Lauren Bailey may be a romantic at heart, but after a decade of matchmaking schemes gone wrong, there’s only one match she’s committed to now–the one that will make her a mother. Lauren is a dedicated first-grade teacher in Idaho, and her love for children has led her to the path of international adoption. To satisfy her adoption agency’s requirements, she gladly agreed to remain single for the … the foreseeable future; however, just as her long wait comes to an end, Lauren is blindsided by a complication she never saw coming: Joshua Avery.
Joshua may be a substitute teacher by day, but Lauren finds his passion for creating educational technology as fascinating as his antics in the classroom. Though she does her best to downplay the undeniable connection between them, his relentless pursuit of her heart puts her commitment to stay unattached to the test and causes her once-firm conviction to waver.
With an impossible decision looming, Lauren might very well find herself choosing between the two deepest desires of her heart . . . even if saying yes to one means letting go of the other.
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An inspirational story about a single woman, Lauren, who goes through the emotional journey of the international adoption process with all its joys and heartaches. Along the way she meets Joshua, and Lauren tries to navigate how a man could fit into her adoption journey. A great book that takes you on a roller coaster of laughter and high jinks, family drama, heartbreaking disappointments, and pure joy. Nicole Deese’s writing pulls you in and has you feeling the emotions right along with the characters. Overall, a great book that I would highly recommend, especially for the lover of romance stories.
“Love isn’t about instant gratification, it’s about showing up for the journey and riding out all the twists and turns along the way…together.”
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
Wow! This book was fantastic! I was hanging on every chapter and completely invested until the conclusion. The circumstances of this story gave me a variety of emotions. I was completely rooting for these characters and their situation! I think the author did a great job of highlighting real to life situations of discerning God’s will and knowing His plan for your life even when things are hard. The characters in this book have the absolute best chemistry. Their banter is flirty and fun and I couldn’t get enough of Joshua! I’m not going to give any spoilers, but I will say that this book will keep you hooked until the final pages. This book was well balanced in romance, faith elements, and had a unique plot that will tug at readers hearts! I absolutely would recommend it to contemporary romance fans!
*I was given a copy of this book by the Publisher, however I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
From the beginning to the end this book kept my attention and then left me wanting more. The family dynamics, loving friendship, children, and throw in a bit of romance, and you are in for a great read.
The emotions I felt, well, you want to smile with tears in your eyes, and warmth in your heart. I felt the author gave us the right characters all the way through, wether we are in the home of the mom who has adopted several children, or with the sister who is struggling with step children and her own daughter. Then the friend who stops her life to journey with her friend on a life changing trip to China.
How would you handle giving up on love for the dream of your life, what you feel God has placed on your heart, wow, this book is a roller coaster of love and friendship!
I received this book through the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review.
What a challenging Christian fiction romance! There was lots of gooey romance in this novel… but also such angst and conviction to do what God calls us to do! It’s the story of Lauren as she struggles to become a single adoptive mother. One thing I really liked seeing was the challenges Lauren saw other adoptive families having. It did not sugar coat the trials they may have, although they got resolved a little faster in the novel than potentially in real life. It is a great book and I highly recommend it! I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I am freely writing a review – all thoughts and opinions are my own.
I loved this story!!! Seriously, I really loved everything about it, the characters, the wonderful storyline, the writing style, the secondary characters – everything!! I did not want this story to end. Nicole Deese is now my newest auto-buy author!
While I really liked both Lauren and Joshua, Joshua was my absolute favorite character from Before I Called You Mine. I loved his sense of humor and his heart! He was so caring and patient and giving. He was just what Lauren needed at just the right time.
I also really enjoyed the storyline. It was so different and so interesting. I didn’t want to put this story down and hated to see it end. I cannot wait to see what Nicole Deese brings us next!
Read. This. Book. It is that good. I could not put it down no matter how late it was. Every moment between Joshua and Lauren had me feeling all the feels and rooting for them the entire time. Joshua was such a patient man and was always willing to do what Lauren needed. I think I have a little bit of a book crush on him.
I had a friend go through the international adoption process and this book captures it perfectly, both the highs and the lows.
