From the bestselling author of Digging In comes a witty and moving novel about motherhood, courage, and finding true family.
With a dissolving marriage, strained finances, and her life in flux, Ally Anderson longs for normal. Her greatest concerns, though, are the health problems of her young daughter, Kylie. Symptoms point to a compromised immune system, but every doctor they’ve seen has a … they’ve seen has a different theory. Then comes hope for some clarity.
It’s possible that Kylie’s illness is genetic, but Ally is adopted. A DNA test opens up an entirely new path. And where it leads is a surprise: to an aunt Ally never knew existed. She’s a little wild, very welcoming, and ready to share more of the family history than Ally ever imagined.
Coping with a skeptical soon-to-be-ex husband, weathering the cautions of her own resistant mother, and getting maddeningly close to the healing Kylie needs, Ally is determined to regain control of her life. This is her chance to embrace uncertainty and the beauty of family—both the one she was born into and the one she chose.
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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.
Loretta Nyhan has a knack for creating colorful characters with emotional depth and sharp wit. The Other Family is a heart-warming story of what it means to be family and the sacrifices we make for those we love. Nyhan weaves together sensitive and tender moments, delivering a flawless tale of faith, understanding, and perseverance.
It is wonderful story about mom was superhero because she was fighting for daughter ‘illness. She was determined to find cure for her daughter. She drive in other mystery family out .her real family because she was adaptation
This was a sweet story about family, biological or otherwise. It touched on some alternative medicine for allergy treatments which I found interesting as I have a friend who went through some similar treatments with success. While the story centered around the situation with the daughter’s allergies, it really touched on friendship, trust in others as well as yourself, and the bond that is family. I would recommend this book.
This was a well written story that covered the topics of adoption, DNA testing and autoimmune disorders. Kylie has suffered from a chronic autoimmune disorder throughout childhood. She’s been to more doctors that she and her mom Ally can count, and all those visits and tests have left her with more questions than answers. This novel does a good job of showing the perspective of those who suffer from orphan illnesses, and the reality that sometimes medical science does not have concrete answers even when something is clearly very, very wrong.
When Kylie and her mom go to Dr. Indigo, an alternative medicine specialist, will her methods help, or are they yet another in a long line of odd and ultimately ineffective treatments? I liked all the inclusive messages in this one, both about disability and about adoption. And cute funny moments, particularly with Cassie’s dog!
A book full of Feels!
I cried, I cheered, I cringed, this story pulled them all from me. Each character is written so well that you are feeling for them by chapter 2! Loved it!
This was my choice of books from Amazon First Reads. Since autoimmune deficiencies run in my family, I wanted to read this. I was familiar with many of the terms the author used.
This story involves many threads, all woven together. There is, of course, the medical thread, adoption thread, marriage troubles thread, and DNA results thread. I could particularly relate to unexpected results on a DNA test since when I did mine, I found out my genetic background included a country that had never been brought up in my family yet it constituted a fairly decent part of my genetics.
I am not a person to look outside the box when it comes to medical treatments, so this book did help me understand why people turn to them. While I am not sure I would have taken this avenue, I do understand, as a mother, that a parent would literally do anything to help their child. I enjoyed this book and the new information it brought.
Loretta Nyhan tackles the mystery of auto-immune disorders with courage and heart. Unlike many diseases, this one is a master of disguise. You may start with a headache, sore throat, inflammation in your joints and discover you have an allergy to one food. But then the a,leagues blossom along with the symptoms. The cause is often impossible to detect and, in some cases, the allergies can cause fatal reactions.
The Other Family envelops us in the close community of Ally and her daughter Kylie, the one suffering from a major peanut allergy. To complicate matters, Ally is adopted and doesn’t know her biological parents or genetic history. As the story unfolds we follow her search for that information, that identity, to help her understand how to treat Kylie. On the surface, that genetic journey would provide ample room for exploration. Adopted children are often curious about their birth parents and adoptive parents are often protective, creating unintentional divides. But the story goes so much deeper as Ally and her mother and Kylie and Ally’s soon-to-be ex-husband Matt become part of the whirlwind of exposed feelings and old beliefs and patterns – the ones that subconsciously rule our behavior.
With an easy flowing style and great compassion, Nyhan lets us see the positives and negatives of each character, so we groan at the problematic choices and stamp and cheer at the wise, loving ones. I loved Ally’s determination, Kylie’s courage, the wild and crazy Aunt Micki with her Indian husband, Ally’s proud mother, Matt’s practicality. Such a wonderful story of real-life situations and the way they handle the choices that arise.
Great story!! this is what I need for these crazy times not only was light but also was heart-melting and very moving.
Ally’s life takes a very different path when she separates from her husband, trying to find a balance in her life she decided to continue searching for alternatives to help her daughter that has been very ill for such a long time, she is tired of the unknown always having a hard time to let go and trust in new methods to finally make her daughter healthy again.
I love the determination and strength Ally shows at all times, trying to do what’s best for her daughter even if she has to open a can of worms or situations that were buried behind but now she needs her past to know the next step for her daughter’s treatment and future.
Kylie is a wonderful character, she was very smart for her age and also very bold and sensitive, I love the way she always was kind to everybody no matter how hard was to feel good with her ups and down due to this terrible illness.. she was the silent glue that held Ally and the rest of the characters together.. she was the main reason for such an amazing adventure.
