This is the first book that I have read by this author and I really enjoyed it. A heartwarming and captivating book that captures my heart. I love her writing style and can connect with her characters on many levels. Honestly I had a hard time putting it down, it was well worth the time to read it.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

3.5 stars

Received advance reader copy from St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley

I actually struggled a bit with the rating for this book. On the one hand, this book didn’t blow me away or impress me from a literary aspect or make me reflect on a deeper level like most of the books I rate 4 or 5 stars usually do. However, it also doesn’t deserve a low rating either (for reasons I’ll talk about below). In the end, I settled for 3.5 stars, with the “disclaimer” that if you’re trying to decide whether to read this book or not, I would say go by the review comments rather than the star rating.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was an easy read, very simple in its message of hope and love and the meaning of family. As described in the summary, this book is about Mattie, an elderly woman battling ALS, and her devoted husband of 50 years, Don, who is unable to imagine a future life without his soulmate and the love of his life. A young single mother named Rose is assigned as Mattie’s caregiver and together with her 7-year-old daughter Jeri, they help the elderly couple find hope and faith again. There is also Mattie’s hope chest and all the heirlooms in it, which play a central role in connecting everyone together.

From a literary standpoint, this book is well-written and flows amazingly well despite jumping back and forth between different time periods (seems like the switching of timelines back and forth is a technique of choice for many authors nowadays). The author is descriptive and makes each scene come alive, to the point that I felt like I was watching a movie in my head. Yet, the dialogue is simple enough that it is easy to understand and most importantly, doesn’t interrupt the flow of the story. Though the story itself is not necessarily unique and doesn’t stand out amongst the many similar-themed stories out there, it was written well enough to evoke an emotional response from readers like me who may not have connected deeply with the story, but still found it moving and heartfelt. In terms of the characters -- though all of them were likable and easily relatable, I kind of felt that the author went a little overboard with a few of the characters and the roles they played in the story, which caused some of the characters to come across as a not quite believable. Luckily this did not affect the flow of the story much.

One thing about the book that made me struggle with the scoring was the predictability of the story and, in a way, the over-simplicity of the storyline. From the first page, I pretty much already knew what was going to happen and by the end, all the pieces of the story pulled together exactly the way I thought it would. Though this isn’t necessarily a bad thing per se, in this instance it did take away some of the fun of reading a book and being (pleasantly or unpleasantly) surprised at things that happen outside of what is expected. This was one of the main reasons why, despite enjoying the book and liking the story and characters overall, it was hard for me to get too excited about this book or give it a higher rating than I did.

The Hope Chest by Viola Shipman draws the reader in immediately. The story links the present to the past and also to the future in a seamless manner. We learn that a hope chest is a connection of the past to the future. As Mattie’s mother tells her “But, mostly, a hope chest is filled with love, and the hopes and dreams that parents have for their daughters, that we have for you.”
Mattie and Don Tice are moving from their lifetime home, Hope Dunes, as Mattie’s battle with ALS is escalating and they are moving to a home that will be easier to navigate with her wheelchair. Both are dealing with a sense of loss on several levels. Don realizes the need for a fulltime caregiver and he and Mattie hire Rose who is a single mom with a young, energetic daughter, Jeri. Rose’s family has lived in the area for generations and ran a fresh produce stand. Mattie and Don often shopped there and remember Rose’s parents who have both passed away. Rose is struggling with having no family and also with expenses as she is trying to keep her family home. She is very grateful to have the fulltime position and to have some connection to her past. Rose was hired to assist Mattie but will Rose receive healing and hope for her own future?
The story goes back and forth from the present to the past as Mattie recalls special times in her life and talks about the special items she has saved in her hope chest. The author makes this transition seamlessly and I felt I was right there listening to Mattie reminisce. I could easily imagine the smell of cedar and the bright colors of her flowers.
I give this book a 5 of 5 stars. The writing style draws the reader in from page one and it is difficult to put the book down before finishing. I felt I knew each of the characters personally and often wanted to hug them or cry with them. Jeri’s enthusiasm and childish questions add and important quality to the story as she will ask the questions the adults will shy away from. Mabel the dog is also an important element as her unconditional love is shared with everyone but she is especially close to Mattie. While the story deals with end of life issues as Mattie approaches that time, the story is not a sad or depressing one. There are many happy scenes and of course the main theme that hope never ends.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I received a copy of "The Hope Chest: A Novel" from NetGalley for an honest review. I wish to thank NetGalley, Thomas Dunne Books, and Viola Shipman for the opportunity to read this book.

