A novel that sometimes feels like memoir. A tracing of ancestry after taking a DNA test unfolds here. I have to admit, I am VERY creeped out by these DNA tests, so feel uncomfortable with this story a bit. Didn't finish this one, just not for me,

The Premise for this book is what hooked me and I am fascinated with this happening in real life. I am very happy I read this as Rico's story was exciting and kept me on the edge of my seat. The one thing I loved the best was the mix of chapters from the present to the past. Ordinarily, I don't like this as it can get hard to navigate through POVs and I get lost and disconnected from the plot, but I had no trouble at all with how Rico presented this. I felt like I was alongside the characters investigating what happened to Marianna and I was just as excited as Isabella but also felt apprehensive like Gabby. Reading as these flawed characters navigated their relationship and emotions was tough, especially in Isabella's chapters as she seemed caught up in her own elation of potentially finding her sister and was rather ignorant of Gabby's feelings.

Overall, an interesting story.

The set up: 25 years ago, a baby went missing from a poor barrio in Puerto Rico. While no one ever officially solved the case, her sister Isabella still believes she will find her someday. To that end, she has her DNA on some gene-match sites, hoping one day someone will be a match.

When Gabby – raised in New York with Italian American parents – matches Isabella’s DNA, Isabella is sure she’s her missing sister. But Gabby has no reason to believe her parents weren’t her parents, and is convinced that there was a mistake. Following her journalistic instincts for a good story, she decides to go to Puerto Rico to uncover the truth.

For starters, this adventure leads Gabby into a cultural goldmine. If you love reading about large families, mofongo, quinceañeras, etc. – you will enjoy the setting of this one, for sure.

And, of course, there is a lot of tension between the sisters, and among other characters in the story, as they hunt for the truth. Even if they do uncover that they are related, will they be what the other wants them to be? Will their DNA be enough to make them “family?”

But the real page-turning aspect, of course, is the mystery itself. The story is revealed a little at a time, as chapters alternate between past and present. But even as we, the readers, learn some key pieces of what happened the day the baby went missing – Isabella and Gabby, in the present, do not uncover every fact, per se. They’re putting it together behind us, and ultimately a few secrets are still kept from them.

I loved this one, obviously. The setting, the mystery, and the family aspects were all engrossing. I will say that, while you don’t need to understand any Spanish to enjoy this one – I think that my understanding of the language did tip me off early to one later “reveal.” So that may add an extra layer for some readers.

'Familia' by Lauren E. Rico tells the story of Gaby and Isabella, two women looking for the truth about their pasts. Isabella has been trying to find out what happened 25 years prior, when her baby sister got abducted. When Gaby gets matched as Isabella's sister through a DNA test, she flies over to Puerto Rico, determined that a mistake was made, in hopes of writing an article about the that company provided the tests. But what truly happened on the island 25 years ago? Are Gaby and Isabella sisters, And if so, how did the seven-month-old get from the broken home in Puerto Rico to the perfect family in America?

4.5 stars
I thought 'Familia' was great! The writing style was beautiful, especially the elaborate metaphors describing the character's feelings. The plot was well-thought-out, although a bit predictable at some points. Maybe it's because I'm a seasoned mystery reader, but I could see some twists coming before they were written out. That's the only "negative" thing I can say about this book though. The characters felt human and the situations realistic. The story kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. There were multiple POV's and timelines, but I was never confused about what timeline or character we were reading about because they always make sure to let you know clearly at the start of each chapter. The story even brought me to tears a few times. Definitely recommend this one!

Thanks to NetGalley, Lauren Rico and Rico's team for providing me with an ARC.

Gabby's life is turned upside down after genealogical DNA test results challenge what she thought she knew about her family origins. With her parents both being deceased, she has no where to turn to but her closest DNA match Isabella who lives in Puerto Rico. Yet what Isabella reveals is shocking; she believes Gabby is really her baby sister Marianna, who disappeared without a trace at 7 months of age. Can these two women, raised a world apart, finally solve the mystery?

Thank you to Author Lauren E. Rico, Kensington Books and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this brilliant book. I'm so happy to say that this was an easy 5 star read for me ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a brilliant story of endurance, hope and at the heart of it all, love. We are privvy to multiple points of view, both in the present and at relevant moments in the past. We also get to enjoy the Spanish language and Puerto Rican culture as Isabella and Gabby explore the past and current community together. It's a rollercoaster of emotions and I couldn't have guessed the twists the story would take.

