We Hope for Better Things

Author: Erin Bartels
Genre: Mystery/Suspense

The past is never as past as we'd like to think

When journalist Elizabeth Balsam is asked to deliver a box of old photos to a relative she didn't know she had, the strange request seems like it isn't worth her time. But as she explores her great-aunt's farmhouse with its locked doors and hidden graves, she soon discovers just how dramatically some of the most newsworthy events of the previous two centuries shaped her own family. As she searches for answers to the riddles around her, the remarkable stories of two women who lived in this very house emerge as testaments to love, resilience, and courage in the face of war, racism, and misunderstanding.

Take an emotional journey through time--from the volatile streets of 1960s Detroit to Michigan's Underground Railroad during the Civil War--to uncover the past, confront the seeds of hatred, and discover where love goes to hide.

---

Reviewer: Caroline Star

I've never read a book by Erin Bartels, and I hadn't even heard of her until now. However, all of my reviewer friends have rated We Hope For Better Things 4+ stars, so I had high expectations for this book. Unfortunately, they were not met.

I don't want to be harsh, but I feel like the cover was the best element of this book. It's absolutely gorgeous and I love the canvas-like texture of it, and I think the designers did a good job capturing the setting of this book.

I felt like the characters and plot really lacked in this book. Right from that start, I was very bored, and each time I put the book down I didn't feel the need to pick it back up at all. I didn't feel as if I could relate to the characters much at all, and the dual timeline made the book hard to follow overall. Elizabeth, the main character, didn't seem to have much of a driving force, or reason, in finding her relative, which contributed to the book feeling dry. 

The writing style was okay--I did find it to flow in most areas, but I felt like in some places Bartels didn't properly explain what happened and just jumped straight to the next part. Most people would probably enjoy her writing style, but it just wasn't for me. I did find that the Christian theme seemed to be strong for the most part, and the characters did have a fairly realistic walk with God where they had real struggles. 

Overall, I just didn't enjoy this book. There were a couple of good scenes, but I personally won't be rereading this book again because of how dry it was in general. 

Book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing.

---

---

Reviewer: Susan Poll

Wow! I don’t know how to find the words to form a review.

Emotionally gripping, gritty reality, forgiveness, bitterness and love all rolled into a smooth flowing and beautiful story. A tale we all need to read and sink into our hearts the reality of what goes on around us that we may or may not turn a blind eye to.

Three different eras of love and life with the ups and downs that intertwine throughout all these generations. Civil war, Detroit riots and current city issues were so well done and detailed here. I loved how this author made it all come to life and sprinkled the romance into it. I know I will re-read this over again! A much loved bookshelf keeper for its depth and gripping emotions.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing.

---

---

Reviewer: Cortney Donelson

In We Hope for Better Things, Erin Bartel weaves three stories from three generations into one compelling and enlightening narrative. We first meet Elizabeth Balsom in a trying season of her career. After losing her job and accepting a personal assignment from a stranger, Elizabeth embarks on a journey that will ultimately change her life forever. 

On this journey, she not only meets an aunt she never knew about (Great-Aunt Nora) but agrees to stay with Nora and tend to her garden and house as she seeks to discern what to do next with her life. Elizabeth has two other, secretive purposes for staying with Nora–assess her aging aunt to ensure she's capable of living alone on the huge farm, and give her a camera with a decidedly poignant but hidden story behind it. As that story unravels, the author takes us further back in time to the generation where it all began. Mary Balsom was a strong and compassionate woman, living in the mid-1800's, whose difficult decisions related to race, society, and relationships changed the course of the Balsom family's future forever. 

Family history is always a fascinating journey, and this fictional novel delivers with what amounts to three engaging memoirs in one. It's heart-wrenching, thought-provoking, and eye-opening to the human condition, tackling some of the social injustices and cultural expectations of the past and present. 

5 (and a half!) stars for We Hope for Better Things. It was the perfect book to read and review in February as our country honors Black History Month, but it's a real treasure for any reader for any month of the year.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing.

---

---

Reviewer: Rebecca Maney

"The past is never as past as we'd like to think."

Following an investigative assignment gone awry, Detroit Free Press reporter Elizabeth Balsom finds herself without a job and handed with a nearly impossible possibility; tracking down an elusive great aunt in order to assuage the guilt of a total stranger. What kind of story did this camera preserve? Why is James Rich so adamant that Nora Balsom would be interested in reclaiming it? And why won't he deliver it himself?

Out of that bizarre lunch encounter, not one but two stories emerge, that of her Aunt Nora (on the verge of losing her recollections to dementia) and that of the long ago inhabitants of the house Aunt Nora calls home. It seems that the more things change, the more they stay the same. . . .or is there hope for a better way?

When it comes to the issue of racial divides and unfair social mores, generations have felt the impact of discrimination. This book bravely sorts through a family history that repeats itself, and yet at the same time inspires a different outcome. ​

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing.

---