ABOUT 'WE HOPE FOR BETTER THINGS': When Detroit Free Press reporter Elizabeth Balsam meets James Rich, his strange request--that she look up a relative she didn't know she had in order to deliver an old camera and a box of photos--seems like it isn't worth her time. But when she loses her job after a botched investigation, she suddenly finds herself with nothing but time.

At her great-aunt's 150-year-old farmhouse, Elizabeth uncovers a series of mysterious items, locked doors, and hidden graves. As she searches for answers to the riddles around her, the remarkable stories of two women who lived in this very house emerge as testaments to love, resilience, and courage in the face of war, racism, and misunderstanding. And as Elizabeth soon discovers, the past is never as past as we might like to think.

MY THOUGHTS: A stunning and powerful debut novel spanning several generations of the Balsam family from the Underground Railroad of the Civil War to the volatile Detroit streets in the 1960s to the current day.

So, lets meet the Balsam women central to the story: Elizabeth Balsam - a reporter suddenly without a job. She is tasked with returning a camera and a box of photos to her great aunt, Nora Balsam Rich in Lapeer County. Nora scandalized her family by marrying William Rich, a black man, in the 1960s. Nora visited with her great-aunt Margaret Balsam, the youngest child of Mary and Nathaniel Balsam in an old people's home shortly before Margaret's death. Mary Balsam's story takes place during and after the civil war. She and Nathaniel are abolitionists and their house is a part of the Underground Railroad.

These three threads are told in intersecting chapters. It could have been confusing but wasn't. The story in each thread seemed to lead into the next.

The two older generations of women grapple with racial persecution and injustice in some form as each pushes the boundaries of what is acceptable at the time.

Bartels has dramatically but realistically described Mary's years on the farm during and after the civil war; her struggles to keep the farm viable while her husband is away fighting and to provide refuge for the escaped slaves passing through.

Nora is a wealthy, privileged young white woman when she falls for and marries a black photographer of lesser means in Detroit in the 1960s. Nora and William face ostracism and hatred from both sides.

Elizabeth is charged with returning William's camera and a box of his photos to Nora. Her plan is to return them then return to the city and look for another job. But life doesn't work like that, and she finds herself becoming more and more interested in her family history and the secrets that have been buried over the years.

This is an engrossing read on so many levels: American history is interwoven with generational stories of forbidden love, racial tension, violence, broken families and enquiring minds.

A must-read book that left me with the feeling that we really haven't learned a lot over the past couple of hundred years.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

#WeHopeForBetterThings #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: ERIN BARTELS writes character-driven fiction for curious people. Her readers know to expect that each of her novels will tell a unique story about fallible characters so tangible that it’s hard to believe they are not real people. Whether urban, rural, or somewhere in between, her settings come alive with carefully crafted details that engage all the senses and transport the reader to a singular time and place. And her themes of reckoning with the past, improving the present, and looking with hope to the future leave her readers with a sense of peace and possibility.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Revell for providing a digital ARC of We Hope for Better Things by Erin Bartels for review. My sincere apologies for my tardiness. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Erin Bartels is truly a remarkable story teller. We Hope for Better Things is a story that will not only speak to your heart, it will totally encapture all your thoughts for days and days. This is women's fiction at it's finest!

I received a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hand me a twisty, entangled multi-generational family story that moves back and forth across time periods and I’m in. I can’t get enough of this structure: I love to see how the author weaves everything together, dropping little seeds of information that sprout as the story progresses. A Michigan setting and deeply researched historical backdrop? Even better. Erin Bartels delivers all of this goodness in her 2019 debut novel, We Hope for Better Things.

Elizabeth, Nora, and Mary are linked across time by a family history that Bartels metes out in small doses as her chapters move from the present day, the 1960s in Detroit, and the 1860s in rural Lapeer. I found Mary’s story of running an Underground Railroad station the most compelling—perhaps because it’s the history I know the least about, so those chapters engaged me in a way that Nora’s encounter with the civil rights movement did not. Elizabeth, both a journalist and family member seeking to understand her own history, patiently scratches away at the story until it comes together at the end.

I wanted to devour We Hope for Better Things so that I, too, could understand the full scope of the Balsam family history; still, I forced myself to slow down a bit and savor the narrative and setting that Bartels has so carefully crafted. I plan to go back and re-read We Hope for Better Things at some point, but I knew that I would only get the full experience of seeing this quietly compelling story come to fruition once.

