The First To Know by Abigail Johnson

The First To Know

by Abigail Johnson

Don't miss the second gripping and heartfelt story from the author of If I Fix You! A girl's plan to find her father's birth family turns potentially devastating when the secret DNA test she has done reveals that she has a half brother her age she never knew about.

Dana Fields's father never knew his parents. When Dana secretly does a DNA test for her dad, hoping to find him some distant relatives for his birthday, her entire world implodes. Instead of a few third cousins, Dana discovers a half brother her age whose very existence means her parents' happy marriage is a lie.

Dana's desire to know her half brother, Brandon, and the extent of her dad's deception, clashes with her wish not to destroy her family. When she sees the opportunity to get to know Brandon through his cousin, the intense yet kind Chase, she takes it. But the more she finds out about Brandon, her father's past and the irresistible guy who'll never forgive her if he discovers the truth, the more she sees the inevitable fallout from her own lies. With her family crumbling around her, Dana must own up to her actions and find a way to heal the breach–for everyone–before they're torn apart for good.

Reviewed by Sam@WLABB on

5 of 5 stars

Share
Rating: 4.5 Stars

This was one of my Can't-Wait Wednesday picks, so I had pretty high hopes for this book. I am happy to report it did not disappoint me. What would you do if you were the first to know something that could destroy your family? This is the question Dana struggled with in this book, and I couldn't stop flipping the pages as I watched Dana build her house of cards.

•Pro: Many different types of families are explored. Single mom, single dad, foster kid, large family, extended families, adopted families. Families come in all shapes and sizes, and it's nice to see them represented.

•Pro: Dana! This young woman was put in a tough position, and she had to hold so much inside as she tried to make the right decision. I couldn't imagine having that sort of information, and knowing it could destroy my life as I know it. She didn't always make good decisions in this book, and her decisions often had major repercussions, but they all came with good intentions, and she learned a lot of herself, her family, and she was better for it.

•Pro: This books is packed with great characters. I found them all to be well developed and they made significant contributions to the story. I also cared about them.

•Pro: Speaking of caring, I found myself quite emotionally invested in this family. The joy, the loss, the pain, the betrayal -- it was all there.

•Pro: There were a lot of side plots, and when I stood back and took in the big picture, I was able to see how they were all part of the big picture.

•Con: The ending, though good, left me glad about some things, a little sad about others, and with a bunch of questions about yet more things.

•Pro: The drama was delicious! I kept sneaking little pieces of this book, because I had to know what happened next. It was quite addictive.

•Pro: There is a lot of love and grace shown and there were a few times I thought my heart would burst.

•Pro: I loved Dana's romance. Her romantic interest won me over with the first overture he made towards Dana, which was far from your typical romantic gesture.

•Pro: This book blended stories of families, friendships, relationships, and romance, and it did it well.



Overall: A heartfelt story of family secrets, filled with great characters and lots of feels.

BLOG | INSTAGRAM | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 10 November, 2017: Finished reading
  • 10 November, 2017: Reviewed