Oh my days, this book! As well as having a cracking story played out by some rather interesting characters, we also had quite a lot of emotion and heartache going on too. All in balance I hasten to add.
But I get ahead of myself... we start in a small American town called Hope, with 18 year old Lucas Caldwell who is pretty much responsible for looking after young brother Reuben as their mother is struggling with addiction. He really had to grow up quick and juggles all this with a job at a pet store, for money to feed them all, and also visiting his dying grandfather Lucky who lives in a nearby care facility. It is on one of his last visits that Lucky tells Lucas a story from his past, about a heist he was part of and, more importantly, where the bounty is still hidden. Lucky think that this, worth millions, could be the answer to his prayers, could be the means to get out of Hope... And so begins a convoluted and interconnected story that had me gripped from the off and pretty much on the edge of my seat all the way through as I followed Lucas as he tried to get to the prize without the other vultures, who started to circle once word got out, stealing it from under him.
There's definitely a lot going on in this book, I really did have to have my wits about me as I was reading. I also felt so much for Lucas, even with what he did quite early on. But he played the hand he was dealt. Sorry I am being oblique but I don't want to spoil things. He is flawed yes, but suffice to say he did it all for those he loved. We definitely have two factions in this book, the haves and have-nots and the dividing line between is vast. It's all a bit bleak in places but we always have an underlying feeling of hope bubbling under, and the knowledge, and indeed hope, that the good with prevail.
And... that ending. I was wondering how it would all pan out, and I was definitely not disappointed. What an absolutely perfect ending. Sublime...
I have now read two standalones by this author, this one and Savage Ridge. I really must crack on with his series...
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

A Place Called Hope by Morgan Greene is a very highly recommended small-town crime thriller. This is an excellent, atmospheric, compelling novel that has great emotional depth.

Hope is the struggling, dying small town where Lucas Caldwell, 18, lives and wants to escape - but he can't. He has to take care of his little brother Rueben, who is delayed and acts younger than his 12 years. Their mother, Liss struggles with addiction to alcohol and drugs which makes her ability to hold a job problematic, let alone caring for her sons. Right now Lucas's job pays for food and clothes from the thrift store for Rueben. Liss has no idea how much Lucas does to make sure Rueben is cared for in her absence.

Liss ignores her father, Lucky, who is in a care facility, but Lucas loves his grandfather and visits him regularly. When Lucky takes a turn for the worse Lucas is able to talk to him just before he dies and Lucky confides a secret he has been holding for years. This secret leads to a decades old crime and potentially millions of dollars. Looking for the windfall that could bring his family out of poverty and provide for his little brother opens up the floodgates of violence, greed, and corruption.

Lucas is a fully realized character who has strengths and flaws. His care for Rueben is thoughtful and loving. He shares his grandfather's secret with his best friends, Bryson Shaw, son of the richest, greediest man in town, and Constance Abernathy, who is truly a good person and long time friend. They become embroiled in the drama and violence, especially Bryson, who is really a jerk. The narrative mainly follows Lucas but there are several other minor characters who are struggling, living on the fringes of society, and feel hopeless. They stand in sharp contrast to those who are greedy and corrupt.

A Place Called Hope features excellent writing in the descriptive, atmospheric, compelling, tension-packed, and complex novel. It is also peripherally a story of the downtrodden. It is not always an easy novel to read as most of the characters are deeply flawed and the despair, maltreatment, violence, and corruption seem to be readily turned to as the greed increases. As the plot unfolds, the tension, danger, and violence increase incrementally right up to the heart-pounding ending. Thanks to Canelo for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

What a wonderful book! I loved the cover and chise it for that. The sense of desolation pervades the novel and it's a really emotional read full of love.
Highly recommended.

This book totally captivated me from the start. I went into this book blind, never read the description, and it was worth it. From the very moment I fell in love with Lucas and his little brother Reuben. I understood their childhood, as mine was very similar so it touched on my heart and soul.

When Lucas finds out from his sickly grandfather about a secret from his past, the whole exciting journey begins. This book had my heart pounding the whole time, holding my breath, wondering who I could trust and how it would end. I truly loved this book from start to finish. 5 stars all day.

Impressive! I was straight away immersed in the heavy, desolate, hopeless and ever so sad looking town! Brilliant descriptions of the setting which put me on edge from the beginning, feeling the heavy and creepy atmosphere of the whole place. The characters had depth, not very likeable but they felt real! The plot was complex, and up till the end, I couldn't see how it would really end. The structure of the storyline was interestingly done, giving the plot a thrilling touch..... I enjoyed this novel tremendously!
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.

Many thanks to netgalley, the author and Canelo for approving my request to read this book.

I was really keen to get stuck into this book after reading Savage Ridge and it's safe to say I was not disappointed.

A place called Hope has everything I love in a book, well written, superb plot and great characters, I felt myself forming a real emotional attachment to a few of them and as ever there's also one I love to hate.

This book had me hooked from the first chapter and I really enjoyed how it all unravelled leading up to the explosive finish-I'll definitely be recommending it!

I was excited to dive into this book after reading Savage Ridge. One of my favorite parts was the inclusion of old letters being read by the main character to create the past timeline. It was the perfect backstory for the plot. This book has depth and emotional suspense - so much more than the average mystery/thriller. Excellent writing and character development and I was invested from start to finish. The explosive ending was insane!!!
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.