Give me all of the family dramas.

When I found out this was written by the same author has The Nanny Diaries I was completely shocked, what an incredible range, but I also read she spent several years writing this and I have to say it truly shows. It is a well executed story with complex characters and really highlighted the ripple of generational trauma and how these cycles can be impossible to break.

I was enthralled by these characters, I had a mix of emotions loving them one minute and cursing them the next, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to see where they all ended up.

This is a story full of hope and honesty and the resilience of the human spirit.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to review this ARC!

The Best We Could Hope For by Nicola Kraus offers an interesting look at family dynamics and the challenges of motherhood. The writing is engaging, and Kraus's honesty about her experiences is refreshing. However, the pacing felt a bit slow at times, which made it hard to stay fully invested. While there are some poignant moments, the narrative occasionally lacks depth, leaving certain themes underexplored. Overall, it's a decent read that has its moments but doesn't quite reach its full potential. 3 stars.

This was a deep, moving story about generational trauma. I'd received a copy of it and had to put off reading it for a few months. By the time I started it, I had forgotten what it was about it, so I went in blind and was not disappointed.

The story follows a young woman, Jayne, through her young adult years into adulthood. She meets and marries a man while at school and they settle into a pretty boring life. Then her sister, Bunny, comes to visit with her 2 kids and a third on the way. Bunny has runaway as a teen to live a hippie type lifestyle. There's not much said about why she left, it's all very secret, childhood trauma seeming. Bunny eventually leaves her 3 children with Jayne and her husband. The aftermath of that and Bunny's return is the brunt of the book. Then we follow Jayne's daughter, Linden, as she grows up and then as she tries to figure out her family's secrets and work through her own trauma.

I don't want to spoil anything but there would be a warning of child sexual abuse. It's not detailed but it is talked about a lot.

There's an entire family of well written characters here and I wish the book was longer to spend more time with them. From Jayne's parents to Bunny's grandkids, they all have a deep role to play. The book is on the shorter side, compared to most novels now, and it moves quickly, making it an easy read, even if you're reading through tears.

I will say I've read other books from this author with her co-author and this was a very good book that she wrote alone. I can't even draw a line between this book and the Nanny Diaries, they're so different. And I hope we get more books like this, such a moving family drama.

A very special thank you to NetGalley and Little A publishing for this advance copy of The Best We Could Hope For. This one publishes on 5/6/25.

I got this a little confused and thought the author is the author of Hotel Laguna, a favorite of mine last year (aka, nope - that’s Nicola HARRISON), and I was surprised to see that Nicola Kraus is the author of The Nanny Diaries. While I haven’t read that work, this one definitely read as a tough contemporary historical, with a lot of really heavy themes. I felt really sad the majority of this book, so if the author was trying to invoke that response of a reader, she definitely succeeded, but ai would caution to make sure you’re in a good head space before diving into this one.

Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for this honest review!

This book was not at all what I expected, but I devoured it. At its core it’s the tale of a family with a lot of issues. But this story goes deeper and shows us how the sins of the father are laid upon the children, to quote Shakespeare. The characters are varied but the main players are well fleshed out and plot moves along well enough. It is a family saga but it’s not the Brady Bunch. This book could do with a trigger warning as it deals with some sensitive subjects but otherwise it’s a book I would encourage anyone to read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Little A for my advanced copy.

I couldn't put this book down from the first page and devoured it in two days. It's a moving story of a family's emotional and dysfunctional journey and the lasting impact of generational trauma on their history. The author did an excellent job with the sensitive nature of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little A Publishing for allowing me to read and review this eARC.

This book serves as a cautionary tale. For those raising young children, it's crucial to heal yourself first. Understand the reasons behind your actions and move forward with love and peace. We don't have to perpetuate harmful cycles or pass down trauma.

Such a great read! Highly recommend this one.

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book sucked me in, deep, and as my poor neglected family members will tell you unprompted, I could not put it down.
The book tells a story, and yes, that’s what most books are supposed to do, but I refer to the writing style: a story is being told, which was a refreshing break from what seems to be the norm/ in fashion. It is…sweeping.

We follow Jayne as she grows up a girl of her time, a time where her (half) brothers can do what they want, but she and her sister Bunny can’t, a time where a woman was destitute if not married. She’s send to Radcliffe to study, leaving Bunny behind, and to catch a husband of course. She does, but not one of the rich ones. They are, however, madly in love, and Jayne knows how to make ends meet.

