The Other Family by Loretta Nyhan is a sweet, short read about Ally Anderson, a passionate mom trying to unpuzzle her daughter’s mystery autoimmune illness. After trying seemingly everything that modern medicine has to offer, Ally turns to a homeopathic doctor and at-home DNA kits to unravel her daughter’s condition. Along the way, Ally finds her biological aunt, and struggles to reconcile her place between her newfound biological family, adoptive mother, and separating husband.

Being a short read, I really enjoyed this book for what it was. The characters were fun and interesting, and each had their own flaws. The Other Family also avoided some clichés, (that I won’t get into to avoid spoilers) which was refreshing to see in this genre. The book touches on very important topics both in the realms of family/community and chronic illness, but I wish these had been explored a little more. Some examples that were mentioned but quickly forgotten include cultural appropriation and the dangers posed by fake service animals (especially since the daughter is within a population that might need to use a service dog). Overall, I thought the book was just the right length and a positive, happy story that wasn’t always cliché.

Note: I received a free ebook copy of The Other Family from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A very good novel about a woman fighting for her daughter- and finding truths about herself. Kylie's illness threw everything clockwise in Allie's world. She's determined, despite all the roadblocks, to find out her own genetic history. You'll feel for her and root for her. I liked this because she's such a strong character and because Nyhan hasn't forgotten to include the everyday. It's written in a storytelling style that will pull you in and keep you reading. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I'm going to look for more from Nyhan.

I loved this exploration of family! It was touching and raw, exploring many real life topics in a relatable way. The journey of the characters evolved in a realistic way. The book touched on many topics but was not overdone. The main character was likable and relatable. This was a quick, easy read that left me smiling. My thanks to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

I see I’m in the minority on this one but this book did nothing for me. I could not connect to the characters and just didn’t enjoy it that much. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

I liked this book. It is a very creative story - certainly not the same one you've read hundreds of times. It's written in a casual way that is very relatable and easy to read. I will say that I didn't connect super strongly with any of the characters, but they are all well-drawn and all play their roles in the story development. I didn't really think that the storyline of the school board election was necessary to the book and at times it really distracted. It wasn't as well crafted as the other storylines. I was intrigued about the ways that people who deal with severe allergies have to look at and move through life - a lot of these things you would never think about if you didn't have to.

Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC of this book - all opinions are my own.

Ally has a ten and half year old daughter named Kylie.Kylies immune system is acting up with no clear cause. They have turned to alternative medicine. I loved seeing how Ally handled dealing with her seperated husband and handling Kylie's care. I agree with Ally's mom that love is stronger than blood.❤️

“The Other Family” by Loretta Nyhan


What a delightful and energizing novel. What does family mean to you? What is your definition? Is it always blood relations or those you make?

For Ally Anderson, that definition gets blurred when her daughters DNA test comes back with some interesting information. As Ally is adopted, she feels like she needs to meet a member of her blood relation to see how this may help her daughter over come her multiple inflammatory illnesses. Her biggest problem is that her adoptive mother has been very clear that Ally is her daughter and there are no questions to be asked.

When both sides of her “family” end up meeting in an unplanned event, a lot takes place to bring them “together,” sort of. It takes an another unplanned event to truly bring them all together.

An enjoyable novel of moving forward, facing new challenges, confronting ones past and present, and learning what family and friendship is really all about.

An enjoyable and engaging novel one will fall in love with.

Rating: 4.8
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


** I personally chose to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. All thought and opinions are my own. I now currently own a copy of this novel.

This is definitely a powerful novel!
We need to stop fearing change. Change is difficult, but accepting it is what keeps us resilient and competitive."
This is a novel of love, family, fear, and challenges.
Every parent prays their child will be happy. When Kylie is diagnosed with severe food allergies, Ally's only goal is to "fix" her daughter. NO matter how much it costs.
Ally was adopted as a young child and has no clues to her family problems if any.
She agrees to do a DNA analysis as per Kylie's new physician to find out what medical clues might unfold.
Little does she realize all it will lead to.
Perhaps a new "fix" for her daughter and her entire family! Excellent!

The Other Family is a story about families - or rather, the many facets of family.
There is your biological family, your family on paper or adopted family, the family you chose to marry, your own family you started and the friends you chose to be your family.
Ally is on the way to divorcing, her daughter Kylie has strong allergies and other undefined illnesses, money is tight and she is living with her mother. In order to try and help her daughter, they take a DNA test to find her biological family and hopefully get details on Kylie's family medical history.
It isn't easy to navigate and everyone deals with it differently. Those aspects have been well incorporated in the story, with some characters building bridges easily, others struggling to changes to their definition of family.
While it is fiction and methods and treatments aren't examples of real life, it is uplifting to read a story where everything turns out well at the end and the quirky character of Bernie adds a little twist to the family drama.

I've been excited about this book since I first heard about it, and it did not disappoint. The characters sucked you into the story and the story kept you turning pages as fast as you could. I devoured it in a day. I loved it.

This was such a heartfelt and emotional read. Ally's daughter's Kylie's health diagnosis changes Ally's life as she is dealing with a marriage ending. The author was realistic in her portrayal in Ally's reaction to the sudden family she finds and of how that affects her being that she is adopted. There were so many layers to this story and it was a delight to read!

Through the eyes of Ally Anderson, a delightfully vulnerable and surprisingly powerful woman who will stop at nothing on her quest to cure her daughter’s mysterious illness, Nyhan redefines the traditional boundaries of family and reminds us that strength can be displayed in unexpected and unusual ways. I loved every minute of this book and its cast of lovable, eccentric people—don’t miss it! ~Kerry Anne King, bestselling author of Whisper Me This and Everything You Are