Title: The Captive Imposter (The Everstone Chronicles #3)
Author: Dawn Crandall
Pages: 280
Year: 2015
Publisher: Whitaker House
My rating is 4 stars.
This is the third book in this series and tells Estella Everstone’s story. The setting is the beautiful countryside of Maine in the year 1891. Estella is the youngest of the Everstone children and often feels invisible. Men court her for her social position and substantial inheritance, not for who she is as a person. She has always kept to herself and been quiet. She has no close friends.
After a tragedy at her brother Will’s wedding, her other brother, Vance thinks it would be safer for her to go into hiding until things settle down. Estella doesn’t want to be sent off all alone, but her brother insists. She is hired as a lady’s companion and they travel to one of her father’s hotels, Everston. This hotel is Estella’s favorite and she one day hopes to own it. She meets the man who manages the hotel, Dexter Blakeley. He is distant and gruff, but she is attracted to him nonetheless. She is still trying to get over a broken heart as well as using a false identity, so she tries to not make any attachments.
She soon finds herself spending time with Dexter at the urging of her employer and discovers there is much more to this man than she initially thought. He finds Estella, or Elle her undercover name, irresistible. He is so thankful she is not one of the many spoiled society women who vacation at his hotel. Dexter preaches to the hotel guests on Sundays in the spring, summer and fall. When he preaches, Elle takes his word to heart and grows in her relationship with God. Can this wonderful man of God so full of compassion really have feelings for Elle? She has changed nothing about her person or character other than her name, so surely he won’t hold her social standing and money against her when she tells him her true identity will he?
The vivid descriptions of the scenery and Blakeley mansion made me want to see this area of the country. Dexter’s willingness to help women in desperate situations with his own time and money was commendable. Although there were certain aspects of Estella’s character that I could identify with, such as desiring to be alone more often than most people, I didn’t connect quite as well with these two main characters as I did in the first two books. The story was still very much worth reading, and I look forward to book four in the series, The Cautious Maiden. ( )

Monday, August 8, 2016
The Captive Imposter by Dawn Crandall, © 2015
The Everstone Chronicles ~ Book Three

to hide away as someone else and find yourself...

Each of The Everstone Chronicles is so richly written exploring the personhood of each of the siblings. From the same family, but yet so different as their personalities emerge. The cast of characters embodies life as they come together in their daily activities. I like how they are supportive of each other; well mostly. One character that stood out to me in The Captive Imposter was the mother of the resort's manager, Dexter Blakeley. She put a different spin on the story by either being ignored when she had an outburst or coddled to calm her down. A reflection on what trying to control your children into adulthood looks like doesn't exactly appear endearing.

Here is a section I truly loved! So true...

The scratching sound on my door that had awakened me resumed, followed by a tiny purr. Still wearing only my nightgown, I opened the door just a crack. A kitten with gray and black stripes butted its head against the door, pushing it open enough to slip inside. Once my furry guest had been admitted, I closed the door quickly, hoping no one had seen or heard me do so.
The kitten jumped up on the bed and curled into a ball amid my messy covers. It appeared Mrs. McGuire had given me the room belonging to this cat.
--The Captive Imposter, 105

Elle skirts around every day "getting to know you" questions; Dexter tries to keep all the plates spinning as he manages Everston, cares for his sister and mother, his staff and guests, and the gnawing attraction to Elle. Sworn not to fall in love after the severing relationship his brother had, his giving nature has a difficult time separating his intent with who he is.

I have read all three of these novels and each time... "This is my favorite." (Well, I still hold on to book one and Amaryllis, fondly.) I liked how this story began with Elle and Dexter meeting in the same stagecoach on the way to Everston. Mrs. Granton has subtle and not so subtle ways of hoping romance blossoms as she watches for opportunities to urge them toward each other.

Written in first person past tense, I found this story to be very open as you come to know the thoughts and feelings of the character(s). I highly recommend Dawn Crandall's writings. I enjoyed watching the drawing of the Lord in lives and how He was received. Dr. Jay Crawford, although pursuing his missions calling, did not seem to have the tenderness of heart as others who sought the Lord in their daily life. He seemed more guarded and functionary as he entered, revealing a need to check motives and intents, picked up on by others in proximity?

God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. ~ 1 Samuel 16:7b

***Thank you to author Dawn Crandall and to Whitaker House for sending a review copy of The Captive Imposter to me. This review was written in my own words. No other compensation was received.*** ( )