You Were Always Mine

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.

I chose this book for my online book club to read and I am so glad I did!  It's a quieter family drama, so please don't go into this book expecting a huge page turning story twist.  I found the characters to be complex and I was always trying to decide if I liked them or not, which made them feel real.  The story deals with a newly widowed mom trying to uncover what happened to her husband.  I liked how we really dove deep into the daily lives of Jess and her children.  I also absolutely loved the layout of this book.  The way each chapter began and ended was so unique and propelled the story forward.  I would love to see more authors using creative ways of hooking a reader like she did.  This novel took the subject of adoption and gave a real life perspective of what that can look like and I appreciated the good and the bad.  I will be looking for more books by this author in the future.  

             * I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *