‘A Wild Hope’ by Celeste De Blasis is a sweeping saga that spans the years. This is the first in the Wild Swan Trilogy. Read together the books follow the history of a family over three generations of women. This is my type of read! I love books that do this, for example, Barbara Bradford Taylor books are the same and I have a soft spot for them too.
A Wild Hope begins with Alexandria or Alex, in the 1800s. She lives with her family in England but, due to Alex being a forward-thinking girl, dressing in her brother’s clothes, refusing to ride side-saddle, her mother cannot cope with her, to a point of almost hatred. Her grandmother arranges for Alex to live with family away from her direct family. Her grandmother realises the best place for her is there and she will flourish. As she matures into a teenager, aged 14, she metamorphoses into a stunning young lady. Her cousin Blane realises he is falling for her, but, he is 18, he holds back and they stay firm friends.
They experience a multitude of adventures without Alex understanding Blane’s love for her.
A tragedy strikes back with her family and Alex has to return to care for her daughter’s twin babies, who have been made motherless during their birth. Her brother-in-law returns from the war badly injured, needless to say, Alex stays to care for them and they fall in love, even though laws then would not allow a marriage between them. Blane arrives back to rescue Alex from her family, not realising Alex and her brother-in-law have declared their love. Blane throws himself into the mix, laid bare for all to see. Thus begins a love story that spans continents and years.
This book is one that holds you so tight you are helpless to put it down. The characters jump off the page and the places the author takes you are so vivid and real that you feel like you are there. I was almost crying for Alex with her terrible mother and the fact that Alex felt it her duty to stay in that terrible situation with no reprieve for herself.
As I stated I do love a sweeping saga that involves several generations and this, to say it is really an older book still translates well after the years gone by. I am glad I got to be on this blog tour and was honoured to read and write this review today. Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the copy of this beautiful story.
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