Not only are the characters of The Swindler’s Daughter colorful and realistic, but the story is also really good and takes a natural flow. McGee does a great job of creating people you can relate with and can visualize. She will make you want to root for the underdog! The Swindler is not at all what I had envisioned, and I was so pleasantly surprised to learn how this story unfolds. McGee uses Bible stories and examples of faith to encourage the characters and the reading audience. This book is a good example of how God works in our lives, while not necessarily being the main theme, as is true of our everyday living.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. All thoughts and comments are my own.

1912, Georgia. The plot's hook is an inheritance from an unknown father and becomes far more problematic than expected >well-written historical with a small rural setting. The story flowed well and kept my interest> If you want to read a Christian Fiction historical novel with strong messages of faith, intrigue, sweet romance, and an inspirational story with a little bit of mystery this is for you.

I received a complimentary copy, All opinions are my own.

This book has lots of surprises and questions and a mystery to be solved. We begin with Lillian Doyle finding out her mother has lied to her all these years making her think her father was deceased and that her mother was married to the man. When she discovers her father recently passed away and has left her everything, her sheltered world is about to come unraveled and she will soon learn she is stronger and more capable than her mother has ever given her credit for.

The characters in this book are interesting and thought out. Jonah Peterson and his family show Lillian how to live and they help her uncover the truth behind her father's business and his dealings. Lillian and Jonah also discover that even though they are totally different in some ways, they are similar in others and maybe Lillian is right where she is supposed to be as well as Jonah. The mystery will keep you guessing as to who to trust and who not and it was fun all the way through.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. All thoughts and comments are my own.

Great idea, but not the best book. Really surface level and very little depth to the story or characters. Long winded and empty.

My first McGee book was delightful The author has a young voice, which I find refreshing. Her characters are well developed and interesting. I appreciated the clean and gentle romance but I wish there was more time given to the developing relationship, it all felt a little rushed. I did enjoy the writers style, it held my interest.

We tend to think of an inheritance as a gift of value, but for Lillian Doyle, it’s become a source of heartache. Rather than living as a widow’s daughter, she’s now forced to consider what it would be like living as a swindler’s heiress.

The moment high-society girl, Lillian, learns that she is an unusual heiress, is the moment her problems begin. She struggles to understand the deception of her father’s existence, the family secrets that have been unearthed, and acknowledge that she’s the recipient of a surprise inheritance.

I loved Lillian and Jonah’s story! I was instantly wrapped up in her willingness to befriend the unfriendly in an effort to get what she deserved. The faith messages were beautifully twinned with an inspirational story about the transformative power of love. Author Stephenia McGee shows readers what’s possible when we harness our human nature and allow our hearts to be softened by God’s hand.

The addition of a mystery kept the story fresh and Melanie’s pleas softened my heart. I loved my time spent with these wonderful characters in the Deep South!

“Temper is often what gets us into trouble, and pride is what keeps us there.”

This sweet story was a wonderful surprise and had me searching out the author’s backlist.

Congratulations on a fantastic cover!

I was gifted this copy by Revell and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I enjoyed this book. It is listed as Christian fiction. I found it more fictional than Christian other than one of the character's beliefs that God was working things out for her.
The story flowed well and kept my interest. The characters were relatively well-developed. It was semi-believable and I enjoyed the twists and turns. It kept me wondering what was next and what to believe or not.
I have not read anything by Sephenia H McGee before. I enjoyed the book enough I will read more of what she writes.
I was given a copy of this book through Netgalley. All thoughts are my own and freely given.

This is a new to me author and I enjoyed her story. There is some romance and some intrigue intertwined with a bit of an unexpected twist toward the end. At least it surprised me. Glad the law could solve the mystery in the end. Even though the main characters are dealing with vile people, the feel of the book is not too dark. Yet we still feel their unease and confusion over what is really going on.

I liked watching Lillian gain confidence in herself as she stepped out from her mother's very short apron string. At the beginning her mother reminded me of Jane Austen's Lady Susan. That is not a compliment. But we see some growth with her too in the end. I also liked Jonah but felt bad for him. He had to be frustrated with trying and trying and never getting the break he feels he needs.

