Interesting Look at Post-Civil War Life

After the Civil War, freed slaves posted "Lost Friends" advertisements, seeking loved ones who had been sold off. In 1875, freed slave Hannie goes on an adventure with two step-sisters, daughters of Hannie's former master. While Lavinia and Juneau Jane are looking for their father's will, Hannie is hoping to find her long-lost family. In 1987, searching for a way to connect to her students, teacher Benny Silva hopes that diving into the town's history will spark some interest. The novel starts slow, but eventually picks up and turns into an endearing tale of the importance of family history. Hannie's story is the more interesting of the two, revealing fascinating historical details of post-Civil War life. Wingate's smartest move was to include actual Lost Friends advertisements between chapters. In all, it might not be at the top of my list of the best April 2020 book releases but it holds it's own as a light historical fiction read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Ballantine Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.