A Hope For Emily is an emotional journey, full of self reflection, loses, grief, hope, and moving on. This Kate Hewitt is a thought provoking novel that is perfect for book clubs.

The relationships between Rachel, James, and Eva are complicated to say the least. Theirs is a story of fear and anguish, acceptance and reality, wasted opportunities and regret.

This is a story not about Emily, but about her parents and step-mother. It's a sad journey of how people handle complications and loss. It's about the differences between keeping one's pain to themselves, or allowing others to help share the burden and pain.

It's also a tough exploration of hope versus reality, and when it's okay to give up. It also is about the trouble of rediscovering who one is after years of grieving.

The writing is phenomenal, with complex characters and an even more complex storyline.

A Hope for Emily is a multi-layered story of parenthood, both the good and the bad. The conflict is non-stop, the pain is excruciating, and the fear of moving forward well explored. It's riveting and one hell of a journey.

EXCERPT: You know the worst thing, that possibility you dread, the terrible what-if that keeps you up at night, heart racing, palms icy, the one thing you tell yourself will never happen, because it can't, it just can't, you wouldn't survive it, you wouldn't know how?

Well, sometimes it does happen. And you do survive it, even if you can't understand how your body is still functioning - heart thudding steadily, breaths in and out, even your stomach gurgling, I mean, how? How can my body feel hungry when a doctor, a doctor I've put all my trust and hope in for over two years, has given me the worst news he possibly could?

No further tests. Those three words feel like a weapon wielded cruelly, a physical violence perpetrated against me, against my daughter. Emily.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: From the moment Emily was born, reaching out with her tiny little star-shaped hand towards her mother, blinking with long eyelashes over soft blue eyes, she became Rachel’s whole world.

But Rachel’s worst nightmare comes true when a rare auto-immune illness leaves four-year-old Emily in a coma the doctors say she may never come out of. And Rachel has to make a heartbreaking decision—one that her ex-husband, Emily’s dad James, doesn’t agree with.

Terrified she’s going to lose her daughter for good, Rachel knows she must find a way to keep the hope alive for Emily. But there is only one person she can turn to for help to convince James—and it’s his new wife, Eva.

As an unlikely but powerful friendship develops between the two women, both Rachel and Eva will have to ask themselves—what is truly the right choice for the tiny, fragile little girl who lies between them?

MY THOUGHTS: I have been in Rachel's shoes. For four long years, between the ages of four and eight, my youngest son spent more time in hospital than he did at home. Every day he would have in excess of 100 grand mal seizures. He had them awake and asleep. He was permanently on oxygen. The neurologist told me to resign myself to him becoming brain damaged and having to wear a helmet for the remainder of his life. He recommended institutionalising him. And like Rachel, I fought. I removed my son from his care. Our family GP found us another specialist, out of our area, who supervised my son's treatment via a pediatrician, and who made the world of difference to our lives.

So it is no wonder that I cried buckets throughout A Hope For Emily by Kate Hewitt. It brought everything back to me. I relived the weeks on end by his bedside, sleeping in a chair beside him. But I also recalled the good days, the days when we could take him out for an hour or two and, occasionally home. Rachel did not have those memories to hold on to, the possibility of there being another good day tomorrow or the day after, and that is where we differ.

But you don't have to have been through something like this to feel her anguish. I defy any mother, any parent, to read A Hope For Emily and stay dry eyed.

This is, ultimately, a story of hope and strength, of love and friendship, of a mother leaving no stone unturned in an effort to save her daughter.

😢😭😢😭

#AHopeForEmily #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Kate is the USA Today-bsetselling author of many books of women's fiction. Her latest releases are A Vicarage Homecoming and Not My Daughter. Under the name Katharine Swartz, she is the author of the Tales from Goswell books, a series of time-slip novels set in the village of Goswell.

She likes to read women's fiction, mystery and thrillers, as well as historical novels. She particularly enjoys reading about well-drawn characters and avoids high-concept plots.

