Wednesday, November 16, 2022

My Thoughts on Annie's Hope by Merrillee Whren

 



About the Book

Book:  Annie’s Hope

Author: Merrillee Whren

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

Release date: September 27, 2022

The Village of Hope: A community built on service and love

Annie Payton hopes for one thing—to regain custody of her children. She believes the Village of Hope’s lawyer will give her this chance until she learns that lawyer is Ian Montgomery, her ex-husband.

Since Ian has turned from his life of substance abuse, he’s all about helping others, but he doesn’t know if he can help his former wife. Her betrayal still brings him pain, and most people at The Village don’t know about his past relationship with Annie.

As Annie and Ian’s lives intersect, can she show him that she’s clean and sober and wants a second chance not only with her children but with him?

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

I don't always read the synopsis on the back of books, a lot of the time I read it after the first chapter or so. So going into this book and seeing a new start for a young mother who is bound and determined to get her kids back after becoming clean and sober is what I was expecting. However, what a surprise I got to find out that the lawyer assigned to her is her ex-husband. Wow, that was a doozy.

Anna and Ian got married at a young age and made many mistakes before, during, and after their marriage. Both were looking for acceptance anywhere since neither really received it at home. Now some years later both Anna and Ian have gotten on the right track. Anna would like to regain custody of her children, whose father is an old boyfriend. The Village of Hope is a center to help people in all walks of life to begin anew. Anna is very thankful to have been given a second chance to start over.

Ian is still nursing some old wounds from his relationship with Anna, along with a secret he has been keeping. However, he loves the Village and wants to see it succeed and help as many people as it can. The Village is having some financial problems and others on Ian's team think Anna with her financial background will be a great asset to help keep the Village open. Ian is not so sure if Anna can be trusted. I think his hurt was still blinding him, which was understandable, and he wasn't sure he wanted to work so closely with her. 

Ian and Anna realize their feelings for one another have never truly gone away. But how can they overcome all the obstacles between them? I thought this book really showed the providence of God and how miracles are ripe to happen when all looks dark and when people choose to forgive, watch out.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own. 

About the Author

Merrillee Whren is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author who writes inspirational romance. She is the winner of the 2003 Golden Heart Award for best inspirational romance manuscript presented by Romance Writers of America. She has also been the recipient of the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award and the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award. She is married to her own personal hero, her husband of forty- plus years, and has two grown daughters. She has lived in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Chicago and Florida but now makes her home in the Arizona desert. She spends her free time playing tennis or walking while she does the plotting for her novels. Please visit her Website and signup for her newsletter and connect with her on Facebook.

 

More from Merrillee

One of my writing goals is to set at least one book in every state in which I have lived. So far I have written books set in Washington State, Texas, Florida, South Dakota, Georgia, Ohio, Montana, Massachusetts, and Tennessee. I still have to write books set in Illinois and Arizona to complete my goal. Just for fun I’ve gone astray and have written a couple of Christmas novellas set in Maryland, where my older daughter lives. The third book in the series, Puppy Love and Christmas Cookies is ready for preorder.

Annie’s Hope is one of my books set in Georgia. It is the first book in The Village of Hope series. We lived in the Atlanta area for nine years when our daughters were in elementary and middle school. I have many found memories of that time. One of the things I remember is a ministry there that served older adults and had children’s homes. When I got the idea for this story, I thought of that ministry. I also have friends who served many years at a children’s home in Oklahoma. I expanded on those ministries to create The Village of Hope, a multifaceted ministry, a place that provides hope, love, and a helping hand for those in need. James 1:27 says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” This verse fits Annie’s Hope perfectly.

Because I’m what they call an organic writer, I don’t plot my stories. I start writing and see how things unfold. I start with a set of characters and wonder what if. In the case of Annie’s Hope, I wondered how a divorced couple might find love with each other again, despite hurt and betrayal. I’m always thankful that somehow God brings everything together when I write a book.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, November 3

lakesidelivingsite, November 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 5

Susan K. Beatty, Author, November 6 (Author Interview)

Cover Lover Book Review, November 6

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, November 7

deb’s Book Review, November 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool,Academy, November 9

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, November 10

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 11

Britt Reads Fiction, November 12

For Him and My Family, November 12

Inklings and notions, November 13

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 14

SusanLovesBooks, November 15

Pause for Tales, November 16

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Merrillee is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of A Match to Call Ours!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2266f/annie-s-hope-celebration-tour-giveaway

5 comments:

  1. I added to my tbr list. Good luck on your release!

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  2. This sounds really interesting, thanks for sharing.

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  3. This review answered a question I had about Annie's children. TY… This looks like a very realistic Christian romance.

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  4. Congratulations on your release of Annie's Hope, Merrillee, I enjoyed following the tour and learning about your book , which sounds like my kind of romance and I am looking forward to reading it! Good luck with your book and I hope the tour was a success! Thanks for sharing it with me!

    Thanks, Pause for Tales, for sharing your thoughts!

    Have a splendid day!

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