Read this book. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
I received an advance copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Before I Called You Mine is a poignant, heart-warming story. Lauren is a likeable lead, one easy to empathize with even when you may not agree with everything she’s doing. Truly she is a breath of fresh air, with Deese’s first person narration bringing to life an altogether realistic main character. She is deep into her goal of international adoption, but a possible kink comes up in her plan, when she meets the man of her dreams. Josh is a huge highlight of this story. I’m not sure how Deese manages to strike the perfect balance in a male lead, but Josh is it. Confident and persistent, yet not pushy, he is the epitome of the trend I’m loving right now, which is that of a quiet strength – a true gentleman. However, choosing him means losing the opportunity to adopt, something that she feels deeply called to do.
Speaking of balance, this novel strikes the right notes between heartache and hope. It feels entirely plausible and real, yet also like an impossibly hard situation. The story is bittersweet at times, highlighting how sometimes our dreams may conflict with each other and how those conflicts can be reconciled – if they can be reconciled at all. It’s also about finding peace regardless of the circumstance, and that is always a welcome reminder for me. This is very much a faith-filled novel, but I never feel like anything is preachy; it suits the circumstances that Lauren finds herself in very well. It’s not without its moments of levity. I often had a big smile on my face while reading this story
The elementary school setting feels very realistic, however, as a school librarian myself, I found the image she portrayed of the librarian to be dated. School libraries are rarely just a story time anymore; we are expected to do lessons and activities with students (even though I do try to read a lot of stories). It’s a very busy, demanding job, and I just wanted to make note of that as it’s something that I have a personal connection. I kind of stalled out a bit with that part, but once I got past it, I was enthralled by the story and hardly put it down.
This story does have a happy ending, but it is hard won indeed. That makes it that much sweeter, in this reader’s opinion. This is not the typical romantic contemporary, but transcends a simple romance, becoming a unique story of perceived missed opportunities and the joys that they can bring at the journey’s end.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher; I was not required to post a positive review, and the opinions expressed here are my own.
Beautiful, Breathtaking, Hopfull and kind Before I called you Mine, a story that has many beautiful moments and messages that will stay with you for a long time.
Before I called you mine, the story of Lauren a young woman trying to fulfill her heart and dreams even if that meant going against her family and any rule ever written.. single, alone but full of hope and dreams to become a mother.
Lauren is a very strong heroine even if at times she has so many doubts and insecurities making her more careful to whom she gives her heart and secrets. she is a woman of faith and in faith is the only way she usually finds calmness and hope. until she meets someone who will make her feel more alive and confident about her life, her decisions, and her path.
Joshua is the perfect hero, he is kind, funny with so much love to give and spread around, he is ready to spend more time with Lauren and find more about her and her projects, he is fascinated with her, such a beautiful soul full of faith and hope.
Before I Called You Mine what a beautiful story, I really enjoy it so much because it has many elements that I really love, the amazing faith and love Lauren has for God, the kindness she always shows towards others and the huge love she carries in her heart to share with the less fortunate, her story really hit close to home, I see myself a lot in her.
The relationship, the friendship, the love between Lauren and Joshua was very beautiful, they took their time to meet and get to know more about each other, the patient, the time they took to embrace what they were feeling and what they were going through was something that made their love even more brilliant and full. I’m so used to read books that take very little time to fall in love and get to meet one another but this is not the case in Before I called You Mine, the slow burn is there, the intensity and the pull the only thing was missing was the timing but sooner or later life will give them a second chance to finally be together.
The secondary characters were great, they gave so much to the story, Laurens’s mother and sister, her best friend Jenna, Joshuas Parents were amazing!! all of them gave so much to the main characters and the story making this book so powerful and at the same time so emotional.
This story made me feel all the feels, it was emotional, romantic, and with a lot of kindness and faith something we need to read and share more often.
Nicole Deese completely swept me away with her newest novel Before You Were Mine. This book struck every nerve – my mother’s heart, teacher’s spirit, and romantic ideals. In this story we have a tug of hearts, the crushing turmoil of conflicting desires, and an all too painful personal discovery of long held fears. I completely related to our heroine, for her inward struggles might as well be mine.
Deese outdid herself in this one. Romantic, yes, but also filled with a depth of character that roots within your soul. The plot will carry you away with every page, thickening and engulfing you until the very end.
