3.5 stars
Thank you to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Loretta Nyhan's books are always filled with quirky but loveable characters. This book had an interesting premise, in trying to find a cure for her daughter's mystery illness, Ally takes a DNA test, which leads her to find her birth family and all kinds of family secrets.
A heartwarming story about family, both the one you were born into and the one you choose and how they all can coexist

Ally is desperate to help her daughter, Kylie, who has an autoimmune disorder. Ally decides to do a DNA test to see if the results will help them discover if there is an unknown health issue that could be causing Kylie's problems. Ally had a great childhood with her adopted mother, Sophie, who brought Kylie and Ally into her home after Ally's separation from her husband, Matt. Sophie, however, is not happy about Ally's decision to take the test, feeling threatened about Ally possibly having a relationship with her birth family. When Ally does find them, will it enrich her life or cause more pain? If you enjoy novels about relationships and are looking for a new author, give this one a try.

Ally Anderson is adopted. Her daughter, Kylie, suffers from severe allergies that may be genetic. In order to help her daughter, Ally takes a DNA test and discovers that she has an aunt that lives nearby. Ally and Kylie end up befriending Micki and her family, while Ally gets to learn more about her past and seek treatment for Kylie. I felt like there was too much going on in this book, with Kylie’s autoimmune disorder, Ally connecting with her biological family, oh and did I mention the divorce she is currently in the process of getting?!

For Ally Anderson, life is uncertain. Her daughter’s constant illness from illusive allergies have Ally’s family constantly on edge, so much so, that a loving family drifts apart. The Other Family is a touching look into the dissolution of a marriage where there’s no love lost, just a gradual drift, and the search for answers at all costs, even if those answers involve another family and a past Ally has been content to avoid until her daughter’s health depends on it. The Other Family stabs at the insecurity an answerless life brings and the way we redefine ourselves to untangle the truth.

Thank you the author and Net Galley for an advanced copy.

This was my first book by author Loretta Nyhan. After finishing the book, I spent a bit of time researching the author's background, She has gradually evolved her writing career, starting out dabbling in historical fiction, and has now assumed a niche in what is now being called middle age coming of age novels.

In The Other Family, Ally Anderson's marriage is crumbling, and, her daughter, Kylie,  is suffering from, some yet undiagnosable sickness. The trips to doctor's offices have not yielded any firm diagnosis. Ally, has heard about a new wave doctor, Dr. Indigo, who seems to be able to help "hard to diagnose" cases. When the doctor asks about family history, Ally confides that she has no information on her side because she is adopted, and has no information her birth family. Dr. Indigo suggests Ally do a DNA test. 

If there is one thing Ally's adoptive mother is strict about is that SHE is Ally's only MOTHER / FAMILY. When the DNA test results come back, they indicate Ally has a living relative close by. If Ally looks her up, she could connect with her biological family, and possibly find out information that could help her daughter Kylie. But ...Ally knows this would disappoint her adoptive mother. 

In between the doctor appointments, and facing these serious "family" issues, Loretta Nyhan throws in plenty of humour to keep the book "fun' to read.  Thank you #netgalley for the e-arc  of #theotherfamily, in return for my honest review. I enjoyed reading it.

The Other Family was a light and entertaining read about some much deeper topics - autoimmune disease, chronic illness of a child, adoption, DNA, nature vs nurture, marital separation and family dynamics - non of which are truly covered in a lot of detail or with too much emotion.
 
Throughout reading this novel, I was torn between wanting more depth and enjoying the lightness and humour with which the author treated these issues. In the end I decided to just be entertained. 

The characters were real. I could easily relate to Ally's quest to find out what is happening with her daughter; her need to contact her biological family as she sought out the truth about her genetic makeup. I could felt the heartbreak and fear behind her adoptive mother's anger as Ally started to spend more time with her aunt.  I understood the potential for permanent fracturing of Ally's relationships with both her mother, her ex-husband and even Kylie as Ally held tight to the hope that she would find a cure for her daughter. 

