Familia: A Riveting and Unforgettable Novel of Sisterhood
"A masterfully woven tale of mystery, reconciliation, and familial love." –Abby Jimenez, New York Times Bestselling Author
Readers of Olga Dies Dreaming and fans of Julia Alvarez will be captivated by this spellbinding story told from multiple perspectives and spanning a generation, as a baffling genealogy test connects two young women across cultures and class and sets in motion the events that might unravel a decades-old crime at last.
"With every turn of the page, readers are drawn to exploring the complexities that bind every person to their roots, celebrating the tenacious pursuit of identity." – LA Times
Book of the Month Club Add-On Selection | GoodReads Readers' Most Anticipated Books | The Daily Mail Best New Books | Indie Next Pick | LibraryReads Selection | GoodReads The Fall Books Goodreads Editors Can't Wait to Read | Library Journal Fall Book Preview, The Titles to Read in 2023
What if your most basic beliefs about your life were suddenly revealed to be a lie?
As the fact checker for a popular magazine, Gabby DiMarco believes in absolute, verifiable Truths—until they throw the facts of her own life into question. The genealogy test she took as research for an article has yielded a baffling result: Gabby has a sister—one who’s been desperately trying to find her. Except, as Gabby’s beloved parents would confirm if they were still alive, that’s impossible.
Isabella Ruiz can still picture the face of her baby sister, who disappeared from the streets of San Juan twenty-five years ago. Isabella, an artist, has fought hard for the stable home and loving marriage she has today—yet the longing to find Marianna has never left. At last, she’s found a match, and Gabby has agreed to come to Puerto Rico.
But Gabby, as defensive and cautious as Isabella is impulsive, offers no happy reunion. She insists there’s been a mistake. And Isabella realizes that even if this woman is her sister, she may not want to be.
With nothing—or perhaps so much—in common, Gabby and Isabella set out to find the truth, though it means risking everything they’ve known for an uncertain future—and a past that harbors yet more surprises . . .
"A compulsive story with engaging characters that hooked me from the start. This is a must read!" –Kerry Lonsdale, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post & Bestselling Author
"Lauren Rico’s FAMILIA has it all. By page 30, I would have walked on coals to finish reading this story." –Jacquelyn Mitchard, New York Times bestselling author of The Deep End of the Ocean
"An absolute delight. I couldn't stop turning the pages." –KJ Dell'Antonia, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Chicken Sisters (A Reese's Book Club Pick)
“A moving story about the bonds of sisterhood and unraveling the mysteries of your past. A wonderful debut!” –Annette Chavez Macias, bestselling author of Big Chicas Don’t Cry
Readers of Olga Dies Dreaming and fans of Julia Alvarez will be captivated by this spellbinding story told from multiple perspectives and spanning a generation, as a baffling genealogy test connects two young women across cultures and class and sets in motion the events that might unravel a decades-old crime at last.
"With every turn of the page, readers are drawn to exploring the complexities that bind every person to their roots, celebrating the tenacious pursuit of identity." – LA Times
Book of the Month Club Add-On Selection | GoodReads Readers' Most Anticipated Books | The Daily Mail Best New Books | Indie Next Pick | LibraryReads Selection | GoodReads The Fall Books Goodreads Editors Can't Wait to Read | Library Journal Fall Book Preview, The Titles to Read in 2023
What if your most basic beliefs about your life were suddenly revealed to be a lie?
As the fact checker for a popular magazine, Gabby DiMarco believes in absolute, verifiable Truths—until they throw the facts of her own life into question. The genealogy test she took as research for an article has yielded a baffling result: Gabby has a sister—one who’s been desperately trying to find her. Except, as Gabby’s beloved parents would confirm if they were still alive, that’s impossible.
Isabella Ruiz can still picture the face of her baby sister, who disappeared from the streets of San Juan twenty-five years ago. Isabella, an artist, has fought hard for the stable home and loving marriage she has today—yet the longing to find Marianna has never left. At last, she’s found a match, and Gabby has agreed to come to Puerto Rico.
But Gabby, as defensive and cautious as Isabella is impulsive, offers no happy reunion. She insists there’s been a mistake. And Isabella realizes that even if this woman is her sister, she may not want to be.
With nothing—or perhaps so much—in common, Gabby and Isabella set out to find the truth, though it means risking everything they’ve known for an uncertain future—and a past that harbors yet more surprises . . .
"A compulsive story with engaging characters that hooked me from the start. This is a must read!" –Kerry Lonsdale, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post & Bestselling Author
"Lauren Rico’s FAMILIA has it all. By page 30, I would have walked on coals to finish reading this story." –Jacquelyn Mitchard, New York Times bestselling author of The Deep End of the Ocean
"An absolute delight. I couldn't stop turning the pages." –KJ Dell'Antonia, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Chicken Sisters (A Reese's Book Club Pick)
“A moving story about the bonds of sisterhood and unraveling the mysteries of your past. A wonderful debut!” –Annette Chavez Macias, bestselling author of Big Chicas Don’t Cry
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Community Reviews
Book #69: Kelly's choice. This meeting was supposed to take place in person on Saturday, with the author present, but had to be cancelled.
This book was great! Likely because it fell in my lap at a time when we have been digging into our family ancestry. The story focuses on a sister who is working as a fact checker at a magazine and has DNA tests done for a work project that say she is not her parents' daughter. It sends her into a deep dive trying to prove that the test was wrong, since her parents are both dead and she cannot ask them. As she delves further, she is contacted by the sister who has been searching for her since she was abducted as a child. The way these two instantly bond and fight, in my mind, further proved to me how they were cut from the same cloth. The twists come in when you finally learn the details of how the abduction happened, and who all knew and said nothing for years.
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