Overflow With Hope
Hope Series Book 5
by E.C. Jackson

Two men. One wrong choice. 

Tempia Wade’s life had jumped the rails. 

One fateful night, she believed a stranger’s lie rather than the assurance of a trusted friend. For her lapse in judgment, she paid an agonizing price. 

Her now-bankrupt life featured shattered dreams, ruined friendships, and the loss of a promising relationship. Now, two years later, the twenty-three-year-old prayed for a second chance with the man she had fallen for at first sight. 

Would Cory Sanders finally overlook her egregious mistake in accepting a next-day date and liaison with another man? Or would she have to truly accept life without him? 

5 out of 5

Hands down my favorite installment in the series, and probably the most uplifting one too. The writing is smooth, and the story flows well. It doesn’t feel rushed or have any real lulls. The characters are complex and believable. (You’ll find yourself despising Quince, but despite how horrible he is, you might’ve known someone like him at one point in your life, or at least heard about someone like him). Tempia and Corey were clearly meant to be together, but it’s understandable things would be bumpy after how things started for them. Their faith buoys them, and helps them navigate their troubled reunion. If you enjoy feel-good romances with some bumps in the road, you’ll want to grab this.

After installing HVAC systems at a new apartment complex, twenty-eight-year-old Cory Sanders should’ve headed home, eaten a sandwich, and stretched his five-foot-eleven-inch frame onto his king-sized bed. But today he sought diversions at a friend’s pool hall. The short trek across the parking lot led him inside a large yet cozy space teeming with some of his favorite folks. As his eyes adjusted to dim lighting, he stepped up to the counter of the juice and coffee bar. 

Glancing at Cory, a middle-aged woman, brown eyes alert, paused her conversation with a customer. “Wait till I tell Dan who stopped by on a late Friday afternoon,” she said to Cory. “Of course, neither he nor our sons will believe me.” 

Miss Laura’s husband, Dan, had been Cory’s father’s best friend since their HVAC training program days. He and his youngest son worked for Cory’s father’s heating and cooling business, while his wife helped their oldest son, Scott, run his pool hall. 

“Keep our secret, Miss Laura, or someone will demand I show up more often.”

She winked as she laughed. “If anyone asks me, I’ll say you were just winding down from a tough workday.”

Cory chuckled. “Sounds like the perfect plan,” he said. “One pomegranate slush, please. And Miss Laura, let your son know adding slushes to the juice menu was an excellent idea. If he asks, tell him to add grilled cheese, hamburgers, and hot sausage sandwiches.”

“More approval will swell his head. Thank God, he won’t inquire.”  

“I bet you he’d consider those suggestions if he did.”

“Serving food ain’t happening on my watch. This mama has enough tasks without piling on more. We’ll hold off on a food menu until Scott quits his day job.”

As Cory left the counter, Miss Laura snuck in, “See you next Friday.” 

While sipping his slush, Cory peered around the cavernous room and took in the lively atmosphere. Ten pool tables were strategically set up to maximize solo and group play. Walking across the space, he passed a group of men ribbing each other. A fifty-something man pocketed a ball then spotted Cory. “Lookee here. Grab a pool stick, son.”

Cory sat on a seat close to the action and pointed at the bald, clean-shaven man. “Not today. I just came to watch you masters clean the table.”

“Take notes,” another man said. “Stu left this little boy hanging in the pocket.”

With that, Cory realized he had chosen the correct diversion after all. His bed and sandwich could wait until later that evening. These lively antics might delete a tiresome woman from his mind. Last year, he had purged her from his heart, but no matter how hard he tried, he could never seem to evict her from his mind. He hoped that changing his long-established habits might help.

A Gateway to Hope: Hope Series Book 1

A Living Hope: Hope Series Book 2

The Certain Hope: Hope Series Book 3

The Confident Hope: Hope Series Book 4

Overflow With Hope: Hope Series Book 5

E. C. Jackson began her writing career with the full-length play Pajama Party. Thirty-one years later, she adapted the play into Pajama Party: The Story, a companion book to the second book in the five-book standalone Hope series. 

Jackson’s favorite pastime is reading fiction. She enjoys taking the journey along with the characters in the books. That also led to her unorthodox approach to story writing. Her vision for each book she writes is to immerse readers into the storyline so they become connected with each character.  

“The Write Way: A Real Slice of Life” is the slogan on her Facebook author page. She feels that if every person reading her books feels connected to the characters, her job is done.

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