The Hope Chest

December 1, 2016

A childless elderly couple approaching their 50th wedding anniversary must say goodbye to their lakeside home when dealing with Mattie's ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) becomes too difficult. In a suburban home, beautiful yet lacking memories, Don and Mattie begin a new life with the assistance of a young single mother, Rose, and her adorable seven-year-old daughter, Jeri. Together they wistfully and introspectively explore one another's stories as they yearn for a better future. This nostalgic, highly sentimental tale features characters who are almost too sweet, and a setting complete with mild inclusions of spiritual guidance and old-fashioned, small-town spirit. The noted art colony and beachside tourist town of Saugatuck, MI, springs to life in this gentle story of lifelong love along with the emotional support and care that families and friends can provide. Life with the neurodegenerative disease ALS is also respectfully but vividly portrayed. VERDICT Writing as Shipman (The Charm Bracelet), memoirist Wade Rouse's new novel will be embraced by fans of Richard Paul Evans.--Gloria Drake, Oswego P.L. Dist., IL

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2017
The artifacts of women's lives serve as the framework for Shipman's latest, which explores the bond between Mattie Tice, a landscape architect whose life and livelihood have been taken away by ALS, and Rose Hoffs, a single mom who is hired as Mattie's caregiver. What begins as a job for Rose becomes the family she's been missing as she and her daughter, Jeri, grow close to Mattie and her husband, Don. When Mattie's hope chest is rediscovered in the attic of the Tice's beach cottage, it opens up a flood of memories of happier times, reminding Mattie of the value and importance of hope. Shipman incorporates flashbacks throughout, showing how each item in the chestmade its way into the women's lives and providing heartwarming glimpses of their younger years. The sad but hopeful ending isn't unexpected, and it demonstrates the enduring power of love and kindness. Shipman's sentimental tearjerker is a good choice for fans of gentle, heartwarming fiction. Readers of Christian fiction may also appreciate its messages of hope and faith in the face of adversity.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)