Before We Were Yours (Wingate) - Book Reviews

Book Reviews
Historical fiction has the capacity to entertain, educate, or horrify. In BEFORE WE WERE YOURS Lisa Wingate manages all three. Through one family’s nightmare, Wingate explores the atrocities that took place at the Tennessee Children’s Home Society between 1920 and1950 under the cruel hand of Georgia Tann.… There is much to dissect in this book. It kept me up past one in the morning and kept my mind lingering long after.  READ MORE…
Abby Fabiaschi, AUTHOR - LitLovers


Lisa Wingate brings…shocking crimes and their long-term emotional impact to light in her affecting new novel, Before We Were Yours. The book tells the story of two families — the wealthy, connected Staffords and the dirt-poor “river gypsy” Fosses. Though her tale is fictional, it stems from the true, terrible events of the Tennessee tragedy. Tann and her associates would tear apart one family to benefit another, creating wounds not easily healed. The loss would linger, like a phantom limb, for generations.
Nick Poppy - New York Post

“Every now and then a novel comes along that sweeps me off my reading feet. Before We Were Yours, by Lisa Wingate, is such a book.… It’s a great book-club read, one of those books that teaches you something, gives you lots to discuss and even more to think about.… Take note: This may be the best book of the year.
Shreveport Times


A [story] of a family lost and found.… A poignant, engrossing tale about sibling love and the toll of secrets.
People


Before We Were Yours is sure to be one of the most compelling books you pick up this year.… Wingate is a master-storyteller, and you’ll find yourself pulled along as she reveals the wake of terror and heartache that is Georgia Tann’s legacy.
Parade


One of the year’s best books.… It is almost a cliche to say a book is "lovingly written" but that phrase applies clearly to Lisa Wingate’s latest novel, Before We Were Yours. This story about children taken from their parents through kidnapping or subterfuge and then placed for adoption, for a price, clearly pours out of Wingate’s heart.… It is impossible not to get swept up in this near-perfect novel. It invades your heart from the very first pages and stays there long after the book is finished. Few novelists could strike the balance this story requires but Wingate does it with assurance. There are a lot of books that will catch your eye this summer, some from our best storytellers. Make sure this one is on your radar. It should not be missed.
Huffington Post


Wingate is a compelling storyteller, steeping her narrative with a forward momentum that keeps the reader as engaged and curious as Avery in her quest. The feel-good ending can be seen from miles away, but does nothing to detract from this fantastic novel.
Publishers Weekly


Christy and Carol Award-winning Wingate (The Story Keeper; The Sea Glass Sisters) weaves a complex tale about two families, two generations apart, linked by an injustice, based on a notorious true-life scandal.… The thought-provoking subject matter makes this at times a difficult read —Shondra Brown, Wakarusa P.L., IN
Library Journal


This story is heartfelt and genuine, especially as Wingate explores the idea of home and family from a youngster’s point of view.
Historical Novels Review


Wingate's fans and readers who enjoy family dramas will find enough to entertain them, and book clubs may enjoy dissecting the relationship and historical issues in the book.… [A]shameful true story of child exploitation but…less successful in engaging readers in her fictional characters' lives.
Kirkus Reviews