Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy of IT’S ONE OF US.

This thriller was good! It was not what I was expecting, at all. I enjoyed reading from all of the different perspectives throughout the story. It had some twists and was unique and suspenseful. The author also did a great job of bringing in so many emotional aspects, making this thriller have more substance to it.

TW: infertility, miscarriages, pregnancy loss

My friends, this book was a thriller AND A HALF. It's One of Us is the story of a murderer whose DNA links him to a suburban couple struggling to conceive children of their own. The books is an absolutely unputdownable work in terms of plot and the whole story is told against the background of infertility and loss, and this technique really facilitates the fleshing out each of the protagonists and their intentions, insecurities, motives, etc. An afterword in the book reveals that the author has dealt with infertility herself, and this is evident also in how sensitively and realistically the subject is broached.

The story is told through multiple POVs (with a focus on different perspectives at different points in the novel), and we're left doubting ourselves and our reads of each of the characters as we move through towards the shocking conclusion. I particularly enjoyed that the detectives were one of the POVs we were occasionally privy to. The setting is gorgeous, slick, and very evocative - it was definitely giving me shades of Big Little Lies in how certain environments were described. I loved that the protagonist, Olivia, was an interior designer because it laid the foundation for so many decadent descriptions of homes and interiors! The book was absolutely gripping as a thriller, but even just offered pure enjoyment in its descriptions, the masterful sketching of characters, settings, behavioral tics, and aesthetics.

I feel like I can already tell that this will be one of my favorites reads of 2023! I can't wait to hear everyone else's thoughts on this one. Will immediately be reading the author's back catalog now!

Book Summary:

Olivia Bender spends her days bringing the dreams of her clients to life. She creates interiors that they could have only ever wished for without her help. The thing is, her clients aren't the only ones with dreams.

Olivia wants to be a mother, and nothing is working to make that dream a reality. Imagine her surprise when her dream becomes a husband's nightmare, as an unknown child of his is the likely culprit in a murder case. Enter a time of chaos, hurt, and confusion.

My Review:

Wow. I don't think I've ever read a thriller like It's One of Us before. It's super twisty and dark yet highly emotional. On that note! This novel deals heavily (and I do mean heavily) with topics of infertility and struggle. Please reconsider reading this one if it might be potentially triggering for you. Self-care is important!

While I could figure out who the killer was relatively early on, I still enjoyed the lead-up to the big reveal. There are a lot of important points made in this book, and admittedly some of them hit a little close to home – but I think that's the point.

I'm adding J.T. Ellison to my list of thriller authors to watch out for because, wow!

Highlights:
Tense Thriller
Layers & Twists

Trigger Warnings:
Deception
Infertility

Olivia has been struggling so much with her inability to conceive and carry a child to term but now there's black cloud (a BIG black cloud) hanging over her marriage. She doesn't know that her husband Park was a sperm donor back in college until the police arrive, having matched DNA at a murder scene to Park. He's not the killer but he is the father of one. Or is he? How many children were born from his donations is the first question but the most important is- which one is a killer. That becomes more important as the crimes increase. And of course Olivia also has a secret. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. This is told from multiple perspectives, which works well, and it's a page turner. It's also hard to review without spoilers so go forth and read it!

It’s One of Us is one of the books I was most excited to read and it absolutely lived up to my expectations! I loved it!

CW: infertility, IVF treatment, abortion, miscarriage

Olivia Bender has tried everything (several times!) to have a baby. She’s at her lowest point when the cops come looking for her husband Park. Or really they are looking for Park’s son. But he doesn’t have any kids!

Except many years ago Park donated his sperm to a clinic and he’s not aware he has any children out there. He chose the option to never be contacted. He has a shady past with a former girlfriend drowning in a lake. The cops are here to investigate a dead woman and they are trying all avenues to figure out who Park’s son is.

