When Hope Sank by Denise Weimer Review

 

When Hope Sank by Denise Weimer is my first book by this author and I loved it. It is a part of the "A Day to Remember" series, books that are based off historic American disasters. Each book in this multi-author series is a stand alone. 

When Hope Sank takes place in Arkansas right after the Civil War has ended. Lieutenant Cade Palmer is one of many released Union prisoners-of -war traveling back North when the boat he is on, the steamboat Sultana, explods leading to many deaths and injuries. We see this story from both his point of view and that of Lily Livingston, the woman he meets after the tragedy. 

Lily and her younger brother are orphans, living with their aunt, uncle, and cousin at their uncle's inn where they work. There are those who are still loyal to the south, including some of her own family. However, Lily's loyalties lie with the north. She ends up helping to tend to the injured who are brought to her uncle's inn. During this time her and Cade end up getting closer, but she carries a secret that could put a halt to their blossoming relationship. 

I fell in love with Lily and Cade, and even with some of the minor characters. And the author did a great job bringing even the antagonists to life. There were definitely some characters I was not fond of, characters who brought tension and suspense to the story. Plus there is a bit of a love triangle when Lily's former friend arrives back in town. I loved the intrigue and the mystery. And I just loved learning more about this time in our country's history. 

Faith played an integral part in this story and I loved seeing both main characters grow in the Lord as they trusted in him. 

This is a book that stayed with me even when I wasn't reading it. I had to know what was going to happen to Cade and Lily. Definitely a book I highly recommend. 

I received an e-copy of this book through NetGalley and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.