An interesting read that will keep you turning the pages. The story is like an onion, layer by layer, you learn a little more until you reach the heart of it. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

You Were Always Mine by Nicole Baart didn't really read like a thriller for me, more like a domestic drama. I found the characters to be kind of shallow, and really couldn't relate. Only two stars from me on this one, as it didn't keep my attention. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Baart is quickly becoming one of those authors that are an automatic read for me without even reading the blurb of her books. She somehow manages to infuse her books with a quiet and steady type of suspense that makes me take a deep breath and slow down and she also takes the reader on a highly emotional journey all the while exploring new topics and teaching me a thing or two. It’s a powerful experience, truly special and unique.

Baart delves into the darker side of adoption and her knowledge is apparent as she is an adoptive mother herself. She is such a gifted writer and she captures all the emotions and feelings surrounding motherhood so perfectly it almost breaks your heart. I found myself thinking, yaasss girl! SO many times while reading, she just gets it, she makes you feel both seen and heard. She also crafts incredibly well drawn and relatable characters and Jessica had me behind her one hundred percent the whole way through.

Her books do remind me a little of Liane Moriarty so if you’re a fan give Baart a try. There’s a raw vulnerability to her books that just speaks to me and while this is definitely a slow burning suspense there’s enough intrigue to satisfy mystery fans.

You Were Always Mine in three words: Compelling, Vulnerable and Multifaceted.

Great pacing, compelling story that pulled me through. I finished in only a few days. This was my first Nicole Baart book but it won't be my last.

Oh wow. Put some time away for this book. It has all the ingredients for a terrific psychological thriller.

No spoilers from me. Book is great with lots of lies, deception, tragedy, and twists. Also, loved the unpredictable ending. Can't say enough great about this. Read it today!!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this fabulous book.

You Were Always Mine
by Nicole Baart

Jessica Chamberlain and her estranged husband Evan, have separated after 15 years of marriage. Both are doing their best to cope in a way that is positive and healthy for their two sons: Max, 13 and Gabe, 7. Gabe was the child of a closed adoption. Closed at the birth mother’s request.

The tragic death of someone in her life leads her to believe that the death can somehow be traced back to her son Gabe. This brings her to the reality that things were not always as they seemed for her. She even discovers that her estranged husband had, in fact, been in contact with Gabe’s birth mother for quite some time. Sensing something more sinister, she is fiercely determined to discover the truth and how all of these things are linked to her adopted son. She finds more secrets and deception then she’d ever imagined.

I enjoyed the story. The characters are authentic and relatable.the writer has an astute ability to tap into human emotions. This story is filled with intrigue there is love, loss, deception, trust, betrayal, and compassion. It draws out of the reader, that innate need in all of us to find an answer, a reason- closure.

You Were Always Mine is a thrilling mystery that will keep you on edge page after page. Addictive and gripping, you will not be able to guess what is happening until the brilliant and shocking ending. This is a story that is original and mind blowing I highly recommend it to any contemporary fiction lover.

This book was given to me by the publisher the Netgalley In exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This review or portions thereof, Will be posted (when able) on Amazon, Goodreads, Kobo, Litsy, IG, B&N, Pinterest, Facebook, BAM, and my own blog. Unfortunately, I am unable to provide links at this time, as I am using my phone.

You Were Always Mine by Nicole Baart is a psychological thriller.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Atria Books and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

My Synopsis:
Jessica Chamberlain has been separated from her husband Evan for about 6 months. Her boys, 13-year-old Max and 6-year-old Gabe are living with her. Max has some anger issues, and Gabe is a bit developmentally challenged. Although the kids are a lot of work, she wouldn’t have it any other way. Jessica hopes that at some point the family will be re-united. In the meantime, she’s doing the best she can.

When tragedy strikes, Jessica is at wits end. Evan was killed in a hunting accident in another state, but so much isn’t adding up for Jessica. As more details emerge, Jessica finds that everything leads back to her adopted son Gabe, and his birth-mother. As Jessica delves deeper, her own mothering skills come into question.

