Before We Were Yours - Lisa Wingate

Before We Were Yours

By Lisa Wingate

  • Release Date: 2017-06-06
  • Genre: Historical Fiction
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 8,146 Ratings

Description

THE BLOCKBUSTER HIT—Over two million copies sold! A New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly Bestseller

“Poignant, engrossing.”—People • “Lisa Wingate takes an almost unthinkable chapter in our nation’s history and weaves a tale of enduring power.”—Paula McLain


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.

Publishers Weekly’s #3 Longest-Running Bestseller of 2017Winner of the Southern Book PrizeIf All Arkansas Read the Same Book Selection

This edition includes a new essay by the author about shantyboat life.

Reviews

  • Tears

    5
    By Ava baby88
    This was a book knowing that this was actually happening
  • Wonderful read

    5
    By lolijames
    I loved this book.
  • Sad

    3
    By Gordycakez
    This book is well written and tells a heartbreaking story of loss and fear it does have parts of child abuse and I felt just sad and sickened while reading
  • What a lovely read! .

    5
    By MelissaW50
    I fell in love with the characters from the start, and couldn't wait to see where the story would go. I was not disappointed!
  • Before we were yours

    5
    By DenlouiseM
    A fantastic heart warming story of family. Skillfully written to capture your interest and then bring a story to life. A book that you can’t put down and never want to end!
  • MUST READ

    5
    By Amad1993
    Amazing book!!
  • Excellent Book l

    5
    By Vicki LQ
    This book was very hard to put down! It grabbed me from the get go!
  • The story of the past vs. present

    3
    By Plfwq
    I loved the story from the past. Remarkable tale of the lengths that love will go to. However the present day characters were so flat and unlikeable. Even the ones I was supposed to like had me skimming the present day chapters to get back to the past.
  • Incredibl story that stickers with you over time!!

    5
    By Majicreds
    Loved this Story!
  • Absolutely enjoyed this book

    5
    By ksr1170
    This book was very well written and had me captivated beginning to end. I highly recommend you take a chance on this wonderful story