Imagine being so scared of losing another person that you can’t even allow yourself to fully surrender your heart to another and see what is right in front of you. That’s where we find Q, one of the four main characters of this story. Having lost so many that are close to him he holds poor Hope at arms length, his fears overriding almost every aspect of his life. Hope has to be one of the most patient women on the planet, but even her patience is waning at this point in her and Q’s relationship, so I trip to her family’s for the holidays is to clear her head and to reassess her relationship.

Their story parallels to Seth and Cassidy’s, newlyweds who are in the process of adopting sweet little Benji, a child that has seen quite a bit of trauma for such a young age, and it is during this adjustment period that the pair finds themselves growing apart from one another while they try to create a family. For those of us that have started a marriage out with children this is beyond relatable.

It’s pretty obvious that there are missing pieces to this story that I have missed since I haven’t read the rest of the series yet, but the author still did a great job of filling in the gaps, and for that I am grateful as I never felt lost. In saying that, I don’t think reading it as a standalone did it justice. I feel like this would’ve had so much more impact if it was read in the context of the series. Since I was able to get to know Q, Hope, Seth, Cassidy, and Benji on a deeper level it has piqued my curiosity and I do plan on reading the rest of this series in the near future. There are moments where my heart swelled when I saw Seth and Benji bonding, and it’s not hard to root for these characters whatsoever.

Also, one random tidbit that I have to note is the fact that there is a side character with my name! I don’t see the correct spelling of my name very often so when I saw this character it put a huge grin on my face. It’s the little things, I guess.

Overall this was a quick read that has surprising depth and heart and I’m glad I got a chance to be introduced to this series.

*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I read through Kindle Unlimited with JustRead Tours. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest, and my own. ( )

Rekindling Hope by Alicia Gilliam is a two-for-one novella.

The main story thread is about Q and Hope. While it took me a little while to connect with these two characters, once I got to know them a little bit, I was rooting for them. Q is not comfortable with people and Gilliam wrote his character well.

Readers get a bonus storyline with Seth, Cassady, and six-year-old Benji (who have been main characters in other books by Gilliam). While there was some backstory missing from this novella, I never felt lost or confused by what was happening with Q and Hope.

This is a good read to cozy up with on a rainy or cold evening and get lost in. Rekindling Hope is about letting go and fully embracing the people God brings into our lives.

Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive or negative review. All opinions are my own. ( )