An Enchanted Life

Evelyn Roe, fresh out of high school, decides to quit her labors at the boring cotton mill and work Aunt Eva’s North Carolina farm, located not far from her family home. Evelyn, who grew up on the farm, knew how to run things. In Rhonda Riley’s love story, told in Evelyn’s POV, she says, “I knew Aunt Eva’s farm better than I knew my own bedroom.”

It was 1944 and World War II was finally in everyone’s rearview mirror. Evelyn’s family depended on the farm’s meat and produce to survive. So Evelyn was happy to leave the mill and do the work she loved after her aunt’s untimely death.

A few years into her stay on the farm, North Carolina was hit with a massive rainstorm. Running from the barn to the farmhouse, Evelyn stumbles on a body buried in the heavy red-clay soil. Like so many young men returning from the war, this body was badly deformed, but the horribly disfigured soldier seems otherworldly. Nevertheless, Evelyn’s big heart took over and she cares for the man, but soon discovers the individual isn’t male at all. And it surprisingly looks just like her. Evelyn names her Addie. 

Evelyn’s and Addie’s relationship is tender and sweet.  Addie finds her niche on the farm caring for the horses and becoming indispensable help. Addie eventually sees Evelyn’s need for male companionship, so when Evelyn shows interest in a man passing through, Addie decides to leave with him. After several months she returns, but different. Addie allowed herself to morph into Adam Hope. 

Rhonda Riley’s beautiful love story, The Enchanted Life of Adam Hope paints a vivid picture of farm and family life with remarkable descriptions of feelings and emotions. Her characters feel real, the settings described beautifully and distinctly, and the family relationships are spot on. Throughout the 434-page novel I had trouble putting down, I absorbed this author’s beautiful writing talent. 

About the Author

Rhonda Riley grew up in Florida spending short periods of her life in California, Ireland, and The Netherlands. THE ENCHANTED LIFE OF ADAM HOPE is her first novel—a very fictional tribute to her mother and to nature. Riley currently lives in Gainesville, Florida with a good man, two equally good cats, and many frogs. She’s beginning research for a sequel to ADAM HOPE. 

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