Member Reviews

I like the idea of finding DNA relatives you don’t know you have. I found a cousin I didn’t know I had, and it was pretty exciting. But reading this was a slow climb in, combined with long-winded, go nowhere chapters that didn’t work for me. There were a lot of things that didn’t contribute to the overall story, including Keaton. I also didn’t see any positives in Walt, who isn’t as laid back as the story laid out. He was aggressive and controlling, and I was happy when Caroline finally found that strength we had been hearing about and told him to chill. I think this book will appeal to a lot more people than it did for me. It’s clear I am an outlier in my thoughts on this. Thank you, St. Martin’s, for sending this along.

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A simple Christmas gift wasn’t meant to change everyone’s life, but that’s exactly what happened when a DNA test revealed that Caroline had a half sister. There must be some mistake, but when her dad receives the message that he has another daughter, things really get interesting. Sela never knew who her biological father was, but due to medical conditions she’s encouraged to do a DNA test by friends and family, but when it comes right down to it she has no intention of doing “the big ask”. As Sela’s health worsens, Caroline is willing to go the distance with her half sister, but will Sela accept her gift? Will Caroline be a match or will it be too late to save Sela? The DNA test is not the only secret each family is holding on to and as the secrets are revealed lives are forever changed.

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Caroline may have had a DNA test just for fun but for Sela the test is critical for her health This story is quite predictable but does give readers some information about chronic kidney disease. A lot of family drama is told from both Caroline and Sela's points of view. A lot of looking backwards and not enough into the future. Although Sela had many issues I felt that she misled Caroline. Too much drama to be realistic.

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Caroline is gifted a DNA test from her husband, Walt. One day she receives an email saying she has a match to a half-sister, Sela. Caroline is shocked by the results and feels the need to uncover the truth without hurting her family.

Sela had her own reasons for the DNA test, she needs a kidney. With no other family around, she is in desperate need to find a match. The story alternates between Caroline and Sela and their search for answers. There were a lot of emotions in this family drama which made it an interesting read for me.

I would recommend this book to those who love women’s fiction and family drama. I give it 3.5 stars rounding it up to 4.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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4.5 stars. There is so much to be discovered within these pages. This tells the story of Caroline and Sela who turn out to be half sisters who never knew about each other. A very innocuous family Christmas gift of a DNA test turns this up and there are far reaching implications and consequences, as Sela is very sick and in need of something that perhaps Caroline can provide. But there are so many secrets and untold stories. I absolutely loved the relationship between Caroline and her husband. There were two pretty major twists that I didn't see coming at all and just sat there with my jaw on the ground. This is definitely NOT a thriller, more of women's fiction, but it was a consuming story.

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Although I tried to get through this book, it just didn't work for me. Caroline discovers she has a half-sister as a result of a DNA test. The half-sister has her own agenda. The story goes back and forth between Caroline and the sister, Sela. I just couldn't get into it - the characters, the storyline - just dragged. I have liked other books by this author, but this one I had to give a pass.

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Two years ago, I gifted my family with ancestry.com kits do test our DNA. No big surprises for us and we have yet to figure out what all the online connections mean! But having done that, I was very interested in the book by Jessica Strawser, A Million Reasons Why, about a family who does something very similar - but with drastically different results!

Caroline and her family also get DNA tests for Christmas. It turns out she has a DNA match with a woman - a half sister - who is her age. The sister, Sela, is in search of a kidney donor. Caroline is faced with confusion, life altering decisions, and family turmoil as a result. The story is told from alternating points of view from Caroline and Sela which helps create the intensity of the plot,

This story says so much about family, generational secrets, faith and also love. It got a bit medical for me, which I wasn't expecting when I began the book - but proved to be a very fascinating story.

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When each of Caroline's family members get a 23 and me kit for Christmas, they see it as a lark, simply a way to learn more about their heritage. But when a half sister is discovered, the family is thrown in to tumult. Caroline learns some hard truth about her father, and later, her mother. As Caroline tries no navigate a relationship with her new sister, she has to examine her family's true identity and her own. A MILLION REASONS WHY has credible, interesting characters and a scenario that is all too believable in this information age. Beautifully written and full of surprises, A MILLION REASONS WHY is an exceptional read and one I would recommend to both friends and family.

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A million reasons why…or why not?

Caroline, a happily married mother of three, is thrilled when her husband Walt takes charge of the family Christmas list and gifts them with DNA tests. The results are far more revealing that she can imagine. She has a DNA match - a half sister who is her age. Sela, her sister, wants to meet her. The problems, all so easily imagined and understood, mount. Who is Sela’s mother and what was her relationship to Caroline’s father? Does she want to meet Sela?

She does. And when she does, she learns that Sela’s kidneys are failing and her best hope is a kidney transplant from… a relative. Again, problems that are easily imagined and understood. Is this why Sela contacted Caroline? Does kidney disease run in the family? Might Caroline’s children one day need kidney transplants? Caroline and Sela’s growing bond makes her choice more difficult.

Told in the alternating voices of Caroline and Sela, A Million Reasons why examines family, love and the myriad reasons why we make choices and how those choices have effects long after they are made. It’s also full of information about kidney disease, organ donation and mental health problems that seamlessly become part of the story. This is a book to remember. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Jessica Strawser for this ARC.

