Beloved Hope (Heart of the Frontier #2)

Title:  Beloved Hope (Heart of the Frontier #2)

Author: Tracie Peterson

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publishing Date: July 4, 2017

Publisher: Bethany House

Length: 336 Pages

About the Book:

A Compelling Novel of Forgiveness and Hope from Leading Author Tracie Peterson

Hope Flanagan survived the massacre at the Whitman Mission, but at terrible personal cost. Safe now in Oregon City, she lives with her sisters, Grace and Mercy, and Grace’s new husband, Alex. As she spends her days tending their flock of sheep, Hope’s mind and soul are slowly healing. Yet, though she was once surrounded by suitors, she has no interest in giving her heart again after the man she loved died in her arms.

Hope’s precarious new peace is shattered when those responsible for the massacre are captured and put on trial. She is asked to testify against them, but she’s not sure she can bear to relive the events of those horrific days.

As Hope struggles to free herself from the pain of her past, Lance Kenner, an Army lieutenant, brings an unexpected ray of light into her life. But what will Lance think of her if he learns the truth behind her anguish? And what secrets lie in his past?

My Review:

Ever find yourself wishing you could reach out and hug a character? That was me with Hope. The scars from her past trauma haunted her and often left her paralyzed with fear. The more I read into her story the more she seemed to come alive across the pages. Seeing her struggle while on the road to healing connected me to her on a deep level and held me captive to her journey.

While I adored Hope, I have to admit I struggled with Mercy. I just couldn’t bring myself to believe her easy forgiveness seemingly without long-term side effects. After what she’d experienced, I needed to see more struggle and growth to believe her level of peace.

I couldn’t get over how odd it seemed that after the massacre there would have been a trial at all. I would have expected a very different response to events given the time and place in history. Yet despite how off it may sound, it’s truly what happened. Both the massacre from the first book and the trial from this one, were based on actual historical events. I always appreciate learning about real history even when it’s through the eyes of fictional characters.

This novel truly sucked me in and held me captive until the end. I still can’t get over how deeply my heart went out to Hope and how I desperately hoped for her happiness. This is a story I won’t soon be forgetting. I’m curious where the third book in this series will go and thankfully it’s the next one on my pile to be read so I won’t have to wait long to find out 🙂

*I read a copy of this book from my local library. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.

Rating: