Jesse's Hope

by Victor Hess

It’s 1955 in small-town Ohio, where kids play Cowboys and Indians, ash trays sit on every kitchen table, and ten-year-old Jesse Hall dreams of buying a Schwinn Corvette bicycle. Only problem is, he uses his hard-earned money to help his mom. His days are spent delivering the newspaper and babysitting his baby sister, making her fried bologna sandwiches while his mom hems trousers for income. The struggling family is rescued by a marriage of convenience, but for how long?
At his new home his life takes an unexpected turn when at Little League practice his grip falters on the bat and his life is completely changed. From the hospital storyteller, he learns about the legend of the Shawnee Indian treasure buried at the edge of his new town. He has plenty of time for it to consume his hopes and the chase begins.
Is it gold? Silver? Or just a pile of Indian relics. Discover with Jesse, this unexpected treasure in the second book of the Searching for Family Series .

317 pages, Paperback

Published October 20, 2022

About the author

Victor Hess’ novels were chosen as finalist in the William Faulkner – William Wisdom Creative Writing competition in 2015 and 2019, and an Award-Winning Finalist in the Fiction: Inspirational category of the 2018 Best Book Awards sponsored by American Book Fest. The third novel in this series will be released this year. Besides a successful businessman, he has been a community Economic Development specialist, an Army Bomb Disposal Instructor, and, for decades, taught Bible Study for children and adults. Raised in Ohio, he attended Central State University and Ohio University.

Reviews

[Janet]

Really enjoying this great inspirational series!

[Priscilla Bettis]

Jesse’s Hope is a Middle Grade story about a boy named Jesse who’s going into the sixth grade. The book covers two years of his life. Jesse lives in a small town in Ohio with his mother and baby sister. He longs for his divorced parents to get back together.

The story takes place in 1955 and 1956. I learned so much about the time: polio, newspaper routes, Boy Scouts, neighbors you can trust (and some you can’t), singing with friends for fun, having a blast on the grandparents’ farm, and struggling to make ends meet. That last part, being short on money, shouldn’t be an issue for a kid, but Jesse stepped up many times to help out his mom and little sister, sacrificing his own wants to tend to his family’s needs.

Hess writes about difficult topics even though this is a Middle Grade book. A terrible man tries to take liberties with kids (implied … there’s nothing on the page). Jesse’s father is an alcoholic. Domestic abuse. A dead man is forgotten and languishes on permanent display. (The dead man turns into a character himself even though this isn’t a ghost story.)

It’s a story about a young man finding his faith, learning wisdom from the Bible, and being comforted by his Heavenly Father when his earthly father failed him. Far from being preachy, the Christian element evolves naturally through Jesse’s character and is believable and relatable.

I loved this book. It’s rugged but sentimental, exciting but nostalgic, serious but fun. Five big stars!

[JeanneK]

Searching for Family by Victor Hess is a boxed set of books that includes Jesse Sings, Jesse’s Hope & Jessie’s Dream. The storylines are centered around Jesse Hall and the challenges and struggles he faces as a young boy growing up. Jesse Sings focuses on eight-year-old Jesse and how he and his mother flee from an abusive relationship. Jesse’s Hope is when he’s ten-years-old and his new life offers promise of a new future as he faces physical trials. Jesse is twelve-years-old in Jesse’s Dream and his faith is challenged. This is a well written series of books where I believe the author very carefully crafted and created the character of Jesse in a sometimes gut-wrenching, sometimes heartwarming way. It makes you realize that through God and with God all things are possible and the importance of never giving up. I received a copy of these three books from the author and these opinions are strictly my own. The stories are realistic, eye opening and worth reading and I rated them a five.

[Renee Simmons]

This is such an inspirational book! Jesse knew he had to work hard to help his divorced mother pay the bills and had to babysit his little sister, just to survive. But he had dreams, many dreams! He wanted to own a bike, play baseball, become a boy scout and find the Shawnee treasure that some thought was just a legend. But when Jesse became very sick, was all his hard work for nothing, or was it just beginning? Determination, belief, learning and never giving up! Can Jesse make his dreams come true? I highly recommend this book! You will fall in love with Jesse and will be rooting him on to recovery and making it happen!

[Dana Duplantis]

Jesse is a hard working boy. He has a paper route where he makes a little money to help his mom out.
Jesse is hoping his step brothers and sister gets to be a family one day. His mom marries out of convenience. Will this make him happy and will the marriage last? Jesse joins the little league baseball and one day at practice his bat flies out of his hands and his life has changed unexpected. He is in the hospital and hears stories about the Shawnee Indian treasures buried at the end of his hometown. Jesse begins to chase his dream of finding treasure.

[Mandy]

What makes Jesse’s Hope truly stand out is its message of resilience. Jesse may be frail in body, but his spirit is anything but. His determination to overcome every obstacle thrown his way is both inspirational and deeply moving. Readers of all ages will find themselves rooting for Jesse and reflecting on their own strength in the face of adversity.

This novel is a journey of the heart. It is a beautifully told story that will stay with you long after you turn the last page. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a tale of courage, hope, and the power of never giving up.

[kathi Driskell]

Great Spiritual Series

This series of Jesse growing up in the Boomer ages is a spiritual experience to gain insight of boys growing up. I enjoy the polio insertion which reminds us of many lost children. This series is a wonderful, warm story with family in every direction. Focus is certainly on GOD

[Lisa Benton]

I would say that so many things happening to one person in that short time period was unrealistic, but then, I have lived it. It is very inspirational to see how Jesse keeps bouncing back and trudging on.

[Ronda Six Garnett]

2nd book in the series...and just as good as the 1st..Jesse Sings..Anyone that was a child in the 1950's can identify with this story..