The other family when I started this book I thought it was going to be the typical Comedy with a lot of irreverent laughable comments, but to my surprise, this book was very different in a very good way, I’m so glad I picked it, I enjoy it so much!!
I don’t want to give much away but The other family is a book that will give you hope, faith, and so much joy, it is a book that has the right amount of everything a little angst, a little sadness, but so much happiness.
Overall it was Amazing!!
Loretta Nyhan’s book, THE OTHER FAMILY, is a wonderfully written story about a mother’s fight to help her daughter, who is struggling with an auto-immune disease, and how she must deal with the crumbling effects of going through one disappointment after another. Told in a sensitive, heart-warming way, readers will fall in love with Ally Anderson and her family. A must read.
This was a very good book. It was very good family book. It is about family facing challenges and changes. Ally was adopted so she didn’t know her family history. Ally’s daughter Kylie has severe peanut allergies and has been to many doctors to try to help. The new doctor suggests Kylie does a DNA test so that they can see if there is anyone in the family that had the same issues. Ally finds out that she has other family out there. This is the story about Kylie and Ally finding out information to help her. This was a very well written enjoyable ready. It was compelling and hard to put down. I would highly recommend this read.
Nice flow and character presentation. Very informative wrt allergies and the sensitivities of the family with children who have severe allergies. Also informative wrt to adoption and the sensitivities of parents of adopted children, of the adopted children and of the families who gave up a member for adoption. Plus humor and a little bit of silly. Quite enjoyable.
“We need to stop fearing change. Change is difficult, but accepting it is what keeps us resilient and competitive.”
This is a novel of love, family, fear, and challenges.
Every parent prays their child will be happy. When Kylie is diagnosed with severe food allergies, Ally’s only goal is to “fix” her daughter. NO matter how much it costs.
Ally was adopted as a young child and has no clues to her family problems if any.
She agrees to do a DNA analysis as per Kylie’s new physician to find out what medical clues might unfold.
Little does she realize all it will lead to.
Perhaps a new “fix” for her daughter and her entire family! It is definitely a powerful novel!
Both timeless in [its] portrayal of the lengths a mother would go to for her child, and timely in its thoughtful discussion of hot-button topics, this funny yet touching story had me in its grip from the very first page. You’ll root for Ally as soon as you meet her!
Ally Anderson has a problem any parent can relate to: she’ll do anything to save her daughter’s life. Kylie has severe allergies that seem to be getting worse. When Ally enlists the help of an unconventional doctor who has a protocol that might help, she finds more than she bargained for as she embarks on a journey that leads her to her birth family as well as a new philosophy of life and love. Written with Loretta Nyhan’s trademark humor and compassion, The Other Family is a beautiful, suspenseful story of hope standing up to fear in a world where we never have the control we wish for.
This book surprised me with the depth of knowledge the author demonstrated about autoimmune disorders. I was on Team Kylie from the beginning because I really wanted her to overcome her peanut allergies. I really enjoyed the different family relationships portrayed in the book, especially Micki’s quickness to accept Ally’s mom as family. Fans of general fiction will enjoy this book, but know that, like many books in this modern era, there is a gay couple in it, so it is not a totally clean read.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I won a copy of this book from the publisher via a Goodread/Kindle giveaway. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Ally’s separated from her husband. A divorce is coming. She also has a sick child that doctors aren’t able to diagnose. She’s living with her Mom. She loves her dearly but they don’t always see eye to eye. And now, her soon to be ex, husband is thinking of dating again because he’s lonely.
This author does a good job of showing all the character’s emotions. The main character is trying to do the right thing but she runs into roadblocks. She keeps going though. The author writes compassionately, with smooth flowing words, and really draws you in to her story.
She decides to try a new doctor that she liked the reviews on. The doctor is a bit odd but Ally hopes she can help her daughter. When her husband finds out, he wants to go the appointments too. He’s skeptical about the doctor but she is helping. Since Ally was adopted, the doctor suggests DNA testing to see Kylie’s genetic footprint. The only surprise is that Ally finds out she has aunt not far away.
She decides to visit and is welcomed. The aunt owns a bridal shop. The funny part is that she meets one of the bridal customers. She’s an old woman of ninety years old. She’s not shy.
Then she decides to run for the school board. She’s running against the new woman in her husband’s life and an attractive man. Her daughter is slowly getting better. It’s a long road to wellness with an auto-immune disease that has gone off the rails…The author makes you cheer her characters on. She also makes you want to read more about them. It’s a good read that will hook you.
The Other Family by Loretta Nyhan is a charming book about family, what makes family and how the family comes together to deal with Kylie’s illness. Loretta Nyhan writes with compassion and heart felt insight into life with illness, adoption and what makes family.
The Other Family is an utterly engaging book, brimming with warmth and wit. The main character, Ally Anderson immediately spoke to my heart; a woman with a sick child and a floundering marriage, who discovers strength, courage and determination. There is devotion and care on every page of this book; the interactions between these wonderful characters are not always easy, but they are honest and real and love-filled. This is a beautifully-written, profound, heartwarming book about the wonder of family. It made me smile, it made me cry, and made me hopeful.
Through the eyes of Ally Anderson, a delightfully vulnerable and surprisingly powerful woman who will stop at nothing on her quest to cure her daughter’s mysterious illness, Nyhan redefines the traditional boundaries of family and reminds us that strength can be displayed in unexpected and unusual ways. I loved every minute of this book and its cast of lovable, eccentric people—don’t miss it!