Undaunted Hope ~ Review

Undaunted Hope
Beacons of Hope #3
By Jody Hedlund

Tessa Taylor has a position as teacher for the mining community of Eagle Harbor, Michigan.   Located in the northern reaches of the Upper Peninsula, Tessa feels that she will finally be free from the mistakes of her youth.  But Eagle Harbor has never before hired a woman to be a teacher and Tessa fears that the first impressions she's received may mean that her position isn't as secure as she once thought.

Mining was not an easy life and many were born into the life starting to labor beneath the surface as soon as they were able to do the work.  But Tessa was determined to offer not only her students but the entire community the chance at something better, something less taxing, something safer.  But bringing change into reality is never as easy as one hopes.

As one of the few single women Tessa has gained the attention of many of the men of Eagle Harbor, but one of the stipulations of her contract forbids her to court or to marry.  Tessa is to be above reproach in her conduct.  Unfortunately certain local lighthouse keepers are determined to convince Tessa that marriage is just what she needs.  Tessa refuses to entertain any idea of tying her life once again to a lighthouse.  But Alex and Michael Bjorklund are nothing if not persistent and Tessa has become the prize in their sibling rivalry.

But Michael's two young children have developed a fondness for Tessa and have begun their own matchmaking attempts.  Attempts that endear them to Tessa while bringing her face to face with her greatest fear - fear that has hidden itself in the cloak of intense dislike.

Facing her fears may give Tessa her greatest weapon when the lives of those she has come to care for are endangered by a powerful enemy.  An enemy who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

Though this is the third book in the series you can pickup this book and start reading without getting lost if you haven't read the previous books.  You can easily go back and read them after reading Undaunted Hope.  Each book in the series only gets better in my opinion.  Fans of historical or romantic fiction will delight in reading these books.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and author in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book:
Tessa Taylor arrives in 1870s Upper Peninsula, Michigan, planning to serve as a new teacher to the town. Much to her dismay, however, she immediately learns that there was a mistake, that the town had requested a male teacher. Percival Updegraff, superintendent and chief mine clerk, says she can stay through winter since they won’t be able to locate a new teacher before then, and Tessa can’t help but say she is in his debt. Little does she know that Percival will indeed keep track of all that she owes him.

Determined to become indispensable, Tessa throws herself into teaching, and soon the children of the widowed lighthouse keeper have decided she’s the right match for their grieving father. Their uncle and assistant light keeper, Alex Bjorklund, has his own feelings for Tessa. As the two brothers begin competing for her hand, Tessa increasingly feels that someone is tracking her every move, and she may not be able to escape the trap that has been laid for her.