Stepping through the years we see her husband rise to fame, and riches coming in. One day Bunny is on the doorstep, with three kids from different fathers. We see her leave, and Jayne stepping up to raise those children, and her own.

A decade later, shortly after Bunny suddenly returns, the perspective changes to Jayne’s daughter Linden, later still shortened to “Lin” as a teenager, a young adult in the early 2000s, as an adult.

That part of the book is about the children, mostly Linden, trying to puzzle together what happened when they were young. What REALLY happened, and ideally also “why”.

You see I’m trying my best to NOT give away anything of the plot. It truly is a book to experience, a family saga about trauma -it’s dark, don’t be mistaken- and how we carry things with us, pass things on. Also, how very avant-la-lettre to have a merged / nuclear family!
I started with saying the book tells. It does, but by doing so it shows beautifully how different children were raised now and then (and now again) how life of women has changed over time, and in what areas expectations are awfully the same still.

I absolutely loved this book, I was hooked early on and tried to slow down towards the end because I wasn’t ready yet to say goodbye to the family.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in return for my honest opinion. I’m counting down the days till publication.

PS: I have no idea what “the nanny diaries” are, so can’t compare, but from what I understand those are co-written and “the best we could hope for” is authored by one.

Good.

A well written story of generational trauma, loneliness, and grief.
The writing, the dialogue, especially towards the end, is really beautiful. The way it captures Linden's feelings. Just extraordinary. It (the writing) also gets progressively better as the story unfolds. Not to say the writing isn't good at the start of the book. It is. But it's much better towards the end.

Worth a read. 👍

A super cool book that I really liked.
Wonderful characters that are realistic along with their problems that drew me in immediately.
The secrets and family dynamics kept me turning the pages until I realized it was 4am.
Yes, I lost sleep over this story but I couldn't put it down until this family told me their story.
At times, very heartbreaking that I wanted to cry and others it made me very angry.
Selfishness is what I call it. Wow!
The author has done her job well if she's made me feel all these feelings about these characters.
I think the character I felt most sorry for was Jayne.
But I also admired her very much for stepping in. Wow! What a powerful story about family.
Certainly gives you a lot to think about after Jayne's story is finished. I don't know about anyone else but I still am.
5 stars fir a story well told and written. Loved every minute of it. I highly recommend.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

The Best We Could Hope For delivered a powerful and poignant narrative that delved deep into the complexities of generational trauma. While the pacing was occasionally uneven, the overall plot was well-crafted and kept me engaged.

The author's decision to span several decades was ambitious, but I believe the story could have benefited from a more focused approach. Perhaps dividing it into two books, one focusing on Jayne and the other on Linden, would have allowed for a deeper exploration of each character's journey.

The author's attention to detail was impressive, creating a vivid and immersive world. The portrayal of societal attitudes and historical contexts was particularly well-executed.

The book's exploration of womanhood, motherhood, and societal expectations was both thought-provoking and emotionally resonant. There were numerous powerful and quotable passages that resonated with me on a personal level.

However, I must address a significant concern. The book contains depictions of child abuse that are not explicitly warned about. While the author skillfully handles this sensitive subject matter, I believe it is essential for potential readers to be aware of this content beforehand.

Overall, The Best We Could Hope For is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that offers a powerful exploration of trauma and resilience. While the lack of a trigger warning is a significant drawback, the book's strengths outweigh this issue. I would recommend it to readers who are prepared to engage with difficult subject matter.

I received an advanced copy - thanks to NetGalley.

This book was not too bad. Focusing on trauma passed down through generations.
While at times I found it a bit confusing who the main character is- I still was engaged throughout the whole book.
It wasn’t my cup of tea- but I didn’t hate it.

