I was hesitant to request and read this because there is an earlier book by Lisa Wingate that I am pretty sure I hated, although I never marked it as "read" on goodreads, so either I hated it enough not to even acknowledge I read it, or I am mistaken. Anyway, I decided to request it from netgalley last week since I was in between books and part of the story is set in the South not long after slavery was abolished, which is a favorite of mine.

There are actually two timelines/POVs which I am not usually a big fan of but they work pretty well in the story, however it seemed like when the story had the potential to make me truly emotional or had me captivated with wanting more, that's when the POV would switch. In between each set of two POV scenes, there is a classified ad, I think most of the ads are connected to the present day storyline, although I didn't realize it until the third or fourth when the name sounded familiar.

Despite my hesitations and the POV switching I still really enjoyed the book. Lisa Wingate created believable characters and believable plotlines. The only real drawback, the reason this didn't get shelved on my need-more-stars shelf, is the ending felt rushed and not completely concluded - we know from the epilogue where things ended up but not completely how since it was summarized in the epilogue.

*received free digital ARC from netgalley

THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS by Lisa Wingate is a beautifully-written and moving work of historical fiction set mainly in Louisiana in two different time periods a century apart. Inspired by true events, it tells the compelling story of three young women bound together by their search for their missing family members in the post-Civil War South. In 1875, Lavinia is the spoiled heiress to her father’s dwindling estate. When her illegitimate half-sister, Juneau Jane appears claiming a part of the inheritance, the pair set off to seek the documents that will settle the matter. Lavinia’s former slave, Hannie, discovers Lavinia and Juneau Jane in a perilous situation and takes charge of rescuing them even though this puts her at great risk in these troubling times. The three women end up on a treacherous journey westward to Texas where Lavinia and Juneau Jane search for their father and Hannie searches for her mother and eight siblings that were torn from her at a slave auction when she was only six-years old. In 1987, Benedetta Silva is a first-year teacher in the impoverished river town of Augustine, Louisiana. Inadvertently, she comes across information from a hundred years past that sheds light on the journey of the three women and their connection to the students in her own classroom. The book alternates between the 1875 and 1987 and the points of view of Hannie and Benny. The two storylines are woven together seamlessly in the end. I admit that I knew nothing about the “Lost Friends” advertisements that were posted in Southern newspapers so that freed slaves and displaced people could attempt to locate their loved ones. Using some of the actual ads throughout the book gave a touching continuity to the whole story. I really enjoyed this interesting and engrossing read and highly recommend it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.

Lisa Wingate's The Book of Lost Friends begins slowly, but the payoff for persevering is big. The last few chapters twine the plot's twin narratives together in an effective, moving way.

Let's start with the Book of Friends at the heart of The Book of Friends. After emancipation, thousands upon thousands of formerly enslaved people found themselves searching for family and friends from whom they'd been separated through sales. The Southwestern Christian Advocate ran advertisements on behalf of those seeking loved ones, and Black clergy read these ads aloud from the pulpit every week in hopes of bringing about reunions. The ads ran from immediately after the Civil War into the first part of the 20th Century. You can view a contemporary database of these ads here: https://www.hnoc.org/database/lost-fr...

In one story line, Hannie, a former slave finds herself traveling through Texas with her former owner's two daughters—one legitimate, the other born to his "high yellow" mistress—searching for their father. Hannie is worried the former owner's wife will cheat her family out of a sharecropping contact, which would grant them a plot of land after sharecropping it for ten years. The two daughters are both determined to prevent the other from collecting inheritance. The three travel, disguised as men, and on their journey find themselves collecting "lost friends" stories to share in hopes of facilitating some reunions themselves.

In the second story line, set in the 1980s, a naive teacher takes a job at a rural Louisiana school in order to earn student-loan forgiveness. The school is miserably under-resourced; the students are disengaged, with few hopes for the future. At this moment, the book could have turned into a "white savior" narrative, but Wingate avoids that by having the students find their own way out of disengagement, conducting family histories and research on the history of the town they live in and its Black Library (now desegregated), built with Carnegie funds when the town refused Blacks admission to the single library available during the late 1880s.

As I said at the start, this book opens slowly, and I considered leaving it unfinished at several point, but I'm very glad I didn't. The book is sentimental in places, but there's something larger and more challenging at its heart that is worth reading.

I received a free electronic review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions are my own.

