What’s in a Name? For her own protection following the murder of her brother Will, hotel heiress Estella Everstone assumes the alias of Elle Stoneburner and takes a job as companion to an elderly widow. Never did she imagine that her position would lead her back to her beloved Everston, a picturesque resort property tucked away in the rugged mountains of Maine. Living below her station in a … station in a guise of anonymity has its struggles, but her spirits are buoyed by a newfound friendship with the hotel manager, Dexter Blakeley.
When Estella finds herself in need of help, Dexter comes to the rescue with an offer of employment she can’t refuse. As the two interact and open up to each other, Estella feels a growing attraction to Dexter–and increasing discomfort over concealing her identity.
But will he still love her when he learns the truth about who she is?
more
Tucked away from high society with a temporary identity, heiress Estella Everstone (alias Elle Stoneburner) is living in the shadows as a lady’s companion. Worth a fortune and the target of a rather nasty international family feud, Estella finds herself enjoying her rather simple life, void of the numerous expectations and empty relationships of her past. Most unexpectedly, her path crosses that of Dexter Blakely, and Estella’s duplicity faces a major challenge. Mr. Blakely is introduced to Estella as the manager of the illustrious Everston Hotel; one of the Everstone family’s very fine investment properties and a location that Estella has dreamed about owning one day.
Dexter Blakely is intriguing in more ways than one; he is hard-working, straightforward, and infinitely handsome. When dire circumstances threaten to blow “Elle Stoneburner’s” cover, Dexter kindly offers her a position within his own home, awkwardly reuniting Estella with a childhood friend and former fiancé. When it becomes apparent that Estella’s reluctant attraction to Mr. Blakely is matched by his ardent feelings for her, a decision that threatens to ruin two lives must be made; will “Elle” find the courage to reveal her true identity; will the Blakely family secrets ruin them all? Can Estella and Blake trust God enough to “act justly, love mercy and walk humbly” as they navigate a potentially complicated future?
Dawn Crandall has such a unique and persuasive writing style; allowing her readers to happily develop strong emotional connections with her first person heroines. “The Captive Imposter” finishes strong and provides a fitting conclusion to this debut series from a very talented writer.
It was my pleasure to receive an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Sent away for protection, hotel heiress Estella Everstone finds herself living undercover as a lady’s companion named Elle Stoneburner at one of her father’s opulent hotels in the mountains of Maine—the one she’d always loved best and always hoped to own one day, Everston. The one thing she doesn’t like about the situation is that her ex-fiancé is in the area and is set on marrying someone else. Reeling from her feelings of being unwanted and unworthy, Estella reluctantly forms a friendship with the gruff manager of Everston, Dexter Blakeley, who seems to have something against wealthy young socialites with too much money, although they are just the kind of people Everston caters to.
When Estella finds herself in need of help, Dexter comes to the rescue with an offer she can’t refuse. She sees no other choice aside from going back home to her family and accepts the position as companion to his sister. Throughout her interactions with Dexter, she can’t deny the pull that’s evidenced between them every time he comes near. Estella realizes that while she’s been hiding behind a false name and identity, she’s never been freer to be herself than when she’s with Dexter Blakeley. But will he still love her when he finds out she’s Estella Everstone? She’s not entirely sure.
The cover to Dawn Crandall’s debut novel is what drew me to this series, and after reading her work, I was hooked. For me to be interested in the role of influencer for an author, I have to be reasonably comfortable that I will enjoy her work every time I pick another novel up because I have to be honest in my opinions. I had very high expectations for this third installment in The Everstone Chronicles, and I was not disappointed.
While many readers and authors avoid a first person narration, Dawn does it incredibly well, even over the now three books currently in the series. Each novel comes from the perspective of a different character, but each has her own unique voice, which I would imagine to be extremely difficult to accomplish by the same author.
Really, everything in this novel seems to rely on the success of the first person point of view. Everything flows smoothly, and I can’t imagine this story being told any other way; we would know too much with an omniscient narrator, and some of the key misunderstandings would be too quickly resolved if we were able to enter the heads of the other characters. By placing me within Estella’s mind and limiting my knowledge to hers, tension was maintained throughout and I kept turning those pages to make further discoveries.
