This is the second book in recent memory that revolves around maternity homes for unwed mothers, and god, these stories always strike such a chord. Packed with emotion and heart, I really enjoyed learning about these characters... But be forewarned, it is heartbreaking.

"Once You Were Mine" delves into the poignant story of Allison Garrett, a "search angel" who turns her attention to uncovering the truth about her own mother's abandonment. Through a genealogy search, the narrative unveils the heartrending past of a teenage mother in 1968 in North Carolina who was coerced into giving up her baby after an unplanned pregnancy. This revelation of a traumatic experience in an abusive maternity home has far-reaching consequences, threatening to disrupt the present-day lives and relationships within Allison's tight-knit community. The novel thoughtfully explores themes of family separation and the difficult journey towards healing from deeply buried secrets - and I loved her sassy friend.

It was heartbreaking to read about what these young women went through. I enjoyed how the story covered numerous decades so the reader can see the complete story behind what each girl went through after they were forced to give up their baby all because they were a single, unwed mother. The book is a bit of an emotional roller coaster. Characters are fully fleshed out, and the pace is just right. There is also a nice level of mystery to the story in relation to Allison's search.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4/5)
A moving story about first love, loss, and second chances. Elizabeth Langston writes with sensitivity and grace, creating a narrative that is both nostalgic and hopeful. Emotional without being overly sentimental—a lovely, heartfelt read.

<i>Once You Were Mine</i> latched on to my heartstrings real quick. I didn't expect for this book to hook on to me as much as it did.
The dual timelines really help to capture the essence of how a decision made in the past can greatly effect lives in the future. We are told the story of Molly, pregnant at 18, gets shipped off to a home for unwed mothers. Her parents drop her off without even walking her in. She's on her own, feels defeated, unwanted and about to enter an abusive home advertised as a maternity home. In present day, Allison is a search angel who helps families traverse the geneology research through DNA testing. She knows her mom was adopted and wants nothing to do with her birth parents, but Allison is still curious. She runs her own test and in solidarity, her best friend does too. What they learn is completely unexpected and could tear their families and their own relationship apart.
<i>Once You Were Mine</i> is a family drama in its rawest form. It's a story about a young mother who finds incredible strength as she is forced into adoption and the family secrets that came about because of the stigma that surrounded unwed mothers.
At times, this was sad and tough to read but just as touching and heartwarming in its family bonds.

This was a very thought-provoking story, especially if you didn’t live during this time and experience the oppression of women first hand. I always associate the late 1960’s and 1970’s with the era of free love but there was still a lot of backward thinking especially in your small and/or heavily religious towns.

Synopsis: It's 1968 in small town North Carolina. Molly is 17 and pregnant and sent to a home for unwed mothers. She is treated poorly, shamed, humiliated, and tricked into signing adoption papers. In Present day, Allison helps connect families through DNA testing. Allison's mother was adopted by a family after she was abandoned on the doorstep of the town doctor. When Allison tests her own DNA, she is shocked to find that her family tree consists of people closer than she could have ever thought possible.

This was a very touching novel about the social stigma of unwed teenage pregnancy in the late 1960's and the downstream impact of forced adoption.I loved the plot for this story. It is so hard to wrap my brain around how these young, unwed mothers were treated. I just can't imagine living through what Molly lives through. The story is sad in so many ways but it is also hopeful. Molly was so strong and resilient. Her parents were atrocious, in my opinion, and she gave them way more grace than they deserved. I found the idea of a search angel (I've never heard that term) very intriguing. There were little mini-stories about some of the supporting characters that touched on aspects of their life that didn’t really relate to the main plot. On one hand this creates depth in those characters but I think it also distracted from the main storyline and felt a little like filler so I'm conflicted on my thoughts about that. The other negative for me is that timeline skips around a lot and I wasn't really a fan of that. I kept having to go back to the start of the chapter to see the date. Other than that, I found the story easy to read and engrossing. I became very invested in the storyline and the characters very quickly. I would definitely recommend this book to other readers.

This heartbreaking family drama told in past and present dual POVs/timelines examines the emotional journey of forced adoption and subsequent intergenerational trauma associated with the inhumane treatment of unwed mothers during the 60s. Books like these are so important, especially now, making this a must-read for everyone.

In historical fiction like this, I always find myself more drawn to the past timeline (in this case Molly's POV) and that was exactly what happened here. I could have read an entire novel from her perspective alone.