I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
4.5 stars
“My testimony can be summed up in one phrase: God’s way is rarely easy, but it’s always better than mine.”
Being a mother was a dream that Lauren Bailey had continually dreamt since high school, but after embarking upon the unconventional pathway of international adoption, her decision required large amounts of money, unwarranted scrutiny from others, increased tension with her family and an incredible amount of her time. The only remaining caveat? . . . . and it was a big one . . . was that she remain single through-out the first year of parenthood. No problem there. . . Lauren was happily single . . . . until an attractive, irresistible T-Rex charged into her life.
“Before I Called You Mine” is deeply evocative, the kind of story that ultimately has the potential to define its author; the raw authenticity is stunning; injecting a blend of gentleness and fearfulness that so often surrounds our faith. It’s responding to God’s call to trust Him . . . no matter what, and to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we “aren’t powerful enough to mess up God’s plan”.
I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.
I loved this book about a teacher and her dream to adopt. It was one the best books I’ve read this year. This was my first book by Nicole Deese, and it won’t be my last. I want to read more of her books.
I used to think it might be fun to be a school teacher to little kids, but when I got older, I decided that I didn’t have the patience or creativity for it, and after homeschooling my kids for a week+ through this coronavirus, I know for sure it’s not for me. I applaud those who can teach and who love it, just as Lauren and Joshua do.
Lauren is exactly the kind of teacher that every child dreams of having, just as she dreams of being a mother and of adopting a child from China. I loved the way this story shaped her character and allowed the reader to delve into her personal life. Of course, she’s not perfect and her flaws endeared her even more to me.
Joshua, on the other hand, is quirky, hilarious, and has no qualms about being his true self. The way these two mesh into a strong friendship with inklings of chemistry stole my heart, especially as they faced massive decisions and sacrifices.
I was completely captivated by this perfect cover and the emotionally charged story within. Well done, Ms. Deese!
Content: adoption; mild romance; moderate religion
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
Thank you in advance to the author, Nicole Deese, and publisher Bethany House for providing a complimentary review copy. A positive review was not required. All words are my own.
I am part of this book’s launch team. That does not affect how I rate this book though.
Deese’s idea for this story came from her own experiences with adopting a child from China. The rules are clear (as stated in the book, as well as a letter I got with my review copy):
1. You can adopt as a woman who has been married for two (or more) years
2. You can adopt as a single, unattached woman
There is no middle ground. If the woman is matched with her child, and then finds “Mr. Right” during the process – there are some tough choices to make. And, those choices turned into “what ifs” …
* What if a woman was matched with her child?
* What if she found the man she’s waited her whole life for?
Taking from that, Deese builds and weaves a beautiful story around First (1st) Grade teacher, Lauren Bailey and substitute teacher Joshua Avery.
Since this is from Bethany House, which is a Christian publisher, this will have strong elements of faith.
For anyone who has tried to adopt and “lost” a child, this will be emotional. For anyone who has miscarried and “lost” a child, this will be painful. This might have some unpleasant triggers.
In this uplifting, inspiring, and at times heartbreakingly gut-wrenching story is a message of faith and going along with God’s plan.
The beautiful and simple cover has a winding red thread. It’s used as the international symbol for adoption. It originates from the Chinese proverb:
“An invisible red thread connects those destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but never break.”
This was very hard to put down. I read it in 22 hours – with sleep, breaks, going out for a food run, meals, and chores. This was such an easy read, and I easily savored it. Despite the length of the story, the writing flow was natural and kept the story flowing at an even pace so as not to overwhelm the reader. I particularly enjoyed the “text” conversations, complete with emojis.
Deese’s writing exposes the vulnerable, raw, realistic, and often times humorous relationship between Lauren and Joshua along with Lauren’s struggle (and her impatience) to adopt.
As Lauren has already started the adoption process, and given the rules, she’s pretty much given up on love. That is until she meets Josh.
Next to praying for a child … Josh is the one man she’s prayed for. Lauren’s strong faith, which is central to who she is, is tested. But, Josh always has a strong sense of faith to help Lauren.
