Eli’s Promise
Let me start out by saying I became a Ronald Balson fan after I read Once We Were Brothers. Since then I have read every book this author has written. With that said, I was very happy to receive an invitation to read and review his newest novel, Eli’s Promise.
As the synopsis says, the novel plays out in three time periods and locations. Poland in 1941 under German occupation, a Displaced Person Camp in Germany in 1946 and Chicago in 1965. Eli, the main character has a turbulent relationship with Max who promised to keep his family safe during the war in exchange of increasing amount of bribes. Max is as crooked as they come, always trying to profit from other’s misfortune. He surfaces again after the war, selling US visas to survivors desperate to get to America. He develops yet another scheme in Chicago in the 1960’s. Eli wants revenge as he broke his promise to him and his family. Novels in multiple time frames are always tricky, and I felt this novel with the constant back and forth felt choppy.
I deeply cared for all the characters in the first two time periods, however I was much less interested in what happened in Chicago.
The ending was very abrupt and disappointing. Overall maybe 3.5 stars, rounded down.
Thanks NetGalley , St. Martin’s press and Ronald Balson for the advanced copy.

I have been a fan of Balson's books, and I was happy to get the opportunity to read an advance copy of his latest. As always, it was well-written and suspenseful. The book bounced between three time periods: during the Nazi occupation in Poland, post-war in a displacement camp, and in 1965 in Chicago. I liked this new format, but I found myself wishing that the author had minimized the Holocaust portion about which we're all too familiar and had focused more on the post-war periods. The Holocaust portion offered nothing new; it reminded me a lot of his earlier book, Once We Were Brothers. I would have been more interested in the displacement camps. I guess I've just read too many books about the Holocaust!

Eli’s Promise

A Promise Kept

A family in Poland, Eli, Esther, and their son Izaak were living a happy life until the Nazis invaded Poland. The story that will be told within the pages of this book should never have happened, but it did. The story, although fiction, has actually been based on actual places , happenings, and military personnel. Sadly people like those described on the book actually existed.

As things steadily worsened for the Jewish people after the Nazis took over Poland they still had hope that if they waited it out things would get better and the Nazis would leave. Unfortunately for most of them they did not survive to see this come about.

The story is about one family and one man in particular, Eli. He made a promise to his son that someday he would take him to America. He waited too long by trusting an untrustworthy man named Maximilian who promised to keep his family safe and failed to do so. By the time Eli decided to flee with his family it was too late, his wife Esther had been sent to a prison camp.

The story begins with the liberation by the Americans of the prison camp where Eli and Izaak were sent and their rescue. It goes back and tells the story of their life before the Nazis and living under occupation. They lived everyday with these horrors by their love and will to survive. You will be taken to the displaced persons camp after they were liberated without Esther because he did not know where she was sent. Finally these pages will take you to Chicago and an investigation to finally catch Maximilian and make him pay for his crimes.

I did not write the story here, you must read it for yourself. It is tragic but at the same time there is love between the family, the father and son and so many others before and after the occupation.

It is a horrible story about an equally horrible time in history. Even amongst the atrocities against the Jewish people by the Nazis there is such a beautiful story of a closeness that only love can bind in a family.

This story will stay with you for a long time and you will remember from reading it that even amongst the darkest times the light of hope and love still shines through.

It was a beautiful story and I will remember it. I think you should read it, I highly recommend it.

Thanks to Ronald H. Balson, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for granting my wish and allowing me to read an advance copy of the book.

Eli's Promise by Ronald H. Balson is a book that had me in knots.
The story deals with sensitive subject and is not for the faint of heart, consider you warned.
The storyline is set in the 1945 in Germany. WWII is over, Germany has capitulated and Buchenwald was freed from the US Army. What nobody expected was the devastation and circumstances in the CCs.
Eli's promise is not easy to stomach, but so worth reading. It's a window to a dark time and a dark place. A story of hurt, death, but also hope, starting over and second chances, excellent written and thought out. 4,5 Stars.

I have read all of Ronald Balson’s previous books and I was delighted to receive an early copy of his newest book. Eli’s Promise focus on Eli Rosen and his life during Ww2 and afterwards. I felt that the book started strongly and had great potential. However, as the story went I lost connection interest in the characters and plot. I felt that the ending was particularly disappointing.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC

This book was so good. I didn't to put it down! The characters were well rounded, and the storyline sucked you into it and made you feel like you were really there. The author did an great job telling this story.

All I can say about this book is WOW! What a truly remarkable, heartbreaking and extraordinary story of a very sad time. Ronald Balson did it justice with the characters and plot. The 3 time periods flowed flawlessly. Would definitely recommend this book.

I have read every book by this author and the newest one did not disappoint
Ronald Balson writes about the Holocaust and you are totally involved in the people who lived and died through these horrible events.
In Eli’s Promise we read about the Rosen family
And all they had to endure.
It’s an excellent historical novel.