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daffz's review against another edition
3.0
I really like these books as historical romance in an interesting and important setting, and this was a good book in the series. But it interested me a bit less than the previous one. I think this book showed less of the time and setting, which is what interests me most about the books. The romance was sweet, but I was hoping for a bit more plot around it. All in all, it was a nice easy book, and Marlie was a fun protagonist, but I didn't like it overall quite as much as I hoped.
I still definitely recommend this series for anyone interested in historical fiction or historical romance. It is a well written series with substance.
I still definitely recommend this series for anyone interested in historical fiction or historical romance. It is a well written series with substance.
menshevixen's review against another edition
5.0
Even more delightful than the first, especially if you (like me) have a weakness for slow burn and very serious heroes.
timitra's review against another edition
4.0
Rated 4.5 Stars
I love this author's voice. Her books always pull me in from the first word and don't let me go until the very last. That's not entirely true as hours even days later I'm still thinking about the characters and the world they inhabit.
A Hope Divided is no different, it pulled me in from word one and I have no doubt that I'll be thinking about these characters for sometime.
This book is an emotional rollercoaster. It had me flipping through emotions at a rapid rate. I'd be happy, then sad, then angry, then nervous, then anxious and so on. It was thrilling. I loved it and definitely recommend it.
ARC provided by publisher through Net Galley
I love this author's voice. Her books always pull me in from the first word and don't let me go until the very last. That's not entirely true as hours even days later I'm still thinking about the characters and the world they inhabit.
A Hope Divided is no different, it pulled me in from word one and I have no doubt that I'll be thinking about these characters for sometime.
This book is an emotional rollercoaster. It had me flipping through emotions at a rapid rate. I'd be happy, then sad, then angry, then nervous, then anxious and so on. It was thrilling. I loved it and definitely recommend it.
ARC provided by publisher through Net Galley
yesididbringabook's review against another edition
4.0
I read the first two books of the series as part of a read-athon and was very impressed. It’s rare to find books outside of the Regency London setting, so that was a nice change. The inclusion of people of color was also nice.
solaana's review against another edition
4.0
Ok this ends in Kentucky, where interracial marriage wasn't legalized until 1967, so I have some questions.
But! It's still a very cute story, even though Marlie is obtuse to the point of insanity, regarding Ewan's affections.
But! It's still a very cute story, even though Marlie is obtuse to the point of insanity, regarding Ewan's affections.
mindfullibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
Thanks to Kensington Books for this free review copy!
I have had this book sitting on my shelf since this past winter and FINALLY got to it ~ and I’m totally kicking myself for waiting so long! I read the first book in the Loyal League series (AN EXTRAORDINARY UNION) in the fall and really liked it, but I loved this one even more.
.
A HOPE DIVIDED is a Civil War romance, but it’s so so so much more than that too. It’s a scathing indictment of slavery, it’s an examination of how genetics and heritage and race weigh against each other, it’s a gorgeous ode to the healing powers of plants and nature, and also an exhilarating suspenseful escape story. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction!
I have had this book sitting on my shelf since this past winter and FINALLY got to it ~ and I’m totally kicking myself for waiting so long! I read the first book in the Loyal League series (AN EXTRAORDINARY UNION) in the fall and really liked it, but I loved this one even more.
.
A HOPE DIVIDED is a Civil War romance, but it’s so so so much more than that too. It’s a scathing indictment of slavery, it’s an examination of how genetics and heritage and race weigh against each other, it’s a gorgeous ode to the healing powers of plants and nature, and also an exhilarating suspenseful escape story. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction!
andipants's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked both of the main characters here. Marlie is thoroughly competent and confident, and Ewan is intelligent and kind. I loved that their relationship was so brainy — they're both unashamedly intellectual and appreciate each other for it. The villains here were both pretty one-dimensional — racist southern belle is racist, sadistic Home Guard guy is sadistic — but I did appreciate how Cole dug a little more into the situation on the ground in the South during the Civil War: how a lot of people opposed the Confederacy for a lot of different reasons, and it wasn't nearly as simple as "North good, South bad"; and how there was racism everywhere, without devolving into some kind of shallow "both sides had bad people you guys" kind of reading. This series is very good at introducing nuance without sacrificing principle or truth, and I love it.
If I had one complaint, it's that the pacing seems kind of off. The beginning is very slow, and the main action described in the cover blurb doesn't take off until over halfway through the book. Don't get me wrong, the quiet building of their relationship before that point is great, but it did make the overall work seem a bit uneven. Still definitely worth the read, though.
If I had one complaint, it's that the pacing seems kind of off. The beginning is very slow, and the main action described in the cover blurb doesn't take off until over halfway through the book. Don't get me wrong, the quiet building of their relationship before that point is great, but it did make the overall work seem a bit uneven. Still definitely worth the read, though.
wildwolverine's review against another edition
3.0
Once again, Cole gives readers a crystal clear picture of the American Civil War and an unflinching look at the reality of slavery. This time, instead of looking at things from the perspective of a slave, Cole looks at the complex dynamic of being a black woman with mixed heritage in Marlie, a young woman with a white father and a black mother trying to navigate a world where she's not accepted and only barely tolerated. It's a poignant story full of great, complex characters. My major gripe with it is the same as the previous book in the series: it's not much of a romance.
Like Elle from the previous novel in the series, Marlie is brilliant, resourceful, capable, and hardworking. However, what sets her apart is she's a little more naive as to how the world works. While she recognizes there isn't really a niche for her in her present society, she also doesn't realize how close to the precipice she is until the curtain is lifted. Her story of her growing up with a medicine woman (almost shaman-like) mother then rejecting that knowledge in favor of a more scientific approach only for her to revert back to it shows great growth. If the story was just about Marlie, this would've been a fantastic novel.
