Glimmer of Hope by Sarah M. Eden

Stunning Miranda Harford once had the world at her feet. She was young, carefree, and desperately in love. But when her new husband left for London without her, her world fell apart. Devastated by his abandonment, Miranda fled their home, taking residence at her husband’s rarely visited countryside estate. For three years, she lived alone. But now, as the holidays draw near, an unexpected visitor arrives . . .

Carter Alexander Harford, Seventh Viscount Devereaux, is a man driven to succeed. His work is his life, and the position of Prime Minister of England is within reach. But in truth, Carter is a man haunted by lost love. Estranged from his beautiful wife, Carter is shocked to find Miranda—the woman he’d loved and who he believes has left him—in residence at his country home.

As plans for a holiday party move forward, the uneasy couple realizes that to avoid further scandal, they must keep up appearances in a charade of marital happiness. Thrust together by fate, it quickly becomes clear that they have both been living beneath a conspired cloud of misunderstanding. As family, career, and social pressures threaten to keep them apart, can love have even a glimmer of hope?

Review:
I don’t remember exactly how I came upon Ms. Eden’s books, but it was a few years ago while I was living in San Diego. I read the description on a few of her books and Through All Hopes stood out to me. I love the whole lost-love plot and this one sounded especially good. I went to Amazon and ordered a copy. I waited and waited and after a month or two Amazon emailed me and said they were unable to fulfill the request. As some of you know, Ms. Eden’s earlier books were no longer being published at that time, I believe she was working with a new publisher and had learned that she would eventually be re-releasing them. I was so disappointed; I wanted to read Through All Hopes and was sad I wouldn’t be able to. At least not for a long time. When her books started coming out again I couldn’t wait, after reading Courting Miss Lancaster (I think that was the first one re-published) I knew I was hooked. I was beyond excited when I saw on Ms. Eden’s Facebook page the other day that Glimmer of Hope was coming out and that it was the new version of Through All Hopes.

So, my expectations for this one may have been a little high. While I wasn’t by any means disappointed, I was surprised how the story unfolded. I liked our heroine Miranda, she is easy to like and relate to. The story starts three years after her husband, Carter, abandoned her. I liked that the story picks up right when Miranda and Carter meet again after being separated for three years. You have a lot of questions about what happened to cause the separations, since from each characters POV each thought the other had left. So there is a bit of a mystery about what had kept them apart. There is some great tension between the two and a lot of hurt feelings. I liked that we got to hear from Carter’s POV, I think we actually get more of him than Miranda. I liked seeing the growth and understanding he goes through. I wasn’t too surprised by the reasons for the separation, but it does break your heart to think of all they had missed out on. tupid interfering family! (hide spoiler)] On top of everything else going on with them reuniting and a sudden house party, there is also a mystery about Miranda. Something is just a little off. 

[ It turns out that Miranda has a heart condition and is not that healthy. She tires easily and is on a special diet. One where her mean mother-in-law forbids her to partake of. The seriousness of her condition I think took me by surprise. It definitely makes Carter really reconsider his life and decisions, but it’s also kind of a downer. I was left feeling a little uncertain about their future. I would have LOVED an epilogue where it’s a few years down the road and they were still happy and she was doing well. Maybe have a baby or two. Although, with her condition having a baby might not be the safest thing. I still would have liked a little more closure in regards to her health. I loved that they reconciled and it seemed genuine that they would put each other first and be sure to communicate better in the future. (hide spoiler)] Overall, I really enjoyed the story and I probably would end up liking it more the second time around. Ms. Eden can’t write fast enough, I love her stories and characters and I’m always sad when I finish her books. Maybe I should read slower?

Content: Squeaky Clean.

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

Synopsis:
Generations ago, a genetic experiment gone wrong—the Reduction—decimated humanity, giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology. Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot’s estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go. But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret—one that could change their society . . . or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she’s lost him forever.

Review:
I was intrigued when I read that this book was a dystopian retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, which happens to be a favorite of mine. I’m a sucker for lost-love stories and was anxiously waiting for the time when our characters, Elliot and Kai, were reunited. Elliot North was a good leading lady. She has good morals, strong convictions, and a kind heart. When Kai returns she has to face some truths about her beliefs and way of life.  Malakai Wentforth was likable, but I felt like I didn’t really get to know him as well as I would have liked. We get to read letters between Elliot and Kai when they were kids, but other than that we only see the present Malakai a few times. I would have liked more page time with Elliot and Kai together. When they are together there are some good tension filled moments, they definitely have chemistry. I’m a sucker for romance and thought there would be more in this book (I don’t think there was even one kiss!), instead it seemed like the focus was more on the dystopian world. In some ways the story stuck to the original Persuasion, but it definitely was unique. Overall, I liked it, but wanted to like it more. Any fans of Persuasion should give it a try, it was a fun retelling.

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen

GoodReads Synopsis: Fleeing a dishonorable man, Margaret abandons her pampered upper-class world for an anonymous life "below stairs." But will danger or love find her first

Kathy’s Review: This kind of reminded me of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, with a twist. There is a bit of a lost-love story going on, which I’m always a sucker for. Margaret flees her home one evening and finds employment in the home of a man who once proposed to her. She wears a disguise and becomes a housemaid. I liked the changes Margaret goes through during her story. She starts off a bit pampered and kind of self-centered, but as the story progresses and she starts to actual work her personality softens and she begins to see people for who they really are. I thought it was a fun twist to have her working at an old “boyfriends” house. I admit though, I was a little disappointed that there weren’t more interactions between the two. I think it was about halfway through the book before they finally crossed paths. I would have liked more interactions, but the ones we do get were great. Overall, I enjoyed the story. You get to see behind the scenes of what the servants lives were like back then.