Strictly Family

In the earlier books in this series, Thane was a bit of a stick-in-the-mud, but there was an inkling of hope for him. He more than met that hope and is now one of my favorite characters. Meeting Ashlee gave him a different perspective on life and redeemed him as he realized he could find love and loyalty in relationships outside of his family. As always, Ms. Cardello’s characters are real and like friends anyone would want to have. Her writing is wonderful and I look forward to Zachary’s story. Highly recommended.
I was provided with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sarah Kriebel

65 reviews

Another home run for Ruth! This was by far my favorite out of the twin series and I read it in under 24 hrs. So glad to get the opportunity to read this book as an ARC and cannot wait for the next book! I fell in love with Thane in Jesse's book and even more so with his own story.

Amanda

59 reviews1 follower

Absolutely loved this book.
Ashlee has strong family values and is bringing up her daughter Sage as a single parent but with strong family ties to help.
Thane is the hot, sexy millionaire who she mistakenly thinks is Sage’s dad. He is adopted and discovers he has a twin he never new about.
The two have a fantastic roller coaster relationship with the good background plot of the other twin who I am looking forward to meeting in the next book.
A great read full of family values and hot, sexy moments.

Jane

790 reviews27 followers

Strictly Family continues author Ruth Cardello’s stories about twins separated at birth. Thane Rehoboth has always known he and his brother Jesse were adopted. Learning that Jesse had a twin (The Switch, Book 1) ended up being such a blessing and gained him another brother. However, Thane gets blindsided when Ashley, a woman he has never met, hands him DNA results and claims he is the father of her daughter. What follows is a sweet with heat story about two people falling in love against all the odds. This story focuses on family values. Ashley was raised in a very close family. Thane’s upbringing by his father was good, but his psyche still smarts because he was abandoned by two mothers…his birth parent and his adoptive one. Meeting Ashley and his niece give him much to contemplate, especially when he learns about his twin and why they were separated. This story is heavy on forecasting what promises to be another fabulous series for the author and her fans. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book. Most highly recommend.

Solano

2 reviews1 follower

Once again, Ruth Cardello did not disappoint.

Thane wonders if this lady is looking for money, or maybe crazy? He knew he had never donated sperm, but here this lady was insisting he was the father of her daughter.
An unfortunate event happens and Thane finds himself getting to know her and her daughter. She didn't appear to be crazy, there was actually chemistry there, and the little girl did remind him of himself. He wasn't the father, but could he be her uncle? His adopted brother was separated at birth from a twin he knew nothing about. Could the same have happened to him?

**This was an ARC I received and this is my honest opinion**

Laronda

965 reviews5 followers

August 18, 2025

That all worked out

i definitely wouldn't call Ashlee and Thane's first meeting a meet cute, but out of all that weirdness, came the sweetest story. I loved both of their families and the kids were the cutest. Ashlee's family has this crazy connection and I have a feeling the connection isn't the only thing crazy. Looking forward to what they do next.

Anne Morrison

79 reviews

What a great book, it had it all , great main characters who are total opposites, intrigue , family dynamics and one very cute and sassy little girl, not to mention an ending that leaves you impatiently waiting for the next in the series

Lucy

189 reviews7 followers

July 12, 2023

Another great book, I got to a slow start as life can be busy but read it while away on a break and couldn’t put it down, now straight on to book 2 out of the office 😊

READ ME ROMANCE

617 reviews164 followers

April 6, 2025

Ended very quickly with a cliffhanger and unresolved issues. Did not know this going in or I would not have read it.

Mayas

2,405 reviews48 followers

Now Ashlee was one persistent individual and the love she had for her daughter was undeniable. Thane however was his father's child and knew protecting them was the priority. Although it seems as if more than his and her heart was on the line.

I will let you guys know that you will enjoy this book and the conversations that will have you in your feelings.

Sharon in SF

1,113 reviews6 followers

Our Hero, Thane, is confronted by our heroine, Ashlee, with a DNA test showing that Thane is her daughter's biological daddy. With his face in the news due to a high profle project his family's company is working on, Thane can't believe another woman is trying to claim her daughter is his, when he's never met her or been to a fertility clinic. After demanding that Ashlee leave the premises, while waiting for his father to show up for dinner, he hears and sees a car accident involving Ashlee's car. His father also witnesses the accident and insists she be taken to a private hospital nearby where she'll receive better care.

