The Hope Chest
A Novel
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4.5 • 39 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
"Saugatuck, MI, springs to life in this nostalgic, gentle story of lifelong love along with the emotional support and care that families and friends can provide. " —Library Journal
The discovery of one woman’s heirloom hope chest unveils precious memories and helps three people who have each lost a part of themselves find joy once again.
Ever since she was diagnosed with ALS, fiercely independent Mattie doesn’t feel like herself. She can’t navigate her beloved home, she can’t go for a boat ride, and she can barely even feed herself. Her devoted husband, Don, doesn’t want to imagine life without his wife of nearly fifty years, but Mattie isn’t likely to make it past their anniversary.
But when Rose, Mattie’s new caretaker, and her young daughter, Jeri, enter the couple’s life, happiness and the possibility for new memories return. Together they form a family, and Mattie is finally able to pass on her memories from the hope chest she received from her mother.
With each item—including a favorite doll, family dishes, an embroidered apron, and an antique Christmas ornament—the hope chest connects Mattie, Don and Rose to each other and helps them find hope again in the face of overwhelming life challenges.
A beautiful story about the unconditional love and support of family, The Hope Chest by Viola Shipman will remind you that hope can be found where and when you least expect it.
Customer Reviews
Lovely, heartwarming novel!
The Hope Chest by Viola Shipman is a story of hope and love. Madeline “Mattie” Tice has ALS and can no longer stay in Hope Dunnes—her beloved lake house. Don, her husband, is moving them into a newly built home that can accommodate her wheelchair. The movers are bringing down one more item as Mattie takes one last look around the house. It turns out to be the hope chest given to her by her mother and father one Easter when she was a little girl. Each item in the chest holds a special meaning to Mattie. Don is wore out from caring for his wife full-time and is hiring a caregiver. Rose Hoffs is applying for the position. She desperately needs a full-time job. She has been working part-time for There’s No Place Like Home. Her boss feels that Rose is the perfect fit for the job with the Tice’s. Rose has been raising her daughter, Jeri on her own since her husband left her. Rose is forced to bring Jeri with her to the interview. Mattie notices that Rose has a little girl in the car and insists she bring her in. Rose and Jeri entering Mattie and Don’s life is just what they needed. They were both feeling hopeless and lost (and so was Rose). We get to find out about Mattie’s life through the items in her hope chest. The items hold precious memories. These items help bring Mattie, Don, Rose and Jeri together as a family and provide hope for the future. Mattie may not be with them much longer, but she is leaving behind a legacy of memories and a future for three important people in her life. Join them in Saugatuck, Michigan for a story of love, faith, courage, hopefulness along with a touch of sadness in The Hope Chest.
The Hope Chest is a heartwarming novel. It is nicely written and easy to read. I was drawn into the story and my attention was held throughout the book. There were a couple of slow sections, but they were few. I like how as each item is revealed in the hope chest, we are taken into the past. We slowly see how Mattie’s life unfolded and how each item impacts the present. I especially liked the Raggedy Ann doll that was in the chest. It is an emotional novel that will make you smile, laugh, and cry. I give The Hope Chest 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). The book shows you how important it is to enjoy and savor each moment of your life. We are also provided with a new type of family dynamic. I like the relationship drawn between hope and home in the story. There is a little repetition of information, but the book has a pleasing ending. The Christian element is just right and the author did a superb job at portraying a person with ALS. ALS is a debilitating disease that affects the body horribly, but leaves the person with their mind intact. The Hope Chest is my favorite book by Viola Shipman.
I LOVED this book
What a soul touching book. Main character is a woman, Mattie, dying from ALS & her devoted husband, Don getting ready to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Unable to do anything for herself, they hire a helper to assist with her care. She has a 7 year old daughter. Over the remaining months of Mattie’s life, the 4 of them form their own family. While Mattie’s body has become withered & drawn, her brain still works perfectly. And her heart is so open & pure love flows out. Her friends have abandoned her because her disease makes them so uncomfortable. This book has lessons for everybody, but at no time does it come across as preachy or heavy handed. The only thing that I didn’t like about this book was that it ended much too quickly. I rarely reread books (on purpose) but I will reread this one, probably numerous times. Don’t miss this one.
The Hope Chest
This book took my breathe away! Each and every page caught my heart with the beauty of the story being told. I connected with my own love of my hope chest. I could not stop the tears from rolling and my own memories of my loved ones who have passed and the story they have weaved into my soul! Hope is alive!!