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A Hope Divided
A Hope Divided
A Hope Divided
Audiobook10 hours

A Hope Divided

Written by Alyssa Cole

Narrated by Karen Chilton

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

()

About this audiobook

"A masterful tale." -Kirkus, Starred Review on An Extraordinary Union The Civil War has turned neighbor against neighbor-but for one scientist spy and her philosopher soldier, war could bind them together. For three years of the War Between the States, Marlie Lynch has helped the cause in peace: with coded letters about anti-Rebel uprisings in her Carolina woods, tisanes and poultices for Union prisoners, and silent aid to fleeing slave and Freeman alike. Her formerly enslaved mother's traditions and the name of a white father she never knew have protected her-until the vicious Confederate Home Guard claims Marlie's home for their new base of operations in the guerilla war against Southern resistors of the Rebel cause. Unbeknowst to those under her roof, escaped prisoner Ewan McCall is sheltering in her laboratory. Seemingly a quiet philosopher, Ewan has his own history with the cruel captain of the Home Guard, and a thoughtful but unbending strength Marlie finds irresistible. When the revelation of a stunning family secret places Marlie's freedom on the line, she and Ewan have to run for their lives into the hostile Carolina night. Following the path of the Underground Railroad, they find themselves caught up in a vicious battle that could dash their hopes of love-and freedom-before they ever cross state lines. Author bio: Alyssa Cole is a science editor, pop culture nerd, and romance junkie who recently moved to the Caribbean and occasionally returns to her fast-paced NYC life. Her writing has been featured in publications including Vulture (New York Magazine's entertainment blog), Heroes and Heartbreakers, and The Toast. When she's not busy writing, traveling, and learning French, she can be found watching anime with her real-life romance hero or tending to her herd of pets.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateDec 15, 2017
ISBN9781501994319
A Hope Divided
Author

Alyssa Cole

Alyssa Cole is an award-winning author of historical, contemporary, and SFF romance. Her books have received critical acclaim from The New York Times, Library Journal, BuzzFeed, Kirkus, Booklist, Jezebel, Vulture, Book Riot, and Entertainment Weekly. She can usually be found watching anime with her husband or wrangling their menagerie of animals.

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Reviews for A Hope Divided

Rating: 4.198795180722891 out of 5 stars
4/5

83 ratings9 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Book 2 of The Loyal League series. Excellent book and terrific narration.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Marlie Lynch is the daughter of the local root woman. At the age of 13 Sarah Lynch comes to bring her sister home. Marlie’s father is known to be the late Mr. Lynch a prominent member of society. The circumstances of her conception she has never dared ask. Her mother wants the best for her and feels being under the protection of the Lynch’s will give her security not many like her get. She goes with Sarah and is brought up just like any white child would be. With some limitations due to her race and the fact that they are living in the midst of the Civil War. Marlie meets Ewin McCall at the local prison and they form a kind of friendship. Once day Ewin has escaped the prison as part of a planned escape, partly orchestrated by the Lynch’s. He goes to Marlie for healing help, and spends most of his days hidden in her Attic, as her nasty Rebel-supporting sister-in-law has come with her brother to stay at the family home. Sarah and Steven are powerless against the evil Melody. It does not take long before Ewin and Marlie are forced to flee to save their lives. Through this journey they learn more about each other and find love in unexpected places. I really enjoyed the second book in the Loyal League series. So far it is the best book out of the 3 out so far. The sexy bits don’t hit until about 70% into the book which was just fine by me, as I am not a big fan of those parts in any genre of reading. The historical storyline and character development in this one was much more enjoyable for me. Melody, the sister-in-law really is something else and it has been a while since a character got under my skin like that. She was a representation of pure evil and hate and it really hurt my soul to realize there are people even today who still think that way. I highly recommend this novel, and you don’t need to really have read the 1st to enjoy this second installment.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Loved this! A fantastic book and a great series. I absolutely recommend Alyssa Cole's work!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was a bit different from book one, but I liked it!

    I would say that the main difference between this one and book one is the stakes. This one included a lot more detail about the actual military and militias involved in the civil war. I found this to be really interesting. I felt like the romance still came through and I personally enjoy romances with a lot of outside stuff going on. It also seemed very well researched. The care Cole took in writing this time period really came through in this story and I really liked that.

    I enjoyed the romance. I liked Ewan and I thought Marlie was a really interesting character. I found her frustrating to read at time but all the choices she made that were frustrating to read were also completely understandable given her circumstances, which made for an even more interesting read. At the beginning of the relationship, I didn't quite feel the connection but as it went on I started to really root for them and I really enjoyed seeing them in the final conflict of this book. I did want to a bit more of a wrap-up between Marlie and her family. She has conflicts for them that never resolve. Even if she just told them that she didn't want to see them for a while, it would have been more satisfying to me than what we got.

    This is a really good series and I'm excited to read the last book. Alyssa Cole is a really good writer and I also want to get to her other series in the near future.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Marlie Lynch has helped the cause of peace all through the War between the States, she has aided the wounded from both sides and helped those fleeing to find soccour. Her formerly enslaved mother surrendered her to her father, who had been her mother's owner. Before the war her name and the acceptancce by her father's family helped but now the Confederate Home Guard are in her home and their prejudice is starting to make her life uncomfortable. Her life is also complicated by an escaped prisoner in her workroom. Eventually she and Evan have to run away and use the underground railway to get away from it all.Clever and interesting story with characters that will stay with me. I loved how Marlie was sciencing her herbalism and how Evan was working through his issues and ways of living for both of them to find a good for them life.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Even more delightful than the first, especially if you (like me) have a weakness for slow burn and very serious heroes.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    It’s been a couple of years since I read part one of this series, An Extraordinary Union. I remember liking it a lot, but I think I enjoyed this one more. The conclusion seemed to wrap up a little quickly, without resolving some of Marlie’s misgivings about her relationship with Ewan, but overall it was still a nice ending and a lovely story. 4.5 stars.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is my 4th or 5th Cole. Don't ask me to come up with all the titles rn bc I'm on my phone, away from home so that's not happening. Overall, I can tell you my relationship with her writing is complex. I love how incredibly smart her books are. There's no... What do you all call it? Window dressing here. She's incredible at making me feel the time and place, ultimately the sense of danger. And her covers are spectacular. They always have been. Her heroines are smart, her books are sexy, but there was something soooo close to perfect for me but slightly off. A pacing issue? I didn't believe the relationship? A choice to tell rather than show?.

    This book is evidence that it's there- execution. That potential that never quite hooked me was completely realized in this book. If I wonder why, it's because of the way these characters were built, intimacy galore between them, and an authentic feel to the start of the relationship. Where I never quite bought the LOVE (connection yes) in LL1, here there's no room to second guess how these characters become each other's. And hey, there's a rich, painful historical backdrop that you know speaks truth to us today but without being obvious about it.

    I've come to the conclusion this might be why I sometimes don't feel gripped by her books. The pain of them, the complication, can sometimes pull me out of the gaga romance feels. I appreciate this, as it feels genuine to how a romance between Marlie and Ewan would necessarily be. Am I impatient about it? Probably sometimes unfairly so. Now note to myself: Alyssa Cole's heavy historicals require me to be ready for them.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I love so much about this book, but I particularly love that Ewan is apparently, by modern standards, not neurotypical and that is not at all what the book is about, aside from the fact that it's part of what made him feel strange and wrong and let himself be led down a certain path.