I throughly enjoyed this book. It hit on subjects that during each time period were touchy subjects. Somewhat taboo back in the time. It was very well written and told with such emotion. I loved each character. How strong they were in most cases and how they held on to their beliefs and love completely. With how things are in this country right now this book resonates well.

Great plot. Wonderful characters. Strong beliefs, Lots of not so great prejudice. It is a good book that I highly recommend to anyone who loves a good book with a story of love, happiness, hardships, emotion and much much more.

Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC of this book. This is my opinion of this story and was in no way compensated for it.

A huge 4.5 stars. Loved it.

An engrossing and well-written work of fiction that seeks to shed light on racism in America through the lives of three white women who loved African-American men; one in the Civil War, one in the 1960s, and one in the present day. Bonus: it is set in Michigan. Highly recommended.

*Thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

A young, white woman of privilege, Nora defies convention by falling in love with a black man in 1960s Detroit. Both Williams and Nora are committed to the relationship, though it costs Nora her parents’ support. The book tells Nora’s story as bookended by her great grandmother, Mary, and her journalist grand niece Elizabeth Balsam.
Elizabeth is scouting a story about a judge in Detroit. She must learn about history in order to find her modern-day story. She is pointed to Nora by James Rich, who asks her to deliver a box of old photos to Nora. Due to past history, James is not welcome to take them on his own.
We have one storyline set during the Civil War, one in the 1960s and then the modern one of Nora living with her great aunt Nora. All three are set in the same home in the countryside, outside of Flint, Michigan.
I greatly enjoyed the history lessons in the story.

We Hope for Better Things
by Erin Bartels

Revell

Christian

Pub Date 01 Jan 2019


I am reviewing a copy of We Hope for Better Things by Revell and Netgalley:



Elizabeth finds a series of mysterious items locked doors and hidden graves at her great-aunts 150 year old farmhouse. In the search for answers to the riddles surrounded her, as she digs deeper the story of two women who lived in this very house the remarkable story of two women who lived in this very house emerge testaments of love, resilience, and courage in the face of the war, and the racism and misunderstanding. As Elizabeth delves deeper into the history of the old farmhouse she learns the past is not always in the past.


This book takes us on an emotional journey from the 1960’s Civil Right movement, to the Underground Railroad of the Civil war era.


I give The Hope For Better Things five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

The first thing is I am not sure about the title. There were times in the book when I was not sure what relations it had to the title, but upon reflection it means that when things go bad, which they do in this novel, things can and will get better.

This novel has three-time lines, and three female protagonists. Elizabeth Balsam, a journalist who starts the novel living and working in Detroit. Nora Rich, Elizabeth’s unknown Aunt who lived in Detroit during the 1960, and their descendent Mary Balsam, who lived in upstate Michigan during the American Civil War.

Journalist receives a call from James Rich who gives her a camera belonging to her relative Nora Balsam. James Rich has called her due to the fact they have the same surname. Elizabeth finds herself unexpectedly unemployed and goes out to Nora Balsam’s house to take care of her elderly aunt. What comes out is a wonderful story based on inter-relationships against the backdrop of three historical eras, the American Civil War, 1960s Civil Rights and current day America.

The novel takes in some wonderful sub themes of quilting, photography and gardening and they all work very well together.

The only reason this novel did not get 5 stars from me is that I felt that Mary Balsam’s story from the 1860s was finished a bit to quickly for me. I would like to have heard more about how her children survived, and truly became of ‘Big George’.

This book expertly weaves together 3 points of view from 3 different time periods, the civil war, the Civil Rights Movement (focused on the Detroit race riots), and the present. At the center of each of these threads is love and the oppressive impact societal expectations and norms can have on that love. Throughout the novel, the author expertly captures a sense of sadness and loneliness but there is also always whisper of hope. And, while dealing with such hard subjects as racism, hate and prejudice the book does not sub come to being depressing or gloomy. The book was fast paced with enough suspense to keep me reading well into the night. In conclusion, “We Hope For Better Things” is a thoughtful and inspiring book, that I thoroughly recommend! I was honored to receive a free advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the Publisher Revell in exchange for an honest review.

