3,5 Stars

Olivia Bender loves her career as an upscale interior home designer, but more than anything, she wants to become a mother. Sadly, she has had nothing but heartbreak on that journey – experiencing miscarriages and unsuccessful fertility treatments. She’s sure it’s a mistake when two police detectives show up on their doorstep claiming that DNA on a murder victim’s body indicates the killer is her husband Park’s son. Eventually, Park admits he was a sperm donor when he was in grad school and doesn’t know how many children he has fathered. This bombshell is just the beginning of the nightmares the couple will experience as things escalate with the killer and old secrets come out.

I have enjoyed several thrillers written by this author and had high hopes for this one. Unfortunately, it starts out very slowly written in a stilted, passive style. It is told from several different points of view and a couple different timelines with mixed results. Things get better after a couple of chapters, but the pacing remains uneven. The thriller aspects of the book are well-done, with several red herrings that keep the reader guessing, at least for a little while, about who the killer really is. However, the author makes a choice to reveal the identity of the murderer well before the end of the book, which lowers the tension level.

The legal and ethical questions raised by the way the donor clinic operates are intriguing and are a great basis for a mystery and I wish there would have been more of a focus on that. Instead, a love triangle between Olivia, Park, and Park’s brother Perry is revealed early on and continues throughout the book taking away from the parts of the story that I found more interesting. The ending of the book requires some suspension of disbelief, but most of the subplots successfully come together. The author’s note at the end about her own experiences with infertility is very touching and it’s clear how personal this story is for her. Overall, there are several parts of the book I enjoyed, but the potential was there to be so much better.

~ Christine

J.T. Ellison is one of those authors I've been reading for years and one that I don't even read what the book is about. If she wrote it, I read it. This one felt like it veered a little from her normal and read more like a domestic thriller than a suspenseful mystery, even though there is a mystery. It was kind of easy to figure out early on. The DNA aspect and fertility was an interesting storyline. The characters were not very likeable and some of their actions just didn't make sense. I will continue to read this author and although this wasn't my favorite of hers, it was still a good read.

I devoured this book in 24 hours, it was so good.
I liked how the multi povs were laid out; “the wife”, “the husband”, etc.

this book reminded me of the documentary Our Father as it has to do with DNA testing for ancestry websites.

add in murder to the storyline and you have yourself a drama filled thriller from the very beginning!

thank you to @netgalley and @harlequinbooks for my copy.

This book was a slow read. I had a hard time getting into it and didn’t love the twist. I was hoping there would be more to the twist and that the ending would be better.

The description of this book caught my attention. Reading this one did not disappoint. Imagine, wanting a baby with your partner more than anything but…it is not working. Of course, this leads to many feelings for Olivia and Park in this story. But, what happens, when there is a big reveal? It turns out that Park was able to father a child through sperm donation and his DNA matches someone accused of murder. What will it mean to know that this man is possibly guilty? What will happen from here to both Olivia and Park? Find out in this twisty tale in which both Olivia and Park have secrets. Suspense readers, you are sure to enjoy this one.

Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

A wild train wreck of a domestic drama. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

JT Ellison never disappoints. From DNA to infertility, a woman's journey to have a child of her own, and a husband discovering he has over two dozen children, the unique storylines kept me turning the pages right until the very end. What starts off as a fertility journey, ends in a nightmare. Olivia has just found out her husband has fathered over a dozen children, while she can’t even give him one. One of those children is a murderer. However, Olivia has some hidden secrets of her own, and was an excellent protagonist for this book. Highly recommend this intriguing and shocking read!

Trigger warning: Pregnancy loss and fertility

Thank you to NetGalley, MIRA, and J.T. Ellison for the advanced copy of It's One of Us in exchange for my honest review.

It’s one of us.

5 star

Another wonderfully written thriller by Ellison. I believe I counted 8 different viewpoints in this story which made for such a great story, all different perspectives and stories. The whole book. I was waiting for the twist and it didn’t disappoint, I definitely didn’t see the end coming!

Olivia's relationship with her husband and high school sweetheart, Park, is picture perfect. She's somewhat of a Joanna Gaines type, and he's a successful writer. They live in an envy-worth house that she has designed herself and life is good. Only problem is, the thing that what Olivia wants most in the world- a baby- isn't happened for her and Park.

When a local woman that Olivia knows from bookclub goes missing, the whole community is shocked. But when police show up at her doorstep to let her husband know that his son was the murderer, her entire world is shattered. Not only does she feel deceived by someone she has know almost her whole life, but she is also filled with immense jealously and anger. She can't get pregnant but Park has a child out there somewhere.

Of course from there, things spiral, and we learn a lot about what has really gone on behind the scenes for Park and Olivia. It's One of Us, weirdly, was the second book in a row I read that featured a sperm donor. But it definitely brings up ethical issues and adds an extra level of intrigue. It's a great read, as long as the fertility topic isn't triggering to you.

