Before I Called You Mine

Title: Before I Called You Mine (audio)

Author: Robin Lee Hatcher

Narrator: Mikhaila Aaseng

Genre: Christian Fiction, Romance,

Publisher: Bethany House

Source: Hoopla

My review:

Before I Called You Mine took me on an emotional roller coaster.

I cried with Lauren. I laughed with her and felt her frustration as keenly as if I was experiencing it myself. This book brought out all the feels, at times chills, and I couldn't stop listening to it!!

“Oh, how I envied my students' ability to make the most of every moment, even the ones that seemed to last an eternity.”

I loved Lauren, Joshua, Aria, Lauren's strong network of friends, and her strength and character. Joshua is an amazing, sympathetic, quirky, nerdy hero. He added humor and levity to a serious storyline. I emphasized with Lauren and her struggles with her family. I LOVED the character growth in quite a few of the characters.

 “Maybe the steam from the espresso machine had fogged over a few key words, because an admission to not being a coffee drinker was not only counter to our age group, but also to our Northwest culture.”

Before I Called You Mine is a story of adoption, heartache, broken family, reconciliation, faith, and hope. It portrays a beautiful, selfless friendship between Lauren and Joshua. I am trying not to give any spoilers, so I will say I loved everything about this story, and I can't recommend it enough.

P.S. The narrator did a fabulous job and I hope to read more books narrated by her in the future!

★★★★★/5

Challenges:

Synopsis: 

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.