Part of Enduring Hope
First published 2025
Ida Dempsey lives comfortably with her aunt and uncle, but she cannot ignore the suffering around her. She sneaks onto Second Street to help the women who work there, defying the rules that keep respectable citizens away. She also befriends Qui Shau, the Chinese woman who works for her family, though such friendships are forbidden in Eureka. Ida hides her acts of kindness, unaware that someone watches her every move. When Blaine Prescott meets Ida at a church gathering, he feels drawn to her gentle nature. His parents warn him to stay away from the young woman they have heard visits Second Street with a Chinese companion. Blaine struggles to believe anything bad about someone so caring. Then violence erupts in Chinatown and Ida vanishes without a trace. Blaine must search for answers about where she has gone and why she disappeared, while Ida faces the consequences of her compassionate heart in a world that punishes those who cross social boundaries.
Genres: drama, romance, christian-fiction, historical-fiction, mystery
Vibes: emotional, intimate, poignant, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: forbidden-love, found-family, mystery-and-disappearance, social-class-conflict
Setting: Eureka, Second Street, Chinatown
Period: Early 1900s
256 pages · Paperback · Barbour Fiction
Content warnings: racism, violence