If you enjoyed LOOKING FOR JANE or THE GIRLS WE SENT AWAY I highly recommend picking this one up!

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union for access to ONCE YOU WERE MINE in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book from start to finish - The characters, the plot, just all of it. This book pulled at my heartstrings. I am a mom and had my son at a young age and I think getting pregnant at a young age during the late 60's and the choices that would have been made FOR me and it's just heartbreaking.

Once You Were Mine, by Elizabeth Langston, is a powerhouse novel that requires an entire box of tissues- but in a good way. Molly is a character I won't ever forget—her story made my heart ache. I am so glad this was a dual timeline novel, because I love past/present narratives that allow me to see how far we've come. Allison is a "search angel" and following along as her present becomes the key to unlocking Mollys past is so incredibly touching. Highly recommend!!!!!

One of my favorites so far. This book has many twists and turns. Very well written and well thought out character development.

I was intrigued to read the NetGalley Arc of “Once You Were Mine”. I enjoyed this dual timeline, multi-POV story, but I found myself most interested in Molly’s life and wished less time was spent on the other characters. I appreciated how the storyline felt realistic and honest, and at times, heartbreaking. Overall, a good read-one that covers the impact of generational differences, family dynamics and left me thinking about the impact of choices.

Once You Were Mine by Elizabeth Langston is a poignant and emotionally charged novel that delves into the complexities of family, secrets, and healing. The story unfolds across two timelines: one in 1968, where a teenage girl’s life is torn apart by an unplanned pregnancy, an abusive maternity home, and the heartbreak of losing her child through adoption; and the other in the present day, where Allison Garrett, a "search angel" helping people find lost relatives, uncovers a deeply personal connection that could change everything for her family.

Langston expertly weaves together these two narratives, blending historical trauma with present-day discoveries, as Allison’s genealogy search uncovers more than she expected. The emotional depth of the characters, especially the struggles of the teenage mother and the weight of Allison’s search, makes for a compelling read. The themes of shame, loss, and the longing for connection resonate deeply, drawing readers into a story that examines how the past shapes the present—and whether redemption and healing are possible.

With beautifully crafted prose and sensitive handling of difficult subjects, Once You Were Mine is a heartfelt exploration of family, identity, and the long-lasting effects of generational trauma. It's a captivating story that will stay with readers long after they've turned the final page.

If you love books told in dual timelines such as past and present this is the book for you. If you love books about heartbreaking scenarios this is the book for you. If you love books about historical hard touchy subjects this is the book for you.


When Molly Mitchell, then seventeen, becomes pregnant in 1968, her parents send her to a violent "maternity home." In order to force her to sign adoption paperwork, the facility mistreats, shames, and condemns her. Gwen, her roommate there, becomes a friend for life. She puts a lot of effort into building a life for herself after leaving the house. Today, Allison Garrett does a DNA test and finds some shocking information. Her history was unknown because her mother was adopted. According to the test findings, Allison and her best friend Bree are closely connected. They're cousins. In both families, this starts a quest for the truth and answers. This family story moves at a steady pace and has all the emotions.
This family story switches between the two distinct eras at a steady pace. It illustrates the contrast between the past, when family secrets could be kept secret, and the present, when practically everything can be found out and made public. There are a number of subplots that are followed, even if the major narrative line is the genealogical investigation and ancestry question. Both timelines' characters are fully developed and presented as complex, realistic people. In essence, Molly's narrative is about the trauma she went through at the age of seventeen and the life she went on to lead. Allison and Bree's story revolves around the ancestry question, which upsets both families and causes conflicting feelings, as well as issues in their everyday lives.

A young woman in the late 1960s is forced to go to a maternity home when she becomes pregnant. Two best friends in the present day do a DNA search and find secrets that they were not prepared for. This was good. Stories about adoption in the 1960s are always sad, and this was no different. There were some unexpected bits in the modern portion, but overall it was as one would expect from this type of story. 3 stars.

It was the cover that first caught my eye with the child’s toy carousel and the book title of Once You Were Mine hinted at a loss of a child and then when I read the blurb and discovered that part of the story takes place at a mother & baby home in England along with the DNA ancestry search aspect, I knew I wanted to read it. The weird thing is I’ve read book about mother & baby homes but most have them were based in Ireland and those are the ones you immediately think of, sadly these institutions existed all over the world.

