Hope by V.G. Cooper, book one in the Arasgain Saga, follows Ava Lewis as she grows up on a West Virginia farm, marked from infancy with sword- and shield-shaped birthmarks. She trains with her pony Bucky and later Rebel, excelling in archery and equestrian competitions, eventually competing internationally in mounted archery. There's romance along the way, most significantly with Bradley, who becomes her partner in competitions and Renaissance Fair performances. At the fairs, Ava assumes a ceremonial role, overseeing jousting-style tournaments with costumed knights and coordinating horses and events. After a string of tragedies, a time traveler claiming to be from Arasgain, which exists at the core of a time layer, tells Ava that her losses are part of a prophecy to help save Arasgain from a powerful sorceress.

V.G. Cooper’s Hope opens a sweeping fantasy time travel saga, laying the foundation through Ava's entire life as an equestrian and entertainer, preparing her for a predestined role of which she is wholly unaware. Cooper does an excellent job of fully developing Ava and clearly has a knowledgeable grasp of mounted archery, which plays a massive role in Ava's journey. The author brings every setting to life, from the elegant Canterbury estate with its Victorian rooms to bustling fairgrounds with horse arenas, craft exhibits, and royal carriage presentations. Ava and Bradley's romance angle is heartening, and the pair celebrating victories in tandem shows the strength of their love. Like the layers of time in their tale, the author peels back Ava's destiny with restraint, and nothing is revealed until the timing is perfect. Overall, this is an excellent novel, and I look forward to book two.

Arasgain Saga: Hope by V.G. Cooper follows Avaline Lewis, a woman nearing her 50th birthday. She looks back on all the incredible moments that shaped her life. Ava was raised by hardworking parents and spent her childhood on her family's farm in West Virginia. She gradually became a skilled equestrienne and archer. Although her life is filled with many highs and lows, she perseveres through them all. Later, Ava’s sense of purpose wanes, and she resigns herself to living a quieter life on the horse show circuit. That's when a mysterious man named Shaw arrives, claiming to have marked her as a baby to complete a life-altering quest. He invites her to fulfil a prophecy in the magical realm of Arasgain. Mysterious events in the present blend with supernatural forces, leading Ava to step through time to carry out her true destiny.

In Arasgain Saga, V.G. Cooper delivers a moving story that mixes adventure and a quest for self-discovery. I enjoyed how Ava evolves from a young girl on a rural farm to a woman navigating her identity in competitive sports. The setting, from the farm to the medieval sports arena, provides a fascinating change of pace for Ava's character development. Her love of horses and archery is both a personal passion and a search for meaning in life. The way the author handled the themes of loss and destiny really resonated with me. Ava’s struggles feel very realistic. She moves from one stage of her life to another as she grapples with unknown supernatural gifts and newfound responsibilities. It’s refreshing to see a female protagonist who isn’t merely defined by romance or triumphs, but by the complexities of her internal conflicts and the sacrifices she has to make along the way. Overall, her journey is much more than her passion for horses and archery. It’s about finding her place in a larger, unpredictable world. I'm sure fantasy fans will love this story as much as I did.

In Hope, the first book of the Arasgain Saga by V G Cooper, Avaline “Ava” Lewis’s life takes an unexpected turn when a stranger reveals her true legacy. Once a talented equestrian in Medieval Mounted Archery, her mysterious birthmarks, a sword, and a shield, hint at a destiny she never dreamed possible. Now disillusioned, Ava returns to her childhood home, haunted by lost love and fading dreams. But her quiet life is upended when an enigmatic stranger arrives, claiming she’s the chosen champion of a forgotten kingdom—Arasgain—and that her fate is intertwined with a prophecy from a powerful wizard. As secrets unravel, Ava must embrace her extraordinary past to save a realm on the brink of collapse. Does she have what it takes?

Hope was a delightful read, and the excellent writing captured my interest from the start. The descriptive prose evoked compelling imagery in my imagination. V G Cooper delivered scenes that are focused, points of view that are devoid of any ambiguity, and dialogues that are engaging. Another element of the story that I loved was the suspense. The author immediately draws your attention to the symbols on Ava’s wrist; you watch her try to understand them, but everything seems like a mystery from the start, until the truth about her destiny begins to unravel. This book is well-plotted, fast-paced, and suspenseful. You’ll love the well-sculpted characters, the complex plot, and the intriguing nature of the setting. This adventure is as twisty as it is exciting, and as unpredictable as it is dangerous. It is filled with surprising twists.

For as long as she can remember, Ava Lewis has always had a competitive streak. She credits her impressive skills in archery and equestrian sports to the mysterious birthmarks she bears. The only thing she values as much as her skills is her horse. When she sees a chance to get involved in the equestrian world, she takes it. She embarks on a journey of love, trust, and understanding as she makes new friends and forms bonds that reveal aspects of life she had previously overlooked. When tragedy strikes and hidden prophecies come to light, Ava learns that to fulfill her destiny, she must choose a path that could cost her the things she holds most dear. Find out what decision she makes in V.G. Cooper’s Arasgain Saga: Hope - Book One.

V.G. Cooper uses subtle flashbacks to reveal Ava’s origin story by including clues about how she got her birthmarks. The detailed descriptions of equestrian activities help readers unfamiliar with horse care learn about it, while adding realism to the narrative. Ava’s dilemma of choosing between her career and starting a family highlights a social issue that ambitious women often face. The narrative style smoothly transitions from drama into a fantasy, as seen when Ava meets the man from her visions. The narrative emphasizes strong family values, as evident in Ava’s parents' traditional views on sex, dating, and marriage. Cooper skillfully combines these elements, creating a thought-provoking novel that will appeal to fans of drama and romance. I enjoyed reading Arasgain Saga and look forward to the next instalment in the series.