Ashton Lattimore is a new author for me. I chose to read this book because the description sounded like it dealt with the abolitionist movement and the fight for freedom.

Description:
Philadelphia, 1837. After Charlotte escaped from the crumbling White Oaks plantation down South, she’d expected freedom to feel different from her former life as an enslaved housemaid. After all, Philadelphia is supposed to be the birthplace of American liberty. Instead, she’s locked away playing servant to her white-passing father, as they both attempt to hide their identities from slavecatchers who would destroy their new lives.

Longing to break away, Charlotte befriends Nell, a budding abolitionist from one of Philadelphia’s wealthiest Black families. Just as Charlotte starts to envision a future, a familiar face from her past reappears: Evie, her friend from White Oaks, has been brought to the city by the plantation mistress, and she’s desperate to escape. But as Charlotte and Nell conspire to rescue her, in a city engulfed by race riots and attacks on abolitionists, they soon discover that fighting for Evie’s freedom may cost them their own.

My Thoughts:
This book was enlightening for me as it is the first I've read during the pre-Civil War time period that was not set in what is considered the "deep south". The setting here is Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and many Blacks are free. Just a bit further south the environment at the time would be totally different. There are still major prejudices and segregation here though. I found the political standing of the abolitionists at this time to be brave considering the atmosphere in the city. Obviously, they were inviting trouble. The story of Charlotte and her father, as well as Evie was heartbreaking. It was easy to hate Kate for her role here. Sometimes I found the book a bit slow, but I felt it a good portrayal of what was happening during this time period.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine through Netgalley for an advance copy.

All We Were Promised storylines (there are three) are centered around three individuals: Carrie/Charlotte (the escaped slave), Nell (an upper-class free woman of color), and Evie (a slave and Charlotte’s friend). The storyline was well-written and compelling. I was immersed in all three women’s plights and was an anxious mess during the last half of the book. I will warn you all that this book does not hold back when it comes to the treatment of black people (both slaves and free) pre-Civil War.

The storyline that centered on Carrie/Charlotte was sad. Charlotte and her father, James, escaped from slavery four years before the book started. James, or Jack as he was known to his former owners and Evie, could pass as a white man. He took advantage of that and built a thriving woodworking business. But, for Charlotte, it was torture. She was kept on a short leash and couldn’t interact with anyone but her father and the cook (who was a free man of color). It drove her up the wall and was why she started going to Nell’s reading club and sharing her abolitionist views. Charlotte was sympathetic, but I felt she took some unneeded risks. Like not telling Nell the whole truth about herself and how she knew Evie. Or risking her freedom to attend speeches by famous abolitionists. She also blamed her father for everything that went wrong, which also factored into her behavior.

The storyline that centered on Nell was interesting. She was a free woman of color who was also upper-class and whose family held considerable power in Philadelphia. Nell did come across as a pampered, spoiled woman sometimes, but you could tell her heart was in the right place. Meeting Charlotte and getting involved with her quest to free Evie opened her eyes. I did have some unanswered questions about her (mainly about the engagement and whether she learned anything from what happened to her).

The storyline that centered on Evie caught my heart and my attention. Evie was the personal slave of Missus Kate, and what she endured was awful. His mother and brother were both sold, leaving her alone on the plantation with Kate and a handful of slaves. I couldn’t get past the cruelty that was so casual or Kate’s lack of empathy. My draw dropped when Kate told Evie her plans for her after Kate’s marriage and where she was going (the brother’s manor for reeducation). I was caught up in this storyline and was rooting for Evie to leave.

This book takes place thirty years before the start of the Civil War. Every event mentioned in the book is accurate, and the author explains everything in a beautifully worded afterword.

Philadelphia did not live up to its City of Brotherly Love motto during this time. There was racial tension and rioting that seemed to be almost every day. It was a stressful time to live in.

The end of All We Were Promised was a little bittersweet. The author did not cement the futures of the three girls. I want to think that Evie and Charlotte could live freely and happily. I’d also like to believe that Nell kept to her values and what she wanted to do (be active in the abolitionist movement and not marry).

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and Ashton Lattimore for allowing me to read and review this ARC of All We Were Promised. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

It’s 1837 in Philadelphia and 3 black women’s lives are about to collide in a powerful story about what it means to be a free black person in the pre civil war era.

