The most simple but yet also very complex theme of this book is love.
I thought Cinnamon was a terrific character. She had embellished her past to hide the pain, but gives her all for the little baby she finds.
The baby is white and Cinnamon is black, which creates conflict and tension.
Every child needs a parent and to be loved.
I liked Cinnamon’s persistence and devotion to the baby.
It’s a compelling read.

Cinnamon Haynes is taking her lunch on the bench where she always sits, on a break from her job as a career counsellor at a local college, yet her world – that carefully managed system that she’s worked so hard to create around her – is about to turn upside down. A noise in the bushes leads her to an abandoned crying baby, no more than a few days old. Cinnamon’s own upbringing in and out of the foster system gives her first hand knowledge of the challenges that await this baby, if she were to hand the infant over to the authorities. After weighing the odds she decides to take the baby home, and risk revealing the truth of her own concealed past to her husband, unsettling an already shaky marriage. On top of this, Cinnamon is Black, and the baby is fair-skinned and blue-eyed, and it feels as though the entire world is grim-faced at the thought of a Black woman raising a white baby: yet with every second that passes, her connection to the baby – who she calls Bluebell – begins to deepen, and she knows her only priority is to do right by the child. Yet where is Bluebell’s real mother? A cleverly-written book that’s a painful read in parts: the racism and hardship experienced by Cinnamon throughout her life is magnified during her attempt to care for Bluebell, yet her immediate instinctive desire to mother the child transcends any surface-level difference, and highlights the prejudices inherent within the world of adoption and fostering. Who gets to decide who should be a mother?

Although a bit bit of slow burner, it is well worth sticking with this book. Beautifully written and truly a masterpiece.

I read this after reading We are not like them I was privileged to be asked to read this. As before not my usual genre, but again really enjoyed. The writers are extremely good at making you imagine the characters and believe you are right there with them. Both characters Daisy and Cinnamon are people you immediately want life to work out for them. I think if I had been Cinnamon with her background I would have panicked too and been in two minds what to do before fingers pointed. Overall a real good read.

Cinnamon Haynes has a difficult life growing up but she keeps that to herself, painting it in an idyllic form. After a lifetime of having the rug pulled from under her, her husband Jayson does it too with his grandiose plans with equally grand flaws. She contemplates all of this as she sits at her usual park bench at lunchtime, waiting for young Daisy in whom she has confided about Jayson but where is she? She certainly has been acting strange of late.

Cinnamon waits patiently, then hears a sound and there, looking up at her under the bench is a baby with the brightest blue eyes she’s ever seen. In addition, there is a note attached written by Daisy. The issue addressed here is that Cinnamon is black, whereas Daisy is white.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

This is an emotionally-involved read with a likeable protagonist. Cinnamon is a young, high-achieving black woman with a turbulent childhood history who finds herself unexpectedly taking responsibility for a newborn white baby. The book deals with issues of race, trauma, identity and what it means to be a mother. It’s an engaging read, but I did find it a bit twee and simplistic at times. If you want an easy read that will capture your emotions, this is one for you.

I had trouble starting this book but once I got into it, I could not put it down. Cinnamon is a black woman, living in the Southern states of America. She has befriended a girl and is worried when she does not see her for a few weeks. Next thing we know, a baby is left for her to find.
Having been though foster care herself, she is not keen to hand this blond, blue eyed baby over to the authorities.
This book addresses lots of issues of abuse, the foster and adoption systems in the US as well as racial prejudice. Lots to think about but also a heartwarming story. How can Cinnamon be as she is inspite of what life has thrown at her. A great read.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed this book and was totally gripped from the first page and could not put this down. Such a great read. I highly recommend this book.

"You Were Always Mine" is a great book. It has a fairly subtle build-up, letting it get under your skin without you realising it. As the plot evolves it hits you with some tough emotional aspects, dealing with a number of sensitive issues to varying depths. It's not always an easy read in that respect, but it is rewarding. Just brace yourself for some feelings.

As a very brief summary: Cinnamon is someone who's been through the wringer in her life and, either because or despite of that, has a huge capacity to care for the lost. Which is the very brief summary of how she ends up taking responsibility for the new-born baby baby Daisy feels unable to raise herself. Which doesn't do that part of the story justice, and that's just the setup. Superficially, the rest of the book is about the issues Cinnamon faces in taking on the baby. In reality, it's about coming to terms with trauma, it's about her growing and finding her true place in the world, one defined by her instead of the people who had surrounded her. By having a baby to protect she starts to look after herself more too. She defines boundaries, and receives more love for it, even if it also comes with a price. It is a powerful story that speaks of hope and resolve.