Excellent story about two women, Benny and Hannie, whose lives intertwine in different times and circumstances. Benny, a struggling first-year teacher in a tough rural Louisiana school, genuinely wants to have an impact on the lives of her students, who seem hellbent on remaining firmly where they are, despite her best efforts to win them over. Hannie is a young former slave, working hard to survive sharecropping on the estate of her former owner and hoping to gain ownership of the farm she shares with friends, all while desperately searching for her mother and siblings who were all ripped away from her years earlier. Wingate's characters are beautifully developed in alternating chapters interspersed with authentic advertisements taken by African Americans seeking loved ones lost to slavery in the Southwestern Christian Advocate (a newspaper circulated in the post-Civil War era).
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and learning about the history of the "Lost Friends" ads that sought to reunite families. Benny's story especially resonated with me, as it strongly reminds me of the two years I spent teaching in a similar community. (I needed a Granny T in my corner!)
Thanks to NetGalley for the read!
Highly recommended

Thank you NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine Books for an advance copy of this book an exchange for an honest review.

“We die once when the last breath leaves our bodies. We die a second time when the last person speaks our name. The first death is beyond our control, but the second one we strive to prevent”

What is this book about?
Post Civil war in Louisiana 1875… Three woman head to Texas for different reasons. Lavinina, a former slave owner, Juneau June, her free-born half sister and Hannie, Lavinina’s former slave. For the sisters, they are trying to find their father to see what his final wishes are regarding his land and who is suppose to inherit it. For Hannie, she is desperate to find her 8 siblings and mother who she was separated from before the war ended. Is her family alive and will she find them? Post civil war is dangerous in the south. Will these women find their way safely?

Louisiana 1987… Benny Silva is a first year teacher taking a job in a rural town in Louisiana. As she finishes her first few weeks she’s not sure she’s cut out for what the job entails. The students don’t trust her, they aren’t respectful, they don’t care about learning and many live in poverty. Benny is determined though and the students begin to learn about the towns rich history and the students become engaged and they become excited to go to her class.

What did I think?
Wow! Wow! Wow! It’s hard for me to articulate how much I loved this book and how much it made me think. The story goes between two different time lines. One is post civil war and the other is late 1980’s. Being born in the mid 1980’s it really put into perspective how slavery really wasn’t that long ago. It seem like we are so far removed from it but in reality its only been about 150 years. The story articulates well what the time period was like in the south post civil war and how dangerous it was for freed slaves. I also had no idea that many freed slaves wrote letters to a newspaper looking for their loved ones. It pulled at my heart strings. I can not image my boys being ripped out of my arms and sold. Wingate included these letters within her book and it was both beautiful and heartbreaking. Lastly, Benny’s storyline, a teacher in the 1980’s and how she ends up connecting her students to the towns history is just amazing. I felt so connected to these characters that I cried several times. Great read!!

http://ramblinhamlin.com/the-book-of-lost-friends/

I fell in love with Lisa Wingate after reading Tending Roses and Before We Were Yours. When I had the chance to read a preview copy of this book, I couldn't wait. I was not disappointed and will read it again after publication.

The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate was inspired by post civil war column “Lost Friends” published in Southwestern Christine Advocate. Former slaves could place ads inquiring about loved ones they had been separated from due to slavery. Wingate develops an interesting and moving story bringing life to this little known piece of history.
The novel is told in two different time periods a century apart. The chapters alternate between 1875 and 1987. The 1875 story is told through Hannie, a former slave, who is traveling with the daughter of her former master and his illegitimate free-born Creole daughter. Hannie is the strong one of the group who is trying to help the two sisters find their father and gain their inheritance. Along the way they discover the “Lost Friends” ads in a church where they have taken shelter. Hannie decides to travel on with the girls to Texas in hopes of locating the family she was separated from several years before.
The 1987 story line is told through Bennie, a first year teacher in poverty stricken area in Louisiana. In an attempt to inspire her students, she encourages them to write a story of a historical person of interest from their family or town.
I loved how the two centuries merge and intersect. I enjoyed both story lines and kept reading, anxious to discover what would happen next to Hannie and Bennie.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

Lisa Wingate is a master of historically based fictional tales. I enjoyed The Book of Lost Friends, dare I say, even more than Before We Were Yours!

The novel is told through varying perspective chapters, from either Benny Silva, a teacher in the early 1980s, or Hannie Gossett, a slave and sharecropper from the 1870s.

Wingate so deftly pulls you into each character’s storyline, first as Benny takes a job in a small town, trying to connect with her students and teach them the importance of reading and knowing their history. Meanwhile, Hannie is in the midst of trying to protect and save Juneau Jane and Missy Lavinia, as they search for their father William Gossett, so that Juneau Jane will have her rightful inheritance.

As the story progresses and unfolds, Benny’s classroom research project “Underground” brings her students to life as they research a historical person of interest from their town/history. As the novel progresses both time periods reach closer and closer to connecting the dots for you as a reader, while I found myself racing to the next chapter so I could get equally back to each character to find out what happens next.

While searching for William Gossett, Juneau and Hannie begin the novel’s namesake, the Book of Lost Friends, and what a beautiful story it weaves- their desire to help so many people tirelessly reconnecting lost friends and families, in the midst of Hannie’s own search in Texas for her lost family.

