I tried for almost a month to get into this book and I just couldn't. This is the second book by this author I have DNF'd and I think I should just accept her writing style is not for me.

What would you do if, out of the blue, you learned you had a half-sister? If you’re Sela, you’re relieved and thankful that there’s someone out there who may be the only person who can help. If you’re Caroline, your world would be rocked and everything you’ve through to be true dissolves.

A Million Reasons Why is the story of these two women, strangers, yet sisters, who need to navigate complex relationships and learn who can be leaned on during times of change and crisis. Although most of us can’t relate to having a long-list half sibling, I think many of us can relate to news that changes and shapes our lives and requires us to be flexible and trusting of those we’ve always known.

I'll just give you a few reasons rather than a million why this is the emotional, tear jerker you want in your library. Jessica Strawser's characters are not only realistic and relatable, I'd hasten to say well-developed in an understatement. One delves into the story becoming so entranced you won't put it down until the last word.

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

Just the above two sentences were enough for me to be on board and request this ARC.

This is a powerful and impactful story because this could actually happen to anybody. It's not far fetched.

The story has two main protagonists, Caroline and Sela, who are also narrators of the story.

Caroline is the one who seems to have a perfect life. A picture perfect marriage that makes everyone jealous, three feisty kids and a successful career. She is close with both her parents and her in-laws.
But nothing as it seems. When Caroline does a DNA test just for fun the biggest shock comes when she discovers that she has a step sister she had no idea about.

Sela seems to be a mess. She's all over the place. Her marriage is failing, she has lost her mother and she’s suffering from kidney disease and now she’s at the risk of losing her two year old son. She needs a donor to save her life which creates the biggest issue between the two sisters.

Sela needs Caroline’s help because she can be a probable donor match and hence her reason for doing a DNA test in the hope that she will be saved.

And therin lies this beautiful story which is told sensitively. The author does a skilled job of world buiklfing and characterisations. One can feel the pain, confusion and feelings of the protagonists and the other supporting characters.
This is a moving and heart wrenching story which had me teary eyed and questioning myself about what I would do if I was in the situation.
What would you do if you found out you had a half sibling? Would your relation with your parents change? Would you want to build a relationship with your sibling?

Definitely recommend this book. This story is full of secrets, lies, family drama and emotions and it keeps you engaged throughout.

Thanks to Netgalley and the priblishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Million Reasons Why by Jessica Strawser goes deep down the trail of what can happen when a DNA test is done. I think the majority of people doing the tests are mostly interested in finding out their ethnicity estimates, but occasionally deeper secrets are discovered. This is exactly what happens in this story when one character gives the entire family DNA tests as Christmas presents. It is found that the main character, Caroline, has a half-sister from an affair her father had decades ago. Finding this out causes huge issues between all of the characters and ends up bringing out other secrets that could have life-changing consequences. Another issue in this story is the reason Sela does the DNA test in the first place, she has horrible kidney disease and needs an organ donor. This brings a whole other layer of problems to everyone involved. A Million Reasons Why is not short on twists, it will keep you wanting to turn those pages to get to the bottom of it all!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for an ARC of A Million Reasons Why!

A simple at-home DNA test alters the course of Caroline's life once she receives a message from Sela, claiming to be her half-sister. Caroline soon realizes her parents hid many parts of their past, and must come to terms with this shocking discovery. Throughout the novel, we learn of Sela's health crisis and how Caroline may fit into her recovery.

I liked this book, but wouldn't say I was absorbed until 75% in. At this point, the story takes a different turn and I connected more with the characters. Otherwise, the novel was a touching, albeit slowly developing story between two long-lost (half) sisters and it seemed that every few chapters revealed a new secret or betrayal. The book took me awhile to get through since I was never really hooked, but I am glad I stuck it out - as the ending was impactful and the book taught me a lot about the medical donor system.

Such a beautiful story. Sisters unaware of each others existence take a DNA test and are reunited. Only one of the sisters is facing a health crisis that only the other sister can help with. This was a beautiful story of the bonds of a family and how we grow and adapt as our love grows. Highly recommend this one.

