A WW2 Novel tracing one man's story through 3 different time periods,

In the late 1930s, Eli is living with his wife and young son and working in now German occupied Poland. As the Nazis begin to take over, his family struggles to survive the Nazi occupation, leading to their separation.

In the mid 1940s, Eli and his son are now in a displaced persons camp, hoping for visas to America and searching for his wife who he hasn't seen since Poland.

In the 1960s, Eli is now living in Chicago, working for the US Government somehow, and still investigating criminal deeds.

Through it all, a second man has a role. Max offered to save Eli's family back in Poland, for a price. Yet the family was separated, his wife is unaccounted for, and more.

Interwoven through the three time periods, Eli's search for justice takes place across continents and decades.

Another winner from Ronald Balson, well researched and well written. Historical fiction is a favorite of mine, especially the WW2 time period, and Balson does not shy away from the negatives, including compromising with conspirators, after the war officially ended.

Eli’s Promise by Ronald H. Balson

Powerful message about the Holocaust and what a family had to endure and the pain and losses of a town and country was so poignant! I cried because the excruciating heartbreak and mental suffering with such adversity of betrayal on top of that it had to have been a brutal desolation heartache when he had to watch his family and friends be taken to concentration camps!

To think he searched for one man for over twenty years because of his treachery! It took him from his beloved Poland to a camp in Germany to America in Washington D.C. and then to Albany Park, Illinois! When Eli gave his word, he never would break his promise! He gave an oath to his family!

The author takes you on an circuit of what it must have been like for a family who were being targeted because they were Jews and a crazed man, Hitler got Power of a country and invaded a peaceful country and decided that a race was to be exterminated! The terror these people were put through as they were starved and beaten and abused. Some were used for medical experiments and others were just plain killed where they stood.

This book is very explicit and explosive about the choices and the horrors that occurred to the young children. I can only pray and hope that some of the children will remember the good memories and not the nightmares!

This author weaves a remarkable story that I never put it down for 31/2 hours!!! If I could give it 10 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️I I I I would so here are my stars,!

I would like to thank the authors and publishers who work diligently for us the readers!

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

"Eli's Promise" follows the story of Eli Rosen, a Polish Jew, as he struggles to keep his family safe during the Nazi occupation. Working in a brickyard owned by his family, he puts faith in Max, an employee of their company, to help protect his family from the Nazis. Max, however, ingratiates himself with the Nazis, and Eli ends up losing almost everything and everyone he cares for. He promises himself that Max will come to justice for his actions, a promise that crosses the ocean to America and takes Eli on a journey spanning more than 20 years.

The narrative follows three timelines in three locations through Eli's life. I have seen a dual timeline used in a narrative and am not used to the use of a triple timeline. But the author handles the back and forth between the times very well, and I feel like the use of the multiple timelines adds to the story. Although a fictional account, the story does serve to highlight the atrocities faced by the Jewish people in Nazi-occupied Poland and what can happen when good people do nothing.

Eli’s Promise made my jaw drop multiple times through shock and sadness and the story that Eli Rosen tells over three different time periods of his life.

Spanning three different time periods, the story of Eli Rosen has slowly brought to my attention the hardships that Jewish families had to go through during the Nazi occupation. The way that Eli was faced with the manipulation and cat and mouse games with Maximilian Poleski in the safety of his family. This made the story very interesting because throughout each part of the story appears a man that has been in the middle of all of it, one that Eli recognizes well and has changed Eli’s life for the worst.

I gave Eli’s Promise five stars, in awe with the writing and the way that I sat on the edge of my seat when reading about Eli and his family.

In 1939, Eli and his family, his wife Esther and his son Izaak, are living in Lublin, a Polish town when the Nazi’s invade their town. Life for the Rosen family changes for the worst and now, Eli must deal with Maximilian Poleski, an evil man who puts fake trust into the people he works with in order to provide protection for his family.

In 1946, Eli lives in a displaced persons camp in Germany with Izaak in hopes to get a visa to America. Ever since the war and Lublin, his wife, Esther has been missing and only one man knows where she could have gone. Now, he discovers that there is a man selling visas illegally that sounds like someone he once knew and must find out who this man is, and if he is the person that had changed Eli’s life for the worst.

In 1965, Eli is now in a rented room in Albany Park, Chicago, alone and living his life a changed man from the events of his past, seeking justice for his family and discover the truth.

