Spoiler warning: this post explains the full ending of Before We Were Yours. If you have not finished the book, stop here and come back later.
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Quick answer: Elderly May Crandall reveals to Avery Stafford that she is Rill Foss, one of five siblings stolen in 1939 by the Tennessee Children's Home Society and adopted out. Avery's grandmother Judy is Rill's sister Fern, and the sisters, separated as children, reunite in their old age.
Quick facts
– Book: Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
– First published: 2017
– Type: A historical novel
– Tone of the ending: Heartbreaking and hopeful
Table of Contents
What Leads Up to the Ending
In 1939, the Foss children live on a shantyboat on the Mississippi. When their parents go to the hospital, the children are taken by Georgia Tann's agency, which sells children to wealthy families. In the present, Avery, a senator's daughter, meets May at a nursing home and learns of a connection.
What Happens at the End of Before We Were Yours
In the children's home, Rill tries desperately to keep her siblings together, but they are given to different families one by one. Rill and Fern are adopted together by a kind couple, and later Rill finds some of her other sisters as adults. The sisters made a pact to keep their past secret to protect each other's new lives. In the present, Avery digs into records with Trent Turner, whose grandfather helped families find each other, and she realizes that her own grandmother Judy, now living with dementia, is Fern. Avery brings May and Judy together, and the old sisters recognize each other. Avery chooses to break her engagement to her childhood friend and to build a life with Trent.
The Ending in 4 Quick Points
- The sisters reunite.
- The scandal is real.
- Avery finds her own path.
- Family history is revealed.
What Happens to the Main Characters
| Character | What happens to them |
|---|---|
| Rill Foss (May Crandall) | Reunites with Fern |
| Fern Foss (Judy) | Avery's grandmother |
| Avery Stafford | Chooses her own life |
| Georgia Tann | Real orphanage director |
What the Ending Means
The ending celebrates family bonds and exposes a real scandal.
Other Ways to Read the Ending
Readers are often shocked to learn that Georgia Tann and the Tennessee Children's Home Society were real, and that thousands of children were taken and sold between the 1920s and 1950. Many readers go on to read nonfiction about the scandal.
Themes the Ending Brings Together
Family. Siblings find each other.
Injustice. Children were sold.
Identity. Avery learns her heritage.
Is the Ending Happy or Sad?
Most readers describe the ending of Before We Were Yours as heartbreaking and hopeful. How you feel about it usually depends on what you hoped for the characters and what you expected Lisa Wingate to do with the story, so it is worth asking friends how they felt before you compare notes.
Who Will Like This Ending
Readers who enjoy endings that are heartbreaking and hopeful will find a lot to talk about here. If you prefer every thread tied up neatly, it helps to know in advance how Lisa Wingate closes the story, which is exactly why many readers look it up. Either way, the final chapters reward a second look once you know where everything is heading, because small details from the middle of the book start to matter. If you are reading with a group, agree beforehand whether everyone has finished, so nobody has the last chapters spoiled.
Discussion Questions About the Ending
If you are reading Before We Were Yours with a book club or a friend, these questions work well once everyone has finished:
- Did the ending surprise you, or had you seen it coming from the first chapters?
- What does the final scene say about family, and do you agree with Lisa Wingate's view?
- Which character made the most important choice in the last part of the book, and was it the right one?
- How would the story feel if it had ended one chapter earlier or one chapter later?
- Does the ending leave you hopeful about the characters, or do you worry about what comes next?
- Would you describe the ending as heartbreaking and hopeful, or would you choose a different word?
How to Read the Final Chapters Again
- Compare the opening with the close. Look at how the first chapter introduces family and how the ending answers it.
- Track each final choice. The table above shows where every main character ends up, so ask which of those outcomes was earned.
- Notice what Lisa Wingate leaves unsaid. Gaps in the last pages are often deliberate, and they are where most of the debate about the ending begins.
- Listen for echoes. Images, phrases or settings from earlier in Before We Were Yours often return in the final scene with a new meaning.
Questions to Ask Yourself After Finishing
- Was the ending of Before We Were Yours earned by what came before it, or did it feel sudden?
- Which character's final moment affected you most, and why?
- If you could change one thing about the last chapters, what would it be?
- Did the ending change how you think about the opening pages?
Check price of Before We Were Yours on Amazon
Books to Read After Before We Were Yours
- The Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
- The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate
Related: 15 Books Like Before We Were Yours You’ll Love
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens at the end of Before We Were Yours?
Elderly May Crandall reveals to Avery Stafford that she is Rill Foss, one of five siblings stolen in 1939 by the Tennessee Children's Home Society and adopted out. Avery's grandmother Judy is Rill's sister Fern, and the sisters, separated as children, reunite in their old age.
Is the ending of Before We Were Yours happy or sad?
Most readers call it heartbreaking and hopeful.
What does the ending of Before We Were Yours mean?
The ending celebrates family bonds and exposes a real scandal.
Who wrote Before We Were Yours and when was it published?
Before We Were Yours was written by Lisa Wingate and first published in 2017.
Is Before We Were Yours worth reading if I already know the ending?
Yes, especially if you enjoy historical novels. Knowing the ending can make a first read richer, because you notice how Lisa Wingate prepares for it from the opening chapters.
Should I read Before We Were Yours before reading the ending explained?
Yes, if you plan to read it, because this post gives away the whole ending.