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Hope Makes Love
All former major league baseball player Zep Baker needs to put his life back on track is to revive his marriage by convincing his wife to return to Tampa with their daughter. But his wife won’t fall for his pleading or his old tricks. He needs a new game plan. Enter Hope, a neuroscience researcher who he persuades to help him in this endeavour. The resulting life-experiment takes both characters to places they did not foresee and for which they are not prepared.
With his award-winning comic touch, Trevor Cole has written a novel of great compassion and depth, taking an innovative approach to the brain-versus-heart debate that has been the material for philosophers, poets, dramatists, and novelists for centuries.
With his award-winning comic touch, Trevor Cole has written a novel of great compassion and depth, taking an innovative approach to the brain-versus-heart debate that has been the material for philosophers, poets, dramatists, and novelists for centuries.
294 pages, Hardcover
First published September 5, 2015
1 person is currently reading
91 people want to read
About the author
Trevor Cole
18 books33 followersTrevor Cole (born Trevor William Cole on February 15, 1960) is a Canadian novelist and journalist. His first two novels, Norman Bray in the Performance of his Life (2004) and The Fearsome Particles (2006), were nominated for the Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction and longlisted for the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 4, 2015
I loved this book so much. It's beautiful, gentle, funny, kind, heartbreaking and wonderful. I knew I would love it when I read this:
"All my memories are certainties. I can count on them most of all. And when I imagine something, or someone, new entering my life, I think that what I dread most is the possibility of creating more memories. More memories that will not leave me."
That struck me as an extraordinary observation about life, one that is particularly true as we get older. I always feel so grateful to a writer when they say things that sum up something I feel but cannot express - it's such a relief to read a thing and think "YES!"
So I took those lines and shone their light in the direction of my life, pausing to reflect on their perfect accuracy.
And Trevor Cole does this throughout the book - he stops you in your tracks with his observations and insights, never with author intrusion mind you, but with perfect melding of character and moment.
But while this book says so much about life, the story of its two central characters, Hope and Zep, is what will keep you utterly enthralled.
At times it’s hilarious but that’s not the focus, nor is it light relief, it really is a perfect portrayal of the tragicomic combination of all the things we do to succeed, understand and try to survive.
This is a superbly written story about life. And love.
"All my memories are certainties. I can count on them most of all. And when I imagine something, or someone, new entering my life, I think that what I dread most is the possibility of creating more memories. More memories that will not leave me."
That struck me as an extraordinary observation about life, one that is particularly true as we get older. I always feel so grateful to a writer when they say things that sum up something I feel but cannot express - it's such a relief to read a thing and think "YES!"
So I took those lines and shone their light in the direction of my life, pausing to reflect on their perfect accuracy.
And Trevor Cole does this throughout the book - he stops you in your tracks with his observations and insights, never with author intrusion mind you, but with perfect melding of character and moment.
But while this book says so much about life, the story of its two central characters, Hope and Zep, is what will keep you utterly enthralled.
At times it’s hilarious but that’s not the focus, nor is it light relief, it really is a perfect portrayal of the tragicomic combination of all the things we do to succeed, understand and try to survive.
This is a superbly written story about life. And love.
September 6, 2015
The author- Canadian Trevor Cole, writes with such clarity, soul, compassion and depth. His characters come alive in this novel. I cared about Zep and Hope and they stayed with me long after I had finished the book.
The author expertly conveys the messiness of life- the good, bad and sometimes heartbreak that we have all experienced at one time or another. It made me cry, think(there are some great sections about the heart/mind connection that must have required intensive research), laugh and really just feel.
And I felt great when I finished the last page knowing that Mr. Cole obviously cared about his characters too as they were so expertly written! Two very big thumbs up!!!
The author expertly conveys the messiness of life- the good, bad and sometimes heartbreak that we have all experienced at one time or another. It made me cry, think(there are some great sections about the heart/mind connection that must have required intensive research), laugh and really just feel.
And I felt great when I finished the last page knowing that Mr. Cole obviously cared about his characters too as they were so expertly written! Two very big thumbs up!!!
Read
February 21, 2017Don't get your knickers in a twist about the title, okay? Forgot the obvious double entendre. Our subject here is love - can it be broken down into its constituent parts and rekindled scientifically? Really: what is love?
Hope Riopelle is a neuroscience researcher trying to overcome a terribly traumatic event in her adolescence. Zep Baker is a washed-up ball player who's desperate to regain the affections of his ex-wife Emily. Hope establishes a step-by-step plan with scientific benchmarks... I fell for the characters and rooted for them all the way. In the end, I was glad that things weren't tied up too neatly. Love does conquer all, sort of, but not as you might expect.
A good read, with relatable characters, crackling dialogue, and a peripatetic plot.
Hope Riopelle is a neuroscience researcher trying to overcome a terribly traumatic event in her adolescence. Zep Baker is a washed-up ball player who's desperate to regain the affections of his ex-wife Emily. Hope establishes a step-by-step plan with scientific benchmarks... I fell for the characters and rooted for them all the way. In the end, I was glad that things weren't tied up too neatly. Love does conquer all, sort of, but not as you might expect.
A good read, with relatable characters, crackling dialogue, and a peripatetic plot.
