I struggle with just how to put this book into words. A more heart wrenching Holocaust book will be hard to find. The books from this era about people who were persecuted at the whim of people and a country, tears my heart in pieces. This book did that and then some. All readers know there are books that stay with you long after you finish turning the pages. This will go down as one of them for me!

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Ronald Balson has written a story that will stay with the reader for some time. It is a story that had me questioning if it was based on real life events and by that alone I think shows the quality of writing and storytelling.

This is a story of a husband in Poland during WW2 and in Chicago in 1965. I found that this was a unique combination of timelines and locations in addition to the male point of view. The WW2 historical fiction books that I tend to read are most often written by women and have a woman as the main character. I enjoyed Balson's style and POV. This was a fast-paced book especially in the Chicago setting which made me not willing to put the book down.

There were a few things in the story that made me question the feasibility which is the only reason that I gave this story 4 stars and not 5.

I received an ARC of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

What an excellent and important book! Thank you for the Net Galley copy, as well as the audio copy (I read the audio and thought it was fantastic narration). I can't speak highly enough for this excellent read.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Publishing for the complimentary copy of Eli's Promise in exchange for my thoughts.

I'm qualifying my review because I believe that the timing was off for me on this book. I very much enjoy Ronald Balson's writing, but perhaps it's simply the times right now that made engaging with this book difficult. Perhaps I wasn't ready for the emotional pull the story has, nor the reality of the times. Nazi-themed reading can be unsettling, and I had some trouble following the timeline shifts. I'm sure that for many this will be a compelling historical fiction read.

Sadly, this was not my favorite book. I have read so many excellent WWII books so I was intrigued by the plot of this. I applaud the author for taking on this subject matter and following through with story. However, from the beginning I was not hooked and found my mind wandering while reading, which is never a good sign. Part of the problem was the alternating time periods, which I had difficulty understanding. I have read many books with this device but this time it just felt clunky and abrupt. I urge other readers to give this a shot and form their own opinions, as this story will potentially appeal to many. It just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.
Eli's Promise is historical fiction and though it begins in Poland at the beginning of WWII, the author says in the acknowledgments that this is a story of greed and corruption. To that end, the story takes place in three different times: beginning with the polish Jews in Poland, to the camps that the Allies set up after the war was won but no country was accepting Jews and finally to Chicago in 1966. Most of the main characters show up in all three.

I believe Mr. Balson has written a number of books and, reading some of the reviews, he has quite a following. I thought the writing itself not to be great. There were moments I winced and thought it was juvenile writing. However, it wasn't bad enough to stop me reading. The plot was terrific and the research that Mr. Balson and his team did is quite amazing. I know alot about WWII and had no idea about the camps that the Jews had to call home for at least two years until some country would allow them in or Israel became a valid country.

I also appreciated the day by day feeling of living in the beginning of the war and not knowing what would happen next. Some people saw the worst coming and others hoped they could live through it without too much upset. It's a quality needed to truly understand how decisions get made.

I also was not aware of the amount of money going into contractors' pockets during the jVietnam War. That is naivity on my part. Why would it be any different than the Iraq war, the Afganistan war and all war where defense money flows.

All in all, I enjoyed the book and am glad I read it.

Eli’s Promise by Ronald Balson

Brief Summary: the storyline follows Eli through three time periods. The first is in World War II occupied Poland, where Eli’s business is taken over by Maximilian who is in favor with the Nazi party. In return for running the business, Maximilian agrees to protect the Rosen family. The second time period is post war displaced person camps, where a man named Max is selling visas to the United States illegally. The third time period is in Chicago in the 1960s, where Eli has moved and is on a mission to find his wife who has been missing since the war. I’m a fan of Ronald Balson and have read all of his previous four books.

First of all, it was really strange to read a Balson novel with Catherine and Liam Taggert. This is a stand-alone novel, but without the husband and wife inspector and lawyer team it has such a different feel. I really missed the historical mystery and alternating past and present timelines.

My favorite timeline of this book was WWII Lublin, Poland. I can’t remember another WWII novel where a Jewish family received “protection” from a Nazi sympathizer, though there was certainly profiteering going on. It was very interesting to read about. I will admit the jumping between the timelines was confusing at times. The connection of the third timeline, with the introduction of many new characters, was hard to see at times. I did like hearing about issues associated with veterans and the Vietnam War.