A Million Reasons Why, by Jessica Strawser is a compelling family drama filled with secrets, surprises, personal struggles, heartbreak, and loyalty. Two half sisters finding each other through an unexpected DNA search, then building a relationship despite family resistance. One of the sisters suffers late stage renal failure, which makes the situation complicated, sad yet very interesting. I really enjoyed this novel! Thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for advanced readers copy for review. All opinions are my own.

Wow. This is truly a What Would You Do type of book.

A Million Reasons Why handles it all: loss, betrayal, hope, familial bonds, and loyalty...I mean, damn. Strawser hit all of them and then some. This book will pull you in and truly make you wonder how you would react, what you would do, if you were in either Caroline or Sela's shoes. Both leading completely different lives, this newfound sisterdom changes both their worlds.

This spectacular book was a change of pace for me, and let's just say I welcomed it. You got my heart, Strawser. Well done.

I received an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own

Author Jessica Strawser gives us a unique and captivating story in "A Million Reasons Why".
Intrigued from the start this is the story of Caroline & Sela surprisingly linked together through DNA test results. Family secrets are revealed and past choices are questioned.
This family drama is a story of love, sacrifice, letting go and holding on. It will stay with me for a very long time!
Loved it and I look forward to reading more of the author's work.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Jessica Strawser’s A MILLION REASONS WHY had me hooked from the beginning. I have always loved looking into genealogy and have debated taking a DNA test. I doubt it would uncover anything shocking, but I bet that is what Caroline thought when her husband’s Christmas gift choice for everyone in the family was DNA kits. Expecting nothing more than ancestral information, she is shocked when she receives and email from Sela, claiming to be her half-sister. It’s definitely a mistake, right? Sela knew her father was out there somewhere but is happy when she finds that she has a half-sister. With her best friend and ex-husband encouraging her, she took the test and, with the results, reaches out to her sister. Sela only wants to get to know her sister, as she has no other family left, but she also is suffering from kidney disease that was brought on by pregnancy and needs a kidney transplant.
Sela’s appearance in Caroline’s life upends everything she knew about her family and her life before now, but, despite her reaction with her family, she is determined to get to know Sela and see where the relationship can go. Sela’s health is deteriorating, but despite this, she is hesitant to make the “Big Ask” of Caroline.
Strawser has written a book about family, its good points and its messiness and the relationships that go along with them. Despite this being a decision that both Caroline and Sela need to wrestle with, everyone has an opinion and feels strongly about it. She makes you think about what you would do if you were in either character’s position. Could you ask a near-stranger to donate a kidney? Could you ask the sister/brother you grew up with? Would you offer knowing the risks to you? I spent a lot of time wondering about this as I read, and, also, marveled at the strength of my cousin who did donate a kidney to his sister (my Godmother).
Strawser’s writing style and character development had me turning pages. There were unexpected twists as I barreled to the conclusion. This book was a highly anticipated read, not only for me, but many others and for good reason. It will stick with you for a long time to come. Don’t miss it!
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy of this novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.
#AMillionReasonsWhy #JessicaStrawser #BloomReads #TallPoppyWriter #TallPoppyBlogger

I've enjoyed Strawser's books in the past and so I was quite excited to jump into her latest one (after some minor confusion since somewhere along the way the title changed from Too Much To Ask). Told in two perspectives - Caroline and Sela - it's a story of two half-sisters who find one another unexpectedly through a genealogy website. Caroline, working mom of three, is stunned that the Christmas gift her husband purchased for her small immediate family could cause such sudden turmoil and a re-opening of past pain for herself and for her parents. Sela, meanwhile, signed up with the site somewhat in duress of her own at the insistence of her own small circle of friends in light of her own failing health.

It is an engaging read - it reminds me a bit of Jodi Picoult's earlier novels - and I think that this will appeal to a wide range of readers. The plot definitely holds some surprises that I genuinely didn't see coming, too! I wish that the epilogue had been even further out into the future, but I suppose that's a sign of a good book when you aren't ready to say goodbye to any of the characters. And the characters really do come vividly to life here - even when they are at their most frustrating. It's definitely my favorite of Strawser's books that I have read and I am definitely curious to see what she will write next!