October 8, 2015
Remember the fullest your heart has ever been, the moment you felt the most in love and the most loved in your life. Now imagine the total opposite. Think of someone treating your body with utmost respect and desire. Now imagine the total opposite. Hope Makes Love stretches to all these extremes, and explores the vulnerable points in between. It is visceral, absorbing, painful, and loving. It feels like a movie. It feels like the main protagonists, Zep and Hope, are speaking right into your ear. You come to understand that you know them, and they remind you of how frightened, desperate, ecstatic, and crushed you've felt at various points of your life. A stunning achievement.
March 10, 2016
I loved this book. It was exquisite. The title is brilliant and works on so many levels, but I fear that one of the levels will be to put people off reading it as it might come across as cheesy. This book is anything but that. I stayed up until 2 am to finish it, which is something I really rarely do.
Other reviewers -- those who weren't up until 2 am last night -- have reviewed the book so much better than I could (in my sleep deprived state) but I am merely adding my high praise to this book because it deserves lots and lots of stellar reviews.
Other reviewers -- those who weren't up until 2 am last night -- have reviewed the book so much better than I could (in my sleep deprived state) but I am merely adding my high praise to this book because it deserves lots and lots of stellar reviews.
March 21, 2016
I LOVED THIS BOOK! It is pure genius. The plot, the dialogue, the characterization - all so well done. If I could just touch the hem of Trevor Cole's shirttail at GritLIT next month I'm sure the caliber of my writing would improve 100% :)
April 5, 2018
Here is Zep Baker: a loud, hotheaded white guy, a suspended baseball player from U.S. who wants his family back. Yeah, his wife divorced with him, but Zep Baker always gets what he wants! And here is the person who can help him - Hope, a neuroscience researcher at UofT, uber-rational and cool as an iceberg. Together they're heading to Buffalo to set up a crazy scientific experiment: they want Zep's wife to fall in love with him again. Because, after all, love is just a brain reaction, so why not to try some mind control?...
This is the first book in English I've read in 2.5 days (my speed reading skills are not rhe best yet). Characters are wonderfully-written, absolutely alive, shockingly imperfect. I love how Trevor Cole creates negative characters, this is his signature trick used in his other books too. Also, I personally think the book very pro-feminist, I don't know if the author agrees though. Anyway, the author's care and accuracy towards Hope's character make me want to say "thank you" a thousand times.
The research Trevor Cole has done for writing the book is extensive. I saw him at Q&A, he said he was exploring the scientific side of love for six months (and got completely frustrated at the end, because the magic of love seemed totally made up at that point). He asked an actual neurobiologist from UofT to proofread the book before publishing. So, all the science in "Hope Makes Love" is plausible.
The book is very multi-layered. You think a lot about what's ethical and what's not, what is trauma, what is forgiveness? What is love, after all? Can people change? Zep and Hope are definitely thinking of these questions during their life-changing journey. The plot is very intriguing, there are tons of action happening all the time, you literally cannot take your eyes off the book until you finish it.
I rarely give five stars to any book, but this is an important one. After reading it, I felt like I learned a lot from Cole's characters and became a better person myself.
This is the first book in English I've read in 2.5 days (my speed reading skills are not rhe best yet). Characters are wonderfully-written, absolutely alive, shockingly imperfect. I love how Trevor Cole creates negative characters, this is his signature trick used in his other books too. Also, I personally think the book very pro-feminist, I don't know if the author agrees though. Anyway, the author's care and accuracy towards Hope's character make me want to say "thank you" a thousand times.
The research Trevor Cole has done for writing the book is extensive. I saw him at Q&A, he said he was exploring the scientific side of love for six months (and got completely frustrated at the end, because the magic of love seemed totally made up at that point). He asked an actual neurobiologist from UofT to proofread the book before publishing. So, all the science in "Hope Makes Love" is plausible.
The book is very multi-layered. You think a lot about what's ethical and what's not, what is trauma, what is forgiveness? What is love, after all? Can people change? Zep and Hope are definitely thinking of these questions during their life-changing journey. The plot is very intriguing, there are tons of action happening all the time, you literally cannot take your eyes off the book until you finish it.
I rarely give five stars to any book, but this is an important one. After reading it, I felt like I learned a lot from Cole's characters and became a better person myself.
November 7, 2017
Book # 4 of 12 for a course I am taking.
My favourite so far!
I was compelled to tun the page because I loved the characters so well and each page told me more about them. Zep, a Bon Vivant who has had an epiphany and Hope, a deeply scarred scientist, set out on a journey together that is sweet and scary.
A love story with a dark past.
I suppose it is a bit of a spoiler alert but should be said that this book may be triggering to folks with a history of sexual abuse or assault.
My favourite so far!
I was compelled to tun the page because I loved the characters so well and each page told me more about them. Zep, a Bon Vivant who has had an epiphany and Hope, a deeply scarred scientist, set out on a journey together that is sweet and scary.
A love story with a dark past.
I suppose it is a bit of a spoiler alert but should be said that this book may be triggering to folks with a history of sexual abuse or assault.
October 24, 2017
Reviewed in tandem with Fearsome Particles.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews