This book had me hooked from the very beginning. I honestly didn't see how it would play out at all and loved the dynamics of the adoptive mom vs. the birth mother that plagued Jess throughout the novel. Add to that the suspense of her husband's murder and trying to figure out who did it and you're stuck with a book that will keep you up all night long! It just goes to show that you never know who someone is and it really makes you think about those you keep close or at arms distance and whether or not those are truly the right decisions in life. I would definitely reccomend You Were Always Mine, it has the perfect mix of who-dunnit mystery with Women's Lit feels.

This is my first novel by Nicole Baart and I must say I do like her writing style. Although I figured out who Jessica shouldn't trust , I usually do in most novels, it still kept my attention. Can't wait to read more from Baart.

A compelling domestic almost-thriller. It definitely held my interest and took an unexpected turn.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

You Were Always Mine is a suspenseful, page-turner of a book! The more you read the more suspenseful it gets leading up to a twist I honestly didn’t see coming…never would have guessed it.

Jessica Chamberlain is awakened one night by a phone call that her estranged husband, Evan, was killed in what appears to be a hunting accident. Jessica must uncover the secrets that her husband was hiding, while doing whatever she can to protect her two children, one of whom was adopted.

There were many facets to this book including family drama, adoption, mystery and suspense. If you enjoyed Baart’s previous novel, Little Broken Things, definitely pick this one up on October 16th.

I feel this passage summed up Jessica’s character perfectly…”You’re the strong one, Jessica Chamberlain. You always have been.” “You’re the strongest person I’ve ever known.”

Thank you to Atria Books and Nicole Baart for the advance copy; all opinions are my own.

I didn't love this book, but I didn't dislike it. It was one of the first ARCs I read with a number of typos and errors, so that was a bit distracting for me. I honestly couldn't tell while I was reading it if it was supposed to be a mystery, a drama, or what. There was a mystery, but it was thinly veiled and there was little suspense or anyone in the way of suspects, so it was hard for me to pigeonhole this one. Maybe that's a good thing? In any event, I didn't particularly love the heroine, but I thought the children in the book were realistic and well done.

This is my first time reading Nicole Baart. You Were Always Mine is a deeply moving book about adoption and the connection it brings to all involved.Her characters are well developed. The subplots keep you yearning for more.

Thank you to Atria Books for the free review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. 

I really enjoyed how this novel explored life and loss when it happens unexpectedly. Jess didn't expect to happen what did, but she was left to pick up the pieces on her own. I really liked the strength in this character. She fought for what she believed to be the right thing even when everyone around her made her seem like she should just let it go.

The emotion in this novel is raw and vulnerable. There are lots of life altering decisions made in this novel, yet they aren't rushed and the characters have to deal with the impact. The situations Baart created in this novel seemed real and believable. I wanted to fight for Jess because she deserved so much. I love it when an author is able to make me feel like the character is a real person with real problems. That's how I know I am reading a fantastic book. 

My only complaint is that the ending felt a bit rushed. I would've loved to linger with this family a bit more, but I don't think it felt incomplete. It also didn't wrap up too 'nicely,' which is a great thing - it didn't seem like fiction but real life.

You Were Always Mine is a touching, sad and moving story that communicates the fears, emotions, love and regrets of a newly widowed woman caught in the mystery of her husband’s last days. The utter devastation and turmoil that Jessica Chamberlain experiences lifts off the pages and sits heavily upon the reader’s heart. You move with her as she trudges on through her son, Max’s, teen angst and behavior, through her sheer determination to find truth and her disintegrating home life. A truly great read.

You Were Always Mine entertained me from start to finish -- although at first I struggled with how to place the book. Is it a suspense/mystery/thriller? Or women's fiction? It feels like both. By the end, I decided it's a good mixture of the genre categories. There's certainly a "mystery" to solve and at times the reader is puzzled right along with Jessica. However, Baart does a good job of dishing out clues so that the reader doesn't become frustrated or confused. I enjoyed Jessica's interactions with her sons, Max and Gabe, and the boys seemed complex and genuine.

This book was amazing!! I enjoyed the careful character development and how the story took turns I wouldn’t have predicted. I highly recommend this book.