We Hope for Better Things by Erin Bartels is an emotionally moving, well written story that is truly one of the best books I have read this year! I was glued to the story, the characters, the shifting time lines.

This beautifully written novel moved me deeply and while at times it was hard to read due to my emotional reactions, I am so glad I did! I came away from this story changed and for the better. I highly recommend this book!

I received this book for free. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own. Thank you to Revell and Ms. Bartels for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book.

A beautiful story of racial injustice through three interconnected stories and time periods in our history. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 3.5 stars

The task of repopulating the senior library has been an exciting and daunting task aS in a boarding school our aim is to encourage all members of the community to read. Because of this, I have been searching down a wide and diverse range of books to read that will entice a wide cross-section of the school to come in, browse and find books that they love.
Books like this will ensure that the senior students in the school see the library as a diverse, modern and exciting place with books that speak to them and they want to recommend to their friends, classmates, teachers and tutors.
It is an engrossing and exciting read with fully-formed characters and a plot that ensures that it's hard to look away. It is as far from formulaic as it is possible to be and kept me up far too late in order to finish it. I immediately wanted to read all of this writer's other books as I loved their voice and found that it really drew me into the story and made me think about it even when I'd stepped away from this tale.
This is a thought-provoking read which I'm sure will be a popular and well-read addition to our new library; I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to read it and I know that the students are going to absolutely love it too!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ebook for my Kindle.
A very good book about racial issues from the Civil War until the present. I enjoyed the story and wished it would have continued just a little longer as Elizabeth's life unfolds to her new surroundings.

3..5⭐️ Historical fiction fans will enjoy this story of three women that are related — one in the present, one in late 60s and one during civil war. Racism from slavery to present day is the foundation for the story. And with even this week’s news about a the murder of an African American jogger, we still very much “hope for better things.”

I received an e-copy of We Hope for Better Things by Erin Bartles from NetGalley for my honest review.

Beautifully written story, follows the journey of a reporter/writer who thought all she wanted was the story but in the end got so much more when she goes to stay with a long lost aunt and learns about their full interesting controversial family tree. I love the way the touchy subject of race was handled over different generations.

The writing was excellent and so passionate! The characters were exceptional, full, well written and the plot will keep you turning the pages.

Gets one of my rare 5 stars ratings!

I had a lot of friends who loved this book, so I hoped I would, too, but unfortunately, the time slip was distracting. I liked the part that was set during the Underground Rail, pre-Civil War era, but the 1960s part was just ... eh. No. Not for me. I'm not a fan of this kind of book.

I received a free e-copy of We Hope for Better Things by Erin Bartles from NetGalley for my honest review.

A captivating and beautiful masterpiece that will pull you into the lives of all the characters in this book. You will feel like you are walking in each of the characters footsteps as you go through each generation of this family's lives. You will feel the love, hardship, drama, and pain as you read each page.

An amazing read that will not disappoint!

This book is fantastic. I had a hard time putting this book down. This story starts in the present and then goes from the 1950’s and way back to the Civil War. Elizabeth learns a lot about her family that she never knew while staying with Aunt Nora. Nora gets to tell a story that needed to be told and Elizabeth learns who she is. I received a copy of this book from Bookish First for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

This three generational story had me crying, cheering and raving mad. A perfect debit for Erin Bartels. Mary, Nora and Elizabeth were strong women who each find their worlds being turned upside down. Mary during the Civil War as an abolitionist who helped escaped slaves turn their lives free by teaching, helping and employing these slaves at her own home. Nora during the Civil Rights movement falls in love with William where interracial relationships are highly forbidden or looked down upon. This puts both William and Nora in danger and then Elizabeth finding out her ancestry, the strength of her ancestors and the truth about her own history all because of photographs resurrected from a camera belonging to her great aunt’s estranged husband.

We Hope For Better Things is a rich tapestry sewn together with threads of slavery, segregation and understanding. I feel edified, educated and entertained just from reading this fantastic historical fiction. I look forward to reading more from Erin Bartels she has a shining star ascending in the world of writing.

Elizabeth Balsam is working for the Detroit Free Press as a reporter when James Rich asks her to find a relative she’s never known in order to deliver some things, including an old camera and photos. Elizabeth finds this odd and doesn’t address it, until she loses her job and has free time to think about it.