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Many twists & turns to this story, keeping your attention & making you wonder. I found the idea of the book interesting & I related to the medical aspect because of my career. I enjoyed seeing the story play out from both main characters’ perspectives. However, the writing style of this author was almost too much to bear.

I kept going with this book because I wanted to see how it ended - & I am glad I did. I appreciated the surprises at the end. It took longer than most to read because I really had to force myself to stay focused. The lengthy, run on sentences, joined with commas & prepositional phrases ad nauseam, made this very difficult to enjoy.

This review has also been shared on Good Reads.

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A Million Reasons Why by Jessica Strawser

When two strangers are linked by a mail-in DNA test, it’s an answered prayer - for one half-sister. For the other, it will dismantle everything she knows to be true.

This was an emotional book with many secrets and betrayals. As the secrets become known, the family, as they know it, becomes threatened. Well-written, interesting characters. Liked the twist at the end. I enjoyed this book.

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Imagine taking a DNA test and finding out you have a half-sister. That’s exactly what happens in this story. The two end up forming a very unconventional relationship and helping each other through difficult times. This was a good storyline, but seemed to drag a little for me.

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This was a good book with an entertaining storyline. There were a few twists along the way, and the ending was a bit of a stretch, but the characters were likable and I enjoyed my time. Definitely worth a read. This might fit in a psychology class about mental health, or a class about patients on a transplant list. It also deals with societal issues with transplant lists

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3,5 stars
This was the first book by J. Strawser I read but it will not be the last.
The charakters go through an intensive development and the plot is compelling. Plus the DNA-approach is something that I find very intriguing!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

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A DNA test reveals a secret half-sister who's looking for more than just a relationship. The premise sounds very promising and the book started off very intriguing. However, as I continued reading, there was just too much of everything... too much going on, overly dramatic, overly written. The characters became either deeply unlikeable or unbelievable.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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This is a very timely novel about the increasing popularity of genetic testing sites. For Christmas, Caroline’s husband gives everyone in the family a genetic testing kit so they can learn more about their ancestry. But the test also determines that Caroline has a half-sister out there, very close to her own age and who is attempting to contact Caroline.
This news tears the family apart; mom and dad separate, Caroline and her husband disagree on how to respond, and the kids are excited to meet their new aunt.
Sela, the newest family member, has an ulterior motive for reaching out to find relatives. She’s in dire need of a kidney transplant and so far has had no luck finding a match. She devotes her time to caring for her 2-year-old son, eating healthy, and trying to maintain a civil relationship with her ex-husband, who apparently left her at the worst possible time. She’s an only child, has lost her mother, and is basically alone in her struggle to survive kidney failure. Caroline comes from a happy and robust family, happily married with three kids of her own. But as they learn more about each other and their families, it slowly evolves that Caroline needs Sela’s compassion more than the other way around.
My favorite take on this book is the information I learned about kidney failure, donors, and the entire painful process. It explains so much in such a positive and encouraging way. Even though there are many failures, the successful transplants make it worth it. I love how the author gently combined a heartbreaking work of fiction with an informative narrative encouraging donors and recipients both.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The release date is March 23, 2021.

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What would you do if you found out you had a sibling you knew nothing about? If you found out that someone you loved had been lying to you, about quite a few things? What if your new sibling needed something that only you could give?

Ms Strawser weaves a family drama, leading you where you are sure the story is going, then throwing something subtly and unexpected into the mix. Story is heartbreaking in so many ways. What starts as a fun family gift of a DNA test, opens up a whole new world. I loved the characters and their surrounding drama as this story unfolded. They are so relatable. Their emotions, and reasonings about the situations, are raw and honest. This story hit home for me as my sister had kidney issues. If you are looking for a good story to curl up with, I recommend this one! Pub Date is 3/23/21!

Thanks to Ms. Strawser, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

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Wow! A made for movie book if there ever was one, or it may already be one. Read the synopsis, it gives you the basics, I don't give book reports or spoilers. This book will take you on a journey of family, secrets and ommissions from the past that cause turmoil for all involved. Then it will bring you back to finding redemption, and learning to live past those and into the here and now. The characters are well developed and the conversations realistic and thought provoking. There are a few twists in the story you won't see coming but are understandable. One of the most unique and moving books I've read in awhile. Get your Kleenex ready, you may need it in a few places. This would be an excellent book for book club discussions.
I was provided an advanced reader copy of the book and was under no obligation to provide a review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

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A Million Reasons Why by Jessica Strawser is a thought provoking novel filled with multi-layered characters that will keep you reading all night long. Caroline and Sela are half sisters who are linked through a mail in DNA test who have very different lives. There are so many questions and secrets in both women's lives.
What if I found out my father had an affair with my mother's best friend and this affair produced a secret child?
What if I found out that my mother knew about this half sibling, while my father didn't?
What if this sister has end stage kidney disease and is in need of a kidney donor?
A great read and a real tear-jerker!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

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This was an interesting take on the current DNA test rage. There were a couple big “shockers” but overall, this was a slow burn. This was character driven and the multiple perspectives really made the story shine. Unfortunately, it got a little long for me since the outcome was pretty clear. I enjoyed the sister dynamic and the family relations. My thanks to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

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