An escaped slave living in Philadelphia posing as a housemade befriends a wealthy young black woman who is an active member of an anti-slavery group--but when her still enslaved cousin comes to the city and asks for help, they two women need to decide how much they are willing to risk.

I appreciated learning about this interesting period in the anti-slavery movement in Philadelphia. The story however lacked authenticity like the feel and dialogue of the time and dragged on without enough tension.

Nell, a free black woman from a prominent family in Philadelphia befriends Charlotte, a house maid new to the city. While Nell tries to encourage Charlotte to join abolitionist movements, she's hesitant to place herself in larger social gathering because she's hiding a secret. When Evie enters the story, Charlotte has to create new elaborate stories to keep her past from leaking the truth. These three women, combined with help from their families, are able to escape their past and push forward in helping the future of the runaway slaves.

This was book, though the characters and storylines are imagined, the events could have possibly taken place. Philadelphia was a mixed ground for free born black people, runaway fugitives and slaves visiting the city with their masters. And the Pennsylvania Hall center a meeting ground for abolitionist meetings, it was a bustling city, somewhere you could blend in.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

A fascinating debut telling of the lives of three black women in pre-Civil war Philadelphia, the runaway slave posing as a housemaid to her white passing father, the socialite social activist, and the runaway slave fleeing her mistress. During the story we learn the risks people are willing to take for others, themselves and for the future generations. It is also a story of adversity and strength. I enjoyed that it had a bit of everything you want in a good read, including the sisterhood these three women share, secrets, and also a bit of romance. It had a strong ending which I found both satisfying and enjoyable. I enjoyed this debut and will look forward to future books by this author. I highly recommend to those who enjoy historical fiction.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I hope many people read this book not just for the fascinating and troubling (and inspiring) slice of Philadelphia Black history it excavates, but because of the way the writer makes these long ago scenes and ideas feel fresh and relevant!

Charlotte, a fugitive slave has run with her father to pre-Civil war Philadelphia. The fresh start they are both hoping for proves to be more difficult to obtain than either of them thought, but Charlotte's father is able to find some success as furniture carpenter that caters to the elite of the city. Meanwhile Charlotte's freedom isn't as free as she had expected. At a freedom rally in the city she meets Nell.

Nell is an affluent member of Philadelphia freed black society and as such has been raised knowing only the best that freedom has to offer, while never suffering as the majority of her race has. She is aware of the unfairness most of her race have suffered and is eager to do her bit to raise awareness about those that are still enslaved down south.

Evie an enslaved woman tied to Charlotte's past is visiting Philadelphia with her mistress and eagerly wants to escape the cruel life she is forced to live. Her attempt to escape and gain her own freedom causes all three women to be inextricably linked in a way that none of them could have ever foreseen.

My goodness this book was everything I love about a historical fiction. The heartbreaking situations that the characters continued to find themselves in were truly heartrending and thought provoking.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of the E-book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting story-don't miss the author's note at the end! I will read more from this author. However, the one thing I didn't love was that the writing seemed very YA to me. That's not a bad thing, but I wasn't expecting that. It's most marketed as a YA book, so I was surprised. However, with that being said, I will read more from this author.

This book was astonishing - beautiful writing, evocative and stunning, masterful storytelling even though this is a debut novel !
Ashton Lattimore wrote a story following three young Black women in Philadelphia in 1837.
There’s Charlotte, a former slave whose father took her on his escape from a Maryland Plantation in decay only to fashion her into his servant and housemaid in Philadelphia while he passes as a white carpenter and cabinetmaker. The city at least gives her the option to befriend Nell, the daughter of one of Philadelphia’s wealthy Black families. Nell sees the need to do more for enslaved people than her parents’ donations but her parents are worried and those worries are not unfounded in a city that still regularly sees race riots. The third of the women Evie is a slave brought to Philadelphia attend to her mistress’ needs. As the lives of these three women intertwine the story unfolds. Their fight to secure a better future, to end to slavery and help those enslaved was inspiring. I loved how much I learned about life in Philadelphia at the time, as a symbol of freedom that did not want to upset traveling slave owners the mix of people was astonishing- I learned a lot from reading the book and the google deep dives the book sent me on. If you read this book, don’t skip the author’s note at the back. There are a good number of historical facts and historical persons built into the story that I didn’t realize until reading her notes.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books (Random House) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review..