Olivia is beside herself knowing her husband has the one thing she really wants: children. She’s in a tailspin with her own treatment but reeling from the news about Park. Also thrown in is Park’s twin brother Perry is back in town after years away. Olivia and Perry have their own history and she is overwhelmed with the situation.

This fast paced book was fascinating! I loved the DNA aspect of the sperm donation and how a decision you made so many years ago comes back 15+ years later. I also thought the use of different POVs was especially well done. A small detail, but I also loved that Park was a ghost writer!

I would like to call special attention the author’s note. She speaks about her own struggle with infertility and how she was inspired for this book. I applaud her honesty and vulnerability with such a sensitive subject. 💚

Thank you so much to @thrillerchick, @_mira_books and @htpbooks for my gifted ebook. It’s One of Us is out February 21!

One of the things I like to do with a book – especially a thriller – is figure out where the title fits into the story, and I love when I realize that it could apply in multiple ways. It’s One of Us by J.T. Ellison is an exemplary case of that.

I’ll admit right off the bat I had a little bit of trouble with the first part. I understand that Olivia is devastated by the personal event. But her introspection and internal narration are extensive.

Glad I did stick with it, though, because after the first few chapters, the plot really takes off, and I found myself completely drawn into the story.

There are several questions posed in this book (think, can you return to who you once were, and how long should a couple hang on to false hope), but I think the main one is nature vs. nurture.

Fitting when IVF is the main driver of the plot. And no, that’s not a spoiler. The author has a personal investment in this aspect, which lends credence and a level of seriousness to the arc.

Come to think of it, I’m pretty sure that Olivia probably has a lot of the author’s emotions and thoughts. That’s understandable.

At any rate, the other parts of the story are what I personally found more compelling. Park is a narcissistic jerk. Scarlett is too precocious for her own good. Darby seems to be at a loss a lot of the time. But that last one is understandable too.

There are some plot points that I think are either weak. Darby’s support group is more of an afterthought, as is Scarlett’s “Halves” group. Neither one of those gets a satisfying conclusion.

And I reread the passages involving Annie Cottrell three times – still not sure exactly what happened to her. I mean, I know from the end how the person was involved – but not what caused it initially. And yeah, that’s a little cagey, so there’s no spoiler.

I also think that Lauren and Perry got the shaft. They were an afterthought in the bigger scheme of things. In fact, at one point, I thought Lauren might have had a bigger role in the thriller aspect of Annie’s situation. That would have been a cool twist and an additional facet of nature or nurture.

For the record, given my family history and experience with adoption, I find nurture to be more prevalent, but nature does have its role as well.

At any rate, It’s One of Us is a solid thriller. J.T. Ellison remains one of my one-click authors. Don’t miss this one.
**For more reviews like this, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks.**

A couple struggling to have a child is shocked when the police inform them the husband's biological son is the suspect in a recent murder. This sets of a chain of events that uncovers family secrets and a murderer in the family. This book is more a thriller than a mystery as the author reveals who is the culprit is fairly early, but it was nevertheless engaging to find out the back stories of the characters and how they got to this point (with a twist ending as well). This was a well paced book with lots of character development and an ending that tied everything together nicely.

Loved how real and raw Olivia is and thank you to the author for sharing her struggles at the end. The multiple POVs were easy to keep track of and the twists were entertaining.

J.T. Ellison's latest book deals with the secrets and lies within a marriage and an intimate look at the heart-wrenching topic of infertility.

Olivia Bender and her husband Parker have been trying to have a child for a long time, and it's taking its toll on them and on their marriage. When police come to say that DNA from a murder scene is a half-match to Park's, Olivia's sure that it's a mistake. She is devastated to learn that it's true. Park had been a sperm donor in college (something he never shared with her), and he is indeed the father of a killer, as well as an unknown number of other children.

