I just finished reading "It's One of Us" by J.T. Ellison. Thanks to Mira Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book is about a couple with a rich and entwining past that are trying to have a baby but are unsuccessful. Two events happen which brings forward a rash of secrets and betrayals that are bound to tear the couple apart and expose their lies. The couple finds out that a woman they know was murdered and that the main suspect is related to the husband (Park) who maintains that he has no children. What follows is a series of lies that are exposed to reveal that years previous, Park had donated his sperm and as a result fathered many childre, one of whom is the murderer. Meanwhile the wife, Olivia, has just suffered her fifth miscarriage and is filled with rage that her husband has been lying to her, but she has secrets of her own, and they enter the picture as well.
What I liked about this story was the compelling story. The family of Park, the police, and the families of the 'halves' that were both intriguing and interesting. I liked that the story slowly unraveled in a way that was very dramatic and interesting. It was a hard to put the book down and attend to my chores. I loved how Olivia's story ended and how she was happy.
What I didn't like was the fast ending. It was finished so quickly and I found that it was less than satisfactory. I would have liked a more satisfactory ending that I could have been more fully detailed so that I could have been more satisfied. I also feel like there were some plot holes that were not fully deveoped.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It was a great story that kept me reading and entertained until the very end.
Happy Reading Everyone!

I ADORED this novel - I picked it up at the rec of a friend, and couldn't put it down until I finished. A super fun, unique premise that had me glued to my seat. Highly recommend to thriller fans!

I could not put this book down. The suspense of finding out all of these peoples lies and secrets kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved both Olivia and Park and Scarlet and Darby. I loved all the twists and turns. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

Even if I usually like J T Ellison's thriller I wasn't a fan of this one. It's well written but I couldn't connect to Olivia and the story fell flat.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

DNF at 10% due to triggering miscarriage content. I did not realize when I requested this book how much it would be discussed.

Olivia loves her job designing homes, but one thing is missing in her life. A baby. After several miscarriages, she is beginning to give up hope. When the police show up however, she is shocked to learn that apparently her husband Park had donated his sperm years ago, and has several children in the world, one of whom is the main suspect for a local womans death. How will Olivia face that her husband is not just a father, but the father of a murderer.

So first of all, this was a really good look at what couples facing infertility go through. It is so difficult and they are constantly on hormones and having to give themselves shots and take medication on medication, so when it doesn’t work my heart just breaks for them. If you have gone through this, I highly recommend skipping this one if it would be a trigger for you. When I first started reading, this book reminded me so much of that doctor that was using his own sperm instead of donor sperm on women and ended up with like 30 something kids all living relatively close to each other. I sincerely hope that sperm banks aren’t actually as negligent as displayed in the book. Overall, this thriller kept me on my toes. I figured out one aspect super early in the book, but it took a bit for it to be confirmed! I did not see all the twists coming.

I have to say this was shocking. Definite Trigger Warnings of Infertility.
This book reminded mt of the Netflix show Our Father but taken one step further and make of the kids a murderer. It is a little slow starting off, but once I got about. 50% of the way through it was twist after twist. I high recommend this book.

It's One of Us grabs your attention from the first to the last page.

It is an emotional journey with all the ingredients thrown in: thriller, mystery, murder, family and secrets that explode when they are revealed.

Olivia is trying desperately trying to fulfill her life long dream of having a baby and has undergone IVF treatments repeatedly. The emotional toll is huge so when the police knock at her door and accuse her husband Park of being the father of a man wanted for killing a woman she knows its a moment that changes their lives.

The story is told from quite a few perspectives and this works very well.

The tension mounts with each twist and turn as another woman disappears and Olivia knows Park is hiding something .

Olivia has her own secret that is just as devastating.

J. T. Ellison is a great story teller and It's One of Us is no exception. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing , MIRA for an exceptional read that will stay with me for a long time.

Content warning - infertility/miscarriages

I am a huge fan of J.T. Ellison and she did not disappoint with this book. The DNA piece of this book is what hooked me. I love the blurb makes you think you know everything going into it but you don't. You really don't. It's filled with so many twists and turns you will be SHOCKED by the end!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC!

3.5 stars

Let me start off by saying that this book addresses infertility and miscarriage. It is a major plot thread through most of the book and it starts right from the very first chapter. If this is a sensitive issue for you, first know that the author knows your pain, this is something she has personally experienced and she addresses that in the author's note at the end. But second, realize that it may be too much for you to handle, particularly if the experience for you is fresh and raw.

Books that explore DNA links found through home tests that lead to crime solving are all the rage these days. This book looks at it from a different angle and it is unique and interesting. The police come to Park and Olivia's house. A body has been found and the DNA results show that the culprit is Park's son. The problem? Park and Olivia don't have any children due to infertility struggles, and as far as Park knows, he doesn't have a child with anyone else. Soon though, he reveals that he donated sperm many years ago. As the police investigate, they discover that Park shares DNA with many offspring. Despite promises from the clinic, they have sold his sperm to a large number of people. Can they find the offspring responsible?

I enjoyed the twists in this story, but, as with many books lately, some of the things that occur are just eye-rolling and over the top. The core mystery was fascinating, and how everything is uncovered and investigated kept me intrigued and involved in the story. However the Park/Darla/Scarlett storyline was just silly and I couldn't believe how quickly he went from being devoted to Olivia to not caring at all what she was thinking or feeling. I get that the infertility was wearing on both of them, but to completely discount her opinions and thoughts was outright cruel and heartless.

Although the mystery itself isn't very surprising (we basically know the identity of the bad guy from the start), the why and how of the situations and the different characters' motivations are what propel the story forward. Another captivating story from Ellison.

