A Million Reasons Why explores a popular contemporary topic: the disruptive impact upon families of DNA testing that yields shocking results.

When Caroline's husband, Walt, gave DNA test kits to the family for Christmas, she didn't complain. Although she had never seen the appeal of DNA testing, she was just happy that Walt helped with the shopping. An only child, she was confident there was no possibility that she would find a sibling she had no knowledge of. So when she receives an email from a woman claiming to be her half-sister, she dismisses it. After all, she reviewed her results and found no surprises.

Worse, Sela claims she is, like Caroline, thirty-five years old and their birthdays are just a couple of months apart. She lives in North Carolina, a half day's drive from Caroline's home.

Caroline determines that Sela's results were uploaded into the company's database after Caroline's. And Caroline did not request notification of subsequently-discovered close relatives. So when she logs into her account, the database updates, announcing that Sela Bell is her half sibling. She logs into her parents' accounts and discovers that they have not accessed the software. But when she clicks the opt-in box in her father's account, he receives the same notification declaring that Sela Bell is his daughter.

Caroline's life changes forever and irrevocably.

Strawser is not the first author to tackle the thorny topic of DNA testing bringing shocking and sometimes devastating results that change lives and shatter families. But she does so with compassion in a well-balanced story of half-sisters who would otherwise never have known each other existed.

The test results wreak havoc in Caroline's well-ordered life and close-knit family, and her father is forced to confess the truth that she was never meant to learn. But he is determined not to hurt her mother further, insisting that he will not meet Sela. Caroline doubts everything she ever knew to be true about her parents, their relationship, and the family in which she was raised. Now she has to face the disappointment, disbelief, and distrust she feels toward the man who raised her, loving her unconditionally. She naturally resents "having to think of who else he might have failed along the way." And further complicating matters, she learns that her mother has manipulated her life in unimaginable and, perhaps, unforgivable ways.

The two women forge a tenuous relationship. Caroline wants to meet Sela, feeling that her father failed Sela and her late mother, Rebecca. Meanwhile, Sela is being pressured to find a kidney donor while there's still time. She actually attends a seminar where participants are coached about how to handle "The Big Ask: The Big Give." After all, she needs to endear herself to her newly-found half-sister because she could be a match, a donor. But Sela is certain that she could never ask someone for a kidney, especially a sister she just found. But at every doctor's appointment, she is warned that her condition is worsening. And Sela is terrified that she will die and leave her beautiful two-year-old son, Brody, without a mother.

Strawser credibly portrays the inner turmoil that Caroline suffers when she learns about Sela. The revelation causes her to question all aspects of her life and values, and the foundation upon which she created a family with Walt, all of which is compounded by her determined search for answers about the past and Sela's actual circumstances. Strawser's characters are fully formed, layered, and each is sympathetic in his/her own way, despite the choices and mistakes they have made. A Million Reasons Why is devoid of heroes or villains but is, rather, populated by deeply flawed characters, some of whom did terrible things for reasons they believed to be justifiable.

Strawser cleverly injects twists and turns along the way that keep the story interesting as readers attempt, along with Caroline, to piece together the shocking and heartbreaking truth. Including why Sela is seeking a kidney donor on her own, rather than waiting to be selected from a transplant candidate list.

Through her characters, Strawser unflinchingly examines what it really means to be part of a family, and what, if anything, family members owe each other. She addresses mental illness, grief, and the catastrophic damage both can inflict on marriage. The story is timely and believable, and illustrates how scientific processes made commercially available to consumers can unearth decades-old secrets that were meant to stay buried, with unforeseen and far-reaching consequences. Strawser thoughtfully questions whether damage done to relationships when secrets are revealed can be forgiven and if things can eventually be made right again. A Million Reasons Why is thoroughly imagined and impeccably crafted. It's a poignant, sensitive, and thoroughly compelling story that would be a perfect choice for book clubs because of the numerous aspects of the story that invite discussion and debate.

