When You Were Mine

Lovely feel good story. It was well written and flowed well. Easy to read and hard to put down. Perfect on these summer nights

A book of love, lust and missed connections. A very easy and wonderful read. Definitely one you need to add to your reading lists.

Really a 4.5 but that's not available. I really enjoyed this read once I got more into the story. The beginning with all the characters was a tad confusing but once you 'got to know the characters' it was a quick read!

Cute family with mixed up dynamics. I wish more people stuck it out like this little family.
I love Amelia and her parents relationship. I love the dynamics they all have.

All in all a good read!
I received an ARC of this book for an honest review. Thanks netgalley!

When You Were Mine is a such an enjoyable read! I loved the relationships between all of the characters whether they were friendships, lovers or family. I especially appreciated the time Lisa Swift took to build those relationships. Nothing about the story seemed rushed and there wasn't one spot where I was tempted to skip ahead.
I am looking forward to reading more from this author!

Thanks to #Netgalley for providing me with an advanced reading copy in return for an honest review.
#WhenYouWereMine

Some authors just have a remarkable talent and the ability to completely suck you into the story. That’s what happened with this book.

Lisa Swift has produced an absolutely wonderful story, with twists which I honestly couldn’t predict. This is one of those books you won’t want to put down. Although, when you finish it- the decision of what to read next will be difficult; purely because this is so wonderful.

I absolutely loved the characters in this book, they almost reminded me of the friends cast. It is easy for the reader to like them and feel invested in them. I am hoping for a follow up book so we can find out more about what happened next.

This is one of those books that I’ve been able to read in just a couple of hours. I was completely sucked into the story and I’m gutted I’ve come to the end.

I can honestly say that this is a truly wonderful and heartwarming read. There’s love, laughs and drama which will keep you desperate to know what is coming next. As a debut novel, this is definitely a must read.

This is an easy book to rate because of how much I’ve enjoyed reading it. However, five stars really doesn’t show how fantastic a book this is.

I received a free copy of When You Were Mine through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. The characters were real and multifaceted, and I grew to care about how their lives turned out. Most of the story line is pretty straight forward, but there is a bit of a twist at the end. The epilogue wrapped the whole story up well, but I'd still love to read a sequel.

Thank you NetGalley for my early copy!

It took me some time to really get into this story but I enjoyed it. There are some really loveable characters and I always love a story about lost love reconnected.

I really adored this story, it was so well written. The characters were a warm bunch who took me to their hearts. This is my first book by this author and I feel it won't be my last. I liked the cover too, a proper summer read.

Such a cute read about a modern family! Maggie and Ibby are a non traditional family raising their teenage daughter. This novel covers many hot topics, sexuality, drug abuse, etc and helps give perspective of how a child might perceive things. Can't wait to read more from this author.

Thank you #Netgalley

Four friends share a house at uni but one breaks away, falling into a life of drugs and meaningless sex and rock star fame. Fourteen years later and he's back, out of rehab, desperate and broken. Can they fix him? And will the past come back to wreck the lives they have made for themselves without him? A story of love and family and forgiveness. I enjoyed it.

Absolutely fantastic had me gripped!!! Loved it! Can't wait for more from.this author. Storyline was great, characters were easy to.connect with

Thank you for the advanced copy

Maggie and Ibby live with their 13 year old daughter, Amelia. They’re not a couple though in the traditional sense, with Amelia being the result of a drunken one night stand. The unconventional thing is that Ibby is gay, always has been always will be! But doing the right thing by Amelia, Ibby and Maggie decide to bring her up as a family. Life has been good for the last 13 years that is until a face from their past reappears. Rock star Jordan Nash succumbed to the rock and roll lifestyle many years ago, choosing hard-partying and drugs over his student friendships with Maggie and Ibby. When he reaches out for their help, they all find their lives turned upside down….

This was a wonderful romantic comedy about an unconventional family! I have to admit it did take me a few chapters to get into the story. The chapters were told from different characters points of view and it took a little while to settle into this. By the time I had done though I was well and truly hooked and the slower start was a dim and distant memory! Maggie and Ibby were great characters and I loved their set up as a family! They, and their daughter Amelia, didn’t shove their unusual family relationships in people’s faces, but they also didn’t shy away from being proud of who they are and putting their daughter first despite their own sexual preferences!! They were also very funny and I just knew that Maggie, as a relationship counsellor (AKA a sex coach), would provide plenty of witty one-liners and humorous moments!

