The First to Know

by Abigail Johnson

Overview

A SECRET DNA TEST.

A SECRET HALF BROTHER.

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.

Also by Abigail Johnson:  
Every Other Weekend 
Even If I Fall 
If I Fix You 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781488028120
Publisher:	Harlequin
Publication date:	11/07/2017
Sold by:	HARLEQUIN
Format:	eBook
Pages:	336
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

Abigail Johnson was born in Pennsylvania. When she was twelve, her family traded in snowstorms for year-round summers and moved to Arizona. Abigail chronicled the entire road trip and has been writing ever since. She became a tetraplegic when she was seventeen, but hasn't let that stop her from bodysurfing in Mexico, writing and directing a high-school production of Cinderella, and becoming a published author. Visit Abigail at abigailjohnsonbooks.com and on Twitter @AbigailsWriting.

Editorial Reviews

"Emotions, heartache, and betrayal: Johnson's sophomore novel has it all." - Booklist

"A smart, heartfelt tale that's more than its nifty high concept." - Kirkus Reviews

"Beautifully told, this heartbreaking story about family betrayals and secrets will have readers easily caught up in this tale.... The romance is sweet, well done and feels genuine, and the ending is simply perfect." – RT Book Reviews

"All the characters are brought to life with nuanced depiction. Filled with drama, the narrative has notes of comedy, romance, and an underlying softball theme, which makes it accessible for all kinds of readers... [H]eartwarming and satisfying. –School Library Journal

From the Publisher

12/01/2017
Gr 9 Up—An easy and entertaining realistic YA tale. Ambitious 17-year-old softball player Dana Fields plans to surprise her dad with "the birthday presents of all birthday presents." En route to the surprise, Dana discovers a brother that no one knew about. Readers are introduced to Dana's struggle with handling this news among her family and handling her newfound sibling, who also comes with a love interest. As all the information comes to the surface, the protagonist must find the right words and approach to keep all the important relationships in her life together. Dana is a character many teens can find pieces of themselves in, and the challenges she experiences and overcomes make her a relatable protagonist. All the characters are brought to life with nuanced depiction. Filled with drama, the narrative has notes of comedy, romance, and an underlying softball theme, which makes it accessible for all kinds of readers. Young people will find the ending heartwarming and satisfying. VERDICT An overall enjoyable choice for realistic fiction collections.—David Roberts, Salem Public Library, OH

School Library Journal

2017-09-18
The DNA sequencing Dana secretly obtained for her dad was supposed to be his best birthday present ever—now, it threatens to tear her family apart. Unlike her Latina mom, blessed with a large Mexican family and rich cultural heritage, biracial Dana's white dad was raised in foster homes, his ancestry a blank. Injuries ended his dream of a career playing baseball. He was further crushed when Selena, Dana's athletically talented older sister, abandoned sports in college. Less talented but more motivated, Dana's a star of her Arizona high school softball team that he coaches but also keenly aware hard work won't make her another Selena. The DNA report leads to the revelation that their dad fathered a son outside marriage after Selena's birth. When Dana's attempts to forge a relationship with their half brother, Brandon, are rebuffed, a chance meeting with his olive-skinned cousin Chase opens a way for Dana to know Brandon vicariously even as she falls for Chase himself. The pace drags when Dana obsesses over when, how, and to whom to tell the secrets piling up, but top-notch characters, including minor players like Samoan Nick, Dana's admirer whose shyness provokes her affection and guilt, sustain reader interest. There's love, competition, and jealousy among siblings and friends; the compromises and accommodations of marriage; the petty issues that grate and the messy, mixed motives everyone brings to the table—all unfold in lively, complex scenes. A smart, heartfelt tale that's more than its nifty high concept. (Fiction. 13-17)

Kirkus Reviews