A Hope Divided
A Library Journal Editors’ Pick
Buzzfeed’s THE ULTIMATE BUZZFEED BOOKS GIFT GUIDE
Bookish “AUTUMN’S 2017 MOST SWOON-WORTHY ROMANCE BOOKS” list
The Civil War has turned neighbor against neighbor—but for one scientist spy and her philosopher soldier, war could bind them together . . .
For all 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.
Praise for A Hope Divided
“It’s gratifying to read a novel that deals so frankly with such issues and takes an unflinching view of the realities of life during the Civil War rather than reiterating the dangerous Lost Cause rhetoric that often colors romance narratives of this era.”
—Entertainment Weekly
“Successfully navigating the challenges of writing an interracial romance set during the Civil War is difficult enough to do once, but to pull it off twice is truly impressive. And yet Cole has managed to do just that with her second book in the series.”
—Shondaland.com
“Thoughtfully portrayed characters with deep minds and passionate hearts make this second novel in Cole’s Loyal League series, following An Extraordinary Union (2017), sparkle. Highly recommended for lovers of historical romance.”
—Booklist, starred review
“Alyssa Cole’s An Extraordinary Union was one of our favorite spring romances, and this season she returns with the sequel.”
—Bookish “Autumn’s 2017 Most Swoon-Worthy Romance Books” list
“An exceptional story that both educates and entertains and beautifully launches a unique series.”
—Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW, Editor’s Fall Picks
“The second book in Cole’s Loyal League series (An Extraordinary Union, 2017) follows much the same pattern as the first. Again, Cole’s heroine is gorgeously portrayed and powerful enough that readers will worship at her feet just as Ewan does. But if this book shows that Cole is settling into a pattern, readers won’t want her to break the mold on book No. 3. Her prose is flawless. Her historical research is absorbing, and her characters are achingly human. This book is fantastic. As the war closes in around them, the line blurs between who is the rescuer and who is the rescued.”—Kirkus starred review
“Brace yourself for another amazing installment of Cole’s The Loyal League series! A Hope Dividedfeatures plenty of twists and turns that make Marlie’s family secrets as surprising to the reader as they are to her.”
—RT Book Reviews, 5 Stars Gold