I normally do not like Historical Fiction books. I did really enjoy this book. Great storyline and I did read it in one day! I would definitely recommend this book.

A historical fiction novel of three Black women in the the pre-Civil War period set in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There many Blacks were free at that time. However, prejudices and segregation were also present. I learned of the 6 month rule where slaves would be freed if they were in Pennsylvania for 6 months. Very well written, good character development. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 4.5 Stars

The Color Purple for the modern age. This novel reveals thrilling portion of the civil war that is left often untold. Cant want to see what else Lattimore creates.

An enslaved father and his daughter fled to Philadelphia to escape slavery. On the journey the father realized he was light enough to pass. In passing. he felt he could lead a better life, and to explain his daughter who was darker, she was to be his housemaid.

This is an easy but enlightening read. In Philadelphia, there were abolitionist organizations, yet there were still enslaved people as well as free Blacks. This book allowed the reader to experience how all of these different people of color were treated. I’m glad I read this one.

Charlotte and her father escape slavery in the south to live as a white man and his African-American maid in Philadelphia. He is fearful of being discovered as an escaped slave, so he does not like it when he finds out that Charlotte is spending time out in the city with abolitionist women such as her new friend Nell, a free black young woman from a prosperous family. Charlotte's life gets further complicated by the arrival of Evie, her friend from the White Oaks plantation, brought to Philadelphia by their plantation mistress Kate. Evie wants Charlotte to help her escape, but Charlotte cannot let her father know. She enlists the help of Nell and Nell's friend Alex. Things become desperate when Kate unexpectedly walks in the door of Charlotte's home to attend a dinner party hosted by Charlotte's father.
The novel is set during the time of the construction of Pennsylvania Hall, completed in 1837 with funding from abolitionist and women's rights groups so that reformist ideas could be freely discussed by blacks and women who were unable to do so in other venues. The novel discusses slavery, the underground railroad, riots, the disparity between Philadelphian whites, free blacks of wealth and working class free blacks, friendship and the love of a father trying to do the best he can for his daughter.
I learned things about Philadelphia's history I had not known and felt compassion for the characters who were trying to make better lives for themselves and others. Author Lattimore has written an engaging, inspiring novel for readers of historical fiction and women's fiction.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this egalley.

All We Were Promised by Ashton Lattimore focuses on three Black women in 1837 Philadelphia. Nell is a free, upper-middle class young woman living with her parents in a wealthy Black neighborhood. Charlotte and her father James escaped from a Maryland plantation and James now passes as white and is becoming a successful furnitures maker while Charlotte acts as his house servant. Nell befriends Charlotte and introduces her to the abolitionist movement. Evie is brought to Philadelphia by her evil mistress who was James and Charlotte’s owner. Nell and Charlotte get into danger when trying to free Evie.
Lattimore captures the fears and yearnings of these women well in this debut. While it isn’t perfect, it’s a captivating portrait of a neglected era and the plight of Blacks in the north before the Civil War.

I've never read a pre-Civil War historical fiction before—I'm so glad All We Were Promised was my first. Ashton Lattimore handled this story with so much respect and care and love it was breathtaking. This is a historically accurate depiction of Philadelphia during the 1830s, and Philadelphia felt so alive and vibrant despite the violence and cruelty shown in the City of Brotherly Love. I'm from South Jersey so I'm super familiar with Philly and its history, but I honestly have not ever had the pleasure of learning about the history of the Black Americans there, even as a Black American myself. I feel like over the years, like many historical figures and groups, their actual treatment of Black people was very different from what we learned in school. We learned that all abolitionists fought tooth and nail for the freedom of enslaved Black Americans—in reality, anti-slavery meetings often were impactless and abolitionists put forth no real effort to be serious about the work they claimed to set forth to do. This is behavior we can also perceive in the current climate with white American-led freedom groups and ally efforts.

This book was so beautiful. It took my breath away.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for providing an ARC!

"All We Were Promised" takes readers on a journey through the tumultuous landscape of Philadelphia in 1837, where slavery still reverberated despite the promis of liberty. Charlotte, the resilient protagonist, grapples with the complexities of freedom as she navigates a city fraught with danger and deception.

