Days after being released from the horrific confines of Andersonville prison members of the U.S. Union military were loaded on to the steamship Sultana. The most disastrous of maritime tragedies took place April 27, 1865, when the vessel exploded on the Mississippi River. When Hope Sank, by Denise Weimer is a fiction story based on the disaster.
This is the story of Lieutenant Cade Palmer of the Union army who is rescued by Lily, the niece of local inn owners, Southerners. He is in fear of losing his ability to practice medicine due to injuries sustained. She is questioning her place and commitments made before the war. Danger surrounds them both.
I received an advanced reader's copy of the book through NetGalley and this is my own unsolicited opinion about it. The author has done well in interspersing factual information from the time period when the country was still reeling from war, the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln and the unrest between citizens in this work. The book is full of intrigue, talk of sabotage, questions about the tragedy and investigation. I enjoyed reading about the time period, way of life in the region and the medical practices of the time when dealing with wounded people.
I think it is a story that shows the testing of faith, family dynamics and what God may will for His people. I found this to be an excellent addition to the "A Day to Remember" series.
I give it a 4.8

When Hope Sank is the third addition from the exciting mutli author series, A Day to Remember. Denise Weimer's contribution is based on the Civil War era steamboat explosion, Sultana. I thought the author did a great job writing about this disaster from the past. Lily and Cade's story is intriguing. I found it to be full of faith, trust, and hope. It was a book that could not be easily put down.

When Hope Sank is definitely a five star read. I highly recommend it for readers who love to read clean historical fiction based on real events in American history. I look forward to the next installment from A Day to Remember series to see what other disaster will be covered next.

I received a copy of Denise Weimer's When Hope Sank from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

WHEN HOPE SANK by DENISE WEIMER is one of the novels that feature American disasters that have affected the country and human life. It is a beautifully and sensitvely written account of the explosion and sinking of the river boat Sultana that was carrying freed prisoners from the Andersonville P.O.W. camp on April 27th 1825, shortly after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Feelings are high in Arkansaw after the Confederate defeat and the arrival of Union soldiers at River Rest, the establishment belonging to Lily Livingston’s uncle Thad, brings out hatred amongst the Southern sympathiers.
Uncle Thad, Lily and Lily’s young brother Jacob save the badly burned Lieutenant Cade Palmer, who is a qualified surgeon, and his friend James. Lily takes it upon herself to nurse Cade and to start with he is worried that Lily is his enemy….
I like to see how Cade and Lily, whose walk with God is sadly lacking due to the horrors they have each been through, grows as they pray for one another and for others……
It is a story about courage, unselfishness, understanding, compassion, forgivenes, hope and renewed trust in God, against a backdrop of evil, jealousy, hatred and fear.
I cannot recommend When Hope Sank highly enough. I found the book exciting and inspirational, giving one a great deal of food for thought.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGally from Barbour Publishing. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

When Hope Sank is the third book in Barbour’s fantastic multi-author A Day to Remember series. This compelling fictional historical romance story recounts the April 27, 1865, sinking of the Sultana, a commercial steamboat transporting over two thousand former Union prisoners back home after the Civil War, and the aftermath for one of its survivors Cade Palmer and Lily Livingston, a resident of a small Arkansas town, who helped rescued him. I love the way their unlikely romantic relationship develops. The well-structured plot flows smoothly at a fitting pace. The characters are engaging and true-to-life. Intriguing suspense, authentic history, a hope-filled faith thread, and a bit of romance combine to make a poignant, satisfying read. I highly recommend this book and the series! Note: Each book in the series is a standalone and can be read in any order.
I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley with no obligation to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lily Livingstone heard the phrase "Free Arkansas" from a rough looking man who was admitted to her uncles' private rooms at the River Rest's Inn.
It was April of 1865 and the Civil War had just ended, but their part of Arkansas had been taken over by the Union since mid 1862 so the end of the war meant soldiers were coming home.