There are Christian themes through out the book because Jonah's mom is a strong believer. It is well written because none of it felt forced. It really was Melanie's personality through and through. And while she is a little over the top in her faith, it was completely her and felt natural.

Overall I enjoyed this book and would read more of this author.

Sex: no
Language: no
Violence: yes
*I received a complimentary ARC through NetGalley and voluntarily chose to review it.

Set in 1912, Lillian Doyle has thought her mother was a widow her entire life. Turns out her father was alive the whole time until recently. Now he really is deceased and has named her in his will to inherit his house and business. She travels to his house and meets a cousin she never knew she had and a woman named Melanie and her two daughters and her son Jonah. Jonah is upset by Lillian’s arrival because his mother, Melanie, was going to buy Lillian’s Father’s house, the house they are currently living in. Now this messes up the plans. As they learn more about each other, Melanie and Lillian decide to use the house to got into business together. Jonah is still suspicious of Lillian but they work together on the house and discover something hidden in the walls. Just what was her father involved in?

This story had a little bit of a mystery in it, which I always find fun. It just helps hold your interest until the end. I liked Lillian and Jonah together, very cute! Also I liked Melanie’s character a lot. She kept reminding the others to have faith in God. I liked how Jonah wanted to make sure his family was taken care of and the same goes for Lillian and her mom. Overall a good story and I recommend!

4.25 Stars!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author and netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

This is my favorite read by this author!
So very good! I couldn't put it away for one second!
The many messages of faith, a strong believer in Christ, what more could one want!?
The strong believer is my favorite character. I love her determination to believe no matter the situation she found herself in.
I really enjoyed watching Lillian grow into the character she was meant to be.
I think my favorite thing was the transformation of the house. All the love that was freely given was amazing. I wish it were that easy in real life.
The mystery was wonderful! It's not too heavy, just enough to keep reading til the end.
McGee has done a wonderful job with all of it, and I give this book 5 stars. Wish I could give it more! I enjoyed this story so much! I even snickered in some places.
You'll most especially love Rose and Betsy! In my opinion, they stole the show!
I highly recommend it!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

I could not put this engrossing story down written by Stephenia H. McGee. Every time I read a book by her, I tell myself there is no way she will top this one. Then I read her next book, star-struck with her awesome prose, realistic characters, and picturesque world-building. I was drawn into the intriguing world of The Swindler’s Daughter from the very first page and didn’t want to leave when the story ended.

Lillian had me cheering for her as she spread her wings and grew in confidence once she was out from under her mother’s constant scrutiny after she inherited her father’s estate and worldly possessions upon his death. Unbeknownst to her, those possessions could possibly lead to her own demise. With the support of God, newfound family, friends, and a new beau, each gave Lillian the strength to conquer all obstacles thrown into her path. Those obstacles had me glued to my seat, turning the pages as I held my breath reading as fast as I could to know the outcome.

If you want to read a stupendous Christian Historical Fiction novel with romance and intrigue, look no further than Stephenia H. McGee’s new book, The Swindler’s Daughter. You will not be disappointed.

I requested and received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell via NetGalley through Interviews & Reviews. All the opinions are my own, and I was not required to give a positive review.

I started this book not knowing what to expect, never having read anything by the author before and usually reading other genres. I enjoyed this story of a young women trying to make sense of a past that was not at all what she thought while figuring out how to move forward. Lillian is shocked to get an inheritance from a father she thought long dead, and the mysteries only grow as she begins to dig into her and her parents’ pasts. Even as she begins to make new plans and forge new relationships, her past threatens to unravel everything. The story relies heavily on faith and religious messages, which I had not realized. The story is well written and the characters well drawn, although I personally found some elements out of character or clunky at times. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest opinion

For a long time there's no suspense and it is clear from the beginning that our two main characters will end up together. It's more about the historical scene and about faith that God makes everything work together for our best.

The Swindler's Daughter was a refreshing story of a young woman finding her own dreams as she settles the estate of a father she never knew existed. The time period and setting was one that is atypical for many novels popular today and there were a lot of sweet side characters to help the struggling heroine discover her newfound family in a strange place. I felt that the back and forth between the two main characters was rife with miscommunication and judgemental behaviors on both sides and extended for far too long into the story--causing a bit of a sag in the middle. Overall a sweet book with a happy ending, which is what you would expect when picking it up from a shelf.