This was an amazing book but some of the topics hit so close to home for me that it took me months to finish it. I was invested in the storyline, it's truly fascinating, but the affair and secret child was too much for me at the moment, having to deal with it myself right now. With that said, the characters are well rounded and I always thought that I loved an unreliable narrator until this book. Now, I'm not so sure. I was so shocked when that part came out. I didn't see it or recognize anything off at all! It broke my heart, honestly. But that's part of the beauty of this book.

There's so much going on between Sela and Caroline that they're raw and truly realistic. Neither has the perfect life and neither really ever will, just like you and me. Jessica Strawser never disappoints in her writing style and this is no exception. I just wish I had read it before I knew everything that I know now.

A Million Reasons Why was emotional. It was an honest journey through the lives of these two half-sisters. It's an interesting concept in the time of Ancestry and 23 and Me and such, but it was a JOURNEY. I don't believe that I would pick it up again, but I don't regret reading it.

Thank you to NetGallery for ARC of A Million Reasons Why in exchange for my honest review.
Two half-sisters are brought together through a DNA test. Caroline has had a happy life, with a close family, loving husband and kids. Sela has grown up without a father. Not knowing who he was, her mother refusing to discuss it. Sela's marriage does not survive when she becomes ill from Kidney disease, Her husband will not divorce her because he still cares about her and he wants to be sure she can remain insured for treatments, The likelihood of finding a donor match is slim to none. Sela is distraught over what this could mean for her two year old son. With this pushing her, she tries the DNA services so popular these days.
Needless to say, Caroline's family is torn apart by the unearthing of her new sibling. Despite much apprehension the two begin to exchange emails and eventually plan to meet. Will Sela have the courage to make the "big ask"?
The writing seemed a bit tedious at times, almost as if all the words were getting in the way of the story. I found myself skimming big portions of it feeling the that the story could be told with much more impact with fewer pages. I never felt truly vested in the characters. By the end, it felt to me as if the author had used up her quota of words and so the ending felt abrupt and left me with the feeling of "huh'? I don't think this was what the author was going for.

This was such a complex book. The characters and relationships had so much depth and colour. The struggles were so vivid and the way it wrapped up in the end was quite satisfying. Good read!

My goodness, there was a lot going on in this book. I enjoyed it as it was an easy, quick read but I can guarantee I won't remember much about it once I post this review. The characters were well-developed and the author's writing is becoming stronger than in her past books. A thought-provoking but not altogether memorable read.

What would you do if you found out you had a secret sister?

I think these DNA test stories are fascinating and I'm kind of curious now about getting tested! I feel like my results would be super boring, but I'm not sure if I'd want an exciting twist like a surprise sibling!

I had a hard time getting into this one - the build up was very slow... I think I'd give the first half maybe 3 stars and the second half 5 stars - because the ending was SO GOOD! But I had a hard time getting there. So, I'll say, stick with it - it's a necessary build up and will get going before you know it.

There's definitely a lot of questions this book explores. How well do you know your own family? What lengths would you go to protect your own, or save yourself? When does the line cross between ethics and what is right and good? I loved the characters in this one - perfectly developed and you feel like you are part of the story and the drama. The writing is top notch, as always with Jessica, and although the first half was a bit slow for me, the second half makes it worth the read.

This story is so full of plot points it is both exciting and a bit overwhelming. Overall, I enjoyed the story and think it will be a great spring read. Caroline is a mother of three young children with a full life so she is shocked to discover she has a half-sister after taking a DNA test. Sela is excited to discover the match because she is in need of a kidney transplant. The story goes back and forth between the two sister’s perspectives. This was an important pattern because it allows the reader to connect with each sister and her feelings. This story is full of moral dilemmas and weighted questions. At the end I was left with confusion about some of the medical issues presented but I could put them aside to enjoy the ride. This is a book you will want to buddy read because there are lots of aspects to discuss with someone else. This was an emotional and thought-provoking read, for sure.

