A Desperate Hope

series: Empire State Novel, An

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"Elizabeth Camden is in a league of her own . . . . A story that is as compelling as it is engaging."--RT Book Reviews on A Daring Venture

"Camden draws on her expertise as a research librarian to ground this dramatic historical romance with authentic details...."--Library Journal on A Daring Venture

Eloise Drake's prim demeanor hides the turbulent past she believes is finally behind her. A mathematical genius, she's now a successful accountant for the largest engineering project in 1908 New York. But to her dismay, her new position puts her back in the path of the man responsible for her deepest heartbreak.

Alex Duval is the mayor of a town about to be wiped off the map. The state plans to flood the entire valley where his town sits in order to build a new reservoir, and Alex is stunned to discover the woman he once loved on the team charged with the demolition. With his world crumbling around him, Alex devises a risky plan to save his town--but he needs Eloise's help to succeed.

Alex is determined to win back the woman he thought he'd lost forever, but even their combined ingenuity may not be enough to overcome the odds against them.

"Camden excels at taking little-known bits of history and bringing them vividly to life. . . . Alex and Eloise's relationship - from childhood friendship to first romance to distant strangers - leaves readers with plenty of swoony moments as they slowly find a new footing, and the growth in each of their characters warms the heart. A dash of suspense adds a different kind of tension, rounding out the novel with something for everyone."--Hope by the Book

"Another deftly penned novel by an author with a distinctive narrative storytelling style that engages the reader's total attention and holds it from first page to last, Elizabeth Camden's A Desperate Hope offers a hopeful, encouraging, and entertaining message."--Midwest Book Review

"There's a lot of development in this story, and it is doled out with impeccable timing and a fabulous amount of tension. Just when you think this is going to be a simple love story, someone gets shot, there's sabotage, and something most gruesome is revealed with a complex mystery. These elements keep the story lively and the plot moving. The end does not disappoint."--Historical Novel Reviews


The Author

  1. Elizabeth Camden
    Photo courtesy of Ginger Murray Photography

    Elizabeth Camden

    Elizabeth Camden (elizabethcamden.com) is best known for her historical novels set in Gilded Age America, featuring clever heroines and richly layered story lines. Before she was a writer, she was an academic librarian at some of the largest and smallest...

    Continue reading about Elizabeth Camden

Reviews

"Camden excels at taking little-known bits of history and bringing them vividly to life. . . . Alex and Eloise's relationship - from childhood friendship to first romance to distant strangers - leaves readers with plenty of swoony moments as they slowly find a new footing, and the growth in each of their characters warms the heart. A dash of suspense adds a different kind of tension, rounding out the novel with something for everyone."

Hope by the Book

"Another deftly penned novel by an author with a distinctive narrative storytelling style that engages the reader's total attention and holds it from first page to last, Elizabeth Camden's A Desperate Hope offers a hopeful, encouraging, and entertaining message."

Midwest Book Review

"There's a lot of development in this story, and it is doled out with impeccable timing and a fabulous amount of tension. Just when you think this is going to be a simple love story, someone gets shot, there's sabotage, and something most gruesome is revealed with a complex mystery. These elements keep the story lively and the plot moving. The end does not disappoint."

Historical Novel Reviews