Before I Called You Mine

by Nicole Deese · 2020

First‑grade teacher Lauren Bailey has spent a decade perfecting matchmaking schemes, only to discover that the only partnership she truly wants is the one that will make her a mother. When an international adoption agency insists she stay single, Lauren embraces the solitude, focusing on the paperwork that will bring a child into her life. That plan is upended the moment she meets Joshua Avery, a charismatic substitute teacher with a knack for educational technology and a relentless charm that pulls her in despite her vows. As Joshua’s pursuit grows more intense, Lauren finds herself torn between two powerful desires: the lifelong dream of motherhood and the unexpected, magnetic pull of a new romance. With the adoption deadline looming, she must decide whether to follow her heart into love or stay the course toward the family she’s always wanted—knowing that choosing one may mean letting go of the other.