I just finished this book and loved it. Some of the subject matter made me uncomfortable but it was appropriate. The chatacters were so well drawn I could see them in my mind. There were many mysteries in the book but they were solved one by one. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a wonderful story.

“All it took to lose one’s history was a single generation that didn’t take the time to learn it and pass it on.” (Might I add, pieces are always lost from generation to generation, also.) As someone with a great interest in family history, but with no children to pass the knowledge on to, this quote particularly resonates with me. Our history is important, & not just from the interest point of view. There are lessons to be learned, mistakes not to be repeated. In this case, it is interesting to follow a history of racial prejudice through the generations of a family, & how the prejudice can be on both sides. Progress is being made, but it is oh, so slow... Just as we are following different eras, each one also has several layers to its story. This book has been well thought out, with much complexity in its construction.

The debut from author Erin Bartels, this novel is incredibly thought provoking and engaging.

Alternating between three points of view and two primary locations (Detroit and Lapeer County, Michigan) we meet present day, Elizabeth Balsam; her aunt, Nora Balsam both present day and 1963; and their ancestor Mary Balsam, 1861-1975.

Elizabeth Balsam is a reporter who was recently fired for something beyond her control. Finding herself at loose ends and wondering what she will do next, she is commissioned to connect with her distant Aunt Nora by a man who wants to return something he knows Nora won't accept from him. Elizabeth, sensing a link to a story that could be her breakthrough, goes to stay with Aunt Nora - both to help her in any way she can and also take some time to figure out her next steps. Nora (both present day and 1963) has quite a layered history, and lives in the family estate in Lapeer County.

Mary Balsam's husband Nathaniel is determined to fight for the Union in the Civil War, even though his wife is pregnant and they have a farm to run. He leaves for long periods of time. Although Nathaniel and Mary are both are committed to the cause and passionate about freedom, this decision ultimately kicks off a complicated series of events. These events are at best heartbreaking and at worst, dangerous.

Although I initially wondered if I would truly be able to clearly follow bouncing back and forth between times and still connect the dots on who is related to who and how it all fit together....I know now that the author did an excellent job of linking people and time frames to create a cohesive and meaningful picture. There are surprises, heartbreaks, challenges, and more. This story provides believable glimpses into poignant and important times in our country's history.

I cannot say enough good things about this book.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

We Hope For Better Things is the story of three women from three time periods, Civil War, 1960s Detroit, and modern day Detroit. The women have all been affected in some way by race relations. The modern day journalist seeks to find out exactly how their lives intersect. It's a good read for historical fiction fans. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I picked We Hope for Better Things because it's setting is Michigan, my home state. Erin Bartels does a wonderful job of telling three woman's stories during three different eras. Mary is a Civil War wife left at home to care for the family's larger farm, Nora falls in love and marries an African American in the early 1960's and Elizabeth is a present day journalist who loses her job and seeks to uncover the story that ties the three generations of women together.
We Hope for Better Things helped me better understand the stigma of marrying interracially in the 1960's and the Riots that take place then in Detroit. I am very glad that I chose this book, I did receive better understanding of the struggles of African American men through history.
I look forward to more books by Erin Bartels.
I did receive a copy of We Hope for Better Thing through NetGalley, but also bought a paperback copy as I find it easier to find parts of the three stories that I needed to look back on as I read.

This is an important book. And it is not for the faint of heart. We Hope for Better Things deals with ugly things. Things that aren't pretty. Things that we don't want to read about. But they are things that we need to read about, we need to know about. And the prevailing message of this book is a beautiful one - one of hope.

We Hope for Better Things flips between the points of view of three different women in three different time periods. Elizabeth in modern-day Detroit, Nora in the 1960s, and Mary in the 1860s. While I found these characters somewhat hard to connect with at times, they were all still very well-rounded and well-written characters.