Having lived in both New York City and a tiny village on the windswept northwest coast of England, she now resides in a market town in Wales with her husband, five children, and two Golden Retrievers.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of A Hope For Emily by Kate Hewitt for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage

Not a huge fan of this one. This was an emotional book but I thought the pace was very slow and was often repetitive and I didn't connect with any of the characters.
This was well written and I'm sure many will, and have loved it, unfortunately, this wasn't for me.

It should come as no surprise that I am a huge fan of Kate Hewitt. I’ve read her last few releases and they have been all five star reads for me, so when I saw Hewitt had a new release, A Hope for Emily, coming out, I was happy and yet sad at the same time. Happy and sad, you ask? Let me explain. I was happy it was a new release I could read and yet sad because I knew it was going to make me ball my eyes out, which is nothing new for me, or for many other readers when they read a story from Kate Hewitt. There is just something about Hewitt’s writing that just stands out. I can read many good books and have many five star reads and books on my keeper shelf, but there is always that one author who goes above and beyond and writes a story that just gives you all of the feels and all of the raw emotion and can just completely break you in a heartbeat. This is what Kate Hewitt does to me - Every. Single. Time. I have said this once before and I know I will say it many many times again, there are definitely NOT enough stars in the entire universe to express how much I have come to love Kaye Hewitt’s unputdownable, heartbreaking stories.

I don’t think there is anything as powerful as a mother’s love. The things a mother will do for her child/children. Hewitt really hits home with this statement in A Hope for Emily. Rachel would lay down her life for her five year old daughter Emily who is in a state of unresponsive wakefulness and has been for the past four months. Emily’s doctors have given up hope as she continues to deteriorate. But, Rachel is willing and more than capable of fighting for her daughter, when everyone else has given up, including her ex-husband, James. Can a mother’s love save her child, or is it the right time to let go?

Kate Hewitt really writes about a sensitive topic in this story. When is a quality of life not worth continuing with life sustaining measures? I know everyone will have a different opinion on this and I have my own opinions on it as well. But, there is a part of this story that really resonated with me and made me more aware of something I had to deal with recently. Last May my dog was diagnosed with cancer and only given a handful of months to live. Yes, I know it is NOT the same thing as a child, but to me, my dog was my child. I would have done anything I could and spent any money I had on him. I ultimately decided to go with radiation treatments and chemotherapy even knowing I would only be extending his life and he would never go into remission. This story really made me think about what I did for my dog and if I was really doing it for him or for me? Was I being selfish because I couldn’t let him go? In the same token, is Rachel being selfish trying everything she can to save her daughter? It is definitely something to think about.

Rachel is a fierce mother and will go to battle for her daughter, Emily. Her ex-husband, James, recently remarried does not discuss his daughter and seems really closed off emotionally. James is not very likeable and comes across as cold-hearted and emotionless, but in a way I can also understand why James is the way he is. Eva loves her husband, James, but she can’t understand why her husband is so closed off and feels like she is missing out on a big piece of his life when it comes to his daughter. So, when Rachel seeks Eva out for help, Eva does what she can and in doing so we come to know Eva on an even deeper level. I have to say each character brought so much to the table and so much realism in their actions and beliefs. It was hard NOT to like everyone even though I may not have agreed with some of the things they did.

If you are a huge fan of Jodi Picoult, Diane Chamberlain or JojoMoyes, I highly urge you to pick up a book by Kate Hewitt. A Hope for Emily is a beautifully moving, heart-wrenching, and touching story of a mother’s love for her daughter.

I found the concept of this story to be intriguing and knew there were many ways this story could go, depending on how the author wanted everything to play out. This is going to be extremely hard for me to review for multiple reasons. I abhor spoilers, but when I’m giving a book a mediocre review I want to give my reasons. Afterall, to each his own and there are many readers out there that may really like this story. I’ll do the best I can.

As I said, the concept is great. The biggest problem I had is my dislike of the characters. The book goes back and forth between the thoughts and views of two women, Rachel and Eva. They are the ex-wife and current wife of James. All three of these people have no quality to had me rooting for them. Eva came the closest, but for someone who was supposed to be a strong-minded business woman she sure didn’t speak up for herself very often. I will say I was a fan of Rachel’s mom, who we didn’t see too terribly much. But she had a knack of supporting her daughter while not feeding into Rachel’s obsession. I’m telling you, this is a book full of people who supposedly love and care about each other and little Emily (who is in a sort of coma), but do not express their feelings or thoughts to each other AT ALL. It got to be annoying.

