Hopeless in Hope

Eva Brown lives with her family in a run-down old house on a forgotten street in the small town of Hope—a place slated for demolition to make way for “perfect” homes. Her life feels lonely and small: her mother Shirley drinks and yells constantly, she’s bullied by a popular mean girl, and her only friend has pulled away. Her only comforts are her cat Toofie, her beloved nohkum (grandmother), and her private writing.

When Nohkum is hospitalized, Shirley struggles to care for Eva and her younger brother Marcus. After Marcus is found wandering the neighborhood alone, he’s placed in foster care, and Eva is sent to a group home. Furious at her mother and feeling increasingly distant from any hope of family reunion, Eva visits Nohkum in the hospital, where her grandmother gives her Shirley’s diary. As Eva reads it, she begins to uncover truths that may help her understand her mother’s struggles. This heartbreaking yet humorous novel explores family, forgiveness, and resilience in the face of hardship.