
AUTHOR: Elizabeth Camden
DATE: 2019
PUBLISHER: Bethany House
STARS: ****
Eloise Drake's prim demeanor hides the turbulent past she's finally put behind her—or so she thinks. A mathematical genius, she's now a successful accountant for the largest engineering project in 1908 New York. But to her dismay, her new position puts her back in the path of the man responsible for her deepest heartbreak.
Alex Duval is the mayor of a town about to be wiped off the map. The state plans to flood the entire valley where his town sits in order to build a new reservoir, and Alex is stunned to discover the woman he once loved on the team charged with the demolition. With his world crumbling around him, Alex devises a risky plan to save his town—but he needs Eloise's help to succeed.
Alex is determined to win back the woman he thought he'd lost forever, but even their combined ingenuity may not be enough to overcome the odds against them before it's too late.
A Desperate Hope weaves romance and hidden pasts with authentic historical details, one of my favorite combinations. It should have been a five-star story. But the pace dragged at times, and Eloise and Alex both kept shy of my heartstrings. The contrast in their personalities certainly added interest, and the supporting cast added depth. In spite of some issues, I enjoyed the story. There were enough mysteries here and there to keep me reading, and the ending was quite satisfactory.
I received a copy of this book courtesy of Graf-Martin Communications Ltd. and Baker Publishing Group. All opinions are my own. A Desperate Hope earns four stars from me.