Daisy's story is similar in many respects. She must also face her traumatic past and find a way past it. For her, she needs space to grow. There's no single right way to get through life, and the two characters give us almost opposite takes to highlight that. Just, in a far more elegant way than I can capture in a couple of lines. The authors have an entire book to demonstrate it way better than that, and thankfully they do. It's subtle and nuanced. Which, for anyone who's read their first collaboration, should come as no surprise. The authors have a knack of capturing people well. It feels like they play off of each other to refine their characters, giving them an incredibly accessible depth. They trust the reader in multiple ways, and it pays off immensely.

In some respects this has the air of a difficult second album. Partly because "We Are Not Like Them" is such a high point to follow. And sure, this doesn't have such a zeitgeist impact as that first book, but that actually makes the delicacy of the writing show through even more. With this book this pairing definitely show they aren't one hit wonders. More than that, they might even be showing that they're only just getting started. I have no idea where they can go from here, but I'm along for the ride.

I enjoyed this novel, which really has a feel of a JodiJodi Picoult novel to it. The novel tells the story of a black woman who befriends a young white girl when she meets her in the park during her lunch break . When she subsequently finds a baby in the same park abandoned it becomes clear that the young woman has run away, leaving her baby.

The novel touches on the issues surrounding fostering of children by parents of another colour. The story is told
Point of view of the two women mostly in flashbacks or in letter format in letters written by the mother to her child.
The authors have a cohesive flowing prose style, and the book is a very easy and relaxing read. It is at no stage obvious that the book was written by two authors . The novel flows forwards in at a fast pace and kept my attention throughout.

The book is filled with characters who are well developed and feel like real people.

The issues of racism are covered sensitively, and involve the fact that the young white woman was hiding her baby from her own racist grandparents and a grandfather who sexually abused her.
I would recommend for Enjoy Jodi Picoult’s novels, particularly early novels.
Book is published in the UK on the 3rd of August 2023 by HQ
Review will appear on Goodreads net galley UK and my book blurb, bionicsarahsbooks.wordpress.com

You Were always there is an emotional book, where a black lady called Cinnamon was brought up in care. But she never tells anyone about her childhood. She gets married and her husband is busy setting up a new business. She meets a white girl called Daisy in the park, and daily they get to know each other. Daisy also has a challenging childhood. One day when Cinnamon goes to the bench she finds a white baby with a note asking for her to look after the baby for her. First of all Cinnamon doesn't tell anyone about finding the baby, eventually she does report it and nicknames the baby Bluebell. She initially is her foster parent, this puts stressed on her marriage. Then files for legal guardianship, but Daisy's grandparents also want custody of the baby. Daisy's grandad was abusive to Daisy when she is younger. Fortunately o the day of the hearing Daisy arrived at Court, and her grandparents were shocked to see her and they changed their minds about custody. Therefore Cinnamon was her legal guardian, and she named her Lily, when Lily was 18 she was told about Daisy, each year Daisy and Cinnamon write letters. The more you read the book the more you want to read it.

I had the pleasure of reading Christine Pride and Jo Piazza's first book We Are Not Like Them - my main comment on that novel was that it is a perfect book for a book club. That novel, much as this one does, takes a big theme and explores it. In this novel a black woman finds an abandoned white baby. That sentence alone is enough to show you the kind of emotional fireworks that will be going off here!

Whilst not as entirely successful for me as their debut, this was still a very fine novel with some deft characterisation. Again, if you're in a book club and looking for something to truly get the discussion going this would be a fine choice.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.

This is the second novel by this writing duo. I really enjoyed the first book so had high expectations for this one. On the whole they were met. The characters are drawn in great detail and you have a clear understanding of their motives in life and the challenges they each face. The theme of racism is strong throughout and perspectives of both central black and white characters are well depicted. However I did find sections of the book overly detailed and rather slow. However the main principles behind the story are very thought provoking and I could see this novel being popular for discussion in book groups. I just think it needed some further editing to make the pace a bit quicker in some sections.

Loved this book. Really interesting plot wih extremely well written. Cinnamon is a very interesting character indeed.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this novel.

I found the story a little slow for my liking, however I really enjoyed it. It gives a different view on how black woman are portrayed in society and the assumptions that can come from others if they have children that may not necessarily look like them.

