Nearly Beloved, Kendra Broekhuis
Nearly Beloved, Kendra Broekhuis
List: $22.00 | Sale: $15.40
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Nearly Beloved

Author: Kendra Broekhuis

Narrator: Emma Ladji

Unabridged: 9 hr 53 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 11/04/2025

Synopsis

In this captivating novel, a DNA test turns a woman’s world upside-down. Will searching for answers give her the peace she craves—or deepen the fractures in her life?

Dylan Turner works hard to keep her life predictable, though she would never call it that—she loves her routine, two guinea pigs, and minding her own business. But when her dad dies and the DNA test results in her inbox say he’s not her biological father, the life she’s so carefully built starts to unravel.

Craving answers and getting none from her mother, Dylan follows a sparse trail of clues across the country to where she grew up. It’s a journey full of unexpected encounters, including a friendly co-worker and another familiar face from her past—one she isn’t sure is a solace or an obstacle. As Dylan digs deeper into her family’s secrets, she can’t help but wonder, Is a comfortable lie better than the pain of knowing the truth?

Woven with emails, interviews, texts, and journal entries, Nearly Beloved is a heartfelt tale about looking for answers, even if they aren’t the ones you were expecting.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Lydia on September 05, 2025

What a page turner. Broekhuis hooked me into her tale of a young woman's quest to discover her true biological identity. What an adventure we take through the pages of this book, from Illinois to Florida, from facts that drop, and revelations made. A bit of sweet romance, but there are two, and whom......more

Goodreads review by Leah on October 26, 2025

As an adoptee who has wrestled with many of the questions of identity & family that the protagonist (Dylan) does, I was instantly in love with this book. Dylan’s fast-paced, unprecedented journey of uncovering the half-truths, lies, and a whole other side of her family is captivating and heartbreaki......more

Goodreads review by Shannon on November 04, 2025

This was an emotional coming of age family story about a young girl who discovers her dead father isn't her biological father and the rabbit hole that sends her down when her mother refuses to disclose the truth to her. Reading this book I learned that when someone learns a parent isn't biologically......more

Goodreads review by Kaysha on October 21, 2025

I thoroughly enjoyed Nearly Beloved by Kendra Broekhuis. I stayed up too late wanting to keep reading and get more details into Dylan Turner’s search for her biological family. While a non-paternity event is an experience I have never walked through, my heart went out to Dylan as she was walking thr......more

Goodreads review by Kristy Hendriksma on October 07, 2025

I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. The premise was very interesting and not something I ever thought about before. I loved the mystery that was in the story and how the main character found there was more to life and live than being a scared introvert.......more

Quotes

“Kendra Broekhuis delivers a compelling story with quick, precise chapters that had me enthralled and ready to flip to the next page. James, aka Captain Jim, said it best when he posed this question: ‘Is family the people who know and love you or people who cause a lot of chaos and pain? Or maybe a complicated mix of both?’ I felt drawn to Dylan Turner as she tried untangling this question while on a self-discovery journey, making one realize that DNA, someone else’s mistake, or your own mistakes do not have to define who you are.”—T. I. Lowe, award-winning author of Indigo Isle

“Nearly Beloved is a moving exploration of how family—the truth, the lies, and the perceptions that fill the spaces in between—shapes who we are. With raw honesty and emotional nuance, the story captures the disorientation of grief and the ache of unanswered questions. A plot full of artfully employed twists makes this character-driven novel impossible to put down. It is a beautifully told journey of unraveling and rebuilding that will linger long after the final page.”—Amanda Cox, award-winning author of The Bitter End Birding Society

“Not every writer can explore a painful topic like adoption-related nonpaternity events (NPEs) with the perfect balance of clever wit and sensitivity. But in Nearly Beloved, Kendra Broekhuis succeeds. Opening with a gripping funeral scene, Broekhuis keeps the bombshells coming in this story chock-full of surprises and twisty turns, until you arrive at the unexpected conclusion. If you’ve ever wondered why taking a genealogy test comes with a warning, reading this book will inform you!”—Linda MacKillop, Christy Award–winning author of The Forgotten Life of Eva Gordon

“With all its surprising twists and turns, Nearly Beloved grabs you and won't let go! Dylan's journey of growing up and apprehending her identity inspires readers to consider, 'Who am I?' and the value of being known, loved and treasured. A thoughtfully written and thought-provoking read.”—Margaret Ann Philbrick, award-winning novelist and poet

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