This book was good but long and confusing at times. I liked it and I wanted to know what was going to happen and a few times I really thought that maybe this book could have been a true story. It was a little weird on parts but all in all I enjoyed it and really could look past the repetitive and long story parts as I wanted to know what was going to happen. Was it the best book? no, but it absolutely wasn't the worst I have ever read. It was for sure right in the middle.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Eli's Promise is a World War II historical fiction that follows the Rosen family from Poland, to a displaced person's camp in Germany, and to America after the war. Eli Rosen owns a construction company, which is stolen out from under him by one of his employees who claims to be keeping it safe from the Nazis. Maximilian Poleski is exploiting everyone he can for his own gain, taking advantage of his neighbors for the sake of profit. As things go from bad to worse for Eli, separated from his wife, but at least reunited with his son, will the Rosen family be able to persevere?

I had a hard time connecting to the characters in this book. The author spent a lot of time on establishing the timeline of the war, giving little history lessons that come off dry and uninteresting. The characters felt separate from that history and took away from the novel.

Additionally, it is common knowledge that non-Jewish people exploited their friends and neighbors, turning a profit or turning them into the authorities to further their own interests. The character Maximilian is over the top, his nature not fully explained as anything but exploitive.

Overall, Eli's Promise was not as successful as I had hoped. I have read many historical fiction novels set in World War II and this novel was not as richly imagined. For this reason, I would be hesitant to recommend it to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to read and review this novel was entirely my own.

While this wasn't the best historical fiction WWII story that I have read, there were parts that I did enjoy. I'm glad that we got dual timelines- that always gives the story something extra in my opinion and keeps me interested as the book progresses. I wasn't a huge fan of the ending though- and thought it took a little bit too long to get there. I'm not sure if I'll pick up another book by this author again. I appreciate receiving the arc from Netgalley and the publisher.

Eli’s Promise is a novel that explores a dark and turbulent period of history, and the impact of war and its aftermath on human lives. The book follows the journey of a man who survives the Holocaust, the displaced persons camps, and the Vietnam War, and who strives to find truth and justice in a world of lies and violence. The book is based on extensive research and historical facts, and it is written with skill and clarity. The book is a valuable source of information and insight for anyone who is interested in historical fiction, drama, and mystery, and who wants to learn more about the events and experiences of the people who lived through these times.

As always, Mr. Balson’s work never disappoints. This was a moving, sad and heartfelt read. The story held my attention from beginning to end.

This was a rough one for me. I didn't mind the jumps in time, but Eli was a very frustrating character. He never seemed to learn from the mistakes he made in trusting Max, so the whole book kind of felt like the same conversation over and over again...

I am deeply disappointed in this book; maybe my biggest disappointment of the year. I really thoughtr this would be a 5-star or at least a 4 star.This book was extremely disjointed; it skipped back and forth in time. Had it been chronological, I think the book probably would have been at least a 4-star, if not a 5. As it was the book was very confusing and not the least enjoyable. I do want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion. Since the book was released before I had a chance to read the ARC, I ended up listening to the audiobook. Because of the above, I am rating this a 1.5-star and for Goodreads, raising this to a generous 2 stars.

Eli’s Promise is a historical fiction story about the promise Eli made to his wife during the Nazi occupation of Poland. The story has 3 different locations. The time periods are from 1940 to 1965.
The Nazi officers were about real people, but the characters were imaginary. The story has a lot of action and will keep you reading to find out what will happen to the evil Maximilian. There was a lot of history about Lublin and Łódź, Poland. This was a sad , but beautifully written story. A story where Maximilian lied to Eli all through the war.
I was given an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. All options are my own.

In 1939 Nazi-occupied Poland Eli Rosen and his family are trying to stay alive and out of the camps running a construction company. He puts all of his faith in Maximilian Poleski, who makes friends with the Nazis and will do anything and betray anyone for his own gain. The story jumps to 1946 and 1965 with Eli trying to find Maximilian and make sure he receives punishment for everything he did against the Polish people.

This is a heartbreaking story of vengeance. It was sad and fascinating to read of the lengths that Nazi-sympathizers like Maximillian would go to for personal gain. I have read a lot of historical fiction from this era and this was a different take on it. I would definitely recommend this to fans of World War II fiction.

I loved this book. It was sad at times, and happy at other times. As a lover of historical fiction I was glued to the pages as I read about the lives of the Rosen family and Eli. Definately would recommend this book to others

I loved this book. It truly pulled at my heartstrings. It really tells what the Jewish people had to do and endure during the Holocaust. I highly recommend this book.

Excellent book about Holocaust even though it was fiction it was based on actual true stories. Didn’t give a 5 due to ending. Hoped for a different and/or more thorough outcome regarding major part of the story. Love the author and looking forward to reading 2 other books of his that I have.

I was not able to get interested in this book and I did not finish it. The characters and the plot were not able to catch or keep my attention.

This is the first book I have read by this author and I really enjoyed his writing style and character building. Very compelling story, although heartbreaking. I love historical fiction because I always learn something new. This one is a must read!

This is one of the best books I’ve read in ages and deals with some difficult subject matter. The author skilfully blends fact and fiction. The characters are finely drawn and the descriptions of nazi atrocities hard to read but compelling. This book kept me enthralled from the very beginning and I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen to Eli, his family and friends. Highly recommended. Grab a copy now.

This book was a really difficult book for me to read. I started it several times but just could not get past the first few chapters. It was a did not finish for me. I’m sure many others enjoyed the book it just was not for me.

This book takes you on a tour of the history of one family from Nazi-occupied Poland all the way to Chicago and the height of the Viet Nam war. The characters are extremely well written and the history has been brilliantly researched, leaving us a story that grabs your mind and heart and won't let go. I received an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Thank you to the author Ronald Balson, the publisher, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my candid review.

This is a riveting novel about the treatment of Jews in Europe before, during and after World War II. I have read a lot about WWII and the concentration camps, but very little about the relocation camps in which Jews were located until they could determine where they would find a new home. Given that so many homes and villages and towns were destroyed in the war, it became difficult for Jews and other displaced persons to locate a new home. And trying to locate loved ones was an almost insurmountable task.

This book details a promise that Eli Rosen made during the war. It tells the story of how so many Jews believed that they could survive in place during Nazi occupations and why they did not flee when they could have had a chance of escape. It also goes into those who profited from collaborating with the Nazis and took advantage of people who had no other options.

It was a well written story, which takes place in the 1960's at the ramping up of the Viet Nam War with flashes back to the earlier days of the occupation of Poland, and the days after the war ends.

It was well worth reading.

A good story; albeit a bit predictable. I thought the story felt disconnected and too all over the place at times; almost as if the chapters were out of place. It was a bit crazy eerie to see the Albany Park neighborhood written about in this book, as my family and I lived there for many years.

Very compelling story with great characters.
Eli will do anything to protect his family when the Germans take over their town, even if it means having to trust the traitor, Max Poleski. When Max betrays him and his family all disappear, he vows revenge, even if it takes the rest of his life