Thanks to Jessica Strawser, St. Martin Press, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of A Million Reasons Why. I loved this book about two half sisters who discover each other through a DNA search. Sela and Caroline find each other, healing family relationships. Great read!

A family drama told from alternating views of half-sisters Caroline and Sela. Caroline is married with 3 children and is close to her parents. Her husband gifts them all DNA tests for Christmas and the unexpectable happens when a woman, Sela, reaches out to her due to a match. Everything Caroline has known about her parents is turned upside down as she is torn between her family and a half-sister she
wants to get to know. What she does not know is Sela is battling kidney failure and did the DNA test to find out if she has a match for a kidney doner on her father’s side. But Sela quickly realizes she cannotask Caroline to test as a potential doner and wants to focus on developing a relationship with her half￾sister. What happens when Caroline learns the situation Sela is in? Can Caroline ever forgive the fact her parents hid a sister from her?

This family drama is full of secrets and regret. It was an emotional read for me as I questioned what I would do when put in the situation of either of the sisters. I was disappointed in Caroline’s parents, but understand they were doing what the mother felt was right at the time to save her marriage all those years ago. This story was moving and provocative involving life and death decisions.

Omg this was so good. Not sure what I expected but I went in blind to and I'm so glad I did.
Thanks for this Arc. Can't wait to read more form this author.

Caroline and Sela are half-sisters, but only Sela knows this. Caroline finds out through a DNA test, and her life paradigm shifts. Sela needs her for a kidney transplant. Strawser is brilliant at portraying the harrowing unleashing of secrets, maintaining tension throughout the story, with a tiny cliffhanger at the end of each chapter that keeps the reader engaged. I highly recommend anything by her. I was fortunate to receive a digital copy from the publisher St. Martin's Press through NetGalley.

This was for sure a book I thought I would figure out mid-way...or at least by the end. Nope! It's filled with small twists that keep you leaning from one way to the next trying to figure out who is lying and who is telling the truth. It's a great page-turner filled with all the essentials - half-siblings, DNA testing, lying, secrets, family drama. This one does not disappoint! Pick this one up if you love a good mystery! Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When two women discover they’re half-sisters, they also unearth new information about themselves. As they begin to build a relationship with one another, they see all of their old relationships in new ways. Author Jessica Strawser tugs at heartstrings with her newest novel A Million Reasons Why.

In Ohio, Caroline is juggling three young children and a job as an event planner. Her husband, Walt, decides to give all the adults an unusual Christmas gift: DNA tests. Caroline, along with everyone else, spits into the vial, mails it off, and doesn’t give it another thought…until the DNA company lets her know about a half-sister.

An only child—or so she thought—Caroline is shocked and dismayed at the results. She’s always wanted a sister, but discovering she has one because of the infidelity of one of her parents seems too high a price to pay. When she confronts them, one parent reveals that they always suspected that a child came from the affair. The other parent says they made their amends for the affair and want to leave it at that. Both agree they want nothing to do with the entire situation. But Caroline is curious, so she reaches out to her half-sibling, Sela, who lives in Brevard, North Carolina.

An almost-divorced mother of a toddler, Sela is thrilled and terrified by the news that Caroline wants to talk to her. Sela also grew up an only child and also the child of a single parent. She’s wondered through the years about the family she never had, and now that Caroline has shown interest in connecting she’s afraid she’ll mess everything up. Because Sela has more than a passing interest in reaching out to Caroline.

Sela is suffering from kidney disease, and the only way to avoid lifelong dialysis is by receiving a donated kidney. There’s always the possibility of getting a kidney from donors who have died, but Sela’s particular case shows that receiving a kidney from a living donor will increase the odds of a better quality of life. Everyone in Sela’s life, including her ex, has gotten tested, but no one is a match. Sela hopes she can work up the nerve to ask Caroline to get tested too.

