We Hope For Better Things by Erin Bartels

"We Hope For Better Things" by Erin Bartels is about a journalist Elizabeth Balsam who has been asked by an elderly man to return an important item of a relative of hers, she has never known about.  While she is learning about the man connected to her elderly relative, she also learns even more about her family history.  One part of the story takes place in modern times, one part takes place in the mid-1960's and the other part takes place in the mid-1860's.  Each chapter takes place in the one of the different eras which is a feature I really enjoy because then it is much easier to follow the different story lines.   Each story was so powerful and good that I could not out the book down just so I could finish each story to find out what would happen.  Truthfully each story could have been their own bookmaking this a series with one in 1860's, one in 1960's and one in the present.  This book deals with racism, love, betrayal, and lost in an era which makes it a very powerful book.  I highly recommend this as it was a great novel and I am glad it was my first book to read in 2019.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell a division of Baker Publishing Group.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.