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4.5 stars.

Any reader searching for a compelling story about pre-Civil War abolitionists and the struggle of fugitive slaves will definitely want to read this debut novel. The author shares a great deal of important historical information, and readers will gain a better understanding of the turbulent quest for freedom and acceptance.

This intense and thought-provoking story highlights the fictional lives of three young Black women in Philadelphia in 1837. Each must weigh their commitment to their cause and their family while facing the possibility of danger around every corner.

Nell is the daughter of well-to-do parents who are part of Philadelphia's free Black upper class. She is an active member of the women's Antislavery Society but is disillusioned by their activities, which mostly consist of an abundance of meetings, speeches, bake sales, and fundraising. Nell's new friendship with Charlotte soon ends up plunging her into aiding and abetting a fugitive slave.

Charlotte and her father are secretly runaways from a plantation in Maryland. He passes as white and sets up a woodworking shop in the city, while keeping his daughter home as a servant in hopes of furthering his growth and acceptance into Philadelphia society. Unbeknownst to her father, Charlotte is sneaking out of the house to meet with Nell at Antislavery Society meetings.

Everyone's lives are upended when Evie, a young slave who was like a sister to Charlotte at the plantation, shows up in Philly with their widowed mistress. Reuniting with Charlotte causes jealousy and fuels Evie's desire to escape her demanding owner and slavery. Will Charlotte help Evie find freedom while risking her own?

As I read about this riveting course of events, I was emotionally torn by the tension, anxiety, and hazard involved in not knowing who could be trusted while trying to engineer an escape. Great risk was involved with no guarantee of success.

The author's note at the end of this book should definitely not be missed. This book contains a wealth of research and facts about this period in history. I would recommend this to all avid historical fiction fans and general fiction fans alike.

My sincere thanks to Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine Books for giving me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.