Lauren’s mother seems to have a strong disdain for her daughter’s faith. This leads to a lack of family support, with her mom even blaming the “church” people. This part was the hardest to read, but sadly realistic in many ways. It causes such a rift in the Bailey family that it takes nearly until the end of the book to resolve.
Lauren is honest with Josh – “they” won’t work. Once he knows why, he’s happy to be there in the background, and happy to support her. His support even goes into “decorating” help.
After suffering a devastating loss, Lauren throws her focus into her relationship with Josh. The story then switches more to their romance than the adoption issue.
Theirs isn’t a conventional relationship, but it is precious, especially given his obsession with dinosaurs. His family, including his famous writer father, is wonderful! Truly “Hallmark” wonderful!
It is from Josh’s father; George; that Lauren learns that God’s way is rarely easy, but is always better than ours. The lesson is simple – he gives us choices, but sometimes he makes the choice for us.
Another lesson, Lauren comes to learn – family isn’t about biology. Which of course is why she feels called to adopt a child. But, she does need reassuring here or there from the wonderful supporting characters – her friends Jenna and Gail.
A second chance comes her way and Lauren finds herself conflicted. She has a hard choice to make – Josh or her child.
This made me tear up in several places. Emotionally I went from laughing in places, to being mad, crying, and feeling joy.
No matter how anyone feels about international adoption, this is more (to me) a story of faith, trusting God’s will to guide us where we need to be, trusting God to put those in our life that we need, and accepting God’s partnership in what we are doing.
At the end the author is careful to add she isn’t using the book to persuade readers to adopt form overseas, but more or less trusting God.
This was the first book I’ve read by Deese, and I loved it!
God places the lonely in families…Psalm 68:6
An invisible red thread connects those destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break. Ancient Chinese Proverb
As this was my introduction to this author, I can only say I will be watching for more incredible stories! The story begins with Lauren, a wonderful first grade teacher, the kind you would wish your child would have. At 30 something, with no romance in sight, she has decided to concentrate on the international adoption she has been working on. Enter a substitute teacher in the other first grade classroom and her organized world is turned upside down.
There were so many wonderful things about this book, you simply have to read it for yourself. I found myself laughing, wiping tears, yelling at individuals and absolutely loving the whole thing. From disappointments to meeting an unexpected role model, the author weaves this cast of characters right into your heart. Every good story deserves a fabulous ending and you won’t want to miss that thread that never breaks.
I was privileged to read an ARC through Bethany House Publishers, Baker Publishing Group and NetGalley. The impressions and comments are my own and were in no way solicited.
Oh, my heart. This book is golden. I felt every high and low that Lauren felt in such a beautiful and bittersweet way. Her story is a great one and I’m so grateful Nicole has shared it with us. And Joshua is ALL OF THE RIGHT THINGS.
More than a romance or an adoption story, this book is an honest love letter to anyone who feels God urging them to trust Him regardless of what it looks like. I highlighted an exceptional amount of quotes, including this gem: “That maybe the very things I’ve been so afraid to say yes to all these years are the very things He wants me to trust Him with.” Those words were so needed by this heart. I love it when Christian fiction entertains AND ministers.
Do NOT miss this one, friends. It’s such a great book.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel via NetGalley courtesy of the publisher. All expressed opinions are my own.
Wow. This book really tugged at my heart. Lauren’s struggles–her desire to be a mother through adoption and fulfill her mission from God, her shaky relationship with her family, her instant connection with Joshua at what seems to be totally the wrong time, and her confusion about why her efforts to follow God’s plan don’t seem to be panning out–were so realistically written. I could really feel her heart as I read. There were such hopeful moments and such heartbreaking moments that I really wasn’t sure how things were going to play out–but I love how they did play out (although I would have liked an epilogue with a scene a year or two in the future). While Lauren was dealing with heavy stuff, Joshua was such a breath of fresh air. He was just so funny and charming and the perfect male lead for this book.’ This was just such an enjoyable book to read!
4.5 stars.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
It will tear at your heart strings:
What an amazing book! It made me want to laugh, cry, binge read and yet wish I could suspended time as I never wanted it to end. I enjoy stories that involve children especially when as in the case of this book, they are portrayed age appropriately. I felt the author portrayed the adoption journey accurately and sympathetically and the fact that she has first hand experience was clearly evident.