When she visits her great aunt’s old farm house, she finds plenty of intrigue and mystery along with the story of two resilient women who previously lived in the house. Facing war and racism, these women are strong and forces to be reckoned with.

We Hope for Better Things covers the Underground Railroad, as well as the race riots in Detroit. The star of the show is the characters, though. Memorable, fallible, warm, and charming, I simply loved them and their story.

Overall, We Hope for Better Things is a beautifully told story filled with secrets and surprises and important timeless messages.

I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

To anyone who was offended by the opening pages and stopped reading in order to leave a scathing review or comment, I have one thing to say:

What a journey and time of learning you’ve missed. And that’s why we’ll never move forward in how we see, how we treat one another.

We Hope for Better Things

by Erin Bartels

This work of fiction begins in the present day where the story centers on Elizabeth Balsam, an investigative journalist in Detroit, Michigan, always looking for a good story. She thinks she has found it when a stranger asks her to return a camera and some photos of the ’67 Detroit race riots to a relative of hers that she doesn’t actually know. This is interesting timing as she has just lost her job when outed during undercover work. Is it possible that what seems like a devastating blow to her career will be the best thing that could have happened to her?

Suddenly the author drops us into Detroit in 1963, and we are introduced to an interracial couple. This is a thread that ties right into Elizabeth’s story as she meets Nora. This elderly relative probably has a story to tell if she can just be coaxed into telling it. This new plot thread segues into the story of yet another family member, Mary Balsam. Mary’s home is in Lapeer County in 1861, but it is now Nora’s home.

All three generations involve interracial couples, and author Erin Bartels tries to present the problems each generation encounters. We witness the horrors and sadness of racial issues that run the gamut from slavery to discriminating glances and everything in between.

Each plot thread is strong and as each chapter ended, I couldn’t wait to get to that part of the story again as the chapters cycled through each woman’s tale. As the book draws to a conclusion, the threads become tightly knitted together forming the family’s story.

Although We Hope for Better Things is fiction, it has the feeling of “it could have happened.” The Christian aspects are not prominently featured, but there is an important theme throughout of God’s plan for a person’s life. A sub-theme is the Christian community’s response to runaway slaves in the 1860’s in Mary’s small community during the Civil War.

This is an important work of historical fiction especially for those interested in the Civil War, the riots of the 60’s, or the current progress or lack of it on racial issues. The author presents events in the context of the culture during the specific time period. This novel focuses on the women in each generation and gives a more complete portrayal of them than of the men in the story, and that is probably how this tale needs to be told.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Revell for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction

Publication: January 1, 2019—Revell

Memorable Lines:

I was getting less twitchy about not having internet access. I didn’t exactly miss hearing the constant beeps notifying me of texts and tweets and status updates. Out here it was just the ambling, quiet life of the country. A comfortable obscurity.

“That’s good money.”
“What do we need it for? We’re making ends meet.”
“Barely. We’re not getting ahead.”
“Ahead of what? If you have enough to live, what do you need more for?”

“There’s no one right path that if you make the wrong choice you’re sunk. Whatever you choose to do, God can use that. Life is always a winding path. It’s only in retrospect that it appears to be a straight and inevitable one.”

We Hope for Better Things by Erin Bartels is an amazing debut novel. It tells three separate stories of white women and their relationships with black men. Set in the present day, civil war time, and the civil rights movement, there is a ton of racial conflict at each of these time periods. I agree that the book was a little hard to get into, partly because it was hard to keep the three characters straight. However, if you keep reading you will be rewarded with a phenomenal, important read. I sincerely hope a sequel is coming soon and I look forward to reading it. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

I’m blown away by how this debut novelist Erin Bartel took on this difficult subject matter and by the way she handled it with sensitivity and respect as she showed racial tension on many sides in different time periods. It was eye-opening and touched my soul. This story shows three very different, strong women in unimaginable situations. The author takes readers through the Civil War, including the underground railroad, through the violate time period of the Civil Rights movement, showing the Riots in Detroit in 1967 and revealing parts of Martin Luther speeches to crowds. My heart hurt for the men, the women and their struggles. It’s also sad to know we still deal with them today.

