa Deshaies, A WAY WITH WORDS

“From the very first pages, mysteries are begging to be solved and will keep you turning the pages.  I wish I could give more details, but I don’t want any spoiler alerts. This debut book is also so well written in 1st Person Point of View which makes this book even more interesting to read.” 

~ Lindsey Grogg, LIFE ADVENTURES

“[Dawn Crandall] writes with an old voice (Jane Austen fans, you will love her!) that spins you into her heroine’s world and keeps you there deeply ensconced in her surroundings and emotions. Amaryllis and Nathan, along with the beautiful setting of Boston, come alive with each page you flip. Their connection is tangible and with the added touch of intrigue--who is really behind the problems that seem to plague Amaryllis?--you’ll be up late into the night to finish this book.” 

~ Susan Tuttle, STEPS INTO THE ABUNDANT LIFE

“Written in a manner that would please Jane Austin herself, and any fan, but with a voice that is truly her own, The Hesitant Heiress is a read sure to please! Elegantly written, intriguing, a hint of suspense and description that throws you into the Victorian era. Dawn invites you to follow Amaryllis Brigham as she struggles through past hurt and rejection to find God’s place and plan for her life—a journey with which many of us can relate.” 

~ HANNAH CONWAY

“This novel is set during the Gilded Age in Boston. Told in first person, it follows the reluctant journey of Amaryllis Brigham through the top echelons of society when all she wants to do is run away back to the wilds of Washington. To gain independence, she must marry…yet that is the last thing she wants to do. Amaryllis has a strong core she hides from everyone beneath the shell of a distant, protected woman. She has to choose to allow someone in…to see the real person. There’s a hint of intrigue, a dash of suspense, and a longing for love that will satisfy stalwart historical romance fans.” 

~ CARA PUTMAN

“If you are a fan of Jane Austen’s writing with character driven plots where the entire story focuses on the emotions and lives of the characters, then this is the book for you. The characters drive the whole story.” 

~ Kelly Bridgewater, JUSTICE THROUGH SUSPENSE

“Amaryllis is a complex character, very independent and intelligent. She is trying to find her way in a society too stuffy for her, yet not willing to sacrifice her own happiness for money. She feels as though she’s not had any control over some of her past life events, and this has borne a deep longing for consistency in her life. I enjoyed the fact that she wants to use her God-given musical talents to help others.” 

~ Courtney Clark, THE GREEN MOCKINGBIRD

“Unanswered questions teased me throughout the story, but as the tale unraveled they were all answered satisfactorily! Mysteries, misunderstandings, and even murder, all added intriguing and exciting layers to The Hesitant Heiress. And when Amaryllis wasn't exasperating me with her lack of perception, I found the interactions between her and Nathan intensely intoxicating. The story’s finale was one of the best endings I've ever read. Suffused with compelling drama and tension, it was thrilling while bristling with romantic tension. Well done Dawn Crandall!” 

~ Noela Nancarrow, OVERCOMING WITH GOD

“I met Dawn for the first time at my very first ACFW conference in 2011. We were roommates. I recall reading the first couple of pages of her manuscript in our hotel room, and my jaw dropped. This gal had a unique voice, and I knew she was going to be published one day.” 

~ PRESLAYSA WILLIAMS

“I loved The Hesitant Heiress number of reasons. One is that it doesn’t follow the formula romance or suspense novels and yet delivers well on both points. It’s told in the first person only from Amaryllis’s point-of-view. Good writing is in the details. I loved how Dawn brought depth not only to the hero and heroine but also the minor characters. The same goes for the setting, that is especially true of the scenes on the Maine coast. I want to go there after reading this book!” 

~ Gretchen Engel, THE SCRIBLERIANS

“There is amazing character growth and spiritual depth with, of course, some suspense/mystery mixed in to leave you on the edge of your seat! Also, can’t forget all that romance that leaves you breathless!”

~ Laura Pol, CRAFTYBOOKSHEEPS

***To read even more VERY in depth book reviews for The Hesitant Heiress, visit GoodReads and Amazon!!

{Interviews}

CREATIVE MADNESS MOMMA WITH MARGARET CHIND

CHRISTIAN SHELF ESTEEM WITH AMANDA GEANEY 

STITCHES THRU TIME WITH AMBER SCHAMEL 

LOVE COLORED GLASSES WITH JODY BAILEY DAY

COFFEE CUPS & CAMISOLES WITH JAIME WRIGHT

LENA NELSON DOOLEY’S BLOG

KARIN BEERY’S BLOG

CHRISTIAN BOOKSHELF REVIEWS

A FAIR SUBSTITUTE FOR HEAVEN WITH RACHEL MCMILLAN

IOLA’S CHRISTIAN READS

THE ENGRAFTED WORD WITH SAVANNA KAISER

NOVEL PASTIMES WITH KATHY ROUSER {PART 1}

NOVEL PASTIMES WITH KATHY ROUSER{PART 2}

JOURNEYS TO JOY WITH JOY AVERY MELVILLE

THIRD SHIFT MAMA WITH KATE GUTIERREZ

THE GREAT ADVENTURES WITH STACEY DANIEL

WOULD YOU RATHER WITH JESSICA R. PATCH

QUID PRO QUILLS WITH PEGG THOMAS

HEATHER DAY GILBERT’S BLOG

A WAY WITH WORDS WITH MARISA DESHAIES {part 1}

A WAY WITH WORDS WITH MARISA DESHAIES {part 2}

Discovering God's Will in Life and Fiction

February 14, 2014

I thought I knew what I wanted. I really did.  

