A Million Reasons Why
A Novel
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4.0 • 68 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
A gripping tale of two strangers bound by a mail-in DNA test, A Million Reasons Why explores the complex bonds and limitations of family in a heartbreaking yet hopeful narrative.
Jessica Strawser's latest novel is "a fascinating foray into the questions we are most afraid to ask" (Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author). When Caroline, a woman with a thriving career, three feisty children, and an enviable marriage, discovers through a DNA test that Sela is her half sister, it dismantles everything she knows to be true.
Sela, who suffers from irreversible kidney failure, sees Caroline as her best hope for a future. But as they step into the unfamiliar realm of sisterhood, roles reverse in ways no one could have foreseen. Sela's world isn't as clear-cut as it appears—and one misstep could destroy it all.
"A thrilling story of what happens when a long-held family secret comes to light...[Strawser] shows that no one is ever truly a villain or a hero, but instead, we are all a beautiful and messy mix of both." - Associated Press review
Hailed as a perfect book club pick by New York Times bestselling author Joshilyn Jackson, A Million Reasons Why is a must-read domestic drama that will leave you pondering the unbreakable ties of family.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Strawser (Forget You Know Me) exposes the impact of family secrets and lies in this moving if overheated story of two half sisters who discover each other through a DNA service. Caroline Porter, a happily married event planner and mother of three young children, is thrown for a loop when she gets an email out of the blue from Sela Bell, a woman claiming they have the same father. If that isn't enough of a bombshell, Caroline also discovers the truth behind a life-changing breakup years ago, when she was denied a job at the college where the then love-of-her-life had just landed the perfect faculty position. Meanwhile, Sela, divorced with a toddler, has chronic kidney disease (CKD), and Sela's need for a new kidney (Caroline is a match) creates all kinds of stress for both women and their families. Abundant melodrama in the closing chapters overshadows the otherwise fast-paced, riveting story of an expanded family negotiating Caroline's discoveries and Sela's needs, which is nonetheless enriched by details about CKD as well as the steps involved for potential organ donors. Strawser's fans will appreciate this provocative family tale.