As characters, both past and present in the novel, hide, seek and learn information they may or may not be proud of, the grow the characters show is indisputable. I really liked this novel! All the stars! If you are a historical fiction fan, and you enjoyed Before We Were Yours, grab this one and read it!

"Sad thing when stories die for the lack of listenin' ears."

I've always been a reader if the slave period. I find it very interesting and sad.
Lisa Wingate did a wonderful job of her research for the fantastic novel.
Two timelines: Louisiana and Texas, 1875 show Hannie Gossett traveling with her master's daughters and uncovering a newspaper, "Lost Friends" of former slaves trying to find family members.
Louisiana, 1987 shows Bennie, new teacher trying to keep her students interested by having them write about an ancestor. Thus The Underground Research Project is born. The children learn about themselves, each other and their families.
This was a wonderful book. I read all the way to end with some tears and happiness for the characters!

Thank you to publisher and NetGalley for the eARC

The latest book from a favorite author that has lots of ingredients in a novel that I like – two timelines, characters who loves books, a Carnegie Library, strong female characters, based in real history (both the big picture post Civil War South and also the specific and something I hadn’t heard about, the lost friends ads read from the pulpits), and very hard situations but also hope. I had read many of Lisa Wingate’s earlier books then read Before We Were Yours in 2017 when it was one of my five star reads so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on The Book of Lost Friends. Given the opportunity to read an advance copy I adjusted my planned reading and my evenings for the last couple of days and wasn’t disappointed. Great story, entertaining and makes you think. Only things that I would say to make this review a little more balanced is that there a few things that seemed a little bit far fetched and the modern storyline started out feeling a tiny bit cliché (first year teacher new in a small town, meets and joins forces with the handsome but kind of closed off bachelor).

This was a powerful, well researched piece of historical fiction. The author did an amazing job tying the two stories (Hannie's and Benny's) together. Author note and consulted works list are also strong. My only issue was that the telling of the story of Hannie. I felt uncomfortable and found the important question surrounding stories popping up in my head: "who is telling this story?" and "whose story is this to tell?"

Lisa Wingate's The Book of Lost Friends is an engrossing read. Told in two separate frames: 1875 and 1987 the author deftly weaves the story fabric. The more recent part details a young teacher struggling to connect with her students in Louisiana and who finds herself in the midst of a family history that involves most of the town. The older angle reveals the family history and all the pain, sorrow, and joy it entailed. I loved the story, the characters, and the research the author did. It's another compelling read.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this story about slavery in the South and the consequences of human beings being treated as objects . The chapters alternate between the slave , Hannie in 1875 and a teacher , Benny Silva who is researching slavery in 1987. The story centers around the Underground Research Project (a living history project) that Benny was working on and the book of Lost Friends that Hannie was working on. . The story covered 9 generations of black and white families that were related and referenced as “left hand families” . I learned a lot about how slaves were sold and traded and forced to become concubines for their masters. This is another outstanding Lisa Wingate novel that educates and enlightens the reader

This book is historical fiction taking place in Louisiana during 1988 and in Louisiana and Texas in 1985. It is the story of the freed slaves trying to find those family members who were sold during slavery. The 1988 story takes in place in Louisiana where a new teacher tries to show her students that their stories are based on their history. This book was so compelling with the two stories intersecting.

This book is a beautifully written novel set in 1875 after slaves were freed, and in 1987. Each chapter alternates between narration by Hannie, as she travels to Texas with her master’s daughters. They hear about a newspaper that publishes notices from former slaves trying to find family members lost through the buying and selling of slaves. The 1987 narration is by Benny, a new teacher in rural Louisiana. She has trouble interesting her students in learning until she assigns them to research and write about an ancestor. The characters are superbly portrayed, and the book is so well written you feel like you are there and personally know the characters. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are the own.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Lisa Wingate is one of my favorite historical fiction writers. I loved how she manages to incorporates real historical events into her stories. Since this hasn't been released yet, I don't want to give too much away. Its told in two different time lines and of course there is a connection there. This is a raw and emotional book!

Lisa Wingate has created an incredibly poignant historical story full of heartache and friendship, This is a beautiful story, one I won't forget.

I fell in love with Lisa Wingate's writing after reading Before we were Yours. That was such a powerful book. I absolutely couldn't wait to read The Book of Lost Friends. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. This book did not disappoint. I truly believe this will be one of the best books of 2020.

Another fantastic book by Lisa Wingate. I found myself having a hard time putting it down! It moves back and forth through time: from the post Civil War era where Freed slaves are searching for lost family to the modern day South where a struggling new teacher is trying to engage her students. I loved the ending where the characters in the two time periods come together. A must read I highly recommend!