Before I Called You Mine By Nicole Deese

Before I Called You Mine
by Nicole Deese
Publisher: Bethany House
ISBN: 9780764234958

I was thrilled to be one of the people chosen to be part of the launch team for Before I Called You Mine! As part of the tour I was sent the book for review.

Summary:

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.

My Review:

I'm SO happy to have a new author whose writing I love! Literally from page one, I was enthralled with the writing in Before I Called You Mine! In fact, I enjoyed it so much, it was the first time I've done a "first page" reading for my Instagram TV when I hadn't finished the book yet!

So, while the nature of the story is a serious one, the author adds levity with the characters and I really appreciate it! Adoption is rarely an easy experience and the author explores that with a variety of the characters and situations that show up throughout the book.

Lauren is a determined woman who is set on adopting from China! When we meet her, she's at the point of waiting her turn to be chosen to become a mom. How her family is involved in this as well as her life make for an interesting read. Lauren is also set against dating since that's the last thing she needs in her already complicated life. Not only that, she can't date because of the pending adoption.

Queue the entrance of Joshua. He's the all-American guy who loves dinosaurs about as much as he loves breathing. If ever there was a good complication to someone's life, he's the ringer for it! Not only that, who he's related to is a delightful addition to the story.

The whole adoption process, which we don't see a lot of, but the waiting part is where it's very interesting. The adoption group she's part of brings experiences that I think are important for readers to grasp. I liked her friend, Gail, whose life is what (aside from God) brought Lauren to the place of adoption.

And we certainly can't forget about Jenna. Well, Jenna and Brian. She's an incredible support to Lauren throughout the whole adoption process and it's such a special friendship! We all need a Jenna in our lives.

The ups and downs of the story certainly make for an emotional rollercoaster ride! It was a perfect balance of laughter (you will laugh out loud with the first text messages!), tension with family dynamics, anticipation of what might be, and a full heart with the hope of adoption!

This is a book that is a must-read! I realize now might be a difficult time to order a book, but this one will be a fantastic antidote to any doldrums you might be experiencing!

About the Author:

Nicole Deese's (www.nicoledeese.com) eight humorous, heartfelt, and hope-filled novels include the 2017 Carol Award-winning A Season to Love. Her 2018 release, A New Shade of Summer, was a finalist in the RITA Awards, Carol Awards, and INSPY Awards. Both of these books are from her bestselling Love in Lenoxseries. When she's not working on her next contemporary romance, she can usually be found reading one by a window overlooking the inspiring beauty of the Pacific Northwest. She lives in small-town Idaho with her happily-ever-after hubby, two rambunctious sons, and princess daughter with the heart of a warrior.