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caitlinemccann's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, War, Bullying, Classism, Abandonment, Blood, Confinement, Sexual content, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Medical content, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Racism, Slavery, Torture, and Violence
yourbookishbff's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Slavery, Torture, War, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racial slurs, and Sexual content
Moderate: Pregnancy, Abortion, Sexual assault, and Trafficking
Minor: Vomit
unsuccessfulbookclub's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, and War
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Grief, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, and Ableism
Minor: Sexual assault, Abortion, and Racism
thirdeyeangel23's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Death, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Slavery
beccaand's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Slavery, Racism, Racial slurs, and Sexual content
Moderate: Violence and Death
Minor: Death
traceyanderson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Moderate: Racial slurs, Slavery, War, Murder, Violence, Classism, Confinement, Death, Hate crime, Racism, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse
alikath's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I would say that the main difference between this one and book one is the stakes. This one included a lot more detail about the actual military and militias involved in the civil war. I found this to be really interesting. I felt like the romance still came through and I personally enjoy romances with a lot of outside stuff going on. It also seemed very well researched. The care Cole took in writing this time period really came through in this story and I really liked that.
I enjoyed the romance. I liked Ewan and I thought Marlie was a really interesting character. I found her frustrating to read at time but all the choices she made that were frustrating to read were also completely understandable given her circumstances, which made for an even more interesting read. At the beginning of the relationship, I didn't quite feel the connection but as it went on I started to really root for them and I really enjoyed seeing them in the final conflict of this book. I did want to a bit more of a wrap-up between Marlie and her family. She has conflicts for them that never resolve. Even if she just told them that she didn't want to see them for a while, it would have been more satisfying to me than what we got.
This is a really good series and I'm excited to read the last book. Alyssa Cole is a really good writer and I also want to get to her other series in the near future.
Graphic: Slavery, Racism, and Racial slurs
annieca's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Minor: Rape
mandkips's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Slavery, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Gore
naika's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
A Hope Divide hit differently this time around, but still such a hauntingly beautiful read.
August 2019
I finished reading the first book in the Loyal League Series, "An Extraordinary Union" earlier this week. It too, received a 4-star rating, as I found it to be a well-written historical romance, full of emotion and activity. While I found book 1 to be more gripping and fast-paced (in regards to both the romance and Elle and Malcolm's involvement with the Union and Loyal League), I found book 2, "A Hope Divided", to be more understated and slow-burning, which made perfect sense for the main characters.
Marlie is a free Black woman grappling with the loss of her mother, as well as her strained relationship with her paternal family
Ewan, whom we initially met in AEU, is a PoW who previously worked as an counterintelligence agent for the Union. He comes with his own baggage, struggling with his own conscious as it relates to the nature of his former job, as well as the ramifications of his father's alcoholism
Given their mutual history of loss, pain, and feeling outcasted, they form a precarious (initially) relationship in which they not only use each other's strengths to build each other up, but also in which they discovered more about themselves through the lenses of slavery, racism, family, and duty.
Initially, I found it a bit harder to get into A Hope Divided. I guess that's due to the fact I thought it would be written similarly to book 1, but I quickly fell into a rhythm and enjoyed the story for what it was. Marlie and Ewan seemed more vulnerable and organic. Alyssa took time and care giving them their own arcs and setting scenes that really made me feel like I was transported to Civil War period. I did wish that we got to see more of the work Marlie did as it related to the Loyal League and Underground Railroad (as this is one the premises of the series), but I know there's only so much an author can do without overwhelming the reader/story line.
Again, another great read by Alyssa Cole!
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Medical trauma
Minor: Vomit, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicide