This emotionally charged love story showcases the hardships that women go through on a daily basis, yet somehow they are able to soldier on and continue being the anchors in their home. Traynor takes this novella beyond your typical romantic love story and shows the strength of women.
This is a melodramatic love story, but it is melodrama done right. Although this is a love story it displays the imperfections of people and choices.
When I read through the prologue I thought this was going to be a stuffy historical fiction novel, but stick with it because after chapter one I was fully engaged with the story.
Hope in Liverpool is a stimulating historical romance novel with a well-conceived and thoughtful protagonist that was a delight to follow. This is a compelling romance that will appeal to anyone looking for a quick but riveting love story.
A Literary Titan Review
Should you settle for less or go after your heart's deepest desire? This engaging Christian romance will tug at your heartstrings.
When all seems lost, two broken people connect on a ferry across the River Mersey in Liverpool. Shortly afterwards, a marriage of convenience prompts them both to find something worth living for.
I love stories about women who don’t realize they are stronger than they think. Hope is one such woman. Yes, she has her flaws and weaknesses, but she’s not willing to settle for less than what her heart desires. I felt invested in the characters and rooted for them until the end. Also, it’s easy to empathize with this flawed couple.
The author created vivid descriptions of the setting and culture of the time with authentic and beautiful detail. You can see and feel what the characters experience. It’s as if you’re right there in the slums where people live in abject poverty but keep a sense of community. I loved the well-rounded side characters as well, especially the couple’s neighbor, Bessie, who almost steals the show.
There is nothing preachy in this short Christian romance. And while it deals with heavy issues, the author wrote it with a light touch that, dare I say it, gives you hope—one of my favorite themes in a novel.
In sum, if you love historical fiction, a touching romance, and a quick read, then you can’t go wrong with this gem of a story. Finally, it offers you a happy escape from the humdrum of life. And who doesn’t need that right now?
A Reedsy Review
Intelligently plotted and populated with a host of complex and charismatic characters, this is a gem of a romance. Highly recommended!
In this short novel by the talented T N Traynor, the reader gets to follow the ups and downs of Hope Bennett who's living in Liverpool in the 1950s. When Hope attempts to fling herself off a ferry into the River Mersey, she is stopped by John Walker, a man broken by the loss of his childhood sweetheart. Like the protagonist's name, this is a story of 'hope' as the two central characters try to find a way of escaping the city slums for a better life.
Although this is a romance, in many ways it's a rather gritty story. And I liked that. I also liked how the author described the 1950s Liverpool setting. I wouldn't want to live there - not in the 1950s anyway -but it's an excellent setting for this story. In terms of the characters, I could tell the author knew them well and wanted the reader to know them just as well. As a result, I was very much rooting for Hope and John all the way to the end.
If you enjoy intelligent romance and the thought of getting to know two highly complex and flawed characters, this book is very much for you. Although it's not overly long, there's a lot going on in every chapter, and the author's writing style - simple, not overly descriptive - perfectly fits the historical romance genre. If I had to sum up it in a sentence, I'd say this story is perfect for readers looking for a smarter romance, where everything is not perfect and probably never will be.
Very enjoyable!
A Wishing Shelf Book Review