Rock star Jordan Nash was a completely different story. Right from the beginning it was obvious that he was pressing the self-destruct button repeatedly, and whilst he sounded very aesthetically pleasing, I didn’t really like him as a character. That did all change though as the story moved on and I went from thinking “what was this guy doing” to actually understanding what was going on with him. He was the classic example of a character completely and utterly redeeming himself. By the end of the book Jordan Nash was nothing like the man he was at the beginning!

The storyline was so well written and it had everything that I could ask for in a book! The main characters were so likeable, and there were great supporting characters such as Other Max and Nikki. Ask me who my favourite character was and I’d have to say Ibby who I felt had the most endearing storyline! He did though have his flaws, as did all the characters, which made them all so genuine and realistic! This wasn’t just the light-hearted read that it comes across as though. It tackled some serious issues such as addiction and homophobia, but these were written well into the storyline so that these issues were dealt with but didn’t overpower the story. The lighter moments made me laugh out loud and the more serious parts left me with a warm feeling in my heart – a completely perfect balance! There was a little twist of the story at the end, and the epilogue rounded the story off nicely.

This was my first book by this author, although she does write under another name. It certainly won’t be my last though and I will be definitely looking out for more by her. Packed full of family, love, laughs and second chances, I would highly recommend this book! I hope my review gives across how much I loved this book because it’s one of the loveliest books I’ve read in a long time! Fab, fab, fab……!!!

Oh my goodness. It’s been a while since I read a book in a day. I kept carrying my kindle with me into the kitchen to put the kettle on and prepare food. I had so many thoughts and theories while I was reading. I kept thinking “Is he?” “She’s...” “No”. I couldn’t stop reading I needed to know all the things.

I just completely loved this book and how these seemly completely different peoples lives were all connected and woven together.

I think I must be mellowing as I get older. I’ve just turned 31 because a year ago, even a few months ago the revelation that was revealed early on and remained a feature throughout would have sent me running but it only strengthened my love for this book.

Lisa is such a talented writer. She kept feeding us information and facts throughout the whole book. I had questions and she kept answering them.

I loved the main characters but I also really loved the supporting characters especially one because I have a thing for paramedics!

This was a really wonderful book about best friends, family, lovers and everything in between. There was love, there was drama and there was heartache. I loved every single word and every single emotion this book evoked. I laughed, I cried and I whooped for joy. I can’t wait to read more from Lisa!

This book reminded me of tv show Nashville, film A Star is Born and book One Day in December all of which are some of my very favourites.

When You Were Mine is a beautiful story of life, love and second chances.
This is a story about family, an unconventional but solid little family and their friends who are every bit as beloved. It's a story about losing yourself and finding yourself. A story about what makes a home and finding your home. It's a story about standing up for others and standing up for yourself. It's a story about acceptance and it is wonderfully written.

It was so easy to sink into this book and just forget that the characters weren't real.
Mags, Ibby, Melie, and Max, stole the show but Other Max, Nikki, Nat and Melie's friends each had their parts to play, and all felt like living breathing beings that left their mark.

The beginning of the novel effectively has two strands; one follows Mags, Ibby and their family and the other follows Jordan Nash.

Mags and Ibby are best friends who met at university.
They live together and they raise their daughter but they are not a couple.
Mags is single and not looking for love after her first love broke her heart and her subsequent relationships have been disastrous.
Ibby is gay and doesn't seem to be any more successful in the romance department than Mags.
Melie, their 13 year old daughter, is a typical teenage girl and is beautifully written. She's fierce and so grown up but also insecure and just a kid.
The three of them together are an awesome family that doesn't need anybody else (aka love interests for the parents) to function and be complete. They are complete and they're happy but there is always room for more.

Jordan Nash is a rockstar, front man of one of the UK's most famous bands and he's a cocaine loving broken mess of a human being at the beginning of the novel.
Lonely, friendless and completely burned out, he takes himself off to rehab and then begins to rebuild his life.

Eventually, you find out how Jordan Nash fits into the lives of Mags and Ibby and that is where the book really takes off.
Most of the twists and turns I guessed fairly easily but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story but I'll admit there was one big twist I didn't see coming and didn't like very much (thus 4.5 stars instead of 5!)
I was invested in the relationships throughout the book and was routing for Mags and Ibby to find their happy ever afters but, to be honest, no matter how happy Mags and Ibby are with their respective partners, or how nicely everything was tied up in the end, for me, Mags and Ibby are freaking soul mates and that's what I loved most about this book. You don't need to be romantically attached to someone to love them fiercely. You don't have to be married or related by blood to be family.
Love is love: sexual, romantic, platonic, familial. And the world needs more love.

Basically, this book made me happy, warm, and joyful.
I think people should read it. Read it lots.

