He’ll do anything for his daughter…Even fight to regain an old classmate’s broken trust. In the three years since her mother’s death, widower Hoyt Bradley’s daughter, Jess, hasn’t spoken–until she suddenly begs him to save her favorite bookstore from closing. Hoyt is desperate to hear his daughter’s voice again, but he and the bookstore’s pretty owner, Anna Delaney, share a less-than-friendly … less-than-friendly past. Working together is complicated enough…but can they avoid falling in love?
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MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
Sometimes you just want to read a sweet heartwarming Romance, and Hometown Hope is a great romance choice to read. In the small town of Pine Valley, Georgia Anna Delaney is facing selling the bookstore her father started. Hoyt Bradley and his five year old daughter Jess are also members of the Pine Valley Community. Jess hasn’t spoken for several years since her mom passed away, until she hears the bookstore is closing. As Anna starts working with Jess, Hoyt cznt help but watch and be pleased with the results. Trouble is, his past high school experience with Anna has much to be resolved and Hoyt really doesnt want to be too involved with Anna. How in the world with this union end? And will Jess continue to talk?
This is such a sweet heartwarming romance, and being a romance book, we know how it is going to end, but getting to that in is a delightful as well as a difficult Journey. Author Laurel Blount does an amazing job creating realistic characters in a sweet small town setting and writing a sweet story that will warm our hearts long after we finish this book. If you enjoy a good clean romance, this is one you will really enjoy.
A copy of this book was given to me by the author or publisher. I am not required to write a positive review. The opinions here in this review are totally mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
I enjoyed this sweet story about a widower whose young daughter hasn’t spoken since her mom passed and a reluctant bookstore owner who took over the business when her father passed. Hoyt and Anna have known each other since high school (he was a jock, she, the valedictorian who tutored him). This is a story of second chances and stepping out on faith.
I’d be happy to read the previous two books in this series. 3.75/5
I loved this book. This story gives you hope and makes you believe that when bad things happen to you, You can still find good in the world. This book has it all, and the best thing is it is centered around a book store!! Read it, you will love it. Thank you Laurel Blount, it is my first book of yours but not my last.
In Hometown Hope, we get to visit that special Georgia town again where we will see a few familiar faces along the way which makes Laurel’s books in this series feel like you are coming home. The main characters are Anna, who owns a bookstore in danger of closing, Jess, who hasn’t spoken since her mother’s death and her father Hoyt. Will Anna lose her bookstore? Will Jess ever talk again? Will Hoyt and Anna get past their animosity towards one another and fall in love? Those are the burning questions a reader cannot wait to have answered when you begin this book. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down until I found out the answers to those questions. Now it’s your turn to get a copy and discover the answers for yourself. I promise you won’t regret it!
I LOVED reading Hometown Hope by Laurel Blount! It is the third book of her Pine Valley, Georgia series, but it can be read as a stand-alone. I enjoyed catching up with former characters as well as learning the love story of Anna and Hoyt.
There are so many relatable things in this book. For example, Anna is a fiercely independent owner of a struggling bookstore. Hoyt is a single father who loves to joke around, but is extremely hardworking. However, he is definitely not a book lover like Anna, but the old saying of “opposites attract” certainly rings true in this story! Hoyt’s precious daughter Jess inadvertently brings the two together as they try to help her speak again.
Laurel Blount expertly captures the feel and characters of a small town, and makes you feel like you really know them. It was a delight to return to Pine Valley once again.
My thoughts:
Oh my. What a cute story! I fell in love with Hoyt, Jess, and Anna immediately. Let’s just send the snooty florist packing already okay?! Seriously. She needed what happens to her. A good dose of being nice or else.
The story was a very quick read. It was amazing. The writing style is fast-paced and flowing. I loved that the characters are real and that suffering from different mental health issues is just a standard part of life in the book. Alcoholism and abuse are also touched on. Way to go Laurel Blount for hitting all the hard topics in one book and doing an amazing job of it!