Without a doubt, Erin Bartels is an incredibly gifted author. From page one, I was sucked into the story. Her writing style is so beautiful, and her ability to jump time periods so cohesively is incredible. When we entered Mary's point of view, I was instantly in 1860s-era farm country Michigan. When we switched to Nora's point of view, I was instantly in a restless and ravaged Detroit in the '60s.

As a Michigan girl and lover of Michigan history, I soaked up the rich history displayed throughout this book. It is very clear Bartels did her research, and did it thoroughly.

Overall, this is an incredibly written and extremely thought-provoking book that, while not a happy read, is one that is necessary nonetheless.

<i>We Hope for Better Things</i> is an excellent debut for author Erin Bartels. Through masterful storytelling, Bartels shares the lives of three women – all living in the general area of Detroit, Michigan during three different time periods: the Civil War, the 1967 Detroit riot, and the present. The women are connected by blood and the weighty issues of racism, love, and hate as well as family and social boundaries as portrayed in each era.

Each woman’s story is compelling on its own but are taken to another level as their personal and historical connections are unraveled through alternating chapters. This is a story of strength, resilience, and love as well as heartbreak. An engaging and unique perspective of some shameful aspects of this country’s history – recommended.


FYI - I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

We Hope for Better Things was amazingly satisfying. I loved so many of the characters, especially Nora, Mary and Elizabeth. William and Big George were also favorites. The multiple story lines kept me engaged with every word. Sometimes I prefer one storyline over others but not with this book. All of the women were such strong, curious, smart individuals. I can’t even imagine managing a farm without any training. Helping escaped slaves. Attending race riots as a minority. Even tackling an overgrown garden seems crazy. But these women did all of this while giving their hearts to the “wrong” but so incredibly “right” men. Big George won my heart when he helped Mary through her delivery of a baby. William won me when he stood up to Nora’s father. Truly a magnificent read!

A three generational story involving the aftermath of the Civil War, the Detroit riots of the 60's, and a current day journalist unraveling the history of her family background in those past times. A decent read, but not something that will stick with me for very long. If historical fiction is your genre, you may enjoy this book. For me, it was just okay.

Thanks to NetGalley.

Thank you to Net Galley and Revell books for the chance to read and review this book!
I really enjoyed this book! This story deals with race relations from the Civil War to the present time. Even though the main characters-Mary, Nora, and Elizabeth-are of different generations, they all have to deal with the prejudices of their time. The lives of all three women are expertly woven together. Highly recommend!

Three women from different era’s, Civil War, riots in Detroit, and now the present following their heart dealing with interracial relationships and against their families wishes. This book held me from beginning to the end. I felt sad for Mary and how tough her life must of been during the Civil War. This is a first book like this I’ve read but will definitely read more from this Author. Thanks to NetGalley and Revell for providing me a copy of "We Hope for Better Things" in exchange for an honest review.

Three women, Three generations, One family, One city. Women who go against the grain of what society and their family's deems correct. This book deals with some difficult issues like racism and persecution. It shows the complexities that all families face in one form or another.

Though all the heartache, this is ultimately a story about love. Three romances that are seamlessly woven together amid the difficulties that surrounded them.

This book pulled me in from the very beginning and held me captivated until the very end. An interesting story that respectively shows a bit of our history.

This book was nothing short of spectacular from beginning to end. There were three generations of women that were involved in interracial relationships during three different time periods in Detroit's history. There are a series of photographs that are enmeshed in the history of a Detroit journalist. She ends up moving into the home of an aunt that she has never met. She finds clues in the home and is further drawn into the mystery of her family. The photographs were taken in the Detroit race riots and ended up helping to provide some closure for her aunt and to help provide healing for a lost love. I found the women to be strong and damaged in different ways that really shines throughout the book. I will be recommending this book to others to enjoy. This is the best book I have read in quite some time.

Wow! What a book! Full of complex race relations in 3 different eras of our country. Well woven-together tales of families from 3 different eras & generations. Easy to read, difficult to put down! Well worth the time to read!!!