Her Hope Discovered (Welcome to Ruby, #1)

by Cynthia Herron

[phyllish]

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.


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.