The Best We Could Hope For tells the story of sisters Jayne and Bunny - Jayne is the one who does exactly what her parents want, attends Radcliffe, marries a Harvard man, while Bunny, the beauty of the two, leaves home at 16 and is disowned by her parents, travels the world like a free spirit/hippie, and has three kids without fathers in their lives. At the end of her rope after the birth of her youngest, Bunny visits Jayne with the kids and abandons them there. This is a story of family secrets, abuse, dysfunction - you name it. I found this a very depressing read - Just too much sadness in 300+ pages. Over the years I have learned that there is a little bit of dysfunction in most families - but these folks take the cake. I almost stopped reading half way through but like a car accident, I could not stop as I wanted to know what happened with Jayne's daughter Lin. No spoilers - but there's no happy ending - although I have no doubt that the Epilogue was an attempt to wrap everything up neatly and nicely although it didn't do it for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Best We Could Hope For by Nicola Kraus. This was the first book that I have read by this author. Overall, I enjoyed the book but I found that it was hard to settle into. The Best We Could Hope For weaves a complex tale of family bonds and hidden truths. The story kicks off in the '70s when Bunny leaves her kids with her sister Jayne, triggering a series of events that echo through the years.
While there are a whole host of characters, the story focuses on Jayne and her daughter Lin (Linden). The story bounces between past and present. There were times in the book where I lost track between past and present. I felt like the story would change from Jayne point of view to Lin's without any signifier of that change. While the premise is intriguing and the themes are powerful, I found that my interest waned at times. The pacing could be uneven, with some sections feeling slower than others.

The Best We Could Hope For shows how trauma can weave through a family, and change the entire family history. I wish I could spend more time with the characters. It is a heavy read, but I recommend that you check out the book. I'm giving this book 3.5/5 stars.

Trigger warning: Abuse

I really loved Jayne in this novel. She is the fmc, and she had so many layers to her. It was really great watching her grow and seeing how she dealt with the relationships she was in when they weren’t very considerate towards her.

I am so amazed by this authors incredible writing. This book was phenomenal. So well done. Such a beautiful story and just out of this world!

This is a deeply sad and moving look at generational trauma in a family.

Bunny and Jayne are sisters raised in a wealthy family. Their older brothers run off to the west coast and while Jayne is at school Bunny runs off to live “in a hippy compound”. I felt the stilted way this way addressed was a good reflection of the time period and social attitudes of the 1950s. Jayne is focused on graduating college and getting married. She doesn’t outright say that her child hood was abusive. She uses words like “hard to get to know” or “cold” or “hard working” when talking about her father. He was down right abusive to his family and it was never openly discussed.

After Bunny runs off as a teenager she resurfaces in the 1970s with 3 children that she is emotionally and physically unable to take care of. It’s up to Jayne and her husband Rodger to raise the kids as their own. Tilts clear that Bunny is suffering some sort of mental breakdown.

This story focuses on Jayne and Bunny and then later on their 5 children. Til thought the plot was well orchestrated to cover decades of family life. It follows their daughter Lindon that is reeling from her complicated and traumatic childhood. I think a lot of millennials will relate to the characters in this book. There are so many secrets in this family that no one talks about and so much trauma that is never talked about or dealt with. This book tackles the reality of motherhood. A broken person makes choices and those choices and decisions become their life. If you don’t heal and deal with the pain and trauma that you experience it will manifest in your actions and affect the next generation.

I recommend this book to anyone that like a family drama.

Thank you to netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the Kindle ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Best We Could Hope For is a dramatic telling of two sisters - Jayne and Bunny - who grow up with their parents and a decent amount of wealth. Bunny is unsatisfied and leaves home early, not to be heard from again until she shows up on married Jayne's doorstep, years later, with three children, all from different fathers. Bunny needs to "find herself" and leaves Jayne and her husband in charge of the kids. The story follows the two sisters lives - their relationships and the children growing up. A slower read but worth reading.

I am a fan for novels that focus on multi-generations of a family (especially a dysfunctional one) so was excited to read this novel based on its premise. While “Best We Could Hope For” was not an easy read, it was certainly a poignant one about how the choices we make can impact loved ones in ways we cannot imagine.

We start with two sisters—Jayne and Bunny. Jayne keeps her feet on the ground while Bunny’s head remains in the clouds. Hence, when Bunny brings her three girls to Jayne’s doorstep, Jayne has no choice to agree to care for them. Years later, after Jayne has her own daughter, Lin, Bunny returns, impacting the family (especially Lin) for years to come.

The author does an excellent job grappling with some difficult topics but still moving the story forward. I admit there were parts I skimmed because they made me uncomfortable, but overall, I felt sad when I finished the book, but I think that was the point.

Four out of five stars.

Thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for a chance to read and review this memorable book.