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Happy Tuesday! Today I have a review of Nicole Baart’s newest release, You Were Always Mine, publishing today by Atria Books!

My Thoughts:

So this is what Nicole Baart’s books are like? I am a fan! 

Whether you call it a domestic drama, domestic suspense, or even a domestic psychological thriller (because it most definitely had me analyzing what was happening as it happened!), You Were Always Mine is a tense and emotional story of adoption; one that will surprise you! 

Jessica Chamberlain, a high school teacher and mother of two boys, has recently separated from her doctor husband when he suddenly disappears and is later found dead. 

One of Jessica’s sons is her birth son, while the younger son, Gabe, is adopted. Baart describes both boys and Jessica’s relationship with them in fleshed-out three dimension. I could easily imagine them all and could feel the palpable love between them. 

The synopsis actually tells you more about the story than I want to say. Go in blind if you can because the way it all develops will keep you guessing and also feels so entirely human, so viscerally real, I would not want to take away from that experience. 

Baart is skilled at writing about the complexity of relationships- wife and husband, mother and son, father and son, and father and daughter (in the scenes with Jessica’s father). At its heart, You Were Always Mine is a poignant tale of adoption, and the drama and suspense added a wealth of intrigue and propelled the dynamic plot forward.

Thanks to Atria for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own. 

Synopsis:

The acclaimed author of Little Broken Things returns with another “race-to-the-finish family drama” (People) about a single mother who becomes embroiled in a mystery that threatens to tear apart what’s left of her family.

Jessica Chamberlain, newly separated and living with her two sons in a small Iowa town, can’t believe that a tragedy in another state could have anything to do with her. But when her phone rings one quiet morning, her world is shattered. As she tries to pick up the pieces and make sense of what went wrong, Jess begins to realize that a tragic death is just the beginning. Soon she is caught in a web of lies and half-truths—and she’s horrified to learn that everything leads back to her seven-year-old adopted son, Gabriel.

Years ago, Gabe’s birth mother requested a closed adoption and Jessica was more than happy to comply. But when her house is broken into and she discovers a clue that suggests her estranged husband was in close contact with Gabe’s biological mother, she vows to uncover the truth at any cost. A harrowing story of tenacious love and heartbreaking betrayal, You Were Always Mine is about the wars we wage to keep the ones we love close, perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Jodi Picoult.

Have you read You Were Always Mine, or is it on your TBR? Have you read any of Baart’s other books? Happy Reading! ~ Jennifer THR