About 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.

My Thoughts:

The Swindler’s Daughter was the first book that I have read by Stephenia McGee and I enjoyed the story and its themes. The way that Lillian developed in character and wrestled with the unexpected was real, honest and insightful. The obstacles that were presented, from her first run-in with Jonah to her concerns about whether the town law enforcement could be trusted, set the stage for character growth and Lillian rose to the challenge.

I enjoyed the development of how dreams grow and adapt and become something more than we ever thought they could become, alongside the challenge of opening a heart to love and setting boundaries against harm and injustice.

I’ll look forward to reading more from McGee.

I received a free digital copy of The Swindler’s Daughter with the expectation that I would leave an honest review.