Before I Called You Mine ~ Review

Before I Called You Mine
by Nicole Deese

Lauren Bailey wants to be a mother and for the last year-and-a-half, she has been waiting for the call that will make her dream of motherhood come true. Being a teacher to a classroom full of first-graders is satisfying but she wants to give more. At 31 years it seems that romance and finding the one has passed her by. She is now committed to remaining single for the foreseeable future - she's signed the paperwork saying that she'll be adopting as a single woman.

Joshua Avery isn't a teacher but he has the necessary background to allow him to fill in as a substitute when one of Brighton's first-grade teachers has a medical situation take her off the day-to-day roster. Joshua Avery couldn't be more different than Mrs. Walker and dinos are high on his list of teaching tools as his first day quickly proves. But he soon manages to make a spot for himself in the school becoming a favorite. And unfortunately, for Lauren, they seem to click, which won't work with her chance at adoption now so close.

Before I Called You Mine is an emotional read as Lauren works through the current situation that she finds herself in as she works through all the legalities of international adoption and the endless waiting. And there are most definitely moments of heartbreak and of joy that will most certainly touch the heart of most readers (not going to go into detail so as to not spoil anything) but very moving! Having friends who have gone through adoption this book is very realistic in the emotional ups-and-downs that they went through. I highly recommend this book - it is good for your free weekend hours or for a virtual book club meeting. 

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.


About the Book:
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 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.