Before I Called You Mine by Nicole Deese

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.

MY THOUGHTS..... 

Author Nicole Deese and her husband have gone through their own adoption story and their emotional experiences have enabled her to write a book that you won't soon forget. You'll smile. you'll laugh, you will certainly cry, but you will not forget this beautiful story. This is a book that has all of the elements of great contemporary fiction: a young woman who has never truly felt loved or supported by her family, her yearning to be a mother even if she isn't a wife, and an unexpected opportunity for love that she is convinced she must deny. I loved the romantic chemistry between Lauren Bailey and Joshua Avery but their Christian beliefs and her absolute determination to adopt prevent her from allowing anything further to develop. Joshua tells her "Our story is an original, Lauren. And I'm more than okay waiting on the next chapters to be written." All I could think was, who could deny a man who uttered these beautiful words?

Before I Called You Mine has many other memorable quotes and it's obvious that they could only be written by someone who has experienced her own questions and doubts.

 "I had faith, a relationship with God, and a calling on my life to follow and obey." 

"God's way is rarely easy, but it's always better than mine.”

“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.”

Before I Called You Mine is filled with realistic characters and heart-felt emotions and I believe that it would be a wonderful movie. I also feel certain that it will be named as a book award winner. It is that good!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and Bethany House but I wasn't obligated to write a favorable review. These are my own thoughts.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nicole Deese's 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 Lenox series. 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.



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