They came from the streets, the sticks, and every place in between. They've stolen cars, dealt dope and hurt people. They've been hurt themselves. They’ve been labelled ‘delinquents’ and cast out from their families – if they ever had a family at all. Their futures promise prison - or worse - but for now, they've been brought together to live in an old house on a hill, and see about getting themselves - and each other - right.
Spirited, angry, confused, and misled, these are the boys of Hope House, an institution for troubled young men in 1980s Kentucky. There is Smoove, named for his distinctive walk after he was shot in both feet back home in Louisville. There’s Damico, reported for shoplifting and assault, even though that was only part of the story. There’s Bobby, who tells brave tales of adventures of coyotes but goes quiet at the thought of his father. And there’s Awol, who can’t stop running away, only to return to the place he knows best.
Deeply honest and soulful, Hope House is a novel about searching for belonging and lifting each other up; about coming of age into a society that’s already closed its doors; about lost boys who grapple with their pasts, dare to imagine different futures, and nurture the almost outrageous hope that they might just turn everything around.
Hope House by Joe Bond was published by Fig Tree on 12 November 2026. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review.
Hope House by Joe Bond is such a moving, compassionate and beautifully written novel about troubled young lives, second chances and how important it is when someone believes in you.
Set in 1980s Kentucky, the story centres on Hope House, a residential institution for teenage boys who have fallen foul of the law. They have been labelled delinquents, most of them have experienced violence, neglect and rejection, and their prospects look bleak. Yet under the guidance of Mr Watts, who refuses to give up on them, there is hope for something better.
The author creates such a wonderful cast of characters, each has their own distinctive voice, difficult history and dreams for the future. There is so much more to the boys that that label, and their relationships, disagreements and moments of unexpected kindness are such a compelling read.
There is humour alongside heartbreak, and an real belief in the possibility of change. The writing feels authentic, and whilst the emotional impact is tough it is never overly sentimental.
This is a novel that raises important questions about rehabilitation, responsibility and society's treatment of vulnerable young people.
I found Hope House really moving. It was sometimes heartbreaking but in the end, uplifting. A thoughtful and memorable read that deserves a wide audience. Highly recommended.
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Kentucky.
He’s been a child-care worker, a copy editor, a security guard at a psychiatric hospital and a research librarian at a law firm in Times Square.
For several years he covered mixed martial arts fighting for ESPN and various magazines and newspapers throughout the U.S., Brazil and Japan.
He began working on Hope House after his story “Damico” won the Masters Review Short Story Award.
He lives in New Orleans.
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