Is the sure thing worth risking for the possibility of maybe?Charla Winthrop, a savvy business woman seeking a permanent lifestyle change in small-town Ruby, learns that things aren’t always what they appear when she takes up residence in a house steeped in charm and a hint of mystery. Rumor has it that Sam Packard the town carpenter is her go-to guy for home remodeling, but can Charla convince … Charla convince him to help her—with no strings attached, of course?
Alone far too long, Sam’s prayed that God would send him a wife and a mother for his daughters. However, the new Ruby resident is hardly what he imagined. A new place to call “home,” the possibility of what might be, and the answer to someone’s prayers unite this unlikely pair with the help of the town’s residents.
Nestled in the Ozarks’ hills and hollows is Ruby, Missouri, a quaint, cozy town where “neighbor” is merely another word for “friend.” Ruby will charm and delight as will her quirky, lovable characters who will steal your heart, but hand it right back—with whipped cream and a cherry on top. Savor your new friends’ sorrows and successes in the community where offbeat is perfect and mishaps and mayhem never tasted so good.
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When Charla Winthrop decides to make a drastic change in her life, she moves halfway across the country to small town Missouri and immediately meets Sam Packard, single father and local carpenter. From there, their relationship progresses quickly, and they envision a picture-perfect future together. As all good love stories go, there arises complications that threaten their newfound joy. While I won’t spoil the surprise, I must say that I applaud Cynthia Herron for addressing a somewhat hot topic for some families. However, I feel like the story is somewhat repetitive and a little hard to believe even for someone with a Christian background. There are also many instances where the obvious is stated, and I prefer a story that shows me the characters’ feelings and motives instead of spelling it out. Still, with its cozy Ozark small town setting and scenes that take place during the holidays, this book reminds me of the TV holiday movies that we all love!
I received a copy of this book from JustRead Tours and am under no obligation to provide a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Her Hope Discovered by Cynthia Herron is the first in the Welcome to Ruby series. Ruby, a small town in the Missouri Ozarks, is quite Mayberry-ish; no one is a stranger, even newcomer Charla Winthrop a high-powered executive looking for something different, less demanding with a slower pace.
She finds it in Ruby but is she truly prepared for the change from the seeming anonymity of the big city to the everybody in town knows which house she bought? It seems all the townsfolk know her activities almost before she does! Charla is accepted, loved and supported from the minute she moves into her knew too big for her home.
Hiring Sam Packard to complete some carpentry work soon finds Charla faced with a dilemma. He captures her heart far too quickly and despite her efforts, Charla finds herself completely falling for Sam. When she meets his two young and adorable daughters Charla is totally charmed.
Despite what her heart is doing, Charla resists the effect the handsome carpenter; she just ended a two year relationship with a very controlling man. Charla just wants to step back, figure out who she is and follow her dreams.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Just Read Tours and am not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions therein are solely my own.
3.5 stars
When Charla Winthrop makes some changes in her life, they are BIG ones. Leaving behind a prestigious career, a mother intent on keeping up appearances, and a controlling ex, Charla leaves Boston for the slower paced Ozarks. The move allows her freedom to stretch wings that had been clipped for too long, and the last thing she expects is an almost instantaneous attraction to a man.
In Her Hope Discovered, Cynthia Herron gives readers a story heralding the simpler life of small town living. Sam and Charla are open about their attraction, and her subsequent hesitation to jump into another relationship, from the start. Conversation between them ranges from comfortable to intentional to emotional but all of it has a natural flow.
And though predictable, this sweet story gives readers a look into real life issues—grief, pain, healing, independence, friendship—while shining the light on promises of second chances.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
I was drawn into this book from the opening paragraph with the description of the Missouri region of the Ozarks. The Ozarks are home to me, and the author did an excellent job describing the natural beauty of this region of the country. She also completely understands the close relationships among the residents of a small Missouri town.
But even more than her description of the beautiful countryside, this book’s characters will steal your heart. Charla, Sam, Faith and Hope were meant to come together to form a family, and their story is a lovely one to read. Sam and Charla have each come through great heartache and are ready for a new start in life, but each have deal with a issues of trust to get there. Their road to romance is not always smooth, and they face the challenge of reconciling their differences of viewpoint to form a happy marriage.
