Once You Were Mine by Elizabeth Langston is a highly recommended family drama following characters in dual time periods while exploring DNA testing and changing societal attitudes.

In 1968 seventeen-year-old Molly Mitchell is pregnant and her parents send her away to an abusive "maternity home." She is mistreated, shamed and condemned at the facility with the goal of coercing her into signing adoption papers. Her roommate there, Gwen, becomes a lifelong friend. After she leaves the home she works hard to make a life for herself.

In the present day Allison Garrett takes a DNA test and makes some startling discoveries. Because her mother was adopted, her background was a mystery. The results of the test show that Allison is closely related to her best friend, Bree. They are cousins. This sets into motion a search for answers and the truth in both families.

This is an even paced family drama that alternates between the two different time periods. It demonstrates the difference between a time when family secrets could be hidden and the current time when almost everything can be discovered and exposed. Although the genealogical research and ancestry question is the main story line, there are also several other subplots that are followed.

The characters in both timelines are fully realized and portrayed as complicated realistic individuals. Molly's story is basically the trauma she experienced at seventeen and then the life she made for herself afterward. The story of Allison and Bree follow complications in their daily lives along with the ancestry question, which shakes up both families and leads to tangled emotions.

The novel starts out strong but does lose some energy in the middle. There were some ancillary subplots that could have been eliminated to tighten up the novel. Additionally, the maternity home was certainly a real thing years ago and adds a highly emotional hook to the plot, but that was not a universal experience of all pregnant teens. Honestly, many families can look into their history and find complications and secrets.
Thanks to Lake Union Publishing for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

I devoured this book! I signed up for ancestry.com when my daughter was an infant and have dabbled in genealogy ever since. I also love that this story had a dual timeline, one of which was in the late 1960's at a maternity home for unwed mothers. After reading 'Looking for Jane', this has become an interest of mine.

Molly had a summer romance and became pregnant at the age of 17. She was sent to an unsavory maternity home where mothers were forced through manipulation and deception to relinquish their babies to adoptive families. The abusive conditions on many levels jives with what I have read in other novels set in these maternity homes.

Langston moved her story along nicely. Often in a dual timeline, I have a stronger connection to one over the other. In this case, it was more balanced for me. I appreciated that Molly was a strong female main character and was a pioneer in her field of study. I also enjoyed reading the conflict between characters who were more traditional in mindset in the 60s and 70s and those who were more progressive as this dichotomy was prevalent during that time period. My favorite 2024 character was Allison whose volunteer gig of locating relatives through DNA tests turned personal. Bree for most of the book was unlikable for me personally, but I appreciate the struggle she and other characters had coming to terms with the past and its impact on them.

This book had me from the description and it did not disappoint...so much so that I read it in one sitting! Thank you to Elizabeth Langston, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy. Once You Were Mine alternates between different perspectives and times. In the present day, we are introduced to Allison Garrett as she uncovers the history of her family. We are also introduced to Molly, whose life changed when she got pregnant in 1968. I enjoyed the different perspectives, especially Molly’s struggles. It’s awful how it was back then if you were unwed and pregnant. I do feel like the story moved fast. It felt rushed in some aspects, and a few of the time jumps confused me.

"Once You Were Mine" by Elizabeth Langston is a dual-timelines novel that follows a family's genealogical path from the 1968 to present-day. The earlier timeline tells the story of Molly, a teenager, who is forced to live in a home for unwed mothers in North Carolina, while the later plot revolves around Allison and Bree, two friends whose lives change in unforeseen ways as Allison uncovers the truth about her family's history.

I found the 1960s timeline and Molly's story to be the more interesting of the two, and it kept me turning pages to find out what happened next. The history of the poor treatment of unwed mothers and forced adoptions was devastating to read, and Langston's writing is strongest in the depiction of the sadness of these young women. She creates likable and interesting characters in this timeline, with both Molly and her friend Gwen having distinct voices and interesting stories.

The later timeline's protagonists were less likable and engaging for me, and those portions slowed me down a bit. Langston's writing also pivots to less emotional narrative and very straightforward style that serves to just move the characters and the story forward, rather than paint a vivid picture of a different time in American culture.

At times, I found it a bit difficult to follow all the family tree connections, and that may be because genealogy has never really been something that I've had a great interest in exploring, so the portions that talked about ancestry and DNA took a little extra focus for me. Without giving away too much, there are many twists and turns in how characters are related, and I found myself having to stop and think through some of the pieces and re-read portions to see if some connections were part of the mystery, etc.

The writing was fine, but the style wasn't anything that really stood out to me, and the book's legs really come from the story itself and the twists of the family's secrets and connections. It never gets overly descriptive or consistently emotional.

Readers who enjoy researching genealogy and ancestry will likely really enjoy this story, as will those who enjoy more recent historical fiction. I can see this appealing to readers of Lisa Wingate, in particular. It really was jarring to think how much has changed in just over 55 years. The book's plot revolves around a dark but important moment in the history of American women, and those interested in women's history and strong female characters might also really enjoy this novel.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced read.

After a series of bad reads ,this was a breathe of fresh air. I really enjoyed this book. The development of the story and characters were well thought out and the whole time I just wanted to keep reading, pulling at your heart strings.

It made you think about what young women had to face back in the day because something they did did not fit in with the norm of society. I wonder how different society would be today if these young women had the choice to actually keep their babies that most seemed to have wanted .

Great read. Thanks netgalley for an ARC.

This sadly seems like something that is happening in the US right now. The decisions of the female bodies is in the hands of men. This book is sad and heartbreaking but a must read. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the chance to read this book.

There are a million what-ifs when thinking about our familial histories. What if my grandparents hadn't met each other when they had? What if my brother had been a girl instead? What if my mother isn't actually my biological mother? In this heartbreaking novel, Langston explores the way a DNA test disrupts an entire family's perception of themselves and one another.
In the 1960s, Molly finds herself pregnant as a teenager and is sent away to a maternity home so she didn't tarnish her family's reputation. This look into the horrible treatment she receives and what many girls faced in places like this is heart-wrenching. We root for Molly as she navigates a situation where everything is stacked against her from the moment she enters the home.
In the present day, we follow the story of Allison and Bree who take DNA tests and find out that they're much closer than best friends. Their parents are siblings who much reckon with two different shocks. One knew she was adopted and that she had been abandoned by her birth mother while another finds out that he had been adopted only as an adult.
'Once You Were Mine' illustrates the fragility and the strength of families both biological and found. I was on the edge of my seat to find out just how Molly was able to persevere through each setback and how the girls and their parents were able to cope with their new normal. Both sweet and tender while also bringing up the severe injustices young unwed mothers used to face, this book is an excellent family drama that will hook you instantly.

This is my first Elizabeth Langston book and I really enjoyed it. It was a horrendous time to be a teenage unwed mother in the 1960's. When Molly becomes pregnant after a summer romance in 1968, her embarrassed parents send her off to a maternity home. The young girls at this home experience horrendous mental and physical abuse before being forced to give up their babies for adoption. Moving forward to present day, Ancestry..com is helping many adopted children find their birth families. Allison Garrett's mom Heather was abandoned as a baby and the pain of that knowledge has prevented her from pursuing finding her birth mother. Allison volunteers as a "search angel" to help people find their lost relatives using DNA results. When Allison and her best friend Bree submit their samples to Ancestry.com, the results are shocking and could change the course of both of their family's lives. The descriptions of what went on at the maternity home are brutal, but this book is so well-written and hard to put down. I finished it in two days and can't wait to read more of Elizabeth Langston's books. Thanks to #netgalley #lakeunionpublishing and #ElizabethLangston for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So I this book was heartbreaking and emotional. This one is a definite read.

Thanks Lake Union and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and isn't influenced by anyone else

This book was perfectly adequate— and just that. I was intrigued by the premise and excited to receive an ARC, but I have to be honest and say that it felt like a bit of a chore to finish it. I normally finish books in 2-3 days and this one took me three weeks.

I loved Molly’s POV and the journey she went through, but the present day POVs of Bree and Allison left much to be desired. Their dialogue felt stilted and unnatural, and there was too much focus on things that didn’t matter and too little focus on things that did matter.

Elizabeth Langston's Once You Were Mine is a deeply moving novel that weaves two timelines to explore the pain of forced separation, the enduring search for family, and the power of connection. The story alternates between the 1960s, where Molly is sent to a home for pregnant girls and is forced to give up her baby, and the present day, where Allison uses DNA testing that uncovers long-buried family secrets.

Molly's story is heartbreaking, capturing the societal pressures and limited choices faced by young women in the 1960s. Her journey through the emotional toll of giving up her baby is portrayed with sensitivity and depth, making her struggles deeply resonate with the reader. In contrast, Allison's modern-day story is driven by curiosity and determination as she pieces together her family history through DNA matches. Her search is filled with revelations and moments of emotional clarity, which brings a layer of intrigue and mystery to the novel.