I found Eli’s Promise a fascinating read and quite enjoyable even though the premise of the story is saddening. The struggles that Eli goes through during each time period for his family shows the lengths that Eli goes through and how far and willing he is to make a deal with the devil – multiple times – for his family. This story has made me realize that many things throughout this book are something that families had to go through during the Nazi occupation.

This book was hard to put down, each chapter, each moment, was a cliffhanger and left me wanting more. I enjoyed this very much and found my heart clenching each time something happened.

Thank you again to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

**I received a complimentary copy of Eli's Promise by Ronald H. Balson from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

I always enjoy a WW2 story and in that I was not disappointed. This story followed a Jewish family living in Poland during the start of WW2. It was interesting to see another type of story; Eli managed to continue working at his family's brickyard, even though ownership was taken away from him. Max Poleski was known as a "fixer" and Eli paid him money to protect his family through the war and German occupation of Poland. While I enjoyed the storyline, the characters did not draw me in. I thought Eli was weak; his relationship with Max made me want to scream at him. I don't know why he kept trusting the man when he kept finding lies in what he was doing. I am not sure that Eli's family was safer due to their agreement with Max or not. Through every interaction they had, I just found myself liking Eli less and less.

The story followed Eli through three different time periods and I like books that follow this type of set up. We saw Eli at the start of the war in Poland, after the war in a displaced persons camp in Germany where him and his son were staying, and then almost twenty years later in Chicago.

I think that Ronald H. Balson spins a compelling story. I have also read Karolina's Twins and I really enjoyed it. This one, I just found the main character frustrating. He kept trusting Max over and over and then getting mad when he was not living up to his promises, but I guess we all want to believe in people and give them the benefit of the doubt?

2.5 stars

This is a story of war profiteering and hope. Eli Rosen and his family live in Lublin, Poland at the onset of World War II. They know things are bad for Jews but they are hopeful that the Germans will lose the war and things will go back to the way it was when Eli and his father ran their brick yard. Their employee, Maximilian, is ingratiating himself to the Germans and takes money from the Rosens for favors such as protection for the family and keeping them in their home. So many times they caught Max in lies and I was dumbfounded how they would go back to him for help. It had to be hope that this time he would come through for them and things would get better.

The book has three different timelines, the early 1940's in Poland, after the war in a displaced persons camp and then in 1965 when Eli is working for the U.S. Government taking down war criminals. I found the war years sad and frustrating that they kept trusting Max. The most interesting part to me was the DP camps and the solidarity of the Jews fighting to find their loved ones and making new lives for themselves. Twenty years later Eli is in Chicago and rents an apartment, befriends his landlord and there is the intrigue of who does he work for and who is he investigating. I found that timeline interesting but I wanted to know more about it. How did Eli end up in the states? How did he get to the point that he was working for the government? The time jumps were a little bit jarring. One would leave off, sometimes on a cliff hanger but that thread wasn't picked up in the next time line.

I really liked Eli. He tried to remain strong for his family and admitted that he made mistakes and was trying to right the wrongs. His son, Izzie, had a lot of loss in his young life but even so remained hopeful about finding his mother but able to give love to others, He was excited to play football and wanted to move to the states because it was called soccer here. Adinah was a mystery. She became an integral part in Eli's and Izzie's life and I wanted to know more about her.

Mimi was the landlord's daughter, 25 and on a career path to becoming a reporter. She becomes friends with Eli and then realizes that his objectives might be the same as hers and they could work together.

My only wish was that the book didn't time jump so much and that there was more info about the time in Chicago.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of this book.

Eli’s Promise
By Ronald H.Balson
This copy was given to me to review by Netgalley.
Eli’s promise is a work of historical fiction.
The story is presented in three periods and locations.
This is a saga of the Holocaust and its aftermath spanning decades. The book covers Nazi-occupied Poland, the American zone of post-war Germany, and Chicago at the height of the Vietnam War.
In 1939, Eli Rosen lives with his wife Esther and son in the Polish town of Lubin. The family owns a successful construction company. However all this changes when the Germans occupy Lubin, Eli’s company is taken over by the Germans, and the ownership is transferred to Maximillian Poleski, a profiteer, a relationship that will span right up to the city of Chicago. Poleski will keep the Rosen family safe if Eli will manage the business. Esther is sent to work in a factory sewing uniforms and is allowed to come home every night but soon Esther disappears.
In 1946 Eli is with his son in a camp (Foehrenwald) for displaced persons under the aegis of the Americans.His wife has been missing since the war and when the Germans overran Lubin.
1965: Eli is in Chicago on a mission to find Maximilian Poleski or whatever his name is in 1965. He has had many names. Eli is patient and relentless to track down this nemesis who had promised to protect the family when the Nazis took Lubin.
Eli’s Promise according to the author, is a story about corruption and profiteering.