This novel shows the many layers involved in marriage, especially one under severe stress. The characters are complex and well-written, and the storyline (told from multiple POVs) is filled with unexpected turns. Though at times it seemed overly long, it is a very good read. I give it 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

My thanks to Mira for allowing me to read an advance copy of the book via NetGalley. The novel is scheduled to be published 2/21/23. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

This one hooked me. It was very different from anything I've read before. I loved Olivia. Then there are several unlikable characters I was loving to hate on. The pacing is quick. I thought the sections involving infertility were extremely well written. There were several twists. The end blew me away! Excellent read.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

It's One of Us starts off with a bang right after the moment of a gruesome murder; right away, readers know we are in for an intense ride. this book does not shy away from uncomfortable topics - in this case, specifically fertility issues both within a traditional marriage as well as individuals and families that are linked through the use of a sperm bank.

The author delves deep into her heartbreaking personal experience with infertility and gives us a glimpse inside a marriage that is cracking under the strain of such an overwhelming weight. As a result, we experience the highs and low of such a journey and things that may occur along the way. Of course, this is a mystery thriller, so there is also a murder that is linked with this couple and causes them to both to reexamine events in their past as well as consider their steps toward the future.

Some of the violence was a little bit more graphic than I personally prefer, but overall, it's a deftly written book. Fans of the genre will be glad for the addition of this book to their shelves.

WARNING: Guess what? It's unpopular opinion time again!

I've read and enjoyed one of J.T. Ellison's books in the past, and I've been meaning to try more of her work. I always love a good thriller with a DNA angle, and the blurb of It's One Of Us sounded absolutely fascinating with main character Park being a sperm donor years ago and one of his children now being a suspect in a murder investigation. Talk about a premise that hooks you immediately! Sadly, the actual story didn't live up to expectations for me, and I ended up struggling considerably with it.

Like I said before, It's One Of Us has such a fascinating premise and the DNA angle was probably the highlight of the story for me. This along with the murder investigation itself and references to other cases in the past... Unfortunately, this doesn't seem the main focus of the story though, and instead It's One Of Us mostly reads like a domestic thriller. Nothing wrong with that, but not my favorite subgenre and not something I expected. What I also didn't expect was for the whole infertility/miscarriage element to be so in-your-face and extremely present during the whole plot. I can imagine how triggering this can be for people, and the very first chapter literally starts with a miscarriage scene. The constant repetition and references to infertility was just too present and it kind of had the opposite effect on me... Instead of feeling for the main characters, I just started to resent them.

As for the characters in general... I really couldn't stand most of them. I felt like they lacked fleshing out, and especially Olivia and Park were extremely unlikeable. This was made even worse when the story started to unfold and some of their secrets and behavior were revealed... And then I'm not even talking about the especially awkward and disgusting love triangle and cheating element. I don't want to give away spoilers, but seriously, what was Olivia thinking making those choices?!?! It's One Of Us uses a multiple POV structure, and this way we also get perspectives including the detectives, one of the donor children, her mother and the murderer himself. Scarlet was probably the only character that was likeable, but even her character didn't feel rounded enough for me.

I also struggled with the writing style itself. The prologue was plain torture for me, and while things did improve later on, the often short, stunted sentences bothered me. I also wasn't a fan of the POV names (the wife, the husband, the murderer, the daughter etc); what's wrong with simply putting the actual names of the characters? I'm not sure why, but that really annoyed me. The plot twists themselves weren't really all that successful for me either. Sure, there were some things I didn't see coming, but the twists didn't feel realistic and quite over the top especially towards the ending.

All in all It's One Of Us unfortunately turned out to be a total dud for me. Between the constant focus on infertility instead of the murder investigation and DNA angle, the unlikeable characters, love triangle and over the top final part, this story just wasn't for me... I do know I seem to be in the minority though, and a lot of people seem to enjoy this story better.

DNF due to the content. It was a little triggering for me. I do love Ellison's work and will probably revisit in the future.