A Christian fiction book can be considered through two perspectives: "Author is a Master of fiction writing," and the other "Author is a Master of sharing authentic Christian life stories." The ideal description for a Christian novel would be to score high on both characteristics: a book written by a master author - and revealing a compelling authentic Christian experience.

Too many Christian stories are weak examples of one or the other characteristic. The Swindler's Daughter ranks high on both perspectives, but neither was a "masterful" ranking. I really enjoyed the book's story line, and by and large the Christian aspects (those where God is involved in, and directing, the characters' lives) are equally compelling, but not masterful.

But both these characteristics are dynamic: Both the writing and the Christian aspects are growing in maturity, and by God's grace, we are all moving ahead along the lines of our vocation and our relationship with God.

The characters in the story are excellent in combination with one another. The narration presents the heroine alone in the beginning, and the hero appears alone in a couple of following chapters. The beginning of the book was not compelling. But as the families and relationships grow with the plot, the book becomes a must-finish for the quality of those interactions.

This is a novel I would recommend for its fresh and well-written historical (1912) setting and for the unusual and well-written location of the action, a small rural Georgia town. The hook of the plot, an inheritance from an unknown father - one that becomes far more problematic than expected - is a rich opportunity for the reader to enjoy.

Publication date is May 2, and I thank both NetGalley and Revell for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

In the year 1912, Lillian Doyle gets an inheritance which changes her life! Lillian finds out that her father (whom she thought was dead) had left her a house in Dawsonville, a small rural town in Georgia.
Lillian travels to Dawsonville alone, as her mother does not want anyone to know she has an illegitimate daughter, Lillian will find out that being on her own can lead to the freedom to make her own choices.
She is accidentally pushed into the street by Jonah, a young man whose family had been planning to purchase Lillians' fathers' home before they knew it belonged to Lillian.
Lillian finds out that she has relatives in town, she meets Jonahs' family and they decide to start a business together. But there are people and dangers waiting for Lillian - you will have to read the book for yourself to find out what happens....

While I enjoyed the setting and the story itself. As well as the mystery that wove itself through these pages. It was the heroine that I didn't really like.

The Swindler's Daughter
by Stephenia H. McGee
Publisher: Revell
Series: none
Rated: 3
Obtain: Borrow
Back of the Book: “A surprise inheritance. A cache of family secrets. A choice that will change her life forever.
Lillian Doyle has lived her entire high-society life with her widowed mother, believing her father died long ago. But when news arrives that her estranged father only recently passed away--in jail--Lillian is startled to find that the man has left a business and all of his possessions to her, making her a rather unusual heiress.
When she goes to take possession of her father's house in a backwoods Georgia town, the dilapidated structure is already occupied by another woman who claims it was promised to her son, Jonah. In her attempts to untangle the mess, Lillian will discover not only a family she never knew she had but a family business that is more than meets the eye--and has put a target on her back.
To discover the truth and take hold of the independence she's always dreamed of, she'll have to make friends with adversaries and strangers--especially Jonah, the dusty and unrefined cowboy who has secret aspirations of his own.”

Impressions: This was a mediocre read. Remember that book reviews are completely subjective. I think the plot was slow and the romance never sparked for me. The supposed to be suspense just wasn’t there. I read it to the end but unfortunately it felt lackluster.

Quotes: “Wear the gown for the station of life you want, and that is what people will see.”

“I think we get promptings to do the things we least understand so we can learn to lean on God’s understanding.”

“Temper is often what gets us into trouble, and pride is what keeps us there.”

I received an ARC of this book via the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review shared here. For more book reviews go to: https://thebluestockingbooknook.wordpress.com

The Swindler's Daughter was a sweet book that I really enjoyed. The main character, Lillian was told her whole life, that her father was dead and her mother a widow. Come to find out, that was not true. Her father just recently passed away and left Lillian all of his earthly possessions. Along the way to claim what was hers, she meets danger and doesn't know who to trust. This book contains mystery, romance and very likeable characters. It was a very good read.
*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

The Swindlers Daughter
By Stephanie McGee
Pub Date: May 2, 2023
Fleming H Revell
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
This was my first book by this author and I was pleasantly surprised!
I loved the mystery and the characters. Entertaining!
4 stars