This was unfortunately archived before I could manage to download and read it. I am still very much interested in reading this and will by a copy, but it was archived well in advance of its publication date and I did not realise that would be the case.

At first, I didn't think I'd get on with this book. I didn't like the way it was written. Every paragraph felt like a draft, brief, surface level, no real depth. After a few chapters, I got on board with it, and I'm glad I did because this book is about everything that isn't said, which works well for this writing style.

Jayne and Barbara (Bunny) aren't particularly close sisters. Bunny runs away as a teen. She keeps in touch here and there, but nothing is consistent. Then she reappears years later with 3 children in tow, which she abandons with Jayne.

Bunny is sad, broken, and unstable. Jayne is put together, solid, reliable. There is so much unsaid between these sisters.

And without meaning too, with the best intentions, between them, they are going to create 6 messed up children which we follow into adulthood.

This is a sad book full of uncertain characters. It's dysfunctional and horrific. These mothers are products of their time and circumstance. We can only watch the ramifications of that on their children.

This is a very short book, 230 odd pages, but it pulls you in and gut punches on more than one occasion.

Five stars - I'll be thinking about all these characters for a while.

Great novel, enjoyed reading this so much on a recent trip.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me access this book in exchange for my feedback.

A compelling read, exploring generational trauma and abuse (trigger warning).
The characters were complex and relatable, but, as others have commented, ending was tied up a little too neatly.
Well written and thought provoking.

oh this book had me all in. from the very beginning. actually before that. from the blurb i felt this book so really i stood no chance going inwards.
it was impactful, emotional and handled with so much care. it was smart and it was heart felt.
it felt like Nicola was telling us a story of herself because it felt so "known". so true. and so very vividly real. i really felt emotional throughout alot of the book.
their is shifting timelines which help to bring some perspective to both the character and the events in time.
i felt for the characters all at once and individually. even some of the horrific choices i felt for. because so much of this is ongoing generational trauma and it just keep leaking into each generation and each person and their feelings and decision making. and this can have such consequences that can last, hurt. and shape a liftetime.
when the three children were left i felt angry but also sad. for all involved. and i was always waiting to the shoe to then drop. i was in awe of how Jayne with her own struggles took these kids on and did her best by them even when he own home life wasnt going great.
there is so much to say on this book but like its already becoming it would turn to waffle. because my thoughts are still spooling all over it and i have sooooo much i want to say but it will spoil it.
but i will definitely say to all and everyone to read this fantastic book. and i feel so utterly grateful to have been given this big old heart tug of a read. this was one of my top of the year and the family sage i adore in a book.
im sorry this review feels here there and everywhere. but that is my current raw thoughts im still having from this book.

I’m still not sure how I feel about this book.

It felt like a slow burner and I’m confident that I knew the way that it would end from quite early in the book. But I couldn’t put it down. It’s so well written and explores really difficult topics in such a way that makes you stop, think, and feel. I felt at times like the story wasn’t developing but when it did, it was a very impactful book. I struggled to keep up in some instances as it flits between perspectives and times very quickly and can be difficult to keep up.

It’s a difficult read with lots of really difficult themes explored. At times I wanted a little more but the ending left no questions and felt like everything was resolved.

A powerful and emotionally charged story of family, sacrifice and the lingering impact of the past.

In 1972, teen runaway Bunny Linden makes an unthinkable decision—she abandons her three children with her older sister, Jayne, believing Jayne will be the mother she never could be. As months turn into years, Jayne and her husband, Rodger, a rising journalist, work tirelessly to provide stability, love and opportunity for the children. When they eventually have a child of their own, their family seems complete. But nearly a decade later, Bunny resurfaces, setting off a chain of events that will shake them all to their core.

As the children grow into adults, the past refuses to stay buried. They are left piecing together the mysteries that shaped their lives. Who were their parents? What happened between them? And is uncovering the truth a path to healing—or to something far more painful than they ever imagined?

Nicola Kraus masterfully weaves multiple timelines and shifting perspectives to create a deeply layered and immersive reading experience. The time jumps and changing points of view give a well-rounded insight into each character’s struggles, shaped by the eras in which they lived. The handling of generational trauma, perception and personal history is done with remarkable sensitivity, making this a truly thoughtful and compelling read.

