Chasing Hope

This story quickly became a favorite. How could it not, being comparable to Katherine Reay's Dear Mr. Knightley, which is another favorite of mine? That one is epistolary, while this one is not, but they both feature runners and deeply personal, vulnerable journeys for the leading characters and supporting cast.

Chasing Hope was wonderful on many fronts. It featured a well-written troubled teenager that I couldn't help but grow to love. I found myself rooting for her to grow up and learn how to let people past her barricades. Yet, I also adored the other lead and her struggles with overcoming the mental aspects of life having not gone the direction she'd expected or wanted. It was easy to cheer for her to discover a fresh purpose in life and to push her own boundaries by helping someone living the life she didn't get to have.

The faith thread was strong throughout. I really admired the way the author showed the push-pull between understanding and misunderstanding God's call on a person's life. It's sometimes hard to hear His direction for a person's life and just as difficult to discern the correct interpretation of said direction, and it was wonderful to see these things so beautifully expressed.

Something unexpected was that there was a sweet romance that was secondary to the main plot. I rather enjoyed this, because it showed how romance can sneak into our lives and simply become a part of us before we've even thought to focus on it.

Content: teen smoking mentioned (not shown)