I did not feel that this book was stilted or made in a way to shed a bad light on any issues. All issues were dealt with positively. Anxiety and panic attacks are a very real part of our culture currently and I really enjoyed seeing this portrayed in Anna. I loved that she was willing to put herself into something she knew could trigger her just because she wanted to help Jess as much as she could.
Speaking of Jess. What a fabulous character. Normally children are not main characters in a book but this one almost revolves around Jess. After all, Jess is the reason Hoyt and Anna are thrown together so much. Jess loves to read and loves going to the book store. She doesn’t say this of course because she is mute due to trauma. Can trauma bring back her voice? Will she lose it again if tragedy strikes again?
I loved the wiring debacle as well. My husband is an electrician so I know all too well how interestingly things can be wired. It can be humourous but oh so dangerous.
And let’s not get me started on the dog in the bag. Oh my goodness so adorable!
I can relate to Anna in that I’m scholarly, keep my nose in a book all the time, please don’t talk to me, introverted gal. There are not a ton of people that I would call my friends. Her situation is different than mine though but it was so much fun to read and compare some parts of our lives.
Would love another book to continue this one!
I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from JustRead Publicity Tours. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.
What a good story! I could really feel the emotions that these characters were experiencing. I felt for Anna as she had some awkward and even some insensitive encounters with former classmates.
I also felt for Hoyt. He kept trying to do things to help Anna or make her feel better about the situation with her bookstore, but everything kept backfiring! It was just one thing after another!
Hoyt, Anna, and Jess were very enjoyable to read about and I liked the way the relationships developed between all three of them. I had not read the first two books in this series, yet I had no trouble reading Hometown Hope on its own.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
This was a quick reading, sweet romance by Love Inspired inspirational line of books. I loved the determination of Anna and her love for books and trying to keep her fathers legacy of the bookstore alive. I liked her relationship with Jess, the daughter of Hoyt, and their love of books that they shared.
Tragedy, forgiveness, love, and other spiritual elements are scattered throughout the book. I really enjoyed this sweet, clean, easy to read romance!
The author has written other books featuring Pine Valley GA but this book can be read as a stand alone book and not necessarily as a series.
I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.
There’s so much to like in Hometown Hope by Laurel Blount! Sometimes a Love Inspired story is exactly what I’m looking for, and Hometown Hope is a gem in this line of books. Setting, characters and romance all blend together in a thoroughly enjoyable read.
First of all, setting adds a special touch because the author vividly conveys Pine Valley, a small town located in middle Georgia, probably not far from where I live. The main characters feel real, like people I could meet every day, and I cared about them from the very beginning. The story also engaged my emotions, keeping me eager to turn the pages. There’s some predictability, which didn’t hinder my enjoyment, and also a little of the unexpected.
While most book covers feature one or both of the lead characters, I love that Hometown Hope reflects two important themes – a young girl with selective mutism, and books! Anna and Hoyt’s current uncomfortable relationship is interesting because it’s the result of a high school relationship that didn’t end well. Lack of communication and sensitivity were a big part of the problem, and Hoyt’s words to Anna were so insightful … “I’m afraid you’ve always read books far better than you read people.” Both share the bond of loss in their lives and I loved the chemistry between them, as well as watching their feelings and understanding grow.
Then there’s sweet Jess who’s the heart of the story, Hoyt’s daughter who hasn’t spoken since her mother died three years earlier. I found aspects of selective mutism informative, such as how, once Jess began speaking, it was only to her dad. And all of us who love books will be fascinated by how Anna’s bookstore, in danger of closing, was the key to Jess beginning to open up.
Spiritual nuggets are gently woven throughout, such as forgiveness and letting go of the past. I also loved the spiritual insight in these words spoken by Anna’s former teacher, Mrs. Abercrombie … “We teachers plant seeds, you know. Hundreds of them. Some take longer to germinate than others, that’s all. But it’s never too late to learn something new.”
Previous characters from Pine Valley books make appearances, but Hometown Hope stands alone. I enjoyed this feel-good story very much and am eager to read all that Laurel Blount writes.
Recommended. Within the Love Inspired line, 5 stars.