First of all, let me say that this was just a LOVELY book!! The main character has ASL which was very meaningful for me as my godmother passed from this horrific disease. I wish that I could give the book 4.5 stars because it was that good.

The author, Viola Shipman, has a way of writing that allows ALL of your senses to be involved. I could so visually picture what happened in this novel easily as ALL of my senses were engaged. She writes so beautifully without TONS of SAT words which slow down the flow of a book. Just wonderfully written.

Definitely would love to see this made into a movie and look forward to reading any other books by this author. It was an easy read, but time worth spent. I had a hard time putting it down to SLEEP.

This is a definite recommend. Thank you, Viola Shipman, for writing this incredible novel.

I received this book "The Hope Chest" from NetGalley and St Martin's Press for my honest review. Mattie has ALS and is very independent. Her husband Don hires a person to take care of Mattie as it becomes harder for him to handle. Rose becomes the caretaker and together with her daughter Jeri they become part of the family. Mattie and Don were not able to have children. The four of them become the family they were all looking for. The hope chest ties everything together as the items are taken out one at a time. There is a story for each item and the memories they hold. This was a very heartwarming story and a quick read for me.

I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, and Thomas Dunne Books for the ARC of "The Hope Chest" by Viola Shipman for an honest review. The genre listed for this novel is women's fiction, but I fell there is a "feel" of historical fiction as well.
Mattie and Don are an older couple who will be married fifty years on New Years Eve/Day. The author describes them as a loving co-dependent couple, who are hardworking and creative in artistic and gardening pursuits. Unfortunately Mattie has been fighting ALS for the past five years and as strong and independent as she would like to be, Don realizes that they need some help. They hire Rose, a single mother with a delightful daughter, who is struggling to financially hold on to her family home and support herself and daughter.
Mattie and Don are leaving their beloved house by the water, and as the movers are packing up, they discover Mattie's beautiful Hope Chest that her father gave to her when she was a girl.
As Mattie, Don, Rose and Rose's daughter go through each item, there is a story. The Hope Chest and the items are symbolic of life, past, present and future.
I find that the author's descriptions of elegant objects, and the historical and personal stories are told in an intriguing and nostalgic manner.
The author writes about life, death, friends, family, love and hope, as well as final endings and new beginnings.
I would recommend this book to anyone that likes women's literature.

The most recent book from Shipman, following close behind the best selling The Charm Bracelet is as brilliantly done as The Charm Bracelet was.

Shipman is so good at weaving themes into his writing. Hope, Love, Faith, Kindness and Family. This particular story was beautiful. And sad. And hearbreaking. It was also full of hope and love and family and how important they are to us all.

We begin in the present with Don and Mattie Tice packing up all of their belongings from their home on the lake in Michigan and getting ready to move into town. Mattie has ALS and has advanced to the point where she is wheelchair dependant. As Don packs everything up, Mattie relives all of the wonderful memories she had in this house. With her parents, and then Don. It's where her heart is. She never thought she would leave it. Hope Dunes is in her heart and soul.

As they settle into the house in town, Don is to the point where he knows he needs help with Mattie and here we meet Rose and her young daughter Jeri. Rose has her own problems and one is keeping her family home from being sold. She needs a job now.

When Don and Mattie meet Rose and Jeri they all know it's a perfect match. And the book bounces between the past and the present, as they go through all the memories in Mattie's hope chest.

All the special things that would have gone to Mattie and Don's daughter if they had been blessed with children are taken out and stories told and new memories are made.

What a moving and lovely story this was. This is a book with a lot of feeling. And yes, there was some crying, but laughing too.

Thank you Netgalley and St.Martin's Press for this early copy. The book is available on March 21, 2017.

Books,Books and More Books Reviews

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I am still tearing up as I write this review. I did the ugly cry through most of it. I became an instant fan with Viola's previous book "The Charm Bracelet." Her writing is so beautiful and strikes right at the heart. Maddie and Don have the ultimate love story. True honest devotion through a difficult battle with ALS. When Rose gets hired on as an aide to Maddie that is when we see an absolute brilliant story unfold. Love, strength, and faith are the themes throughout the book. I love the tradition of a hope chest. So much love and so many memories will always be found in that incredible chest. A must read!!!

