The Threat of Hope

by Laney Stargel

Kaia Ross was a high school teacher. Until she lost her third job in four years, only to find herself with no prospects of employment in schools or otherwise. Searching for meaning, belonging, and a way to make ends meet, she’s down on her luck and suffering through worsening depression, waiting for something to finally give. When she finds a compensated clinical trial for a new anti-depressant, she decides, “why not?” and takes a deep dive into the unknown with hopes it will at least ease the pain of asking her roommates to cover rent.

After a short time in the trial, she starts to discover that the side effects are not what they seem, and what she thought was helping her may be the thing tearing her apart. When desperation and depression collide, doors open that should have stayed shut. Dreams become reality, reality becomes a nightmare, and everything Kaia thought she knew can no longer be trusted.

What happens when your only chance at survival becomes the very thing dragging you into madness?

301 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 3, 2026

About the author

Laney Stargel is a speculative fiction author and lifelong storyteller. Her stories explore what it means to be human through questions of identity, belief, grief, and love as her characters search for hope in the darkness. She currently lives in South Bend with her husband and children and when she's not writing, she loves to make music, crochet, draw, and spend time outside with her family.

Reviews

[Rachael]

I really enjoyed The Threat of Hope. I was engaged throughout, and reluctant to put it down!

The story follows Kaia, who struggles with her mental health, and when all hope seems lost, she signs up to an antidepressant clinical trial. 

I really liked how mental health was portrayed in the book, in a raw, but relatable way. The story shows how big of an impact mental illness can have on a person, and I also felt an emotional connection to Kaia, and indeed all of the characters - I think they were well-developed.

Overall, a really powerful, emotional book that I would definitely recommend!

[Andrew Strargel]

This book was absolutely amazing. The characters were real and I resonated with their struggles. I finished wanting more! So good.

[Alyssa Dietrich]

Oh my goodness! This book is amazing! I devoured this book so fast and the story I read and experienced was spectacular. I share a few similar struggles with the main character Kaia and I always find that it's good to connect with a story of similar experiences to help one's mind heal more. The Threat Of Hope is an incredible book and I encourage others to read it as well.

[Spitzers]

It was a page turner. Well written. The characters had lots of personality. I am ready to read the next in the series. 😁

[Leah Bullock]

This story flips between the current world, and a dream/fantasy world. Gotta be honest, I did not like the main character, Kaia. She is suffering from depression, but seems to take it out on the people around her who are only trying to help. I am not sure if the intent was to make her an unlikable character. She joins a drug trial and goes on a new anti-depressant which makes her have vivid dreams. The twist comes at the end and not all is as it seems to be in her dream world. Interesting concept. Nicely written.

[Malan Hermine]

This book completely wrecked me in the best way. Kaia's struggle felt so painfully real that I found myself holding my breath through half the chapters. What starts as a simple decision to join a clinical trial slowly unravels into something so unsettling and gripping that I couldn't stop turning pages. The way the author blurs dreams and reality left me just as confused and terrified as Kaia, and that ending? Absolutely haunting. If you want a thriller that actually respects mental health struggles while keeping you on the edge of your seat, read this.