I received a copy of this book through JustRead Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Something I love about Love Inspired authors is that they’ve figured out the formula for a sweet and feel-good read. Laurel Blount takes that formula and stirs a little magic into Hometown Hope by adding a little girl who can’t talk, a bookstore, and plenty of sparks (not always the good kind) between Anna and Hoyt.
This was my first visit to Pine Valley, Georgia, but the characters of this small town sure made an impression on me, so I plan on visiting again soon. And while Hoyt and Anna often butted heads, they have a commonality that allows them to understand each other—they’ve both experienced deep loss in their lives. Hoyt is a wonderful father but kind of an adorable bumbling knucklehead when it comes to his interactions with Anna. To be fair, Anna tends toward overreacting and living in a world where there’s only black and white with no gray areas.
Blount gives readers a wonderful story of letting go of the past and leaning into the people who are standing by, waiting to help even if when you don’t realize they’ve been there all the time.
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.
Thank you in advance to JustRead Publicity Tours, the author (Laurel Blount), and Harlequin for providing me a copy of this wonderful novel.
“Hometown Hope” is a standard Harlequin “happy-ending romance” book. This one is from the #LoveInspired (heartwarming, inspirational romance) genre, infusing some religious messages. It isn’t preachy, but doesn’t shy away from God and his influence in our lives.
This is Blount’s third book in a connected series of Pine Valley stories. As I hadn’t read the previous two, I was glad to find out this is a standalone title.
At the heart is Hoyt Bradley, a widower and single father. His small daughter Jess (age 5) hasn’t spoken in the three years following her mother’s death. That is until the local bookstore faces being closed.
The owner of the bookstore, Anna Delaney has a complicated past with Hoyt, going back to high school. Anna is battling her own issues, among which is closing the store that was her late father’s. But, hearing Jess speak, despite her history with Hoyt – Anna feels compelled to help.
As Hoyt cautiously watches his daughter’s recovery, he also wants to repay Anna by helping her repair the dilapidated shop, which she has NO money to repair it with and is forced to sell it. She doesn’t like the offer another shop-owner (Trish) gives her to, but has little choice.
Hoyt begins to fall for Anna, but his attempts to romance her fail miserably, and he doesn’t want to risk Jess’ recovery with a short-term romance.
Tragedy, love, and miracles abound and lead to a beautiful ending for Hoyt, Anna, and Jess.
This was a delightful read, and I was on page 143 (of 288) after the first day of reading. I finished it the second day. I’d describe it as a perfect rainy day on the couch read or a perfect weekend read.
Definitely looking forward to more of this author’s work and am looking forward to her next book, and I’m definitely going to be looking for the other two books prior to this one.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I am very excited to read another. I loved this book!!
Anna is struggling to keep her bookstore alive as a means of connection to her father. Hoyt is a single father struggling to raise his little girl, Jess, who hasn’t spoken in three years. Jess loves Anna’s bookstore. Hoyt and Anna have some issues in their history.
I fell in love with Jess right away! She was such a special character. I thought Anna’s feelings were really well-written. I could feel her angst over meeting with her former high school classmates and the feelings she experienced being a high school principal’s daughter. I loved watching Hoyt try to win over Anna – he bought her a puppy! I like Mrs. Abercrombie, Chester, and even what Trisha added to the story.
If you like contemporary romance, I highly recommend this book.
This was a great contemporary Christian fiction story, CLEAN Christian fiction,
about what God does, how He works in the lives of those who trust and depend on Him.
It’s a story about 3 people, mainly, Anna Delaney, Hoyt Bradley, and his daughter, Jess.
Jess has selective mutism, which I had never heard of until I read this book. She became mute after the death of her mother.
Anna is a bookstore owner, running a store her father had started and kept going until his death. Anna lives alone in the room above the bookstore. Her business is failing, and she’s not sure how to get it to start making a profit again, so she is kind of giving up.
Anna and Hoyt had known each other in high school, and through a quick series of events, they got re-acquainted. Hoyt was a praying man, depending on the LORD to give him wisdom and to help him daily. His daughter Jess is very important to him.
Something I found to be very creative, was how Mrs. Blount linked Anna and Jess. Read the book to find out more!