Lily got a call to serve in the back bar room and her cousin Beth was there with the man from the alley. His name was Frenchie and he tried to attack Lily but she was saved by Sutton, a friend of her old boyfriend Cecil Drake who was due back in a month. Lily also overheard them talking about blowing up a coal barge with paroled Yankee prisoners in it coming out of Memphis.
Lily got out of there as fast as she could!

A week later, Cade Palmer, an Army doctor and former prisoner, was on an overloaded coal ship out of Memphis along with his fellow released prisoners out of Andersonville, a horrible POW camp, when he heard explosions. He ran out of his cabin along with hundreds of others, trying to find safety. Cade found James his friend, when the boat was collapsing, and he injured his hand keeping a timber from smashing into James. Cade grabbed a door and flung it overboard, trying to save him and James, but they were both injured and barely hung on.

That night, Lily and her brother, Jacob, were woken up to help save people from a wreck, the same boat that stranded Cade and James. Lily and Jacob stretched out over a whirlpool to grab Cade and James from death!

The rescued men were put up in Lily's Uncles' hotel, and Lily helped nurse Cade who was bitter from his treatment and severely injured from the wreck. Lily and Cade grow close and find secrets...

What's not to love about this book? Swoon worthy romance? Check. Mystery and adventure? Check. Story of redemption and forgiveness? Check. This book grabbed my attention from the get go and never let go! What an awesome tale of the most unlikley circumstances that will keep you riveted and turning pages long into the night. I can't wait to delve into the other books within the series after getting a taste in this book!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Denise Weimer held my interest to the end, as usual. After the civil war, the south and the north are far from friendly with each other. Lily and her brother are forced to live with their innkeeper uncle after their parents are killed. One night, the steamship Sultana explodes near the inn, ultimately killing over half its occupants. Lily and Jacob join in the rescue efforts along with the townspeople though feeling are mixed about the passenger list of the Sultana containing ex-POWS, now on their way back home. Many have been imprisooned in Andersonville, the tales of the horrors there familiar to them.
Lily and Jacob risk their lives in hte freezing river to save an man and his more critically injured friend. Amidist the screams and shouts they drag Cade and James to the shore where they are transported to their uncles inn along with other inhured men. Overnight the inn becomes more of a hospital than a travelers refuge, but the adventure is just beginning for Lily. She finds herself attracted to the handsome Lieutenant Cade, at odds with her aunt and cousin over the care of the men, and embroiled in a mysterious Confederate conspiracy.
Lily works to maintain her neutrality, nurse Cade to health and still perform her duties at the inn despite attention from her former beau, Cecil who wants more than she is willing to give.
Will Lily meet a fate worse than death as the conspiracy unravels and the role of her family is revealed? Can Cade's injuries heal sufficiently to re-establish his medical career? More importantly at the moment, does he have enough strength in his burned body and broken limb to rescue her from the gruesome plan of the dreaded Frenchy?
Weimer has written a page turner adventure, a heart fluttering romance and a history lesson all entwined together in When Hope Sank. You will thoroughly enjoy this one.
I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing in exchange for an honest review

This is my favorite of the three books I've read in this series! All of these books are based on disastrous, and therefore sad events in history, but this one has more of a plot to it along with a mystery. Plus it ends a lot better, with much more hope! The characters are great too!!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance e-copy of this book! All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

When Hope Sank by Denise Weimer occurs at the end of the Civil War. Times when families turned against each other. When a river boat explodes from possible sabotage and the town rescues the passengers, Lily Livingston jumps in to rescue two caught in a whirlpool. Lieutenant Cade Palmer barely survives. Can he trust Lily and the town to care for him even though the war is over? Between sabotage, sympathizers, and those trying to keep the war alive, what will happen? Who can be trusted? Unexpected twists throughout the story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Riveting Story!

