Hope is the one thing folks need in life. Especially when life gets grey and gloomy. When the future looks bleak. So in THE BEST IS YET TO COME Debbie Macomber gives us many different versions of hope.
First off, we meet Hope Griffin, a high school history teacher, and counselor. Hope moved to Oceanside to start a new life, a life void of any family now that her twin brother Hunter was gone. Like many twins, Hope and Hunter were very close. Perhaps even more so since they had been raised by grandparents. All these facts and events contributed to the person Hope became. Her students seemed to adore her. She made a few good friends in her new town. But there was still a tender spot that gnawed at her, being so alone in the world without any family.
Hope is usually an open person. This makes her a comfortable and caring professional. It also makes her a wonderful person to have as a friend.
Cade is quite the opposite. A veteran with some lasting physical and mental challenges Cade purposely closed himself off, from family as well as friends. He had built quite a cocoon around him. But those walls are going to be breached. And not by his choice.
Cade is going to spend a year following the judgment of the court after his actions led him down an unfortunate path. But this path just may become his savior, if he allows it. Cade is his own worst enemy. He battles regrets and anger. He, himself is the real target. And then he meets Hope.
We meet several characters in THE BEST IS YET TO COME each one has a special role in an unfolding story. Trust is a big hurdle. Love doesn't come easily.
Cade is part of a therapy group of ex-military folk recovering from injuries and learning how to face so many personal challenges. Debbie Macomber treats this with supreme respect. So much of THE BEST IS YET TO COME plays out as very current, stories that appear in today's news. As always Debbie Macomber leaves you with a sense that these characters are so real, they might be someone you know or can identify with. THE BEST IS YET TO COME is a truly well-written story examining trust, friendship, family relationships, and respect. Along the way, we meet some amazing two and four-legged characters. Once again, I resist telling much of the story in this review of THE BEST IS YET TO COME. This is an awesome, entertaining, relevant tale told by the best. Enjoy.
A new beginning in charming Oceanside, Washington, is exactly what Hope Godwin needs after the death of her twin brother. There are plenty of distractions, like her cozy cottage with the slightly nosy landlords next door, and a brewing drama among her students at the local high school.
Despite having settled quickly into the community, something is still missing for Hope. That is, until her landlord convinces her to volunteer at his animal shelter. There she meets Shadow, a rescue dog that everyone has given up on. But true to her name, Hope believes he’s worth saving.
Like Shadow, shelter volunteer Cade Lincoln Jr., is suffering with injuries most can’t see. A wounded ex-marine, Cade identifies with Shadow, assuming they are both beyond help. Hope senses that what they each need is someone to believe in them, and she has a lot of love to give. As she gains Shadow’s trust, Hope notices Cade begins to open up as well. Finding the courage to be vulnerable again, Cade and Hope take steps toward a relationship, and Hope finally begins to feel at peace in her new home.
But Hope’s new happiness is put to the test when Cade’s past conflicts resurface, and Hope becomes embroiled in the escalating situation at the high school. Love and compassion are supposed to heal all wounds. But are they enough to help Hope and Cade overcome the pain of their past and the obstacles in the way of a better future?