I loved the inclusion of alternative therapies in dealing with Kylie's disorder. Being a believer in the power of mediation, yoga and essential olis for health and wellbeing this was right up my alley (pardon the pun). 

I also loved that one of the main characters is named Kylie....I can't tell you how rare it is to see my name in a book. 
Perfect book for lazy weekend reading.

This book gave me good feelings, I really loved the characters too<3 
I really enjoyed the journey the characters went through and how they grew in the book!
I read the book after reading the authors comment on gr and it made me get attached to the story more before even starting it<3
Seeing Ally accept that change is okay, and change is what makes us move on and accept our life made me feel so proud of her<3


TW: i don't know what to write exactly but it talks in depth about illness and the effects on the patients and people around them so be aware of that.

A delightful book about discovery not only along the lines of autoimmune disease, which was an interesting twist in the storyline, but about who is considered family during our lifetimes. Ally leads us on a convoluted tale as her life is turned upside down from both separation from her husband and the deep concerns of her daughter, Kylie's illness - her food allergies, as well as other symptoms. I enjoyed the adventure of trying to find information about her biological family as she was adopted as a baby. Using the genetic DNA tests so popular not, opens a whole new array of characters to this book.

2.5 Stars. I received this book on NetGalley and I struggled how to rate it. On the one hand, it brought forward an interesting question of what makes a family. Family seems to come in all forms in this book - the adopted mother, the biological aunt, a sick child, a foster child, a soon-to-be ex-husband, friends, friends of friends and they all seem to come together. It's really a story of people finding other people, which makes for a really nice story.

The problem with this book however, was just that - the book is afraid of conflict. Every character in this novel is just too understanding. If the character had an issue with something, they just walked away for some "time" and everyone else reacted with complete understanding. There was no suspense; any fear that the characters faced was resolved within paragraphs. Completely justified anger is quickly forgiven by saying "She's not mean, she just really believes in her feelings sometimes." While there were many interesting situations that could have been moments to delve into the relationships of the characters, this book didn't want to have difficult conversations and as a result fell flat for me.

This book uses a new plot device:  the home DNA test.  Ally, who is adopted, is looking for medical information to help her daughter who has undiagnosed medical issues.  In the beginning I wasn’t sure I liked the characters, but they grew on me as we met relatives found by the DNA test.  I ended up really liking it and enjoyed this new plot device.

This is a book told from a true depiction of autoimmune diseases from every perspective, whether it be the parents, those whom see it from the outside or the person herself, Kylie. It is a book of strength where everyday carries a huge unknown. We all battle in some way and this realistically captured it. I really admired Ally.

This book was not was I was expecting. 
It was deep and so meaningful. The relationships felt incredibly real and I was really connected. I really loved that the romantic relationship wasn't the main point of this book. I loved the family dynamics of talking about adoption, plus finding relatives you never knew you had. 
I liked the diverse cast. The talking of different cultures and acceptance. 
It just was a lovely written book. 
It brought tears to my eyes which isn't an easy feat.

Enjoyable read. Good story about who your family really is - is blood thicker than water. Wish there was more of an attempt to dive into the parental relationship and the struggles of raising a sick child. A nice quick read. Would definitely read another book by the author. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book for an honest review

Therapy for the soul!! Family is not always by blood. Family can be by choice.
Lets face it-Today's world is not the same as your grandparents. History sadly repeats and often in the wrong direction entirely with more turmoil not less, but for the sake of some books to travel within the pages we'd be lost.
This is one of those books that grips you without letting go -so YES! Have the hanky handy as my grand pop used to say.
This was emotionally riveting with a divorce on the horizon for Ally and Kyle being adopted suffering from a compromised immune system.
As a sufferer for many years I was just diagnosed (46 yrs later) with allergies, mild asthma/copd, chronic bronchitis (after 20 yrs) and HUS ( fatal blood disorder via a hospital computer) non of which I've been told in person but read about in notes after each visit. In fact, I'm a day late in reviewing due to complications (Nausea, tension headaches, eye strains-blue light) from the above issues and many more underlying ones ie. Spinal Stenosis, Raynaud's, Pulmonary Embos, DVT, and more. 
So, when I tell you I understand this story deeply I do because I also stem from a family of narcissists and married into the same (happily divorced w 3 teens since 2013) with visitations every other weekend for our youngest.
I get it and I hope with DNA-genetics-wanting a diagnosis-& I highly recommend the Author's Notes- explaining the intricacies and why she wanted to write this work.
The Other Family hit all the markers for the next great read.
Thank you to Loretta, the pub, NetGalley, and Kindle for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.

