Nicola Kraus's The Best We Could Hope For is a powerful and deeply moving novel that delves into the complexities of family, secrets, and the lasting impact of past decisions. The story follows the journey of abandoned children as they grapple with their parents' history, exploring themes of memory, loyalty, and healing with grace and intelligence. Readers will find this book to be both heartbreaking and insightful, a compelling exploration of a broken family striving to piece themselves back together. This story of Bunny and Jayne was so relatable, and I found myself thinking about lots of women and moms I knew while growing up in the 70s and 80s.

This book was very interesting to read and I loved the concept and full circle moment of the story. I really enjoyed the first half of the book and learning about the family dynamics and everything that they went through. Once I got about half way through I felt the story started to drag a bit. It wasn't until towards the end that I started to get invested again when learning what really happened and how the past of the mothers affected their children. Overall I felt this book could have been shorter with some parts cut out but I was satisfied with the ending and overall enjoyed it.

This book had so much family drama, you will be grateful for your petty disagreements with your own! The protagonists wanted so much more than they had, wanted to be strong, fulfilled women. They are held back by untold family histories that end up having a domino effect among generations. My heart was wrenched as I read of the unthinkable ways this family changes, vine everyone wanting more for their loves, for their souls. It is deep and lovely, though the last fourth dragged on, making it lose a star. Thank you to NetGalley and Little Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

A poignant and multilayered narrative that explores the complexities of family dynamics, generational trauma,and the weight of secrets. The story is heavy at times but not overwhelming. Beautifully written and rich in historical and cultural detail.
Many thanks to Little A and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This one gave me all the feels. I was so consumed by this family and their story! I dreamed about it. What an amazing book.

This book was an emotional reading focusing on themes of trauma and familial relationships/ dynamics. This book was confusing and slow paced at time but worth the emotional roller coaster

A powerful novel about family, the weight of secrets, the choices we make, and the repercussions of the decisions made for us.

When Bunny Linden abandons her three children with her older sister, Jayne, in 1972, she knows Jayne will be the perfect mother. The mother Bunny, a teen runaway, could never be.

As months turn into years without word, Jayne and her husband, Rodger, a rising journalism star, strive to give the children the opportunity to flourish and feel loved. When Jayne and Rodger finally have a child of their own, a seemingly stable home is built. But then, after nearly a decade, Bunny resurfaces and sets a chain of events in motion that detonates all their lives.

As adults, their children try to reassemble the pieces and solve the mystery that has always haunted them. Who were their parents? What really happened between them? And who is ultimately to blame for the destruction? But will the answers they seek set them free—or lead to something far more damaging than anyone imagined?

The themes and concepts that this novel addresses remind me of a blog post I saw regarding the complexity of familial relationships.

"Families are complicated. We grow up and figure out who we are in the midst of these other people who are figuring it out just the same. You see each other in your most vulnerable, private, and lowest moments. You share the same living space. Family is where we learn to push boundaries—argue, defend, apologise, and forgive. Through everything, you create a bond of shared history and an expectation of unconditional support and forgiveness.

But we grow up, and all have our own threshold for forgiveness—a limit to what we can process and move forward from without harbouring resentment. However, the boundaries are flexible—able to stretch depending on the circumstances and the people involved.

We all know we can not choose our family. Our mere existence is due to circumstances beyond our control. Even though families are complicated, we do have a say in the way we interact, the way we treat each other, and the way we react to one another’s individuality and idiosyncrasies. "

Loved this story. Still thinking about it even a week or so after I finished it. Always loved Nicola Kraus's work and will continue to read!

This was an intriguing book about family. The author did an exceptional job with character development, sensitive subject matter, and settings. I was a teen in the early eighties and was reminded that in today’s society we are much more open to issues than we were in the past. This book depicts a complicated family due to unresolved secrets who are trying to navigate their relationships. I am excited to see more works from the author.

Haunting, deeply moving, and insightful, this novel explores the lasting impact of generational trauma within families. The characters are so vividly drawn that I wanted to stay with them far beyond the final page—I already miss them. Despite my own biases, I can wholeheartedly say this is a book worth reading and recommending.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC which I read in exchange for my honest review.

