Erin Bartels is an American author known for her richly layered works of historical and contemporary fiction. Her debut novel, "We Hope for Better Things," won multiple awards and announced her as a powerful new voice in Christian fiction. She followed this with "The Words Between Us," a poignant exploration of family secrets and the weight of the past, and "The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water," a gripping story examining truth, memory, and forgiveness. Bartels has a gift for weaving together timelines and themes, crafting emotionally resonant narratives that linger long after the final page.