Heir of Hope

Stephenia H. McGee

May 2015 · Ironwood Plantation Family Saga Book 2 · By The Vine Press

About this ebook

150 years after the Civil War nearly tore a nation asunder, the battle for freedom still rages in the heart of Ironwood's newest mistress. 

My dear one,

You come to me in my dreams and we talk of things that cannot be explained in this life. How we have been brought together is a great mystery, but I wish to someday see you again….

Emily Burns grew up an orphan, so she never expected to inherit a southern plantation. When she discovers an old diary hidden in the attic, her life becomes strangely entwined with her Civil War ancestor and she soon begins to wonder how a woman long dead can keep showing up in her dreams.

Torn between her strange desire to honor Lydia's wishes and practicality, Emily cannot decide if she will keep Ironwood. Yet the house calls to her like a melancholy siren, and Emily cannot resist its tune. Resolving to stay only for a little while, and telling herself her decision has nothing at all to do with the handsome handyman helping with restorations, Emily begins to unravel the history of Ironwood – A tale of love and loss, hope and redemption. When the story seeps into her heart, Emily finds that two women separated by centuries can share the unique bonds of family ties, and that both her past and her future reside in the soul of Ironwood. 

Note to reader:

Heir of Hope is the second in the series, but can be read entirely as a stand alone book. However, for those that read book one first, because of the ties that bind this book and The Whistle Walk, there will be some redundancy in the sections that deal with Lydia’s diary. This is done to allow the reader who read the first book months or years earlier and the reader who has not read the first book to be grounded in the story. While some of the scenes from The Whistle Walk are experienced again within the diary, they are usually from a very different point of view, allowing those who read The Whistle Walk to see pivotal events in a new light. For those that read Heir of Hope first or on its own, these diary scenes are essential to the story, yet still leave more to be learned in The Whistle Walk. For that reason, these books stand on their own and can be read in either order, but do closely tie together.

Don't miss these other titles from Bestselling Christian author Stephenia H. McGee

Ironwood Plantation Family Saga

The Whistle Walk

Heir of Hope

Missing Mercy

The Accidental Spy Series 

*previously The Liberator Series

An Accidental Spy

A Dangerous Performance

A Daring Pursuit

Stand Alone Historical

In His Eyes

Eternity Between Us

The Heart of Home

The Secrets of Emberwild

Stand Alone Time Travel

Her Place in Time

The Hope of Christmas Past

The Back Inn Time Series

A Wagon Train Weekend

Falling for the Fifties

A Colonial Courtship

A Castle for Christmas

Contemporary

The Cedar Key (2021 Faith, Hope, and Love Award Winner)

Ratings and reviews

This is the second book in the Ironwood Plantation Family Saga. It is set 150 years and six generations later. It is the stirring story of Emily Burns who has inherited the plantation unsure of what to do with it and the handyman who helps her sort through her feelings and decisions. Having loved the first book, The Whistle Walk, I was anxious to read this one. A major part of this book is excerpts from a diary which Emily finds in an old trunk written by the main character of the first book, Lydia. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the book, reading it immediately after finishing the first one was at times tedious because of the repetition. Emily’s story however, was so compelling that I could tolerate the repetition and maintain interest in this book as Emily struggled to reconcile her past and move toward her future. Ms. McGee did an excellent job of weaving the lives of the women from different generations together and creating believable characters. I highly recommend this book and look forward to the third book in the series.

I loved Heir of Hope very much. The writing was descriptive and beautiful and the whole story was amazing. Emily's hurt and the growing she had to do was real and relatable. Luke is a great guy with struggles that moved the story along in a good way as he demonstrated his love for God and and the trust he had for Him. This is a book that I will totally reread.

I did not like that this book had a lot of the same information as the Wishle Walk book. I skipped over a lot of pages. I was also a little uncomfortable with the ghost parts.

About the author

Stephenia H. McGee writes stories of faith, hope, and healing set in the Deep South. After earning a degree in Animal and Dairy Sciences, she discovered her heart truly lies with the art of story. She put pen to page and never looked back. Visit her at www.StepheniaMcGee.com for books and updates.