{"product_id":"we-hope-for-better-things-9780800734916","title":"We Hope for Better Things","description":"\u003cb\u003eA 2020 Michigan Notable Book\u003cbr\u003e2020 WFWA Star Award Winner\u003cbr\u003e2019 Christy Award finalist\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e***\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"In this powerful first novel . . . Bartels successfully weaves American history into a deeply moving story of heartbreak, long-held secrets, and the bonds of family.\"--\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e, Starred Review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"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. . . .Compelling characters make this winning debut also appealing for fans of general historical fiction.\"--\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Bartels' debut tells the story of three Balsam women, each of a different era, told against the backdrop of racism and violence in America. . . .will appeal to fans of faith-based women's fiction authors like Colleen Coble.\"--\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e*****\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen \u003ci\u003eDetroit Free Press\u003c\/i\u003e 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. But when she loses her job after a botched investigation, she suddenly finds herself with nothing but time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt her great-aunt's 150-year-old farmhouse north of Detroit, Elizabeth uncovers a series of mysterious items, locked doors, and hidden graves. 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. And as Elizabeth soon discovers, the past is never as past as we might like to think.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDebut 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e*****\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eWe Hope for Better Things\u003c\/i\u003e has it all: fabulous storytelling, an emotional impact that lingers long after you turn the last page, and a setting that immerses you. I haven't read such a powerful, moving story since I read \u003ci\u003eTo Kill a Mockingbird\u003c\/i\u003e in high school. This book will change how you look at the world we live in. Highly recommended \"--\u003cb\u003eColleen Coble\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eUSAToday\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of the Rock Harbor series and \u003ci\u003eThe View from Rainshadow Bay\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"A timely exploration of race in America, \u003ci\u003eWe Hope for Better Things\u003c\/i\u003e is an exercise of empathy that will shape many a soul.\"--\u003cb\u003eJulie Cantrell\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003ePerennials\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I applaud  Erin's] courage, her authenticity, her beautiful turn of phrase, the freshness of her imagery, and the depth of her story that speaks to a contemporary world where understanding is often absent. \u003ci\u003eWe Hope for Better Things \u003c\/i\u003eis a remarkable debut novel.\"--\u003cb\u003eJane Kirkpatrick\u003c\/b\u003e, award-winning author of \u003ci\u003eEverything She Didn't Say\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Erin Bartels's \u003ci\u003eWe Hope for Better Things s\u003c\/i\u003ehares the joys and sorrows of three women from different generations. A roller coaster of emotions awaits as you share the lives of these women and hope along with them for better things.\"--\u003cb\u003eAnn H. Gabhart\u003c\/b\u003e, bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eRiver to Redemption\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Storytelling at its finest. Erin Bartels delivers a riveting story of forbidden love, family bonds, racial injustice, and the power of forgiveness. \u003ci\u003eWe Hope for Better Things\u003c\/i\u003e is a timely, sobering, moving account of how far we've come . . . and how much distance remains to be covered. A compulsively readable, incredibly powerful novel.\"--\u003cb\u003eLori Nelson Spielman\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Life List\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"There is the Detroit we think we know, and there is the Detroit full of stories that are never brought to the forefront. With \u003ci\u003eWe Hope for Better Things\u003c\/i\u003e, Erin Bartels brings full circle an understanding of contemporary Detroit firmly rooted in the past, with enthralling characters and acute attention to detail. It's a must not just for Detroit lovers but also for those who need to understand that Detroit history is also American history.\"--\u003cb\u003eAaron Foley\u003c\/b\u003e, city of Detroit's chief storyteller and editor of \u003ci\u003eThe Detroit Neighborhood Guidebook\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eErin Bartels\u003c\/b\u003e is the award-winning author of \u003ci\u003eWe Hope for Better Things\u003c\/i\u003e (2020 Michigan Notable Book, 2020 WFWA Star Award-winner, 2019 Christy Award finalist), \u003ci\u003eThe Words between Us\u003c\/i\u003e (2020 Christy Award finalist, 2015 WFWA Rising Star Award finalist), and \u003ci\u003eAll That We Carried\u003c\/i\u003e. Her short story, \"This Elegant Ruin,\" was a finalist in the \u003ci\u003eSaturday Evening Post \u003c\/i\u003eGreat American Fiction Contest in 2014, and her poetry has been published by \u003ci\u003eThe Lyric\u003c\/i\u003e. A publishing professional for nearly twenty years, she lives in Lansing, Michigan, with her husband, Zachary, and their son. Find her online at www.erinbartels.com.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Fleming H. Revell Company","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50632112308498,"sku":"9780800734916","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_097b5456-da67-4878-be55-59d519a03a64.jpg?v=1732789515","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/we-hope-for-better-things-9780800734916","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}