Estella is a multi-layered, flawed, vulnerable, feeling human being. Not once did she come off as flat, and strangely enough, neither did the others I saw from her perspective. Her view is not always accurate and she sometimes has to overcome preconceived notions (did I mention flawed?), but I could see realistic characters take on flesh and blood in this story.
The story takes place in the fictional resort world of Everston and is unlike anything in my personal experience, either as a guest or otherwise, but I felt like I was a part of it while I was reading this novel. I can’t imagine much of the story would have worked if the author had set this tale in another place, even in a setting from another novel in this same series.
Underlying much of this novel is a convincing spiritual component that is a natural outgrowth of the characters. Our hero preaches an outdoor Sunday service for his guests, hinting at his deep spiritual convictions. And one of my favorite parts is where another character calls Estella out on her lack of faith, reminding her that just because God said “no” in the past doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to “give you something else you might want more.” I personally forget this too often and it was a lovely incident of fiction speaking truth to my heart through reading.
The romantic tension in this book absolutely sizzles! The characters are brought closer, then pulled apart. Once they get past that obstacle, a seemingly insignificant detail becomes another major hurdle for them to overcome. While this frustrated me in some ways, it also kept me turning the pages, all the way through three near-miss kisses until the toe-curling payoff at a completely unexpected moment!
I loved the references to classic novels—Great Expectations, Northanger Abbey, and Emma, among others. But while some writers might mention these classics merely to gain a connection with readers, Crandall masterfully uses these references to help us to better understand her characters, the choices they have made in the past and how those choices have, in turn, shaped them into who they are when we meet them.
And while I don’t particularly recall Jane Eyre ever being referenced other than a quote that begins a chapter, there are parallels all over the place: a dark, brooding hero, a vulnerable woman cut off from any family relations, a mammoth dog, a mystery on the fringe of the story with the potential to destroy everything the heroine is working for, and I could go on. It doesn’t hurt that Jane is one of my favorite literary heroines, either, but there is a potential for that to go very wrong if the author doesn’t treat the original with respect. There was no danger of that here, however, and I loved exploring Estella’s character while keeping some of Jane’s qualities tucked away for comparison. The really fun part is that just as we think we have it all figured out, a new clue is revealed that turns everything on its head.
I would recommend this book for any romance fan, but would caution that it is perhaps best for older teens on up given some thematic elements such as rescuing women from prostitution, a mention of suicide and some mild violence. All of these instances are dealt with appropriately and with a good dose of grace but they may need some discussion.
Not very much got done while I was reading this book—I couldn’t put it down for very long. I would recommend you only pick it up if you have some time to set aside for it, because once I started, I became immersed in Estella’s world so completely that real life faded to the background—and I have the pile of unfinished laundry to prove it!
I received an early copy from the author to facilitate this honest review, which originally appeared at The Christian Manifesto.
The Captive Imposter***** (Everston Chronicles book 3) by Dawn Crandall
Heiress Estella Everstone is living undercover as Elle Stoneburner, a lady’s companion and ends up at one of her father’s hotels in the Main mountains. As Elle attends her employer she is fearful that someone will recognize her and give her away. Her life could be in danger if that happens.
Dexter Blakely is the manager of the hotel but is put off by the wealthy young society ladies who frequent the hotel. When Elle is in need of help, Dexter comes to the rescue. He offers her a solution that seems perfect but there could be danger even in that.
The story captured me from the first and even more so as the it unfolded. I enjoyed getting to know Ellie (Estella) as she “finds” herself-who she really is. And Dexter was one of my favorite characters in the story. There are secondary characters that add so much to the story, some of which were evil with evil-intentions. A historical romance filled with those who are lost, healing, forgiveness, second chances, love, faith and redemption. Throw in some unexpected surprises, outcomes and dangerous situations making The Captive Imposter a fantastic story and has become a favorite of mine.