The book begins with a young girl, Molly who is looking forward to Christmas with her family. She’s determined to enjoy it as soon she will have to leave home for a place of uncertainty, a mother & baby home. Then suddenly she is informed she is to leave for the home the next day, she must pack the items on the list she has been provided, and be ready to leave early the next morning so the neighbours don’t see.
After a 'summer fling' Molly finds herself pregnant. At first, she naively thinks she may be able to keep her baby, with the help of her parents. They love all the babies her sister in laws continually produce and are always supportive during their pregnancies and dote on their grandchildren. Molly understands her situation isn’t ideal but its not as if she did it purposefully. She had been caring for her grandmother, a big job for a girl Mollys age that her parents decided she was capable of. It was whilst there she met the young man, Galen who brought books to her grandmother. Galen starts bringing books he thinks Molly will like. They end up bonding over a love of reading, they then begin dating and one thing leads to another, ending up with Molly becoming pregnant. Molly’s parents meet up with Galens parents. With the full backing of his parents Galen is unwilling to marry Molly and raise the baby with her. In fact, his mother puts all the blame for the pregnancy on Molly, saying she seduced her son. To say the meeting of the families doesn’t go well is an understatement. The conclusion is the baby is Molly & her parent’s problem to deal with.
Molly’s parents decide she should disappear to a mother & baby home, to avoid stares and whispers and the shame the neighbours would bestow on the family. Molly will stay there continue her school work, have the baby there, and give it up for adoption.
She isn't asked what her feelings or opinion are is basically dumped on the doorstep of the home. The woman who runs the home is a strict, rather nasty woman who reels out a list ofe rules that must be followed. Molly will also work whilst at the home to earn the keep of herself and her baby when it arrives. Molly is stripped of her personal possessions as well as her name. She is to be called Eve whilst at the home. One of the most important rules no one should know your real name! another resident at the home, Miriam, takes Molly/Eve under her wing and they make the best of a bad situation. They form a strong friendship, sometimes rebellious as they reveal their real names to each other. It is Miriam, real name Gwen and her family that help Molly/Eve to rebuild her life after the home. Years later the women carry a kind of guilt at having to give up their babies. The women do build lives for themselves but they never ever forget what they have had taken from them, and they commemorate the birth of their babies every year. Life moves on for them both.

Years late Allison does a DNA test and sends it to an ancestry site, she wants to learn more about her family as her mother was abandoned as a baby. Her childhood best friend Bree, decides to do a test be a supportive friend and do the whole “journey” together thinking it might be fun. When the results come in it’s a shock to both Allison & Bree to find out they are cousins!! Allison is more experienced with the process as she is a search angel for a site so she takes the news better than Bree. Instead of bringing them closer it begins to drive a wedge between the two previously best friends. At first Allisons mother doesn’t want to know anything at all, in her mind she was abandoned on a doorstep as a child and she doesn’t really wish to find her parents. Her parents are the couple that adopted her and brought her up. It’s a bigger shock for Bree’s father, Everett when it is revealed who his father is. He is interested in tracing his mother and wants a relationship with his sister Heather and niece Allison. Its almost as if Bree is a little jealous of Allison, she’s at a bit of a stalemate with her business so life isn’t as plain sailing for her at the time.

The story tells of the angst the revelation causes everyone involved, including the birth parents when they are contacted. There’s resentment in both cases. Molly resents the fact her mother didn’t turn up for the birth of her babies which was horrific, with the nurses being openly hostile towards her as she is “one of those girls” from the home. The one person Molly can rely on a little is her Aunt Trudy, although she is limited to what she can do as Mollys parents withhold information from her.

I felt like reaching into the book and hugging Molly/Eve, her family literally abandon her, in a strange, hostile place. Molly has guilt at the shame she has brought on her parents and the financial burden of paying for the home, although she later finds out that her college fund money has been used so she has paid to be treat horribly herself. Molly’s life could have really spiralled badly had it not been for the friendship of the slightly older Gwen/Miriam and her family contacts. I don’t blame Molly for not returning to her family home to find a job as her father expects. Gwen being a bit older seemed more confident, wiser and “life smart” than Molly and Gwen had the support of her mother and stepfather as well as the fact she had a good job and her own money too.
I was annoyed with Galen, he was very passive and seemed uncaring at times. He easily went along with his parents wishes to literally abandon Molly. He also went along with another large lie for his parents.
To be honest I was disgusted with Molly’s parents, Galen’s parents, Mrs Mitchell the manager of the mother and baby home and the nurses that were present at the birth of Molly’s babies. Aunt Trudy insisted she did her best, but did she? Personally, I think she could have done more but she didn’t want to risk her relationship with Molly’s parents anymore than she was doing.

