Higher Hope by Robert Whitlow

Higher Hope is written from the perspective of Tami Taylor, a young law student serving as a summer clerk as a prominent law firm in Savannah, Georgia. Having been raised in a very strict Christian tradition, she struggles with remaining true to her upbringing while performing her professional duties to the best of her abilities and interacting with both believers and unbelievers who challenge her belief systems.

Meanwhile, Tami is assigned to a case against an outspoken local preacher who refuses to sell her church and home property to a persistent developer. Believed to have an understanding of religious fanaticism, Tami finds herself struggling with her role in working against the bold preacher.

As I discovered only after requesting this book, Higher Hope is very obviously a "second in a series" book. There is minimal character development, and certain issues of the faith and belief systems of the main characters are only briefly touched upon, leading to a bit of confusion as to who believes what. I believe that reading Deeper Water, the first book in the series, would resolve some of those issues.

Although it took me a while to truly get into the book, I would say that I enjoyed the story. It dealt with issues of morality, legality, and core belief systems. It dealt well with Christians of differing backgrounds coming together to find unity and support among one another despite their differences. It showed these Christians working not to change one another but to encourage one another to grow.

My one complaint about the book would be the lawyer jargon. Because Higher Hope is otherwise a very smooth and easy read, the occupational terminology tends to stand out more strongly than it would in a book that requires more solid attention throughout. Casual mention of judicial terms and processes with little or no explanation of their significance tends to disrupt the smooth flow of the storyline.

All in all Higher Hope is a decent read for those who enjoy being caught up in a multi-book story.