~~I received an e-book ARC copy from the publisher, this is my honest review~~
Oh, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. By far, it is my favorite one in the series. The entire story I watched Estella and Dexter become friends and slowly fall in love. It is their friendship that I loved the most. 5 stars – Full review is at my website. I received this book from the author. I was not required to give a positive review. All of the opinions I express here are my own.
Estella Everstone, under the name Elle Stoneburner for her protection, is currently living as a lady’s companion at one of her favorite of her father’s lavish Maine hotels, Everston. Everston would be the perfect refuge if not for the fact that her ex-fiancé is nearby and set on marrying someone else. Devastated by the emotional upheaval that his engagement brings, Estella forms a reluctant friendship with Everston’s standoffish manager, Dexter Blakely, who, despite being manager of a hotel that caters to the wealthy and affluent, seems to hold a grudge against wealthy socialites. When Estella is forced from her lady’s maid position, Dexter offers her a position as a companion to his shy sister. As she comes to know him and his family, she can’t help but realize that, despite hiding behind a false name, she has never felt more like her true self than she does around him. Can she trust Dexter to find her worthy not only as Elle, but as Estella Everstone as well? More importantly, can she see her own worth for herself?
After reading this third book in the Everstone Chronicles, I have come to realize that I am in good hands when I pick up a book with Dawn Crandall’s name on the cover. Her books offer a bit of everything, but definitely deliver on the things that I look for in a historical romance – endearing lead characters, tension-filled scenes and a believable romance. Plus, she writes in first-person, which is unique, and she excels at this narration style.
I loved so many things about this novel, but the first draw for me was the characters themselves. Estella is a bit more reserved than the previous two leading ladies in books one and two; however, she also had lovely qualities. Despite her previous fiancé being around in this story, there was no love triangles featured here, which was refreshing. Estella has a lot of internal struggle with feelings of worthiness and sharing the truth with Dexter. Because Dawn chose to write the story in first person, Estella’s struggles and triumphs had much more impact on me as the reader. I was rooting for her the whole way through the story. Her personal and spiritual growth comes across as genuine and heartfelt. Estella’s realization that she doesn’t have to rely on a person or position in society for her worth, but on God alone, was a lovely reminder for this reader. It was obvious that Dawn had a clear message of hope and worthiness in mind as she wrote Estella’s story.
I can’t mention Estella without talking about Dexter, and truly, I don’t think Dawn can write a bad male lead. Just when I think no one can top Lawry, enigmatic yet generous Dexter comes along. When I compare the three (Nathan, Lawry and Dexter), it’s just too hard to pick a favorite – the same can be said of the heroine’s as well, although Estella comes close to being a favorite. I thought it was nice that Dexter achieves personal growth as well. He has to change his mind on what he thought about the rich and wealthy, and though it focused on that less, that change was apparent to me. This story is primarily a romance, and although the plot doesn’t offer many surprises in that regard, Dawn’s descriptions of their relationship are simply beautiful and drama-filled without being overdone. If you are looking for a gorgeous happily-ever-after, you’ve definitely picked up the right book.
The setting and the scenes in the woods of Maine really came to life for me and had a very real presence in the story. My particular favorite scenes were in the outdoor church under the trees. I loved the realizations that Estella came to here and loved the idea of connecting to God through the nature that He created. It was also neat to see Vance, Estella’s brother and a character that I disliked so much from book 2, there and perhaps see some seeds of redemption begin to root more deeply in him. I’m hoping that he might make his way into a future story about the Everstone’s.
The Captive Imposter is wonderfully romantic and just an all-around great read – there is some intrigue, a bit of danger, a lot of romance, and the story is wholly uplifting and engaging the entire time. Dawn has written a lovely blend of romance, action and rich characterization in each book. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment spent reading this series and would love to read any future additions to the Everstone Chronicles. Highly recommended to fans of historical romance!
Everstone. When I hear this name my mind conjures up mansions; busy, city streets; balls; socialites; friends and family. Rising above all the others and standing apart is this family of good, social pedigree and moral uprightness. These are the Everstones.