I was pleasantly surprised to find Thane's father as a warm, caring and supportive parent instead of a cold, ruthless businessman who didn't trust the word of others. As Ashlee continues to heal in the hospital, Thane spends time with her and gets to know her family. Thane and his dad deduce that Thane might have an identical twin no one knew about, just like his adopted brother, Jesse, did, who probably fathered Ashlee's daughter, Sage. Since I didn't read the first duet about Jesse and his long lost twin, Scott, I wasn't prepared for the intrigue surrounding Thane's adoption revelation. Ashlee became confused when she couldn't understand why Thane would go to such lengths to deny Sage's paternity. I loved how Thane decided to show Ashlee how he felt about her instead of just trying to defend himself. Thane and Ashlee's relationship ran a "storybook" course, but the decision on whether to locate his trouble twin was left for the second book. I enjoyed watching how Thane saw Ashlee's family interacted with one another, and I also liked how Ashlee came to appreciate a different version of a family that wasn't "determined by blood". I'm looking forward to meeting Thane's twin, Zachary, in the next book!

Elizabeth

747 reviews9 followers

April 8, 2023

An excellent book!

Strictly Family The Twin Find is a spin-off book from Ruth Cardello’s the Switch series and an excellent follow up to the first two books. Since I first met Thane Rehoboth in Strictly Business I have been waiting for his story! He’s a successful businessman, but is uptight, arrogant, and controlled. I love him even more now that I know how he is underneath all of that. Ashlee Pryer is looking for the man who donated sperm to the fertility bank she used to have her daughter. She feels it’s important for him to know he has a daughter. The DNA points to Thane and she wants to talk with him even if it takes some extreme measures. Thane knows the girl isn’t his… she must be his twin’s.

I loved their first meeting. It was classic 1940’s romcom magic! Ruth Cardello is a master at bringing out the best qualities in any character and making me fall immediately in love with them. She entwines a bit of mystery and suspense into this unforgettable love story between two people who are perfect for each other. I also enjoyed the secondary characters and would love to be part of this family. Ashlee’s sister and brother-in-law, Joanie and Mike, have a relationship that’s beautiful and real. Her parents are memorable, and there is a great story there that I would like to read too. The is a mystery surrounding Thane’s twin and the agency that separated them as well as Thane’s adopted brother Jessie and his twin Scott continues to build through this book. I am looking forward to finding the culprits and seeing justice served! This is a standalone book - however, reading the books ‘Strictly Business’ and ‘Out of Love’ will give you a good introduction to Thane’s and his brothers. I received an arc of this book from the author, and this is my honest review.

arc

Donna

420 reviews4 followers

Strictly Family is book one in The Twin Find series

Let's see how can a businessman's successful world aka his like can be thrown into turmoil when he's presented with a DNA test from a woman saying that he has a daughter! Where did this all come from, hitting me like a bull in a shop, i'm shocked, speechless. How could i have a daughter without even knowing there was a child out there in the world, a daughter who no doubt has my successful DNA genes
There's just ONE slight complication; I've never met her.

Meet the broody Thane:
I'm not one to be short of words but here i am short of them. I never knew that i was a twin that's thrown me for a start. Her name is Ashlee, you see how would i know i was put up for adoption.

somehow i've been come a carer for her after she was in an car crash! Why did they choose me? However I shouldn’t be the one caring for her after a car accident. Why it there an attraction between us? It's the last thing that should be happening.

They don't belong in my life bother her and my so called daughter.

However i've been searching all the time for the man that Ashlee was hunting down which lead them straight to me. Now I’ve realised that the man they have been looking for is and can put all our lives at risk. This could be a bad move on anyone of us.

I'm now faced with another dilemma and that is that i'm now falling in love how is a friend of my twin. This would be a mistake if i did this but the poor child will be so mixed up with it all and will have her emotions all over the place.

Can i ever have my old world back where i ran on nothing but success or will it be turned upside down with falling in love? Either way these two people are now in my life and i will protect them the best that i can.

