Counterfeit Hope by Crystal Caudill

With plenty of twists and turns, Counterfeit Hope will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Book Blurb

When Secret Service operative Andrew Darlington is brought in to support a US Marshal case involving counterfeiters in rural Indiana, he thinks it’s simply the next rung on his climb to the top of his career. But liars can only climb so high—and Andrew is keeping a dangerous secret he doesn’t ever want to get out. When he clashes with the criminal family that took over the town of Landkreis and killed the Marshal he was sent to assist, his past life is in danger of being exposed.

Widow “Lightning Lu” Thorne has only one goal: escape the clutches of the Thorne family with her son. Her decision to be an informant and testify against the Thornes looked like the perfect answer. Until the Marshal ended up dead. Now the tether keeping her tied to her felonious family is tightening, and a forced marriage to someone else in the Thornes’ clutches threatens to kill any hope of escape.

Andrew and Lu find themselves on the same team—unwillingly. They each believe the other to be the enemy to their future plans. And even if they could learn to work together, the secrets they hold could shatter all hopes and dreams. Despite the encouragement of the local preacher, they’re not even sure God can be trusted—much less other humans. Can either of them escape their past—and the family that is willing to kill their own when they smell betrayal?

My Thoughts

I thought I loved Counterfeit Love, but Counterfeit Hope is so much better.

I love everything about it. The suspense, the character arcs, the faith thread. Man, I don’t even know how to fully express how much I enjoyed this book.

Andrew Darlington reminds me so much of myself. He means well, but he can be too hard on people. And Lu Thorne is a morally gray character just begging for a redemption arc. (Don’t worry, she gets one!) The way they learn from each other and grow through their relationship was beautiful to see. I love how Caudill manages to touch on God’s design for marriage and the true meaning of love without getting preachy. She doesn’t just tell you, she shows you through the character arcs.

The plot paired with Caudill’s writing style made it hard to put the book down once I started it. There are so many tense moments, and each time a new problem arose, I couldn’t wait to see how Lu and Andrew would work through it. I wasn’t very productive, but hey, at least I got to see their happily ever after!

Overall, Counterfeit Hope is a compelling novel that historical romance and romantic suspense fans will enjoy.

(Note: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher for review. All opinions expressed are my own.)

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