A gift of DNA testing for the entire family - sounds fun, right? Learn where your ancestors came from, who you might be connected to, etc. etc. etc. Unless, of course, there's a secret illegitimate child in one's past. That's the premise of this well-written, family drama, where parents, children, friends all carry their past decisions heavy in their hearts. Strawser does a masterful job of developing her main characters, the two sisters Sela and Caroline, one who is single with a chronic disease, and one who juggles job, kids, and marriage. With that said, it's just not my typical go-to type of story, people with all-white characters who have no money struggles, who have easy access to medical care, who have a support network of friends and family. I wondered, at times, if the story could have found more depth throwing some of these issues in? But if you are drawn into deep, rich family dramas, with some predictability, this book satisfies.

I love exploring the harms that great technology can cause and A Million Reasons Why does this really well. This was fast paced and had me guessing, and was also very sad compared to other thrillers I have experienced. You will find yourself asking "what would I do" and the answers are always pretty. I'm getting pretty picky with which thrillers I read, and I'm glad I read this one.

Caroline has the picture perfect life - a loving husband and three beautiful children. Recently divorced Sela suffers from irreversible kidney failure and is desperate to find a donor. When each of them take a mail-in DNA test, their lives just might change forever.

A Million Reasons Why isn’t going to make it onto my list of favorites, but I did enjoy the overall storyline. I definitely gained more insight into what life is like for those who suffer from kidney disease. There was a lot of secrecy between the characters in this book though...almost too much for me. I understand that it intensified the drama that much more, but some of the things that happened seemed a little over the top. This gets an ok from me, but I know there will be lots of people who will love it!

A very interesting read about some very current and real world issues. It makes me think of the old adage “Never wish for what you want because you might just get it”. A cautionary tale. Finding out that everything you have believed to be untrue can rock you to your very core. DNA testing can be life saving, can connect you with relatives you didn’t know about, offer insights to your heart and heritage, but can introduce some info that some may not want to know that can rock your very foundation. Kidney disease is devastating not only to the patient, but to that persons entire family and sphere and there are not enough live donors or people who have signed their donor cards. This is a beautifully crafted tale that takes us along on am overwhelmingly emotional journey. I don’t want to share more for I do not want to ruin anyones journey. I did at times find it truly difficult to read and wonder if it is because ESRD (end stage renal disease) has impacted someone close to me as has live kidney donation or because the author did such a great job in writing this story. Whatever the case may be, its an emotional and compelling read. I dare you to not lose track of time when reading! The author clearly did a great deal of research. Check out https://www.kidney.org for more.

I'm giving this book 3 stars, because there were parts of it that I liked and found interesting. But there were also parts that I didn't love as much. I struggled to connect with any of the characters and just never felt fully invested in this story.

This story is about Caroline and Sela, half sisters that didn't even know about the existence of each other until they get results back from a DNA test. This discovery leaves them both to question what they knew about their parents and family. It becomes even more complicated when Caroline learns that Sela has kidney disease and is desperate need of a transplant, with Caroline being the most likely match.

It brings up some good questions. What would I do if I found out I had a long lost relative and had the potential to save their life (while possibly risking my own life)? I found some thought provoking moments as I put myself in the shoes of these characters. There was also a twist at the end of the story that I thought was interesting.

But, for a majority of the book, I just felt like it was dragging on and on. There is not a lot of action in a story like this, and I grew weary of the characters' internal thought processes. Just do something already! I felt very impatient throughout much of the book, and I do think that affected my enjoyment and opinion of this story.

I received an ARC of this book, and was hooked from the first page! You will be on the edge of your seat til the last page. It definitely left me wanting more. I didn't want it to end. This author is new to me, and I can't wait to read more of her books!

How do you handle finding out about a sister because you took a DNA test? How does it flip your world upside down but makes her life right side up?

Does this change your family dynamic and how do you handle it? These are some of the themes that Ms. Strawser writes about in her latest novel.

A Million Reasons Why by Jessica Strawser adds new depth and heart to the DNA testing/ancestry genre. Also, how 2020+ that this is now its own sub-genre.

Instead of being a thriller, this one is an emotional family drama that brings two families together when one test shows that Caroline has a half-sister she never knew of, Sela. The ante is upped on the relationship when it comes to light that Sela is in need of a kidney.

With notes of Picoult's My Sister's Keeper, this book will take readers on quite the dramatic ride.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.