I was in my mid-thirties, had a terrific husband (of eight years), a cute house in a town not far from my hometown and family, the ability to write from home, a respected literary agent and a three book historical romantic suspense series making the rounds with the top Christian publishers in the industry. I was set. And completely convinced that I had everything I could ask for. Well, everything but the finalized book contract with a publisher, that is.

And then I went on vacation last summer. It was a good vacation. Planned at the last moment—like usual—but to generally the same location my husband and I visit every summer: a rustic cabin built by my husband’s grand-father and great-grandfather in 1948. This pine tree-surrounded cabin sits on a lake in Northern (as in WAY north) Maine. We drive up simply because my husband has the vacation time to spare, and we like to stop along the way and visit places like Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts and Moosehead Lake in Central Maine (where my third book is set). 

But for some strange reason, this vacation felt different. It was our eighth summer staying there and visiting extended family who are closer to me than my own cousins, aunts and uncles... but I was getting restless. I’d heard snippets of interest from a publisher earlier that summer, and my third manuscript was a finalist in a very prestigious writing contest. I was becoming a little obsessive in my thoughts about what was EVER going to happen with these books I’d poured the last four years of my life into. 

One night while staying at the cabin, my husband (being the Mainer that he is) asked to take me out for a moonlit canoe ride. We didn’t have to go far to be surrounded by the moon and a multitude of brightly shining stars. Usually, when I get to such a place all I can think about are my stories and how to make them real for readers... but this time, as we sat there silently staring at the sky I felt a question resound through me, to my heart. 

What do you want more than anything, Dawn?

My quick answer: 

I want my books to be published.

Does that seem like a silly answer to you? It didn’t to me. When I’d begun my first book (the one the publishers had in their hands), I’d written it for myself. Not to be published, but for something to do... because I wasn’t having babies. I’d always wanted to write a book. I just thought I’d do it after I got married (right out of college, of course—haha!), had my children, and they went off to school… much like the time-line of many of my writer-friends who are also my age.

But that night, as I sat there in that canoe, I realized I’d given up on all that. Nothing was happening. Not that I was jumping through hoops, popping pills, or getting fertility shots. I’d simply been told that there was NOTHING wrong with me. I’d spent too many years thinking, “Where are my babies?” that I just needed to stop. So I did. I pretended not to care. I forced myself into a submissive attitude, telling myself that it didn’t matter. If God wanted me to have babies, then I would have babies. If He didn’t, I wouldn’t. It was that simple.

However, my books… now there was something happening. They were SO CLOSE to publication and had gotten there relatively easily. I figured that was what I was meant to do. WRITE. And why not? There’s nothing I’ve enjoyed more than creating and writing an intensely complex love story to thrill my friends with. So yes, my answer made complete sense to me. It was what I’d come to want more than anything else. 

Until I got home from vacation and couldn’t write. I had my rough draft of the third manuscript finished, but there were so many things I needed to polish and add to the end of the story. There I sat with the desire to write, yet I was suddenly too exhausted to think! I thought it was the fact that we’d been gone for over two weeks, which was longer than usual... but a few weeks later I had another, very odd suspicion that it was something more than that. 

My brain was in a constant fog, and I was too tired to really do anything—more tired than I’d EVER been in my entire life. And suddenly the idea of eating anything sounded disgusting?

I couldn’t fathom the truth. How could it be? It was a fact I knew all too well: Dawn couldn’t get pregnant. But slowly, cautiously, I began to really believe it. My husband took me to the grocery store that week (because I couldn’t make it on my own!) and at the end of the bread aisle I told him, “I think we need to buy a pregnancy test.”

The remembrance of the huge smile on his face when he held those two pink lines up for me to see later that evening still breaks my heart. He’d been praying and praying all those years, even after I’d given up. And suddenly, with the answer of his faithful prayers, it didn’t matter so much if my books ever got published. 

And yeah, I’d thought I knew what I wanted a month before... that week when I'd been asked, and God went into action to immediately prove me wrong.

I was wrong. So wrong. 

I’m now six and a half weeks from my baby’s due date... AND I was finally blessed with a three-book contract with Whitaker House Books earlier this winter. I still want both—don’t get me wrong—but nothing compares to feeling the surprising, crazy, fierce love I have for this baby wiggling inside as it grows bigger and stronger.... Not even the joy of completing a 90K manuscript that a publisher actually finds worthy of publishing under their name.

Throughout this pregnancy, although I am quite nervous about the strange mixture of having a newborn baby and a three book contract to deal with at the same time, I can’t help but constantly think back to the two verses that I long ago picked out as the themes for my first book and how they ended up being not just for my heroine, Amaryllis Brigham, but for me too. 

Ephesians 3:20 ~ “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us...”

 

[photos added April 2014]

 

James 1:17 ~ “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change...”