This is a really sweet novel with a strong theme of family relationships throughout. I think I have to go with my favorite character being Amelia mostly because not only is she the sweetest and only a little bit moody teenager but it was also sort of fun seeing the way the author portrayed her thoughts as well as the way she speaks.

As I mentioned family is at the forefront of this book, it's what drives the relationships and most of everyone's actions throughout the book as well. It did start off fairly slow-paced with a few surprises in at the start, but once it picked up I found myself wanting more time at each different part to really explore what was going on. It's definitely a really enjoyable read with a few twists and turns that just really upped it to that extra half a star!

Ok, I know what you are thinking. This is totally weird. A family of three where the father is gay, mother is . . . let's say. . . straight, and they have a daughter (created not by artificial means). And before you ask, no, they are not a couple. In my opinion this is weirder than 'I've Got Mail'. What puzzled me most was how it is possible (even in a fictional sense) for a gay man to have child. If you are bothered by this, please don't let this spoil your reading as all will be explained by the end.
This is Mary Jayne Baker's first novel as Lisa Swift. Though I don't really get the reason for different names, I enjoyed it just like her other novels. Of the three novels I am familiar with, this is my favourite. Her signature style shines through even with the change of name. There is the ever present humor, gay characters and most of all the theme of friendship that knits together all her novels.
Even with its light hearted tone, the novel discusses some weighty issues like homophobia, coming of age and drug addiction. This is the story of a family wading through the storm and also that of a friendship beating the odds. The characters are likable, good hearted (a rare breed indeed) even with the human frailities and . . . ya, they are going to stay with me for a very long time.
Amelia is by far my favourite. She shows a maturity that is unheard of but is not unreal. Whatever sacrifices Iggy and Maggy made to provide her a stable, healthy childhood is totally paid off. Message of the story is simple and probably as old as the universe itself . . . love conquers all. It doesn't matter how odd your family is, if you stand together and welcome the changes with an open heart, anything can be overcome.
A remarkable story which is hard to put down. It will embrace you like an old friend and will fill a hole in your heart that you never knew existed.

I’m not going to lie, the beginning started off confusing, but before succumbing to DNFing, I continued on, and actually grew to liking the characters. Every character—main and supporting— has a special, well-developed role. I also couldn’t help but echo a mental British accent as I read it.

Maggie, a 34-year old relationship counselor who isn’t in a relationship herself, and Ibby, her college gay best friend are a happy family with pre-teen daughter Amelia... until well, changes happen. And then, there’s Jordan, Maggie’s ex-boyfriend turned famous music star who has been warped into a life full of fame and vices. A story full of British humor, snarky dialogue, a dash of teen angst, LGBT social stigma, and a warm, second chance romance, When You Were Mine is a lovely read I’d recommend to Hallmark movie fans!

Thank you NetGalley and Hera Books for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Review

We all know i love a sweet cosy romance, and on face value this ticks all the boxes, allbeit with a non conventional family, love is love and thats all that matters.

Told from two different perspectives essentially we meet Maggie, Ibby & their daughter Amelia. After a drunken fumble and a lifetime of friendship the pair had agreed to stick together for their daughter. Maggie is a relationship counsellor and excels at tackling other peoples relationships and sex lifes whilst hers is practically non exsistent. Ibby is a journalist and owns an ice cream van (obviously) and is looking for his true love.

The pair work well as a team and always have but when a face from the past shows up (not that he ever really went away!) can this pair stay strong?

We also then start to see things from the point of view of Jordan Nash and how his life has gone.

When you were mine was a lovely sweet read, i guessed what was coming fairly on but does that make it less enjoyable? Heck no, it meant i could spend time observing how it was all going to pan out.

The characters were so enjoyable to get to know, they had such strong personalities and quirks and i really was a fan of getting to know them, especially Amelia. She was a strong willed kid with a brilliant moral compass but i guess that comes from being raised by two awesome parents.

Overall this was a great summer read, light hearted, loving and just nice. Brilliant

What an absolute gem! This was such a delightful story full of family, love, friendship, second chances, and forgiveness. The story starts off jumping between two seemingly separate stories. Maggie and Ibby are best friends and coparents to their teenage daughter Amelia. The two have been roommates since university, but never romanticly involved. Ibby is gay and Amelia is the product of a drunken one night stand. Jordan is a super famous drug using lead singer for one of the UK’s most famous bands. At first it is not clear how these two stories are related, but as the book progresses things begin to fall into place. A non-traditional love story about love in all its many forms. This book also took on many social issues including homophobia and drug use, I think this was done well and not heavy handed.

This book had so many wonderful characters in it. Maggie, Ibby, and Jordan were all well-developed likable characters who I was definitely rooting for. The secondary characters Other Max, Nikki, and Nat were great. Can I just say I loved how they called there other BFF Other max! But for me the shining star of the book was Amelia, the girl had some major spirit and fierce determination, and yet she still was sweet and vulnerable. This was an engaging and sweet story with a few unexpected twists. I really enjoyed spending time with these characters and was sad when it ended. This is my first book from Lisa Swift (with any name) but it certainly will be my last.

*** thanks to Hera Books for my copy of this book ***

This is a lovely story of families, relationships, friendship and romance.

Fourteen years ago a group of students shared a house and became close friends. One of them left to seek fame and fortune as a rock star but the others remained friends and stayed in the area. Two of them, Maggie and Ibby, now own that house and are bringing up their much loved daughter, thirteen year old Amelia, there. Their relationship isn't a conventional one, though, as Ibby is actually gay . . .  and Maggie is a relationship counsellor who isn't actually in any other relationship herself. All is well until the now successful but distraught rock star unexpectedly returns . . . . bringing with him shocks, paparazzi, problems, love and surprises - nothing will ever be the same again!

With functional and dysfunctional families, past problems, rethinking ambitions and a fabulous teenager, this is a second chance romance with an star trying to hide and re-evaluating his life choices and dreams. It is a great read with so many surprises along the way. There are many laugh out loud moments and some that'll tug on your heartstrings. It is an engaging page turner that I didn't want to put down until I'd finished it, a great read whatever the weather or season, a superb beach read or, if you're like me, fantastic to escape into on a rainy day.

I requested a copy of this book via NetGalley and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.

This is my first book from this author and I absolutely loved it.

This book is brimming with fantastic characters that I loved getting to know. Ibby. Maggie and Other Max have been friends since their student days and as the story progresses you get an insight into events that happened during that time that they no longer talk about.

I love the family dynamic between Maggie, Ibby & Amelia, Amelia is a typical teenager mood changes and all from one breath to the next and is thrown a total curve ball when the famous Jordan Nash comes to stay.

I really enjoyed this book and loved reading about how Maggie, Ibby & Jordan's lives were once intertwined and over the course of this story how they developed both new relationships and re-established old ones.

I read this book over a couple of days and found that once I had hit 50% I flew through the pages as the characters seemed to be jumping out of the book at me and I just had to keep reading to see what would happen next. 

If you looking for a lovely light hearted read, I would highly recommend this book.

Not your typical family situation right?   Well, as of lately it's the norm, and I'm glad someone is writing books about it because a family is a family, no matter who makes it.   Ok, that being said.....

This is an absolute wonderful read about love, ambition, and second chances.  It's highly relatable regardless of the non-typical family and had tons of family issues and drama.  The strong topics are intertwined so well throughout the plot with such well written dialog and conversation that it comes across as a a light hearted and fun read.

The characters are lovable and realistic and the storyline has just enough seriousness with a mixture of laugh out loud humor that kept everything moving along so smoothly that you felt like you were watching a TV show or a movie.  Told in alternating character POV you really get to know each of the characters so well that  when you finish the book you end up missing their friendship.

I was able to read this book rather quickly, and frankly I didn't want to put it down.  I enjoyed it tremendously, and the entire premise was so "out of the box" that it made the book so much more enjoyable than your typical rom-com.   This was my first book from Lisa Swift, but if this is how she normally writes, I will continue to read her rom/coms and put her on my auto-purchase author list.

Thank you to Lisa Swift, Rachels Random Resourses, and to HERA Books for the copy of this book for an honest and unbiased review.

Wow! I don't know if I am overly emotional but I have sobbed my way through the end of this book! A beautiful thòroughly modern tale of selfless love and diverse families. Lisa tackled challenging themes such as homophobia, grief and addiction brilliantly. This is my first Swift book but it certainly won't be my last. The characters were amazing, I would love an Other Max and Nikki spin-off to see what happens next for not only them but all of the much-loved characters. Thank you to netgalley for the advance copy.

This wonderful story revolves around the lives and loves of former Uni friends, Maggie, Ibs, Max and the wittily named, ‘Other Max’. Since graduating, Maggie, Ibs and Other Max have remained close; Maggie is now a couples counsellor, Ibs a Journalist with an innovative bookshop and Other Max who works as a paramedic.

Jordan Nash is the lead singer/songwriter in the hugely successful rock band, Route 69. Plagued with drug addiction, Jordan dreams of a normal life and of a meaningful relationship.

I read this book, as an advance reader, courtesy of NetGalley and thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters are well-drawn and the storylines were realistic as the friends find their way through living as a grown up. Ideal for a holiday read or for curling up on the sofa with a warm throw.

This was a fantastic book and evoked so many different emotions in myself. It was real and gritty and sensitive around gay families, alternate lifestyles and homophobia. Yet st its core it is a great love story.

I must admit, I was a bit confused in the beginning of this book (almost to the point where I gave up on it). But-I am so glad that I stuck it out. When You Were Mine is a heartwarming book about what makes a modern family. I loved how Maggie and Ibby put their daughter first in all their decisions, yet they still work hard for their own happiness. This is a feel-good read if there ever was one!

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone. Three friends met at university, sharing a house, one of them Jordan leaves to go to London and becomes a successful rock star. The others , Maggie and Ibby now live in the house they shared at university along with their daughter Amelia. This was really well written and the characters draw the reader in to their story. An unconventional family-yes! but I loved how they made it work! When Jordan appears back in their lives , what will happen to the family?
A book you have to keep reading but don’t want to end !
There is laughter, heartache,and confusion and a fantastic twist at the end. A book to savour and enjoy.
Thank you to Netgalley, Hera books and Lisa Swift for giving me the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a book! I knew from the first few paragraphs that this book was going to tick all the boxes for me. The writing was warm and witty with a page-turning narrative that had me hooked on each and every word.

The character creations were like little bursts of sunshine that shone vividly off the pages and straight into my heart and I fell head first for the unconventional trio made up of Maggie, Ibby and Melie. Their quirky set-up shoots straight from the heart and I was cheering them on with the turn of each and every page.

Jordan Nash, rock star superstar was everything a demigod should be. His bad boy persona lived up to expectations but for me it was his story arc that had me falling hook, line and sinker and it was an absolute joy to witness his transformation from the opening pages to the concluding moments.

When You Were Mine is a heartwarming hug lovingly sandwiched between the covers of this book. I enjoyed each and every moment of this stunning story and look forward to seeing what Lisa brings to the table next.

I read the synopsis for 'When You Were Mine' and it certainly sounded like my kind of read. It's the first book written by Lisa Swift that I have had the pleasure of reading and reviewing. I couldn't wait to start reading and so I dived straight in. Oh my word, 'When You Were Mine' is certainly one heck of a fun read. I absolutely loved it but more about that in a bit.
I loved the characters of Ibby and Maggie and I took to them from the start. They have known each other for years and they are a rather unconventional family unit. They are not a couple but they do have a daughter together and they live together as a family. Ibby is gay but he had a one night stand with Maggie and their daughter is the result. Maggie has a distinct lack of romance and her sex life is non existent. Maggie is a relationship counsellor and advises couples on how to spice up their love lives. The family are settled until a partying rock star called Jordan comes along. He has his own problems and secrets are revealed that threaten the family unit.
Oh my, 'When You Were Mine' was a different story to the one I was expecting and I mean that in the nicest possible way. I had read the synopsis and had a theory as to what was going to happen but I was pleasantly surprised to realise that my theory was completely wrong and that the book I was reading was even better than the one I had been expecting. I found it impossible to put this book down. The book wasn't exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it came everywhere with me. I was so taken by the story and the characters that I didn't want to miss a single nanosecond of the story. I had taken to the characters so well that I began to think of them as friends and as a result, I had to keep reading to see how the story panned out and how that might affect my new 'friends'. I was keeping everything crossed for them that things would work out in the end. I managed to binge read this book over the course of a day but because I was loving the story so much and had taken to the characters so well, reading this book felt more like a pleasure than a chore. I lost all track of time whilst reading this book and I was most disappointed to get to the end of the book because it meant that I had to say goodbye to my friends.
'When You Were Mine' is really well written. The author has created likeable characters and given them realistic storylines which engage your interest and keep that interest all the way through the story. Lisa has created a story that never gets boring and so my concentration didn't wander because I was eager to discover what surprises were awaiting me over the page. Lisa uses such powerful and vivid descriptions that I felt as though I was part of the story myself. I so wished that I had friends like Ibby and Maggie. I found that this book made me giggle more than I have giggled in a long time and that's down to Lisa's fabulous writing.
In short, 'When You Were Mine' is a fabulous read and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I can't wait to read more from Lisa Swift. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Ibby's is prone to dating disastrous men & Maggie spends her days solving others relationship problems whilst her own love life is in retirement. Together they are devoted to bring up their teenage daughter in a stable loving home. The result of a drunken night as students, when old secrets reveal themselves can they stay strong? Or will their past demons threaten their current quiet lives?

The warm and witty writing will have you hooked from the start! The quirky set-up of this unconventional family warms your heart and you'll be rooting for them from page one. The whole cast of characters are well crafted, the love and laughter between this bunch jumps off the pages. There is also drama and some heavier plot lines but this is entwined with humour to not make is too heavy. Making it a perfect light hearted summer read, perfect for fans of Holly Martin and Dani Atkins. I really enjoyed it and whilst this was my first Lisa Swift it certainly won't be my last.

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources & Hera Books for sending me this in exchange for an open and honest review.

This was such a great read! I really enjoyed this book and struggled to put it down. The main characters were brilliantly rounded and I loved the twists and turns.

I was really excited when I saw this book, knowing the author's work. I wasn't wrong to be excited, it was brilliant, lots of emotions coursing through it.
I loved the characters and the fact that one of the main characters was gay and it was celebrated throughout the story.
It was a real mismatch of characters in the story and it just worked, perfectly.

LOVED IT!

Life is full of ‘what ifs?’, isn’t it? I’m sure we’ve all made decisions that we’ve second guessed later on down the line. Did we do the right thing? What if we’d gone left instead of right?

*sighs*

*nods*

Yup, we’ve all been there!

Then there are our first loves. Do you ever wonder where they are now? Are they happy? Do they think about you? (In my case, I very much doubt it.)

*whispers*

Dare I even say it... is it possible to recapture what once was if the stars align correctly? Second chances are a gift.

Well, peeps, you are in for a stonking great treat of a read. If I could squeeze this author right now, I would.

This story just enveloped me in a great big hug. The characters became friends to me (I know I have issues before you start!).

I laughed – Couples’ Counsellor, Maggie, had some of the BEST lines in the book. Especially when it came to *whistles*, you know what I mean, a wee bit of the horizontal mamba (other positions are available) *winks*:

“Strong on theory, weak on practical.”

I don’t know how many times I’ve said this about myself to friends. *blushes* Sorry, was I TMI-ing again?

I got angry on their behalf – I was feeling a tad stabby. *shakes head* Nope, I refuse to give details.

My jaw ached from smiling so much at my e-reader. Especially with the teenage Amelia. She was a scene-stealer for me. Everything was life or death as a teenager, wasn’t it? I’m showing my age now, but there was one scene that was reminiscent of ‘The Geek and The Panties’ from the John Hughes 80’s classic, Sixteen Candles.

Plain and simple, WYWM was a stunning read and I can’t wait for the author’s next release under this pen name.

So, finally...

‘When’ you pick up this book...

‘You’ won’t be able to put it down...

Just remember...

‘We’re’ (artistic licence!) in this together, so hit me up when you’re done.

Because...

I’m sure this book will be on your favourite reads of 2019 list just like ‘Mine’!

This is a great book and a thoroughly enjoyable read. It explores the evolving dynamics within a family as they face life together. It is easy to read with a straightforward story and all the better for that. Loved it!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I loved this storyline and the up to date stance on the book. This is a lovely story of family, love and friendships.

This was a great book and it evoked so many different emotions! It was shockingly real and hard and sensitive. It was also, a great love story.

This is honestly SO GOOD. I got this complimentary from NetGalley and oh my lord I am so pleased. The characters were beyond lovely. They were so well-developed and strongly written. I just loved every page of this. I had zero desire to skip forward. This book was really well paced and the plot lined up so neatly. I just loved this!

Maggie, Ibby and Amelia are an unconventional family and I will admit that it took me some time to work out how it all came together. However, I loved their relationship, both as a threesome and with each other and they were characters I really felt able to root for throughout the novel. The family are also surrounded by some wonderful characters: Nicki and Other Max and of course, Jordan Nash, and I found them all very realistic and easy to relate to.

In When You Were Mine, Swift explores a number of issues, such as addiction, homophobia and adolescence. I felt that Swift wrote about these in a really engaging way that gives the novel extra depth that makes it stand out from others in the genre.

I didn’t see the twist coming, but it adds some extra tension to the climax of the novel and I could not stop turning pages to see how it all worked out.

The book is a lovely love story, great to read on relaxing Sunday afternoon. The book also mentions topics like sex, drugs, relationships and how to talk to a teenage child about them. Great book.

Maggie and Ibs live together as a non-couple bringing up daughter Amelia. Ibs and Maggie were at uni together and Amelia is a result of one time sex...,Ibs is, and always has been gay. Meanwhile, heartthrob rockstar Jordan is having a breakdown. Their worlds collide, causing havoc for all. A love.y beach read with a couple of great twists I never saw coming.

This was a cute read, though a slow and confusing one to start with. A book on family and relationships where friendship and love mattered.

A different family of sorts where Ibby and Maggie brought up their daughter together even when they were not a couple. Ibby was gay. Entered Jordan, a blast from the past, who changed the equation. A rockstar who wrote a song and brought the paparazzi to their doorstep. Secrets were revealed and past came crashing down. Would they survive it all?

My first book by author Lisa Swift was delightful both in its unconventional family setup and their acceptance of each other. At all times, their daughter took priority in all their life decisions.

The author's conceptualization of characters were mature and developed. Their strength grew over the period of time. Each were quirky and lovable too. Lisa's portrayal of first love and second chances had me smiling through the pages.

There was a genuineness with the prose where social themes were dealt with, but with a lighter hand. The twist in the end was a good, unexpected surprise. Relationships and family made this book a light and warm breakfast read.

Sweet but thoughtful

I really enjoyed this book; very diverting, given the hurricane and 6 day power outage! Yes, it's chick lit, but there are some messages hiding in the pages. Looking forward to reading some of the author's other books.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley who supplied a time-limited e-copy. This review is voluntary and my own opinion.

It's been a while since I've read a book that I've flown through within a day or two and 'When You Were Mine' had me completed hooked from start to finish - what a brilliant story-line! Kudos to Lisa Swift for coming up with the idea.

Maggie, Ibby and Amelia are an unconventional family, in which, a drunken moment with a straight woman and a gay man, ended in a pregnancy. I don't know why I adored this extremely strange occurrence so much, however I just fell in love with the uniqueness towards this family. The family as a whole are just absolutely perfect - Maggie and Ibby are wonderful parents and incredible characters in general. Amelia is a typical 13-year-old, who takes pride in her family and takes pleasure in trying to find a boyfriend for the two of them. She is extremely supportive of her father when it comes to the LGBT community and I really respected the maturity she held. While this family came to be under circumstances you wouldn't believe, it all worked so extremely well, with the help that Maggie and Ibby are the best of friends!

Jordan Nash was also a very fascinating character, in which he started life as a normal teen, enjoying his university life with Maggie, Ibby and the rest of their friends, to becoming a worldwide superstar! Although we all wish of a life in the spotlight, Lisa wrote Jordan's story with a whole new perspective - one that doesn't get shown to the public half as much as it should. Jordan's story consists on a bad childhood, but a loving upbringing, a life everybody dreams of, but consumed with loneliness, drugs and alcohol. Lisa really delves deep in to the life of an addict and it was amazing to see the progression Jordan made throughout. Sometimes the Superstar life really isn't for everyone. It can just take time to realise all of the people and experiences you've missed out on to do a job you no longer love.

The plot twist, I put together quite early in a sort of I just really wanted that to be the case, sort of way. So, when my guess actually came in to the book, I was so giddy and everything just fell in to place and began to make sense.

'When You Were Mine' is a gorgeous, light-hearted read, filled with humour, love, family, reunions and raw moments that will really tug at your heartstrings. I highly recommend this book to everybody - it's completely worth your time and just look at the stunning book cover! I will definitely be investing in Lisa's previous and future work from now on.

I really enjoyed this book. A story of love, heartache, family, relationships and friendship. I was absorbed from the start and found it difficult to put this book down. I really enjoyed the characters and their relationships. Some parts made me laugh, but some parts tugged at my heartstrings.

Highly recommended, perfect for a cosy day on the sofa.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

5☆ Highly Recommend!

When You Were Mine is a Uplifting, Fun, Heart Warming Story of Family, Relationships, Secrets and plenty of Drama.

Maggie and Ibby and not your conventional couple. But they do have two things in common, they are bestest friends and they have a teenage daughter together.

Maggie is a sex therapist and struggling to find a man of her own.
Ibby is gay and on the look out for a man, but he has to fit in and accept Maggie and daughter Amelia. Which doesn't always go down too well when he tells them that he lives with Maggie and has a Teenage Daughter.

But Maggie is about to get her own dose of chaos when, a blast from her past is about crash his way into their lives, with a media storm no one was expecting.
After all secrets have a way of coming out!

But are Maggie and Ibby strong enough to protect Amelia and their family!

I absolutely ADORE this trio. Yes they maybe unconventional so to speak, but the love and suppprt they have for each other shines through and melts my heart!

In fact all of the characters are brilliantly written, quirky, relatable and fun. There isn't one I disliked.

When You Were Mine is a Compeling, Uplifting Family Saga that I loved.
Yes at times it was a little over imaginative with some of the scenarios, but that made me want to read it all the more, to find out what could possibly happen next!

There is plenty of Drama, Humour, and Touching Moments, especially when you delve into Ibby's dating and how supportive Maddie and Amelia are, it really warms your heart and opens up a whole new avenue of dating. I also loved the sex therapy sessions that really had me giggling at some of the stories! (Don't worry they are not too graphic!)

This is a story about Family, Friendship, Finding Love, Relationships, Secrets, Growing up, The trials and tribulations of Relationships and the perils of being in the spotlight. It really does have a sprinkle of everything!

So if you are looking for an uplifting romance with a twist, that has some laugh out loud moments, but also shares some tender and emotional ones then you will adore When You Were Mine!

Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

This was the first book I read by this author and I really enjoyed the storyline. The characters were likable and I enjoyed the plot line which I found unique.

This book has sensual overtones. Ibby is living with his female partner of Maggie and her daughter, Amelia. Their lives are upturned when a former lover of Maggie, Jordan writes a song in which the title is her name. Despite the drama that unfolds, the ending is a happily-ever-after.

An amazing book. I loved it, quite simply. Swift writes about real, messy, honest and humourous people in a way that comes across as effortless. Zippy one liners flow, and the dialogue is perfect. I really enjoyed entering the world of these characters, and found myself very sad to leave. Amelia is one of my favourites, but I have to say that Ibby took my heart. No spoilers, but this book will keep you turning the pages.

Wow. Absolutely loved the story or Maggie, Ibby and Amelia. They are an unconventional family but family is what they are. When Router 69 rock god Jordan Nash crashes back into their lives. (They were friends from their university days when Jordan Nash was just plain old Max Jordan). Maggie and Ibby have tough choices to make. A beautifully written story to warm your heart and leave you feeling happy, very happy. Can’t wait for the next instalment.

An easy, sweet read about second chances. A fun, light summer read.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

So I have to start this review by saying that I absolutely loved this book! It's so well written and I loved everything to do with it. so let's start with the Characters, they were so well described that I wanted to visit Applecroft for a drink and a chat. I loved the (sometimes) complicated relationships between them all. I loved how they were also so very real. I mean the Marriage counsellor who isn't having sex is so relatable as well as the very lovely Ibby.

Another thing I loved was the fact that it showed you another side of Fame, the side that isn't that glamorous. It was so refreshing to read the book that sounded so real that it could have been a biography. Also I was super excited when one of my favorite TV Shows popped up towards the end!

The story was witty, funny and very easy to follow. You got to get inside the heads of Maggie, Ibby, Jordan and Amelia. I loved seeing these four different points of views play out throughout the book. It was so refreshing to see the different sides come together and how they all fit in with each other.

My final thoughts are that I can't wait to see what Lisa brings out next! Also I now have another Author to look for in Mary Jane Baker. This book was really hard for me to put down, so much so that I finished it in one day, I mean it has Forty Five Chapters and an Epilogue. Though I have to admit it wasn't until I was re reading the ending before writing this post that I noticed my favorite words hidden within the 'A Letter from Lisa' section and I quote 'I hope to see you again for the release of book two next year!' I don't know which I enjoyed more this book or that line. I seriously recommend you pick this book up, you won't regret it.

First time reading a book by this author and it certainly will not be the last. What an absolutely wonderful read

Maggie and Ibby have been best friends since university, where the result of their one night stand is a teenage daughter that they are raising together. They have promised each other that she should be brought up in a loving a stable home. So what if Ibby is gay, and the only significant relationship Maggie has had was when they were students.

Then, one night an old friend turns up out of the blue. Rockstar Jordan Nash, needs a place to escape to and he needs the stability and love only true friends can give him.

This is a great story. I loved all the characters and the modern take on family. Am anxiously awaiting the follow up.

Have just finished this book and I'm feeling really sad! Not sad because it wasn't a great book, or because it didn't finish the way I wanted it to but sad because I have got to the end!! I'm going to miss this wonderful, very different family and reading how they handle what life throws at them. I loved the characters in the story and sincerely hope I have brought my daughter up the way Mags & Ibby have raised Amelia. She is such a great kid!

Thank you so much to Net Galley and the publishers for letting me review this book and thank you to Lisa Swift for writing such a lovely book!

When You Were Mine was a book I had heard so much about and was not disappointed at all.
A heart warming read that captured me from the start. I adored this story.

This book was such a joy to read. It was lighthearted and the humour was great and lightens the heavier plot points. I found myself rooting for the characters. If you are a fan of women’s fiction, you should definitely pick this one up!

☆☆☆☆☆
I am a big fan of Lisa swift books and couldn't resist when I saw she had written another. I was not disappointed. I found myself rooting for the characters more and more as the story progressed. I did guess a twisty bit in the book but I loved how it panned out at the end. This is a great book to read and one I will be recommending.