A Gentle Story of Hope -- Hope's Enduring Echo

I have finally found a way to describe one of the things that makes Kim Vogel Sawyer's books some of my very favorite stories to read.

Have you ever met someone and after just a short time of interaction felt like you have been friends forever? That's it! Kim immediately, ever so gently, pulls you in to her characters' lives and you want to know more about what is going on with them and what makes them tick. And the further you get into their story, the more friends you meet and the more you are invested in all of them.

I just had the opportunity to read an early copy of Hope's Enduring Echo and found that it fits perfectly the formula I described above. Jennie and her parents come to life with both the good and the bad they are experiencing. Despair and hope war in their lives, and how those will be resolved keeps the story moving. Leo brings a whole new dimension to their secluded valley with his hope and drive.

The story is full of reminders of different ways God works out the questions that don't seem to have answers. And the pace and details are just right. As I was nearing the end of the book, I began to wonder how things would work out with many unanswered questions and such few pages left. But, not surprisingly, that resolution happened in just the right way and at just the right pace. Another gentle story of hope from the pen of Kim Vogel Sawyer.

Thanks to the author and her publisher for providing a copy of Hope's Enduring Echo. I am happy to share my own thoughts in this review.

About the Book

Since an accident left her father unable to work, Jennie Ward has taken on the demanding task of inspecting the isolated seven-mile wooden pipeline that supplies water to Cañon City, Colorado. Despite her responsibilities, Jennie harbors dreams of going back to school and longs for something even simpler: a friend. One day, in a moment of impulsive and seemingly hopeless prayer, she asks God for companionship.

Her prayer is answered almost immediately with the arrival of Leo Day, a paleontology student searching for ancient bones buried along the ridges of the wild Arkansas River. Despite her long workdays, Jennie agrees to guide Leo in his quest.

As Jennie navigates her burgeoning friendship with Leo and her unwavering loyalty to her father, she finds herself torn. Leo, who longs for his own father’s approval, could change all Jennie knows. It’s undeniable that God has intertwined their paths, but to what end? With so much at stake, what does He truly intend for the preacher's son and the linewalker's daughter to uncover?

About the Author

Kim Vogel Sawyer is a highly acclaimed, bestselling author with more than 1.5 million 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.

Since an accident left her father unable to work, Jennie Ward has taken on the demanding task of inspecting the isolated seven-mile wooden pipeline that supplies water to Cañon City, Colorado. Despite her responsibilities, Jennie harbors dreams of going back to school and longs for something even simpler: a friend. One day, in a moment of impulsive and seemingly hopeless prayer, she asks God for companionship.

Her prayer is answered almost immediately with the arrival of Leo Day, a paleontology student searching for ancient bones buried along the ridges of the wild Arkansas River. Despite her long workdays, Jennie agrees to guide Leo in his quest.

As Jennie navigates her burgeoning friendship with Leo and her unwavering loyalty to her father, she finds herself torn. Leo, who longs for his own father’s approval, could change all Jennie knows. It’s undeniable that God has intertwined their paths, but to what end? With so much at stake, what does He truly intend for the preacher’s son and the linewalker’s daughter to uncover?