There’s a very strong emphasis of faith of how God works in our lives through circumstances that we might not understand or recognize at the time. There’s a little bit of “heavenly intervention” throughout the book, and the way the whole story pulls together is very satisfying. I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more about the residents of Ruby, Missouri.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Once in a while a story comes along that brings me joy, tears and a ton of hope and this is one of those special stories. From the first page, I felt close to the characters and enjoyed learning more about each one. Second chances at love, trust, faith and hope are all found for the people in this heartwarming story. I truly enjoyed this one. I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my personal honest opinion. No review was required.
Her Hope Discovered is the first in the Welcome to Ruby series by Cynthia Herron. Readers get to travel to the Ozarks to the charming town of Ruby, Missouri. Big city girl Charla meets single widowed father Sam after moving to this quaint little town. Charla has moved there looking for something different in her life. This is a heartwarming Christian romance and involves themes such as forgiveness, healing from loss, new beginnings, and chasing your dreams. I also enjoyed meeting the other residents of Ruby and look forward to getting to know more about them throughout the rest of the series.
The most incredible characters! I feel in love with this story in the first few pages. This story grabs your heart and won’t let go, taking the reader on an fabulous journey. I love that the author shows how God loves to interact in our lives and wants what’s best for his children. A beautiful story of forgiveness, love and new beginnings will have you so engulfed in the pages you won’t want the book to end. This book makes you feel and fall in love with small town living!
I loved this heart-tugging romance about a couple working toward happiness with help from a town full of friends!
Her Hope Discovered is a heart-touching emotional journey as two people come to grips with the past…one with the pain of guilt and one with the of pain of rejection.
Her Hope Discovered, by award-winning debut author Cynthia Herron, finds big city gal Charla Winthrop arriving in small town Ruby, Missouri. She is leaving her lucrative job and privileged life in Boston to find what she truly wants in her life. As a symbol of her new independence, she purchases a charming old home and begins to fill the intriguing rooms with her personality.
Widowed carpenter Sam Packard has his hands full with raising two cute little girls and dealing with a devastating sense of guilt. His big heart has multiple issues to work through before he can convince Charla he is the man she is hoping for. Fortunately he has his dear friends and the good Lord to help him along the path to happiness.
I completely enjoyed my visit to Ruby, Missouri, an Ozark town filled with the warmth of folks supporting each other through the good and bad times….true friendships! The characters are real, the feelings are touching, and the romance is sweet. Author Cynthia Herron knows how to delve into the thought process of her characters….sometimes dealing with raw hurts and sometimes consumed by indecision….to bring us an emotional, feel-good story with a deeply satisfying ending.
I liked the mentions of God-inspired moments, plus the wise nuggets of down-to-earth wisdoms, sprinkled throughout the pages. The images are vibrant, and there are foodie delights…my cup of tea….such as the Come And Get It Diner, celebratory feasts, and chocolate chip cookies!
I’m already anticipating more visits to charming Ruby, Missouri. I want to know what happens in the lives of the lovable folks of this warm little village…just as with true friendships. If you like to be engaged with characters as they find hope and happiness, you will definitely enjoy Her Hope Discovered.
Favorite quote: True love wasn’t selfish—it was selfless.
I was given a free copy of Her Hope Discovered by debut novelist Cynthia Herron. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Readers are welcomed into a Mayberry-style town called Ruby where they are greeted with delicious aromas of coffee and home cooking. Readers get to meet lovable characters like Charla and Sam who soon feel like friends. A mishap here and there could stop love from blooming between these two but thankfully, it doesn’t. This novel doesn’t disappoint. It has just enough romance and just enough twists and turns to keep those pages turning. Reading this novel is like slipping on a pair of your favorite, most comfortable shoes and walking around with new friends. The best part? It’s part ONE in a series. I’m watching for Book Two to hit the shelves.