As someone who has completed genealogical research for both myself and others over the years, the story concept immediately intrigued me. I've unearthed my share of mysteries over the years and you can never quite predict the path that life will take.

This book delves into some heavy topics and it's worth checking out the trigger warnings prior to reading if you are concerned. Addiction, sexual assault, death, poverty and violence all feature in the story but the experiences of the characters are shared with honesty and integrity.

I can't recommend this book enough ❤

I immediately requested to read this book after seeing the title on Netgalley, without even reading what it’s about. Thanks Netgalley for approving my request. I really enjoyed this book and read it in two days, much faster than other books I’ve started this month. This story is about Gabby Di Marco, who goes on the search for the truth in Puerto Rico, after a DNA test reveals she may have a sister there. We’re taken on an emotional roller coaster as we come to learn the real story of Gabby’s family. Great read and loved the surprise twist at the end.

I actually really enjoyed reading this book. It reminded me of my family uploading our DNA and finding a lot of family we never knew about. I also enjoyed the author’s writing. I was hooked from the start. I will be recommending this book to all my friends!

Gabby DiMarco works as a fact checker for a magazine in NYC and wants more than anything to be promoted to write her own articles rather than fact checking other people’s articles.

Isabella Ruiz is an artist in Puerto Rico who has spent a lifetime mourning the life she was supposed to have. After her mom died giving birth to her younger sister Marianna, her dad fell into addiction and Isabella was a 5 year old girl caring for her newborn sister.

One day their father is out with Marianna when he is jumped and wakes up in the street with an empty stroller and no Marianna.

Isabella spends the rest of her life looking for Marianna in every tourist she sees. Until one day she gets a match from her online DNA test.

But the match isn’t with Marianna Ruiz, it’s Gabby DiMarco. How can that be?

I was hooked on this family drama! It was told from both Gabby and Isabella’s pov as well as people who were there the night Marianna disappeared.

Plenty of twists and turns, the pacing was good the whole way through and I was invested right until the end.

Thanks #netgalley, the publisher and the author for this e-arc.

Out today, 12/26!

Familia is a fabulous debut novel by Lauren E. Rico! I was immediately drawn into the world of Gabby DiMarco when she takes a DNA test as a research project for work, and the results prove that Gabby’s genetic makeup is not what she expected. Gabby learns she has a sister in Puerto Rico who she never knew existed. This begins her search, not only for her sister, but also for the answers to her past.

There are so many facets to this story. Told from multiple viewpoints, the reader is introduced to the perspectives of many of the key players in this mystery. I had so many emotions as I read this book. This is the story of forgiveness, penance, love, redemption, and above all, family. I truly enjoyed the extra twists to the story line at the very end.

Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington Books, for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions listed above are my own.

When Gabby DiMarco submits her DNA to an ancestry company along with the rest of the staff of the magazine where she is a fact checker, she has a distant hope of maybe finding out she has a long lost cousin or uncle somewhere, as she's been a bit lonely since both of her parents recently died. What she never expects is the result that there is someone who shares half her DNA, meaning a full sibling. And then to have that woman contact her saying she's been searching for her desperately for decades, after her baby sister was stolen from her stroller in Puerto Rico all those years ago.

Despite thinking it was a mix-up, Gabby heads to Puerto Rico to investigate the situation herself, and maybe even get a story out of it -- her first story published with her byline instead of someone else's. But of course, she finds much more than she bargained for.

There's a lot about this book that should have worked for me. You've got a sister story, a different setting, a bit of a mystery, a dual timeline, all things I like in my fiction. But what I got was a story that couldn't quite figure out what it was wanting to be with a narration that never quite defined itself. There were moments when this book could have been lighthearted "women's fiction", a workplace romance, a family drama, a crime thriller, or a police procedural. The narrative switched perspectives a lot, sometimes between the two main characters, Gabby and Isabella, and sometimes into a third person past timeline when the original kidnapping took place. I love a narrative that switches perspectives. But when that happens, the narrative voices should be unique enough that I can tell the difference. Whenever I picked up my kindle to read again, it would take me several pages to figure out whose perspective I was reading from. There was also one plot choice (a sexual assault) that felt totally unnecessary to the story or character development and was instead just upsetting for no real purpose.