I received a free electronic ARC of this excellent historical novel from Netgalley, Ronald Balson, and St. Martin's Press. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am always pleased with the work of Ronald H. Balson. His novels remain favorites that I visit often. Eli's Promise is no exception - traveling from time to time and moving from country to country are handled with remarkable clarity, the true events he shares with us during the times we visit are things we all are familiar with and add to our sense of presence in the story and he knows just how to wring out your heart.

This novel covers the life of Eli Rosen, his wife, and his son, Izaak. We spend time in three different phases of those lives - 1939 in German-occupied Lublin, Poland; 1946 Eli and Izaak are in a displaced persons' camp in the American Zone in allied-occupied Germany as they wait for visa's to immigrate; and in Chicago, 1965, where Eli and Izaak seek justice and a new life for themselves. This is a story that will demand your attention and empathy. It is a book I will want to read again, one that I would like to explore at leisure.

Eli’s Promise is an historical fiction novel told over three time periods. This books focus is the plight of the Polish Jews from Lublin, Poland. Lubin is the first time period when the Germans invaded Poland. The second timeline takes place at the Fohrenwald Displaced Person Camp in the American Zone in the mid 1940’s. The last timeline takes place in Chicago in 1965-1966. I feel the author does an excellent job moving between these eras.

The common thread through all these timelines are Eli Rosen and his family and a corrupt ‘villian’ Maximilian Poleski who uses anyone and everyone he can to get rich. Maximilian offers false hope, black market goods, and visas. When it is boiled down, Maximilian was a profiteer of war. As the author notes in the afterward, "at its heart" Eli's Promise is "a story about corruption and war profiteering," The author does a great job with Maxmilian’s character because you really, really hate him.

The author richly details the reduction in freedom of Polish Jews in Lublin which is a microcosm for Jews all over Europe. There is a ton of research by the author. During the novel the author also describes the efforts of Polish Jews to rebuild their identity, their community and their lives.

There are two things that irked me with this novel. First Eli is portrayed as a smart man who helps run his father’s brickyard. What puzzles me is how can he again and again make deals with Maximilian and expect different results. The other thing that bothered me was the dialogue. It seemed stiff and fake. While much of the dialogue is used to inform the reader, not the character that is listening, much of it feels contrived.

I would like to thank the author, Ronald H. Balson, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Eli’s promise is the story of Eli Rosen and his family set in Lublin, Poland during WWII, shortly thereafter in an American displaced persons camp, and years later in Chicago. The Rosen family is prosperous before the war, owning a brickyard. In the early years of Nazi occupation the family is protected by a con man and Nazi collaborator, Maximilian, who is looking to gain from their predicament. They avoid deportation for a while because the Nazis believe they are needed to run the brickyard that is providing them with materials to build their death camps. Ultimately they are betrayed and separated.

The next part of the book takes place in the American occupied zone of Germany, where Eli finds himself and his son recovering from the war, while trying obtain visas to go to the United States. He discovers that there is a black market Visa trade going on and attempts to help the US army break up the ring. Maximilian is part of the black market ring, but manages again to con his way out of trouble.

Years later, during the Vietnam war, we find Eli in Chicago, working for the US government. He once again is trying to bring Maximilian and his partners to justice.

I enjoyed reading this book. I read a lot of historical fiction set during the Holocaust. The first 2 sections really captured my attention, the third didn’t. I have read and loved all of Ronald Balson’s books and eagerly anticipated this one. In The Girl From Berlin, I learned a lot about WWII in Italy. In this book I learned about life in a displaced persons camp in Germany after the war. I am sure that there was a lot of corruption during the Vietnam War but I thought this section of the the book felt too contrived.

Poland during WW II, post war Germany and living in American displaced persons camp, and corrupt Chicago during the Vietnam War. Three timelines that are all linked to each other by family ties, circumstances, deceit, greed and war. Though this is a work of fiction, it actually appears to be a true account; albeit I'm sure someone out there can attest it has happened either to them or someone in their family. I've never read any other book by this author, but it won't be my last. Thank you NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for the privilege of receiving this ARC.

Balson has done it again. He provides a compelling historical fiction tale which educates as it keeps the reader in its grip.