🤯 DARK & TWISTY to the max: “It’s One of Us” by JT Ellison is a wild ride thriller that will shock you like no other! I went into this book completely blind and kept me on edge the entire book! 👏

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

Olivia and her husband Park just want to have a baby. They have tried IVF multiple times and it has sadly led to disappointment and heart break 💔

When a local woman’s dead body is found and the police show up at their door, Olivia’s world is SHATTERED! They have found evidence on the body that the killer is Park’s SON. But how is this possible when Park has never had a child?? Park and Olivia both hold onto dark secrets from their past … but will the truth shed light on the investigation or turn it into something more sinister??

THIS BOOK 🤯🤯!!! So many crucial characters … so many INTRICATE details … so many twists and turns that blew my mind! This book is raw, emotional, intense and uncomfortable! I felt compelled to finish it in one day because I was so invested in the story!

Thank you kindly to Mira, Harper Collins Canada, JT Ellison and Netgalley for my advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review! RUN, don’t walk to pick up this book on its release date of February 21, 2023 🌟

JT Ellison is one of my all time favorites!! I was excited to receive this early copy and it did not disappoint!! Very clever plot and twist. Highly recommend

It's One of Us is another fantastic suspenseful story by J.T. Ellison.

The characters are well written and fleshed out. The topic of infertility takes precedence in the story.

DNA is also really used as a plot point. This is one twisty novel that I really LOVED.

Olivia and Park are great characters in this twisty suspenseful tale.

It's One of Us is a powerful thriller about a subject that is usually not talked about unless it happens to you. This book bares it all and takes you on a wild suspense ride along the way. I loved this book!!!!!!!

“Love has room for secrets, yes, but not lies.”

First of all, that cover! Right?! Pavement cracks make way for weeds. The Benders soon discover that the cracks in their marriage are allowing the secrets to appear. Secrets they are both keeping from each other.

Secondly, I can’t remember the last domestic suspense I read that was as captivating and as well-paced as this one. This was phenomenal! All the stars and then some!

It all started with a knock on the door….

Now, armed with the news, Olivia Bender has to face the unthinkable: Is the man she married a killer?

DNA doesn’t lie, does it?

You’ll be swept up in Olivia’s turmoil as she discovers that despite being unable to carry a baby to full term after numerous attempts, her husband has allegedly fathered many children…one of which pulls her husband Park into his web of destruction. I walked alongside Olivia as she dealt with the strain on her marriage, her frustration at not being able to have a child, and the possibility that her husband’s past is ruining their future. It made for a compelling yet emotionally draining read.

Ellison’s decision to include multiple points of view works well for this story. It leaves the reader with multiple opportunities to uncover the truth and keeps them guessing until all the pieces of the puzzle are revealed. The twists are fantastic!

Ellison’s ability to take what should be an incredible moment in one’s life - the birth of a child - and twist it into a nightmare, is brilliant.

Most thought-provoking for me was the question Ellison explored surrounding one’s desire to create a family.

“Did they ever stop to think that the children might not be what they wanted? That a child would not heal the emptiness in their soul? That a child might tear a hole in an otherwise perfect life?”

Ellison drives home the revelation that a mistake made in haste in their youth cost both Olivia and Park Bender their entire future. She explores the drive to create a family, obsession, betrayal, infertility, lies of omission, and the fine line between what one considers illegal and unethical.

Two words of caution: (1) this book deals with infertility and (2) stick with the first few pages. The writing style has a purpose!

I was gifted this copy by Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I have read and enjoyed many books by JT Ellison, but sadly this one did not work for me, I DNFd at 30%. I am going through a little bit of a change with my reading preferences, so this may have been a case of it’s not the book it’s me. However, the domestic drama of this one is just not some thing I care to read about. And the mystery wasn’t compelling enough for me to want to keep going. Sometimes when it seems a little too outlandish, I lose interest, and that was the case with this one.

Trigger warning: infertility

This book was just ok for me. I figured out the murderer early on, though that might have been the author’s intention, and some of the twists weren’t very believable. I’m giving it a solid 3 stars for keeping me entertained. Thanks NetGalley for an advanced copy.