This one is out now and is definitely a page turner. Check it out!

It's One of Us is the latest thriller from JT Ellison, and it was a great read. The story focuses on Olivia and Park, a married couple who are trying desperately to have a child. The story deals with infertility, IVF and miscarriage, so if this is a trigger for you, then I would recommend you steer clear of this one. The story opens with Olivia miscarrying and before she can tell Park, the police arrive and drop a bombshell. It turns out that the recently murdered woman who has just been located, was murdered by Park's son, a son neither Park nor Olivia was aware of. As the story unfolds we learn that he has more than one child.

The story is told from multiple POVs, which added much to the plot and kept me reading to find out more. The storylines about DNA, being a donor, unethical practices from clinics, searching for biological parents and siblings was very interesting and was well written and researched. As much as Park had kept secrets there were others that Olivia also had, and both created the problems they were facing. Who is the murderer? How many others will be killed before the culprit is found? With twists and turns that I wasn't expecting, I kept reading long into the night. With a major twist at the end, I was pulled along quickly and happily. This was another great thriller from a wonderful author, but there is a lot of emotion in this one as well. and I definitely recommend you pick this one up.

It’s One of Us by J.T. Ellison is a suspenseful thriller novel. The story in It’s One of Us is one that is told by alternating the point of view between central characters. This title is one that deals with the sensitive issue of infertility and miscarriage if those may be a trigger point to some it may be best to avoid.

Olivia and Park have been trying for a child for quite some time and just as things feel like they may work out Olivia finds that again it’s not in the cards for her. Just as Olivia is trying to wrap her head around another failure police come calling for Park.

Years ago Park donated sperm and now DNA results have led to his doorstep when it seems a child fathered by Park could be a killer. The fact that Park is already a father is a lot for Olivia to wrap her head around but being tossed into a police investigation on top of it all has her questioning everything.

J.T. Ellison is one of those authors that has never failed to draw me quickly into a story so I was excited to get to this latest novel. DNA testing stories seem to be popping up a lot these days and I’ll admit I find them fascinating so I wasn’t surprised I enjoyed this. There were of course plenty of twists and turns along the way that kept the pages flying by as I read and the author did a good job bringing the characters struggles to life. Definitely an author I’ll keep returning to in the future.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Why this book took me nearly two weeks to read I'll never know! It's long, but not that long and honestly it is pretty unputdownable (maybe for people who don't have a wild toddler who doesn't sleep and a 60-hour a week job - HA - but I digress).

Overall, this one was super fun. It was wholly original - we've all read the "I found a serial killer in my family by doing one of those DNA tests" storyline, but it was superbly executed.

I literally could.not.trust.anyone. Like, anyone. I kept questioning everything and loved how the layers just kept going... and going... and going. It was fascinating!!

The characters had so much history and so much backstory. They were complex and SO real.

My heart ached for Olivia and for anyone who is triggered by miscarriage, infertility, etc., this may be one to skip. It was a huge focal point of the book and it was incredibly emotional.

J.T. Ellison is an excellent writer and this story really leapt from the pages for me. There were pieces I maybe sort of guessed, but it's hard to say if that's because I figured it out or if Ellison just threw me off so much that I ran literally any and every scenario through my head at some point.

Definitely a fun one and definitely one I recommend - assuming you can handle the trigger warnings!!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a more unique take on the murder mystery/wife and husband keep secrets genre. I found the writing style very unique but I didn’t dislike it. I also found it extremely heavy on the infertility talk (as that is a major plot point) so just be aware of that going into it. Overall I found it to be somewhat predictable but there were still a few twists and turns I didn’t see coming! I really enjoyed this read.

Do you guys remember the talk show “Maury”?! If you do, this gave me major twisty MAURY vibes. IYKYK 😂

First of all, I love that this book took place in Nashville because I live here. 😘

This thriller has it ALL:

💣Twisty-Turny
💣Sperm donor
💣DNA
💣Serial Killer
💣Lies
💣Secrets
💣Multiple POVS

Literally what more could you ask for in a thriller? 🤩

Loved it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In It's One of Us from J. T. Ellison, the issues of infertility and DNA testing collide in a tense thriller that kept me reading and waiting for the next twist.

Olive Bender wants a baby. But nothing seems to work. There are plenty of triggers for those going through infertility treatment here, so readers be aware. It's a roller coaster no one wants to be one, and this story does a good job of illustrating the toll it can take on a marriage.

When police come to talk to her husband Park, she's stunned to find out he's fathered a child, one who might be a killer! Youzers.. that's a huge blow.

While some of this family thriller's questions are clearly answered, there are also a few twists and turns here that I didn't see coming. I really liked that about the book. There's great emotional content here as well that helped to connect to with the characters on some level.