It’s eye opening and a good read with some small laughs inbetween.

It’s we written from Cinammon and Daisy’s perspectives and I’m glad it was a happy ending.

Sometimes a book surprise you. I read this book because I’d read the first book by Christine and Jo and enjoyed it enough that I was willing to try another one. While I enjoyed their first novel, there were a few bits I was less certain about. I didn’t expect this book to be better than it, and perhaps expected it to be a little less good - as second novels after a success sometimes can be.

I was very surprised to find that I loved this book a lot, and enjoyed it even more than their first.

The characters are so full of flaws which is a whole heap of realism. It took a little time to warm to Cinnamon but once I got on board with her, warts and all, I was fully invested. I loved her warmth and compassion, something probably made stronger through experiencing a difficult upbringing. Daisy made me feel such empathy for a young girl trying to find her way in the world. I did become very frustrated by Jayson, but I feel that really worked given the issues with him. Lucia was also frustrating at times, but I appreciate the way her relationship with Cinnamon was written.

Outside of the characters, I found the storyline really heartwarming, but also full of depth. On the surface a “woman finds baby in a park” storyline is pretty straightforward. I loved the addition, twists and turns on the journey of this story. Parenthood is not straightforward, for anyone, not really. I especially appreciated the reflection of the double standard of society. How we accept white folks raising Black babies every day, and how a Black woman caring for a white baby, no matter how short a time, should be embraced in the same way. In an ideal world all children will grow up with people who understand their cultural background, and I think touching upon this is so important given this double standard. Though Jayson did make a point that I thought was so important, I wish it could have been explored a little more to really highlight the situation.

I appreciate the thought that went into this story, the sensitivity around difficult subjects which occurred once again after the first book by Christine and Jo, and the depth of character and storyline that brought this book to life.

My only real gripe is that I wished there’d been a few more scenes before the Epilogue. But that’s only minor because it was set up in a way that it wasn’t necessary.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review. This review is all my own opinion and was not influenced in any way by my free receipt of this novel.

I loved it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me an advance copy, I will definitely be recommending.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC of this book.
This book was a slow burner for me. Personally I found it hard going. I found the actual concept a little unusual which is possibly why I struggled with it. It does start to build later in the book and I was glad that I had stuck with it. Some of the characters come good in the end which was interesting to see.

I absolutely loved the authors previous novel We Are Not Like Them and so was thrilled to have the opportunity to read You Were Always Mine.
I liked the thought provoking premise and the authors write well. However I found this to be a slow paced novel that didn't live up to the authors debut. The friendship between Cinnamon and Daisy didn't ring true for me and I felt that it was used as a clumsy plot device. Sadly, a disappointing read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

Cinnamon Haynes has a difficult life growing up but she keeps that to herself, painting it in an idyllic form. After a lifetime of having the rug pulled from under her, husband Jayson does it does it too with his grandiose plans with equally grand flaws. She contemplates all of this as she sits at her usual park bench at lunchtime, waiting for young Daisy in whom she has confided about Jayson but where is she? She certainly has been acting strange of late. Cinnamon waits patiently, then hears a sound and there, looking up at her under the bench is a baby with the brightest blue eyes she’s ever seen. In addition, there is a note attached written by Daisy. The issue addressed here is that Cinnamon is black, whereas Daisy is white.

The premise of the book is undoubtedly a good one as it looks a number of fundamental and very important issues.
The most glaring one being that of race and racism. I especially like how it examines the idea of motherhood transcending colour and DNA. Cinnamons obvious and immediate love of the baby, who she initially calls Bluebell, comes across loud and clear. The fate of the baby also forces both Cinnamon and Daisy to fully confront their traumas from the past and parts of that are very moving. The novel also touches on relationships and the importance of friendship. The characterisation is interesting as there is the conundrum of both central protagonists and you do see them more clearly by the end of the book. I think the best part of the novel are the letters that Daisy writes to her baby and these are emotional and wonderfully expressed.

However, good though parts of the book undoubtedly are, it is long being way too wordy so it slowly meanders back-and-forth so that the premise gets lost. Some serious problems are skimmed over as there are several side issues which takes the focus away from the main point of the novel. It seems to me that there are huge chunks missing too as it takes a big leap in time at the end. Finally, surely it’s a bit of a stretch that Cinnamon is the one that finds the baby?????

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.