Hoping on Chance

by Danae Little

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He’s a lost cowboy looking for a place to land. She’s a restless dreamer trying to flee their small town. One little boy’s trouble seals their fate.

Lyla O’Neil wants to set up her grandfather’s business to run without her, so she can flee from the small town and return to her real life in the city. The only problem? The man she’s set her heart on to take over is the same man who holds her heart.

Bennet Caldwell has been searching for his place in life since he was left an orphan at ten. With no other place to go, he returns to Camp Hope, the only place he feels a semblance of connection. The cute hardware store owner might actually give him a chance at finding home.

When Bennet realizes Lyla is set on leaving him like everyone else in his life, he’s ready to move on, but there’s a troubled Camp Hope boy who holds him in Hope Lake. Little Micah comes up missing, and it turns out Bennet and Lyla are his only hope.

If they can’t put aside their hurt and mistrust, they won’t be able to save Micah or each other. Will Bennet and Lyla become the next Hope Lake couple, or will they let their worries drown them along with the waters of Hope Lake?

Hoping on Chance is Book Five in Hope Lake, a clean cowboy romance series with a touch of suspense to keep you up reading past your bedtime. You can read each book as a standalone, although for maximum enjoyment, the author suggests starting at the beginning. Hope Lake also features favorite characters from Danae Little's Faithful Cowboy series.

This is a clean series, meaning it is free from swearing and intimate scenes. Read this edge-of-your-seat, clean cowboy romance now.

Hope Lake Reading Order:

Hoping on Forever (Prequel)

Hoping on Change

Hoping on Forgiveness

Hoping on Love

Hoping on Tomorrow

Hoping on Chance

Hoping on Faith

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Book Details

Genre

Romantic Suspense/Romantic Mystery

Subgenre

Inspirational, Small Town, Western / Cowboy (frontier-era or modern ranch settings)

Series

Hope Lake

Audience

Adult

Bell Peppers

🫑🫑

Profanity

2 Mild

Violence

3 Moderate

Drugs, Alcohol, Tobacco

1 None

Publication Date

October 8, 2025

Language Versions

English

Fiction Form

Novel

Sensitive Themes

Gun violence / shootings, Kidnapping or abduction, Stalking or harassment

Representation

Adoption or foster-care representation

Romantic Suspense that is Not Overly Scary or Violent!

I really enjoyed this romantic suspense novel even though it is not one of my favorite genres because it was not overly scary or violent and there was a happy ending. The romance between Lyla and Bennet was the emphasis and the sweet little foster boy, Micah, was a delightful character. This book is part of a series but it can be read as a standalone. There are a number of characters from earlier books who make appearances in this book, however, and once you meet them, you will probably want to read their stories so maybe start at the beginning if you can for full enjoyment. I received an ARC from the author. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

Good story

A good read. Haunting not in a ghostly way, but spooky, unknown danger kind of way. The main male character befriends a young boy at the local camp as he sees his own experiences reflected in the child's demeanor and wants to help the child.
Interesting story in that both the adults and the child have to face their fears.
I was provided with an advance copy of the book. This review is given freely and honestly.

Hope lakes magical energy

This is a poignant story about hope and forever. Hope Lake is full of people who have difficult times in their lives. Bennett was an orphan when he was a child. He spent time at Hope Lake Camp during the summer. He is back working with Jordan. He is mentoring a young boy. Lyla thinks she wants to leave Hope Lake for city life until she meets Bennett. During the story they are brought closer together with their focus being Micah. This becomes a story of them overcoming obstacles and trauma to have their HEA as a family. I enjoyed the book very much much. It has such an emotional depth to it. All the people becomes more than friends they become an extended family who help each other through life together.
I would give this book more than 5 stars if possible. The author did an excellent job with the characters and the storyline. I couldn’t put it down once I started reading this book.

Bennett and Lyla need to trust each other to find love

Bennett Caldwell was broken as a young boy and had grown up at Camp Hope. He now was roping steers on his horse Eli in the rodeo. He also was working with his friend, Jordan, on his ranch. He went to Jordan and Caitlin's wedding where he met Lyla O'Neil. He was taken by her. Lyla's grandfather was ill and he turned ownership of the hardware store over to Lyla despite she insisted she was not staying. But hope, chances for happiness and love were right in front of them if they only could figure it out. So Bennett started working for Lyla and he wanted to hope on a chance with Lyla.

Another Hope Lake adventure

Wow! Another suspenseful adventure in Hope Lake. This is a great story of the power of love to bring healing. Bennet, a wounded man who found hope at Camp Hope, works to bring that same hope to Micah, a young boy full of fear from what happened in his past. Lyla is looking to escape back to her life in the city, until she meets Bennet and Micah. As the three of them work through their hurts, fears, and disappointments they learn to trust each other. When danger threatens, Bennet and Lyla risk themselves to rescue Micah, and find a family in each other. Each family in Hope Lake has faced similar challenges and they all rally together to help each other find their happily ever after. These stories grab you and pull you in, keeping you reading way past bedtime. I look forward to the next one.

I received a copy of this book from the author as an ARC but this is an honest heartfelt review.