Michelle Pierce

742 reviews2 followers

April 16, 2023

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and what a great story to start with. I really enjoyed the storyline and of course the characters. Both families are close and they care about each other a lot (definitely a lot of similarities between the two families) but when an accident happens while the main character Ashlee is trying to track down Thane the other main character, it opens up a pandora’s box so to speak. Thane and his dad jump into action to make sure that Ashlee receives the best medical care and through Ashlee and Thane talking and getting to know each other, he does some research and finds out that he has a twin he nor his family ever knew about in addition to some other rather unethical things that go along with the twins births as well. This story has a lot of twists and turns but through it all they both had their families supporting them. I did appreciate Ashlee’s mother speaking up about her concern with what was going on and Thane possibly putting the family in danger but Thane said he would protect them all, how could you not fall for him especially after that. This story held me captivated from beginning to end and I loved how it all turned out, especially with Thane, Ashlee and Sage. I’m definitely looking forward to Zachary’s story, I need to know more.

Gemma Davies

752 reviews3 followers

December 1, 2023

Ended too soon…but great

This is one of those books where I’m desperately hoping that there is more to come because it felt like it was missing something.

Regardless though, it’s the great writing of Cardello that has us once again immersed into her world of beautiful billionaire’s and finding them a love that grounds them and gives them more to live for than money and power.

I strongly recommend that you read the twin switch duo of books before you dive into this book though, because essentially you’ll understand the family dynamics a whole lot better. Even though it mentions it several times, you’d be better to know the full history behind the Rehoboth brothers.

There’s nothing not to like about Thane. He does initially come off a little serious and angsty, but as he begins to learn more about the woman who tracked him down to his parking lot and told him he was a father, the more the softer, soppier and sweet side emerges. The gentile man he becomes is absolutely delicious and the way he falls madly for Ashlee and accepts her little girl, Sage is nothing short of perfection. I just wish there was more it, because it felt like there was so much more to come.

Can’t wait to read the next instalment and find out if they ever do track down Zachary. And how will that go considering his link to Thane and Sage.

Sujatha Kovilur

13 reviews

April 14, 2023

This was a book that covers the spectrum of DNA and how it really isn't that important when emotions are involved.
For a guy who flat out refutes the paternity claim, to the realisation that love can overcome the modalities of technicality, this sure is a journey of acceptance.
Thane starts out as a prissy and cynical guy who gets hit upon a paternity suit or two and is low on acceptance. It takes Ashlee to reinforce love, family and all that comes with it. This is their journey, how they learn to first trust each other, how Thane learns what it is to have a loving family who have each others backs when the chips are low, his rapport with his brothers, his quest to first search for his twin, Zachary and to help him come out of his hardships. Thane's development of his character was fleshed out very well.
This book is Ashlee and Thane's journey.
Ruth has left the book with the closure of their relationship and is taking up Zachary's tryst in her sequel to this book.
I was sad to let this book go.
Looking forward to Zachary's story.
Was given an ARC and this is my honest take on this. Thanks, Ruth and Alisha, for trusting me with your book in advance.
A must read !!!!

Hayley

334 reviews5 followers

This was a wonderfully sweet story full of romance, love of family, and drama. The first half of the book was particularly compelling. The plot was very unique, and there were lots of unexpected twists. Thane, while a bit hardheaded at times, was thoughtful and caring. His interactions with Ashlee were filled with chemistry and heart. Ashlee was also a lovely, quirky character and fantastic mother. I really admired her dedication to Sage throughout the novel. Thane’s father and Scott were hilarious and enjoyable additions to the story as well.

The second half of the novel was not as good as the first part, though I still liked it. Ashlee seemed to be a touch self-righteous and overly confident in her own wisdom in later parts of the book. Furthermore, the drama with Ashlee’s mom appeared out of left field and dampened the book’s loving family atmosphere. I also wish we had been given just a bit more information about Thane’s twin. Even though we’ll learn more about him later as his story is coming next in the series, it would’ve been nice to have just a brief introduction to him.

Overall, this was an emotional romance full of family and drama. I highly recommend it.

