Before We Were Yours A Novel By Lisa Wingate

Lisa Wingate's "Before We Were Yours" captivates readers with its poignant narrative, selling over two million copies and earning accolades from New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly.

Set in 1939 Memphis, the story unfolds with twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her siblings, torn from their idyllic life on a Mississippi River shantyboat and thrust into the harsh reality of the Tennessee Children's Home Society orphanage. As Rill fights to protect her family, readers are transported to present-day Aiken, South Carolina, where Avery Stafford, a federal prosecutor, confronts uncomfortable truths about her family's past.

Wingate masterfully intertwines the lives of Rill and Avery, illuminating the dark legacy of Georgia Tann's real-life scandal, where poor children were kidnapped and sold to wealthy families. Through heart-wrenching twists and uplifting moments, Wingate reminds us that while our paths may diverge, the heart always yearns for home.