THE CAPTIVE IMPOSTER by Dawn Crandall gives us the story of the youngest Everstone daughter, Estella. After making appearances in books one and two of The Everstone Chronicles, Estella gets her chance to shine by taking center stage in this novel.
Fearing her life may be in danger (read book two), Estella goes incognito as a lady’s companion. To her surprise and dismay, her employer decides to vacation at one of the hotels owned by Estella’s family. What if she is recognized and her cover is blown? Life takes an unexpected turn when Estella meets handsome and hesitant hotel manager, Dexter Blakeley. They are gripped by a mutual fascination and attraction for one another. Even so, Estella and Dexter are reluctant to act upon it because of personal experiences and secrets they each hold. The closer they get the more complicated it will be when their secrets are revealed.
Once again it is a pleasure to curl up with a novel by Dawn Crandall. As always the first-person viewpoint, character and scene descriptions are a feast for savoring slowly. Reading this series is an experience no lover of historical, romantic fiction should miss.
Estella is a compassionate heroine with a wonderful talent for sketching. I liked how she actually used her skill throughout the novel and enjoyed it too. Her duties as a lady’s companion kept her occupied and we saw Estella actively participating in this role. I appreciated that the author didn’t list off the heroine’s talents and job, but not let the reader see her doing any of this work. It took me a little while to figure out Estella’s personality. We’ve gotten bits and pieces of her in the other books, but not enough to get to know her well. She seems a little shy in crowds and with strangers, but is quite talkative to those she knows. This novel is a growing up time for Estella. She’s away from her family and has to learn who she is and what is important in life to her.
Dexter is a kind, quiet gentleman who is hesitant to fall in love. He is tight-lipped, honest, and disciplined, but beneath these honorable layers lies a deeper, romantic, passionate soul. Dexter’s not a flirt with a long list of previous relationships and broken hearts. He is waiting until that one right woman for him comes along. I liked how he was different than the other heroes. All personalities have their places in fiction and it’s good to have variety.
Most of the romance in this book is a little different than in the previous two novels. Both the hero and heroine are attracted to one another almost from the start. Once they chose to act on their feelings they took any opportunity they could get to show their affection. I was surprised at how affectionate and forward these two were with him being very self-disciplined and quiet; she being a little shy and coping from a previous relationship disappointment. The more I thought about it, I realized it was a personality layer that one doesn’t see until one gets to know the characters better. Their passion is a steady, rolling boil that’s just waiting for a chance to show itself. There are several tender, yet passionate kissing scenes to make the romance lover dream with a sigh and a smile.
Christian fiction cannot be complete without including the presence of a faith in God. Near the hotel in this novel is a fascinating outdoor location for church services. Dexter Blakeley provides optional church services for his guests and does the preaching himself! I really enjoyed these spiritual nuggets from Dexter’s sermons and the way they spoke to and convicted the heart of Estella and other guests also. Dexter has a burden for the spiritual welfare of his guests and has an obvious personal prayer life with Jesus.
Hotel settings are always favorite book locations for me. I would have liked more details about the other hotel guests and the running of the business. The rest of the locations were interesting, but I think the novel could have used more changes of scenery and non-hero/heroine conversations to keep from being slow and repetitive in a few places. Some of my favorite parts are scenes with family members of Estella and Dexter. The supporting cast wasn’t as strong in this novel as it was in the previous two. When they were present I felt they added more dimension to the story. They just didn’t seem to be around that often. I cannot wait to read more in this series and hope each of the Everstone siblings gets his own novel. They are a fascinating family!
Dawn Crandall’s THE CAPTIVE IMPOSTER was a pleasure to read from start to finish. I think I liked the first two books in this series better, but this one is still a splendid addition. The only thing left to say is, “More books in this wonderful series, please!”
