You Were Always Mine

A Novel

By: Christine Pride, Jo Piazza

Narrated by: Alexis Floyd, Jenni Barber

The acclaimed authors of the “emotional literary roller coaster” (The Washington Post) and Good Morning America book club pick We Are Not Like Them return with this moving and provocative novel about a Black woman who finds an abandoned white baby, sending her on a collision course with her past, her family, and a birth mother who doesn’t want to be found.

Cinnamon Haynes has fought hard for a life she never thought was possible—a good man by her side, a steady job as a career counselor at a local community college, and a cozy house in a quaint little beach town. It may not look like much, but it’s more than she ever dreamed of or what her difficult childhood promised. Her life’s mantra is to be good, quiet, grateful. Until something shifts and Cinnamon is suddenly haunted by a terrifying question: “Is this all there is?”

Daisy Dunlap has had her own share of problems in her nineteen years on earth—she also has her own big dreams for a life that’s barely begun. Her hopes for her future are threatened when she gets unexpectedly pregnant. Desperate, broke, and alone, she hides this development from everyone close to her and then makes a drastic decision with devastating consequences.

Daisy isn’t the only one with something to hide. When Cinnamon finds an abandoned baby in a park and takes the blonde-haired, blue-eyed newborn into her home, the ripple effects of this decision risk exposing the truth about Cinnamon’s own past, which she’s gone to great pains to portray as idyllic to everyone…even herself.

As Cinnamon struggles to contain old demons, navigate the fault lines that erupt in her marriage, and deal with the shocking judgments from friends and strangers alike about why a woman like her has a baby like this, her one goal is to do right by the child she grows more attached to with each passing day. It’s the exact same conviction that drives Daisy as she tries to outrun her heartache and reckon with her choices.

These two women, unlikely friends and kindred spirits must face down their secrets and trauma and unite for the sake of the baby they both love in their own unique way when Daisy’s grandparents, who would rather die than see one of their own raised by a Black woman, threaten to take custody.

Once again, these authors bring their “empathetic, riveting, and authentic” (Laura Dave, New York Times bestselling author) storytelling to an unforgettable novel that revolves around provocative and timely questions about race, class, and motherhood. Is being a mother a right, an obligation, or a privilege? Who gets to be a mother? And to whom? And what are we willing to sacrifice for the sake of marriage, friendship, and our dreams?

Critic reviews

"Alexis Floyd and Jenni Barber are perfect with their emotional narration of a story that examines the complexities of friendship and race...Floyd’s range is superb in the Cinnamon chapters and is best exemplified when a character smooths out her naturally raucous tone to affect a polished attitude over the phone. Barber’s higher pitch fits Daisy’s youth and moments of anguish."

Beautiful story!!!

Thank you to these wonderful authors, to opening my heart to world that I never encountered. Two mothers one child and past filled with heartache. I needed tissue at the conclusion of this book. I love it from start to finish.

So good!

I don’t typically write reviews, but you can’t go wrong with this read. Beautifully done!

Could not stop listening

Loved the story and narration. Loved how it helps us question our own possible biases.

Thank you

Thank you for this book. I am grateful I took the time to listen. Beautifully written and read.

Really enjoyed!

My go-to genre is mystery/thriller. So this was not a typical “listen” for me. But I really enjoyed it. The character development, the writing, the storyline, the narration (with the exception of several mispronounced words) — all were very good. I gave it 4 stars instead of 5, because the way the last 10-15% was written was somehow of a lesser quality. Seemed like the author either was pressured to end the book under deadline, or didn’t quite know which way to go. Still worth the listen. I recommend.