For those who love stories that explore complex family dynamics with honesty and depth, The Best We Could Hope For is a must-read.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Generational trauma is depicted in this beautifully written novel by Nicola Kraus. It’s almost a sin that something that took eight years to write can be read so quickly. The story is filled with melancholy and is deeply moving. The characters are well-developed, and I found myself wanting to spend more time with them. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the likes of The Paper Palace. It definitely healed a little piece of me.

Jane and Bunny are sisters who have grown up in an abusive household. Jane left for college casuing the younger Bunny to run away, leading a hard traveller life style and having several children by different fathers. Jane follows a "normal" path, a college degree and an early marriage to a slightly older student with good prospects in journalism. Jane's marriage is blighted by the lack of children she desires and one night Bunny arrives with her children in tow and then disappears. Jane is left bringing up Bunny's children as well as her later own children, her husband is disinterested in Bunny's offspring and spends a lot of time away on foreign journalistic assignments but Bunny returns and a dark secret from the past and an accusation and love affair in the present derail the family.

I thought this was a really well written and thoughtful book with perhaps too big a timeline and slightly odd pacing in places but it kept me reading for long periods. It does deal with child sexual abuse, so isn't a humourous book.

Jayne is devastated when her beloved younger sister Bunny runs away from home aged only sixteen. She herself marries rising journalist Rodger and is living a conventional life until Bunny turns up, now a single mother of three, including a baby. Soon she disappears again, leaving Jayne to care for the children. Unprepared and inexperienced, Jayne devotes herself to being the best parent she dan be, both to Bunny’s children and the two ofher own. When Bunny returns after almost ten years, she sets in motion a series of events that will turn all their lives upside down and uncover dark secrets. A powerful and often heartbreaking story of how families can cause untold damage that echoes through the generations, even when acting with the best of intentions. The author conveys how easily reputations can be lost, close relationships destroyed and lives shaped by perceptions, interpretations and expectations. Thoughtful and compassionate, the unravelling of the full story is absorbing and ultimately shocking, with a message of hope that even the most traumatic of histories can be overcome and forgiveness and redemption can be found.

The Best We Could Hope For- Nicola Kraus ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

The book follows Jayne who raises her runaway sisters children and goes on to create a large blended family. After her sister resurfaces a decade later and the family is split up in a chain reaction, the story becomes narrated by Linden, Jaynes biological daughter. Following through decades of their lives, Linden tries to solve the mysteries of her family history, and how they ended up in the situation they are in.
Other reviews have suggested having this book split into 2, with both Jayne and then Lindens narration, which I agree might have worked!
There was no trigger warnings but the book involves child abuse, and how this has lasting effects on not just the individual, but the rest of the family.

I don’t think I have read a book with this style of writing previously and I enjoyed the way Kraus included the characters feelings and actions.
+ I enjoyed the characters and their development.
+ I enjoyed the fast pace and the following of this family over decades.
+ it was a good storyline.
- I struggled to follow along at points as it would jump in time or across individuals
- some chapters dragged a little

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me access to this book! 📕📚🎠

What a beautiful puzzle piece of a book. This book was everything all at once, there was family and grief, trauma and reconciliation. I was instantly struck by the simplicity yet intricate beauty of the writing. Although Linden was the main character I was also so interested in Jayne and Sage as well, Kraus writes female characters with so much depth and detail.

The plot was slow and incredibly complex but I was never once confused or bored. This was so much more than a family story, there were levels of trauma so deeply rooted into each generation that this read like a real life story. I can’t put into words how interwoven and heavily detailed every little part of this book was, the plot came together towards the end in spectacular fashion and left me speechless. A really fantastic novel with expert storytelling and detail to characters.

4+ ⭐

I knew I was onto a winner with this book, when Jayne had me feeling all those emotions.
But then came Linden, and she truly pulled on the heart strings.
Lost, and unsure of her place. Desperate to find out the who and why of her complicated family.
What a family it was! The siblings had me smiling so often.
This is a marvelous book , that may well leave you with a tear or two in your eye.