While the story was compelling enough for me to keep reading to find out what happened, I can't say I'd necessarily recommend this one. There was a lot of good possibility here, but I think the story needed a more defined focus.

I will not lie and say that I had my doubts that this book was going to deliver for me, but it did!

I absolutely loved this story, cried a few times (happy tears mostly), and it had a few twists that I did not see coming. I sometimes felt that it had too many storylines and that something was not going to be tied seamlessly at the end, but again, this author did that and more.

This was a very unique story and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Loved the concept, and Rico is so thoughtful about families, but woof, could not get past the notion that this guy LOST HIS BABY.

Part family drama, part mystery this ambitious tale set in Puerto Rico. This mystery unfolds with a stolen child and a father destroyed by grief. Throughout the book, families are reunited and the pain of the past is intertwined with the spirit and resilience of a small neighborhood of San Juan.

The strength of the book is in its setting, Puerto Rico is depicted as a beautiful real place, made more interesting by its flaws and darker spots. The people are lovingly depicted, almost to a fault. By the end I really wanted to visit Puerto Rico, but only with a local who could get me past the tourist that I am.

Unfortunately for me, this book needed a hard edit. The dialog tends to be clunky, and the author's intention gets in the way of the narrative. The ending is unrealistic and overly constructed to move almost into cozy territory… If people love a happy ending then here you go. To me, it was a little contrived at the end.

I enjoyed this book so much! Not only was I appreciative of the style of writing but I was also happy that the alternating chapters gave more depth and perspective to the plot. This is a well-written novel with an incredible storyline. Not only was the mystery of it all so incredibly well done, but the development of the characters was wonderful and I liked that the author painted the uniqueness of Puerto Rican culture. One of the best books I have read this year.

An enjoyable read that kept me engaged through a number of twists and turns! There are certainly dark elements (most of them retrospective), but the present-day dynamic between Isabella and Gabby, which is lively and vibrant and entertaining, is at the heart of the story.

I appreciated the fast pace and I thought the author's conversational writing style worked well. However, there were elements of the plot I felt were simultaneously predictable (on a broader genre level) and not believable (on a specific one) - and maybe I'm cynical, but I don't think Gabby actually *was* the best person to write the story she ended up writing! (Admittedly, Lisa wouldn't have been either, but perhaps someone with any degree of background knowledge about Puerto Rico?). Even in Isabella's worst moments, I found it difficult to sympathize with Gabby, so the novel felt a bit off-balance to me. I'm curious to hear how others perceive the characters and the story as a whole (especially folks with more knowledge about Puerto Rico than I have), so I think it'd be a solid book club pick.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I am so impressed with Familia! I was unsure what I was getting into as I dove into Lauren E. Rico's newest novel. But what I found was an emotional narrative that wove together themes of loss, love, and family into a gripping mystery.

In Familia, Gabby embarks on an unexpected journey after a genealogy test reveals the existence of an unknown sister. Gabby hoped to find a long-lost cousin or distant relative to help replace the emptiness created by her parents' deaths. But the discovery of a long-lost sister was more than she ever wanted. Despite her strong opinion that the test results must be incorrect, Gabby embarks on a trip to Puerto Rico, posing as a journalist tasked with writing a story about a well-known local baby who went missing: Marianna.

Gabby denies any connection to the baby, but Isabella, her potential sister, is convinced that Gabby is, in fact, the missing Marianna. To prove each other wrong, they set out to learn the truth of what happened all those years ago. Is Marianna alive or dead? Could Gabby and Marianna be the same person? As they press forward, Gabby and Isabella uncover a series of revelations that force them to reexamine their past, present, and future.

Lauren E. Rico's writing talent shines throughout the story. Her skillfully crafted narrative style made it difficult to put the book down, and her characters radiated authenticity, making them as real to me as any individual in the actual world. What piqued my interest from the very beginning was that I was certain I knew Gabby's identity, but that knowledge didn't diminish the story. In fact, it turned out to be the least interesting part of the entire plot. It's the bond between Isabella and Gabby and the understanding of how their stories unfold that will keep readers engaged until the very end.

I wholeheartedly recommend Familia to anyone who loves a good story. Do yourself a favor and add this surprising gem to your reading list right away.

