A Place of Hope
Hooray for fiftysomething, feisty women who resist greedy, duplicitous, fortune-­hunting relatives. These feisty gals certainly make for entertaining reading in Jacobs’ (Winds of Change, 2012) latest. An accident lands Emily in a geriatric unit, thanks to her nephew George, who is scheming to take control of her finances as he has done with other women in the family. Dear nephew George even makes sure that Emily is kept in a locked ward headed by a “keep them quiet at all costs” nurse to whom he surreptitiously passesenvelopes. Emily refuses to acquiesce, which provokes him to threaten her: “If it comes to a struggle, you really are no match for me, physically or mentally.” This only hardens her resolve: “Whatever happened, she didn’t intend to follow her sister’s example and let George get his hands on her life and money.” Only the appearance of a lawyer saves Emily from renewed incarceration after a failed escape attempt. Readers will cheer for Jacobs’ plucky heroine and this altogether engaging novel. --Whitney Scott