“The Hope Chest” is a beautiful story about love, loss, and moving on. After nearly fifty years of marriage, Don and Mattie Tice are still deeply in love. Unfortunately, Mattie has been struggling with ALS for years, and her condition is worsening. The couple make the difficult decision to put their beloved Lake Michigan cottage up for sale and move to a house that is more accessible for Mattie. Taking care of his wife on his own is getting to be too much for Don. They decide it’s time to hire a full-time caregiver to help with Mattie during the day so that Don can have some time for himself.

Rose Hoffs is a single mother to seven-year-old Jeri. Both of Rose’s parents are deceased, and her ex-husband is a deadbeat dad. Rose cared for her mother before she died of cancer, and that led her to later seek work as a part-time caregiver. She is struggling to make ends meet but is hopeful when she is sent to interview for the full-time job with the Tices. Unable to find a babysitter that day, Rose is forced to take Jeri along. Although Rose intends for Jeri to occupy herself in the car while she interviews, things don’t work out as planned. A sequence of events finds Jeri in the Tice’s bedroom, going through items in Mattie’s hope chest. Rose is mortified and convinced she has blown this opportunity. Don and Mattie, however, find the mother and daughter duo charming and hire Rose on the spot.

Over time, Mattie and Don begin to share meaningful stories with Rose and Jeri about various items kept in the hope chest. The items are symbolic of the struggles of life, and the stories are parables that contain important life lessons about staying the course. The four begin to realize they love and care deeply for each other. They share each other’s joys, and they share each other’s sorrows. They have become a family.

Don and Mattie and Rose and Jeri felt real to me. I was caught up in their shared stories and found myself laughing, reminiscing, and crying right along with them. I loved every page of this book, so it’s easy for me to give it five stars!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a complimentary digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Hope Chest tells the story of Mattie, an older woman with ALS whose body is failing while her mind and memory remain as sharp as ever. She moved from her beloved Michigan lake house to a suburb where she feels lost, even though she has her favorite things with her, including her childhood hope chest. Her beloved husband Don of almost 50 years hires a caretaker named Rose, who brings her daughter Jeri with her. Their lives become more and more entwined as the book goes along, and they end up becoming a family.

Each chapter in the book is written as a different stories about items Mattie's hope chest are told. I loved hearing the stories from Mattie's past and Rose's present, and Jeri's character pulls the rest of the characters together. Jeri is a 10 year old, but her hopeful and happy outlook on life mitigates the sadder parts of this book.

I enjoyed reading The Hope Chest, and recommend it to others. It's a book that stays with you after you've finished reading it.

This is a very sad and emotional book, but it is filled with faith, hope and love. The characters are well-drawn and you will be crying for them all.

I had read The Charm Bracelet and really enjoyed it and was pleased to be able to read her next book.
I love the way she story unfolds with the series of items from the chest. It makes the story flow and helps to intertwine the past in a natural way. It made me cry and not many books have that effect on me!
The characters were brought to life and although I knew what would happen, it was still so moving when it did.

Can't wait for next book now.

VIOLA SHIPMAN is a pen name for Wade Rouse, a popular, award-winning memoirist. Rouse chose his grandmother's name to honor the woman whose charm bracelet and family stories inspired him to write his debut novel, which is a tribute to all of our elders. Rouse lives in Michigan and writes regularly for People and Coastal Living, among other places, and is a contributor to All Things Considered. To date, The Charm Bracelet has been translated into nine languages. He is at work on his second "heirloom novel," which will be published in 2017.

5 out of 5 stars.

Mattie Tice sat in her wheelchair watching her husband pack the items from their lake house in Michigan. For the past five years, Mattie has had ALS disease. The movers hand a box of old albums to Mattie. She finds one with samples and drawings of different flowers from around the lakehouse and from the gardens that she has designed for her clients. She went thru the cabin room by room enjoying the scents and sounds of yesterday. She remembers back to a time when her parents gave her a Hope chest. Her mother said it was to be filled with blankets and linens, bears and dolls. Treasures from her lifetime.

