I know the title of this sounds like I had a secret child, but I promise, that’s not the case. Actually, I am friends with a published author. Let me take a moment to realize how cool that actually sounds to say. One of the things I have come to realize and embrace the most since having children is that everyone comes from a different background. Everyone has a different story to tell. Everyone has good times as well as bad times and it’s how you handle things that makes you who you are. Even though you might not be able to relate to someone 100%, you learn to appreciate what they have to offer to you; what they bring to your life and the ways they change you, for the better. I am so proud of my friends and all of their various accomplishments and am beyond proud to announce that Eliza Blackwood has her first book out. She has used parts of her past and her personal story to write a beautiful piece of art that so many people are going to be able to relate to and find comfort in.  It is called The Birth of Hope and it is truly a wonderful read.

The Birth of Hope is about a woman named Sofie who is trapped in a toxic relationship. She is hurt, confused and finds herself craving “normal” friendships and a more stable lifestyle. This book also follows another young woman named Felise, who finds herself in an unexpected situation and needs the support of friends and loved ones to get through this particular phase of life. I can talk about this book all day, but I don’t want to give away spoilers, so I will just tell you to read it. The story is beautiful and well written. It is serious and makes you think about the characters’ well-being since you develop a relationship with them and find yourself encouraging them throughout the book. It has the perfect amount of musical and pop culture references (which I personally loved) to lighten some of the scenes. I am a pretty fast reader to begin with, but I found myself plowing through this particular book just because I needed to find out what happened next. I needed to know if my predictions were right (not all of them were, and I loved that). I really wouldn’t mind a sequel to this book to find out what ends up happening to the characters I formed such a connection with. This book had me both laughing and crying at various times.

If you are interested in a heartwarming, quick read, please purchase this book, support my friend, and enjoy! The Birth of Hope can be found here on Amazon in Kindle and paperback formats. Clearly, I need both. You can follow Eliza Blackwood on Facebook and Goodreads. Pop on to her page to let her know what you think, or share your comments here with me.  I happen to know she’s working on something else that’s going to be extraordinary.