However, there was also Ewan to contend with. Ewan is the little brother of the hero from the previous book. While readers know his backstory from reading about Malcolm, there still feels like there are unexplored depths with Ewan. Unfortunately, Cole doesn't really examine Ewan's past traumas or idiosyncrasies. They're just kind of there. I will also state, for the record, that hero-recovering-from-illness is one of my least favorite romance tropes. There's nothing dashing about a man hiding in an attic crawlspace and recovering from a sprained ankle for a majority of the book. The passage of time was odd in this book. It wasn't clear how long Marlie harbored Ewan, but by the climax, his ankle was both still not healed and yet miraculously not bothering him as they fled the sadistic and evil Cahill.
I will admit, despite my apathy towards Ewan, this book was headed towards 4 stars for me until we got to the ending. I found it so unsatisfying, and it felt like the characters hadn't grown at all.
Similar to An Extraordinary Union, A Hope Divided would've made a very strong historical fiction novel. Unfortunately, as a romance, it falls a little flat for me. And because the romance took up as much space as it did, the historical plot wasn't as strong as it could've been, in my opinion.
Like Elle from the previous novel in the series, Marlie is brilliant, resourceful, capable, and hardworking. However, what sets her apart is she's a little more naive as to how the world works. While she recognizes there isn't really a niche for her in her present society, she also doesn't realize how close to the precipice she is until the curtain is lifted. Her story of her growing up with a medicine woman (almost shaman-like) mother then rejecting that knowledge in favor of a more scientific approach only for her to revert back to it shows great growth. If the story was just about Marlie, this would've been a fantastic novel.
However, there was also Ewan to contend with. Ewan is the little brother of the hero from the previous book. While readers know his backstory from reading about Malcolm, there still feels like there are unexplored depths with Ewan. Unfortunately, Cole doesn't really examine Ewan's past traumas or idiosyncrasies. They're just kind of there. I will also state, for the record, that hero-recovering-from-illness is one of my least favorite romance tropes. There's nothing dashing about a man hiding in an attic crawlspace and recovering from a sprained ankle for a majority of the book. The passage of time was odd in this book. It wasn't clear how long Marlie harbored Ewan, but by the climax, his ankle was both still not healed and yet miraculously not bothering him as they fled the sadistic and evil Cahill.
I will admit, despite my apathy towards Ewan, this book was headed towards 4 stars for me until we got to the ending. I found it so unsatisfying, and it felt like the characters hadn't grown at all.
Spoiler
The fact that Ewan doesn't kill Cahill is just ludicrous to me. Yes, the author was trying to make a point that Ewan wasn't the cold-hearted killer he thought he was, but the decision ran counter to the story. Namely, none of the conflict would've happened if Ewan had killed Cahill initially. It's also reasonable to deduce that leaving Cahill alive will only enable him to do more even more evil unto others. Killing him is a mercy to his future victims, and the fact that this was just glossed over felt very counterproductive to me. Besides, this is a novel! I want catharsis!Similar to An Extraordinary Union, A Hope Divided would've made a very strong historical fiction novel. Unfortunately, as a romance, it falls a little flat for me. And because the romance took up as much space as it did, the historical plot wasn't as strong as it could've been, in my opinion.
readingwithhippos's review against another edition
4.0
My favorite thing about Alyssa Cole’s Loyal League historical romance series (other than the sexy bits) is the way she goes beyond the typical narratives of the Civil War and highlights characters and situations you probably haven’t read about before (but the sexy bits are great too!).
In A Hope Divided, the second installment in the series, main character Marlie is a free black woman, the daughter of a former slave and her white master. As an adult, Marlie is mostly left to live as she pleases, but all that changes when a Union soldier escapes from a Confederate prison and takes shelter in her home. His presence puts Marlie at great risk, and she tries not to get too close to him, but their close quarters and shared intellectual pursuits draw them together. Then the Home Guard, whose job is to round up and punish Confederate deserters, takes up residence in Marlie’s house as well, and their situation becomes truly dire.
Cole says in the Author’s Note, “The pop culture narrative has been flattened into a few two-dimensional stories...I hope this helps Americans see that even when we seem the most divided, there are always, always, people fighting for freedom in places we are told there are none. That should not be forgotten.” You see why I love this author? I’m going to carry that little nugget of encouragement with me and remind myself of it when things seem hopeless.
If you haven’t read [b:An Extraordinary Union|30237404|An Extraordinary Union (The Loyal League #1)|Alyssa Cole|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1484253653s/30237404.jpg|50699647], the first book in the series, I highly recommend it as well!
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
In A Hope Divided, the second installment in the series, main character Marlie is a free black woman, the daughter of a former slave and her white master. As an adult, Marlie is mostly left to live as she pleases, but all that changes when a Union soldier escapes from a Confederate prison and takes shelter in her home. His presence puts Marlie at great risk, and she tries not to get too close to him, but their close quarters and shared intellectual pursuits draw them together. Then the Home Guard, whose job is to round up and punish Confederate deserters, takes up residence in Marlie’s house as well, and their situation becomes truly dire.
Cole says in the Author’s Note, “The pop culture narrative has been flattened into a few two-dimensional stories...I hope this helps Americans see that even when we seem the most divided, there are always, always, people fighting for freedom in places we are told there are none. That should not be forgotten.” You see why I love this author? I’m going to carry that little nugget of encouragement with me and remind myself of it when things seem hopeless.
If you haven’t read [b:An Extraordinary Union|30237404|An Extraordinary Union (The Loyal League #1)|Alyssa Cole|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1484253653s/30237404.jpg|50699647], the first book in the series, I highly recommend it as well!
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com