The novel explores themes of identity, belonging and the relentless pursuit of freedom in a society rife with prejudice and oppression. Charlotte's struggle to reconcile her newfound freedom with the constraints of her past is difficult, as she grapples with the ghosts of her former life while forging a new path forward.

The reader sees a world teetering on the brink of change, where alliances are forged and broken amidst the chaos of race riots and abolitionists. The friendships she forms, particularly with Nell, a fellow seeker of justice, and Evie, a reminder of the bonds forged in adversity are both heartwarming and heart- wrenching.

Ashton Lattimore attention to detail leads us to opulent homes in Philadelpha's elite to the squalid alleys where danger lurks at every turn. The setting is brought to life and serves as a backdrop to Charotte's quest for freedom and autonomy. The book is a tale of resilience, courage, and the enduing power of friendship in the face of adversity. This is a good book that will resonate long after the final page is turned.

I would like to thank NetGalley for an advance copy of "All We Were Promised." #NetGalley #AllWeWerePromised #AshtonLattimore

An interesting topic that has been under-represented in writing.

Well written by a promising author. I will try to write a more in-depth review at a later time.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. #sponsored

I enjoyed the writing style and the pacing was perfect. The characters were interesting and memorable. I really enjoyed this and I would recommend this! Special Thank you to Ashton Latimore, Random House and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the story of three women in 1837 Philadelphia - a free black woman from the cream of free black society, an escaped slave posing as a servant of her father who is passing as a white carpenter, and a slave girl brought north by her owner and desperate to escape.
This is as much a story of abolition and the city of Philadelphia as of the three women, because their fates all lie with the results of very mixed motives and principles warring with each other. The strong movement for Abolition was often met by violence and race riots, and made being black - free or slave - very dangerous.
The story takes a while to develop, and seems slower than it should be for such riveting subject matter, but eventually picks up and takes off. The characters are engaging, well-developed and distinctive, and are the main force that drive the narrative. While I felt immersed in the Philadelphia of the period, I didn't feel so much so with the people. I felt I was looking through modern eyes, not people of the period. It was good, but a little disappointing.

All We Were Promised is a historical fiction novel set in Philadelphia 1837 (before the Civill War). Charlotte and her father, James, escape slavery in the South and start a new life. where they are free Charlotte becomes heavily involved in the abolitionist movement in Philadelphia where she befriends Nell. But, when someone from their past appears in the city, their security is threatened.

What a beautifully crafted and unique story! I loved the fierce female leads and always appreciate learning something about our history that I did not previously know (for example - how slave owners would send the enslaved blacks back and forth across lines in order to avoid letting them become free - called the "loop hole" rule). It accurately depicts how, even in the North life was dangerous for Blacks. This is what I would call "historical fiction light" as it isn't too heavy or graphic but still an important story for people to read.

This debut author’s foray into a less-examined period in historical novels is not to be missed. “All We Were Promised” is set in late 1830s Philadelphia and features three strong black women in various stages along the slave-to-free continuum. Nell, who has always been free, is from one of Philadelphia’s black elite families. Charlotte escaped several years ago from a rundown Maryland plantation. Her father, a skilled craftsman, is “passing” but nevertheless treats his darker-skinned daughter as his house maid in furtherance of his ruse. And Evie, a slave from the same plantation as Charlotte, is on an extended visit to Philadelphia as lady’s maid to her master’s widow.

Charlotte and Evie discover one another in the marketplace. Evie seeks Charlotte’s aid in helping her escape before her mistress returns south. Charlotte, who met Nell at a literary group, enlists her assistance in arranging safe houses for Evie. The young women encounter various obstacles in carrying out their plan, not the least of which is a growing backlash against abolitionist activities, culminating in the burning of Pennsylvania Hall a few days after it opened.

New to me was the portrayal of some within the antislavery movement who preferred to stick with relatively tame activities. Nell had friends who were content to host lectures and fundraising events, but wanted nothing to do with actually assisting a fugitive slave: “direct action isn’t our place … we’re working to change the law, not break it” was their rationale.

Nell must decide whether she will be active or passive within the abolition movement. Charlotte must decide what to do about her role as her father’s servant, and Evie must weigh the risk of running away. Tension builds as each woman makes life-changing decisions. I look forward to future novels from this captivating author.