Book Review: Fanny's Hope Chest by Sarah Holman

How old is too old for a hope chest?

When Ellie starts a new job as a home health aid, she doesn't expect to meet a woman in her eighties looking for her hope chest, nor a house as messy as Ellie's own emotional state. But as she cleans up Fanny's house, she begins to wonder if Fanny's hope chest might hold the answers to her questions about disappointed dreams and holding on to hope.

That is, if she can face both the mess and her own heart.

My rating:

Who has a hope chest? *raises hand* I do! Or...at least...I have hope chest items. Stored in random little plastic tubs and cardboard boxes. *sheepish grin* So when I saw that Sarah Holman is releasing a book about hope chests (among other things), I thought it looked super interesting, and when she invited me to join her launch team, of course I said yes! (Why not? Supporting a fellow indie author, early access to a review copy, that COVER *heart eyes*)

The story itself was super sweet and encouraging. I related with several of Ellie's and Fanny's struggles, and the message woven throughout the book was uplifting and spoke to me. It did not, however, really hook me. I understand that this book was not supposed to be fast-paced and suspenseful; I knew that before I began reading. But it didn't...engage me, I suppose? I don't know, maybe I'm just too used to suspense novels. Being a novella, this book didn't really have time to dive deep into a major character arc, but at the same time, I found it very hard to connect with the characters.

Being thirty years old and still single has made Ellie and emotional wreck. I'm definitely not as old as Ellie, and therefore I haven't been a single adult as long as she has, but even so, I found it difficult to relate to her constant attempts at holding back tears. Do I want to be a wife someday? Of course. Am I going to be an emotional wreck until that happens? Probably not. That's just me; I'm someone who doesn't put a lot of stock in emotions (just ask my family; I've been told I have no heart, muahaha), so to see Ellie holding back tears so much was...I don't know...not very relatable to me.

But. What did I like about Fanny's Hope Chest?? *grins* I'm glad you asked! (and even if you didn't ask, I'll tell you anyway. You can thank me later.)

My favorite thing about Fanny's Hope Chest is Fanny herself. She actually reminds me a lot of my own grandma, and just some of the things she said made me smile, 'cause I could totally imagine Grandma saying it! Seeing Ellie interact with her was super fun. Plus, the way she interacted with her two siblings was so fun to watch. (That bit with her brother hugging her for the first and probably last time in years? LOVE. So accurate. *cackles*)

Despite that mini rant about Ellie's emotions, I really did enjoy Ellie's character. The way she cared for elderly people and accepted the job as a home health aid, even when it wasn't where she necessarily wanted to be in life, was inspiring. She went where God lead and trusted Him even when the going got rough and she didn't understand. Trust is something I've made no secret about struggling with, so this part of the book especially resonated with me.

Overall, if you've ever been discouraged about being a single adult—whether you're 18 or 80 years old—this book is super encouraging! Shoot, I've even been told that it's encouraging for married ladies.

Sound good? Good! 'Cause right now, it's at a SPECIAL PREORDER PRICE of just $0.99! Go snag your copy at this discounted price before it goes up on release day (Valentine's Day—fitting, isn't it?)!

Come back on Thursday for a special scavenger hunt for Fanny's Hope Chest's release!