Sometimes when you open the paper or put on the tv or radio, you hear about children being neglected and abused by the people who should love them the most: their parents and it's heartbreaking. 

Some parents love their children deeply, but can you give too much love? Can you protect them too much? Are you smothering them and making it impossible for them to grow? Can you love a child in a wrong way?

I am often already shying away when I read stories about children being put in foster care. Too many times they are not treated very well and I just cannot stand this behaviour. I was so pleased Ally really behaved like an angel.

But Ally is not the only one with a big heart. The sacrifice Beth is willing to make left me speachless.

A very, very beautiful story that had me wiping a few tears away. 5 stars

Thank you

I can't even imagine being in this predicament. You have to give your child up, and then the foster mother doesn't want to loose him either. Wow, what a story this was.

Well written and sensitively discusses the topic of fostering and children taken from their home from DCFS. I enjoyed how this book was written from two different perspectives (Ally, the foster mom and Beth, the bio-mom).

An emotive read, and different from the books I usually choose to pick up. The story was told between different perspectives of Ally and Beth, which worked well.

This was an emotional, powerful, well written read which dealt with some difficult issues very sensitively. I loved the end and thought that was a perfect way to end this story

Wow!! This book shows how DHS reaches far and does not try to reunite families. Hurt and pain for the mothers who lose their children to the system. Excellent book!

Single mother Beth loves her seven-year-old son Dylan with all her heart. He’s her world. But life with Dylan isn’t easy—and his emotional issues push Beth to her very limit. When a misunderstanding leads Dylan to be taken into foster care, she is determined to do whatever she can to get him back.

Mother of two, Ally has always dreamed of fostering—it feels like her chance to give back when she has been so lucky in life. But when Dylan joins their family, Ally finds herself struggling to balance his needs with those of her own children and husband.

Alternating chapters between Beth and Ally, this book very nicely covers the different problems that parents face during parenting. There is never something called as 'perfect parenting'. Each situation is different and every mother tries to give the best for their child.

In terms of the main characters, I did feel sympathetic towards Beth. Having to hear that the love and attention she exhibits towards her son is unhealthy and taking her son away to be put into foster care is something quite sad. Whereas, Ally's story in this book was more of a message that sometimes being perfect is not everything.

The ending was beautiful and made this book even more special.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.

Beautiful emotional read working well by being told in the two perspectives of Beth and Ally. Good characters and heartbreaking decisions certainly make this an emotional rollercoaster. I love books by this author as she writes her books on such different topics each time rather than a predictable pattern

WOW! Another home run for Kate Hewitt. I love her novels, and this one did not disappoint! All I can say is have the tissues handy, because you will need them. A beautiful, emotional story that will pull at your heartstrings and one you will not forget soon after reading.

Before you start reading this book you will need to have tissues close by as this book is a gut wrenching and emotional read at times. I absolutely loved it and thought it was fantastically written.

This story was very moving, beautifully written and heartbreaking too. Based on two women as this story is told. in two perspective and it was very emotional. It covers aspects of motherhood very well. Definitely would recommend this one to others. Thanks to Net Galley for providing me a early copy of this book.

Wow, what a story! This is a very emotive read, it tugs on your heartstrings hard and doesn't let go. This explores a mothers' love, whether biological or not, and second chances. Told from two alternating points of view, we see Beth struggle to regain care of her son, Dylan, while his first-time foster mother Ally discovers the perfect homelife she envisioned isn't all that it seemed. Dylan, stuck in the middle, always tries to do the right thing.

The characters in this are really well thought out and developed with just the right amount of information about the care system to give a balanced overview with enough detail to understand the system without being over-detailed.

A great family drama with a tender heart, excellent for reading on the beach or while relaxing at home.

I received a copy of the book from Netgalley to review. Thank you for the opportunity.
A well written and deeply emotional read that draws the reader in from the first page.
A good read

Make sure you have kleenex nearby.

I was definitely not expecting this when I requested from NetGalley. I'm not generally a fan of heartbreaking stories. I almost gave up on this because it was not my genre and a little boring to start.

I'm glad I held on and kept with it. It's a wonderful story about how (some) mothers put everything into being the best mother they can be. I shed lots of tears.

When You Were Mine tells the story of Beth and her son, Dylan. Dylan has meltdowns and emotions that he cannot always handle. In the middle of a meltdown at a store, someone in the store calls Child Services on Beth, and Dylan is taken from her and placed with foster parent, Ally.
This book is told from Beth and Ally in alternating chapters.
I’m in the counseling field and usually avoid books like this as I don’t like reading about by day job. I liked this story and was satisfied with the ending. However, I was so frustrated with Beth. I know she was in survival mode with Dylan and it’s quite easy to say from the outside looking in, but I felt like she was dismissive of advice given to her once Dylan was with Ally. Also, Beth was never proactive with helping Dylan. She just lived in fear of the next meltdown.

Overall, I give this one a 3/5. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

Such a gorgeous heartwarming story about struggling single mum Beth and her son Dylan. After a few instances, Dylan is removed from his Mums care and put with a first time foster family. A emotive lovely story about the two families and the journey they both go on. Really beautiful I loved it

When you were mine was such a sad read but lovely read , I absolutely love Kate Hewitt style of writing she writes in a true to life way, all her books are so addictive.

When You Were Mine by Kate Hewitt is a heart-tugging, page-turner that cements Hewitt as one of my favourite authors of emotional fiction. Beth is a single mother who, through a set of unfortunate circumstances, loses her son Dylan to the foster care system. Ally is a mother of well-rounded almost-grown teenagers who is keen to offer support, and to open her comfortable home to children in need. Dylan is a loving, shy little boy, who refuses to speak.

Told from alternating viewpoints, we see Beth’s struggle to regain the care of her son, whilst Ally discovers that the perfect homelife she has worked so hard to create may not be all that it seems. In the middle of it all is Dylan, who tries his best to do the right thing. Hewitt is a master of character development, and each character grows in a way that feels natural/realistic. I know nothing about the American care system, but the detail sounded authentic and we were offered just the right amount – enough to be interesting, without swamping the story.

When You Were Mine explores a mother’s love (whether biologically connected or not) and how when relationships go wrong, everyone deserves the chance to make things right. One for lovers of family drama with a tender heart.

This book was so emotional and heart wrenching! Such tough choices to navigate and it made it such a palatable read. It took me a few days to recover after this one.

"When You Were Mine" by Kate Hewitt provides a look inside the minds of both the biological mother and the foster mom. I appreciated that Hewitt made both moms relatable and engaging characters and let both perspectives be known.

Beth has not had an easy road parenting her son Dylan, who happens to have special needs. After a particularly challenging incident at the supermarket, children's' services steps in and Dylan is forced into the foster system. Enter Ally, a woman who has always had the desire to foster a child.

The book shifts from Beth and Ally's perspectives. I liked this because while the women are clearly at odds about Dylan's best interests, it allows the reader to empathize with them both which is important. I appreciate whenever an author shows that the world is not black and white, but rather shades of gray.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of "When You Were Mine" by Kate Hewitt in exchange for an honest review.