Beautiful Story of Hope and Redemption -- The Songbird of Hope Hill

I've said it before, and I'll say it again . . . I always know I'm going to get a beautiful gentle story of hope when I see the name Kim Vogel Sawyer on the cover. And The Songbird of Hope Hill certainly does not disappoint!

The story definitely has its elements that are filled with anything but hope, but those seemingly hopeless places are just temporary stops along the journey. The characters have to struggle and grow through a variety of major challenges to reach their destinations of hope. 

As the Overly family lives out sacrificially the mission God has given them at Hope Hill, countless young women (as well as some young children) are given a place to find a chance for better lives, even some who spend time and effort fighting against those opportunities. Birdie readily accepts the opportunity to hope for a better life but still finds it hard to believe that God would really forgive her and redeem her from the past she so regrets.

This story's music of hope keeps shining through for Birdie, Ephraim, and so many others in a beautiful display of God's grace and redemption. I highly recommend The Songbird of Hope Hill to fans of great inspirational fiction.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a copy of the book. I am happy to share my own thoughts in this review.

About the Book

Desperate to simply survive, Birdie Clarkson was driven to a life at a house of ill repute. Now she longs only for escape. So when Reverend Isaiah Overly and his son, Ephraim, appear and offer a better life, she jumps at the chance. Ignoring the furious raging of the madam, Birdie climbs into the back of the preacher’s wagon. 
 
The men take her to Hope Hill, the haven the reverend and his wife, Ophelia, founded so women like Birdie can be taught skills to help them rise above their pasts. Soon a resistant Birdie finds herself singing in the choir Ephraim leads at revival meetings, even though she’s certain she’s the last person who should be representing God. 
 
Reverend Overly teaches that no one is irredeemable, but even as Ephraim is falling in love with her, Birdie remains convinced that she’s past saving. After all she’s been through, can she ever believe that God’s redemption wipes every soul clean? And can Ephraim convince her that God loves her more than she can grasp—and that he does, too?

Inspired by historical events.

About the Author

Kim Vogel Sawyer is a highly acclaimed, bestselling author with more than 1.5 million copies of her books in print in seven different languages. Her titles have earned numerous accolades including the ACFW Carol Award, the Inspirational Readers' Choice Award, and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence. Kim lives in central Kansas with her retired military husband, Don, where she continues to write gentle stories of hope. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find her petting cats, packing Operation Christmas Child boxes, or spending time with her daughters and grandchildren.