Review of What Hope Remembers by Johnnie Alexander

From the Back Cover ~

When you need a new beginning, sometimes the best place to start is homeWhen Amy Somers leaves her job as a lobbyist, she moves to Misty Willow, well aware that she's crossing bridges she'd burned years before. With all the mistakes she's made and the things she's done, she can hardly believe that happiness will find her--especially when Gabe Kendall, her first crush and her first kiss, rides back into her life atop a buckskin mare.

A former Marine, Gabe is at loose ends after serving a prison sentence for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He sees beyond Amy's hard exterior to the girl he once knew and loved, and he longs to see her open her heart. Yet with his vision clouded by shame for his past and fears about the future, it's difficult to see the path ahead.

But the memory of that long-ago kiss just may have the power to reignite a romance that brings out the best in both of them.

For more information about Johnnie Alexander and her books, check out her website here!

My Thoughts ~

What Hope Remembers is a sweet, lyrical story with surprising depth! Simply beautiful! This story is so full of spring and summer vibes, I can almost taste the cool breeze blowing through the luscious green grass and dainty willow trees. And I love the author's nods to Cary Grant and J. R. R. Tolkien! Also, if you're a fan of cowboys and horses, then this is another reason you will love What Hope Remembers.

Both Gabe and Amy need a fresh start. Amy has taken a lot of wrong turns on her journey, and after hitting her ultimate low, she gets a wake up call. She's desperate to change, but worried she can't - or won't - be able to change, and she thinks that maybe she doesn't deserve a happy ending. Gabe struggles with guilt, wishing he was able to do the past differently. He's no stranger to loss, rejection, or the stigma that accompanies his past. What Hope Remembers is a story of second chances and new beginnings as Gabe and Amy experience God's redemptive grace.

On a romantic note - because I love the romantic notes - I love, love, love stories of first love and/or unrequited love! It was so sweet seeing Gabe and Amy find their way back to each other in this sweet romance. *happy sigh*

Four Stars - A wonderful story! What Hope Remembers is the last book in Johnnie Alexander's Misty Willow Series. Even though this is a separate story, it builds off of the first two books, Where She Belongs and When Love Arrives, and has an intricate backstory, so I highly recommend reading the series in order.

I received a copy of What Hope Remembers by Johnnie Alexander from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. All opinions expressed are my own.

See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer