"You Were Always Mine: A Novel" by Nicole Baart

The acclaimed author of Little Broken Things returns with another “race-to-the-finish family drama” (People) about a single mother who becomes embroiled in a mystery that threatens to tear apart what’s left of her family.

Jessica Chamberlain, newly separated and living with her two sons in a small Iowa town, can’t believe that a tragedy in another state could have anything to do with her. But when her phone rings one quiet morning, her world is shattered. As she tries to pick up the pieces and make sense of what went wrong, Jess begins to realize that a tragic death is just the beginning. Soon she is caught in a web of lies and half-truths—and she’s horrified to learn that everything leads back to her seven-year-old adopted son, Gabriel.

Years ago, Gabe’s birth mother requested a closed adoption and Jessica was more than happy to comply. But when her house is broken into and she discovers a clue that suggests her estranged husband was in close contact with Gabe’s biological mother, she vows to uncover the truth at any cost. A harrowing story of tenacious love and heartbreaking betrayal, You Were Always Mine is about the wars we wage to keep the ones we love close, perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Jodi Picoult.  ~taken from Goodreads

Little Broken Things was a book I reviewed last year, and though it wasn't one of my favorites, I did like it enough to read this latest book from author Nicole Baart. 

Unlike her first book, where I was hooked immediately before the book slowed to a crawl, this book took me quite a while to even get into before ending in a whirlwind of excitement.

The characters were relatable to some degree, but I found the more I read, the less I felt connected or even knew specific personality traits to any of the main characters. There were times when the main character, Jessica, acted in ways that seemed unbelievably reckless and I just read while shaking my head in disbelief. 

This premise of this thriller is unique, but for some reason I just couldn't completely immerse myself in the book. The mystery element did hook me, but the slow, overly detailed "in-between" parts frustrated me and took away from the what I felt was the "meat" of the story. 

This was a mystery that was fun to piece together. Little hints and puzzle pieces were dropped throughout the novel and I honestly was surprised in how it ended. For such intricate detailing of things that weren't important to the overall story, the ending came abruptly, neatly and very oversimplified. 

This was a 3.5 star read for me. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria books for allowing me a copy to read and give my honest review. 

You Were Always Mine is out now! 

Happy Reading!