Beginning of last year, I made a pact to myself that was part of my reading goals and plans, and that is to read more local romance writers, and that wasn't really difficult because as a member of the ROSA (Romance Writers Association of South Africa) - I have a lot of authors I know who are always publishing beautiful romance stories and they were on my list. One of my favorite local romance authors is Francine Beaton - even though I've read only two of her books, I regard her as my favorite because I have books she wrote that I want to read. That's why I jumped on the opportunity of getting an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of this beautiful story titled A Little Hope.
This book is also found on Afrikaans, so the author is accommodating Afrikaans romance readers as well as most of her books are found in English and Afrikaans.
Thanks to the author for the ARC. I was looking forward to reading this story because it's part of the author's Hope Series and I enjoyed the first book. So, I was anxious to read this story of Jenna and Ben - two souls who happen to be at the right place at the right time, after they have a chance meeting in a pub where they both went to drown their sorrows, and so their journey starts.
The story is set in Scotland but what I enjoyed was that both characters are from South Africa and the author did an excellent job in bringing in their South African origins in the story even though they now stay in another country.
Ben Alexander has some painful past and ghost haunting him and left South Africa to get away, but while there he meets another South African born woman, Jenna Meyer who helps Ben get past his issues and shows him that he can live again. Two Afrikaners meeting abroad and still praat (afrikaans for speak) and haven't forgotten their traditions even though they are in Scotland.
I loved this book from the beginning, it's a fast-paced development of a story and will keep you reading and crying and laughing with the characters. The book touches on a very sensitive sad subject that is happening in South Africa, but the author tackles it in a respectful tone, and I admire that a lot.
This book is worth reading, it's a good Holiday romance story that will give all of us hope that love exists and you find it in the most places you never thought of finding it.
The book is the second book in a series - A Hope Series, the first book being A Ray Of Hope, but they are stand-alone so a reader can enjoy the second book and get the first later.
More about the author and her work - visit the author's website. : Romance Writer | Francinebeaton