Both women make discoveries about themselves and one another as they begin emailing and then talking on the phone, and neither of them is fully prepared for what they learn. The more Caroline learns of the ways she’s tied to Brevard and, indirectly, Sela, the more she wishes she could have a second chance at everything she missed out. The more Sela spends time talking to Caroline, the more she realizes that maybe having a sister is enough. Maybe she doesn’t need a kidney from her after all, even if that costs her everything else.

Author Jessica Strawser builds a believable, relatable relationship between Caroline and Sela. Unlike sappy family dramas, Strawser shows how both women struggle with the information they learn and the decisions they must make. Neither hesitate to advocate for themselves, yet both also fight to be heard when well-meaning loved ones try to override their decisions.

If the book can be faulted anywhere, it is the underdevelopment of the relationship between Caroline and her parents. Much of what readers glean about Caroline’s parents comes from Caroline herself or her conversations with others. Readers don’t get to watch the couple as much, a shame considering how the affair set off the chain of events that follows in this novel.

Strawser is to be commended, however, for the refreshing choice not to have Caroline fall into the trap of an old relationship. Instead of pursuing an affair herself, a tried-and-tested trope of the genre, Caroline pivots when something unexpected comes up. Strawser gives Caroline room to grieve the loss of her first love without allowing that to distract her from her main goal: getting to know Sela.

Sela, too, comes across as believable and relatable. Her soon-to-be ex-husband doesn’t quite hit the mark—readers may question time and again why he continues to hang around if the two have decided to part ways. The line about sharing health insurance only works for so long, and readers may have a hard time buying into his constant presence.

A great plot twist will keep readers flipping or swiping pages to find out how the story is resolved. Fans of solid women’s fiction will definitely enjoy this one. I recommend readers Bookmark A Million Reasons Why.

Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced ecopy of A Million Reasons Why by Jessica Strawser.

This was my first novel by the author, but I had heard much about a couple of her previous books and had been looking forward to reading something by her. A Million Reasons Why was a great intro to her work as it turns out. I had assumed this was a suspenseful novel based on her past books I had heard about. (You know what assuming does?) So at first I was a bit thrown by the content as it really was a domestic drama more than anything else. It had aspects that reminded me of Jodi Picault.

Caroline, a contented, successful wife and mother is jolted to learn through DNA ancestry testing that she has a half sister born just two months apart from herself. Assuming that it is a computer error, she does confront her parents immediately only two learn it is true. This secret coming to the surface opens a whole world of things Caroline didn't know about her family and her life. She learns that her parents' marriage isn't the picture she always had in her head. She learns her own previous relationship was manipulated. She begins to re-evaluate many of her life choices that were affected by all these things she hadn't known.

Sela, the woman who turns out to be Caroline's half sister, is living a very different kind of life. She is recently divorced, a single-mother to a toddler, and living with an aggressive form of kidney failure. Her mother has recently died and she has no family who is a match to her for possible kidney donation or transplant. She did the DNA test as a fishing expedition at the urging of her ex-husband and best friend in hopes of finding a match who MIGHT be willing to donate a kidney to a newfound relative.

Sela and Caroline strike up an immediate friendship and while Sela ultimately decides not to tell Caroline about her health situation, through circumstance Caroline finds out. Her family's reaction to the news makes her feel even more confused about their character. But ultimately, she realizes that it is a big decision she can't make without thinking about the possible long-term effects on her own children, husband, and even herself should she happen to have the same genetic predisposition to the illness Sela has.

The novel is mostly an exploration of what one believes about our families and how learning where we were wrong about them affects us. There were some really beautiful moments throughout. Every ugly thought or action by a character was written in a way that the reader could both disagree with, yet understand where it was coming from. There was even a suspenseful twist that might shock some readers. All in all, I really enjoyed the novel and am looking forward to reading other books by this author.