May 2016 Rose Hoff is 26. She lives in Michigan at a lake cottage with her seven-year-old daughter Jeri. Jeri hands her mom a ragdoll as she wishes her luck at a job interview.

Feb 2011 Rose had quit school. Married her boyfriend then got divorced. Now she has baby Jeri. Jeri is sleeping with her old Raggedy Anne doll. Rose remembers her last few days with her mother Dora.

Rose is heading for her interview with the Tices'. Mr. Tice shows her their garden and talks to her about being a caregiver for his wife. Rose brought Jeri with. Jeri finds Mattie's Hope chest. She plays with the Raggedy Anne in the chest. Mattie is touched by what Jeri has to say.

This novel brings you thru different items from Mattie's Hope chest and follows her thru various stages in her life. A beautiful story of love and hope shared with a family. a well-written novel. #book #blog #netgalley #beachhouse #michigan #thehopechest #violashipman

I am so excited to read The Hope Chest by Viola Shipman. I read The Charm Bracelet and enjoyed it so I am very hopeful that this novel will be good too.

Here is the synopsis:

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.

Mattie has ALS and she has struggled to remain independent as she battles her disease just as she was independent in life. Her husband has been her caregiver but her ALS has reached the point he needs help. Enter Rose and her daughter Jeri who make all the difference in both Mattie and her husbands life. Rose is Mattie's caregiver and as she attempts to make Mattie's life easier the growing affection between the four of them is what all of them need. Rose and Jeri need Mattie and Mattie's husband as much as they need them and as their relationship grows stronger they all redefine what "family" is. Great read. I would like to thank the Publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this ARC.

Once more Viola Shipman has stunned me with her characters. The plot is like a vine. It keeps growing until it has me wrapped itself around me...taking me deep into it's story. The heart of it, is sad yet beautifully told. Life, love, family and most of all hope. A family passes on the words of hope to their daughter. Later on in her life, she passes it onto her helper and her husband passes it on the the helper's daughter. The Hope Chest is more than just a title or suggestion. It has meaning. A purpose that draws more life into the lives of others. Viola has sucked me into her main character, Mattie's life. She's suffering from ALS. Her hope has vanished. Until the Hope Chest is found and once more the forefront of the tale. Mattie's suffering brings tears to reader's eyes. Her husband has to watch as his once strong wife grows weaker each day. So much hope and joy has vanished that it's intense when Mattie looks at her old home. Remembering her life as it was. But then enter's a new woman. Rose. She is a helper for those needing extra care. Mattie and her husband need Rose's help. Don, Mattie's husband is trying not to cry and trying to breathe. It's hard for a man to keep strong around his wife. Her life isn't the same anymore. With Rose, life becomes more joyful. Don once more has hope...even as Mattie is deteriorating. The ending made my heart break and mend with love and hope. Overall, I loved reading this book. Viola Shipman creates a world where readers lose the,selves completely. Getting caught up within the emotions brought on by the scenes on every page. Stunning, well-developed, and the most engaging novel, I have read. Truly, a masterpiece all should read. I highly recommend it to all.

Another winner from viola shipman - I was a little nervous when the framework for storytelling was an als patient, but the life lessons and love triumphed.

I would give this story 10 stars.
The main character is ending her journey on earth, but in the process finds a family, love, faith and more importantly; shares Hope with all who know Mattie.
The descriptions of each and every item in Mattie's "Hope Chest", the lake house, the streets, the flowers, and even the dreams-- made me feel as if I was right there.
Be sure you have some tissues at the end as Mattie kisses her beloved Mabel and Don to say "so long".
" That's what fair is," he said "Just a realization that we are going somewhere bigger than we are right now."

Loved this story to bits! Hope is the message in this engaging tale about relationships.

A great book that is also about finding hope and a second chance. This is also about Matty and ALS. I love the writing of Viola Shipman and this is the second book of her that I have read. This was the first time that I have heard about a Hope Chest and I just loved the idea, it is a great tradition to start with your daughter something to save memories in.
You can not but love the characters and their love for each other. I also loved how Matty and Don opened their hearts and home to Rose and Jeri.
Great writing and highly recommended.
Thank you to St Martin's Press for the copy via Netgalley.