Before We Were Yours

This poignant novel follows two parallel stories set in Memphis in 1939 and Aiken, South Carolina in present day. The first story is about the Foss children, who are taken from their Mississippi River shantyboat and thrown into a cruel Tennessee orphanage. The second story focuses on Avery Stafford, a federal prosecutor, who discovers uncomfortable truths about her family’s dark history. Based on a real-life scandal where poor children were kidnapped and sold to wealthy families, this powerful tale ultimately explores the heart’s unbreakable ties to where we truly belong.