Jessica Chamberlain lives with her two sons, Max (13) and Gabe (7), in a small town in Iowa. Recently separated from Evan, their father and her husband, she takes the separation day-by-day. They've fallen into a routine: she gets full-time custody of the children during the week and Evan picks up the boys from school on Friday afternoons and returns them on Sunday evenings. Until one weekend, after 25 weekends, he doesn't and Jessica learns that Evan is dead. All of a sudden, hidden truths begin to swim up to the surface, one of which is that in the years leading up to his death, he'd been communicating on a regular basis with Gabe's birth mother, the latter of which comes as a complete shock to Jessica. Gabe had been adopted in a closed adoption, and for years afterward, Jessica steadfastly refused to entertain the thought of allowing his birth mother into their lives. When Evan dies, she begins to examine the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death and Gabe's adoption more closely.

I wasn't crazy about the book as it became a little too predictable the longer it went on, like the strained relationship that Jessica and Max shared or that Jessica predictably assumed that Evan cheated on her. It followed a pattern of cliches for me.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I loved this book. All the twists and turns made it hard to put down . Jessica has a lot of strength as a mom of one son born to her husband and herself and another son that was adopted. What follows is suspense , grief, and drama. Nicole Bart is a fantastic author and I cannot wait to read more of her books. I give this book 5 stars. Put in on your list of books to read.

I really wasn't a huge fan of this book. I found the characters lackluster, and while there were some elements of suspense and mystery, overall I just felt it wasn't properly executed. It was my first book by this author but I'm open to reading another with hopefully better results. Thanks for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I could not put this book down. I am a huge fan of Nicole Baart's books so I knew I was in for a great read...but this was incredible! I really thought I pinned down where this story was going about half way through- but I was wrong. It is a fast-paced read that's chock full of emotion, and a suspenseful quest for answers.
What made this book fly by was the constant twists and turns throughout. There were letters written between two characters that kept you asking more questions and you never quite could figure out where it was going (in a good way!) until the end.
Baart is an incredible author to watch for more of! I am already looking forward to what she comes up with next.
I was thrilled to receive an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review. I can not recommend this book enough! Put it on your MUST-READ list for the fall!

"You Were Always Mine" has been a book that I could not put down. Right from the beginning pages you want to know more and want to find out more. There are lots of twists and turns that you never see coming. The characters are relatable and believable. I am not finished with the book but I can't wait to finish it and see where this tale ends! So good!

When Jessica's estranged husband is found dead on a road in Minnesota she wonders what he was doing there and who shot him? Was it really a hunting accident when he didn't even hunt? As she tries to keep her life with her two sons Max and Gabe together all while trying to solve the mystery of her husbands murder. Along with this is the fact that Gabe was adopted at birth and even though it was a closed adoption it seems her husband had been in contact frequently with Gabe's birth mother. This book is fast paced, and suspenseful and there is information about the adoption process too which is interesting.

Nicole Bart has wow’ed once again!!!!!

You Were Always Mine is a brilliantly written, fast paced novel that will keep you up waaaay past your bedtime!! The storyline is very original and intricately spun--loved that! My favorite part of finishing fantastic novel is reflecting on all of the perfectly placed clues and hints throughout the book- Nicole Baart is a master at this! You Were Always Mine is a 5+++ star novel that is an absolute MUST READ!!! When people ask me “What should I read next?” You Were Always Mine will be at the very top of that list!! If you have been looking for your next book club selection, look no further—this is the book for you! Don’t miss this gem!!!

I tried. Really I did. But I just couldn't do it. No matter how badly I wanted to stay awake into the wee hours of the morning to finish this thriller, my eyes just wouldn't cooperate. So I did what any self-respecting book worm would do. I reached for it as soon as I woke up the next morning and didn't get out of bed until it was finished.
In the blink of an eye, Jessica Chamberlain finds her world turned upside down. With one phone call, life as she knows it is forever changed. Even though she and Evan were separated, in her heart she always believed that eventually they'd find their way back to each other. But his unexpected death put those hopes to rest.
So she tries to move on, if nothing else then for the sake of her two young sons. Something was going on with Evan, though. Something that involved their youngest son, Gabe, and his birth mother. Jessica is determined to find out what Evan was working on and how it led to his death.
This book has been described as a "race to the finish" drama and that's no lie. I honest to goodness didn't know what was going to happen until almost the very end. Trust me, you want to read this one!

This is one of the most beautiful, haunting books ive had the opportunity to read. I loved the duel storylines of figuring out Evan's secret, his relationship with LaShanda and Jess's relationship with her children. It is very evident that Nicole's own life comes into play and also that she did a lot of research for this novel.

this novel will haunt you and make you think

Nicole is now a contemporary fiction mainstay -- for readers of Jodi picoult, liane moriarty and Kristen Hannah.

loved this book and cant stop thinking about it