Explanation of Rating: 3.5/5; this is definitely a different feel for what we have come to expect from Balson and the three time period plot was quite ambitious. I enjoyed the WWII timeline in Lublin, Poland the best and I think fans of this genre would find it has something unique to offer.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this novel. This is the first book I have read by this author. This was a very difficult story to read, especially during this pandemic, I probably shouldn't have requested something so stressful. I'm Jewish and I think I've become oversaturated with stories and movies about the holocaust, it is just too awful what happened, such a horrible, terrifying time in history in which evil triumphed for a while and so many millions of innocent people died such horrific deaths. I admired the research and explanation of what the Jews in Poland went through during WWII, even though I knew much of this already. Unfortunately I didn't feel the dialog rang true, and the way the story was plotted didn't work for me, but I give the author kudos for his hard work in writing it.

Eli Rosen ,his father and brother run a construction supply and building materials company in Poland. One day his wife Esther tells him that some of their neighbors are preparing to leave their homes. Word was that the Nazi’s were rounding up the Jews. It was unbelievable. Eli tried very hard to reassure his family that they were safe.
One day a young man showed up at the construction plant offering to protect Eli and his family. Maximillian Poleski had all kinds of contacts and could keep Eli’s family safe for a fee. Very soon neighbors and family were being moved around he area. Nobody really new what to expect. Eli was confident that Max was protecting them. One day the Germans break onto their house and Esther is taken to work in a factory. Max needed more money. Every time a crisis comes up Max is there to reassure Eli that they are safe.
Fast forward twenty years later and Eli is working with the FBI to find out who is corrupting a Congressman. He has heard of a man who sounds very much like his old friend Max but could he be in the United States all of these years later.
This story is a different look at the Holocaust. I really enjoyed reading this and would recommend it.

This was such an emotional read full of hope, love, tragedy and perseverance. It made me cry and it overwhelmed me with Eli’s love for his family. This was a very fast read. Ronald H. Balson has a way of writing that just entrances and captures the reader right from the start. I was a bit skeptical at first about having three different time settings but it was all tied in so beautifully. Books about War World 2 are hard to read sometimes because of the insurmountable tragedies and fates people were faced with. Yet this book really showed you what it means to love in a time of war and that even though you’ve endured such terrific things in your life you still have room for hope. I really liked all the characters and the storyline captivated me. I didn’t want to put this one down. I highly recommend this book. A well deserved 5 stars!
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

Eli’s made several promises to his family that he later finds impossible to keep. So what are the consequences? This story although set during war time, is not your typical holocaust story. It does cover Jewish persecution and suffering but is not a gruesome read like many books set in the same timeframe. The character development is excellent and you find yourself getting very attached to the cast. The suspense builds as the author transport you into the future for the wrap up. Who is Mimi and how does her cast of characters fit into this story, and where are Esther and Max? You keep reading faster and faster because you just HAVE to know. This book was phenomenal and the author is exceptional at his craft. It has suspense, unconditional love and loyalty, historical events and closure all wrapped up in a great story. What a fantastic ride. Loved it. Highly recommend.

A book by Ronald Balson will always rank top priority for me. Eli’s Promise is somewhat different than his other books. I would have to say not my favorite but still a book I would recommend, ranking it 3.75 stars.

The story line takes place in Lublin, Poland during the Holocaust and progresses to an American Displaced person camp in Germany and continues to the 60’s in Albany Park, Chicago during the Vietnam War. You follow Eli the main character
through the entire story as he tries to fulfill his promise.

It is a story of war, corruption and profiteering. During Eli’s time in Poland, Max, a fixer, had promised to keep Eli his wife Esther and his son Isaak safe from the Nazis but at what price? Later in the book Eli is hunting Max, his so called friend, a man with no morals no integrity and no backbone.

A fast paced novel written during a dark, horrific time in our world. It is more about the hunt of a despicable man rather than the actual historical time period. The time period I found most interesting was the time in the displaced person camp because I haven’t read much about the time the survivors spent in these camps. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an Arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. It is now out and worth the read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book. Well written historical fiction with well developed characters with a story that is often heart breaking. The action moves from Nazi occupied Poland during the war to American controlled Poland after the war to Chicago in the Vietnam war. The switch between times was easy to follow but the plot seemed contrived to a certain extent as the coming together of the characters seems too much of a coincidence.
Well researched and deals with the horrors of the occupation. Well written and keeps one engaged throughout.

I love this genre, but I struggled with this book. I couldn't connect with the characters. The plot seemed to zig then zag, which just made it challenging to stay engaged.