My Opinions:
I know I will be in the minority on this one, but I didn’t really enjoy this book. It seemed to move very slowly, and I could not find any characters to like. I felt Jessica was a very selfish woman who really didn’t deserve to have children. She left them alone more often than not, and definitely played favorites. Evan kept the fact that he was talking with Gabe’s birth-mother a secret from his wife, so I wasn’t impressed with him either. It was evident to me from the start that her best friend was two-faced. I did like her dad!

The story was told from Jessica’s perspective, from correspondence between Evan and Gabe’s birth-mother, as well as short notes about unspecified women. It seemed like a long time before those notes were interpreted, but this method worked well.

Also on the plus side, was the research the author evidently did on adoptions.

But overall, the book was just okay, and not for me. 2.5 stars

“... family isn’t always determined by blood. It’s born in tender moments, refined by fire, strengthened by the kind of love that knows no beginning or end.”
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I was sucked right in from the beginning between the first chapter titled Before and the little snip it descriptions of various people in code at the beginning of each chapter that had me scratching my head trying to figure out how it all tied together. You Were Always Mine was a slow build but that didn’t stop it from being a page turner.
Jessica, now a single mom to two children, Max and Gabe, is becoming unraveled after the surprising {and questionable} death of her husband Evan. Everything she thought she knew seems off and she is unsure of who to let in. Through this whole book there is the undercurrent of a mother’s love (both birth and adoptive) and the extent that one will go to for her children. But there is also triumph, acceptance, a little bit of mystery and the darker, not talked about sides of adoption.
You Were Always Mine was the first book I have read by Nicole Baart and I know it won’t be my last. This book is out now and a must add to your TBR list. Thank you Netgalley at Atria for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Family, love, tragedy, lies, betrayal, and controversy are just a few of the amazing things that are in the pages of You Were Always Mine by Nicole Baart. This is a fast paced novel that pulls at the heartstrings while being mysterious and fascinating.

Jessica Chamberlain was an amazing protagonist. She is a loving mother and teacher is who is pulled into a mystery involving her son's adoption that will turn her family's life upside down. There is a lot of family drama in this story as the family deals with grief and family secrets.

I was given an ARC from Atria Books through Net Galley.

What. A. Thriller. Nicole Baart’s You Were Always Mine is a phenomenal novel. It is brimming with family tensions, heartache, and the unconditional love of a mother for her children. It grabs hold of the reader with raw emotion and refuses to let go even after the book is finished.

Jessica Chamberlain is trying her best to live life as normal, despite the fact that she and her husband are now estranged and her teenage son will only speak to her in monosyllabic grunts. Then, one day, she gets a call that makes living a normal life impossible. Her heart is ripped out of her chest and grief consumes her entire family. While concentrating on keeping the broken pieces of herself and her family together, she soon discovers that the ones she loves most are caught up in a dark and dangerous world, a world she didn’t even know existed. She is soon forced to fit together the pieces of a puzzle she doesn’t understand to uncover the truth about those she holds closest to her heart.

Did I mention this book was phenomenal? I cannot recommend it enough. I was immersed in the story from the start and became so attached to each character, I found it difficult to put down. Even the most frustrating and ill-mannered characters elicit sympathy from the reader because the reasons behind their behavior, however misguided they may be, are always understandable.

In addition, Baart’s descriptions are flawless, and each scene flows seamlessly into the next, allowing the story and its characters to truly come alive. Baart provides just enough key information as the novel progresses to intrigue the reader, encouraging him or her to continue reading for answers.

This book is unlike any mystery I have ever read. It is exciting and suspenseful, thought-provoking and true, tragic and heart-warming all at once. It is a powerful and frightening story; a perfect combination of family drama and mystery that should not be missed.

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

3.5 Stars for this slow building family drama with elements of mystery.

After 15 years of marriage, Jessica and Evan Chamberlain have separated. Still, when she receives a phone call about an accident involving her husband her world begins to spin of its axis. Evan was a workaholic more committed to his practice than his family but recently he had become even more distracted, secretive and obsessed with his work. The book chronicles Jessica's quest to uncover the truth regarding her husband's death and the secrets it unearthed.

I have to admit that I am not generally a fan of slow building plots. I am admittedly a very impatient reader much of the time. While You Were Always Mine captured and kept my attention, the opening scene and last 15% of the book was by far the most action packed and therefore the best parts of the book for me. The rest of the book dragged a bit for me though that might be because I did have most of it figured out in regards to who the "villain" was.

