Familia

As an only child, Gabby DiMarco isn't expecting to learn anything new by taking a genealogical-DNA test. But when the results arrive, not only is her ancestry not what she expected but she receives a mysterious message from a woman in Puerto Rico: "I think you're my sister." Certain that there has been a mistake, Gabby travels to Puerto Rico to meet Isabella, take another DNA test, and write about her experiences. Isabella's mother died giving birth to Isabella's younger sister, Marianna, and her father drowned his sorrows in alcohol and drugs, making poor decisions that led to Marianna's abduction. Isabella has never stopped searching for Marianna--could Gabby be her long-lost sister? Rico combines sharp, thoughtful observation with an engaging plot in her relationship-fiction debut. Readers will be invested in Gabby and Isabella's story, and the alternating chapters, which tell the story of Marianna's abduction from the perspective of the people who were involved, add a layer of suspense. It's an irresistible blend of family drama and mystery, ideal for fans of Julia Alvarez and Diane Chamberlain.

Rico (Solo) dazzles with a surprising story of the pleasures and pitfalls of amateur genealogy. Gabby DiMarco, 25, is working as a fact-checker at a prominent Manhattan magazine when her boss orders all employees to take a genealogy test for a potential story. An only child of two loving parents, Gabby hopes to find an unexpected cousin or two. A parallel narrative set in San Juan, Puerto Rico, follows a 30-something woman named Isabella Ruíz whose younger sister, Marianna, was kidnapped as an infant by a local gang leader whom their father owed money to. Isabella, who was five at the time of the kidnapping, and whose mother died giving birth to Marianna, was overwhelmed with guilt because she had recently wished her sister would disappear. That guilt defines the next two decades of her life as she attempts to locate Marianna. When Gabby surfaces as a potential connection on an ancestry site, Isabella contacts her, believing she's Marianna, though Gabby has her doubts. Rico perfectly portrays the possible sisters' fraught relationship through a series of surprising twists and turns. This skillful tale enchants. Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary. (Jan.)