I also enjoyed how the author brought in DNA testing in crime investigations and the impact that can have. It's been fascinating to see how this has enhanced investigations while at the same time makes you question the whole privacy aspect of things. I like stories that make me think.

Overall, I enjoyed this reading experience. It does deal with a sensitive subjects of infertility and DNA testing which make for thought-provoking aspects of this novel. The story kept me reading and while some of the twists I saw coming, some I did not, and that was fun. Well-crafted family thriller that does wrap up quickly.

I've read two novels recently that had unique premises- the first was Kylie Scott's romance End of Story and the second is J.T. Ellison 's twisty suspense novel It's One of Us.

Interior designer to the wealthy Olivia and her husband Park have been trying for a long time to have a baby. Their IVF treatments have led to pregnancies, but Olivia has miscarried several times. On the day of her most recent miscarriage, the police come to their door saying that Park's DNA has been found on the body of a local woman who was found murdered at the bottom of a lake.

The police tell Park and Olivia that they believe Park is the father of the person who killed the woman. Since she and Park have no children, Olivia believes there has been a mistake. Park then tells Olivia that while in college he donated to a sperm bank, which shocks and upsets Olivia.

Although Park was told his sperm would be only used ten times, there is a Facebook group of 28 young people who have all used an ancestry website to discover that Park is their father. One of these people could be the killer. As the police investigate, a man harasses Olivia at one of her job sites. Will she be the killer's next victim?

There are a lot of secrets being kept from everyone in this twisty story. Olivia is keeping a secret about Park's twin brother from Park. When the police discover that Park's college girlfriend was found dead at the bottom of a lake years ago, the press become relentless, staking out Park and Olivia's home.

A careful reader might be able to guess at the identity of the killer, but there are many red herrings in the novel that take the reader in different directions. The few twists at the end seem to come out of left field, and the final twist I found too unbelievable.

It's One of Us has a fascinating premise, and people who enjoy shows like Dateline and suspense movies on Lifetime will definitely want to read this one.

Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on their Winter 2023 Mystery/Thriller Blog Tours.

Absolutely loved this novel and could not put it down. There is no question that the author poured her emotion into Olivia's pain for not being able to conceive; her loss was torture. I really enjoyed the fast pace of not only the who-dunnit mystery, but also the character development of all. Clever use of clothing style to build character profiles quickly - well done. I would definitely love to read a sequel...these characters are waiting to be followed and developed in the next stage of Olivia's life. Will she be put on trial as part of the who-dunnit? How far will she go to hide her new life away from the Benders? Will Park be hounded by those connected to him? Will Perry continue to drift and ignore his gnawing first love? You have me hooked and wanting more!

This one was really really scary! I loved it! So many twists and turns, a great twist at the end....but now I need a sequel. A few things weren't answered...but overall, a great thriller.

I saw a pretalk by the author and she discussed fertility issues being at the center of the book and I wondered how that would work in a thriller, but it does. I’m always a little torn on what to write in a thriller review so that I give you an idea about the book without spoiling it. A lot of the book revolves around Olivia. She is trying desperately to conceive and have a child for her husband. I have not had any type of fertility issues and still the book is a little heartbreaking at times as this runs throughout the book. It is intertwined into the story and really the basis for everything that happens. And make sure and read the authors note at the end of the book, where she discusses her connection to the issue and how it affected the story.

I was hooked on Olivia and Park’s story from the beginning and was a little thrown that as soon as I was hooked, a whole slew of new characters were introduced, but I needn’t worry as the book took a step back and picked just a handful to focus on. One of the things I liked was as the POV shifted from character to character, instead of using the character’s name as the heading, they were titled Mother, Father, Donor, Murderer. It served as a reminder of what role they played.

There were twists and turns as per the author’s usual MO. Even switching narratives from character to character, you weren’t privy to all the facts. So not quite unreliable, but definitely not on the up and up. The plot creeps along at times, but never felt slow as I was invested in the main characters. I figured out a few of the twists, but I suspect that was intentional. And I fell for a few red herrings.

I really enjoyed the complexity and layers of the plot mixing both the social issue and the thriller. It really will appeal to a broad audience, but if I haven’t stressed it enough, if fertility issues are a trigger, this might be too much.

I will be mentioning It's One of Us in my February Wrap up on my youtube channel as well

🧬 This was a super interesting premise and I loved the format of the writing surrounding the different characters! “The Brother” “The Mother” “The Killer” etc. It’s One of Us involves a premise that has been popping up in real life in the last 10 years or so with DNA testing for ancestry websites getting more popular. Which is when sperm donation is misused and/or the patient is lied to regarding the source of the sperm donor (think “Our Father” documentary on Netflix 👀 )

🧬 Tie all of THAT drama in with a murder case and you’ve got a really good thriller on your hands!

🧬 I was kind of biased going into this because I LOVE J.T. Ellison’s other books so I went into this expecting something great and I feel like it delivered!