What Was Never Mine

Three siblings, three lost souls...

Shattered by a past shrouded in mystery, can understanding the truth finally bring peace to the Ross family? Twenty years ago, their mother disappeared from their lives under circumstances they were too young to understand. Now grown, they struggle with their own demons, each carrying the weight of unanswered questions about their mother’s absence and their father’s unspoken grief. Burdened by a lifetime of regret, he watches helplessly as his family is torn apart, and in desperation demands that they enlist the help of a therapist. Forced to confront their shared history, painful truths are revealed: their mother’s battle with mental illness, her years in a psychiatric institution, and the decision that changed everything. As long-buried secrets come to light, the siblings must untangle their resentment, explore their own mental health struggles, and learn the shocking truth about what really happened to their mother.

What Never Was Mine is a deeply emotional novel about the complex legacies of trauma and mental illness, and a powerful exploration of family, forgiveness, and the ties that bind us — even when everything seems broken. It reminds us that even in the darkest moments, empathy and compassion can light the way toward healing. With her signature sensitivity and humanity, Janice Berliner has crafted a window into the lives of a family with multiple psychiatric issues, their fractured relationships, struggles, and triumphs. This poignant and gripping story will stay with you long after you turn the last page.

COMING SOON...
IN 2025