This might be my favorite book yet by author Denise Weimer! Taking place at the conclusion of the U.S. Civil War, When Hope Sank focused on the explosion of the steamship Sultana and its aftermath. In addition to the riveting action and drama from the event itself, this story shed light on the hostilities that still persisted after the war was over. There was heroism, bravery, espionage, family difficulties, spiritual encouragement and love, all of which made this book very hard to put down! Lily had already experienced much tragedy in her life prior to the Sultana explosion, and I greatly admired her strength of character as she worked through several difficulties in her current situation. And Cade, what a tremendous example of courage, not only in recovering from his physical injuries but also in making peace with his past and with God. While part of a series about disasters, I love the hope and blessings that could be found in spite of the tragic events. This book kept me up late and had me thinking about it after I finished. Highly recommend!

I received an advanced reader copy from the publisher via NetGalley. A positive review was not required and the opinions expressed here are my own.

When Hope Sank is the installment 3 in the A Day to Remember historic disaster fiction series. The Sultana, a steamboat transporting Union POWs up north via the Mississippi River, explodes in Arkansas on April 17, 1865, About 2,000 men end up in the Mississippi River.

Lily follows her Uncle Thad to help rescue as many Union men as they can from the river. They bring the men back to Uncle Thad's inn to help them heal, despite the town being known to have Confederate sympathizers. One of those men, Cade Palmer, quickly forms a bond with Lily while she cares for him. Her attitude brings him hope as he struggles with injuries that may end his dream of being a surgeon.

Information surrounding the Sultana's explosion emerges and sabotage is a possible cause. Lily is conflicted with the idea that she might have been able to stop the explosion and save thousands of lives by reporting a conversation she overheard at her uncle's inn day before the explosion. Could she really have changed the outcome? Will her decision to withhold this information affect her and Cade's growing friendship?

Denise Weimer perfectly combines hope, romance, and historical details in When Hope Sank. I appreciated the message of hope and God making good from the bad. While quick, the romance between Cade and Lily is sweet and is based on ideals and faith. I look forward to reading more by Denise Weimer!

When Hope Sank is set at the end of the Civil War. The story brings together tragedy, love, hard choices and characters that are easy to relate to. A steamboat, the Sultana, overloaded with freed union prisoners of war is traveling north when it explodes. Local residents strive to rescue as many as possible and inns quickly become hospitals. Some still support the confederacy and there is division amongst
family members at times. There is plot in the works sabotage the steamboat that is returning authorities from President Lincoln’s funeral. Lily has been caring for Lt. Cade after rescuing him from the river. Will the two of them be able to foil the attempt?
Well written and kept me guessing what would happen next. The strong female characters are outspoken in their allegiance and have no problem being very brave, perhaps because they have been on
their own as the war raged and men were fighting.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

1865 Arkansas

This fictional series based upon U.S. tragedies is fascinating. In this novel. the time period is just after the end of the Civil War and tensions remain high between the north and south. An exploding steamer ends so many lives and leaves a number of injured as well. Soldiers finally leaving Andersonville and heading home find themselves still in the south and at the mercy of the southerners that find them after the explosion.

The two main characters, Cade and Lily, were easy to like.

When Hope Sank by Denise Weimer is the 3rd book in the A Day to Remember series by Barbour Publishing. Each book has taken on the true events of a natural or man-made tragedy in the USA. This story is about the explosion of a steamboat, killing many men headed home after the Civil War. This terrible event took place on April 27, 1886. This series is a mix of heart-pounding tragedy and God’s grace through it all. There are to be 6 books total.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions expressed are completely my own.

Denise Weimer tells a poignant story of love, loss, and redemption. On April 18, 1865, a steamboat carrying released Union POWs traveling home from the south explodes on the Mississippi River. Lt Cade Palmer is thrown into the water with hundreds of other men who are dying and injured. Townspeople rush to help, and one is Lily Livingston. Lily lives with her Aunt and Uncle and works in their tavern. But she desperately wants to take her younger brother away from the live they live and start over. When she helps nurse Lt Palmer and a host of other soldiers who are injured in the explosion, she suddenly becomes the target of nefarious rebels still clinging to the Confederate ways. Can Lily and Cade reveal the deception inside the inn before it is too late?

