Room for Hope
In a desperate time, can Neva find forgiveness for a grievous wrong—and make room for hope?
Neva Shilling has a heavy load of responsibility while her husband travels to neighboring communities and sells items from his wagon. In his absence, she faithfully runs the Shilling Mercantile, working to keep their business strong as the Depression takes its toll, and caring for their twins.
When a wagon pulls up after supper, Neva and her children rush out—and into the presence of the deputy driving a wagon carrying three young children. The deputy shocks her with the news that Warren and his wife have died, insisting it was their last request that the three children go live with “Aunt Neva.”
Neva’s heart is shattered as she realizes that Warren’s month-long travels were excuses for visits with his secret family. She wants nothing more than to forget Warren, but can she abandon these innocent children to an orphanage? Yet if she takes them in, will she ever be able to see them as more than evidence of her husband’s betrayal and love them the way God does?
Reviews
It is very important to know where you belong. In this novel by Kim Vogel Sawyer, the reader meets Amy Knackstedt, devoted Mennonite, when she is showing their new home to her three children, Bekah (13), Parker (11) and Kim Vogel Sawyer has written a riveting tale of loss, betrayal, and ultimate triumph. Newly widowed Neva Shilling is shocked to learn that her husband led a double life. Shock turns to dismay when she realizes how his deception will forever change her life and the lives of her children. These endearing characters will win your heart as they struggle to make room for hope and to learn the power of love.
Margaret Brownley,
best-selling author of The Brides of Last Chance Ranch series and the Undercover Ladies series
Neva Shilling is a beacon of hope to everyone around her. But when her own world falls apart, how will she find the strength to keep going? Kim Vogel Sawyer’s writing shines in Room for Hope, a beautiful illustration of the way bitterness can blossom into grace…and unexpected redemption.
Carol Cox,
author of A Woman’s Place and Practically Christmas
The Great Depression was an era that required much grit and a great will to survive. Kim Vogel Sawyer has captured that spirit with characters full of determination, rich in heart, and strong in a sense of compassion. Room for Hope is not merely a nice novel or a touching story. It is a story of our heritage, a story of what it takes to live a life of mercy and love for the least of these. It is a story of reliance on God during the darkest of days. It is a look into our past to see that, truly, we are not all that different from our grandparents. It is our story.
Susie Finkbeiner,
author of A Cup of Dust: A Novel of the Dust Bowl
In Room for Hope Kim Vogel Sawyer’s characters face the Great Depression from a place where they are able to thrive a little and help others. These characters pulled me into the story and wouldn’t let me go until I read the last page. I highly recommend this book.
Lena Nelson Dooley,
author of the award-winning McKenna’s Daughters series
Kim Vogel Sawyer’s historical novels always delve deep into the characters’ hearts. Room for Hope is a beautiful story with an unusual twist. Yes, I cried. It took me back to the days of the Great Depression and showed me how one woman, through her faith, coped with devastating pain. A definite page-turner, this story kept my attention to the very end.
Susan Page Davis,
author of Captive Trail and The Outlaw Takes a Bride