Though Molly went through a traumatising experience I loved that she rebuilt her life and I think she ended up with a better husband than Galen would ever have been. Galen however ran away to the army and then gave up pursuing his dream future, settling for running the family business as his parents wanted. Perhaps giving up his dream future was a form of punishment.

My immediate thoughts were that I really enjoyed reading the book, it certainly kept me hooked and guessing about how everyone was related. It felt like a true story and was so believable. All the responsibility, the shame and consequences of an unplanned pregnancy falling onto the shoulders of Molly. Even year later she is still reminded by those around her of her dirty little secret. Whereas Galen simply walks away, able to continue his life with no interruptions, free to continue his life however he wishes.

Summing up this is an emotive story about a chain of events that didn’t happen all that long ago. One innocent but reckless act triggers what one family regards as disaster. Their reaction triggers a whole chain of events and repercussions are felt many years later!
Then when a younger generation fascinated by ancestry does a DNA it stirs up family histories that were never meant to be revealed shining light on those long buried secrets and lies.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This historical fiction novel has the perfect balance of the multiple POV in different times. One timeline is the 1960s where we have Molly, a teenager who has gotten pregnant. Her parents send her to a special maternity home where she is deceived into giving up her offspring. The other timeline is the present day, where Allison is using DNA samples to find out more about her mother’s birth family because her mother was adopted.

Now, usually when I read a dual timeline historical fiction novel, one story is stronger than the other. However, this book’s main characters have equal weight and depth to their characterizations. This book is full of emotions as Molly learns to live without her child and make a life of her own, and Allison’s research into closed adoptions to find out more about her mother’s birth family.

Austenne Grey, the narrator of this story, does an admirable job of keeping the listener engaged with her storytelling abilities. I would definitely listen to something by Grey again.

Thank you Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC in return of my honest review.

This book had me hooked from the first page. It was heart wrenching, having me crying at times, laughing at others, feeling angry and a range of emotions in between.

This dual time line switches between 1969 and the present day, beginning with Molly a 17 year old girl who find herself being shipped off to a maternity home for unwed girls. Molly is left powerless and treated with disdain by her family and the staff at the home. In 1969 the support and acceptance was non existent and Molly finds herself making heartbreaking decisions that will be with her for the course do her life.

Present day and Bree sends off a DNA test, which spirals beyond anything she and best friend Allison ever imagined.

I loved the way the characters were portrayed, despising Molly’s father, feeling lots of conflicting thoughts of her mother, curious about Galen and cheering for Molly every step of the way.

This book was better than I had hoped for and a solid 4.5 stars.
Thank you for this ARC.

when molly falls pregnant as a teenager her parents send her away to a maternity home. in this home the girls are mistreated and forced to give their babies up. following a dual timeline we follow bree- who is trying to find out more about her biological family and where she comes from. after getting a hit from her DNA she is sent on a mission to find this family member.

thank you to the publishers and netgalley for the ARC!

A beautifully written story that starts with Molly at the age of seventeen. An age when teenagers often make mistakes but with loving supportive family, recover and move forward. Other times they are forced into corners from which they never escape. Sadly, in 1968 when she became pregnant, her parents sent her to a “maternity home” where the abuse is rampant and harsh. The people who are supposed to care for her are despicable and lie with every word they speak. She goes home and all is supposed to be as if nothing happened and never mention what happened and yet the pain and betrayal she experienced was enough to bring anyone to their knees. Years later, when her daughter does a DNA test results leave Molly and her entire family with questions. So many questions starting with who, what, and most importantly WHY. When truths are brought to the surface can they all move forward? It is a well written emotional journey. I love a dual timeline format so this worked on many levels for me. Secrets always manage to find their way to the light. Tough subject matter, but a great read. I kept thinking that as much as things have changed, in a lot of ways they remain the same. Upped to 4 from what would have been a 3.5 rating if half stars were available.

I devoured this book in one day! I really enjoyed the history of unwed mothers and those were my favorite parts. At first when the book switched timelines I thought I might be confused but it really ended up working out and making the book that much better. The characters were very relatable and I truly became invested in their stories.