"In this powerful first novel . "We Hope for Better Things has it all: fabulous storytelling, an emotional impact that lingers long aft.
Debut novelist Erin Bartels takes readers on an emotional journey through time--from the volatile streets of 1960s Detroit to the Michigan\'s Underground Railroad during the Civil War--to uncover the past, confront the seeds of hatred, and discover where love goes to hide.
And as Elizabeth soon discovers, the past is never as past as we might like to think.
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.
At her great-aunt\'s 150-year-old farmhouse north of Detroit, Elizabeth uncovers a series of mysterious items, locked doors, and hidden graves.
But when she loses her job after a botched investigation, she suddenly finds herself with nothing but time. .will appeal to fans of faith-based women\'s fiction authors like Colleen Coble."--Booklist When Detroit Free Press reporter Elizabeth Balsam meets James Rich, his strange request--that she look up a relative she didn\'t know she had in order to deliver an old camera and a box of photos--seems like it isn\'t worth her time. . . .
Compelling characters make this winning debut also appealing for fans of general historical fiction."--Library Journal "Bartels\' debut tells the story of three Balsam women, each of a different era, told against the backdrop of racism and violence in America. . .
Bartels successfully weaves American history into a deeply moving story of heartbreak, long-held secrets, and the bonds of family."--Publishers Weekly, Starred Review "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. . . "In this powerful first novel