I didn’t know what to expect while reading this book but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I was confused at the beginning but even it picked up, I was invested!

Thank you to @NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

When I reflect on this book there are a few adjectives that come to mind. Powerful, dark, sad, complex, poignant, profound, dramatic...just to name a few. Nicola Kraus does an incredible job telling such a story with succinctness and crispness, allowing you to understand each character and their point of view. This is a generational story that illustrates the trauma brought forth through the generations, whether it is physical or emotional, it leaves its mark. The title alone provides insight into the sadness of the story.

For me, the mark of a good book is that its characters, storyline and themes remain with you for a while. This one has stayed with me for a long while. Nicola Kraus accomplished that with this one and well done indeed! I highly recommend this book and simultaneously give caution because the author makes the story so realistic, it could trigger intense emotion and responses for some people. #historicfiction #TheBestWeCouldHopeFor #familydysfunction #NetGalley

This book follows a multi-pronged family through decades of life. The points of views alternate throughout. I think it was fairly obvious what the mystery was behind the division of the family, however I felt that this author really revealed this in such a meaningful way. There is definitely a lot of generational trauma in this overall family that is rooted in abuse. At times this was a really a tough read, but the originality and the complexity of the narrative made this a lot more compelling. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

This book was a roller coaster. In some books it’s easy to predict what’s going to happen. It wasn’t like that with this book. It was pretty slow at times but it makes sense in the end for why there is so much back story. Enjoyed this! I would definitely recommend this book.

Well written, with a plot that grabs you from word one- this novel will make wonder and has a very satisfying conclusion.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Best We Could Hope For.

I requested this because the author's name was familiar; it took me a few beats to realize the author wrote The Nanny Diaries, which I read eons ago and enjoyed.

The premise of The Best We Could Hope For was darker than i imagined and TWs include; sexual abuse and pedophilia.

Bunny Linden is the favorite of the family but when she abandons her three children with her older sister ,Jayne, the relationship between the sisters becomes strained, especially when she returns after a decade.

As families form and reform, Bunny's children and Jayne must confront demons from their past and how their choices have shaped not just themselves but those around them and what that means for their futures.

I don't read genres like this, about family and trauma and bonding unless a relative kills someone else and the plot revolves around discovering who the killer is.

On one hand, I understood and sympathized with Jayne when she reminisced about the choices she made; the man she chose to marry, the evolution of her marriage and her life and what she did with it, the limited choices women have in society.

On the other hand, the novel is short so character development suffers; we don't know much about the family, Bunny, or the children.

I also didn't like anyone, not Jayne, not her husband, not even the children since we know so little about them.

Of course the most interesting people, in my opinion, are the ones who got away, Jayne's brothers and Bunny.

I figured out early on the dark secret Jayne was harboring for decades and how it eventually manifested when her own marriage fell apart.

I'm always confused when I read books with these themes because, what's the takeaway?

Is the novel about generational trauma? The lies we tell ourselves? How we forget the decisions we make affect everyone?

Or is it about how we're human (minus the evil people who commit heinous acts toward innocents) and we just do the best we can?

Is the title apt or do we fail at that because we're human?

The best we could humanly hope for.

As humans we make mistakes and all we can hope for is not to screw up our families and children more than they already are.

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.

This book needs major trigger warnings. It will be hard to give a review without spoilers so please do not read any further if you don’t want to have any spoilers although I will try to be vague.

I would have DNF’d this book but I really wanted to know if the sexual abuse was real or encouraged by the parent to be believed to be true. I still am kind of confused after reading it to be honest.

The inappropriate relationship between the step siblings well into adulthood I just couldn’t wrap my head around either. I realize this family was throughly messed up but again, so many questions and I am just lost at the lack of trigger warnings.

NetGalley, I appreciate the advanced copy of this book, however it was a completely down for me and one I cannot recommend to others.

Bunny leaves her children with her sister and doesn't come back for many years. This book shows the complexities of family and the secrets we keep.

The Best We Could Hope For by Nicola Kraus is a sweeping tale of generational trauma and the role of the family dynamic in our lives. I have enjoyed co-written books by Kraus before (read: The Nanny Diaries), but this is decidedly more emotional territory for the writer.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.