We Hope for Better Things

DEBUT Fresh voice Bartels writes about three generations of women in Detroit, MI, as they navigate the muddy waters of the civil rights era, the Underground Railroad, and current times. Elizabeth Balsam is a reporter at the Detroit Free Press, until she screws up an investigation and finds herself out of a job. When she meets James Rich, he starts her on a search for a relation she didn't know she had. The mysteries that surround her at her great-aunt's farmhouse bring her reeling into the past, as she finds graves and photographs that uncover decades-old secrets. A forbidden interracial marriage, an escaped slave, an expectant mother waiting for her Union soldier to return--all of these stories are deftly told by Bartels, as she explores the hard realities of racism and its many faces during various eras of American history. VERDICT The themes of this novel are much needed within Christian fiction. Compelling characters make this winning debut also appealing for fans of general historical fiction.--Julia M. Reffner, North Chesterfield, VA

January 1, 2019
Elizabeth Balsam is an established journalist at the Detroit Free Press, the preeminent newspaper of Motor City. But when her investigation into the 1967 riots costs Elizabeth her job, she is forced to look at the direction her life is taking and consider whether it's the right one. Contemplating her next move, she moves in with her great-aunt Nora, a woman burdened with a heavy heart. As Elizabeth learns more about Nora and her own family's history, she comes to realize that maybe the road she is on is the one God had intended for her all along. Bartels' debut tells the story of three Balsam women, each of a different era, told against the backdrop of racism and violence in America. Though some of their paths lead to forbidden love, heartbreak, and even death, the women's stories of love, hope, and inspiration will appeal to fans of faith-based women's-fiction authors like Colleen Coble.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)