📖Book Review📖

📗Once You Were Mine
👩🏻Elizabeth Langston
🗣@brilliancepublishing & @amazonpublishing
📅February 11th 2025

🎠SYNOPSIS🎠
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?

🧠My Thoughts🧠
I am SO glad I stuck it out with this book. I was a little bored at the beginning, but then again, for some reason, I thought this was a thriller? I have no idea why, maybe the cover, but this is definitely not a thriller. What it was was a pleasant surprise.

As stated above, this book was not what I thought it was going to be, but it was so so so much more than I could have hoped for. Molly is a pioneer for women. She paved the way for women to have jobs in tech/coding. She was an impressive woman. But would she have become this impressive woman had she not been forced to give her babies up for adoption? It's a hard thing to think about, but it's the harsh reality that this book left me pondering.

Thank you to @netgalley, @brilliancepublishing and @amazonpublishing for the ALC.

💬ⓆⓄⓉⒹ: What is your favorite color?

#onceyouweremine #elizabethlangston #netgalley #audiobookreview #bookreview #alc #audiobook #reviewer #review

Once You Were Mine by Elizabeth Langston is a historical fiction.

Once You Were Mine is a historical fiction novel that is told from different perspectives and in the past and present. When Molly goes to help her ailing grandmother, she meets Galen, and their relationship leads to an unexpected pregnancy. Unwed mothers were still ostracized in the 1960s, and like many unwed women, Molly was sent to a home for unwed mothers, where she is made to sign relinquishing papers. Part of the book follows her life, and her search for her baby.

Allison Garrett has used ancestry and dna to help families reunite with their birth families. When she does her DNA with her best friend, she never anticipates the information that will come out. The book is well written.

This story definitely hits home for me. My mother was forced to go to an unwed mother’s home in the 70s where she was made to relinquish my brother. Her story in some ways parallels portions of this story. The author did a great job bringing this story to life. I liked the realism of Allison and the way she uses her skills as a search angel. The book evokes questions, making you think what would you do? And the author brings real feelings and concerns to life. My mother created a group for people looking for their birth families and this book hits many of the topics and concerns expressed by both sides.

I definitely was drawn in by the narrator, and she did a good job bringing the emotions out in many. Parts of the story. Austenne Grey does a beautiful fob bringing the story to life.

This heartbreaking family drama told in past and present dual POVs/timelines examines the emotional journey of forced adoption and subsequent intergenerational trauma associated with the inhumane treatment of unwed mothers during the 60s. Books like these are so important, especially now, making this a must-read for everyone.

In historical fiction like this, I always find myself more drawn to the past timeline (in this case Molly's POV) and that was exactly what happened here. I could have read an entire novel from her perspective alone.

If you enjoyed LOOKING FOR JANE or THE GIRLS WE SENT AWAY I highly recommend picking this one up!

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for access to ONCE YOU WERE MINE in exchange for an honest review.

In 1968, Molly Mitchell was sent to a home for unwed mothers to have her baby. She is told to give her baby up or not come home. When she delivers, she has twins, and she changes her mind but is tricked by the home who stayed that time had run out. She runs from the home with her baby girl to get aunt's house but later decides that it is best for the baby if she gives it up. All these decisions haunt her for a lifetime.

I really liked this book and thought the narrator did a fabulous job.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Brilliance Publishing for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Once You Were Mine by Elizabeth Langston alternates between two timelines: in 1968, 17-year-old Molly Mitchell is sent to a maternity home, where she’s forced to give up her babies, leaving emotional scars that last a lifetime. In 2024, Allison Garrett uncovers a shocking family secret through DNA testing—her best friend Bree is actually her cousin, and their parents were separated at birth. The novel explores the fallout of family secrets and the impact of DNA testing on relationships.

This book hooked me from start to finish, made even more enjoyable by Austenne Grey - a fantastic narrator. Langston’s portrayal of the Baby Scoop Era and Molly’s journey as a trailblazer in the tech industry adds depth and authenticity. At its core, the novel delves into family, identity, and forgiveness with emotional complexity, addressing the tension between societal expectations and personal choices. It’s a heart-wrenching, thought-provoking, touching, well-written story that kept me captivated.

Thank you to NetGalley, Elizabeth Langston, and Brilliance Audio for an audio ARC.

Once You Were Mine by Elizabeth Langston is a poignant and emotionally charged novel that delves into the complexities of family, secrets, and healing. The story unfolds across two timelines: one in 1968, where a teenage girl’s life is torn apart by an unplanned pregnancy, an abusive maternity home, and the heartbreak of losing her child through adoption; and the other in the present day, where Allison Garrett, a "search angel" helping people find lost relatives, uncovers a deeply personal connection that could change everything for her family.

