Title: Hope in the Dark by Hannah Wright

Pages: 420

Genres: Historical Fiction, Christian

Publisher: Self-published (May 25th, 2021)

Summary:

Broken hearts, a town torn apart, and a new job. What could possibly go wrong?

Moving into the great unknown of Featherlight, Idaho, was a huge change for Elizabeth Matthews. But while Asheville, North Carolina was comfortingly familiar, it had left her with a broken heart and a determination to never trust a man again. 

Hard working Samuel Bryson is honor bound to provide for his widowed mother and siblings. Determined to live up to his own expectations of being just like his father, he will let nothing get in his way. And that includes marriage. 

Serene and cozy Featherlight has taken a turn into something much darker. Newly hired school teacher Elizabeth and Samuel find themselves desperately searching for answers to the suspicious criminal activity around them. They find themselves thrown into facing their worst fears… and each other. In the midst of many unknowns, will they find the courage to do what God is calling them to?

Goodreads | Amazon

---

*I received a free e-copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. A huge thank you to the author and publisher!*

Right from the start, I knew I was going to love Hope in the Dark! This book was oh so sweet and one that I thoroughly enjoyed from the first page to its last. This was my first Hannah Wright book that I have read, but I certainly plan to read more from her in the future!

Hope in the Dark alternates perspectives between Lizzy and Samuel. I really appreciated this aspect because it allowed me to get into the minds of both these characters. Throughout the course of this book I felt like I truly knew Lizzy and her family and Samuel and his. This is one of those books where you truly miss the characters after finishing it.

Lizzy was such a sweet, albeit, a bit naïve, character. I love how she always sought to see the good in everyone and always tried to be the best she could be. Likewise, Samuel was such a perfect match for her. I loved how determined and hard-working he was and that he always sought to find the truth. Being able to watch their relationship unfold was my favorite part of this book.

While I loved their relationship, I also appreciated that that wasn’t the only thing this book focused on. The complex family relationships also were a larger part of this book and added another layer of relatability.

The mystery aspect of Hope in the Dark was such a fun addition. In my opinion, it really helped to make this story stand out compared to other Christian, historical fiction that I have recently read.

Overall, this was such an enjoyable read with such sweet characters. It gave me Little House vibes – especially the last few books in that series, while still being uniquely its own. I hope there is a sequel for this one someday, because I would love to read about what happens next for these characters! I would recommend Hope in the Dark to anyone who enjoys Christian, historical fiction!

---