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Before We Were Yours: A Novel

Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family's Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the hospital one stormy night, Rill is left in charge--until strangers arrive in force. Wrenched from all that is familiar and thrown into a Tennessee Children's Home Society orphanage, the Foss children are assured that they will soon be returned to their parents--but they quickly realize the dark truth. At the mercy of the facility's cruel director, Rill fights to keep her sisters and brother together in a world of danger and uncertainty.

 

Aiken, South Carolina, present day. Born into wealth and privilege, Avery Stafford seems to have it all: a successful career as a federal prosecutor, a handsome fiancé, and a lavish wedding on the horizon. But when Avery returns home to help her father weather a health crisis, a chance encounter leaves her with uncomfortable questions and compels her to take a journey through her family's long-hidden history, on a path that will ultimately lead either to devastation or to redemption.

 

Based on one of America's most notorious real-life scandals--in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country--Lisa Wingate's riveting, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us how, even though the paths we take can lead to many places, the heart never forgets where we belong.

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Published May 21, 2019

384 pages

Average rating: 8.02

2,007 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Anonymous
Jan 14, 2025
10/10 stars
I love a good historical novel that blends past and present. Rarely do I find one that does an equally good job at both. Typically I can’t wait to get through the current day narrative to get back to the past. Not so with Before We Were Yours. Both main characters drew me into their story. I loved that it was based on actual events. Highly recommend.
Becky Griffith
Dec 24, 2024
10/10 stars
This is one of my favorite books. It’s heartbreaking at times, but it is written so well that you are drawn to continue reading to find out what’s gonna happen next. I’ve read it twice now, and although I knew how the story ended, I caught other parts of the story that I had missed previously. Overall, a strong rating of 10!
Dale Wilde
May 12, 2020
October 2017 selection
Jkohne
Jun 11, 2025
10/10 stars
I love a good historical fiction novel and the author did a great job with tying the story together. It is heartbreaking that it is based on actual events that happened in history.
JShrestha
May 25, 2025
4/10 stars
I liked the premises and was drawn to the true story basis of this plot but found this book simply okay. The writing is beautiful but I found the plot to be lacking and too focused on the present day people and not enough of the mystery and gaps of the 5 Foss children. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book unless it just happen to be lying around.

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