Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate is a historical fiction novel that alternates between two timelines: one in the 1930s and the other in the present day. The story centers around the real-life horrors of the Tennessee Children's Home Society, a notorious adoption agency that kidnapped children and sold them to wealthy families. The historical part follows Rill Foss, a young girl who, along with her siblings, is stolen from their home on a shantyboat and placed in the institution where they suffer abuse and separation. The contemporary narrative focuses on Avery Stafford, a lawyer and the daughter of a U.S. senator, who uncovers her family's dark connection to the orphanage through a series of painful revelations. The novel poignantly explores themes of family, identity, and the resilience of the human spirit, all while shedding light on a grim chapter of American history.
