In her latest novel, Elizabeth Langston weaves a tapestry of intergenerational secrets, unexpected connections, and the long shadow cast by the societal treatment of unwed mothers in 1960s America. “Once You Were Mine” skillfully alternates between past and present, drawing readers into a compelling narrative about identity, forgiveness, and the painful truths that DNA testing can uncover. Langston, also the author of “The Measure of Silence,” brings her talent for exploring family dynamics to this emotionally resonant story that bridges historical trauma with contemporary consequences.
A Tale of Two Timelines
The novel opens in 1968 North Carolina, where seventeen-year-old Molly Mitchell falls in love with Galen Harper during a summer caring for her grandmother. Their brief romance results in pregnancy, and Molly is promptly sent to a maternity home where unwed mothers are expected to surrender their babies for adoption. Langston’s unflinching portrayal of these institutions—euphemistically called “homes for unwed mothers”—lays bare their systematic emotional abuse and coercive practices.
Meanwhile, in 2024, we meet Allison Garrett, a software engineer who volunteers as a “search angel” helping others find biological relatives through DNA testing. When Allison decides to test her own DNA to discover her mother Heather’s birth family (despite her mother’s reluctance), she uncovers a shocking connection: her best friend Bree Harper is actually her first cousin, and their mothers are twins who were separated at birth.
The parallel storytelling proves remarkably effective, allowing readers to experience both the heartbreaking circumstances of Molly’s youth and the ripple effects of those events decades later. As one timeline moves toward separation, the other moves toward reunion, creating a satisfying narrative structure that reinforces the book’s themes of loss and reconnection.
The Baby Scoop Era Brought to Life
Where Langston truly excels is in her meticulous and emotionally honest portrayal of what historians now call the “Baby Scoop Era”—the period from the end of World War II through the early 1970s when unwed mothers were routinely pressured to relinquish their babies. Through Molly’s experiences, readers witness the casual cruelty of maternity home staff, the psychological manipulation employed by social workers, and the complicity of families who prioritized appearances over supporting their daughters.
One particularly powerful scene occurs when Molly gives birth to twins and discovers the home’s director has already arranged for her son to be adopted by one family while planning to place her daughter with another.
The casual dismissal of Molly’s maternal rights is both historically accurate and emotionally devastating. These moments highlight Langston’s skill at making readers feel the institutional callousness that characterized the era without descending into melodrama.
Complex Characters Facing Impossible Choices
The novel’s greatest strength lies in its nuanced characterization. Rather than creating simplistic heroes and villains, Langston presents flawed individuals who make difficult choices within the constraints of their time and circumstances.
Molly emerges as the heart of the story—a young woman forced to navigate impossible choices without support. Her journey from scared teenager to accomplished software pioneer and minister’s wife showcases remarkable resilience. Yet Langston doesn’t paint her as a perfect victim; Molly makes questionable decisions and harbors understandable resentments.
Similarly, Galen Harper—the boy who fathered Molly’s twins—is neither demonized nor excused. His inability to stand up to his parents has lasting consequences, yet his regret and eventual attempts at reconciliation feel authentic rather than contrived.
In the present-day timeline, Allison and Bree must reckon with how this newly discovered history affects their lifelong friendship. Heather’s reluctance to engage with her birth family creates tension, while Everett struggles to reconcile his identity as both son and grandson to the people who raised him.
Langston excels at depicting how family secrets become complicated emotional tangles that resist easy solutions. There are no perfect reunions here, just messy human beings trying to create new connections while honoring old ones.
Historical Context and Feminist Undercurrents
“Once You Were Mine” subtly examines the changing social expectations for women across generations. Molly’s limited options in the 1960s stand in stark contrast to the choices available to her granddaughters in 2024. Throughout her life trajectory, we witness the transformation of American society’s attitudes toward unwed mothers, women in the workplace, and family structures.
Langston particularly shines when illustrating the misogyny encoded in adoption practices of the era. Girls were punished for sexual activity while boys faced few consequences; mothers were deemed unfit simply because they weren’t married; and the trauma inflicted on birth mothers was dismissed as necessary sacrifice for the “greater good” of conventional family structures.
The novel’s feminist perspective extends to Molly’s professional journey as well. Her career in software engineering during the 1970s and 80s places her among the pioneering women in technology—another historically accurate detail that adds dimension to her character. As Langston writes in her author’s note, Molly’s fictional consulting firm was inspired by real companies founded by female programmers Elsie Shutt and Stephanie “Steve” Shirley in the mid-twentieth century.
Narrative Structure and Pacing
The dual-timeline structure generally serves the story well, though occasionally the present-day conflicts feel less compelling than the historical sections. Some readers may find themselves more invested in Molly’s journey than in the somewhat predictable DNA discovery plot. The contemporary timeline occasionally suffers from exposition-heavy dialogue as characters explain genealogical concepts or adoption history to each other.
