Book Review: Finding Hope by Janice Kay Johnson

FINDING HOPE
SERIES: Tompkins Mill #3
GENRE: Inspirational Contemporary / Amish Romance
PUBLISHER: Berkley
RELEASE DATE: June 29, 2021
PAGES: 334

In this heartwarming and affecting Amish romance, a young woman has the chance to begin a new life in the Amish community after old betrayals come to light.

Hannah Prescott was used to the transitory life—her mother had always been a wild child, and throughout her life, Hannah became used to taking care of someone who never settled down. But everything changes when Hannah receives the startling news that her mother stole her away from her biological father and the Amish community at a young age.

Although heartbroken and confused, Hannah decides that in order to find out who she is, she needs to find out who she could have been. This includes not only a relationship with her father, but also the chance to make a connection with a young widower who recently moved to the settlement with his children. While her mother still disdains the Amish, and her new community is wary of outsiders, only Hannah can know if she’s brave enough to commit to a fresh start and a real home.

Other Books In This Series

I have completely enjoyed every book in the Tompkins’ Mill series by Janice Kay Johnson, but Finding Hope is hands-down my fave of the three, and I’m so sad that it’s the final book. I would gladly return to these characters in a heartbeat, and I hope Johnson has some more Amish romance up her writing sleeve!

Since meeting Gideon on the pages of Mending Hearts, I very much wanted a happily-ever-after for him & his precious kids – and I wanted a front row seat to watch it happen. Johnson definitely delivers, with instant sparks between Gideon & Hannah and a nearly-immediate connection between his kids & Hannah as well. Gideon’s tenderness toward his children, his easy laughter with Hannah, his dedication to his farm & his neighbors … each of these things meant Hannah wasn’t the only one who was a bit weak in the knees whenever he showed up on the page. That first kiss…. SWOON!! Be still my heart!

Hannah is such a compelling heroine. Stolen away from her Amish father by her flighty mother at only five years old, she’s always struggled to ‘belong’. Returning to Tompkins Mill over twenty years later, she feels right at home with her mother’s non-Amish parents but is surprised at how easy it is to adjust to her Amish family as well. The language, the worship, the work, the food, even the buggies – they all tug at her memories and fill her with a sense of purpose and belonging. But feeling at home and converting to the Amish faith are two very different things, and I appreciated the approach the author took with this aspect to Hannah’s story.

I also loved the gentle notes of faith included here, particularly as it deals with forgiveness and how it’s impossible on our own strength, without God’s help. Hannah’s mixed emotions regarding her mother are authentically addressed, honest feelings met with honest advice & the peace that passes understanding. Gideon is not without his own need to forgive, for both past and present wounds and, while their two situations are different on the surface, at the heart of the matter there are many similarities.

Bottom Line: Finding Hope by Janice Kay Johnson is a heartwarming and romantic finale to her fabulous Tompkins Mill series. The series theme of returning home resonated deeply with me, in unexpected ways, and the characters have taken up their own place in my heart. Especially in Finding Hope. Gideon, Hannah, Zeb, and Rebekah are each endearing in their own ways, and I also delighted in catching up with the people I loved in the first two books. I think it’s also fair to warn you that you will – at some point in the story – begin drooling over the yummy food that Hannah whips up, so be prepared haha. Love, faith, and of course hope flourish in this story, and I look forward to any additional inspirational romances from this author in the future!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4.5 stars / loved it!!

KissingBook Level: 3+ / WILL forget to breathe on occasion

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The author of more than a hundred books for children and adults, Janice Kay Johnson writes about love and family–about the way generations connect, and the power our earliest experiences have on us throughout life. An eight-time finalist for the Romance Writers of America RITA award, she won a RITA in 2008 for her novel Snowbound. A former librarian, Janice raised two daughters in a small town north of Seattle, Washington.

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