I knew when I read the synopsis of this book that I absolutely had to read it. It’s not often that I stumble across books set in my backyard. I mean Ruby doesn’t really exist in my backyard, nor Jewel County but. . . I was born in the Ozarks. I was raised in the Ozarks. I still live in the Ozarks. , one of my high school rivals was the town of Ozark. This region of the country is truly like no other with the slower pace of the south but not truly southern. We have some mannerisms of the north without coming close to being Yankee. Once upon a time when this region was more isolated, due to the ‘mountains’ (I say with tongue in cheek as the Ozark Mountains are really gloried hills) and plateaus that truly did isolate, we had our own dialect and mannerisms. Think Appalachia but less intense in the hillbilly. It’s hard to capture that history as it meets current reality without pandering to to stereotypes or missing the mark altogether. You have to experience it, steep yourself in it, to truly get it. At least my opinion.Cynthia has obviously lived it. You don’t have to read her bio to know that she gets the lifestyle here. As much as I say this with all the love though it did fall short for me. I felt like I was told more about the landscape and the lifestyle than shown. I feel like there was a vibe that was just missing. I also felt a bit pandered to. For those of you that don’t really know me I feel the need to preface this. I am about as hick-y, folksy as they come. I make it up as I go so to speak. If you have read any of my posts you’ve experience it a time or twenty. If you know me in real life you experience it constantly. I get folksy on so many levels. However, I felt like several characters in Ruby were more stereotypical than truly folksy. I feel like Herron tried just a bit too hard to capture the essence that is this part of the country while trying to contrast the difference of Charla’s (I LOVE that name by the way) runaway Boston lifestyle. I don’t know that someone without history here will get near the takeaway I did with this. Heck, I don’t know that someone with history here will feel the same way.I’m gonna be honest, again, I got a little scared of insta-love for a minute. Sam fell a little too hard too fast but. . .He managed to slow his role and truly get to know Charla before deciding that forever after was in the future. I appreciated that so much. I did get a bit bogged down and an overwhelming desire to hand out a few Gibbs’ smacks with Sam and Charla’s inability to actually have a conversation at times instead of just making decisions in their heads. I loved the interplay of spiritualism with the faith the injection that God truly does interact and help to guide our lives. It’s up to us to be open to where he is trying to guide us. For me it truly gave a spiritual angels vibe and not a mystical vibe. There is a difference, just sayin’. I appreciated the feel of community and healing. Sam’s guilt and his relationship with Edwin, Charla’s need to take a different path than what she was raised to be and even the relationship with her family. There was so much to love about Ruby that it is easy to overlook the things that didn’t quite jive for me. I truly do recommend this book for anyone that needs a sweet love story or anyone who needs to be reminded that you can move forward no matter where you find yourself or what life throws your way. It’s also a great book for anyone that needs to slow down for a minute and enjoy some time in my backyard. I can’t wait to visit Ruby again!
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Just Read. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.
With the impressive debut of Her Hope Discovered, Cynthia Herron establishes herself as an author to watch and this story is destined to become one of my favorites. The writing is solid, dialogue flows easily, characters are well developed, and the Ozark setting envelopes you in its arms. There’s even a touch of the supernatural that I found delightful.
The beautiful Ozark Mountain town of Ruby embodies all that I love about small towns – people know and care about each other, friendships and faith are a part of daily living. You’ll come across some cute folksy comments like this one by one of my favorite secondary characters – Ida Mae, owner of the Come and Get It diner. When Charla asks why customers come to eat as early as 6 am, Ida Mae replies, “That’s catchin’ up time. Folks catch up on what happened the night before and chew on the day ahead.”
I loved Sam and Charla from the moment I met them. Sam’s daughters are scene stealers, and his father-in-law, Edwin, is a wonderfully endearing character that I hope to see more of in future stories. Sam and Charla have some emotional baggage from the past and career-related issues to work through, but they are surrounded by a warm, supportive community, and the God of second chances is clearly seen.
Through Edwin’s faith and prayers, one of my favorite spiritual themes shines brightly, and that’s the idea of God’s divine appointments. Sometimes I think we fail to see these opportunities personally, but Her Hope Discovered reminds that if we just think about it, we’ll see people and situations that God has orchestrated in our lives.
I’m glad more Ruby stories are to come because I didn’t want to let go of these characters. Recommended.
I received a copy of this book through JustRead Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
When Charla decides to leave her busy, meaningless life in Boston and move to the small town of Ruby, Missouri she is looking forward to the change of pace and to beginning the journey to figuring out what she truly wants in life. While she’s planning there are other that are praying for her to come into their lives.
