It’s 1905 and the new century overflows with opportunities for the smart, the strong, the confident, and the determined. All words that describe Hope Birdwell to a T. Her first twenty years had their share of trouble and torment, but she’s certain the next twenty hold only promise.
Hope leaves a sordid past behind and heads for Wyoming to take up homesteading. Never mind that she’s alone in … alone in the world and has never known a real home in her whole life. Her name is Hope, after all, so what could possibly go wrong?
Well, maybe the long reach of perverted violence from a brute she would rather forget could get in the way of her dreams. Maybe the warmly distracting appeal of friends and community could compromise her independence. Maybe the loving attention of a handsome young man with the unnerving ability to change her opinions about true freedom could cause her to falter. Maybe.
Hope Birdwell knows she is poised at the edge of a bright future, if only she can protect herself and the people she’s grown to love from the dark and deadly menace of her past. Maybe that means she’ll have to risk everything she’s dreamed about and planned for and maybe she won’t succeed. Maybe she’s gone too long without the truth. Maybe.
Hope Birdwell will discover some surprising truths in the wilds of Wyoming. That there’s danger in deception, freedom in sacrifice, and a cost to love. Hard and painful lessons, every one of them, for a modern, single-minded girl. But she’s not one to give up on her dreams no matter what—and her name is Hope, after all.
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Very well written
I’ll call it 4 1/2 Stars as some parts were too predictable.
Not as good as Hasley’s “The Dangerous Thaw of Etta Capstone,” which I absolutely loved, but good nonetheless.
The characters are well-developed, throughout the story becoming people you would like to know. Even the ‘bad guys’ are believable and human. In the midst of so much violence, fear and distress in the world, it is a comfort to read books that, although not devoid of violence, fear and distress, portray real people doing the best they can do in their circumstances
This was an easy book to read. It does not have sexual scenes to puff it out, it relies on the storyline. The characters were enjoyable and had spunk.
This was a nice read, slightly romantic, good characters
Beautifully written
Good book!
Enjoyable read. Strong characters, interesting storyline.
Perfect way to get lost in the Old West. The characters are involving, deep and interesting. I will look for more of the series.
What an adventure for a young woman. From a bordello to a long adventure to a remote ranch property. Childhood dreams and Western adventure.
An enjoyable light read,
predictable
I don’t typically read these kinds of books, but I liked the character development, the strong female lead and the historic setting.
Wonderful story about the courage of a woman to attempt homesteading on her own
Good book but slightly unrealistic. But I enjoyed it.
I am typically not a romance novel person, so the fact that I loved this book shocked me. So did the fact that, upon finishing the book, I immediately went out to Amazon and purchased the other 5 books in the series and liked each of them just as much.
The characters engaged me instantly, and their stories are very well told. They are flawed and human and realistic, making the stories that much more interesting.
I loved the fact that the romances are reminiscent of Jane Austen – they are romances, not sex novels. If you prefer novels with sex scenes these are not the books for you. If, however, you prefer the story to focus on emotions, you will probably enjoy them as much as I did.
Well written. The narrator’s voice was natural, and the story was interesting, although the ending was a bit predictable. Overall, the novel mostly avoided the cliches of the love story, and created a strong female character who is NOT looking for Prince Charming. The main character is really intriguing, and it is enjoyable to watch this young woman make it on her own. A well written novel, well worth the time.
I appreciated the desire and the drive of Hope to obtain a good life after a youth of trial and want. It gives us all ‘hope’ to rise above our raising.
Enjoyed the book as it was different from the usual type book.
I like stories about living and surviving in the country. Tough young woman wanting to be independent and finding goodness and love at the same time. Enjoyed reading