Book Summary Contents
- 1 Introduction: Exploring The Story That Will Shatter Your Heart
- 2 TL;DR: Key Takeaways
- 3 About the Author Lisa Wingate
- 4 Before We Were Yours Summary & Plot Summary (No Spoilers)
- 5 Full Plot Breakdown (Spoilers Ahead!)
- 6 Before We Were Yours Summary by Chapter
- 7 Before We Were Yours Main Characters:
- 8 Themes & Analysis
- 9 Reader Reviews: What People Are Saying
- 10 FAQ
- 11 Final Thoughts: Why You Should Read Before We Were Yours?
- 12 Get Your Copy
- 13 Sources & References
Introduction: Exploring The Story That Will Shatter Your Heart
What if everything you knew about your family turned out to be a lie?
What if everything you knew about your family was a lie?
Lisa Wingate’s Before We Were Yours is a haunting historical fiction novel that exposes one of America’s darkest secrets—the real-life scandal of the Tennessee Children’s Home Society, where thousands of children were stolen from their families and sold to the wealthy.
This Before We Were Yours summary unravels the dual timelines of Avery Stafford, a modern-day lawyer uncovering her family’s hidden past, and Rill Foss, a 12-year-old girl ripped from her riverboat home in 1939.
Their stories collide in a devastating yet hopeful exploration of identity, survival, and the power of truth.
TL;DR: Key Takeaways
Genre: Historical Fiction (Based on True Events)
Tone: Emotional, Suspenseful, Heartbreaking
Themes: Family Secrets, Identity, Survival, Injustice
Perfect for: Fans of The Orphan Train or The Nightingale
Quick Summary:
✔ Two timelines: 1939 (Rill Foss’s traumatic ordeal) & present-day (Avery Stafford’s investigation).
✔ Based on the real-life Tennessee Children’s Home Society scandal.
✔ A shocking family secret connects Avery’s grandmother to Rill’s stolen siblings.
✔ Themes of resilience, love, and the cost of buried truths.
Questions the Book Answers
What really happened at the Tennessee Children’s Home Society?
How does Avery’s family connect to Rill’s story?
What happened to Rill’s siblings after they were taken?
Why was Georgia Tann never stopped sooner?
How does Judy’s dementia play into the mystery?
Does Rill ever reunite with her lost family?
What role does Trent Turner play in Avery’s investigation?
How does the river symbolize freedom and loss?
What was the public’s reaction when the scandal was exposed?
What message does the book leave about truth and healing?
About the Author Lisa Wingate
Lisa Wingate is a bestselling author and former journalist known for her deeply emotional historical fiction. Her research into the Tennessee Children’s Home Society scandal inspired Before We Were Yours, which has sold millions of copies worldwide.
Before We Were Yours Summary & Plot Summary (No Spoilers)
Avery’s Story: The Mystery Unfolds
Avery Stafford, a successful lawyer and senator’s daughter, returns home to South Carolina when her father faces a health crisis. While visiting a nursing home, she meets May Crandall, an elderly woman who reacts strangely to Avery’s heirloom bracelet.
May whispers the name “Fern”—a name Avery’s grandmother, Judy, has also mentioned in her dementia-induced confusion. Avery’s curiosity leads her to uncover a dark family secret tied to the Tennessee Children’s Home Society, where children were kidnapped and sold in the 1930s-50s.
Rill’s Story: A Childhood Stolen
In 1939, 12-year-old Rill Foss lives a free but poor life on a Mississippi riverboat with her parents and four siblings. When her mother is rushed to the hospital during a difficult birth, strangers arrive, claiming to be law enforcement. They forcibly take Rill and her siblings, delivering them to the Tennessee Children’s Home Society, run by the cruel Georgia Tann.
The children endure abuse, starvation, and separation. Rill fights to protect her siblings, but one by one, they’re adopted out to wealthy families—their identities erased forever.
Full Plot Breakdown (Spoilers Ahead!)
The Horrors of the Tennessee Children’s Home Society
Rill and her siblings are renamed, beaten, and manipulated.
Her sister Camellia disappears after resisting the system.
Lark and Gabion (the twins) are adopted separately.
Rill and her youngest sister, Fern, are placed with the Sevier family, where Rill is renamed May Weathers.
Avery’s Shocking Discovery
Avery learns her grandmother, Judy Stafford, was one of the stolen children—Rill’s long-lost twin sister, Gabion (who was raised as a girl).
Judy’s entire life was built on a lie, hidden to protect the family’s reputation.
In a tearful reunion, May (Rill) and Judy finally meet, recognizing each other despite decades of separation.
Before We Were Yours Summary by Chapter
Chapter 1
Avery Stafford, a senator’s daughter, meets May Crandall at a nursing home. May mistakes her for “Fern,” sparking Avery’s curiosity about her family’s past.
Chapter 2
May (formerly Rill Foss) recalls her childhood on a shantyboat. Her mother, Queenie, goes into dangerous labor, forcing her father to seek help, leaving Rill to care for her siblings.
Chapter 3
Avery learns her dragonfly bracelet was found with May, who lived in isolation with her deceased sister. Intrigued, Avery decides to investigate.
Chapter 4
Rill struggles to feed her siblings while waiting for her parents’ return. A storm rages, mirroring her growing fear.
Chapter 5
Avery retrieves her bracelet from May, who hints at knowing her grandmother, Judy. A faded photo in May’s room deepens the mystery.
Chapter 6
Rill learns Queenie’s twins didn’t survive. Silas, a boy from the river, helps guard the children but warns of approaching danger.