* This book was given to me by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The Captive Imposter is the third book in Dawn Crandall’s Everstone Chronicles. I have read and reviewed the first two books in the series: The Hesitant Heiress and The Bound Heart. Click on each individual book title to read my complete reviews on the specific books. I enjoy stories where characters have to struggle and work their way through dilemmas in order to end up together. A sort of redemptive quality to the hero and heroine.
Crandall does a good job at mirroring the love of God in the relationships of her characters. For instance, in the hero, Dexter Blakeley, Crandall created a loving, caring, protective, and trust-worthy man who does not flirt and give his heart away. Dexter takes the time to be careful at guarding Elle’s heart. On the other hand, Elle Stoneburner aka Estella Everstone, is a patient, meek woman who wants to be loved. Even through all the struggles Dexter and Elle face, Dexter and Elle love each other for who they really are. Just like God loves us for who we really are.
The setting of the story in 1891 Maine captured my interest. Crandall does a good job at describing the setting of the woods, mountains, spring, and the hotel to situate her readers in the story. I felt like I was roaming the woods with Elle or climbing on the cement wall around the spring.
The writing is fluid with a balance between the prose and dialogue. I believed I followed Elle through her story, learning and empathizing with her as she struggled with sharing her true identity to Dexter. The story is told in first person, so the readers experience the story from Elle’s perspective. The romantic tension was spot on. I truly felt Elle’s dilemma as she started to fall for Dexter and fought internally how to break her secret with him. Crandall is great at creating realistic characters who stay with you long after the story is done.
Fans of Julie Klassen and Jane Austen will love the story and the romance between Dexter and Elle. I recommend everyone read the first two books in the story since there are moments in the third book that allude to incidents in the previous stories.
A swoon-worthy romance from a hero and heroine that will tug at the reader’s heart with a captivating setting to spark love and the keys to finding one’s true identity.
I have received an ARC from Dawn Crandall for The Captive Imposter in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
In this, the third book of the The Everstone Chronicles, we find yet more mystery as we encounter Dexter Blakely and his family. Discovering more about the Blakely family and their connections with the Everstone family is an intriguing part of this novel. Each of the books in Ms. Crandall’s series has allowed us a view into the lives of the Everstones, their history, their flaws, and their good sides. Getting to know more about them in each book is a great draw of the series.
Estella has spent a long time pining after someone, who, in my opinion, quite frankly doesn’t deserve her and hasn’t treated her well. Just like Estella, many of us have, at some point in our lives, tried to force something to be that was not meant to be—maybe a relationship or a job among other things. Finally, here in this novel, we get to see Estella truly let go of something not meant to be, something that God knows is not best for her and then watch as He orchestrates His beautiful best for her.
I believe that Estella and Dexter’s developing relationship is one of my favorites of the series. Again, we find a steadfast character in the hero who makes you fall in love with him right along with the heroine. In spite of the false name and position Estella has to use for protection, she’s actually able to more freely be herself than she would as Estella Everstone, enabling Dexter to get to know the real her without personal prejudice potentially getting in the way. Their sweet friendship that grows into love will melt your heart as you join them on their journey.
**I received this book free of charge from the publisher. All opinions in these reviews are my own.
Welcome back to the world of the Everstone family! I know that I am thrilled to be back in their lives, watching the drama unfold. And what a wonderful drama it is!
What did I love about this book?
For starters, I loved the setting. Everston and the surrounding land was beautifully described. I felt like I was there. The feeling of coming home that Estella experienced upon her return to Everston is palpable.
The characters in this story are also captivating, as has been the case in all three of the books in the series. It is so interesting to be able to really get to know Estella in this book and to see her personal growth into a woman who truly knows her own heart. Dexter Blakeley is a wonderful hero for Estella. What a complex situation these two find themselves in. Dexter and his family have an intriguing and painful backstory. The author does a very good job of slowly allowing the reader to learn about the events of the past that have impacted Dexter’s family so very much.
