Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for an early copy of this book.

I struggled to get into this book. It wasn’t until I was 2/3 of the way through that the plot picked up enough for me to want to keep reading. There was a lot of build up as we got to know the characters of Nell, Charlotte, and Evie, maybe too much. I got annoyed with the repetitiveness of the internal dialogues of all of these characters.

I did, however, appreciate all the research that went into this book! Lattimore really brought the city of Philadelphia to life… I felt like I was there. I could tell she worked hard to build the scene for the reader. It was a unique premise for a historical fiction novel and I learned about a specific part of Philadelphia history.

ALL WE WERE PROMISED
BY: ASHTON LATTIMORE

4.5 Stars!

This debut novel called, "All We Were Promised," written by Aston Lattimore is a uniquely different historical novel that I've never encountered before that tells an important piece of Philadelphia history. The Authors Note at the very end includes some eye opening insight into what actually took place there in Pre-Cival War history. Philadelphia was actually the hub where Black people fled their enslaved plantations that had various laws given to help runaway slaves gain their freedom if they resided there for more than six months. Wealthy upper class Black families also resided there for many generations. This made for a lot of political riots to those Whites who still opposed free Black citizens. This is a story that includes abolitionists that made it their way of life to help Black people who were fugitives that were escaping slavery and trying to make their way North. Just because the laws that were enacted to protect free black individuals didn't mean there weren't slave catchers that broke the law without impunity.

At the very beginning it is 1836 in Philadelphia where two very different young Black women named Nell and Charlotte witness a riot.

Charlotte'Walker is keeping secrets along with her father James who is living under false pretenses. Charlotte's name is really Carrie and her father's name is really Jack. At Jack's scheme he whisked his daughter Carrie away from a tobacco plantation called White Oaks from Maryland after the Master Murphy died and his widow Kate is left in debt and is planning to sell off some of her slaves. This spurs Jack to run to Philadelphia and change his name to James setting up a comfortable life as a successful furniture maker. James is able to pass as White and his daughter Carrie is now his Black maid named Charlotte. James is overprotective of both his daughter Charlotte, but also of their charade that only the two of them know out of safety.

Nell has been born a free Black young woman who has wealthy parents. Nell has taken Charlotte under her wing and the two of them form a close friendship and are active in the abolition movement. They are raising money at selling goods for the cause at the marketplace when Evie and Charlotte recognize each other in the crowded atmosphere. Charlotte is a highly skilled seamstress and she attends these abolitionist activities when she can sneak away from home while her father is away from their home.

When Charlotte and Evie have a conversation Charlotte promises to help Evie escape her Mistress slave owner named Kate. Charlotte feels a strong bond to a younger Evie because they both came from the same plantation at White Oaks. Charlotte enlists Nell to help her find safe passage for Evie to escape North. Nell has more connections in the Philadelphia society groups with important people who can make Evie's escape become a reality. Nell enlists a young man named Alex to help with Evie's escape. Nell and Alex pretend they're engaged to fool their wealthy parents who have been life long neighbors whose mothers are overjoyed that they are getting married. This is the subterfuge that gives Nell and Alex excuses of spending more time together to plan Evie's safe passage.

There is a problem that slows things down when Charlotte's father finds abolitionist pamphlets and out of caution to protect their secret he prohibits Charlotte from leaving the house. James instructs their cook who is a Haitian named Darcel to not let Charlotte leave his sight. This hampers these young peoples plans to help Evie escape. Evie thinks Charlotte forgot about helping her and Charlotte is the go-between with Evie who can no longer escape her home to put a plan in motion with Nell and Alex's help.