While the dual timelines enrich the novel, they can occasionally feel overwhelming, as transitions from past and present require careful attention to follow.

Despite this, Once You Were Mine is a beautifully written novel. Langston's ability to evoke raw emotion and keep readers invested makes this novel a definite recommend.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This book was not what I was expecting at all! It was so much better than I imagined. The author did a wonderful job of writing between two timelines and not making it confusing or hard to keep up with as the reader. It did a great job of shining light onto what can happen not only with family secrets but also with DNA sharing and how that can be very insightful. It also deals with the raw emotion of everyone involved. Happiness, joy, anxiety, anger, and confusion. It’s a story of how no matter the time apart that family can still come together in their own way.

It’s timely and finally this story is told, thanks to Elizabeth Langston. This book should be on everyone’s list.

It’s well written with two timelines: one that is current and the other one back to the late 60s. It focuses on women’s rights with great thanks to DNA reports. This story reminds us of unequal conditions for women with jobs, visa cards, property and in some cases, abusive marriages. Plus, it points out how too often pregnant women who were single were ostracized during this time.

Recently, Kamala Harris said in her 2024 campaign: “We can’t go back.” This is in part what she was talking about. This book is a realistic comparison of what it was like just a few decades ago. A lot of readers may still remember those days with their own stories from those they know. At the end, there are questions for book groups. I can imagine that there could be a lot of stimulating discussions.

My thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of February 11, 2025.

A must-read for fans of psychological thrillers . This book was absolutely amazing . I love the writing style of the author and can't wait to read more books like this

Once You Were Mine takes place during multiple timelines . 1960"s North Carolina Molly, an 17 year old finds herself pregnant after spending the summer with her grandmother. Molly's parents sends her to a home for wayward girls were she befriends her roommate after they are forced to give up their children. Present day Allison who volunteers as a search angel for people who have either been adopted or are the birth parents. Allison has always wanted to know about her mother's family since her mother was adopted and has never wanted to find out about her birth parents. Allison submits her DNA and instantly finds out that her and her best friend Bree share a family member that could be her biological birth grandmother. Without Allison mother's approval to precede with this information, she is at a standstill. This book gives the reader what it looked likes to be pregnant when a young woman doesn't have the ability to make her own choices. Secerts were kept and in the end when they come to light it can destory a family. I would like to thank both NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for letting me read an advanced copy of this book.

A heartbreaking story that explores the emotional and often ugly repercussions surrounding teenage pregnancy in the 1960’s. Seventeen year old Molly Mitchell is sent to care for her elderly grandmother the summer before her senior year of high school. Her first romance results in a pregnancy and in what was a customary practice in the 60’s, Molly’s angry and shamed parents send her to a home for unwed mothers where they thought she’d be well taken care of until she gave birth and relinquished her baby for adoption. In a second timeline, software engineer Allison Garrett volunteers as a “Search Angel” for individuals and families using DNA technology to locate lost relatives. This immersive family drama explores the emotional toll that families face when discovering their true backgrounds and the people that had been lost to them for reasons they could never have imagined. Kudos to Ms. Langston who wrote about these delicate issues with the utmost of care and compassion while exploring the complex emotions that many grapple with when faced with this reality.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing this reader an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. Publication date: February 11.

In a quiet North Carolina town in 1968, a seventeen-year-old girl’s life is forever changed when a summer romance leads to an unplanned pregnancy. She is sent to an abusive “maternity home,” where she is shamed and deceived into signing adoption papers.

In the present day, Allison Garrett volunteers as a “search angel,” using DNA tests to help strangers locate lost relatives. But the family tree she finds most compelling is that of her own mother, who was abandoned as a baby. As Allison puts the pieces together, they reveal much more than her mother’s origins—and threaten to create further divisions in her tight-knit community.

When a family is separated by devastating circumstances, is it possible for them to heal the pain of the past and make up for lost time?

Loved it. Will recommend to others.

This book had me feeling all the emotions. The hopelessness of being an unwed pregnant woman was heartbreaking. Reading how that one choice not only impacted her life but sent ripples through generations and families.

I have been in a kick of reading books about unplanned teenage pregnancies in a time when it was a really taboo subject. It's so heartbreaking to read about the tragic realities these young women went through.

I loved this story because I love that it addressed what unwed mothers faced in the past. It was touching and gripping. This is definitely a must read for all women and lovers of contemporary fiction.