Today I get to share my review of When You Were Mine by the wonderful Kate Hewitt…
Book Description:
“Dylan…” I croak, but my little boy doesn’t even look at me. “Dylan!” My voice is louder now, and my gaze stays locked with my son’s as the car pulls away from the curb and drives away, taking my very life with her.
Single mother Beth loves her seven-year-old son Dylan with all her heart. He’s her world. So when a terrible series of events lead Dylan to be taken into foster care, she is determined to do whatever she can to get him back.
Mother of two, Ally has always dreamed of fostering—it feels like her chance to give back when she has been so lucky in life. But when Dylan joins their family, Ally finds herself struggling to balance his needs with those of her own children and husband—something Beth can’t help but witness when she visits.
Beth wants nothing more than to find a way to bring her beloved child home. But when she also sees Dylan bonding with Ally, she has to ask herself – where is the right home for Dylan? She wants to believe it is with her… But does a mother always know what’s best for her child?
A beautiful, powerful and ultimately hopeful story of the heartbreaking power of a mother’s love, for fans of Diane Chamberlain, Jodi Picoult and Jojo Moyes.
My Thoughts:
When I read the description of this book certainly had me intrigued, but I honestly did not expect it to have such a huge impact on me.
Beth, a single mother to her 7 year old son Dylan. They have such a strong, beautiful bond..but it is certainly not all smooth sailing. Dylan is silent by choice (elective mutism), and Beth has built up a protective bubble around them both which includes no school, no Doctors appointments, and no play dates… and this decision is what leads to Beth being reported, as she is accused of neglecting her son.
When Dylan is taken off Beth and placed into Care with Ally, her husband and her two teenage children. Ally soon comes to realise how strong Dylans bond with his mother truly is, as the family finds themselves unable to comfort Dylan when he needs it most.
Beth instantly dislikes Ally, mainly due to jealousy…she appears to have the perfect house, perfect family, whilst Beth now has nothing. However, along the way a friendship begins to develop between these women as they both try to come to terms with what is truly best for Dylan.
This story was truly heartbreaking, and heartwarming too. It perfectly highlighted the love between a mother and her child and the difficult decisions and sacrifices along the way. It also shows the importance of friendship, and how no two families are ever the same.
I truly adored this story… between the way in which the author brought the characters to life, and the truly unique and beautiful writing style, it is certainly a story that will stay with me. A definite must read.
I would like to thank Kate Hewitt, Sarah Hardy, Bookouture and Netgalley for my copy of this book in return for my honest review.
Author Bio:
Kate Hewitt is the author of many romance and women’s fiction novels. A former New Yorker and now an American ex-pat, she lives in a small town on the Welsh border with her husband, five children, and their overly affectionate Golden Retriever. Whatever the genre, she enjoys telling stories that tackle real issues and touch people’s lives.
http://kate-hewitt.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KateHewittAuthor/https://twitter.com/author_kate
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://bit.ly/2GNWaJOApple: https://apple.co/31cmi8qKobo: https://bit.ly/327BNhjGoogle: https://bit.ly/31bfurG
Victoria Wilks 