Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This was really good! I was pulled in from the very beginning. I couldn't put this down. I love the development of the story and characters. I have been reading a lot of fantasy recently, and getting into a YA contemporary really brought me back and reminded me why I love them. I thoroughly enjoyed Susan's first book and I fell in love with this one too! Susan has an ability to take you and really put you into the story. I felt like I was experience this in real time with them and I loved it. If you enjoy YA contemporary or romance, definitely grab this one!

This was such an adorable read. The story of Samira and Henry was so heart touching and wonderfully written. I was pulled in from the very beginning and this story did not disappoint.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

The Search for Us by Susan Azim Boyer is a story about family, forgiveness, and stepping out of your comfort zone.

I’m not sure why, but I’ve always loved hearing stories about people looking for their birth parents and vice versa. One of my favorite shows is TLC’s Long Lost Family where family members try to find other biological family members. When I read the synopsis for this book, I knew it would be something that I would enjoy.

It’s such a beautiful and heartbreaking (at times) story about searching for family (and finding it in unexpected places). I loved the resilience of the characters, and how much they grew through this experience.

The most frustrating part of this story was how the adults acted towards their children. They failed them in so many ways, which made it hard to read at times. I overall would still recommend this book.

If you like stories about family such as Far from the Tree by Robin Benway, then I definitely think you should give this book a chance.

Two teens, Samira and Henry, who have never met take a DNA test to find their father but find each other (the half sibling they never knew about) instead. Once they connect they agree to search for their father together.

This book was so refreshing and different and I absolutely loved this story. I felt Samira and Henry's story so deeply and just wanted them to be able to get what they needed. What unfolds is an incredible story of found family and healing. While there are many heavy topics in this book Boyer handled them well so they weren't overwhelming. I will be recommending this one to everyone.

TW: addiction, PTSD

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the ARC. I really enjoyed this YA novel about finding your family. It dealt with tough topics in a mature and thoughtful way and provided high stakes without overdone romance or contrived circumstances. The characters were engaging and while I didn't believe in one of the quick emotional turn arounds of a minor character, the whole story felt realistic to me. Would love to get for my classroom one day.

this was a really cute book!

thank you to the author, netgalley, and the publisher for this advanced copy to review!

The Search for Us by @susanazimboyer is a powerful story about exploring your roots and discovering long-lost family! 🥰

Blurb: Samira Murphy will do anything to keep her fractured family from falling apart, including caring for her widowed grandmother and getting her older brother into recovery for alcohol addiction. With attendance at her dream college on the line, she takes a long shot DNA test to find the support she so desperately needs from a father she hasn’t seen since she was a baby.

Henry Owen is torn between his well-meaning but unreliable bio-mom and his overly strict aunt and uncle, who stepped in to raise him but don’t seem to see him for who he is. Looking to forge a stronger connection to his own identity, he takes a DNA test to find the one person who might love him for exactly who he is―the biological father he never knew.

Instead of a DNA match with their father, Samira and Henry are matched with each other. They begin to search for their father together and slowly unravel the difficult truth of their shared past, forming a connection that only siblings can have and recovering precious parts of their past that have been lost. Brimming with emotional resonance, Susan Azim Boyer's The Search for Us beautifully renders what it means to find your place in the world through the deep and abiding power of family.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The Search for Us made me cry and smile so many times!!! I relate to Samira and Henry’s journey because I am also adopted. Until I took a 23and Me DNA test, I never knew I had three half-siblings!!! It was such a rewarding experience getting to meet them and I really felt that similar joy in this book. The story was so well-written and definitely pulled on your heartstrings!!! Please read The Search for Us when it releases on October 29th.

Thank you @netgalley for giving me the opportunity to review this ARC. 😊📚✨❤️

#thesearchforus #susanazimboyer #review #bookrecommendation #bookobsessed #instabook #booklovers #instabooks #fiction #readingtime #currentlyreading #readmorebooks #bookgram #author #amreading #novel #ilovebooks #booksofig #romance #bookishlove #authorsofinstagram #readersofig #wednesdaybooks #stmartinspress

The Search for Us by Susan Azim Boyer is a thought-provoking and enlightening narrative that delves into the profound influence of family dynamics. This captivating tale explores the intricate web of relationships and the profound impact they have on our lives.

