What do you think?
Rate this book
Hope #1
A Place of Hope
A devastating accident is only the start of Emily Mattinson’s troubles . . .
When Emily Mattison falls victim to a near-fatal accident shortly after receiving an unexpected inheritance from a distant cousin, her ruthless nephew George seizes the opportunity to take control of his aunt’s assets. It’s only when Emily reaches The Drover’s Hope, the former pub on the edge of the Lancashire moors, bequeathed to her by her late cousin Penelope, that she begins to feel safe. She also discovers that love can be found in the most unexpected places. But it’s not so easy to escape the clutches of someone as determined as George . . .
When Emily Mattison falls victim to a near-fatal accident shortly after receiving an unexpected inheritance from a distant cousin, her ruthless nephew George seizes the opportunity to take control of his aunt’s assets. It’s only when Emily reaches The Drover’s Hope, the former pub on the edge of the Lancashire moors, bequeathed to her by her late cousin Penelope, that she begins to feel safe. She also discovers that love can be found in the most unexpected places. But it’s not so easy to escape the clutches of someone as determined as George . . .
224 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2013
54 people are currently reading
129 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 46 reviews
April 25, 2013
A nice, easy read with a lovely warm hearted happy ending.
February 3, 2019
Ok but a little 'thin' on developing aspects of characters personalities. Plot line quite good but has some unrealistic twists to it.
November 22, 2015
According to the blurb, everything about this book seemed to be 'me'. It has older main characters, like I love, a little bit of mystery, a little bit of romance, a little bit of angst. Set in England, but the English writer lives in Australia, so we should be on the same wave length, right? Wrong. I'll add this to the unfortunately long list of books that I've disliked of late. (No, I'm not going to admit I'm in a Mood just yet.) Our heroine, Emily, has a car accident. After awakening from a short coma, she's transferred to a geriatric home to complete her rehab. When she plans to leave, however, she finds that her nephew has convinced all and sundry she is suffering from dementia to keep her locked up so he can gain control of her money. It sounds rather spooky and sinister and sad. It's not really. Jacobs's writing is rather ho-hum and basic. Something happens, then something else happens, and then something else happens. And it's as poetic and descriptive as that. I was interested to see how the premise would work in modern times and I don't think it did. I had to suspend belief several times. I'm not sure why Jacobs didn't just set the thing in the 50s where being kept in an asylum against your will would be more realistic. Emily's 'secret' career would have worked much better just post-WW2 also. The characters are very old fashioned anyway. The romance is more routine than sweet. A lot of the storylines aren't tied up. I hope they are in the 2nd book in the series. I'm not going to rush to read and find out, however. As I said, it seemed like a great idea and perhaps with some tighter editing this might have worked. (Actually there were a couple of passages repeated, so no hope there...)
January 11, 2014
I have a powerlessness phobia. I fear being marginalized in an institution by those who seek to gain advantage as much as dark confined spaces full of crawly things. When I opened `A Place of Hope,' the latest modern story by Anna Jacobs I had no idea how quickly I would become absorbed into the trials of the protagonist Emily Mattison. I found myself searching... wishing for a place of hope. And yet the story is as gentle as Anna Jacobs can be relied upon to deliver. A place of Hope dragged me in on the first page and held my focus until the last. I suspect I found an experience with every emotion I possess somewhere alone this journey. Well-done Anna Jacobs. Thank you for another entertaining, finely crafted and well told story. Five stars.
December 17, 2021
Emily Mattison has retired and never married. When her nephew, George phones her to tell her she has to stay with his ill mother, her stepsister, she initially refuses but finally relents. She knows George controls her sister's finances and is positive he is only giving her a pittance of the money she should be receiving. He's greedy and selfish but her sister thinks the sun rises and sets on him!
She asks her good friend and neighbor to forward her mail. George intercepts a letter from a lawyer only to discover Emily has inherited a huge mansion near Manchester. He decides to take matters into his own hands.
Emily has a near miss on the road going back to her home in a rainstorm then has to stay overnight in a hotel because of the weather. She falls down the stairs and wakes up in the hospital where she has been in a coma for some time. George makes sure she is moved to an elderly rehab center where he bribes the head nurse to keep her drugged. She is in a locked ward and no one will listen to her when she tells them she does not want George to visit. He wants her money and inheritance and is telling her sister and friend that she has dementia and can't see anyone.
All of the staff on the rehab ward were hand picked by the head nurse as they all had black marks against them in previous employment. That way, she can control them as they do not want another bad reference. Depressed Emily can't understand why her good friend nor her sister are visiting. It's only when she catches the eye of another resident who seems to be watching her does she begin to have hope. He also is being kept drugged (or they think they are drugging him) and he is constantly being assured he will never walk again. He has amnesia and no visitors. Together they plot their escape.
It seems no matter what Emily tries to do, George is one step ahead of her and it's only with the help of Chad and her neighbor who is finally able to visit her that they escape.
An interesting case of elder abuse but certainly frightening in how easily it happened to Emily, a woman with few friends and relatives.
She asks her good friend and neighbor to forward her mail. George intercepts a letter from a lawyer only to discover Emily has inherited a huge mansion near Manchester. He decides to take matters into his own hands.
Emily has a near miss on the road going back to her home in a rainstorm then has to stay overnight in a hotel because of the weather. She falls down the stairs and wakes up in the hospital where she has been in a coma for some time. George makes sure she is moved to an elderly rehab center where he bribes the head nurse to keep her drugged. She is in a locked ward and no one will listen to her when she tells them she does not want George to visit. He wants her money and inheritance and is telling her sister and friend that she has dementia and can't see anyone.
