All We Were Promised

“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

“[A] richly layered debut . . . Lattimore is a writer to watch.”—Publishers Weekly

“A thoroughly researched gem with a strong sense of place anchored around the construction of Pennsylvania hall.”—Booklist, starred review

“A must-read!”—Essence

“This rich historical novel widens the scope on the variety of Black American experiences.”—Kirkus Review

“A lovingly told story about compelling characters, with powerful stakes that still remains grounded in tone . . . A masterpiece.”—San Francisco Book Review

“Exudes originality . . . [an] altogether absorbing, thought-proving story.”—Historical Novel Society

“All We Were Promised is a vivid and significant contribution to historical fiction that masterfully recovers the dynamic diversity of Philadelphia’s Black community circa 1837. A heartwarming, important work, the novel’s carefully considered and nuanced characters, white and Black, complete a fascinating narrative that revives long-ignored details of abolitionist coalitions and flourishing free Black communities who lit the path for the liberation that would follow.”—Joshunda Sanders, author of Women of the Post

“A compelling tale of three Black women caught between the promises and threats of a supposedly free, pre–Civil War Philadelphia.”—Charmaine Wilkerson, author of Black Cake

“Masterfully brings the era to life and kept me turning pages. A triumphant debut!”—Martha Hall Kelly, author of Lilac Girls

“As beautifully written as it is historically sound, and ripe with the overwhelming struggle to right America’s greatest wrong: slavery.”—Sadeqa Johnson, author of The House of Eve

“A stunning debut . . . This riveting story will enthrall you with its promises kept and broken, love lost and found, and paths carved forward with despair and hope.”—Adriana Trigiani, author of The Good Left Undone

“With insight and empathy, this absorbing novel transports us to the turbulent streets of 1830s Philadelphia.”—Catherine Kerrison, author of Jefferson’s Daughters

“Well-researched and beautifully rendered, Ashton Lattimore’s debut delves deep into a pre–Civil War Philadelphia at the crossroads of slavery and independence, an urgent history that builds on every compelling page.”—Afia Atakora, author of Conjure Women

“I highly recommend this important, beautiful book. It has everything I value most in historical fiction: compelling characters, a suspenseful plot, and vivid details, which here bring to life a part of America’s past that continues to resonate painfully today.”—Tara Conklin, author of The House Girl

“This truly impressive debut is a moving story of the heart’s cry for independence, regard, and honor, deftly told.”—Susan Meissner, author of Only the Beautiful

“So compelling, it’s impossible to put down . . . Nineteenth-century America never felt more gripping or alive.”—Michelle Moran, author of Cleopatra’s Daughter