One of the things I had an issue with is something I know is a bias, it really doesn’t have to do with the characters or the writers. That is, I did not in any way agree with the course of action Rachel was pushing so hard for when it came to Emily’s care. Yet, while I didn’t agree with Rachel, I couldn’t get on board with the way James was handling her through it all. Of course, a reader does not have to agree with the actions of the characters in order to enjoy the story. But I was so annoyed with all the characters that I just couldn’t get into this book.

There is quite a disconnect among the characters even when it comes to things that don’t have to do with Emily. The relationships just didn’t seem realistic to me. Yes, I know it’s fiction. But it’s a serious story and I think it’s meant to be believable. This is not a case of me being unable to suspend my disbelief since it’s not that type of book.

It’s not all bad. I did find this story to move slowly, but the author’s writing is smooth and has a good rhythm. As I’ve mentioned, I liked Rachel’s mom. There is also a character that comes in later, Rachel’s new neighbor, that I enjoyed. But overall, these couple side characters couldn’t redeem the story as a whole.

I’ve read other books by this author that I really enjoyed, so I’m sure I’ll try another book from her in the future. This one just wasn’t for me.

This is such a moving and beautiful book.

When do you give up, or how far will you go for your child? In this story we can see Rachel’s point of view, she can’t give up on her child if there’s even the slightest chance that what she’s doing will help Emily, even if it’s only a small improvement. On the other hand, James feels that the opinions of the medical team are right, and that the kindest thing might be to let her go peacefully. Rachel’s whole life revolves around the hospital and Emily, and perhaps it’s too much. Then there’s Eva, caught in the middle, but with her own views and feelings. In the centre of it all is little Emily, who we get glimpses of as she used to be. It’s a tragic and difficult situation.

This book just kept me engaged from the first page to the last. It’s a heartbreaking story, but full of love and compassion.

Beautifully written and sensitively handled, this is a book that will stay with you for a long time after you’ve finished it.

A HOPE FOR EMILY is beautiful, gut-wrenching and heartbreaking, but beautiful. Kate Hewitt’s novels are a must-read for me for exactly this reason. She writes novels full of emotion that pull you in and don’t let you go. Hewitt is able to write stories and create characters and situations that are realistic, so much so, that you can actually see yourself in their position.
Rachel and James were blessed with a beautiful baby girl, and both embraced life as parents, especially Rachel. When Emily starts having health problems, they take her to doctor after doctor, with no definitive diagnosis. As Emily gets progressively worse, James and Rachel’s marriage ends, and James eventually moves on and re-marries. When Emily slips into a state of unresponsive wakefulness with no real diagnosis, Rachel will do anything she can to give Emily a chance to come back to her. When James refuses to consider further treatment, Rachel finds an unexpected ally in Eva, James’s new wife. How far will a Mother go to give her child a chance? Is there a point when a parent should give up?
Hewitt creates a story full of emotion, with characters that are so well-written that you feel like they are people you know. The story hits close to home, especially since I am a mother. I kept putting myself in Rachel’s shoes and wondering how I would react in the same situation. Though everything with Emily seems to be the main focus, her situation and the ripple effects are what make the story.
Tissues are a must with this one, but don’t let that stop you from picking it up. Once you start reading, you won’t want to put it down until the end.
Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
#AHopeforEmily #Bookouture #NetGalley

Looking back, I wish I could find my way back to that moment. I’d snatch it and hold onto it and live in it for the rest of my life, if I could. When Emily could still throw her arms around me. Oh God, just give me that moment, or one like it again. That’s all I want.

From the moment Emily was born, reaching out with her tiny little star-shaped hand towards her mother, blinking with long eyelashes over soft blue eyes, she became Rachel’s whole world.

But Rachel’s worst nightmare comes true when a rare auto-immune illness leaves four-year-old Emily in a coma the doctors say she may never come out of. And Rachel has to make a heartbreaking decision – one that her ex-husband, Emily’s dad James, doesn’t agree with.

