New Beginnings
The Cautious Maiden by Dawn Crandall is the fourth book in the Everstone Chronicles but can be read as a stand-alone. It is a Christian historical romantic thriller and oh what a cracking read! I certainly could not predict all the twists and turns in the novel. It is so much more than just a pleasant romantic read.
The Cautious Maiden is written in the first person from the point of view of Violet, a young woman with few connections. The reader becomes intimately acquainted with her and shares her hopes and fears and dreams.
The novel is about new beginnings, both literally and figuratively. When you come to Christ, you become a new creation, the past is wiped clean and your new life begins. Our sins are no more and grace abounds.
Linked to this theme is that of forgiveness and forgetting. God forgives our sins and chooses to forget. “Christ has forgiven your past.” We need to do the same. Forgiveness is essential. Unforgiveness hardens our hearts and keeps us trapped in the past as we replay the hurts. Forgiveness brings us freedom.
Judgement is to be left in the hands of God. “Judging someone for the things they’d done before they became a Christian doesn’t seem right.” We cannot alter the past. The past is the past. We need to show love and move forwards into the future.
Putting Jesus first is an important theme within the novel. Violet wants to feel safe. She wants to feel loved. She wants to belong. She projects these wants onto Vance and these are not burdens for a person. She soon realises “I’d lost sight of my true Savior.” Only God can fullfil these roles. She needs to trust in and rest on Him.
Within the novel there is the theme of trust. We know that we can always trust God to work all things out for good for those who love Him. Working out who else one can trust is often trickier.
The Cautious Maiden was another thrilling book by Dawn Crandall. I became so completely absorbed in the action that there were times when I gasped out loud! The Everstone Chronicles is a wonderful series and I urge you to begin reading the books today. You will not be disappointed.
I received this book for free in exchange for a fair and honest review. No monetary compensation was received and all views expressed are my own.
JULIA WILSON