Friday, December 13, 2013

My Review of Elusive Hope

Here's a description of the book from the author's website:

"In a colony named New Hope, while their friends are seeking a Southern utopia. . . .

Hayden is seeking revenge. Relentlessly.

After years of all but selling his soul to track down his scoundrel of a father, Hayden Gale discovers his search must continue in South America, where his father is reported to be helping colonize Brazil. Hayden has nothing more to lose, certainly not a good reputation, and vows to keep pursuing--at any cost--the vile man who he believes killed his mother.

 Magnolia is seeking a way out. Desperately.

She’s in the jungles of Brazil against her will, but what choice does Magnolia Scott have? Her father insisted on uprooting their family to escape the uncertainty of Southern life after the Civil War. But how will she survive without all she holds dear—wealthy suitors, beautiful clothes, summer balls, and slaves waiting on her every whim? She vows to find a way to get back home—and attaches herself to handsome Hayden Gale.

 As they journey toward Rio de Janeiro, they both seek to use the other for their own purposes. Deceptively. Falling in love was never part of their plans. . . ."

My Rating


My Review

In this second installment of the "Escape to Paradise" series, the main setting has moved from the sea to the jungles of Brazil, with colorful and exotic descriptions. One thing I love about MaryLu Tyndall's writing is how engaging her imagery is, whether she's describing the U.S. capitol during the War of 1812 or a tropical paradise in South America.

Elusive Hope flowed better than book 1 (Forsaken Dreams), and I enjoyed reading about Hayden and Magnolia's journey. Tyndall knows how to write great romantic tension between two struggling hearts, for sure! The revelations the hero and heroine experience are timeless and also timely - lessons in true beauty, forgiveness vs. revenge, and the seriousness of spiritual matters.

I do confess, though, that so far this series isn't shaping up to be my favorite of Tyndall's series. I loved the more subtle messages/takeaways and epic adventures of her previous books. However, this series is still enjoyable, and book 3 (Abandoned Memories) promises to be even more exciting with the conclusion of all that the first two books have been leading up to. I'm certainly curious to see what will happen to the colony of New Hope - and James and Angeline's relationship!

All in all, Elusive Hope is a strong middle book in a series that encompasses both interesting history and intriguing spiritual battles.

*With thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.* 

Book Trailer

6 comments:

Ella said...

Hello!
Thank you for reviewing this book.
I haven't heard of it, but it sounds good.

I hope you have a great weekend!!!

Amber Holcomb said...

Hi, Ella!

Thank you for reading my review. :) Have you read any of MaryLu Tyndall's other books? If you haven't heard of her, I totally recommend her books! I especially love the "Legacy of the King's Pirates" series and Surrender the Night, although all of her books are engaging historical romances. :)

Hope you have a great weekend, too, and thanks for stopping by!

~Amber

Tales of Whimsy said...

Doesn't sound right for me but it does sound different and interesting. Great review.

Amber Holcomb said...

Juju,

It is indeed different and interesting! Have you read any of her other books? If you enjoy a good pirate romance story, she's got a great back list. :) And apparently she's working on a sequel to the "Legacy of the King's Pirates" series, which I'm super excited about!

Thank you for commenting and reading my review!

~Amber

Ella said...

No,I don't think I have read any of Marylu Tyndall's books before, so I will have to see if my local library has them.
Thank you for the recommendations!!!!

Amber Holcomb said...

Ella,

Ooh, I hope you enjoy experiencing her books for the first time then! If you like historical romance with plenty of adventure and great spiritual themes, you should enjoy her books. :) Glad I could recommend some to you!

~Amber