Charlotte and her father are former slaves who escaped the south and are starting over. Charlotte’s father is white passing and she is pretending to be his housemaid, but this act comes at a high expense for Charlotte who resents the freedoms her father has and the constraints that are put on her. And the. She meets Nell, a young black girl from a wealthy Black family and together they join the abolitionist movement. All seems to go well until Evie shows up in town and begs Charlotte for help. Evie was left alone on the plantation after Charlotte and her father escaped and now Evie is trapped with her missus and needs her help. Charlotte enlists Nell in helping her, and the 2 young women, along with some friends, risk everything in an attempt to help Evie before her time runs out.

This novel had a slow build up. Once Evie was introduced, the pace picked up and I was desperate to know how it would all pan out. I was fascinated by the premise of this novel and enjoyed the supporting characters as well. The characters are well developed and we can see why they do what they do as their back stories are slowly revealed. I also think there is a lot about that time period that is relatable to today. Many oppressed groups are still afraid to make waves as it can be dangerous to their own survival and are taught to just follow the rules.

The set up is Philadelphia in the 1830's. Charlotte is a run away slave working as a housemaid for James who is actually her father passing as white. His business as a furniture maker is growing and he tries to keep his daughter at home afraid his secret will be revealed. A good portion of the story centers on Charlotte, with the help of Nell, trying to free Evie, a young girl Charlotte was close to when she was a slave.

I found the first third of the book to be pretty slow. Meetings could only take place at a certain time every week and it could be months as plans were formed. While all the characters were interesting I didn't feel they were ever developed enough for me to form an opinion or care about an outcome. This was the 1830's and at times the dialog felt a bit off, too modern maybe. I did learn a good bit about the history of Philadelphia and it's part in slavery. I did enjoy it but felt like I wanted just a bit more of something.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Ballantine for providing me with a digital copy.

This was a really fascinating look at pre-war Philadelphia. I think so many novels take place during those war years, it’s nice to have a change of setting and just a different backdrop to the events and the feelings of the story. It’s odd to say a book about life as a black woman during this time is enjoyable; maybe it’s better to say this is a well-written and compelling story. I do really enjoy reading about the lives of free black folks and the limitations they lived within. It’s a nice change of pace from many other books set during this time.

Set in Philadelphia in the 1830's this book tells the stories of three Black women. Charlotte escaped enslavement in Virginia with her father but now feels like she is no more than a servant to him in his effort to pass as white and build a business for himself. Nell comes from a wealthy Black family and is active in the abolitionist movement. Evie, still enslaved, has been brought to Philadelphia. Their lives intertwine in a novel that highlights the anti-slavery movement in Philadelphia. Although written for adults, the book is extremely accessible for teen readers as well.

All the feels for the women of All We Were Promised by Ashton Lattimore. This was definitely a learning experience of a time in history I have never heard of. We've all heard of the Civil War but not the earlier years of slavery and freedom in Philadelphia. As a great book should this made me look into the history before the Civil War. Thank you for opening my eyes to even more strong women of history trying to do right by all.

I rooted so hard for Charlotte, Evie, and Nell in All We Were Promised. I loved the different perspectives of what life was like for each of them as black women with different statuses in that time period. I learned a lot that I had never heard before from this book. Darcel was my favorite side character. I loved his warmth and care for Charlotte. The author's note at the end also has a wealth of information and I loved finding out that some characters were real people.

The book takes place in 1830 and follows slaves from the same plantation in South Carolina. It begins with a slave James that was able to pass for white and his daughter Carrie. They successfully make it to Pennsylvania where the father is able to build a successful business as a furniture maker, His daughter, who takes on the name Charlotte, has darker skin and lives in their home as his housekeeper. Charlotte is constantly thinking of the friends and family they left behind when they escaped. She becomes involved with another free black woman Nell who is involved with the abolitionist movement. One day Charlotte sees the slave that she grew up with and left behind - Evie. She then begins to plan Evie's escape before Evie's owner travels back to South Carolina. The characters are so well written that you really care what happens to them. I found the epilogue very informative and encourage all to read it. Example - If a slave stayed in Pennsylvania more than 6 months they were free, however there owners sent them out of the state before the 6 months to circumnavigate this law. I look forward to reading other books by this author.

A new perspective of life pre-Civil War in Philadelphia as told by three black women, each living in different social classes within the city. This novel was bit drawn out, repetitive and subplots. This had the makings for a truly impactful story for fans of HistFic but overall the writing didn't hold my interest.

Thank you, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books

I enjoy historical fiction because it provides an understanding of our past. The book focuses on events and treatment of Blacks that I wish never happened, but despite this, it is still important to understand where we have come from. This is a well-written, insightful story. I also appreciated the strength, fearlessness and commitment of the Black individuals depicted in the story.

