Unyielding Hope

Unyielding Hope by Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan takes us to Brookfield, Alberta, Canada where Lillian Walsh lives with her father. Lillian deeply misses her adoptive mother who recently passed away. They are preparing to depart for Wales where Mr. Walsh will be giving a series of lectures as well as visiting his family. Mr. Dorn, a lawyer, arrives to inform Lillian that she has inheritance from her birth parents and that her baby sister, Grace is still alive. Lillian is shocked because she had been told that Grace died with her parents. Lillian postpones leaving and works with the law firm to locate Grace. The sisters have a tearful reunion that touches those in attendance. Grace is a joyful woman of deep faith and hope. Grace has begun an undertaking that will change the course of Lillian's life. Unyielding Hope is the debut novel in When Hope Calls series. I always look forward to a novel by Janette Oke (I have been reading them since I was a teen). I know I will be getting a well-written Christian novel featuring a likeable female protagonist. I got myself comfortable and began reading this engaging historical novel that quickly transported me back in time. I was not disappointed with Unyielding Hope. Two sisters separated at a young age who rediscover each other. They take on children who are without parents or a home. They create a special family for these orphans. I like how the sisters treated these poor kids. They did not view them as a burden or extra help. The sisters gave them love, structure and a safe home. The authors deal with the topic of Home Children. A program where hundreds of children from England were transported to various countries that included New Zealand, Australia, and Canada (the author's preface explains the program). We get a realistic picture of what life was like for these children. Some were fortunate and found good homes, but many of these kids were treated like farm hands and servants. They would be discarded like a newspaper in a recycling bin. I loved the kids in this tale. There were a variety of ages and personalities. It is just terrible what they had been through in their young lives. I found it delightful how Harrison would introduce himself to people. There is a hint of romance in this story which I believe it will be explored further in the next book. I am glad that it was not the prevalent theme in the book. There are good Biblical messages in the story. Grace was a woman with a strong faith. I like how she expressed it and showed by example. Hope is the dominant theme throughout the story. Unyielding Hope is a touching story that will linger with you long after you finish it.