The Search for Us is a touching, young adult, family-based story. While it wasn't my personal favourite, the characters were very well written and it was refreshing to read a contemporary young adult book that centred around family relationships and character growth rather than romance.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was amazing. I would say 99% of the books I read are romances. This is not a romance, but I was hooked by this book. I loved how the romantic relationships in the book were not the focus but the actual plot. I liked the dual POV and I loved how realistic this was. One thing I found kind of confusing was the years within the book. I don't know when the book was set, but they used years to indicate when thing happened such as in 2017 this happened. It confused me because unless it is very clear that it is set in 2023, it would be confusing. I think saying 6 years ago rather in 2017. Other than that though, the book was amazing.

Readers will relate to both siblings, whose dual narratives describe complicated familial bonds with nuance and compassion as they seek out their estranged father. At once deeply tender, authentically messy, and ultimately brimming with hope, THE SEARCH FOR US will captivate till the last page.

Thank you for giving my daughters & I the opportunity to read this book! Although it felt a bit obvious, we enjoyed the plot line and the different characters. We love reading "in our own voices" stories, and this was a fantastic tale about cultures we don't usually read. The different parents were fantastic, and the storyline felt relatable for both pre-teens and adults. This was a solid book, and I look forward to more from this author. Thanks!

The second I saw that this was a family-centric YA novel, I got excited — these are rare.

This book is told from two perspectives. There’s Samira, who lives with her grandmother and has just given up her college dreams to afford the recovery treatment for her brother’s alcohol addiction. And then there’s Henry, torn between his biological mother and the aunt and uncle who raised him. Despite being very different people, they both have one thing in common: they want to find their long-lost father. When Henry and Samira each take a DNA test, they find themselves matched to each other instead and start the journey of finding their way to each other.

Plot-wise, there were some interesting aspects but I think it could’ve gone more in depth on some. The most interesting part of the book to me was the alcohol addiction subplot and I feel like we barely touched upon it. Similarly, Henry’s family issues weren’t as gut-wrenching as I imagined they could’ve been. Still, the ending gave me a realistic and satisfying conclusion.

I also think it took too long for the Henry/Samira dynamic to be cemented. Each character was mildly interesting on their own, but the best part of the story came at the end when they were finally comfortable with each other. The way they gradually went from strangers to knowing each other’s deepest struggles to finally seeing each other as family was really touching, and I definitely wish we’d gotten more screen-time in the middle and last phases where they had the chaotic and fiery tension of two people being forced to confront their identities.

Ultimately, I’m not sure I clicked much with the plot or the characters, but I still really think this is a story worthy of being told, and I’m sure many fans of coming-of-age YA stories would love it.

Riveting, heart-wrenching, and ultimately hopeful, The Search for Us beautifully explores the ways our roots shape us—and the power we have to shape ourselves.

I was not sure going into this how I would feel but I was touched so deep I feel like this will stick with me forever. Which is odd given the fact I'm not adopted or ever dealt with this type of thing. Guess it's the wonderful writing. Both characters have POV chapters and they are both loveable, relatable and you feel so deep for the events they go through. I love the ending and want to read more

**Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. This review is my opinion**

The FEELS!!! The "found family" trope has always been on of my favorites. Just over a year ago, I finally did 23andMe and found a cousin that my aunt had given up for adoption when she was born. Now, other than my sister, my cousin is the closest family member I have. So reading this book, it left my feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. Samira and Henry both want to find their father, who they never knew. They end up meeting each other instead and decide to search for their father together. This story is very sweet and heartfelt. I also love that the characters are biracial, which I also am!

Review to come ,
I will for now tell you what I was drawn to when selecting this book , the title, and the cover really got me.
Thank you net galley and publisher for allowing me to read this book. !

i'm going to be honest, i have to dnf this book. when i requested it i did not realize it was in 3rd person and no matter how hard i try i just really struggle with 3rd person... i tried to give it a chance and read the first 2 chapters, so one in each pov (which i don't understand, why 3rd person language if it's still going to focus on just one characters pov?????) and i just can't continue it. i'm sure someone out there would enjoy this book but unfortunately it won't be me!

As an adoptee who is also the loved one of an alcoholic this book healed a piece of my inner child and my heart.

Review to come once I can put into words the immense feelings I’m feeling right now.

just wasn't a fan of the writing style. like the premise, but found it hard to connect to the characters (especially with the switching POVs).