At the center of the story is Charlotte, a runaway slave living in Philadelphia in 1837 and working as a housemaid for her father who is passing. Her father is operating a successful furniture business and enjoying the benefits of being a white. Charlotte is struggling to understand why they ran and left behind some of their fellow slaves, who were more like family. Plus, because of needing to hide who they really are, Charlotte isn't experiencing any of the benefits of a better life.

Despite this, Charlotte befriends a free Black woman from an elite family who is involved in abolitionist, anti-slavery activities. Because of Charlotte's personal experiences, which she can't share with anyone, she is willing to do what she can to support these efforts. However, things start to become more real when individuals from Charlotte's past show up in Philadelphia. Charlotte starts plotting and planning with Nell and her friends to help Evie, a slave from Charlotte's past, run from her owners. The last portion of the book includes some truly horrific details of slavery and the treatment of Black people.

Despite the fact that the time period of this story is based on events from almost 200 years ago, it is even more frightening to see that although the world has changed, we still see very similar behaviors today.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

#AllWeWerePromised #AshtonLattimore #BallantineBooks

This is a story of escaped slaves, well-off free Blacks, and an enslaved young woman wanted to flea to safety before going back to the South with her owners.

This is a story about Philadelphia in the 1830's, a bee hive of activity for people who supported slavery and abolitionists, and everyone in between. Philadelphia, a free state, on the borders of slave states is not an easy place to be a free Black, even if your family has been free for generations.

It's a well written story told about three young women, all approximately the same age who are doing the best they can in difficult situations, at a very tumultuous time in our history. I'd recommend this book for lovers of history and I think it would be a great assignment for students, especially during Black History Month.

Wow! All We Were Promised, by Ashton Lattimore I felt myself transported back to the pre civil war era after the first page. This story is full of brave female characters written in a fresh perspective. I read this book in one sitting, because I could not put it down. Fabulous book!

This was definitely not a book I was expecting to love as much as I did! I highly recommend this book to everyone! It’s a must read can’t put down!

If I was allowed to give 3.5 stars, I would! I admit I struggled to get into the story int he first 100 pages or so. It was a lot of 1830s socialite drivel, frustratingly boring meetings and women about town. However, things start to pick up towards the middle and I am very glad I stuck it out. There were a few points in the sub-plots that irked me, but overall, All We Were Promised is a compelling story.
Can we agree that James is the villain here? James, and, obviously, slavery.
Not a time period or location (1830s Philly) that gets much Historical Fiction written about it, and I appreciate reading Black stories from Black authors.
Thanks NetGalley and Ashton Lattimore for access to the ARC!

This story takes place in Philadelphia, in 1837. It is told from the perspective of 3 different Black women, Charlotte, Evie, and Nell. Charlotte fled the White Oaks plantation down South where they were slaves and have been living in Philadelphia for years now - her father has been passing as a white man and pretending she is his maid. Evie, who is Charlotte's cousin, was also a slave at the same plantation, and she has just arrived in Philadelphia with their owner, who is set to remarry and plans to take her back down South as soon as she is wed. Evie has no intention of going back and has enlisted Charlotte and Nell in her plea for help in escaping. Nell is also Black, but her family has lived in Philadelphia for generations and their family is one of the wealthiest Black families in the area, so she has always been free. She is sympathetic to their cause, and has been working tirelessly with other abolitionists. As Nell and Charlotte work to get Evie out of Mistress Kate's house and to somewhere safe before they can send her on her way up North, the tensions are escalating all around the city. It becomes blatantly obvious that the mission they are attempting is not only more dangerous than they realized, but might have unintended consequences as well.

This book was so good. I was captivated by their story. The author did such an excellent job, I felt like I was actually there in the midst of it all, watching it all unfold. Charlotte & Evie's stories were heartbreaking, and the entire setting was hard to read about. It was an emotionally charged book, that will stay with me for a long time to come. This book would be excellent for book clubs, as it would spark a lot of conversations, I feel like. If you are a fan of historical fiction, then you will definitely want to put this on the top of your TBR pile. You are going to love this one!

All We Were Promised is a complex and suspenseful, pre-Civil War story told from three perspectives. Charlotte and her father have escaped from a plantation down South. To avoid detection by slave catchers and hide their identities, her father passes as white and Charlotte, who is darker, portrays herself as his servant. Nell is a young black woman of privilege who is passionate about the abolitionist movement. Her path crosses with Charlotte whom she befriends. Evie is a slave who Charlotte knows from her previous life, and Evie’s household is visiting Philadelphia from the plantation. Charlotte and Nell conspire to rescue Evie. This dangerous escape plan is further complicated by race riots and attacks on abolitionists. All their lives are in danger.