I did appreciate the backstory about adoption and how it highlighted both the darker aspects of it and the emotions involved by all parties. I would have liked some more time spent on the darker elements but I guess that would have made it more of a mystery-thriller versus a family drama which was not the author's intent.

All in all, You Were Always Mine was an emotionally charged, character driven novel.

[I asked my reviewer to cover this book; this is her review]
Nicole Baart, an adoptive mother of five who formerly published in the Christian market, knows how to keep her readers up all night, turning the pages to the blockbuster finish. She brings that propulsive quality to her latest novel, an engrossing read about a recently widowed adoptive mother, her beloved son, and his birth mother.

Jessica Chamberlain, dealing with the sudden death of her estranged husband, is just trying to heal and help her boys do the same. At first, it seems her husband’s death was an accident, but was it really something else? And how is her youngest son’s birth mother involved?

Secrets start to pile up like autumn leaves in her bucolic Iowa town, and soon Jessica is in a race against time to save herself and her children. A satisfying, twisty, and wise family drama for fans of Jodi Picoult. (Atria)

A mystery thriller that at the same time as keeping the reader guessing also informed me about an interesting side of adoption in our country.

Jessica Chamberlain has recently separated from her husband due to an extreme rough patch in their marriage. In the first few chapters she is informed that he has passed away and things could possibly be a little shady. She tries to comfort her two sons while at the same time getting a few mysteries solved.

I have to be honest and say that I guessed the culprit a bit early on and was disappointed when I got it right so fast. There were a few things that stuck out and helped me nab the killer pretty quickly. It made me sad, but didn't ruin the reading experience because there was more than a mystery in this book.

The thing that made me love this book so much was what I learned about adoption. I appreciated reading about a family that had one natural born child and one adopted and watching a mom care and love for both sons. I loved reading about how she navigated this family and was able to take care of both boys and their individual needs to their age and personalities.

I am planning on passing this book onto the readers in my life who are more slow to pick up a mystery, but who really enjoy a good family drama.

I feel for Jessica, Max and Gabe. The events that Evan, the estranged husband and father triggered was tragically shocking. He shouldn’t have. He should have let the authorities handle it. Jessica did the best she could to unravel the mystery, but it took a lot out of her. The person, who really was a dark master mind in this saga? You won’t believe it. That was what really got me. This is a story I could not put down. Very good, suspenseful, intriguing, mysterious and tragic. I am just thankful that the good guys were okay.

4 Stars!

A Domestic Drama with Lots of Heart!

Jess is a newly single mother of two boys: Max, 13 and Gabe, 6. Every day is a struggle now that she is estranged from her husband Evan. Max is angry and sullen and he blames her for the breakup of their family. Gabe is a kind and loving child whose cuddles Jess adores. The only person Jess can count on for support is her best friend Meredith, who was their adoption specialist when she and Evan brought Gabe home. If Jess thought being separated from Evan was hard, she has no idea. Getting a call from a Deputy in Minnesota shatters her world - Evan’s body is found in the woods, in what looks like a hunting accident.

Before his death, Evan was keeping lots of secrets from Jess, secrets about their adopted son Gabe, and his birth mom. Things Jess was never privy to. It turns out that things were not always as they seemed. Jess’s world begins spinning and neither she or her kids can keep still.

“You Were Always Mine” was so hyped up that I just knew I had to get my hands on a copy and I’m glad I did. The writing flows very easily and the characters drew me in immediately. It is a domestic drama that is heartfelt in nature: a family heartbroken, hopeless and at wit’s end. It tugs at every emotion you have and it doesn't let go. The storyline was however, a tad bit too predictable for me in that I knew where it was going from the start. This was the second book I’ve read by Nicole Baart and I enjoyed this one much more than her first and look forward to seeing what she comes up with next.

This was another great buddy read with Kaceey!

Thank you to Mirtha at Atria, NetGalley and to Nicole Baart for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Published on Goodreads, NetGalley, Amazon, Twitter and Instagram on 11.8.18.

Jessica always dreamed of having the perfect family. But sometimes, (more times than not!) life takes an unexpected turn, finding yourself knee-deep in a situation you never dreamed of.

