All We Were Promised

A Novel

By: Ashton Lattimore

Narrated by: Shayna Small, Ashton Lattimore

A housemaid with a dangerous family secret conspires with a wealthy young abolitionist to help an enslaved girl escape, in volatile pre-Civil War Philadelphia—“a gripping novel about standing up to impossible odds” (People, Best New Books)

The rebel . . . the socialite . . . and the fugitive. Together, they will risk everything for one another in this “beguiling story of friendship, deception, and women crossing boundaries in the name of freedom” (Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Lost Friends).

BOOK OF THE MONTH CLUB PICK • ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, NPR, She Reads

Philadelphia, 1837. After Charlotte escaped from the crumbling White Oaks plantation down South, she’d expected freedom to feel different from her former life as an enslaved housemaid. After all, Philadelphia is supposed to be the birthplace of American liberty. Instead, she’s locked away playing servant to her white-passing father, as they both attempt to hide their identities from slavecatchers who would destroy their new lives.

Longing to break away, Charlotte befriends Nell, a budding abolitionist from one of Philadelphia’s wealthiest Black families. Just as Charlotte starts to envision a future, a familiar face from her past reappears: Evie, her friend from White Oaks, has been brought to the city by the plantation mistress, and she’s desperate to escape. But as Charlotte and Nell conspire to rescue her, in a city engulfed by race riots and attacks on abolitionists, they soon discover that fighting for Evie’s freedom may cost them their own.

©2024 Ashton Lattimore (P)2024 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“A gripping novel about standing up to impossible odds.”—People

“Draped in the history of Philadelphia's thriving abolition movement, this superb novel shares edge-of-your-seat suspense.”—The Washington Post

“A page-turning story . . . [For] readers who are tired of being spoonfed narratives that paint Black people as illiterate victims without agency.”—Philadelphia Inquirer

The characters were spot on

As I titled this review, the characters were spot on. The details of life in those days was also very historically accurate. A true pleasure to listen to.

Depth of characters

Each character draws you into this perfectly weaved story. The author gives the reader an excellent picture of the time period between slavery and freedom for black people. This story’s a must read.

A truly captivating and riveting story.

So captivating It was difficult to stop listening. It's Beautifully & cleverly written! Bravo Ashton!

Vivid, Engaging Eenlightenment

This is top- drawer historical fiction, a story that transports the listener back in time and incites one to rearrange responsibilities in order to keep listening. The author shares perfect details without undue embellishment. One can feel the fabrics, taste the foods, share the emotions. Buildings, families, enslavers, and tangled circumstances come to life. One feels the characters’ emotions and winces at resulting misunderstandings.

All We Were Promised invites conversations about life, family, self- understanding, acceptance, current national issues, human rights, and love. Beautifully written; wonderfully portrayed.

A magnificent book

There is nothing boring in this book. It is filled with action. It is also filled with three main characters named Charlotte,Nell, and Evie. They were the stars of this story. They were strong,tough women living in dangerous times. They fought for and with each other. The words they spoke made me pause and read again. The narrators were stars as well. They could not have performed better. This debut author needs to continue writing. I will be searching for future books written by Ashton Latimore.

A Real Gem!!!

I came across this audiobook a couple of weeks ago and debated as to whether I should give it a chance since the subject matter seemed intriguing and the sample narration sounded authentic… I really got into the story, so much so that I couldn’t stop listening late into the night. The story is certainly well told, and those looking for a solid historical book will be hooked from the start. Enjoy!

The storyline and the intricate background of the characters.

A little more on the ending: It feels like some characters' stories were left to the reader's imagination.

Transported me

This was a well researched and written account of a time and events left out of our history books. The characters were fully developed and I felt as though I really understood them. Although nearly two centuries have passed, events in the United States today make me think that anger and violence is still with us.

truth & history

I did not dislike anything about this book/story. I felt like I was there.

Hardships

A story of slavery between 2 opposing lifestyles of free and slaved Black people. A good read