I discovered A Little Hope on a list of "Up-lifting books for book clubs," and appreciated its other positive reviews. But, when I started reading, the first chapter was about Greg Tyler, a young professional man facing multiple myeloma and how the diagnosis was affecting his family and his job. That didn't seem too uplifting so far!
The second chapter jumps to Darcy, a widow who learns that her husband's much-loved car has just been vandalized. Darcy is the owner of a dry cleaning business, which employs Greg's wife Frankie as a seamstress. Darcy's struggling son Luke also loved that car.
I began to appreciate how author Joella was constructing this novel of connecting relationships in small-town Connecticut. Just like real life, each of the characters has "issues" to deal with, some larger than others, and some kept secret for years. And although the problems can't vanish, they can feel diminished and even resolved in some cases through interactions with friends and neighbors.
I liked Joella's style very much, as he connects lives of characters through simple encounters like seeing someone from your past at a toy store, or meeting someone new at a wedding. His many characters were likable and well-developed and easily distinguishable.
As the title says, characters may not get much more than "a little hope," but isn't that sometimes all we need to keep going? Clearly, what led to the "uplifting" designation for this easy-reading book is the connections of supportive people in one another's lives, each doing their best to make decisions and carry on.
A Little Hope was a pleasure to read, and I think it will be a pleasure to discuss.
“This soft-spoken debut is a surprising page-turner, as your hopes for the cast of beleaguered small-town characters build and burn bright. Its calm wisdom about bearing the toughest losses—sometimes lightened by unexpected gifts—makes this novel a comforting companion for difficult times.”
—People
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