Terrified she’s going to lose her daughter for good, Rachel knows she must find a way to keep the hope alive for Emily. But there is only one person she can turn to for help to convince James––and it’s his new wife, Eva.

As an unlikely but powerful friendship develops between the two women, both Rachel and Eva will have to ask themselves––what is truly the right choice for the tiny, fragile little girl who lies between them?

****
This is my third book by Kate Hewitt, and despite the subject matter, I couldn't put it down, and dare I say, I really enjoyed it.

Kate wrote with great depth which made the reader able to relate to Rachel, Eva and James's different view points in a situation where there really is no right answer.

I am really enjoying these types of books at the moment. Would they be classed as 'Women's Fiction'? But whatever genre they fall into, Bookouture, keep doing what you're doing!

A Hope For Emily by Kate Hewitt is a tragic and heartbreaking, but beautiful story.

When James and Rachel's daughter, Emily, is diagnosed with an unknown illness, they watch their beloved child slip into a coma. As the time passes, Emily condition remains the same but James and Rachel's marriage crumbles. While James moves on, Rachel remains transfixed, unable to separate her life from Emily's, as her daughter has been her whole world since the day she was born. When Rachel is gifted a chance to improve Emily's life from an unexpected source, an emotional battle ensues. Does she keep fighting for Emily or is it time to say goodbye?

Told from two different viewpoints that complement each other, A Hope For Emily conveys so many varied emotions and it was impossible for me to remain impassive. On several occasions I found myself pondering what my course of action might be, given a similar set of circumstances.

Kate Hewitt’s writing is so heartfelt and realistic, making this novel a remarkable reading experience. A Hope For Emily is my first book by by this immensely talented author and I will be reading more from her.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Bookouture via NetGalley at my request, and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

Poignant, thought provoking, heartwrenching, agonizing.This book left me completely shattered! Kate Hewitt’s books should come with a box of tissue and this one should have come with two! She really knows how to pull at the heartstrings. I felt so much for these characters their pain was palpable. Rachel’s five-year-old daughter Emily is in a coma, suffering from a degenerative neurological disease with no true diagnosis. Emily was born a healthy little girl who could walk and talk and play and laugh. Then at approximately 3 ½ she started having headaches and seizures. This led to countless doctors appointments and hospital visits. It also led to the unraveling of Rachel‘s marriage. But through it all Rachel stands strong and never gives up hope for her little girl.

As a mom I could not help but put myself in Rachel’s position, that’s what led to tears flowing down my face at 4:30 in the morning. How do you give up hope? How do you say goodbye? How do you let go? And then how do you MoveOn? The story is told from the perspectives of both Rachel and Eva who is Rachel‘s ex-husband‘s new wife. The bond that these women formed was remarkable. I’m not even certain I always 100% agreed with their actions, but the pole of motherhood is strong. This is one of those books that really makes you think, what would you do if you were in this situation? I don’t think however you could ever know how you would react unless you’re living it(and let’s hope none of us ever have to go through this). this was a beautifully told story about motherhood, friendship, tough choices, and above all hope.

”Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.” Helen Keller

*** Big thank you to Bookouture for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

This is such a lovely book. It is full of emotion which at times can leave the reader feeling completely devastated whilst ensuring you keep reading and reading. I read it in a couple of sittings as I felt so gripped I couldn't put it down and walk away. I am not a parent and I felt very strongly throughout, can only imagine how much deeper those feelings will be for someone who is a parent.

Kate Hewitt writes beautifully and takes the reader on an emotional heart-wrenching, mind-blowing journey. Have a box of tissues nearby, they are needed as much as the mug of tea and biscuits!

This book had me hooked from start to finish. I love books that do that and this one did not disappoint. Emily is a young girl who experiences seizures to the point that they put her in a vegetative state. Her mother Rachel does what any mother would do and is by her side every day, hoping that something will change. Rachel will go to the ends of the earth for her children and feels that James, Emily's father, should do the same, but he does not. It takes an unlikely friendship between Rachel and Eva, James' new wife, to show James what kind of father Emily needs.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. It had not influenced my opinion.