I enjoy reading historical novels based in World War Two. Eli's Promise was a wonderful story about the connection of family and the enduring promise to stay connected. One of the better books I have read about the Holocaust. This was a new to me author that I will read again.

I don’t think an author has ever captured my attention in the first chapter quite like this one. Ronald H. Balson’s description of General Patton’s 6th Armored Division’s rescue of prisoners at Buchenwald concentration camp so accurately conveyed the shock of the American soldiers as they discovered the horrors of the camp.

One prisoner the soldiers rescued was Eli Rosen, a man near death, who insisted they find his son Isaak, who was also in the camp. After reuniting, Eli and Isaak were driven away from the camp in Red Cross vehicles.

Balson tells the story of Eli Rosen in three distinct timelines. In 1939, we see a happy and prosperous Rosen family until the Germans invade Poland and they gradually realize that their very existence is being threatened. In 1946, we find Eli and his son living in a displaced person’s camp while searching for the whereabouts of Esther, their wife and mother. In 1965, we find Eli in Albany Park, Chicago. Why Albany Park? Eli is there to fulfill a promise he made, seeking justice for a Nazi sympathizer and con man who has evaded arrest for years.

This was a different approach to a World War II novel because it focused less on the camps and more on the corruption that existed during the war years. Some citizens exploited the Jewish people in the worst ways at a time when they so desperately needed help.

This was a very interesting novel and I can see why it won the National Jewish Book Award. I highly recommend this one to those who like historical fiction and World War II novels.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance release and give my honest review.

Grate read, I liked how the book encompassed so many time lines and and brought it to a conclusion. It brings you to a time in history where evil was running rampant. The main character Eli, and his life along with his family. Walked us through ups and downs of WWII. I highly encourage people to read this.

It is 1939 - We meet Eli Rosen and his wife Esther who were hard workers, but then the German occupation happened and changed everything.

Maximilian who was supposedly their friend betrayed them by joining the Nazi party and thought nothing of his betrayal of Eli and his family.

We follow what happens to Eli and his family - of course it is heartbreaking.

It's 1946 - We move to post WWII and what Eli's life is at this time as he lives in an American Zone camp for displaced persons with his son.

He thinks Maximilian is selling visas on the black market, but isn't sure. If he finds out it is Maximilian, who knows what Eli will do.

Maximilian was paid by Eli to protect his wife, but she still hasn’t been found.

Eli’s focus is to find Maximilian, find out what he knows about Esther, and to have Maximilian prosecuted for his war and post-war crimes.

It is 1965 - We see Eli in Chicago still trying to find the person who betrayed him during the war - Maximilian - and get to the bottom of the political underworld. Could Max be involved?

ELI’S PROMISE is another heartbreaking and marvelously written book by master author Ronald Balson.

I thoroughly enjoyed ELI'S PROMISE, even though the time in Chicago was a bit confusing until we saw the true reason Eli was there.

Another well written book you won't want to miss if you are a fan of Mr. Balson and historical fiction. 4/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had very high hopes for this book as my mother was in these displaced persons camps for 5 years and I was very interested in the topic. There are not many books specifically on the experiences of people after the war, so this novel stood out to me because of my personal interest. If anyone is interested in the ongoing experiences of displaced people after the war, they may be interested in this novel. I liked the way the novel interwove fiction and historical fact, but I also think it suffered from this as well. At times the plot was a bit clunky as it tried to teach about history and dialogue seemed to be stilted and unrealistic because of its somewhat didactic tone. Overall, I am still glad I read the novel, and it kept me engaged in the characters and plot. It is probably good for younger readers who want to know more about the experience of Jewish people in Germany during and after WWII.

What a wonderful story. From three different tomes in his life, Eli is a fighter. If you love historical fiction, this is the story for you!!

There were several things I liked about Eli’s promise, the author made you feel like you had stepped back into the Nazi occupation of Poland, Eli , Esther and Jakob were characters that were easy to relate to. Unfortunately the authors repeated use of profanity that became progressively worse led me to stop reading halfway through the book. I was disappointed because I was enjoying the story itself.

There were aspects of Eli"s promise that I liked and others I didn't enjoy. I enjoyed the mystery in this book as well as the different time lines. Eli was a dedicated father and husband. He worked really hard to take care of his family during this incredibly difficult time in history.

I had a difficult time connecting to the characters and I believe the writing in this book prevented that from happening. I wish there were a bit more character development away from Eli and Max. There were moments where I was just frustrated with the predictable nature of Eli and Max to the point where the ending and what happened during the story were not surprising for me.