Jessica is recently estranged from her husband, raising two sons on her own. Tough position to be in, for sure. Hopefully, this is as bad as it gets.
Sorry, all you wishful thinkers! Unfortunately for Jessica, her world is about to get rocked one more time.

An innocuous knock on her door starts in motion a series of events that will leave her questioning everything she thought she knew about her husband and adopted son Gabe. The suspense steadily ramps-up in intensity as Jessica unravels the hidden truths.

Nicole Baart writes an engaging domestic thriller that will hook you, then toy with your emotions. You’ll witness a deeper side to the topic of adoption, as both parents view the birth mothers’ involvement quite differently.
There is also a much darker side to adoption....

Though I had most of the plot figured early on, it was still an enjoyable, suspenseful read. My first novel by Nicole Baart and will definitely be reaching for her next release.

A buddy read with Susanne!

Thank you to Mirtha Pena at Atria Booksvia NetGalley for an ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

This is the kind of book you don’t want to put down once you’ve started, because your emotions are on edge all the way up until the resolution. Jess Chamberlain’s situation has already begun its downward spiral when the novel begins, and the tension within her small family unit was enough to have my mama-heart in a bind all the way through to the end. But then you need to add in the unknown spectre that lurks in the shadows of every page, looming ever larger as the threads of Jess’s life begin to unravel. It was the kind of situation that had me shrinking inward in a subconscious effort to protect myself from what was coming—waiting for the axe to fall, as they say.

I do have to confess that I had my suspicions as to who would turn out to be the villain of the piece—and it turned out I was correct—but that didn’t detract from the story for me. Firstly, I wasn’t convinced I was correct until there was no longer any possible doubt. Secondly, it actually increased the tension in some ways, because I was observing everything that happened in a different light—and constantly questioning my own judgment. It somehow made it more menacing rather than less.

My first instinct was to say that the ending left me feeling slightly dissatisfied for some reason I couldn’t quite pinpoint, but having reread the ending since, I’m not so certain. Perhaps the accumulated adrenaline initially caused me to read the dénouement too quickly to let it have its full effect. I don’t know. In any case, this was an absorbing read. One that should definitely be saved for a time when you can allow yourself to become emotionally invested.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.

Jessica and Evan Chamberlain, who live in a small Iowa town, are parents to 13-year-old Max and 6-year-old Gabe. The couple adopted Gabe as an infant - right after losing their own newborn - and Jess compulsively clings to the little boy. In fact, Jess is so obsessed with being Gabe's mother that she almost refuses to acknowledge the existence of a birth mother, forbidding anyone to even mention her.

Evan, a compassionate family physician, feels differently. He's been exchanging the occasional letter - and photo - with the birth mother by way of the adoption agency, and has learned something about her in return. Evan kept this a secret from Jess, which put a strain on the marriage. Moreover, Evan recently embarked on a clandestine project concerning adoptions, and his distraction caused so much strife that he and Jess separated. So after 15 years of matrimony the Chamberlains are living apart.

Jess, a high school teacher, is having a hard time with this. She misses Evan; teenage Max has become surly and withdrawn; and Gabe keeps saying he wants his daddy to come home. Jess nurtures hope for a reconciliation until she gets a phone call that changes her life. Evan's body has been found on a Minnesota road, the apparent victim of a hunting accident. Jess can't take this in: Evan doesn't hunt and had no business being in Minnesota!

Jess feels compelled to learn more about her husband's death, and becomes something of an amateur sleuth. She meets with Deputy Mike Mullen, the Minnesota cop who informed her of Evan's death, and retrieves some of Evan's belongings. Jess also learns that Evan was in contact with Gabe's birth mother, which devastates her. To find out more about this, Jess visits the adoption agency; consults with her friend Meredith - who was her original adoption counselor; looks through Evan's apartment; etc. As a result, Jess unearths a lot of information, much of which is very mysterious. Furthermore, Jess believes someone searched her house, though nothing seems to be missing.

As all this is going on, Max - who got into serious trouble at school - has to make public restitution, and Jess's frantic and time-consuming detective work leads to suggestions of child neglect. How much more can she take?