Langston expertly weaves together these two narratives, blending historical trauma with present-day discoveries, as Allison’s genealogy search uncovers more than she expected. The emotional depth of the characters, especially the struggles of the teenage mother and the weight of Allison’s search, makes for a compelling read. The themes of shame, loss, and the longing for connection resonate deeply, drawing readers into a story that examines how the past shapes the present—and whether redemption and healing are possible.

With beautifully crafted prose and sensitive handling of difficult subjects, Once You Were Mine is a heartfelt exploration of family, identity, and the long-lasting effects of generational trauma. It's a captivating story that will stay with readers long after they've turned the final page.

A heart-wrenching tale of losing and finding family. I really enjoyed the overall story and how intertwined all the characters were. It had a ton of surprising moments and it was quite emotional how these unwed girls/women were treated. It's sad to know that this is actually how things were often handled. I love the intertwining of old and new technologies as this is how many people now are finding their long lost family members.

I look forward to reading more by this author. The audio book and narration was well done and kept me in the story the whole time.

A superbly crafted piece of work by Elizabeth Langston, reflecting the nature of homes for unwed mothers in the 1960’s and the ways in which these young women were manipulated and deceived into giving away their babies to adoptive families. Once You Were Mine is a compelling and emotional story that portrays Molly’s struggle and heartache and the rippling effects decades later when the hidden past is uncovered through DNA.

The audio narration from Austenne Grey is perfect. She voices the story with such empathy and sensitivity towards the characters and their situations.

I highly recommend this book - it felt realistic and insightful.

I received a complimentary audio copy of this book from the publisher, Brilliance Publishing. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This historical fiction novel has the perfect balance of the multiple POV in different times. One timeline is the 1960s where we have Molly, a teenager who has gotten pregnant. Her parents send her to a special maternity home where she is deceived into giving up her offspring. The other timeline is the present day, where Allison is using DNA samples to find out more about her mother’s birth family because her mother was adopted.

Now, usually when I read a dual timeline historical fiction novel, one story is stronger than the other. However, this book’s main characters have equal weight and depth to their characterizations. This book is full of emotions as Molly learns to live without her child and make a life of her own, and Allison’s research into closed adoptions to find out more about her mother’s birth family.

Austenne Grey, the narrator of this story, does an admirable job of keeping the listener engaged with her storytelling abilities. I would definitely listen to something by Grey again.

What an emotional story! I liked the dual timelines and characterization. If you are into genealogy and ancestry, you will enjoy this fantastic book.

Many thanks for my gifted copy. My review will be shared to my Instagram account shortly.

ONCE YOU WERE MINE by Elizabeth Langston

Austenne Grey does a fine reading of this story. The voice of Molly really stood out for me. A first time narrator for me and I would like to hear her voice in other audiobooks.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the audiobook

A deeply moving family drama using DNA testing that uncovers deep-rooted family secrets.

Told in dual timelines from the 1960s to present day. 1960s North Carolina we meet Molly, a seventeen-year-old, that finds herself pregnant and sent to a home for wayward girls to wait out her pregnancy. Upon the birth she is deceived into signing adoption papers. In present day Allison puts pieces together using DNA that will reveal much more than her mother’s origins. A family is separated by devastating circumstances, and will they be able to heal from the past? Exploring all the heartache, joy, betrayal, and aftermath of long ago choices and secrets.

I enjoyed this book and will definitely read more books by Elizabeth Langston. I thought it was well written and characters were well developed. My only issue was trying to keep all the characters straight in the family lines.

Fans of “before we were yours” will enjoy this.

I thought how this story of adoption was covered well and appreciated it wasn’t a buttoned up hallmark movie. I did have to roll my eyes at the one-off pregnancy (please authors stop writing this). As someone who was adopted and reunited with my biological family later in life, i thought that the feelings and emotions of those affected by the adoption were a bit too shallow and underserved. I did enjoy the overall story of the young mother, cared about her, and wanted to know how her life would turn out.

I loved the dual timelines most of all.

Wow, I couldn’t put this one down!

This book was absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking and hopeful and one of the best that I’ve read in a bit. I loved the multi POV and multi timeline perspectives, and it added so much to the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for my advance copy!

Another fantastic dual timeline story about Molly, an 18 year old who gets pregnant in 1968 and is sent to a maternity home to have her baby. What follows is an adoption story full of family secrets and a moving story of how Molly pivots from tragedy and goes on to lead an inspiring life of coding. Really good on audio and perfect for fans of books like Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

More like 3.5 stars. I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. When two friends submit DNA for ancestry, they are shocked to discover the results and the decades long secrets, pain and lies that go along with them. It was an interesting read and the story moved quickly.

3.50 to 3.75 stars.
This was really well written and I liked the narrator. She did a great job highlighting how women were treated at the time. How her heart was ripped apart by such horrible treatment. It was a sweet sad story