In this poignant and compelling short story set during the tumultuous time of the fall of Edom, author April Gardner weaves a story of love and redemption that captivates the heart. A Hope Fulfilled is about true freedom that only comes when hope doesn’t die.

As the main character, Tikvah, lives a life of cruelty and bitterness at the hands of her captors, the reader is pulled into her struggle. It isn’t hard to root for intervention as the enslaved woman grows skeptical of the possibility of love when it reaches toward her through a most unlikely source.

The cast of characters was intriguing, adding colorful elements to the narrative while touching on historical events with a reverent mingling of fact and fiction. The core of the story centered around prophecy expounded through the mouths of the prophets with themes of love woven into the fabric of the narrative. The combination made it an enjoyable, imaginative read. A delightful welcome to April Gardner as she enters the biblical fiction genre with A Hope Fulfilled.