Luckily, Jess's dad and step-mom help with the boys and her friend Meredith provides the occasional meal and emotional support.

The book is a slow burn rather than an action thriller, but the step-by-step reveals will please mystery lovers who like to puzzle out the plot points. I was surprised at the motivations of some of the characters, but the book's climax is exciting and makes sense.

The novel is cogent and well-written. I have to say, though, that I found Jess less than completely likable. Jess's smothering behavior toward Gabe, and her determination to keep him from learning anything about his birth mother....EVER.....struck me as neurotic and unhealthy. Furthermore, it can't have done Max much good.

Overall, I enjoyed this mystery and would recommend it to fans of domestic suspense stories.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Nicole Baart), and the publisher (Atria Books) for a copy of the book.

Compelling, haunting & thought-provoking!

YOU WERE ALWAYS MINE by NICOLE BAART is an excellent, riveting, moving, and passionate story centered around adoption that I was immediately drawn into and had me interested right to the very end.

Even though the intensity level of this tale slowly builds as the story progresses there is this brilliant obscure element to the storyline that immediately grabbed my attention and had me totally intrigued in what I was reading and what it all meant. This definitely brought in an extra layer of suspense to the story for me. It was quite puzzling and fit perfectly into the dynamics of this story.

NICOLE BAART delivers an intriguing, engaging, complex and well-written multi-layered story here with absolutely wonderful character development, a suspenseful mystery, and a thoughtful and emotional storyline.

I absolutely loved our main character here, Jessica and thought that she was an extremely well-written, realistic, believable and compassionate character. I was seeking the truth and wanting answers right along beside her.

Norma’s Stats:
Cover: Eye-catching, beautiful, appealing, meaningful and a significant representation to storyline that I absolutely love.
Title: The title is definitely intriguing and is a fitting, clever and excellent representation to storyline.
Writing/Prose: Well-written, eloquent, expressive, beautiful and engaging.
Plot: Engrossing, perplexing, thought-provoking, insightful, fascinating, heartfelt, perfectly-paced, and entertaining.
Ending: Surprising, satisfying, and extremely pleasing.
Overall: This was such a touching suspenseful family drama story about adoption, a mother’s love, family secrets, betrayal, and grief. And with the mystery to solve and Jessica’s perseverance to search for the truth turns this Women’s Fiction novel into quite the thrilling domestic thriller. All these themes made this extremely hard to put down! Would highly recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Atria Books, Nicole Baart for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review!

Other than the sometimes really slow pacing at times, and feeling the ending was a bit rushed, I thought You Were Always Mine was a fantastic book. The suspense and mystery were both there, especially with the little notes at the top of each chapter. Those added just the right touch and often had me skimming back once I started to put pieces of the story together, to see if I could figure out the rest. To see if I had missed something glaringly obvious.

The family dynamics were spot on. And so damn tangible. Other than the death in the family and the riddles and secrecy surrounding it, this felt like your typical every day family life.

Jess, I absolutely adored our heroine and I really liked her “voice.” Her POV kept me enthralled. I wanted to help her make sense of everything falling apart around her. Help her find balance again. I wanted to hug her tightly on many, many occasions. As a mom of three teen boys, I totally felt her on the whole Max situation. My heart broke for her. At times I really, really wanted to shake that kid. But as we all know, teens will be teens, and there will be moments of light in the long tunnel of darkness. As the story progressed, and we saw a bit of Max’s thoughts, it was a bit easier to swallow some of his actions and responses. And Gabe! You will absolutely love this little guy. He never failed to make me smile huge. His character was the light in an otherwise dark story.

My biggest issue was I wanted some things flushed out a bit more. With everything going on with Evan, I was left confused on a few things and had hoped the author would have explained it a bit better. I can’t really mention what those things were as they are pertinent to the story.

My favorite thing about You Were Always Mine is the fact that I normally skip to the end for a sneak peek, but Ms. Baart kept me thoroughly involved in the story. I had no desire to look ahead. That alone will have me checking out this first time author to me again. I stayed totally in the present and took the bumpy right along with Jess, Max, and Gabe.

If you love books that center around the real with a bit of crazy and suspense thrown in than I would suggest giving this one a read. I think you’ll really like it.