The First To Know.

☆☆☆☆☆

the first to know.

 Abigail Johnson. 

Publisher  Harlequin Teen.

Publication Date: November 7,2017. 

Genre:YA Contemporary| Romance.

Format|Pages: Hardcover|336. 

 Source:  Goodreads|Library.

CONTAINS SPOILERS

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.

 ☂

A heartbreaking, yet a beautiful story.



I had no idea how heartbreaking this book would be. I knew that it would be emotional when I read the summary, but did not realize how much. My emotions are everywhere. I felt as it was my heart that got broken while I read this book. I can’t even begin to imagine finding out something like that. If it were me, I don’t think I would be able to hold a secret for as long as I had. I would demand answers. I do understand why Dana did, at first she was in denial at first. She went from thinking that she found her grandfather, to finding out that she had a half brother, that wasn’t that much older that her. I can’t even begin imagine coming across information like that. Like her sister, Selena I knew that nothing good could come out from this DNA testing. I know that she wanted to find her father’s family, but what she found is that her father wasn’t who she thought he was. My heart broke from her, for having to deal with it for as long as she had alone. My heart broken even more when Brandon wanted nothing do with her, and when Selena didn’t believe her. Dana’s pain became my pain. I felt all the emotions that she went through. There were times where I wanted to give her hug. Despite how she found out, how hurt she was, she did not give up on trying convince Brandon to try get know her family, their father. Despite how much hurt her caused, she still loved him, and still wanted her father to try get know her son.



Brandon, he was cold towards Dana. What happened, wasn’t her fault. But I think he might blamed her for telling him in first place. If she never contacted him or showed up at his work, he might not know. From what Chase told Dana, it affected Brandon a lot, and not in a good way. I believe that it would affect anyone. Finding out, that your dad is not who you thought he was, how do you get over that? I know that he handled it the best that he could. At least he finally got up and meet his father, for first and last time. I bet that was one of hardest things that he had to do. The relationship between Chase and Dana was cute, and I could see how much he cared about her and there was part of me that hoped he would never find out the truth. I rooted for him, I hoped that he would find it in him to forgive her, or at least start to. I know that he was hurt because he thought that she used him in attempt to get more information on his family. I think maybe she should have been honest from him from the start and it could been avoided. Dana did try get information from Chase, at the same time she helped him with his mom, helped him clean her house. I don’t think that she would done that if she didn’t care about him.




My heart broke for all of Dana’s family once the truth came out. What I didn’t expect was for her mother, to know about affair, yet still stayed with him. I wondered if she stayed because of the kids. It was clear to me, how much she loved him, considering how affectionate she was with him after she found that he had a son. Not right away but soon after. It’s clear how much the two of them loved one another, despite what she gone through. I know it might take Selena and Dana a while to forgive him, if they can forgive him. At same time I know that in the end, that they will be okay. They are strong, they can make through this. I loved the realthionship that Selena and Dana had, what they had is special bond that not every sister shares. My heart broke for Dana and Selena when Selena drifted from Dana for while after the truth came out. I wanted to talk some sense into her. I know that she was hurting as much as Dana, that not talking to her was making her miserable. I was smiling when they finally resolved their issues.



THE FIRST TO KNOW was the first book that I read by ABIGAIL JOHNSON and it won’t be last. How did I not read her books before? I couldn’t stop turning the pages. I wanted to see how it would get resolved, if it get resolved. It took me on such emotional roller coaster that I am still thinking about it. I can’t seem to get the story out of my mind. I keep wondering what happened after the story ended. A heartbreaking story, yet a story that will stay with you.