I adored the authors' previous book We Are Not Like Them, so I was excited to read this one. The story is largely about Cinnamon, a married black woman in her thirties who finds a white baby in a park with a note saying that the young mother (Daisy) requesting Cinnamon take care of her. The story alternates between Cinnamon and Daisy's perspectives. It took me a little while to get into this book. I was expecting more from both perspectives, but it was mostly Cinnamon's story. Daisy's sections are pretty short.

It takes a while for the plot to start moving. We're deep into Cinnamon's head. She could be frustrating at times, but she was realistic in her perspective. She had a rough upbringing and was often in foster care during her childhood. Cinnamon has built a life that looks nice from the outside, attractive and ambitious husband and good, stable job at a local college. However, she has hidden parts of herself and lets things happen to her. Her own husband and best friend, Lucia, have no idea about her upbringing.

The story focuses on trauma and healing. Both Cinnamon and Daisy were orphaned at a young age and experienced a lot of heartache. They each try to make the right decisions, but make mistakes. I loved seeing Cinnamon come into her own in the second half of the novel. Caring for Daisy's baby gives Cinnamon a purpose and drive she didn't have before.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ebook. All thoughts are my own.

US pub date: 6/13/23
Genre: family drama, contemporary fiction
Quick summary: Middle-aged Black woman Cinnamon and young white girl Daisy become fast, unlikely friends at the local park. Then, Daisy disappears, leaving a young baby girl near their favorite bench - with a note requesting that Cinnamon care for the baby.

This book surprised me in the best way! I didn't love Pride and Piazza's last book, so I was reluctant to start this one, but the beautiful story captivated me. I loved Cinnamon and Daisy - two women who look very different at first but find they have a lot in common. Cinnamon's devotion to baby Bluebell was inspiring and kept me reading as I waited to find out what their fate would be. I ended up pairing the text with a library audiobook, and the audio performance made me feel like I was right there with Cinnamon. I read it in 2 days and would have read it faster if I could have ignored my responsibilities.

If you enjoy books about family, I definitely recommend this one. Just be sure to keep tissue handy.

Thank you to Atria Books for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In their latest work, Christine Pride and Jo Piazza delve into the complexities of race, motherhood, and the weight of hidden truths.

Cinnamon Haynes, a 34-year-old community college counselor, harbors a painful past as a Black child navigating the foster care system. Concealing this history even from her closest confidantes, including her husband Jayson and best friend Lucia, Cinnamon's carefully constructed facade is challenged when she forms an unexpected bond with Daisy, a young White woman harboring her own secrets. As their friendship deepens, Daisy's revelation of a concealed pregnancy sets off a chain of events that forces Cinnamon to confront her past and grapple with the possibility of motherhood. Reluctant to subject another child to the traumas she endured, Cinnamon finds herself torn between her affection for the newborn and the societal pressures weighing against her adoption.

Pride and Piazza skillfully navigate the complexities of interracial adoption, exploring themes of cultural identity and the true meaning of motherhood. Through a diverse cast of characters that includes friends, family members, and social workers, the novel presents multiple perspectives on Cinnamon's journey, inviting readers to ponder difficult questions about race and parenthood.

With its thought-provoking narrative and nuanced portrayal of its characters, "You Were Always Mine" challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths and consider the profound implications of identity and love.

I thought the writing was brilliant! The authors tackled some tough issues. This was emotional and heart wrenching.

I loved We Are Not Like Them, so I was very excited to read You Were Always Mine. This book covers some deep themes around foster care, adoption, and race. I really love that about Pride and Piazza's writing. That said, You Were Always Mine isn't quite as effective. I still appreciated what it did, but I felt somehow that I wanted more. I think this could've gone just a little bit deeper. I'm still a big fan and will read anything Pride and Piazza publish jointly.

I absolutely love this writing pair. What a genius idea to have two authors, each of different racial backgrounds, tell their own side of the story. Truly, truly beautiful, and I was thrilled to read this after loving their debut, "We Are Not Like Them."