Joshua is adorable and I could relate with Lauren who found herself falling for his charm and endearing qualities even though she tried her best to resist. You could really feel her dilemma and how she felt torn between her feelings for Joshua and her desire not to jeopardize her adoption application.
The overarching themes of hope, trusting in God’s perfect plan and being willing to step out in faith at the Lord’s prompting are ones that we can all relate to and learn from. I can’t wait to read more by this talented author.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
Before I Called You Mine is a wonderful story. I laughed, cried, and pondered the heroine’s dilemma the whole time I was reading. I was wondering what I would do if I was in the same situation. Lauren is a precious heroine. I loved her and wanted to be her bestie. The hero, Joshua is amazing. I was thinking that if he could jump off the pages and be a real person, he would be the guy I’d want to marry my granddaughter. Sigh, he was that sweet and considerate, and loving. Perfect hero. This is a wonderfully inspiring book. I highly recommend. 4.5 stars
*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. This is my honest opinion.
When I was growing up, we had a saying that we reserved for only the best–best books, best movies, best experiences, etc. We’d come across one of those things and instead of merely saying we loved it, we’d say, “I laughed. I cried. I was moved beyond my years.” Granted, sometimes the expression was a little tongue in cheek, but as I was reading Deese’s Before I Called You Mine, that’s the saying that kept running through my mind.
I laughed.
I cried.
I was moved beyond my years.
This book was, at times, as heartbreaking as it was delightful. I laughed and I cried. (They were tear-less cries of anguish, sure, but if I were a crier, I’d have been swimming in salt water during at least one particular moment in the book.) It was as these pages literally reached out and gripped my heart, squeezing squeezing squeezing only to let me go for a quick breath before another round. It was the kind of gut-wrenching tension that you know will all be worth it in the end, but while you’re reading those emotional scenes/chapters, all you can think is that you’re ready for it to be done with so you can get back to the rainbows and unicorns.
Spoiler Alert: It really is worth it.
I’ve read everything Deese has written. I’ve enjoyed every single book. But this–this was a whole new level of greatness. From chapter one to the author’s note in the back, Deese bared her soul into the words on each page and you could tell. You could feel it. And it was an amazing experience. I truly was moved beyond my years.
A quick soapbox moment before I move on: Joshua was the perfect hero. It’s not often I’ll devour a book and say I liked reading about a seemingly perfect character because perfection isn’t realistic. But he was geeky, charming, tenderhearted, and despite his lack of obvious flaws, he shot right to the top of my list of book boyfriends. He just seemed like the kind of guy anyone would want to know, and I loved that about him. And you know… there really are people like that in the world. They may not always look perfect, act perfect, or have it all together, but there are good people wearing dinosaur shirts or inflatable turkey costumes with smiles that will not fade no matter what, and I no longer believe they need to have serious flaws to resolve in order to be celebrated in books. So THERE!
I digress.
Before I Called You Mine had more vulnerable moments and more heart and more character and more hope and more humor than anything I’ve read in a long time. And I’m super grateful for having been given the opportunity to experience this story and these characters.
“Our story is an original , Lauren. And I’m more than okay with waiting on the next chapters to be written.”
What is the hard that God’s asking me to partner with Him in?
I borrowed that question from the author’s concluding notes. Because it best describes this beautiful work of art.
Laureen was a wonderful first grade teacher with a big dream in her heart of internationally adopting. I admired her strength and courage even though she was a single woman and I loved her determination to see it through even in the midst of confusion and a lot of heart ache and having to let go of a beautiful thing in her life.
Joshua’s beautiful disposition and character had me swooning. I enjoyed reading about him. Delightful character. His devotion and willingness to stand with Lauren despite the whole upheaval sweetened my heart greatly.
I enjoyed reading about their relationship. The book was so educative on international adoption and adoption generally, how it works, what it entails and a lot of details. I enjoyed that immensely about the book.
To read about Lauren’s maturity in the face of a lot, how she handled issues and the awesome support system she had around her was refreshing.
Before I Called You Mine is like none other book you have read. Very unpredictable but with an interesting storyline and amazing characters.
I received a copy of this book and this is my honest opinion.