A Wild Hope (Wild Swan Trilogy, # 1)
By: Celeste De Blasis
Publication: October 8th 2020 by Bookouture (first published 1984)
843 pages
Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction
Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)
( Goodreads | Amazon )
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Goodreads description--Banished from her uncaring family home for her growing friendship with older neighbor St. John, Alexandria Thaine is unprepared for the new life she encounters with her distant cousins in England’s West Country. She blossoms under the warmth of the Falconers, and as she throws herself into the thrilling danger of the family’s smuggling trade, Alex forms an unbreakable bond with the eldest son, Rane.
But just as Alex begins to imagine a future in Devon with Rane at her side, the death of her older sister forces her back home to care for her sister’s motherless twins. Still yearning for Rane, Alex grows to love the helpless babies, and as she rekindles her friendship with St. John, she finds herself caught between her heart and her home.
When the opportunity comes to start anew in Maryland’s lush horse country, Alex faces the agonizing choice between the life she dreamed of and the promise of the new world. But starting over in a golden land on the brink of war brings unforeseen dangers to her door, and when Alex’s new family is threatened, can she find the strength to risk her happiness today for the wild hope of a brighter tomorrow?
The sweeping, epic and emotional novel by beloved storyteller Celeste De Blasis, available in eBook for the first time. Perfect for readers who love Poldark, Outlander and Daphne du Maurier.
A Wild Hope was originally published as Wild Swan.
The description of A Wild Hope is what drew me in and caused me to request this book for review back in 2020. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that it was 843 pages long. And more than anything, the length of the book put me off picking it up time and time again.
A Wild Hope starts with Alex being a young girl. She's unloved by her mother and older sister. Her father loves her, but he can't bring himself to stand up for her against her mother. Her grandmother has a special love for her and does her best to pour love and knowledge into her whenever she can. However, Alex's mother hates the time she spends with her grandmother as well. At some point, Alex's sister gets engaged to a neighbor with whom Alex has always had a special bond. Alex warns him that the two of them won't suit each other and will only make each other miserable. This causes a big stink. And her grandmother arranges for Alex to go stay with some distant relatives to get away from any harm her mother and sister might cause her. The relatives share a great great great grandfather or something like that. And there, Alex finds a home and love of all kinds.
Rane and Alex have a special relationship. Rain is 4 years older than Alex, I believe. Not much, but enough to be considered an adult, whereas she is still a child. Alex stays with his family for about a year, which is long enough for Rane to realize that he's in love with her. Yet he won't act on his feelings until Alex is sixteen. Waiting is hard for him, but he is trying to do the right thing.
Alex is called home by her mother. Her older sister died shortly after childbirth to twins. Alex is needed essentially to care for the twins. The hope Alex feels in being useful to her mother so that her mother might finally love her is heartbreaking. Leaving the family that has accepted her and loved her as their own is heartbreaking. Alex begins to care for the twins as if they were her own until St. John comes back from the war. But when he does return, he's been wounded in battle--essentially, he's lost his arm. Alex and her grandmother, along with St. John's manservant and the wet nurse for the twins, nurse him back to health. St. John has no qualms about waiting until Alex is 16, unlike Rane. He takes advantage of her--albeit she's as willing as possible given her age-- but then decides to try to do right by her and marry her. The only problem is that their marriage won't be sanctioned by the church since St. John was married to Alex's sister. The two claim marriage, but it isn't legal by any means.
Early marriage is rocky for them. St. John is used to living the life of a gentleman who doesn't need to work for money. Alex takes on the responsibility of the finances, and eventually, he comes on board with a plan of his own--horse racing. Alex uses the skills her grandmother taught her to be a healer of sorts. People pay her in coins, food, and various other trade items. Their intimate relationship is also rocky. St. John takes his pleasure with no thought to Alex, it seems. And then Rane shows up on Alex's 16th birthday, ready to ask for her hand in marriage.
I need to pause and discuss some of how I felt about the story up until this point before I go any further. The writing style for A Wild Hope is very different from modern novels. This book was all tell and very little show. Any character was open to popping into the narrative with their point of view randomly. The narrator told so much of the story instead of the reader witnessing the story through the experiences and mind of the main character. Because so much time was spent on Alex's time in Devon with Rane's family, and because we got to see the extent of the bond between Alex and Rane, it was nearly impossible not to root for them. Yet, once Alex married St. John, I couldn't support any cheating physically or emotionally. She chose her path. And she needs to stick with it, even with a rocky marriage.
