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.

A multigenerational story of family dysfunction, secrets, abuse and more. Too much squashed into this story, and too many depressing cliches. Quite well written but not a family I wanted to read about!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review

I cannot resist a what went wrong family saga and this delivered. I did think it was a bit darker than I was expecting but it was well written and didn't dwell too much. It almost went a little too fast at times, we read about 80 years worth of drama in a short book. It almost could have been two books given the amount of stories she shared. But she did surprisingly good job of keeping the story moving and you didn't feel like you missed anything.

*The Best We Could Hope For* by Nicola Kraus is a heartfelt and thought-provoking novel that dives into the complexities of family dynamics. Kraus paints an honest picture of relationships, particularly between mothers and daughters, with a mix of humor and emotional depth. The characters are relatable, and their struggles feel real, making the story both touching and authentic. It's a great pick for anyone who enjoys introspective, character-driven stories with a mix of light and heavy moments. Overall, it's a warm, engaging read that leaves you reflecting on your own family ties.

The way Kraus explores the messy, complicated parts of relationships is refreshing, and it felt like a real conversation about what it means to grow up and try to understand the people in your life. It’s emotional but not overly heavy, and the writing is super engaging. If you’re in the mood for something heartfelt and real, this one’s a great choice!

Whew, family is complicated....

This family centered drama was dramatic (some moments where definitely giving Jerry Springer!), traumatic, and a page turner!
I didn't find any of the characters truly likable or redeemable, but that felt honest and relatable through and through.
There was a level of nuance in each character that was done well. Even though I may not have agreed with their actions, I wanted the best for them.

I appreciate the time jumps and consistently changing POVs. It made for a well rounded read and perspective across all of the issues the family was facing. I think the author handled the variety of issues well especially in the context of the generations and eras in which they were happening and/or in relation to the people it was happening to/around and their perception given when they grew up/lived. Truly a thoughtful experience.

It was short but didn't feel like it was missing anything. I felt like death was a cop out for a few characters and wish we got more of some side characters, but ultimately happy with this read.

This book was dark and really sad but I liked it. This is a take on what childhood trauma can do to a family and how it reverberates through the generations until somebody stops the cycle. It shows how secrets can destroy an entire family.

There is so much to take in in this short novel. It was just 236 pages on my tablet, yet the author manages to cram in decades of this family's life from 1943 Maryland to 2013 New York. The author did a wonderful job engaging me and packed so much in. I'm glad the book was short because it was so terribly sad, but it didn't feel rushed or undone; it was perfect.

This one will stay with me for a long time because it was poignant and profound. The plot is well constructed, the characters are three-dimensional and the author writes in wonderful detail without getting too wordy. I love how the author paid attention to the
specific time periods, she got the decades right regarding music clothing and TV shows.

This book was skillfully engaging, well crafted and handled some very serious, sensitive topical matters and it was done in a very sensitive way. It was ambitious and overall compelling. I'm trying really hard to avoid spoilers as this one is better going in blind. It is not for the faint of heart but I do recommend it.

The book has so much depth and complicated family dynamics. It's heartbreaking and mysterious. I could feel when the characters reached breaking point. I felt torn myself.

This book was interesting! This is a powerful story about how trauma marks the psyche in a way that may not even be understood by those who experience it, and that those who do not process their trauma are doomed to pass it on to future generations. I was really invested in understanding the "why" behind these characters and their choices. The buildup to the final chapters hit a small drag for me in the middle of the book, but the final chapters were so poignant and involved so much of the information I had been waiting on that made it worth the wait. I appreciated the long term development of the characters and the demonstration of how trauma can impact people within the same family so differently. Worth the read!

I was looking forward to reading this novel by Nicola Kraus. I found the start to the book to be quite slow. I would have enjoyed more character development. Overall, it was a good read.

Powerful and atmospheric. I love the 60s era and the family drama. Unputdownable story. The characters broke my heart, but they were completely relatable. I especially like the motif of family responsibility coupled with the idea that we are who our families make us. Inescapable past and all that.