Twice the Family, Julie Ryan McGue
Twice the Family, Julie Ryan McGue
List: $17.99 | Sale: $12.59
Club: $8.99

Twice the Family
A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Sisterhood

Author: Julie Ryan McGue

Narrator: Katie Hagaman

Unabridged: 14 hr 13 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Books Fluent

Published: 02/04/2026


Synopsis

Growing up as an adoptee and identical twin, Julie McGue will take you on her journey for identity and individuality, searching for answers through tragedy and adversity.
“A heartfelt exploration of connection, community, and the unbreakable bond between sisters . . . Her journey beautifully reminds us of the strength we find within ourselves as we seek to uncover where we truly belong.”— Simone Knego, author of The Extraordinary UnOrdinary You
In this coming-of-age memoir, set in Chicago’s western suburbs between the 1960s and ’80s, adopted twins Julie and Jenny provide their parents with an instant family. Their sisterly bond holds tight as the two strive for identity, individuality, and belonging. But as Julie’s parents continue adding children to the family, some painful and tragic experiences test family values, parental relationships, and sibling bonds.
Faced with these hurdles, Julie questions everything—who she is, how she fits in, her adoption circumstances, her faith, and her idea of family. But the life her parents have constructed is not one she wants for herself—and as she matures, she recognizes how the experiences that formed her have provided her a road map for the person and mother she wants to be.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Sheila on December 05, 2024

I received a free copy of, Twice the Family, by Julie Ryan McGue, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Julie and Jenny are twins from Chicago who were adopted. Being from Chicago I know a lot of places talked about in this book. I really liked this book.......more

Goodreads review by Laura A on November 14, 2024

Julie has always known she was adopted. When she became an adult. She wanted to make changes in her life that would benefit her. I liked this book.......more

Goodreads review by Kristina P (ARC Reviewer) on December 19, 2025

PUBLISH DATE: February 4, 2026 Twice the Family by Julie Ryan McGue was a challenging book for me to finish, largely due to the narration and pacing. The writing often felt repetitive and emotionally distant, which made it difficult to stay engaged, especially given the heaviness of the themes. Instea......more

Goodreads review by Kimberly on October 19, 2025

Very touching story. At times, it was an emotional read watching the girls struggle. Julie and Jenny Ryan were identical twins, born in 1959, by a single mother who named them different names. Their birth mother relinquished them to the state of Illinois and a Catholic Charity set out to adopt them w......more

Goodreads review by Erin Kingland on December 18, 2025

3.5 ARC - no compensation for reviewing Very heartfelt story centered around twin girls adopted into what becomes a large Irish catholic family. I enjoyed this work and appreciate how well written it is, engaging and eloquent without being patronizing. I did not feel the story was anything super uniqu......more