Jessica Chamberlain is in her mid-30s and has two sons --- 13-year-old Max, who is her biological child, and six-year-old Gabe, who was adopted as a baby. Some months prior to the novel’s main events, Jessica decided to separate from her husband, Evan, who she thought wasn’t paying any attention to her. They haven’t had much contact with one another during this period of time.

Then, one day, Jess receives a phone call that changes her life forever: Evan has been found dead. According to the police, it was a hunting accident. But Evan was not a hunter; he was found near the road and with no ID.

"Nicole Baart manages to add nuggets of mystery to each chapter; the desire to know what Evan discovered and the circumstances surrounding his death had me hooked."

After the funeral, Jess has a great deal on her mind: her job, raising two boys (Max is a moody teenager, while Gabe has sensory processing disorder), and wondering what happened to her husband. She discovers some clues indicating that Evan’s death might not have been a tragic accident after all. While determined to find the truth, Jess may not be ready to learn that Evan kept a huge secret from her. Although the adoption of Gabe was a closed one, he had been in contact with Gabe’s birthmother, which stuns Jess. As she continues to dig deeper, she unearths further revelations that are even more devastating.

YOU WERE ALWAYS MINE is a cross between women’s fiction and a mystery. The mystery is what kept me reading, as Jess’ struggle as a mother and a widow is a relatively common theme in the women’s fiction genre. What also drew me in was Jess’ handling of the relationship between her adopted son and his birthmother. As an adoptive parent, I can completely understand Jess’ decision to have a closed adoption, yet I cannot fully agree with her. Adopted children have a right to know their past, which is crucial in forming their identity. How Jess will handle this complicated situation is up to the reader to find out.

The story does drag a bit, as too much of the pace is lost in descriptions of Jess’ daily routines, along with her thoughts and anger. But author Nicole Baart manages to add nuggets of mystery to each chapter; the desire to know what Evan discovered and the circumstances surrounding his death had me hooked. The revelation of secrets happens gradually, only to be fully unveiled in the last three chapters, which I read frantically.

Despite the slower pace, YOU WERE ALWAYS MINE is an interesting story that deserves to be read and talked about.