Interview with Lillian

Gina Holder Character Interview – Lillian Doyle

• Tell us a little about yourself.

Hello everyone! My name is Lillian, and I am the reluctant heroine of the story The Swindler’s Daughter. You see, I always believed my mother to be a widow and my father long dead. Turns out, that isn’t quite the case. Goodness, the secrets are piling up and the things we’ve discovered, well…let’s just say there’s a lot going on around here right now.

• What is your idea of perfect happiness?

To me, happiness is a comfortable chair, a good book in hand, and a sweet confection nearby. I enjoy the quite life, though excitement seems to keep finding me and interrupting all of those plans.

• Which living person do you most despise?

This is a tough question, and while I wouldn’t go so far as to say “despise”, Mother and I have always had a difficult relationship. And then with recent events…well, things have become strained.

You see, I’ve lived my entire life with a mother who wants nothing more than to achieve high-society status. Up until a few days ago, I thought my father had died a long time ago. But then news arrived that my estranged father only recently passed away—in jail. He left a business and all of his possessions to me and he’s made me a rather unusual heiress.

It’s quite the mess, and Mother didn’t even bother to accompany me. She said I could handle it on my own, but we both knew she only wanted to keep herself from scandal. Oh, and continue to try to plan a wedding back in Atlanta I told her I didn’t want.

• Where would you most like to live?

Oh, my, that is the dilemma these days. Mother and I live in Atlanta, but my father left me a house in Dawsonville. But when I went to take possession of my father’s house, the dilapidated structure was already occupied by another woman who claims it was promised to her son! I’m furious with Mother and refuse to marry the man she has chosen for me, so I don’t really want to return to Atlanta. But what am I to do in a strange town all alone with a house left to me by a man I’ve never met and a family of tenants I didn’t expect?

• Which historical figure do you most identify with?

I very much admire Miss Jane Austen. She’s the independent sort, what with her defying her times and writing all of those wonderful stories. I’m not sure I can identify with her enterprising spirit just yet, but I’d certainly love to try.

About the Book

Title: The Swindler’s Daugher

Author: Stephenia H. McGee

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: May 2, 2023

Genre: Historical Romance

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.

Purchase link:  https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/492093

Click here for a sneak peek of The Swindler’s Daughter!

About the Author

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.