I absolutely loved this book! The author put so much of her heart into it, I could tell as I read, that she had personal experience with this issue.
Lauren Bailey has always wanted to be a mother and she is almost there, with her adoption of a child from China. The problem is that she is falling for Joshua Avery. And the adoption application was based on her being a single mom. She now has to choose and sacrifice one of her dreams.
This was a beautiful book, full of highs and lows. It is hilarious at times and heart wrenching at other times.
There are many lessons in faith and living it out with unbelievers as well as believers.
I recommend it highly.
I received a complimentary copy through Net Galley but the opinions are entirely my own.

Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh, my, gosh! Can you tell I was super excited that Nicole Deese was releasing a new book? I've been a fan of hers since I read the  Love in Lenox series.

Did the book live up to all the anticipation? Oh, yes, let me count the ways:




MY REVIEW

First, if you don't fall in love with Joshua while you are reading this book, then you are not human.

With immense sensitivity and grace, Deese tackles the subject of motherhood, international adoption, and family with great insight and heartfelt emotion. This book is one of those you don't easily forget and will leave you changed. There are laugh-out-loud moments and heart-wrenching, tear-inducing moments which meld together in a beautiful symphony to form a story that reflects the heart of God, His calling on our lives and His unconditional, adoptive, agape love.

Be warned, you won't be able to put this one down.

I received a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy from the publisher through Netgalley. My opinions are my own.

Once I started this book I could hardly put it down, it was so good!
I loved Lauren! We all have a little of Lauren in us I think. We want to make a difference in the world and sometimes feel like we are stuck in one spot. God has a plan and we just have to trust Him and wait on His timing. Lauren was an amazing 1st Grade Teacher, her children loved her and respected her. The other teachers in the school knew how talented she was as well. The way Lauren cared for those around her is amazing and even though her family was not the kindest about her faith in God, Lauren never gave up her faith!
Joshua is simply the whole deal, from the moment we meet him we all will fall in love with him. He is the type of guy all girls dream of. He knows how to be funny and serious, has a tremendous faith in God and is compassionate. I think he should definitely be a teacher.
I loved how the story of Lauren and Josh wrapped together, at times I felt like I could hardly breath while reading. It was just such an emotional story! Adoption is so beautiful and just is written so beautifully in this book. It shows the highs and lows of the process and how hard it can be...but also how beautiful it can be as well.
Nicole is a new author to me but believe me I will be reading more of her books!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

What an absolutely amazing story! This one is both inspirational and thought provoking.
It inspires me to reach out in a ways that might look impossible and just trust.

Lauren is such a special heroine. Her heart for children, her desire to follow God. I just loved her.
I also adored Joshua. He was the perfect hero.
I loved seeing their realness, their humanness and imperfections.
I enjoyed seeing how their relationship worked (or didn't).
I just loved this entire journey that Lauren was on, the journey of international adoption.
It is easy to tell that this is a journey that is very close to the author's heart.
This book deals with some hard issues that are all to real in our lives, in addition to the challenges of international adoption.
Lauren faces family difficulties, opposition to her Christian beliefs, opposition to her adoption, and other things that are difficult to process.
Joshua is the perfect friend, he is sympathetic, caring, and an all around good guy. I couldn't help but love him from the minute I met him.
The entire story is just beautiful. The author shows how God can take those difficult things in our lives and make it all come out just beautiful, if we learn to trust.

This is one of those books that is too beautiful, it's almost hard to really put into words a review that does justice to it. I'm fairly certain it will be one of my top reads for 2020.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

My response to this book is simply "wow"! This is my first Nicole Deese book, but definitely won't be my last. I learned of this book because it was recommended by an author that I know and love. And because it was about adoption, which is something I'm passionate about, I decided to check it out. I expected it to be good, but I didn't expect to be so drawn in. I found myself completely sucked in to Lauren's life. I went from laughing out loud to wiping away tears on a moment to moment basis. This was a lovely story about trying to find God's will as well as what happens when plans go horribly awry. With likable characters, witty banter, solid faith thread and great story line, this is one I'd recommend to all fans of Christian fiction. Special thanks to the publisher for an advanced ecopy of this book. I was under no obligation to write a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

Lauren Bailey has always dreamed of being a mother and with her application to adopt a child from China as a single mother is close within reach, she meets Joshua Avery, the substitute first grade teacher who is obsessed with all things dinosaur. As the two get to know one another, she slowly begins to fall in love with him, but with her adoption application stating she is adopting as a single parent, she fears she’ll lose her one dream she’s always wanted. Will she sacrifice one dream for another?
This book is a hopeful page-turner that will leave you wanting more.

I graciously received an advance e-copy from netgalley for review. All opinions are my own.

Before I Called You Mine Reciew

I received this ARC from @netgalley Thank you for the opportunity to read this book it was incredible.

I’m going to be honest I really struggle with my spirituality. I grew up in a unique church that was my families entire life. It wasn’t a particularly positive experience, and it has made me so hesitant to explore my own spirituality. However, the love from God is undeniable in this new book by Nicole Deese.

Lauren is a first grade teacher with a huge heart. She’s constantly being set up on bad dates by her well intentioned sister but she can’t date anybody right now because she is in the process of adopting a child from China as a single woman. If she dates, she has to wait two years after being married to try and adopt again. So for now dating is off the table.

Everything is turned upside down when a new substitute teacher shows up, Joshua Avery. They have an immediate connection but Lauren feels she must constantly deny it. As her adoption journey starts to get more complicated, she struggles to understand what God has in store for her. She wonders why he sent a child and Josh at the same time, when she can’t have them both. With the help of her incredible community and her faith, Lauren becomes an incredible mother and begins to understand why she was sent what she was.

This book was romantic, spiritual, and overall so lovely. I fell in love with the characters and couldn’t put it down.

This was an easy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Star book! Preorder this book now! It releases March 31, 2020.

My six word review:
Love is what creates a family

Before I Called You Mine by Nicole Deese takes readers on the difficult and rewarding journey to international adoption complete with the pain, heartbreak, and joy that adoptive parents often experience. The author’s own background of adopting her daughter internationally adds authenticity to the story.

Lauren Bailey, a single first grade teacher, has felt a calling toward international adoption for many years. She is finally matched with a young child from China just as she meets the man that she might be destined to spend her life with. However due to Chinese adoption laws, a couple must be married for two years before adopting. With the complications in her life, how can Lauren make the difficult decision to choose between the two?

As a teacher myself, I could completely relate to the parts of storyline taking place in the school, the day-to-day activities, and the personalities of the teachers. Nicole Deese described the school environment and the nuances of the various teachers perfectly.

Along with the developing romantic relationship in Before I Called You Mine, the novel focuses on Lauren’s desire to adopt and her strained relationship with her family who are not supportive of her decision. Readers who have experienced adoption in their families will find this novel extremely poignant and authentic. If you are looking for a book with a light romantic thread that focuses on real-life decisions that are often messy and difficult, then this is the book for you.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.