A Hope Undaunted

by Julie Lessman

[cherryblossommj]

480 pages was not long enough for any of the books in the first series, so why would you think 505 pages would be? A Hope Undaunted is the first book in the Winds of Change series, but really the fourth book for the Daughter's of Boston continuing the saga and story of the O'Connor daughters with a passion. Through the adventures with these Irish girls we have learned about "a passion most pure", "redeemed" and even "denied" yet now we turn to learning about hope. More specifically about "a hope undaunted". Around page 185 all I could do was sigh. At 275 pages into the story I never wanted it to end, but to continue on and on bringing these characters to life off the page and surrounding me in their historical romantic lives. By the time I got to just beyond 400+ pages, I had so many thoughts surging around my head that I hardly knew how to put pen to paper with my thoughts. I hardly know what to share in a review and just to express how much I love it. (Even with a sinus infection and craving sleep, I needed to read more and find out what would happen next with all the energy in my soul.) This morning with just over a hundred pages to go I found myself relating back to the story and found it interweaving itself in my morning devotional. It even found it's way in a thought provoked blog post --> http://creativemadnessmama.com/blog/2010/09/15/hope/

Julie Lessman is an artist with words on a page. Her characters are so real and I find so many relatable times that I have to reflect and go back and really seek forgiveness or God's will in certain cases of my own past. She tells a story that is entertaining and romantic. The passion is on the page but also in the tingling of your toes. The fervor with which characters like Faith, Brady and Emma pray comes off the page and gives a guidance and hopeful light to just how a friend of the faith should be. I know these characters come by it honestly, because that is the kind of woman Julie is. Full of a heart of faith and it shows on the page and beyond. This on-going story of the O'Connor family is a lesson of the importance of faith and the dire importance of prayer and it is a story for anyone and everyone. Most romances are for women, but Julie's books are different, they are for the men who want to know how to romance their women as well as for the women readers.

As this is the first book in a series, you could read it alone, but I highly recommend that you start with the Daughter's of Boston and [b:A Passion Most Pure|2121231|A Passion Most Pure (The Daughters of Boston, #1)|Julie Lessman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1404478848l/2121231._SY75_.jpg|2126668], [b:A Passion Redeemed|2288562|A Passion Redeemed (The Daughters of Boston, #2)|Julie Lessman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347677031l/2288562._SY75_.jpg|2294769] and [b:A Passion Denied|5497945|A Passion Denied (The Daughters of Boston, #3)|Julie Lessman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1436636236l/5497945._SY75_.jpg|5567481] first to really be able to understand the characters and the changes that occur in their lives.

Katie O'Connor has her plan, but might just change her hopes to be in the Lord and follow a different path. Knowing in my life how things can change when you put your hope in the Lord, I can only imagine what is in store for Katie.

Undaunted by definition means "unshaken in purpose," and/or "showing courage and resolution". Hope is something that we all have when we map out and plan our next steps, but only when God is in charge of those steps is our hope undaunted.

*Thanks to Revell Books for providing a copy for review.*