Chapter 7
Avery visits Grandma Judy, who recognizes May’s name and whispers about a secret: “They can never know about Arcadia.”
Chapter 8
Rill and her siblings are taken to the Tennessee Children’s Home Society. They endure abuse, name changes, and threats while Rill fights to protect them.
Chapter 9
Avery searches Grandma Judy’s house for clues, finding cryptic notes about Edisto and the dragonfly bracelet.
Chapter 10
Rill witnesses the horrors of the orphanage, including Mr. Riggs’ predatory behavior, and clings to hope of reuniting with her parents.
Chapter 11
Avery pressures Trent Turner III for an envelope left for her grandmother. He reveals documents linking Judy to Georgia Tann’s adoption scandal.
Chapter 12
Rill realizes her parents won’t return. She sees siblings adopted while Camellia suffers abuse. A kind worker, Miss Dodd, promises to investigate.
Chapter 13
Avery uncovers Judy’s secret writings about the Tennessee Children’s Home Society. She meets Trent late at night for answers.
Chapter 14
At a viewing party, Rill watches Gabion get adopted. She later finds Camellia assaulted by Riggs, who locks her in “the closet.”
Chapter 15
Trent shows Avery evidence of Georgia Tann’s crimes. A photo reveals Judy, May, and two others wearing matching dragonfly bracelets.
Chapter 16
Rill is punished for speaking out. Fern is taken away, and Rill is locked in the basement, desperate to escape.
Chapter 17
Avery and Trent uncover more about Tann’s corrupt network. The dragonfly bracelet photo confirms a hidden family connection.
Chapter 18
Rill plans an escape with Silas’s help but is attacked by Riggs. She’s forced to deny Camellia’s existence before Fern is taken.
Chapter 19
May confirms she and Judy were sisters, separated by Tann. Avery learns Judy secretly visited May for years.
Chapter 20
Rill and Fern live with the Seviers but struggle to adapt. Rill plots an escape back to the river.
Chapter 21
Avery defies Elliot’s warnings, digging deeper into Judy’s past. She discovers Judy’s secret trips to Augusta to see May.
Chapter 22
Miss Tann blackmails the Seviers. Rill flees with Fern and Arney, navigating the river to freedom.
Chapter 23
Avery finds a cottage filled with photos of May, Judy, and their sisters. Hootsie reveals Judy was May’s stolen twin.
Chapter 24
Rill returns to the Arcadia, but Briny’s grief leads to disaster. She saves Fern but chooses to return her to the Seviers.
Chapter 25
May reunites with Judy, confirming their sisterhood. Avery ends her engagement, drawn to Trent and the truth of her family’s past.
Chapter 26
May reflects on her life, cherishing her bond with Judy and the memory of their lost siblings.
Before We Were Yours Main Characters:
| Character | Role | Arc |
|---|---|---|
| Avery Stafford | Federal prosecutor, granddaughter of Judy | Investigates her family’s dark past and uncovers a traumatic history |
| May Crandall (Rill Foss) | A twelve-year-old girl whose life is shattered by TCHS | A victim of child trafficking, she grows up with a false identity |
| Grandma Judy | Avery’s grandmother, who has dementia | A hidden twin of Rill Foss, carrying the burden of a painful secret |
| Trent Turner | Real estate agent and Avery’s ally | Aiding Avery in uncovering the truth about TCHS |
| Queenie Foss | Rill’s mother | A kind-hearted woman, taken from her family by TCHS |
| Georgia Tann | Head of the Tennessee Children’s Home Society | The mastermind behind the child trafficking operation |
Themes & Analysis
| Theme | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Historical Injustice | The novel exposes the cruelty and systemic corruption of the Tennessee Children’s Home Society, where children were stolen and sold. |
| Family Secrets | The devastating impact of long-buried family secrets is a key theme, as Avery uncovers hidden truths about her own family’s involvement. |
| Identity and Belonging | Rill’s struggle with her identity as May Weathers reflects the loss of self and the search for truth that many adoptees face. |
| Resilience and Survival | The resilience of Rill and her siblings showcases the strength of the human spirit, even in the face of horrific adversity. |
Reader Reviews: What People Are Saying
“I cried, I raged, and I couldn’t put it down. This book will stay with me forever.” – Goodreads Reviewer
“A haunting reminder of how easily history’s darkest chapters can be forgotten.” – Amazon Review
“Lisa Wingate’s best work—beautifully written and devastatingly real.” – BookBub
FAQ
Is Before We Were Yours based on a true story?
Yes! While the Foss family is fictional, the Tennessee Children’s Home Society scandal was very real. Georgia Tann kidnapped and sold over 5,000 children from the 1920s-1950s.
Does the book have a happy ending?
It’s bittersweet. While May and Judy reunite, many wounds never fully heal. The book emphasizes truth and resilience over a perfect resolution.
Is this book sad?
Extremely. It deals with child abuse, loss, and trauma—but also hope and survival.
Final Thoughts: Why You Should Read Before We Were Yours?
Before We Were Yours is more than a novel—it’s a heart-wrenching tribute to the children who were stolen and the families who never stopped searching. If you love historical fiction with deep emotional impact, this is a must-read.
Ready to dive in? Grab your copy.
Get Your Copy
Sources & References
- Amazon’s book page
- Goodreaders’s book page
- Author’s image source: penguinrandomhouse.com
- Book Cover: Amazon.com
- Quotes sources: Goodreads