I thought that the pacing was slower than what I like and this novel seemed longer than it actually is. For those that are Literary fiction fans this might be perfect for you. It seemed to be more character driven and in that aspect it excels. There's quite a bit of real historical people who really existed that are interspersed as secondary characters that Nell turns to for help. There are also a lot of politics and social groups that are active in their quest to change the law to help protect Black people. I really could feel great empathy for these Black fugitives and enslaved peoples indignities and harsh treatment. As much as Philadelphia was a refuge and was supposed to offer Black people protection they weren't really all that safe. The author pulls the rug out from under these characters towards the end and does a great job at incorporating a menacing feeling as these characters are trying to serve the greater good but what they are doing is not without risk.

Publication Date: April 2, 2024

Thank you to Net Galley, Ashton Lattimore and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine Ballantine Books for generously providing me with my eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#AllWeWerePromised #AshtonLattimore #RandomHousePublishingGroupBallantineBallantineBooks #NetGalley

All We Were Promised by Ashton Lattimore brings together three young African American women in the years before the Civil War where even in northern states, anger is simmering and riots flare at the talk of abolition . Charlotte escaped her master and ran away to Philadelphia. Though her father can pass as a a white man and roam more freely, Charlotte stays at their home and works as a servant. She meets Nell, from an elite black family in town, who takes Charlotte under her wing and introduces her to the work she is doing to help the abolitionist movement. One day, Charlotte sees the familiar face of Evie, who was her companion at the plantation she escaped. While Charlotte is worried that Evie will reveal her true identity, Evie is looking for a way to escape her own enslavement with the same owner Charlotte escaped.

I have not read a book like this one before. You often find books from a white person’s perspective on dealing with slavery and abolition. Hearing the three different voices of Nell, Charlotte, and Evie and what challenges they faced based on their background was unique. Seeing how these women found a way to work together to spread the word about helping those enslaved and working for rights for black citizens in their community was inspiring. As I read, I did feel that I was using a lot of my own background knowledge to fill in gaps about Evie and Charlotte’s experience as a slave since the focus of the story stayed in 1830s Philadelphia.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Ballentine Books for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book is set for publication on April 1, 2024. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#netgalley #arc #bookstagram #AshtonLattimore #allwewerepromised #RandomHouse #ballentinebooks

I loved this HF about three young women in 1837 Philadelphia. My favorite kind of HF is the kind that teaches me about a fascinating era of history that I didn't know anything about, and this book is exactly that. I learned a ton about the "free" Northern states in pre-Civil War America. My only quibble was that at times, this felt like a YA book, but that could have been a function of how old the characters were. Definitely recommend picking this up!

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to Netgalley. This is a super interesting entwined story of three Black women in Philly in the 1830s, offering glimpses of life for women from different backgrounds that all intertwine around the horrors of and escape from slavery. The plot is super interesting and kept me on my toes, twisting and turning, and the characters were all very well developed with their varying motives and experiences shading them in. I in turn loved and hated each of them throughout the book (except for Alex I loved the whole time.) Definitely worth the read!

Charlotte (Carrie) was a runaway slave with her father, James Vaughn (light skinned and passed for a white man). This is a story of survival: for slaves and of women. Nell is a free, abolitionist Black woman. Evie remains enslaved and wants to be free. Kate was the mistress who epitomizes the owner of slaves – selfish and entitled. This book is the story of these three women and how their lives are intertwined.

The author has done much research for this book. Every time I checked if an organization (such as Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society), or building (Pennsylvania Hall), or event (burning of Pennsylvania Hall), or character (Angelina Grimke and Hetty Reckless) existed, all were in history. This is also a story about Philadelphia before the civil war and the laws around Blacks.

I found the book very well written, and it held my attention. This is a very interesting historical fiction. I highly recommend it if you enjoy stories about slavery and good historical fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Thanks to the publisher, Ballantine Books, an imprint of Random House, and the author for the privilege to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A phenomenal book. The history of enslaved black people in Philadelphia which I never knew about. Escaping the south and all the horrors that went with it!