*I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my honest review.*

Caroline's life seems almost idyllic - married to a loving husband, 3 kids, and a wonderful childhood. And then Walt and Caroline give DNA kits for Christmas (a gag gift, maybe?) and everyone does the test and forgets about it. And then Caroline gets an email from a woman saying they are half sisters. And life implodes.

Sela developed aggressive kidney disease while pregnant and went into labor early. She is dealing with the loss of her marriage and her mother and being a single mom while also trying to deal with the disease progression and constant tests.

The story switches back and forth between Caroline's and Sela's points of view and it is done quite well. Strawser's writing is very prose like and flows very well and I found it very hard to put down. This wasn't my first Strawser novel, but it might be my favorite. I feel like the DNA testing story line is very relevant now and the novel put a different spin on just finding lost or unknown family members.

I liked seeing Caroline's thought process from how she thought her life and childhood was to having her eyes opened to some meddling that she wasn't aware of before the DNA tests. Thing were unveiled in a well paced process and not overwhelming. This was a great story!

Rip my heart out and throw it on the floor! When your superpower is your imagination, there are no boundaries, and nothing is impossible. This novel of family and loves, wants and needs, losses and discoveries, selfishness and forgiveness, will take you on a complex emotional journey. Told from two different points of view, you get what you believe is a complete picture of these lives, until Strawser flips this labyrinth on its side and leaves you with OMG!
The story is mesmerizing and complex while also holding onto simplicity. The writing is creative and seeped in ‘exploring the grey area’ of life with an undercurrent of love that’s unceasing. If you haven’t picked this book up yet, do it.

I had the privilege of reading A Million Reasons Why by Jessica Strawser thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press. I read another book by this author previously and really enjoyed it so I knew I had to get my hands on this book.
I will be honest that it took me a while to finish this book. It was not because the book was bad in anyway, I was just dealing with some health stuff and then had no desire to read for almost 2 months. I finally finished this book and the twists and turns were shocking but good. It is so interesting to read a story about two women seemingly the same age, finding out that they are related and that they never knew a thing about each other. I loved how easily their paths could have crossed, but never did.
I found myself getting a little angry at parts of this book, but I think that was the point. Caroline, daughter of Fred and Hannah, was the character that found out about this half-sister through the DNA site. Her father never knew he had another daughter out there. It turns out that he had an affair with Rebecca, Hannah’s best friend at the time, shortly after he married Caroline’s mother. Hannah drove Rebecca away before she could tell Fred she was pregnant with Sela. Sela has kidney disease and is getting worse by the minute. She has her ups and downs with her ex-husband and her life is not perfect. She does not want Caroline’s help with a kidney but things get complicated. There are a lot of nuances and plot twists in the story that I liked but also thought were a little strange and unnecessary.
I had a hard time liking Hannah, Caroline’s mother, but I understood in the end why she did the things that she did. I also thought that Sela and her support system went about trying to find a live donor for kidney transplant the wrong way too. They could have tried other avenues and helped Sela with the conversation about needing a kidney with this newfound familial connection.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, but it was not my favorite book in the world. I liked the turn of events and the twist in the end, it was such a great ending to this story to close things and start a new chapter for all the characters. I think it is a good read for those of you who like this adult fiction, drama genre.

As an only child, Caroline doesn't think much about it when her husband gifts both sides of the family with DNA kits the previous Christmas. When she receives a notification from them months later, she and Walt dig in to see if there is an error. Told in alternating chapters, the arrival of Sela on the scene provides a very engrossing story of family secrets and relationships. Strawser takes up some interesting scientific/DNA issues as well and the twisty end was surprising to me.

I really loved this book. From the very first page it drew me in and I became invested in Caroline and Sela and how their story would play out. Every new chapter layered in a new revelation and change to the story/relationship. The twist at the end was a total surprise. Still not sure how I feel about it lol. Great read!