This was another fantastic book that absolutely thrived being told from two different perspectives of such opposite views. It was a little harder for me to read, just because I'm a mom and my hormones are still all over the place, but I'm so glad I fought through my discomfort to finish it. It's such a unique storytelling device they've created, and I am forever a fan of anything they write together.

This was such a sweet, endearing, enlightening and powerful story. I really enjoyed it, get yourself a copy ASAP! Thank you to @atriabooks , @simonandschuster and @netgalley for my copy!

The premise of this novel is important and raises important questions about race and privilege. I appreciated l the deep-dive into the complexity of the fostering and adoption process, and how it disadvantages those of color from the onset.

The Dynamic Duo does it again.
What a writing team that takes on TOUGH issues.
Thank you for sharing this great book with me.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

Very interesting read! The book pulled me in from the start and I wanted to see how it ended. Try it and see if this book is for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of You Were Always Mine by Christine Pride: Jo Piazza in exchange for my honest review and opinion. This was an interesting premise for me as finding a baby and not turning it in just didn't sit right with me. I struggled to read this due to that concept.

I was not able to finish this book in time due to life events that got in the way of my reading time, but I did get halfway through. I did not want to stop reading this book and I am still curious about how it ends. I would definitely purchase a physical copy of this book because I found the storyline quite entertaining. The story was very well written and pulls the reader in. 10/10, I enjoyed every page.

Like this author duo’s last book, You Were Always Mine brought attention to relevant topics pertaining to race in America. I think the overall story was good, but there were a few things that could have been improved. There were plot lines that got lost while other portions had unnecessary details. But overall this was a good book worth picking up!

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I really likes this whole storyline and how the author really emphasized the point that love has no color! There were moments that were completely gut wrenching and others that really touched my heart. It’s about friendship and love at its core but also how far some people will go to do the right thing. I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes women’s fiction and something that will hopefully open up your eyes and brighten your day!

I received a copy of this ebook from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Love builds a family. This book raised many important issues about family, adoption, race, and belonging. It handled the intricacies of these issues with care. However, there were so many threads that could have been followed up with more depth.

I was so excited for this book after the authors' debut, but preferred the debut.

This was a very thought provoking novel. It deals wih class, race, motherhood, marriage, friendship, foster care and adoption I didn’t want to put it down.

A beautiful tale of what it means to be a mother, Christine Pride and Jo Piazza’s second co-written novel You Were Always Mine is a moving testament to the power of friendship and the enduring legacy of love in all its forms.

When black guidance counselor Cinnamon finds a white baby with eyes as blue as the sky tucked away at the park, she knows that this baby could belong to none other than her friend Daisy. Cinnamon and Daisy have been meeting on this park bench every week for the past year, sharing tidbits about their lives and building a wholly unique friendship that does not exist beyond the confines of the park. But now Daisy has entrusted Cinnamon with the most precious of gifts - her newborn baby.

With Daisy nowhere to be found, Cinnamon does not do what most of us would do in a similar situation. That is, go to the police and hand off the baby to authorities who have the resources to find her birth mother. Rather, Cinnamon does as Daisy asks, taking the baby in and attempting to build some kind of life that allows them to exist as mother, no matter how temporary, and child. But as can be expected, Cinnamon faces a number of challenges in her efforts to keep and raise a white baby.

However, the wary glances and doubts of others will soon be the least of Cinnamon’s concerns as Daisy’s grandparents enter the picture, hellbent on gaining custody of the baby and raising her in their home. Cinnamon finds herself battling the very people who Daisy did not want her child to go to, begging the oft-asked question, “Just what makes a mother?”

You Were Always Mine is an engrossing, thought-provoking story of social, moral, and legal complications. This novel raises questions such as, “Should children be raised by blood or at least in households that represent their cultural make-up or do the wishes of the birth mother take precedence over all other factors?” Furthermore, You Were Always Mine highlights the realistic struggles a person of color would face in attempting to raise a white baby, and sheds light on the disparities and injustices of the foster system.

Pride and Piazza’s writing seamlessly blends to create a touching story of love - I would never know that this book was written by two different authors.. I found this book to be wholly enjoyable, as well as engaging.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this novel. I could not connect with the storyline so I'm setting it aside for now and hope to pick it up again in the future.