ALL WE WERE PROMISED is 19th century American historical fiction about women, slavery, and the abolitionist movement - centered loosely around Pennsylvania Hall in Philadelphia -- an abolitionist venue which opened as a "Temple of Free Discussion" in 1838, and was torched by an anti-abolitionist mob four days later. I confess this is an event I had never heard about. Awarded three stars but 3.25 or 3.5 is more accurate.

The story focuses on four women:

• Charlotte: born into slavery, she and her father fled their Maryland plantation to establish a new life in Philadelphia, but success comes with heavy burdens for both.

• Kate: A self-involved widow and slave owner who has fallen on hard times and comes to Philadelphia to find a husband to provide her with a more stable financial situation.

• Evie: a teenage girl, enslaved by Kate, who longs to escape slavery and establish a more independent life.

• Nell: a young woman passionate about abolition, whose family is part of a small, prominent, and wealthy Black community in Philadelphia.

How these four women connect and interact -- sometimes with threats and deception, sometimes with trust and great risk-- is the foundation to this novel. For three of the women, ALL WE WERE PROMISED is their coming-of-age story where each must explore the line between right and wrong, between well-intended language and true commitment. All the while, they are surrounded by fierce defenders of slavery, slave catchers looking for bounties, and rampant racism.

This is the Ashton Lattimore's (a former attorney) debut novel and while the book is very well written, I also found it has some rookie flaws. The first half of the book is quite slow, though the drama does pick up significantly after that. Also, I found very heavy reliance on an omniscient narrator who wound up keeping me (as a reader) at a distance from the characters. Instead of discovering each character through the character's own words, I found the narrator was telling me what each was feeling and experiencing. So, I wasn't able to connect to their lives in the direct way I'd hoped, based on the book's description.

Overall, ALL WE WERE PROMISED is an interesting glimpse into our country's story of institutional slavery at one moment in time -- in a large, supposedly free Northern city 20+ years before the Civil War. If you're interested in the subject matter or this time period, I think you'll learn quite a bit.

All We Were Promised looks at the lives of 3 black women after the Civil War. They are drawn together as they seek rights and freedoms for blacks, as promised.
They 3 viewpoints really brought this story to life as each woman must forge their own path to full freedom and safety.
Set in Philadelphia this historical fiction tells of the debates of the rights of blacks and the struggle of belonging that they faced and continue to face today.
Lattimore brings us a piece of history, told from different viewpoints, and brings that era alive for her readers.

Told from the voices of three young women in Philadelphia - a free Black from a well-to-do family, a freed slave, and a current slave. While the women are fictional many of the events are actual. A stunning look at slavery and the work to abolish it

This is an excellent book giving a look into a little known part of American history and its relationship with its slavery past.

Set in pre-civil war Philadelphia we learn about a divided northern city where blacks are free and many prosperous. There is an elite black society where freemen own businesses, their wives manage lovely homes and their children get a fine education. Philadelphia becomes a destination and a beacon of hope for escaped slaves looking to better their circumstances.

It’s in this vibrant city that the lives of three young black women converge each with their own agenda and secrets: Nell, daughter of one the elite black families who is an abolitionist, Charlotte, a run away slave newly arrived in Philadelphia and living as a slave to her black father who is passing as white, and Evie, a slave visiting the city with her owner, the mistress of the plantation from whom Charlotte and her father are on the run.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel prior to publication.


O

Courtesy of Random House and Netgalley, I received the ARC of All We Were Promised by Ashton Lattimore. This debut historical novel focuses on three young Black women in pre Civil War Philadelphia, their desire to be free from slavery, and their involvement with abolition efforts. While developing compelling characters centered around this important era in Philadelphia history, the author created an amazing and personal narrative. I couldn't stop reading! Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

The lives of three black women pre civil war, Charlotte (escaped slave), Nell (born free) , and Evie (slave), were emotional and captivating.

The author did an awesome.job of interweaving their lives. The characters are portrayed realistically and I felt the love between the three women, their emotional bonds were strong.

