A Desperate Hope (An Empire State Novel Book #3) by Elizabeth Camden

about the book....

Eloise Drake's prim demeanor hides the turbulent past she believes is finally behind her. A mathematical genius, she's now a successful accountant for the largest engineering project in 1908 New York. But to her dismay, her new position puts her back in the path of the man responsible for her deepest heartbreak.

Alex Duval is the mayor of a town about to be wiped off the map. The state plans to flood the entire valley where his town sits in order to build a new reservoir, and Alex is stunned to discover the woman he once loved on the team charged with the demolition. With his world crumbling around him, Alex devises a risky plan to save his town--but he needs Eloise's help to succeed.

Alex is determined to win back the woman he thought he'd lost forever, but even their combined ingenuity may not be enough to overcome the odds against them.

my review....

The final novel in the "Empire State" series is an intriguing finale to what has been an enjoyable series from start to finish. Camden has brought her trademark ability to mine the depths of history and craft a story filled with pieces of the past that are utterly fascinating. I greatly enjoyed journeying to Duval Springs and looking through the eyes of the town residents as they faced the destruction of their town to make way for the reservoir that would bring water to New York. I can't imagine what such a situation would be like to live through, and Camden has succeeded at capturing that experience in a moving manner. Although the town in this story is fictional, she has based her tale on the actual experience of a number of towns that previously existed prior to the reservoir being built, and her attention to historical detail shows.

Camden has also created likeable characters in Eloise and Alex, and as we journey with them through their relationship from the time they were youths, we are treated to a remarkable tale of loss and love and second chances. Both of them have overcome deep hardships in their past, and as they are brought together again they discover the ability of love to stand the test of time. I was expecting that faith would be woven a little more into this story than is the case, as I believe it would have made the tale all the richer. But in the end, their story is one that speaks to the power of God to bring good from the most difficult of circumstances.

Elizbeth Camden continues to be one of those authors who are on my "must read" list. "A Desperate Hope" is another engaging, well-plotted novel that I just didn't want to put down, and I award this story of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Although I'm sad to see this series come to an end, I'm looking forward to what sort of tale Camden will be offering up next!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

about the author....

Elizabeth Camden (www.elizabethcamden.com) is the author of twelve historical novels and two historical novellas and has been honored with both the RITA Award and the Christy Award. With a master's in history and a master's in library science, she is a research librarian by day and scribbles away on her next novel by night. She lives with her husband in Florida.

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