"journey of hope" by debbie kaufman

About the book (from the publisher): Marriage Is Not Her Mission

Escaping a society wedding, Annabelle Baldwin followed her heart to Liberia to pursue her calling as a missionary. But when an attempted kidnapping lands her under the protection of Stewart Hastings, Anna's journey takes a new turn. The wounded war veteran needs a guide through the jungle. It's a job the underfunded missionary can't refuse, despite the feelings Stewart stirs in her guarded heart.


Stewart knows he won't succeed without Anna's expertise. And when danger puts her life at risk, he realizes he cannot live without Anna by his side. But what will it take for a man who has lost his faith to capture the heart of a woman who lives for hers?

My take: Journey of Hope is both incredibly predictable and totally enthralling. The romance aspect—Anna and Stewart falling in love and Stewart coming to Christ—provides no surprises whatsoever. Anyone who reads the description would be quick to surmise that Stewart's lack of faith, the only thing keeping him and Anna apart, would disappear, paving the way to a happy union. So for me, the romance aspect was just so-so ... not bad, but not great.

What made this book so enjoyable to read was the setting. Anna is a missionary in Liberia in 1920, and her adventures are fascinating! My great-aunt was a single missionary in North Africa in the early 1950's, so I was especially interested in learning about what single women faced on the mission field. While I don't know from experience, everything in this novel (save the romance) struck me as very realistic, and I greatly enjoyed this look at the mission field.

My rating: 3-1/2 stars

See what others are saying.
Buy the book.

About the author: Debbie Kaufman writes inspirational romance for Love Inspired Historical. Along the years, Debbie has had a lot of adventures. They include running a rural airport, working as a small town journalist, teaching middle and high school, working in domestic adoption, and establishing a Chinese adoption program, just to name a few. And through those exciting times, she and her husband managed to raise four children, an assortment of dogs, a plethora of hamsters, gerbils, many ill-fated fish, and quite a few of their children’s friends, all while homeschooling for many years.

Since becoming an empty-nester, Debbie has learned some eclectic truths about herself: She should never be allowed in a book store with a credit card, hobby stores are off limits unless she is accompanied by a rational adult who holds the credit card, and the smartest thing she ever did outside of giving her life to God was to chase after and marry her husband of more than thirty-six years.

Concerning her books, Debbie wants her readers to know that the fact that some of her books contain cannibals should be understood as an element of adventurous historical romance stories, and should never be misconstrued as the sign of a warped mind. Debbie insists she is as normal as everyone else. To decide for yourself, connect with her at one or all of these hangouts:

Website: www.debbiekaufman.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/debbie_kaufman

Facebook: www.facebook.com/debbiekaufmanfanpage

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4946642.Debbie_Kaufman

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a free copy of this book to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links on this page are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase a product, I will receive a commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” I am part of the CWA Review Crew.