At a glance
The Hope Chest
Contemporary women’s fiction
The Hope Chest
Book 2 of the The Heirloom Novels series
336 pages · First published 2017
As ALS takes away her independence, Mattie struggles to recognize the life she once loved, while her devoted husband, Don, faces the possibility of losing his wife of nearly fifty years. Their new caregiver, Rose, arrives carrying burdens of her own: single motherhood, financial worries, and the loneliness of having little family left. When Mattie’s heirloom hope chest resurfaces, its treasured objects open conversations about the people and moments that shaped her life. Sharing those memories draws Mattie, Don, Rose, and Rose’s young daughter, Jeri, into an unexpected family. Set in lakeside Michigan, this tender, tearful story offers found family, enduring love, and hope for readers who need their hearts broken gently and then comforted.
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No surprises at chapter twelve
Content notes
Terminal ALS, progressive disability, loss of independence, caregiving, and end-of-life concerns; death, bereavement, and anticipatory grief; remembered parental deaths from cancer; divorce, an unsupportive former spouse, single parenting, and financial hardship; affectionate kissing.
Alcohol-Free Pour
Birch & Maple Coffee
Maple, cinnamon, and comforting coffee suit the Michigan setting and the quiet conversations through which strangers become family.
What you'll need
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.How to mix it
- Stir any sweetener, cocoa, or spices into the coffee until dissolved. Add milk or cream if desired and garnish as indicated.
- Garnish: Orange peel if for extra kick.
- Glassware: Mug (or highball glass if served cold).
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Highball glass ↗Mug ↗Cocktail Pour · 21+
Maple & Orange Old Fashioned
For adults of legal drinking age. Please drink responsibly.
Maple sweetness and fragrant orange soften a classic Old Fashioned, matching a story that finds warmth in treasured memories and a love built over decades.
What you'll need
- 2 oz bourbon
- 1/4 oz pure maple syrup ↗
- 2 dashes aromatic bitters
- 1 wide strip orange peel ↗
- Ice
Shop the spirits 21+Search Total Wine for Bourbon · 21+ ↗
How to mix it
- Add the bourbon, maple syrup, and bitters to a mixing glass with ice.
- Stir until well chilled.
- Strain over one large ice cube in a rocks glass.
- Express the orange peel over the drink, rub it around the rim, and add it as the garnish.
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Rocks glass ↗Mixing glass ↗Set up the bar cart
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