Always Hope

Guardian Hall, Book 2

By: R J Scott

Narrated by: Sean Crisden

He couldn't save his team. Now Tyler has nothing—and no one.

Corporal Tyler Mason is haunted by the friends he lost in war, the sole survivor because of a mission that cost his team their lives. Rejected by his twin sister, who can't bear to face him, and having pushed his parents away beneath crushing guilt, Tyler arrives at Guardian Hall, desperate to disappear into silence. He wants to vanish—erase every trace of who he was—but somehow, the people of the Hall look past the scars and silence, seeing strength in his survival and hope where he sees only failure.

As co-founder of Guardian Hall, Dr. Marcus Stirling has spent years helping others rebuild—but despite everything he has seen, he carries the weight of his own mistakes and the hard-fought sobriety he has achieved. He's seen so much, but nothing prepared him for the broken man standing on the roof that night, burned, scarred, and barely holding on.

What begins as a fragile connection between doctor and patient slowly deepens, each moment drawing them closer until desire becomes impossible to deny. But love has never been safe. And when guilt, grief, and the shadows of the past close in, both men must risk everything for the one thing they never believed they'd find. Because even when there's nothing left… Hope can still survive.

Always Hope is a slow-burn, hurt/comfort, MM romance with a broken soldier, a recovering addict, ghosts that won't let go, and a forbidden connection that might save them both.

For mature listeners.

©2025 RJ Scott (P)2026 Podium Audio

Emotional story, convincingly written and narrated

"Always Hope" is the second book in the Guardian Hall series, and it works well as a standalone novel. I hadn’t read the first book, and it wasn’t necessary at all.
The writing style of this slow-burn story is wonderful. The story is a pleasure to read and is told from the perspectives of both Tyler and Marcus, which allowed me to really empathize with both of them.
The focus is on Tyler coming to terms with his past, and he has a lot to process: grief, anger, guilt, and loss. Tyler is very desperate. The story is very emotional—get your tissues ready. During his stay at Guardian Hall, he forms a connection with Marcus; otherwise, he doesn’t let anyone get close to him. Marcus is Tyler’s doctor, but he, too, has a difficult past and struggles against his attraction to Tyler.
The story entertained me well, even though the subject matter wasn’t exactly easy, and you might want to read the blurb beforehand. But I think it’s important that this topic is written about, and the author has done so with great sensitivity. The story is very heartbreaking and emotional, and it quickly drew me in. I liked how the relationship between the two developed slowly.
Sean Crisden has once again delivered an absolutely fantastic performance as the narrator! He has a pleasant voice, and the reading pace was great. The protagonists had fitting voices that I could always tell apart easily. And he conveyed the emotions and sensitive topics convincingly. It was once again an absolute pleasure to listen to him!

Hits you in the Feels

I always like RJ Scott books. This one and the previous book gives you a look of what veteran have to deal with once they’re home. And as always Sean Crisden will be my all time favorite narrator. His range in voices are crazy to me. I love it. He helps bring the characters to life.

I loved it!

5 amazing stars! Have tissues handy; it's worth every tear I shed.

Stories like Always Hope are just one of the reasons that RJ Scott remains solidly on my list of favorite authors since I started reading her books in 2016.

Always Hope is a very slow-burn story, light on the spice, and it is wonderful. I think it might have set a new record for how fast an RJ Scott book made me tear up (before the end of chapter one). I love books that engage my emotions and Always Hope was worth every tear I shed.

The excellent blurb tells you everything you need to know about the book. I just want to encourage you to read this if you like stories that break your heart a little and then put it back together again.

Sean Crisden always does a wonderful job performing RJ Scott’s stories and this one was no exception!