Customer Reviews

Hope (Brides of the West #3) (HeartQuest)

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Hope, the last in Lori Copeland's Brides of the West trilogy, was worth waiting for - after frantically searching various bookstores I finally found it online. (If you haven't read Faith and Love, you should...you won't be disappointed!) An old-fashioned, inspirational/historical romance, Hope is comical, whimsical, intriguing and romantic - a great combination that reminds us all that there is always hope, always a chance that we can find that special man of our dreams. Like her sisters Faith and June, Hope has determined that the best future for her lies in being a mail order bride. On the road to marry her intended, she is kidnapped by a notorious gang that unknowingly mistakes her for a senator's daughter. Through the drama that ensues, she is protected by Dan, an undercover agent who had infiltrated the gang to bring them to justice. Hope is drawn by this gentleman "gangster" -- a Christian well-versed in Scripture who inspires Hope to work on her memorization and application skills. Hope does so admirably, albeit her struggle to improve her faulty memory provides a hilarious backdrop to her spunky dealings with the gang and the various roadblocks she encounters in trying to connect with her groom-to-be. Theirs is a hilarious and beautiful story of a forbidden love (they both are determined that Hope honor her commitment to be a mail order bride) that conquers all obstacles. The more we read, the more we see Hope blossom from a young, flighty and fearful girl, to a woman of noble character whose trusts in God is unshakeable. Perhaps the most touching aspect of this book is Hope's ability to triumph over her own insecurities to 1) improve her memory, 2)lead one of the gang members to a faith in Christ, and 3) marry the man she truly loves. My only gripe - that there was no family reunion among the sisters...but, there's always hope (hopefully Lori Copeland will pen this sequal soon!).

Hope encounters many misfortunate turns on her way west to marry her fiancee, John. As she begins her journey the stage coach is robbed and Hope is kidnapped. This is only the begining of her adventures. Through all her tests and trials she learns to put her trust in God. She allows Him to work in her and through her as she encounters the different characters. As she faces each new problem she is falling in love with her captor, Dan. She fights these feelings throughout this book keeping her focus on the man waiting for her at the end of this journey. God honors Hope and gives the desire of her heart. Hope is a character that grows in her faith and leaves her girlhood behind and becomes a godly woman never even realizing the changes that are happening to her. There are 2 sequels to this book: Faith and June. They are great also.

Hope Kallahan has answered an ad to be a mail order bride. She travels to Medford, Kentucky to meet John Jacobs her future husband. On the way to Medford, her stage coach is attacked by bunch of rough bandits, the Davidson Gang, who include a gentlemanly government official named Dan Sullivan who is an undercover agent inflitrating the Davidson Gang. Hope is mistakenly kidnapped by the Gang who think that she is a senator's daughter. The Gang hold her hostage and send a note asking for a ransom from the senator. Dan knows that Hope is not the senator's daughter but Hope does not know that Dan is an undercover agent.

Hope finds herself locked in a cabin with the funny bunch of bandits. Three roughians and a Christian bible quoting gentleman. Hope orders the bandits to clean up the mess that is the cabin and refuses to enter it until they do so.

Dan eventually helps Hope to escape her captors and agrees to take her to her fiance in Medford. However, the journey is not without problems. First they come across a feuding family and is caught in the crossfire. When they do finally leave the feuding family Dan is shot at and wounded. Their journey is delayed as Dan recovers from a fever caused by his wound. Next they come across a wounded little old lady who is bedridden. They stay with her a few days to help her recover and also for Dan to rest from his gunshot wound.

When Dan and Hope to finally come across the next big town they are relieved only for Hope to be kidnapped again by the ruthless Davidson Gang. During this kidnapping, Hope manages to convert one of the bandits, saying that he should mend his ways and that God loves him. When Dan does eventually get around to rescuing Hope a second time, the whole group including Dan and Hope are thrown into jail. Once set free, Dan and Hope finally make it to Medford. However, Hope no longer wishes to marry her intended for she has hopelessly fallen in love with Dan.

This was a great fun read. Although the Davidson Gang are meant to be a group of roughians, you could see the funny side of the story when they are bossed about by the headstrong Hope. Dan made a gallant hero, always coming to the rescue of Hope and Hope was a strong heroine, never being beaten into submission by any fate which fell her way. I only wish more books were as well written as this one. There was adventure, suspense, comedy and romance. A highly recommended read!

Lea Ling Tsang

Hope, the third book in Brides of the West, is hilarious as well as tender. I actually laughed out loud when the pig rolled around in the racing wagon!

Hope has left home to meet her fiance, John, in Kentucky. She has more than a lifetime of problems getting to him. She is kidnapped when mistaken for the senator's daughter, she nearly dies of illness, and she cannot figure out where God is in all this.

In spite of the delay, she presses on to reach her betrothed. In the interim she meets a lawman infiltrating a gang, families feuding and fighting, and a sweet old lady.

Lori Copeland did a great job mixing Christianity, humor, history and love in this third book. I have already ordered book 4, "Glory" - and would recommend the entire series.

I enjoyed this book very much. I read Copeland's other two novels--June and Faith and I honestly didn't enjoy them all that much but I did enjoy Hope. It definately is a must read.

"Faith" and "June" were not bad, but this author outdid herself with "Hope". Hope seems to get into one scrape after another, and with each new adventure you wonder if she'll ever make it to the husband that God has prepared for her. I could easily see this one as a movie... This one surpasses Faith and June -- both rather mediocre in my opinion -- and reveals this author's talent. Skip the first two and go straight for this one!!!

I LOVE THIS BOOK! I have read Faith, and I must admit I like this book much better! But Faith was very good also! I recommend this book to anyone, and everyone!

I really loved this book and highly reccommend it. Great plot and characters. This book was full of twists and turns. I got this book yesterday and read it in one night. I couldn't put it down! This was my first book from Lori Copeland but it will not be my last! Read this book you'll love it!

This book is absolutely wonderful. It has a mixture of adventure, love and the exploring of a young girls faith. When you've been raised around the church all your life, sometimes, once your out on your own you find that your own personal faith leaves something to be desired. Hope's journey on finding the personal relationship with Jesus Christ that she knew it should be was filled with humor and trying times.

I have read the series and I think this was my favorite. It is different writing from the others. It is funny too. You will be glad you read it.