Nicole Deese is still a new-to-me author. She might be considered a new author period, since her book list is kind of short. But with Before I Called You Mine, she proved she can write a wonderful, impactful book. Before I Called You Mine holds the honor of First Book of 2020 to Make Me Cry--and I am sure it wasn't quarantine-related hormones! :)
The plot of Before I Called You Mine drew me in first, or rather, the journey of Lauren Bailey adopting as a single mother. It's a unique story, one I rarely see in real life, let alone fiction. I think as well-meaning as Christians usually are, a lot of us still hold onto the idea singles cannot be called on to do anything big; they can't be chosen by God to do anything monumental or challenging. Allegedly, that's for married people who have their lives "together." How refreshing and encouraging then, to see Lauren taking the motherhood journey, especially since I am still single, childless, and figuring out my purpose at 34. Lauren is a tenacious, tenderhearted, faithful, and realistically flawed protagonist who gave me hope.
Lauren and Joshua also gave me hours of reading pleasure as I watched them grow, as a couple and apart. I loved, loved, loved the fact that they were both teachers and could bond over education, introducing kids to literature, and loving children with all their hearts. The lesson plan scene was one of my favorites, but every scene they were in together pops off the page, romantic or not. That's not to say Nicole is a slouch at writing romance, though--on, no! The baklava scene, the tree lighting scene, the crab-fest...swoon, swoon, swoon! Joshua might be a male in a still-female-dominated job, he might be a fashion disaster--but my gosh, if he were real, Lauren would have major competition!
What stands out most to me about this story though, is how it's less about romance--which fiction has a ton of these days--and more about Lauren's relationship with her adopted child, and through that, her relationship with God. The spiritual threads here are pretty subtle, woven in so well that when you're meant to notice them, they stand out without being obnoxious. A key example for me occurred when Lauren recognized the selfish roots of her journey, because boy, don't we all have selfish roots, even when we try to do the righteous thing, the merciful thing, the Godly thing? Filthy rags indeed...but that made seeing God redeem the roots and restore what Lauren lost so much more powerful. Not because Lauren suddenly becomes perfect, but because she finds herself incredibly blessed and loved anyway.
Lauren's relationship with her adopted child is the crux of the novel and worth every moment of the wait when you finally get there. Seeing them meet and bond is when I cried--happy tears. But Nicole made that happen without melodrama. Her writing throughout is simple, straightforward, and honest--sometimes wrenchingly honest--regarding humanity and human emotions. Whether her next book is a more "traditional" romance or something along these lines (I hope so), I can't wait to read more of her books and see more of her talent.
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A wonderful story of faith, family and finding love
**Much thanks to the Bethany House and Nicole Deese for providing a paperback copy in exchange only for my thoughts and review.I absolutely LOVED this book! Such an amazing story of faith, family and finding love when you least expect it. Deese brilliantly delivered a heartwarming story tackling of motherhood, international adoption, tough family circumstances, sacrifice, and impossible choices that is so captivating to read.I loved our Main Characters Lauren and Joshua. They go through quite a lot of challenges, but both are written so well that they feel real and I wanted to reach out and hug them multiple times while reading.This book is one that stays with you for a long time after the final page. I laughed, I cried, I smiled a lot. You definitely don’t want to skip this read!
