Review: Short, but oh, so sweet!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 24, 2011
"Hopes and Fears" is the sequel toFinding Zach, a wonderful book in its own right.  "Hopes" is quite a bit shorter - I read it in about an hour - but it was a wonderful coda to the entire saga of Zach and David.  Talk about wrapping things up in a sweet package!  If you enjoyed "Finding Zach," you will most definitely appreciate this heart-warming story.MILD SPOILERS FOLLOW:Brian is a hard-nosed reporter (yes, the same reporter who convinces Zach in "Finding Zach" to let him write a book about the story of Zach's captivity and reintegration into society).  He injures his knee and falls head over heels for his physical therapist, Jerry, a sweetheart of a man who fixes far more than just Brian's knee.  With Jerry's help, Brian faces his demons and learns to move on with his life.  And there's a wonderful little twist to the story (which I won't spoil here) that will make you grin from ear to ear, and which brings "Finding Zach" full circle."Hopes and Fears" isn't the deepest story ever told, but it is infinitely sweet.  Yes, some of the coincidences in the book are a bit over the top, and Brian's new take on life was a bit quick for my taste (hence the 4-star instead of a 5), but it was a very satisfying, enjoyable read that left me all warm and fuzzy inside.Written from Brian's somewhat jaded/prickly point of view, the narrative was right on the mark.  I felt as though I got to know Brian in a way I had never seen him before (of course, he was only a minor character in "Finding Zach," but he was an interesting one!).  I'm not a huge fan of Christmas, but the tie-in to the holiday was sweet, and not overly so.An enjoyable, well-written read!Sarah AlexanderAuthor of "From the Depths"