The book gave insight to black women's lives pre civil war and the shocking differences that existed between those fortunate enough to be free vs. those able to escape a life of slavery and those who living in slavery.

It was a horrible time in history. We have come a long way, but still have far to go.

Recommend.

I loved this powerful historical fiction! It captivated me from beginning to end! At its center are three young Black women, Nell, born in Philadelphia, and never enslaved, Charlotte, an escaped slave, now free, and Evie, a slave, hoping she can find her way to freedom. Ashton Lattimore has expertly blended the stories of these three to relate the beginnings of the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society, The Philadelphia Vigilant Association, and the building of Freedom Hall, as well as the very real fear of both free Blacks, and freed slaves that they could be captured and sold into slavery, despite being legally free. All of the characters the author has created to bring this period of history to life are just so real! The author makes you feel their pain, their struggles, and their triumphs. She has also interspersed several real-life icons of the anti-slavery movement throughout the book. Definitely read the author notes at the end for the history that inspired the book. This is an absolutely amazing first novel! Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my advanced copy. The opinions of this review are my own.

Beautifully written and such an eye opener. Loved the descriptions of clothes and “seeing” real historical figures & places I had never heard of before.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Charlotte is currently living in Philadelphia. She thought that her life would be different than before. This book captures what life was like in the eighteen hundreds

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this E-arc for my honest review.
Well-written historical fiction story with strong female characters fighting for abolishing slavery, assisting runaway slaves, standing up for women of all color, etc.
This book is heartbreakingly beautiful and a must read for all.

Intertwining the stories of three young Black women in 1830's Philadelphia, author first-time author, Lattimore gives readers a look into the dangerous time in which they lived. Charlotte (aka Carrie) and her father James are escaped slaves who have lived in the North for four years. With James passing as white and keeping Charlotte hiding in plain sight as his slave, he has built a prospering furniture business. But Charlotte wants more and makes friends with a young wealthy Black woman named Nell who is working to abolish slavery. As dangerous as this activity is, Charlotte sneaks out of the house and joins Nell's women's group. All goes well until her former mistress shows up in town with Evie, a slave that was like a sister to Charlotte who begs Charlotte to find a way to help her escape before she is taken further south.

I thought the three intertwining stories were interesting. It was obvious that Lattimore had done a lot of research into the time period and Philadelphia in particular. The novel could have been much tighter with additional editing. There were times that the narrative dragged and I had to push myself to continue reading. I felt that James was not as fully a developed character as he should have been given that he was the one who instigated the escape from White Oaks plantation and is Charlotte's father.

I was asked to review “All We Were Premised” by Ashton Lattimore. This historical tale centers around three very different black women in pre-Civil War Philadelphia. Charlotte has escaped slavery and looks forward to a new life in the north. Unfortunately, she left Evie behind. Meanwhile, Nell is part of influential class of black families in Philadelphia and an abolitionist. When Evie’s owner brings her slave to Philadelphia, she and Charlotte reunite. Accordingly, Charlotte is determined to give Evie the same opportunity that she has and seeks help from Nell.

I really liked the three different perspectives. Most of the Civil War fiction I read takes place in the South, so I enjoyed learning about how Philadelphia allowed different classes of Blacks to coexist. Philadelphia also supported the six-month rule that permitted slaves to gain their freedom by resides in the state for six months. Overall, I found this story compelling with the characters memorable and unique.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and author for a chance to review this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and as I continue to learn about slavery in the South and in the related impact in Philadelphia. I was familiar with Phyllis Wheatly but not so much with issues in Philadelphia—even though I lived there for 10 years! The characters and situations seemed realistic, the power of women was strongly demonstrated especially women’s ability to stick together. Race can be a tough conversation but I thought it was a solid, intriguing and realistic portrayal of our history. Escape, rescue, trust and friendship are the common themes as we look at this historical novel of a hard time in our country.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for the Advanced Review copy.