Looking for a bit of a gothic feel? Try Blakeley House. Estella’s experience here is pure gothic romance, in my opinion. Although this home is a refuge for Estella at one point in the story, I couldn’t help but feel nervous for her at times in the book. You can chalk it up to my reaction to Estella’s first impressions upon moving into the house. Two young women are currently residing in the house and spend most of their time behind the closed doors of their rooms. Then there is Dexter’s mother, mean-spirited and sharp-tongued, and decidedly unstable. Throw in a shadowy, candle-lit encounter, and the gothic vibe is definitely happening here!
I highly recommend this entire series and I am hoping to read more about the Everstone family in the future.
My thanks to the author for the complimentary copy of this book which I received in exchange for an honest review.
Warning: You will be kept up late into the night reading! 🙂
Dawn Crandall had done it again…. This book grabs your attention from the first chapter and draws you in with characters that are so real you feel they are telling you their story themselves. I enjoyed every page and easily lost track of time.
Estella Everstone has taken on a secret identity (Elle Stoneburner) at the prompting of her family and has gone into hiding as a companion to an elderly lady. Little did she know that in so doing it would bring her back to a place of happy childhood memories and to her own family owned hotel.
Dawn’s writing is artful in that you can picture yourself in the majestic setting of northern Maine. I could almost smell the crisp fresh sent of pine and hear the water falling down into the spring.
You won’t want to miss this story!
I was blessed to be chosen as an advanced reader and share my honest review of this book in hopes that you too will pick up this story and enjoy it as I have.
The Captive Imposter by Dawn Crandall is book three in The Everstone Chronicles. I’ve read all three and though each in its on way was excellent, The Captive Imposter by far is my favorite. Elle Stoneburner is a fake name for the Everstone hotel heiress, taken to protect her after one of her brothers is murdered. She moves away and takes a job as an older lady’s companion. Traveling, she finds herself at Everston, a favorite hotel she thinks is still owned by her father. She later finds that the hotel is not only managed by a handsome gentleman named Dexter, but he now owns it as well. Relationships were the main focus of this last of the Everstone Chronicles. I enjoyed getting to know some of the characters better from previous novels and learn about new ones introduced in this book. The growing relationship between Elle and Dexter had some “swoonworthy kisses” as well, wow. Even during the 1890s with modesty first and foremost, the author can still get your heart pounding with her descriptive scenes. If you are looking for drama, with villains and guns and such, look no further. There’s some of that included too. Dexter was my kind of hero, handsome, courteous, with a heart first and foremost for God. He was led by God and helped not only change Elle’s heart but also started a work in her brother Vance. I’ve heard a rumor that Dawn is thinking about writing a book focusing on Vance and his relationship with Violet, a desk clerk at Everston, which would be most welcomed. Hopefully, it would continue the relationships from these books so that we can continue to enjoy these wonderful characters. If you’re looking for a book filled with love, drama, relationships and the love of God, you must read this book! Thanks Dawn for a must read book from a very gifted author.
Yet another wonderful read from author Dawn Crandall. The Captive Imposter had me spellbound from the very beginning. The heroine in this book, Estella Everstone went from a spoiled rich girl to a young woman finally intouch with the real person inside her, with a little help from the hero, Dexter Blakely. Dexter is one of the most wonderfulest of characters I’ve come across. Ms. Crandall forces you to fall in love with him against your better judgement, being that he’s a made up character. This is a clean romance, but the love scenes are still on the steamy side to keep it interesting. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book of this series. The Everstone Chronicles is a set of wonderful novels that should be on everyone’s summer reading list. Enjoy!
I must confess that I wasn’t a fan of Estella Everstone in the previous two books, but her character comes to life in The Captive Imposter revealing deep hurts, longings, and a passion that hides under the socialite facade she wears to please her family. I fell in love with Mr. Blakeley. His steadiness and integrity, as well as a surprising romantic spirit won my heart right along with Estella’s. SWOON! I was a bit disappointed that there wasn’t reconciliation with Mr. Blakely’s mother, but I’m hopeful readers will find closure in the next book. Once again readers get a glimpse of the devastatingly charming Vance Everstone and the aftermath of his poor choices in previous books. The author sets a fine stage for Vance’s story in book 4.