Book Review (and a Giveaway!): The Swindler’s Daughter by Stephenia H. McGee

THE SWINDLER’S DAUGHTER by Stephenia H. McGee
GENRE: Inspirational Historical Romance
PUBLISHER: Revell
RELEASE DATE: May 2, 2023
PAGES: 348

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.

I love Stephenia H. McGee’s books so I already knew I wanted to read her latest, The Swindler’s Daughter. The fact that it’s set in a Georgia mountain town brimming with intriguing Progressive-era (and early hints of Prohibition) history – and located only about an hour from me – is icing on the cake.

Lillian Doyle, our story’s protagonist, had me on her side from the very beginning. In the first few pages, everything she thought she knew was turned upside down and proven to be a lie. Her mother? Not a widow. Her father? Not dead. Well… he is now, but she had believed him dead her whole life only to discover his death was much more recent and comes with a sizable inheritance in her name. Not her high-society mother’s. In fact, despite being raised with a high priority on keeping up appearances, mingling in high-class circles, and marrying advantageously, Lillian herself turned out to be a very kind and genuine person who loved God and sought His direction. I thought her character was very brave and easy to like, and I cheered her on in her quest for independence and the truth.

A quest which leads her from Atlanta to rural north Georgia and a house in need of many repairs, a family she never knew, buried secrets, long-held dreams, and a blossoming romance (complete with some great ‘smushing faces’ scenes). The supporting cast, including our dashing hero Jonah, is full of layered backstories and vibrant personalities and, while some are easy to trust right away, readers get to join Lillian in trying to discern which of the others are who they claim to be. Jonah’s mother Melanie and his sisters were personal favorites of mine, and I’d love to see future stories about Rose and Betsy after they’ve grown up. Jonah is as vividly drawn and compelling as Lillian is, and I very much enjoyed watching them fall in love.

Bottom Line:  The Swindler’s Daughter by Stephenia H. McGee grabbed my interest from the first sentence and held me immersed in its pages until the last word. I easily embraced Lillian and Jonah and their Dawsonville families, and I was caught up in the mystery and danger surrounding her father and his house. I also loved that, while I had one idea about how the title would play out, McGee took it even beyond those expectations and made it all the more compelling. I must admit that Georgia during the Progressive & Prohibition eras hasn’t been on my radar until picking up The Swindler’s Daughter but now I find myself wanting to know lots more about it. Romance, intrigue, history, great characters and family secrets – this book has it all!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received via the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4.5 stars / loved it!

KissingBook Level: 3+ / will forget to breathe on occasion

affiliate links used

Stephenia H. McGee is a multi-published author of stories of faith, hope, and healing set in the Deep South. She lives in Mississippi, where she is a mom of two rambunctious boys, writer, dreamer, and husband spoiler. Her novel The Cedar Key was a 2021 Faith, Hope, and Love Readers’ Choice award winner. A member of the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution), she loves all things books and history. Stephenia also loves connecting with readers and can often be found having fun with her Faithful Readers Team on Facebook. For more on books and upcoming events and to connect with Stephenia, visit her at www.StepheniaMcGee.com.

Other Recently Featured Books by Stephenia H. McGee

Revell is offering a print copy of The Swindler’s Daughter by Stephenia H. McGee to TWO of my readers! (US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.) This giveaway is subject to Reading Is My SuperPower’s giveaway policies which can be found here. Enter via the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What about you? What makes you want to read The Swindler’s Daughter by Stephenia H. McGee?