When Hope Sank is book #3 in the Day to Remember Series. I've been able to read ARC copies of each of the books in this series so far--so was glad to snag this one as well.

When Hope Sank follows the aftermath of the sinking of the Sultana immediately after the Civil War. IT was a ship of Union prisoners from Andersonville who were being sent back home. For a long time no one was sure if it was "terrorist" or faulty mechanics that caused it. And that plays into the story.

Lily is the lead character. A southerner who is a Union supporter but who has lost her parents, twin brother, and home to the war. Now completely dependent on her aunt and uncle for housing and care for she and her younger brother, she works hard to help them run their inn and tavern. Through the course of the story, she rescues a union officer from the water after the explosion and brings him to her uncles inn where she nurses him carefully. As you can imagine nurse and patient start having feelings for each other and in that manner the story progresses as expected.

Also in the story is Lily's guilt for possibly knowing the event of the Sultana was going to happen and doing nothing about it. So she seeks to learn more about the causes and get drawn into a path of danger.

Throughout the story however is excellent scripture based messages of hope for both Lily and Cade (the officer) regarding their future.

4 stars
*I was given a complimentary ARC by the publisher and Net Galley in return for my honest review of the story. I was not obligated to write a positive review and all words are my own.

this was another winner in the A Day to Remember series, it had everything that I was looking for. It had everything that I was looking for in a historical fiction book, it had everything that I wanted from this series. Denise Weimer wrote this perfectly and had a great overall story going through this. I hope there is more in this series and from Ms. Weimer and glad I got to read this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for providing me with a free ARC of this book in exchange for my review. This was a such an interesting book, inspired by the true story of an explosion on a boat full of union soldiers heading home at the end of the civil war. I will admit that it took me a little while to get invested in the story, and I may have enjoyed this story more in first person perspective. But the story quickly picked up and had me on the edge of my seat towards the end. Personally, I was not a fan of the religious aspects of the story as I am not Christian, but I know many people would enjoy that, plus it was likely a good representation of many Americans' beliefs in this time period. I would definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy historical fiction!

This is a really good read.
The explosion of the Sultana has been a less known part of Civil War history. It was an extremely tragic loss of Union prisoners on their way home. The steam boat was horribly overloaded and it will remain a mystery of what truly caused the explosion. Over half the men on board died and many others had terrible burns and other injuries to recover from.
This story has many historical detail along with a well tied in romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

Denise Weimer seamlessly weaves fact and fiction together in "When Hope Sank", her contribution to a series on American disasters. The sinking of the Sultana is America's worst maritime disaster, but was overshadowed by Abraham Lincoln's assassination, and the death of John Wilkes Booth a mere one day before.

Former Union Lieutenant Cade Palmer is an unfortunate passenger of the doomed boat when disaster strikes. Lily Livingston risks her life to rescue him, to the dismay of some. The war may be over, yet plenty of people won't let it go. Tensions are still high, and Weimer brings this fraught period to life.

Many receive dreadful and excruciatingly painful injuries as a result of this unspeakable tragedy, their treatments barbaric and frequently ineffective. The suffering of the victims is palpable. Descriptions are vivid and sometimes graphic, yet they are essential to the story. Characters are finely drawn. There are plenty of Confederate sympathizers, and the actions of one totally surprised me. Lily and Cade are truly honorable people who treat others with kindness. Despite the horrors he's seen, Cade holds tight to his faith, and has an epiphany as to what God's plans for him actually are.

Weimer's prose is lovely, and she has done extensive historical research. To my shame, if I learned in school about the sinking of the Sultana, I don't recall this tragic event. I thoroughly enjoyed her book "A Winter at the White Queen" as well. Therefore, I pre-ordered her second contribution to the Romance at the Gilded Age Resorts series. Denise Weimer is a talented author, and her inspirational tales are thought-provoking.

Thanks to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for an ARC of this wonderful read.