This is the story about Ally and her 10 year old daughter Kylie who is suffering from an auto immune disorder of unknown origin. Ally is fierce in her seeking care and treatment for Kylie and in her pursuit of answers, has Kylie do a DNA test. Being adopted, Ally has no idea of her background and this DNA tests opens a door to family she never knew about.

Ally is navigating an emotional roller coaster of situations on top of trying to care for her daughter which include her impending divorce and her adoptive mom's feelings about Ally venturing into the past. I found it easy to relate to Ally, and her desire for more familial connections but also could understand her mom and her underlying fear of losing the daughter she raised. 

Despite some of the serious content, it truly was a (mostly) light, uplifting story about love and family, in all forms. 

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Other Family by Loretta Nyhan is a heartfelt story about a little girl with a disease and how her family handles it.  Actually, how her family grows while dealing with it.

Nyhan has a knack for creating colorful characters with emotional depth and sharp wit. The Other Family is the touching (and timely) story of Ally Anderson, a devoted mother navigating through her daughter Kylie's life-threatening allergies. The diagnosis has taken its toll on Ally and her marriage to Matt, but also introduces a lively cast of characters through DNA testing (Ally is adopted), to help sort out Ally and Kylie's medical history.

Kudos to the author for introducing an alternative approach to allergy treatment. One that provides a rare compassion for the patient and the family in which it inevitably affects.

Nyhan writes a heart-warming story of what it means to be family and the sacrifices we make for those we love. The Other Family weaves together our most sensitive and tender moments, delivering a flawless tale of faith, understanding, and perseverance.

Lastly, I am obsessed with Jenn with two n's.
Brava!

The Other Family by Loretta Nyhan is a sweet, short read about Ally Anderson, a passionate mom trying to unpuzzle her daughter’s mystery autoimmune illness. After trying seemingly everything that modern medicine has to offer, Ally turns to a homeopathic doctor and at-home DNA kits to unravel her daughter’s condition. Along the way, Ally finds her biological aunt, and struggles to reconcile her place between her newfound biological family, adoptive mother, and separating husband.  

Being a short read, I really enjoyed this book for what it was. The characters were fun and interesting, and each had their own flaws. The Other Family also avoided some clichés, (that I won’t get into to avoid spoilers) which was refreshing to see in this genre. The book touches on very important topics both in the realms of family/community and chronic illness, but I wish these had been explored a little more. Some examples that were mentioned but quickly forgotten include cultural appropriation and the dangers posed by fake service animals (especially since the daughter is within a population that might need to use a service dog). Overall, I thought the book was just the right length and a positive, happy story that wasn’t always cliché.

Note: I received a free ebook copy of The Other Family from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A very good novel about a woman fighting for her daughter- and finding truths about herself.  Kylie's illness threw everything clockwise in Allie's world.  She's determined, despite all the roadblocks, to find out her own genetic history.  You'll feel for her and root for her.  I liked this because she's such a strong character and because Nyhan hasn't forgotten to include the everyday.  It's written in a storytelling style that will pull you in and keep you reading.   Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.  I'm going to look for more from Nyhan.

I loved this exploration of family! It was touching and raw, exploring many real life topics in a relatable way. The journey of the characters evolved in a realistic way. The book touched on many topics but was not overdone. The main character was likable and relatable. This was a quick, easy read that left me smiling. My thanks to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.