The author immerses us into 1830s Philadelphia as she introduces us to three young black women navigating the complexities of the “free” north and the polital turmoil of the time. We experience the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society and the 1838 Convention of Anti-Slavery Advocates at Philadelphia Hall (and the fire).

I love a complex, multi-layered, page-turning, well-told story! As mentioned in the summary, we are introduced to three young black women who face different challenges but work together to achieve a common goal. The early part of the story spends time introducing us to the three main characters. Eventually, these characters connect and the story’s intensity and suspense accelerate. This is a perfect example of a balanced plot-driven and character-driven story. My very favorite!

I appreciate the three perspectives presented in this story: an escaped slave, a current slave, and an abolitionist. Each perspective is compelling and their elaborate and daring plan drives the story’s pace as the story progresses. Each perspective is well-presented and we root for all three women.

Thought-provoking themes include friendship, women supporting women, passing as white, strong convictions, family loyalty, the complications and complexities of a “free” north, slavery, and racism.

All We Were Promised earned a place on my 2023 Most Memorable Reads of the Year List. (I read an arc) I’m enthusiastically recommending this for fans of thoughtful, riveting, well-researched histfic with a side of suspense. This is an impressive debut from Ashton Lattimore, and I look forward to reading more by her. If you enjoy supporting authors of color and thoughtful storytelling, you will want to add this to your TBR.

Thanks #NetGalley @RandomHouse #BallantineBooks for a complimentary eARC of #AllWeWerePromised upon my request. All opinions are my own.

"All We Were Promised" is the first novel by Ashton Lattimore and it is definitely a page turner. The setting is Philadelphia in the 1830s which was a tumultuous time in its history.

It follows the life of three resilient women, each with a different perspective on the slavery issue. Philadelphia in the 1830s was a turbulent time with convoluted laws concerning slavery. Abolitionist groups were working diligently to change the laws and free the slaves in the city, while many pro-slavery groups were pushing to keep people enslaved. This led to a tinder box atmosphere and a very dangerous time for the black community.

Ms. Lattimore does an outstanding job with character building and storytelling. Her three main characters are well developed and the storyline is believable. She accomplished what a good historical fiction novel should be, she tells an interesting story and also inspires you to research and learn more. I'm looking forward to reading many more novels by this talented author.

"All We Were Promised" by Ashton Lattimore is a well researched historical fiction novel set in pre-Civil War Philadelphia, where, even though Pennsylvania was a 'free state,' loopholes abounded and slavery flourished alongside freedom. The idea for this book was good, but I am in the minority that found it wanting. The writing was simplistic, which gave the novel a very YA feel. Perhaps because of the author's journalism background, there was too much telling and not enough showing. As much as I wanted to connect with the characters, I found them to be one dimensional and they did not come alive to me. Due to the writing style, I had a difficult time becoming invested in the story and found myself skimming large parts of it. The first 75% of the story moved much too slowly and could use some streamlining. The book improved during the last 25%, but I don't know if I would have read that far if not for receiving an ARC from NetGalley. I think the best writing was in the author's note at the end, which is definitely worth reading.

I do appreciate the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book though and thank NetGalley, the author, and the publisher.

Charlotte and James escape from the White Oaks plantation to be free in Philadelphia. Freedom isn't all that 'Carrie' was promised as her white-passing father builds a new life for himself but due to her darker skin, she becomes her father's servant. Losing her home and father, this new world that from appearance promises equality, is threatening to tear its façade.

Charlotte forms a friendship with Nell, the daughter of a wealthy black businessman. Nell's always been free and Charlotte hides her dark secret from her new friend. Book clubs and freedom fighting bond the two and Charlotte although kept in servitude has the illusions of freedom. That is until the past comes back to haunt them and threatens their house of cards. Will they be safe or forced to return to the south?

Thank you to #NetGalley for the early edition of #AllWeWerePromised in exchange for an honest review. Without giving anything away, Nell's storyline is eye opening. While James is passing for white, what happens if you're free and society has the power to take that away? Charlotte's relationship with her father is heartbreaking. She sees him enjoying all that north promised but she's a secret he locks away in the attic and forces her to serve him. Which is worse, being enslaved by society or treated as one by your family?

The author tackles family dynamics, race and skin color in this historical fiction novel that publishes today. The messaging was my favorite part of the novel but while an impactful story, the writing didn't keep my interest. Fans of historical fiction will enjoy this new version of 'Black Like Me.'