Rane stays a few days before leaving. He'd hoped that Alex would go with him because she was not legally married, but she wouldn't leave St. John, and good for her. Except for the adultery, she had to live with. Her brief time with Rane showed her that the intimate time between a husband and wife can be enjoyable for both parties. And basically, her time with him in turn saved her marriage with St. John. After Alex and St. John's daughter Christinia died, Alex needed to get away from England. Get away from proximity to her mother, and St. John's family, who had cut him off, get away from memories of where Christinia died, memories of Rane and her adultery with him (although she couldn't fully leave that behind since Morgan was born). They decide to go to Maryland.
In America, they are finally able to set up their lives on a farm, raising racehorses. It takes time. The book covers a span of about 18 years, I think. Which begins to make sense why it was 800+ pages long. Rane has also relocated to Maryland and owns his own ships while partnering with Caleb Jennings--a man he and Alex saved back in Devon. Rane is also married, but his wife is insane. It was hard to know if she was literally insane or if she was just a narcissist. It seemed like more than anything, she just didn't want anyone, especially Rane, to be happy.
I don't want to discuss the character's time in America too in depth. There's much to unpack there. But again...800+ pages. Alex and St. John ended up having a good life and a good marriage. Of all the characters, I felt bad for Rane. He spent his life pining for a girl he fell in love with at 18 years old. He spent at least 18 years unable to be truly happy. He tied himself to a woman who was miserable and made everyone around her miserable. I also felt sorry for St. John. Coming home from the war, wounded as he was, was a big adjustment for him. His wife was unfaithful and continued to share a special bond with another man despite her love for him. One of the children he believed to be his wasn't. His path was just a little sad. Even though I didn't really like how he swooped in on Alex when he was vulnerable, and she was as well.
Alex is a character that I didn't hate. But when I analyze her, I struggle. She turned away from God because the church in England did not allow her and St. John to get married. If she spent any time reading her Bible, she would know that God Himself would not have opposed her marriage. And we can't equate God with the failings of man. I couldn't support her relationship with Rane after she married St. John. Obviously, there was the infidelity. And even though once they moved to the United States, her relationship with Rane never crossed any boundaries, the bond between the two was still there. I have a few more issues with her, but I don't want to spoil any more than I already have.
There isn't much cursing at all. A few words. But nothing at all like today's books. And the physical scenes are present but brief. It's tame compared to today's books that include these scenes. But if you'd rather it not be included at all, now you know.
Considering this book was originally published in 1983, I was surprised at the number of errors--misspellings, incorrect or missing words, etc.
Favorite quotes:
-She could see that the child was drawn to love as a moth to flame, and she was resolved that Alexandria would have the warmth and the light without the harm.
-It occurred to her that there were forms of poverty that had nothing to do with physical hunger.
-He thought how curious it was that a father's greatest hope was that his son should become a fine man, and yet, it was so hard to relinquish the child.
-"It's much more enjoyable to look and know that I don't have to decide."
-"You can have anything, but you cannot have everything."
And one quote that I disliked:
-"To tell St. John might relieve your burden in some paroxysm of self-abasement and confession, but it would do only hurt to him."
I don't agree with that statement at all. I think all parties who have something hidden from them would prefer to have the knowledge of the secret. I'm sure there are exceptions, but in general, one wants to choose for themselves, and without all the information, the choice is taken from them. In the case of Alex and St. John, it worked out as far as we know, yet I can't say it was for the best. Especially, I can't say that keeping a secret such as she did was for St. John's good.
I am so glad that I no longer have A Wild Hope hanging over my head, taunting me that I haven't read it in 5 years. I apologize to the publisher who granted me access to this title that it's been so long before I got it read and reviewed. I was hooked on the story even though the writing style is so different from modern books. The length was nearly obnoxious. I often felt like putting it down for a breather, but then something would happen and I would have the opportunity to read. I pushed forward and would find myself hooked into the story again. Yet, I can't condone much of the actions of the main characters. And that makes it hard to recommend this book. In the end, I think A Wild Hope gets 3 Stars. Have you read A Wild Hope? What did you think? Let me know!