My heartfelt thanks go to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Oh the secrets DNA testing turns up. In this case, Gabby discovers that she has a sister- a sister living in Puerto Rico, Isabella knows things that Gabby didn't. This is dark in spots- there's a kidnapping, drugs, and so on- but focus on the sisters, Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. No real surprises but a fine read for a rainy day.

In "Familia" by Lauren E. Rico, Gabby DiMarco's life is turned on end after she takes a DNA test for her job and discovers that she may have a sister. Determined to get to the bottom things, like the journalist she is, Gabby travels to Puerto Rico to uncover the truth and, along the way, learns some valuable lessons about love and family.

Though this book was a bit predictable, I devoured and loved it just the same. Sometimes just the right book comes along at just the right time, and this was it for me. It was comforting to know there would be a happy ending and that, though Gabby's life was in turmoil, everything would turn out in the end. I enjoyed the snippets of Spanish and of Puerto Rican culture, a language I am learning and a place I love to visit. I saw many of the twists coming, but that didn't make the book any less enjoyable to read. It really is a cozy, feel-good read and I am very thankful to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read it. I look forward to more from this author!

I’ll start this review by saying that I am Puerto Rican, born, raised and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. I love Puerto Rico with all my heart and whenever I see anything by Puerto Ricans I have to try and support it or give it a chance.

Rough description of the book, Gabiella is a fact checker at a magazine and her boss things its a good idea that every employee does a DNA test to find out if they can find some dark family secret. Gabby, who has recently lost both of her parents, finds out that she has a alleged sister she has never met, when said sister messages her letting her know that they are related and that she a missing baby from 25 years ago, the plot starts to roll. Slowly the book reveals what happened that day and all the people that played a part for the separation of these two sisters.

Here is where I have issue with this book and the plot:

At the very beginning the author wrote a note talking about her family history. How one of her grandparents is from Cuba and her grandmother was Puerto Rican and she wants to honor them by writing this book set in Puerto Rico. I think she pretty much failed at honoring an island that has so much culture and beauty. I understand that it's has to be dark and it has to be have dark these for the plot, but was it hard to have a balance. To add beauty (not just the sister relationship) between all the darkness.

The plot mostly the plot is set in old San Juan and la Perla, and I understand why she chose la Perla. I know all the negative connotations la Perla has, but only mentioning once why it was founded calling it "this used to the slaughter house for the slaves". The fact that following that statement the gringa says "this is prime real estate, how com no on has snatched it up and made a hotel here". Like it feels like an erasure of the history of Old San Juan and la Perla. It's too complicated for me to get into all the details.

The characters drove me up a wall, because every single character from Puerto Rico is a criminal or has criminal behavior in their past. EVERY SINGLE ONE. Almost every single character but Isabella played a role in the kidnapping of this child. The fact that story tries to justify why this baby deserved to be taken away from Puerto Rico for a "better" "safer" life. It keeps pushing the narrative that you could have a better, safer, life if you left Puerto Rico, and I don't ride on that.

The dark themes that bothered me most in the book, apart from the kidnapping, are the drugs. Drugs happen every where and Puerto Rico isn't the only place that has drugs. I've lived here 32 years and no one has tried to sell me drugs. The way the book portrayed it mostly hints that people come to Puerto Rico looking for drugs. Maybe some do, but that is not the image of Puerto Rico I want out there. Adding to this, that when both cops lie to the girls about what really happened in the past they used the Dominican Republic as another criminal hotspot for people to get kidnapped and human trafficked.

The timeline of this book is a bit wild for me. It goes back and forth between the day Mariana was kidnapped and the present. It was believable until one POV in the past and they mentioned Hurricane Maria. Which is my calculations are correct, the kidnapping takes place in 1998. Obviously in 1998 nobody would imagine that in 2017 there would be a devastating Hurricane, if the author had done any research she could've used Hurricane George, but this felt like it had no research and it only followed the knowledge the author had of her experiences in Puerto Rico.

The book tried, and failed, to connect the darks sides of the island with the beauty but we only get to hear about the beauty when Gabiella is on the plane and other people tell here to visit the island and see the beautiful parts of it. She never does, or we never get to see it. Add to that the author places Guanica wrong on the island in the story, but correctly placed it in her authors note.

I don't recommend this book because I don't want to keep promoting books that only highlight crime and drugs in Puerto Rico. I got a free arc of this book on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Kensington Books for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was okay! Nothing bad but nothing I LOVED either.