All of the staff on the rehab ward were hand picked by the head nurse as they all had black marks against them in previous employment. That way, she can control them as they do not want another bad reference. Depressed Emily can't understand why her good friend nor her sister are visiting. It's only when she catches the eye of another resident who seems to be watching her does she begin to have hope. He also is being kept drugged (or they think they are drugging him) and he is constantly being assured he will never walk again. He has amnesia and no visitors. Together they plot their escape.
It seems no matter what Emily tries to do, George is one step ahead of her and it's only with the help of Chad and her neighbor who is finally able to visit her that they escape.
An interesting case of elder abuse but certainly frightening in how easily it happened to Emily, a woman with few friends and relatives.
March 19, 2022
Another great storyline by Anna Jacobs, the main character Emily had never married, lived for her job, her only relatives were her sister Liz and Liz's son George. George is a real nasty piece of work and will do anything including blackmail and forgery to get money from his aunt and his own mother. What he doesn't lnow is that Emily is stronger than he realises after she inherits an old run down pub on the edge of the Lancashire moors. As you're reading along you find yourself rooting for Emily and her many friends and hope that George will get his comeuppance in the end.
April 5, 2023
Not a bad easy read. However it really was a bit far fetched. Cannot believe that at least two people were kept on a hospital ward, sedated all against their wishes and definitely not to improve their health. Even after breaking out of hospital Emily was taken to see a "geriatric" doctor to prove she did not have dementia, but she is only 58. Some good parts, I liked the sound of her inheritance, a very large property in Lancashire. However then when help was needed with dealing with the somewhat corrupt nephew George why did they have to get some secret service involved why not the police?
August 8, 2019
I found parts of this book disturbing. When Emily and Chad were in the geriatric unit and the sister in charge was authorising Jackson and others to sedate them unnecessarily and other similar things I hated it. I know this is a personal dislike as I have had fairly recent contact with similar places.
It is unusual to read an Anna Jacobs book that is not set in the distant past. This is a good story and I would like to get hold of George and box him in the nose for his elder abuse.
It is unusual to read an Anna Jacobs book that is not set in the distant past. This is a good story and I would like to get hold of George and box him in the nose for his elder abuse.
November 10, 2018
Emily and chad
After a accident left Emily in a coma she was moved to a residential home for dementia instigated by her nephew. He wanted to take charge of Emily's finances but with the help of chad also a patient there they managed to escape and that's where it begins 5 stars for an excellent read .
After a accident left Emily in a coma she was moved to a residential home for dementia instigated by her nephew. He wanted to take charge of Emily's finances but with the help of chad also a patient there they managed to escape and that's where it begins 5 stars for an excellent read .
March 29, 2022
I usually really enjoy Anna Jacobs stories but this one was far too fetched !!! With bodies such as CQC this situation would not happen, carers, salt of the earth people in my opinion who live up to the description of their job, would have sensed something was very wrong and reported their suspicions to the appropriate body . However I did finish the book, definitely not my favourite AJ novel
April 22, 2021
Another exciting story had me gripped. Slow to start but picked up then I could not put it down. Wanted to see if George got his come uppance. What an awful nephew and son. Greedy man thinking only of money. The old saying Money is the root if all evil comes to mind
August 6, 2022
Surprisingly I really enjoyed this book. The horrible cover doesn’t do it justice and I’m glad I picked it up. I read this really quickly and the story flowed well, there was a good balance of description and pace and I enjoyed the tension building.
November 6, 2024
just couldn’t put this book down
From the first chapter I became a fly on the wall watching the characters go through hard times. I just couldn’t stop reading every second I had spare. Looking forward to the next book in the series. I do love Anna Jacobs series.
From the first chapter I became a fly on the wall watching the characters go through hard times. I just couldn’t stop reading every second I had spare. Looking forward to the next book in the series. I do love Anna Jacobs series.
November 17, 2024
I liked it. It was really nice listening to it, easy but not boring. The characters we're well written and I really enjoyed the flow and vibe of the story. A mature but refreshing kind. But I do think the ending was a but rushed. 3,5 stars in total :)
December 24, 2017
I liked it. I liked it alot but I have to admit to skipping pages once the accident happened.
That was dragged out a bit. In sayng that I am going to hunt down the others in the series.
That was dragged out a bit. In sayng that I am going to hunt down the others in the series.
February 21, 2018
Fantastic
I love the story line and the mystery aspect. A perfect read by a good writer. I will read all of her books
I love the story line and the mystery aspect. A perfect read by a good writer. I will read all of her books
August 24, 2018
A very good enjoyable read from Anna Jacobs once again! I am looking forward to read the other two stories in this trilogy.
April 7, 2020
A very good book
An excellent story, it is book you have to keep reading but then wish you still had more to read.
An excellent story, it is book you have to keep reading but then wish you still had more to read.
July 9, 2020
a nice interesting read it brings out things which can happen in real life families
September 9, 2020
Another great series start by a great author. Cosy mysteries, with a side of goodness....
November 1, 2020
Another great read. Good Triumphs evil and love wins out
November 5, 2020
Wonderful
Everything Anna writes holds your attention....I have a hard time putting it down!!! Starting on the next in this series now!
Everything Anna writes holds your attention....I have a hard time putting it down!!! Starting on the next in this series now!
March 7, 2021
Book hilighted real life issues that people face in system I enjoyed book a lot.
November 3, 2021
Very light romance.
April 10, 2022
Another series ,love it
April 21, 2022
Oh my !! Awesome. Another great series by Anna Jacobs. This has awesome characters and a great plot. This is going to be interesting. Can’t wait for book 2.
August 15, 2022
Published in 2013, I had read this book before, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading it again. Anna Jacob's books are so enjoyable and she is one of my favourite authors.
January 10, 2023
Like most Anna Jacobs novels, this was a bit far-fetched and unrealistic, but nevertheless good fun and a nice happy ending. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this series.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 46 reviews