This journey starts out in current time with Elizabeth Balsam a woman who has lived on the edge, doing what it takes to get the next heart-stopping story. That is until her whole world flips upside down. Which gave way to her meeting with Mr. Rich and his son Linden. They show her original never published pictures of the Detroit riots 1967. Elizabeth’s interest is peaked at maybe finding a great story in the mix, but when Mr. Rich wants her to track down a long-lost relative of hers for permission to use the pictures, she doesn’t know if it’s worth it. Was Elizabeth hoping against hope there would be a story she could run with? She has nothing better to do so she tracks down her Aunt Nora Balsam Rich and is amazed by her generosity and willingness to talk with her. Problem is the main thing Nora wants to talk about is Mary and Nathaniel Balsam and what they went through in the Civil war.

It took me several chapters to finally got the characters figures out as to who was who and what time line they fit in (like Aunt Nora being in two-time lines messed with me. LOL!) I have to say I was a little confused as I didn’t understand how these ladies were connected and where this all was headed. But when Nora Balsam Rich started talking about the house, how it was used in the Civil War and then how she got the house they were currently living in the 1960’s; things started to take shape for me. I got it.

Nathanial told his young pregnant wife he was enlisting in the service he would get his friend to help with the farm while he was away at war. Her husband sends her a freed slave named George who helps with the farm in a tremendous way all the years Nathanial is away. Readers get an up-close and very personal look at how white people were treating freed slaves in the north. Oh, they were happy they were free, but they wanted them to live permanently somewhere else. The author even shows how the church treated Mary and her freed slaves, very sad but true to history.

I enjoyed the deep characterization and the way the author showed the hardship created by racial discrimination issues in different time lines that could have wiped them out. But each woman faced these challenges head on, and seeks strength and courage from God and a few good friends. Each woman is passionate about staying the course and being true to what they believe, who they love, and what they were meant to do. No matter how hard their families, friends and society made things.

This is a remarkable, a deeply passionate, eye opening story that will touch your soul, and have you look at today’s headlines in a new light. Just like it did for Nora in the 1960’s. She really didn’t get it until she was in the thick of things. I like how this author has helped readers walk in these ladies’ shoes to grasp a bit of what they faced day in and day out. Giving you compassion and a clarity you might not have had before reading this story and meeting these three strong willed women, the men who loved them as they do far more than they ever imagined was possible.

I highly recommend this thought-provoking, time slip story for a book club pick. There is so much to talk about. This is a novel you won’t soon forget. This is a must read.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins! www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine https://www.bookfun.org/page/past-issues-book-fun-mag

As the title suggests, this book weaves together the lives of some unsuspecting characters during socially challenging times. The author does a great job adding just enough intrigue during one chapter before jumping to a new era in the next. I’d describe this as historical fiction since there was some reality rolled in, such as the war, Detroit Riots and MLK. Racism, friendships, love, war, loss, family ties...all beautifully woven into a lovely novel. I received an ebook from Netgalley, but was not compensated in any way for my honest review.

Thanks to #NetGalley #Revell for my free copy of #WeHopeForBetterThings by @erinbartelswrites in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Readers of We Hope For Better Things are treated to three distinct stories about three white women who live at different times on the same farm in Michigan. The three women are from three different generations and experience war, civil unrest, and prejudice in their respective stories (Civil War/Underground Railroad, 1960s Detroit Riots, and present day). This engaging and multi layered story includes family drama, secrets, old pictures, a 150 year old house, locked rooms, a mysterious trunk, and interracial relationships. The three stories are fast paced and easy to follow, and I thought the story lines from the past (Underground Railroad especially) were the most intriguing and offer the most opportunity for discussion.

Important themes include family conflict, tragic choices, racism, family history, resilience, and faith. We can certainly see that overt prejudice has shown improvement over time....and "we hope for better things" in our present day and future.

Even though the plot is fast paced and engaging and I liked how the stories intersected, I felt occasionally that the events might be a bit contrived to promote certain themes or move the story line along. This is a minor concern and falls under personal preference.

I would like to read reviews from people of color and gain from their impressions and insights regarding the portrayals in this story. I think I would have really liked it if one of the perspectives had been from a woman of color, but that's probably difficult for a white author to write. It might have been interesting for the author to have coauthored this with an author of color. The author candidly addresses the issue of writing this as a white author in her Author's Note.

Recommended for readers who love historical fiction, for fans of family stories with likable main characters, and for those who desire to read more diversely to explore themes of prejudice and racism. This will make an excellent book club selection because of many discussion possibilities.

*possible trigger warning involving a still birth

Review posted on blog 3/8/2019 readingladies.com