hope has 4 grown children . She has a little sister who works in real estate.Mckenzie,their daughter,prefers to talk to her father
Hope took time off to raise her kids then became a teacher after they left the house.Hope went back to work to afford tuition for liams film school Hopes husband took a forced early retirement.

This book did not disappoint. The story is about Hope and her family. Hope and her husband Rick have to sell their home because they were both downsized in their jobs. Hope finds a job in a women’s prison teaching arts and crafts and eventually teaching them how to make quilts. I got very involved in the character’s lives.
Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Marie Bostwick, bestselling author of uplifting historical and contemporary fiction, with a Macomber-esque flavour to her writing, is a new-to-me author. Her heartwarming novel, Hope on the Inside (a play on words), left me all warm and fuzzy when I hit the final page. Sweet, sincere, redemptive, inspiring… I could go on-and-on, but this title hit all those boxes.

The synopsis of the story is that our heroine is facing some unexpected challenges in a mid-life crises type of situation. After supporting her husband’s career and subsequently raising her kids, she’s the mom all the neighbourhood kid’s loved and can tackle any craft like she’s Martha Stewart. Having to find a new employment position, she stumbles upon a chance connection and winds up with a new position teaching a home-ec/craft class at the local women’s prison. Issues, of course, arise, but positivity and perseverance save the day and at the conclusion, everyone is living happily-ever-after.

This was not deep, thought-provoking fiction by any means. It was, however, charming and easy-to-read, dare I say even inspiring despite its triteness. It’s a story that’s been told a million times before, but it had its own unique spin and was quite the enjoyable page-turner.

I was provided with an advance copy of this title via NetGalley with thanks to the publisher and/or author. All opinions expressed are my own.

A beautiful, uplifting story idea with a wonderful premise. Love the clever title also! I enjoyed the inclusion of characters that are often sidelined in fiction and the message of hope within in. The dialogue is great and I got a good sense of most of the characters, although at times I would have liked a little more pace, particularly at the beginning.

“Whatever comes your way, find the happiness in it.” Hope Carpenter received that advice from her mother decades ago. Now, with their four children grown, Hope and her husband, Rick, are suddenly facing an uncertain future, after a forced retirement strains both their savings and their marriage. Seeking inspiration and a financial boost, Hope gets a job teaching crafts to inmates at a local women’s prison.

At first, Hope feels foolish and irrelevant, struggling to relate to women whose choices seem so different from her own. But with time and the encouragement of the prison chaplain, she begins to discover common ground with the inmates, in their worries about their children and families, their fear of having failed those who need them. Just like her, they want to make something of themselves, but believe it might be impossible.

Embarking on an ambitious quilting project, Hope and her students begin to bond. Together, piece by piece, they learn to defy expectations—their own and others’—and to see that it’s never too late to stitch together a life that, even in its imperfections, is both surprising and beautiful.

Have you ever read a book where you wish you knew the people in the story? This is such a book. Hope is so much stronger than the moments. It was heartwarming and She is a person to be admired. Ladies and quilting and tough stories than touch. I have instantly connected to Hope as well as her students.
I would 100% recommend this book and writer. 100 stars.

Thanks, NetGalley as well as the Publisher for the advance copy.

I loved this story!
When you finish this book, it will leave you feeling uplifted.
Hope is a wonderful teacher who loves her job, family, students and her life.
Her children have all grown up to be wonderful adults and have left the nest. She is older now and since her husband lost his job, she needs to find a place that provides some benefits for her and Rick.
When she applies for employment in a prison to teach, she isn't thinking how this will change her life.
She is wondering how she will survive each day with a tough group of inmates who cannot trust anyone.
Oh--- But wait!
Marie Bostwick writes from the heart and her stories reflect a love and caring that in these times, we all desperately need.
"Trust me. You won't be in this alone."
A wonderful group of characters that you won't soon forget are in these pages!

This is another heart warming book from Marie.
She never fails to write an amazing story. While not a "Quilting" novel, there was a nice amount in the storyline to make it feel like a quilting novel.
A very heart warming story of Hope who looses her job, along with her husband. They decide to downsize and then Hope finds a new opportunity as a Craft Teacher, with the most unusual of employers - in a women's prison. It is hard to fit in and cope with the women who want to lash out, the Superintendant who put so many restrictions in place. But Hope pushes on and success happens in the way of quilts, love and friendship.

Definitely a read, as with all Marie's book, highly recommended.

I was worried for a little bit - where are the quilts? Its not a Marie Bostwick book without quilting! I was not disappointed - either in the story or in the appearance of the quilts. Marie Bostwick took a difficult topic of incarcerated women and gave it such a beautiful spin on the inmates - too often we only see when for what they have done and not for who they are as people. I can easily gloss over the too good to be true characters (Rick seemed to be trapped in the '50s and McKenzie has serious Daddy issues and could be a book of her own) because this was just an overall feel good story.

Thank you to the author for writing it and to NetGalley.com and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my thoughts.

Reading a Marie Bostwick book is like eating a warm roll, it's easily digestible and very filling. Hope on the Inside is about a woman who sees a lot of changes. Both she and her husband find new jobs, move, and examine their relationship. Hope gets a job at a prison and implements a quilting program for the inmates. There are highs and lows in the story, but it leaves one with an uplifting feeling. I love the quilting aspects as well as the fact this program is actually based on a real one.

I am probably in the minority here, and as much as I wanted to give this book 5 stars, I simply cannot because the characters just did not grab me the way characters in her other books grab to me… And I must say I really enjoy this authors other books very much. I found the idea of teaching in a prison fascinating and enjoy that aspect of this book, but I really wasn’t invested in the main characters.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.