Sam and his young daughters, Faith and Hope, have been hoping for someone to fill the void that was left when their wife and mother died in an accident three years ago. Could the new Bostonian in town be the answer to that prayer? Charla’s presence in Ruby is going to be a game changer in more ways than one and usher a time of self discovery, truthfulness, and forgiveness in multiple lives.
From the beginning I was completely and utterly charmed by Her Hope Discovered. From the Mayberry-esque town and all its charismatic array of characters to the breathtaking descriptions of Ruby and the surrounding Ozarks, you feel yourself transported to this wonderful and charming place with every page.
Though sweet, and mostly predictable, there is just enough subtle conflict to keep it interesting until the end, and the theme of love and forgiveness that flows throughout leaves you all warm and fuzzy. Very sweet story!
Aw…this was such a delightful read!!
I live in a small town (though not quite as small as Ruby), and easily saw the town and its inhabitants come to life in my mind’s eye. It’s like Stars Hollow moved to Missouri!
Scripture is peppered throughout, and faith and hope were embodied not just in two little girls, but in Edwin, Charla, Sam, and others.
A wonderful fall and winter read (especially as I sit looking at the surprise snow outside my window!).
I’m so glad this appears to be the first book in a series. Ruby plays home to enough characters, Herron won’t be short of material anytime soon! Think Mitford lite!
I received a copy of the book from JustRead Publicity Tours. All opinions are my own.
Welcome to a heartwarming story of love, trust, and enduring relationships. This book will make you smile and cry, but will also give you the warm fuzzies! A delightful read – I quickly fell in love with Charla, Sam and his two adorable daughters, Sam’s best bud Horace, Ida Mae and her café, and even Charla’s controlling mother the widow Winthrop. Charla is determined to get a fresh start from her hub-bub of a life in Boston and moves to the quiet town of Ruby, where she feels instantly at home. Thinking that she just wants her independence, she quickly learns that God has other plans for her. The odd times she smells the aroma of chocolate chips baking, a soft hand on her face smelling of lilac, show her that a power stronger than her is at work in her life. God is a God of second chances.
Cynthia Herron has written a sweet novel I found to be a delightful read. Not ooey-gooey, but fun and nicely laced with the message of God’s love. I can’t wait for the sequel!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review.
Her Hope Discovered by Cynthia Herron is a inspirational, romantic read. I love the characters and the town of Ruby. I can’t wait for her next book…
Reading Her Hope Discovered is like sitting down at the fireside with a good friend and your favorite hot beverage for a cozy chat. The writing is fantastic and very interesting. It is compelling and creative with beautiful descriptions appropriately sprinkled throughout the story. It is so easy to visualize the beauty of the Ozarks as you read.
I was so quickly invested in the characters, caring deeply what happened to them. And not just Charla and Sam, the main characters, each of the people in the town of Ruby became friends I want to know more about. It almost makes me want to pack up and move to a small town. . . Almost!
Sam is a widower who has two adorable little girls full of life and energy. The great love he has for them is so touching. Despite his strong faith, he struggles with guilt over the argument he had with his wife the last time he saw her and feels responsible for her death. His inability to accept forgiveness for this has alienated him from at least one person he needs in his life and that of his daughters. This hard-working man has a heart of gold, though he is not without his flaws.
Charla is a newcomer to the Ozarks, having moved to Ruby from a suburb of Boston – fleeing from the hectic life that was consuming her. She has dreams of being independent and having a chance to actually live her life making choices that are not designed to please others, especially her mother. Her heart is quickly captivated by the handsome carpenter and his precocious daughters, though she is afraid to trust it to anyone.
The fun colloquialisms used and the quaint speech of the “locals” are not overdone. They are mixed in at a very appropriate pace to give a sense of place to the story but not overwhelm.
Through a fair amount of the story is a hint of supernatural activity that had me a little concerned. Because this is a debut novel by an author I don’t know personally, I was a little concerned that the theology was going to be “off”. I was so pleased to find out that concern was unwarranted.
Her Hope Discovered is a lovely story of faith, hope, love, and forgiveness. It is a fantastic debut novel – not because it is a debut novel – it is fantastic by any standard.
Read with a Preview at AmongTheReads.net
I was given a copy of this book for free. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
I thoroughly enjoyed Her Hope Discovered. As I read, I connected with the characters and the theme of love and faith. I loved visiting this friendly, small town, and I can’t wait to read more by this author!