The novel’s pacing is uneven in places. The first third of the book moves at a measured pace, immersing readers in Molly’s experiences at the maternity home. The middle section, covering Molly’s life from the 1970s through the 1990s, feels somewhat rushed by comparison. The final third, focused on the family reunion, regains momentum and delivers an emotionally satisfying, if somewhat idealized, resolution.
Stylistic Considerations
Langston’s prose is clear and accessible, prioritizing emotional resonance over stylistic flourishes. While this straightforward approach suits the subject matter, there are moments when more lyrical language might have elevated key emotional beats. The dialogue is generally naturalistic, though occasionally characters deliver information in ways that serve the reader more than the scene.
The novel’s greatest stylistic strength is its ability to shift tone between timelines while maintaining thematic coherence. Chapters set in the maternity home carry appropriate weight and darkness, while present-day scenes balance serious subject matter with moments of warmth and humor.
Strengths and Weaknesses
What Works Well:
- Historical accuracy: Langston’s meticulous research into maternity homes, adoption practices, and women in early computing adds authenticity and depth.
- Character development: Major characters evolve convincingly throughout the narrative.
- Emotional impact: The novel tackles difficult subject matter with sensitivity and honesty.
- Intergenerational perspective: By showing how past decisions reverberate through multiple generations, the book offers nuanced insights into family dynamics.
Where It Falls Short:
- Secondary character development: Some side characters, particularly in the present-day timeline, remain somewhat one-dimensional.
- Conflict resolution: A few interpersonal conflicts are resolved too neatly, particularly Heather’s eventual acceptance of her birth family.
- Structural balance: The contemporary timeline occasionally lacks the emotional heft of the historical sections.
- Ending: While emotionally satisfying, the epilogue wraps things up a bit too tidily for a story that had previously acknowledged the messiness of human relationships.
Comparison to Similar Works
“Once You Were Mine” shares thematic similarities with Kristin Hannah’s “The Four Winds” and Christina Baker Kline’s “Orphan Train” in its exploration of historical practices that separated families. Like Delia Owens’ “Where the Crawdads Sing,” it examines how isolation shapes a young woman’s development. The DNA discovery element recalls Dani Shapiro’s memoir “Inheritance” and the fiction of Jodi Picoult.
What distinguishes Langston’s novel is its specific focus on maternity homes and forced adoptions—a dark chapter in American history that has received less literary attention than other forms of family separation. By giving voice to experiences that were traditionally silenced, “Once You Were Mine” contributes meaningfully to our understanding of women’s history.
The Power of Research in Historical Fiction
In her author’s note, Langston acknowledges her reliance on Ann Fessler’s groundbreaking work “The Girls Who Went Away” and the documentary “Girls Like Us,” which collected firsthand accounts from women who experienced maternity homes. This research foundation strengthens the novel’s authenticity and honors the real experiences that inspired Molly’s fictional journey.
The author’s personal connection to the subject matter—her husband works as a search angel—adds another layer of credibility to the DNA discovery aspects of the plot. Rather than using genetic genealogy merely as a plot device, Langston demonstrates a nuanced understanding of how DNA testing is changing our concept of family in the twenty-first century.
Final Assessment
“Once You Were Mine” is a moving exploration of motherhood, identity, and the long shadow cast by institutional injustice. Elizabeth Langston has crafted a novel that functions both as engaging women’s fiction and as a window into a troubling period of American history when young women were systematically separated from their babies under the guise of morality.
The novel’s strength lies in its compassionate portrayal of characters across generations struggling to make peace with painful truths. Though occasionally hampered by structural imbalances and too-neat resolutions, the emotional core of the story remains powerful and authentic.
For readers interested in historical fiction that illuminates women’s experiences, “Once You Were Mine” offers a compelling blend of personal drama and social history. It reminds us that family secrets don’t stay buried forever, and that healing begins with acknowledging painful truths.
Pros:
- Impeccable historical research
- Emotionally resonant storytelling
- Compelling dual timeline structure
- Complex, believable characters
Cons:
- Occasional pacing issues
- Some too-neat resolutions
- Secondary characters could be more developed
For Readers Who Enjoyed:
- “Before We Were Yours” by Lisa Wingate
- “The Lost Daughter” by Elena Ferrante
- “Inheritance” by Dani Shapiro
- “The Girls Who Went Away” by Ann Fessler (non-fiction)
“Once You Were Mine” stands as a testament to the resilience of women who survived the Baby Scoop Era and a thoughtful examination of how the past continues to shape our present. Elizabeth Langston has created a memorable story about finding family—not just through genetic connections, but through forgiveness, understanding, and the courage to face difficult truths.