Laurel Blount is a God-gifted writer, and you don’t want to miss reading her books. She will immediately draw the reader into her richly descriptive stories about hope, perseverence, and building faith by depending on the Lord more and more.
My review here doesn’t do the book Hometown Hope enough justice. Let me assure you, if you like clean Christian fiction, you’ll greatly enjoy reading this book. Don’t pass it by! It will engage your imagination and entertain your mind. It will remind you of the importance of talking to the LORD daily! Thank you Laurel, and please don’t stop glorifying God in your books. Great storyteller!
A cute and romancy story with a touch of wit and tense moments towards the end of the book that had me on the edge of my seat and wringing my hands. I loved the characters who drew me into the book and made it a great read. I could add more about the story and main characters but I want you to read the book and enjoy it as much as I did. This was my second book by this author and I will be reading more of her books in the future.
I recommend this book to readers of contemporary romance and Love Inspired books.
I borrowed a copy from the Hoopla Library. A review wasn’t requested. All opinions expressed here are my own.
‘A man’s life could change on a dime. Hoyt had lived long enough and hard enough to know that firsthand.’
I discovered Laurel Blount’s writing two books ago and I am now a forever fan! This book was absolutely wonderful! I have a very vivid imagination when reading and love to plop myself right down into the book, every scene. For that very reason, it is supremely important to me to be able to connect with a book’s characters early on. This happened on the first page of the book. Hoyt and Anna were real people in my imagination, and I fell in love with the story. Blount is an amazing writer, conveying every emotion into her characters. Hoyt was such a true hero, hard working, honest, great heart. My heart soared when reading this book. She’s also quite good at wit. I really loved that part. Honestly, this story just filled me all the way up! I highly recommend this author. Now I’m off to read the remainder of her books.
A sweet romance
My rating is 4.5 stars
An adorable, grieving child. Small town. Friends turned enemies – or at least non-friends. Not to mention the beautiful cover! It sounded like the recipe for a great book and therefore I had to give it a read.
I liked the way that Anna was intelligent and yet insecure and shy. She was overly nervous around people, especially crowds. Somehow, however, she didn’t come across as a stereotypical nerd. She was simply Anna. Her dedication to her recently deceased father was admirable – she had put her life aside to help him.
Single dad, Hoyt was a somewhat typical dumb-jock type, then again, he wasn’t. He was a successful business owner and had an incredible love for his daughter. I loved that he was sensitive enough to cry. And that he was willing to do whatever it took for his daughter.
This was a very sweet story of three broken and lonely people given a second chance at happiness. Hoyt was so funny in his attempts to show kindness to Anna for her help. Burning dinner, arranging to do something extra special for her which resulted in very differently from what he expected!
The story was well written with some great lines! I really enjoyed the way Hoyt’s best intentions kept turning out in ways he didn’t expect. Until the one gesture that was just perfect!
If you enjoy sweet, inspirational romances, Hometown Hope is one you’ll be glad you read.
Read my review of Hometown Hope by Laurel Blount at AmongTheReads.net
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
Hoyt Bradley hasn’t heard his little girl, Jess, speak for three years since the death of his wife. But when his daughter begs him to help save her favorite bookstore, he can’t refuse.
Anna returns home to care for her dying father, and after he passes she takes control of her father’s struggling bookstore. She feels like her life is falling apart, but she doesn’t have anything left except the store. Working together is a challenge with their less than pleasant past between them.
Hoyt and Anna though they have their differences, they share a devotion to their families. They work together to brainstorm ideas to save the bookstore, he tries to do what he can to help even though he may have bit off more than he can chew. Jess takes a liking to Anna, and is excited to help save the store.
Hoyt is an excellent father, and loves his daughter dearly. He is motivated and driven, devoted to his family. He is honorable, and wants to show Anna that he isn’t the man that she perceives him to be and high school wasn’t what it seemed.
Enjoyable easy to read story, I loved how Hoyt is a man of action and the setting of a small town bookstore. I admired his determination and dedication to doing the right thing. Jess is an adorable little girl with a love for reading and she has her own way of communicating with others. A charming small town romance, heartwarming and thoroughly enjoyable.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.