"Eli’s Promise" spans three eras-Nazi-occupied Poland, the American Zone of post-war Germany, and Chicago at the height of the Vietnam War. Each era involves Eli Rosen seeking justice from Max, a "fixer" who betrayed Eli and his family during WWII.
One thing I really like about this book is that it tells a story about WWII from a different perspective. I knew about the death camps but not about the camps in the American Zone after the war, and I appreciated reading about that era.
Some of the dialogue and action are a bit forced. The alternating timelines is also a bit confusing in places.
The story doesn't have a neat ending, but it's mostly satisfying. I appreciate the author's notes about his inspiration for writing the novel and which parts/characters are based on real-life places/characters.
Note: some profanity and violence

When reading a good book, I may get goosebumps on occasion at different points, but rarely do I end the book with goosebumps.

Eli's Promise left me with goosebumps. The last few sentences were perfect. The story overall is a moving testament to a frightful and tragic time. It is one take on a period in history that has been written about over and over, and yet it takes us somewhere unprecedented. One man's story among many that invites us into an intimate and personal heartache. Balson commits to immersing his readers in themes that transcend paper pages - uncertainty, hard work, love, community and infallible hope.

The prose is simple, clear and direct. It is an easy read which makes it easy to fall into the story without getting bogged down in heavy or complicated language. The characters are strong and easy to empathize with. The reader remains hopeful walking alongside Eli, holding their breath at almost every moment and wishing for a fulfilling, full-circle ending.

I usually do not enjoy stories that time travel, but Balson masters the art - revealing the beginning and end, leaving readers hungry for what happens in the middle, which is precisely where this story takes you. It strikes at the heart.

I recommend this book to readers of all ages without hesitation.

Another great book from Ronald Balson. If you liked Once We Were Brothers, you will enjoy this even more. There are several stories within the story, but I was intrigued by the post war camps, as many historical WWII novels about the holocaust do not deal with that setting. Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy.

Having read two previous works by the author and being familiar with his writing style, I was excited to dive into this one.

We are following our main character Eli with his family through three separate timelines- Lublin, Poland 1939, Fohrenwald Displaced Persons Camp, American Zone 1946, and Albany Park, Chicago 1965.

In each of these timelines, he encounters Maximillian Poleski, a man comfortable with the Nazi’s, accepting money from Jewish families with the hope that he will protect them. Max ends up crossing a lot of Nazi’s and is believed to be dead by Eli. After the war, while Eli and his young son are in the American displaced persons camp, he hears that a man is selling authentic but very illegal American visas to displaced persons willing to pay a hefty price tag for their ticket to America. Eli believes this person is Max, the same man he entrusted his wife’s safety to, a wife who has yet turned up. In ‘60’s Chicago, Eli is undercover investigating a shady but prominent figure of Chicago society.

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I didn’t love this book as much as his previous two books I’ve read. I felt like the plot twists were very lackluster, and the main male character reads exactly the same as his previous male character- especially Ben from Once We Were Brothers.
What I enjoy most about Balson’s writing is his ability to build up tension through the story to create a well thought out ending. He also writes easily personable characters, people you would love to know and have a conversation with.
The plot of this book was ok, I was a little less intrigued by it compared to his other books, however, I still did enjoy the time I spent reading this and will be looking forward to future works.
A solid 3 stars.

**ARC provided by St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've read and enjoyed Balson's books before but this one was a bit of a disappointment for me. It's a compelling story with good characters, but the constant jumping around in times was distracting and decreased the enjoyment for me. It's still a worthwhile read, but the lack of smoothness hurt it somewhat.

# Eli's Promise# by Ronald H. Balson is an outstanding historical fiction book. Ron has written several historical fiction books. He received the National Jewish Book award. He is an attorney practicing at Stone, Progrund and Korey in Chicago. He has been an adjunct professor of law at the University of Chicago for twenty- five years. He has traveled internationally for his law practice. His traveling has given him the inspiration for his novels. In 2000 He went to Warsaw and Southern Poland for with a telecommunications lawsuit. While He was on that trip He was very moved by the statues from World War II and got the inspiration to write these historical fiction books. This book is a masterpiece and hard to put down. It spans three decades Nazi occupied Poland, the American zone of post war Germany and Chicago during the height of the Vietnam War. The characters are beautifully described. Eli Rosen's family owns a construction company in Lubin . His family are allowed to continue the construction company but He must follow his orders from the Nazi's . He is thrown in the difficulties of seeing how the Jews around him are being treated. Eli is a kind , caring man and very devoted to his family. The reader will be moved by the characters. It is hard to put the book down. The trauma of World War II continues to move forward quickly and Eli's family are so affected . The themes of loss, injustice are all through the book. The reader will feel as if they have stepped into the each of the decades of the story. I felt moved by what the readers were going through. Thank you to the publisher, the author and netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. It is outstanding. The opinions are my own.