Friendships, family, and just full emotions were what I found in this story. I loved the POV change and the story. The characters were amazing and so real. I loved the story it made me cry so hard by the last page. I have heard about stories where one second your child is healthy and fine and then the next your world comes crashing down around you. This book will rip out your heart but you won't be able to stop reading.

This was not an easy read, even for someone with out children. Emily, who is in a vegetative state, with a condition so rare, even the worlds best doctor's can't save her.

Told in alternate points of view between a stepmom, who has never met Emily and Emily's mom.

You will definitely need a box of tissues for this gripping read.

Rachel’s daughter, Emily, is in an unresponsive state and has been for several years. Emily’s doctors have exhausted all efforts to try to diagnose what caused her condition. Rachel is not willing to give up on her daughter and wants to try an experimental treatment. Rachel’s ex- husband, James, is against the treatment. Rachel must decide what is best for Emily and how to give it to her.

This is a heart tugging story. As a mom, I felt for Rachel while at the same time not knowing what I would do in her shoes. The story skillfully shows Rachel’s side is the story but does not directly tell James’s side. It is indirectly told via Rachel and James’s new wife, who is a big part of the story also. I rated this book 4 stars because I would have liked to hear from James directly.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Well what can I say about this book. It was a really emotional ride from beginning to end! This book is definitely not going to be for everyone, there are several subjects touched on in this book that may be too close to comfort for some, but I really enjoyed it.

This story is based around a five year old girl called Emily who had an undiagnosed neurological condition and she has been in a permanent unresponsive state for about 6 months. The story is told from two female perspectives, Emily’s Mum Rachel and Rachel’s Ex husbands (James) new wife Eva.

It’s an emotional story about a Mother’s strength, hope and unconditional love for her child. Despite the prognosis looking bleak for Emily, Rachel refuses to accept that nothing else can be done for her little girl and seeks out alternative treatments finding a doctor who is willing to help her in Italy.

I was torn in so many different directions throughout this book, often having conflicting feelings at various stages for each of the three main characters. I really enjoyed learning about them (past and present) and bearing witness to the strains that a serious, life threatening illness can have on relationships.

Whilst this story was definitely heart wrenching and emotional, ultimately it is a beautiful story and I really enjoyed the journey I went on with Rachel, Eva and James.

The only small criticism I have was that I felt the book ended quite abruptly and left me wondering what happened next to the main characters!

Having never read a book by Kate Hewitt before, I did really enjoyed her style of writing and will definitely be looking out for some more of her books!

Heartbreaking and emotional. This is an emotional read which broke my heart the whole way through. There is a lot of sadness in this story as well as secrets and hope and there is also a lot of love.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Warning - this book will bring you to tears: tears for what might have been, tears for a hope that is fading, tears for failed relationships, and tears for secrets we keep hidden away. Powerful and heart wrenching, this book explores the hard decisions that come our way.

Absolutely completely heart wrenching. I had to put it down at times. This is going to completely rip out your heart.

First, I want to thank Kate Hewitt, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

A Hope For Emily by Kate Hewitt is yet another book that touched my heart in so many ways. So many times, I wanted to reach into the book and give Rachel and sweet Emily a big hug.

Kate would like to dedicate this book to Mindy. She knows you have not been in touch for a long time, but she thinks of you often.

Right from the beginning of the book Kate hooked me on the book. Rachel discusses how she found out she became pregnant with Emily. This part of the story made me smile from ear to ear. In the story you will find Rachel writing letters to her daughter whom she refers to as her little bean. It is so cute. The letters that she writes her puts a personal touch on the story. It shows the love and the bond between the mother and the daughter.

However, then my heart broke into a million little pieces. I can relate to Emily as she and I both suffer from debilitating migraines. I suffer from them 10-20 times a month. However, a girl at the age of 5 having them with other neurological disorders my heart went out to her. What is even sadder is the doctors at the best hospital couldn’t find a treatment for her.

Kate did an incredible job pulling out the raw emotions in the characters. Also, how it affected everyone else in the family good and badly.