A beautiful story of three generations of remarkable women and the men they love
A beautiful story of three generations of remarkable women and the men they love. Using the settings of the Michigan Underground Railroad during the Civil War and the violent Detroit riots of the 1960s, two interracial couples embrace love in spite of society’s racism.
Detroit journalist Elizabeth Balsam is approached by James Rich and asked to find a relative unknown to her to deliver an old camera and photographs that have been in the possession of Mr. Rich. Elizabeth is reluctant to get involved until suddenly she is fired from the newspaper she worked for. Now she has plenty of time on her hands.
Elizabeth tracks down Nora and makes her acquaintance. Soon she is moving into her elderly relative’s 150-year-old farmhouse. She is soon captivated by the house – as was I - and her inquisitive nature leads her to exploring this house that is sheltering two generations of secrets. A locked trunk, beds lined up in the attic, a locked room, gravestone markers buried in the garden. Elizabeth is the link between generations to draw out the stories of Mary and Nora. And she also finds love with Tyrese.
Mary Balsam is strong and admirable. It is 1861 and her husband Nathaniel leaves her to fight in the Civil War. Escaped African American slave George soon enters her life. In Nathaniel’s absence Mary and George struggle together to manage the farm and soon fall in love. Yet they know their love is doomed.
Then, in 1963, Nora met William and they fell in love, another love that is doomed. Shortly after moving into the house William disappears. But what happened to him? Like Mary, Nora also has secrets locked away in her house.
It is hard to believe that this is Erin Bartels’ debut novel. It is so beautifully written with great characters. She masterfully weaves together the stories of Mary and Nathaniel, Nora and William, and Elizabeth and Tyrese. The shift from generation to generation is seamlessly done. The settings are so well described I could close my eyes and see myself right in the story. As I turned the final page and sighed with a gentle smile upon my face, I knew this was a book I would be highly recommending to others. Great for fans of historical fiction and multi-generational family sagas.
I received this book from the publisher via BookishFirst. All opinions expressed are my own.
Detroit journalist Elizabeth Balsam is approached by James Rich and asked to find a relative unknown to her to deliver an old camera and photographs that have been in the possession of Mr. Rich. Elizabeth is reluctant to get involved until suddenly she is fired from the newspaper she worked for. Now she has plenty of time on her hands.
Elizabeth tracks down Nora and makes her acquaintance. Soon she is moving into her elderly relative’s 150-year-old farmhouse. She is soon captivated by the house – as was I - and her inquisitive nature leads her to exploring this house that is sheltering two generations of secrets. A locked trunk, beds lined up in the attic, a locked room, gravestone markers buried in the garden. Elizabeth is the link between generations to draw out the stories of Mary and Nora. And she also finds love with Tyrese.
Mary Balsam is strong and admirable. It is 1861 and her husband Nathaniel leaves her to fight in the Civil War. Escaped African American slave George soon enters her life. In Nathaniel’s absence Mary and George struggle together to manage the farm and soon fall in love. Yet they know their love is doomed.
Then, in 1963, Nora met William and they fell in love, another love that is doomed. Shortly after moving into the house William disappears. But what happened to him? Like Mary, Nora also has secrets locked away in her house.
It is hard to believe that this is Erin Bartels’ debut novel. It is so beautifully written with great characters. She masterfully weaves together the stories of Mary and Nathaniel, Nora and William, and Elizabeth and Tyrese. The shift from generation to generation is seamlessly done. The settings are so well described I could close my eyes and see myself right in the story. As I turned the final page and sighed with a gentle smile upon my face, I knew this was a book I would be highly recommending to others. Great for fans of historical fiction and multi-generational family sagas.
I received this book from the publisher via BookishFirst. All opinions expressed are my own.