It’s One of Us is a brilliant thriller. Olivia and her husband Park are struggling with infertility. Just after yet another miscarriage, Olivia finds out that not only does Park already have dozens of children out there thanks to the unethical practice of an organisation he donated sperm to in his teen years, but one of them is a murderer.

Told from a variety of perspectives including the wife, the husband, the mother, the daughter and the murderer, I love how It’s One of Us is less about who did it, and more about what is going to happen next. You know some things are going to fall apart and others are going to come together in a dramatic way, you just don’t know when or how which is what kept me gripped.

The only thing that stops this being a 5 star read for me is I just didn’t think the last 2 chapters were necessary. The final twist felt like it was there for drama with no real context or depth.

Twisted and exciting! This had me wanting one more chapter every night! This book has you desperate to know all the dark little secrets

Olivia and Park have been trying to have a baby for years, but can’t seem to succeed
so imagine their surprise when a missing woman winds up dead with the DNA of Park’s son.
in fact he has 28 children from sperm donations, but which of them has murdering tendencies

So I got to be honest, this book was on my most anticipated list because I have loved previous books by this author. But the reveal happens 50% of the way through and the end throws a curveball twist that you don’t really see coming as well as some plot holes. I really wanted to like it more than I did. However, this book does have a discussion about infertility that is necessary. So if you are wanting to read a book that deals with that topic, this might be a good one for you to pick up.

It’s One of Us is domestic thriller that offers numerous POVs and is plot driven. With twists and turns, there are layers of betrayals, lies, and secrets. The plot was unique but be aware of the trigger warning for infertility.
I enjoyed the twist at the end. I was engrossed in the story the whole time. Good read!

ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley
Also bought paperback copy via Brenda Novak Book Box (March)

Review will posted on Amazon on release day
Review will be posted on blog on 2/23/23 Via Publishers Blog Tour

It’s One of Us had me intrigued from the very beginning. It has POVs from different characters including the murderer. There are lots of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Be sure to check trigger warnings as this does touch on infertility a lot throughout the book.

Thank you to HarperCollinsCa for this advanced copy.

Unknown family members, a serial killer and a love triangle? Um, yeah sign me up.

So this one was a lot like Find You First and honestly if you think on both those titles it makes sense why 😂 I did like this one a lot! I wanted to know what happened even though I guessed the killer asap. I would describe this one as an along for the ride thriller. There’s not tooooo much mystery but it’s a lot of fun and there’s a lot of information thrown at you.

The only thing is there just may have been a little TOO much information thrown at you and I didn’t understand the last *surprise* at all, I think I needed more information because I’m still so confused.

Definitely recommend, you’ll devour it like a snack. Go grab a copy!!

Olivia and her husband Park, have struggled with infertility. When the police show up at their house one day with the news that Park’s son is a suspect in a murder, they are both shocked. Secrets are to be uncovered and no one will be the same.

The story is told from multiple POV with the perspectives from The Wife, The Husband for example. It adds something to the story because it not only gives you and idea of their place but also mystery about some characters. I enjoyed the many stories woven into the book. It also has a very real element to it that makes you think what you would do if you were in a similar position. A great read!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy of IT’S ONE OF US.

This thriller was good! It was not what I was expecting, at all. I enjoyed reading from all of the different perspectives throughout the story. It had some twists and was unique and suspenseful. The author also did a great job of bringing in so many emotional aspects, making this thriller have more substance to it.

TW: infertility, miscarriages, pregnancy loss

My friends, this book was a thriller AND A HALF. It's One of Us is the story of a murderer whose DNA links him to a suburban couple struggling to conceive children of their own. The books is an absolutely unputdownable work in terms of plot and the whole story is told against the background of infertility and loss, and this technique really facilitates the fleshing out each of the protagonists and their intentions, insecurities, motives, etc. An afterword in the book reveals that the author has dealt with infertility herself, and this is evident also in how sensitively and realistically the subject is broached.

The story is told through multiple POVs (with a focus on different perspectives at different points in the novel), and we're left doubting ourselves and our reads of each of the characters as we move through towards the shocking conclusion. I particularly enjoyed that the detectives were one of the POVs we were occasionally privy to. The setting is gorgeous, slick, and very evocative - it was definitely giving me shades of Big Little Lies in how certain environments were described. I loved that the protagonist, Olivia, was an interior designer because it laid the foundation for so many decadent descriptions of homes and interiors! The book was absolutely gripping as a thriller, but even just offered pure enjoyment in its descriptions, the masterful sketching of characters, settings, behavioral tics, and aesthetics.

I feel like I can already tell that this will be one of my favorites reads of 2023! I can't wait to hear everyone else's thoughts on this one. Will immediately be reading the author's back catalog now!

Book Summary:

Olivia Bender spends her days bringing the dreams of her clients to life. She creates interiors that they could have only ever wished for without her help. The thing is, her clients aren't the only ones with dreams.

Olivia wants to be a mother, and nothing is working to make that dream a reality. Imagine her surprise when her dream becomes a husband's nightmare, as an unknown child of his is the likely culprit in a murder case. Enter a time of chaos, hurt, and confusion.

My Review:

Wow. I don't think I've ever read a thriller like It's One of Us before. It's super twisty and dark yet highly emotional. On that note! This novel deals heavily (and I do mean heavily) with topics of infertility and struggle. Please reconsider reading this one if it might be potentially triggering for you. Self-care is important!

While I could figure out who the killer was relatively early on, I still enjoyed the lead-up to the big reveal. There are a lot of important points made in this book, and admittedly some of them hit a little close to home – but I think that's the point.

I'm adding J.T. Ellison to my list of thriller authors to watch out for because, wow!

Highlights:
Tense Thriller
Layers & Twists

Trigger Warnings:
Deception
Infertility