*I received an ARC of this novel. This is my complete and honest review.*

kreadsoften

1,462 reviews82 followers

A case of mistaken identity led to two strangers meeting. Unfortunately, it was not a very cute "meet cute". Ashlee wanted to meet the father of her child, and she was led to believe that man was Thane Rehoboth. Now, I'll just say that he was . . . not very kind to her. Anyway, he basically sent her on her way until something happened, which led him to want to help her out and stay by her side.

This book had a great storyline. The mistaken identity was interesting, but it goes deeper than that -- there is a reason Thane has a twin that he did not know about. Now that part was pretty shocking and it was such a twisted reason.

Ashlee was a kind person and very strong. She did whatever she could to help others even at her own expense and she expected nothin in return. When she sought out Thane and he vehemently rejected her, she did not get upset with him and handled it with grace.

When Thane spent more time with Ashlee, he changed. She opened his eyes to the reasons he was so untrustworthy of women and also showed him that there is more to life than just his job. Ashlee had such a great and close family. I especially loved the relationship between Ashlee and her sister.

I can't wait to read the next book and find out more about Thane's twin!

arcs dual-pov

Karen

1,081 reviews

This is book 1 in a new spin off from strictly business series. This is Thane’s story. That is the oldest brother. We are introduced to Ashlee who believes that Thane is her daughters father as a result of a “donation at the bank!” Thane denies he ever went to a bank. There is something that gets under his skin about Ashlee but he cannot figure it out yet. Ashlee leave and is in a horrible accident. Thanes father witnesses the accident. They both step in to help and take her to the best hospital to care for her. Thanks is still adamant that he is not the father but something that someone said about him having a twin struck a nerve. He starts digging and finds out that he does in fact have a twin that was like his adoptive brother was separated from him at birth in some kind of experiment. He further finds out that his “brother” did not have it easy and has had brushes with the law to wit being suspected of being involved in the disappearance of his adoptive mother. This book however takes you through Thane and Ashlee’s journey. Book 2 is the conclusion of the story. I will say I liked this one more then the first series as it wasn’t so drawn out with useless scientific stuff. There is a cliffhanger which leads you into the other twin

cardello

Christina

389 reviews4 followers

May 5, 2023

2.5⭐️ Thank you @thenerdfam for the gifted Advance Review Copy. #thenerdfam #strictlyfamily

this was sweet… but what?

I did finish this in less than a day. It was a super easy read which I appreciate since I kind of used this book as a palette cleanser.

The idea of the plot was super interesting, but after about 75% through the book it was clear that the conflicts and potential drama wasn’t even going to be touched on anymore. Like, nothing happened, the rest of the book just felt kind of stagnant. I know there’s a second one coming, but I’m not sure it’s worth reading at this point (for me at least).

At about 60% in I realized character descriptions were basically nonexistent, which really annoyed me. A lot of the inner dialogue was repetitive and monotonous. Both MCs essentially changed personalities and priorities when they fell for each other, which was problematic, especially when both MCs are described as being super family oriented and have trait issues… that’s that’s just brushed under the rug for no reason? Ugh…

I did giggle out loud several times, and there were some sweet moments too, but those are the only pluses for me... and the phone sex scene was a little cringe 😬.

Liz Osborne

118 reviews1 follower

April 5, 2023

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Ruth never fails to deliver a well written story.
I really enjoyed the dynamics of the main characters; Ashlee wanting to find her daughter’s biological father, turning up and confronting Thane in a parking lot. He denies he is the father and she thinks he is lying.
Ashlee has an accident, and Thane starts to get to know her, and insists on paying her medical bills. While Ashlee is recovering, Thane discovers that he has a twin he didn’t know about. Ashlee still doesn’t believe him, and tells him to leave her alone. Two weeks after her discharge from hospital, she sends Thane a text message. They meet up the following day.
There is such an instant attraction between them, and they both fall in love very easily. For someone who seemed so confident in the business world, Thane was way out of his comfort zone with Ashlee and how she viewed life. Ashlee thought he was a liar, who didn’t want to have any dealings with her daughter, Sage.
This book was a pleasure to read, and congratulations to Ruth for yet another sure best seller.

T.J. Kash

Author 2 books3 followers

April 19, 2025

Quote "If he was man enough to donate his sperm to a clinic, he should be man enough to face the natural outcome of that act"

No Ashlee, men donate sperm so that they help women have kids but not be responsible for said kids.

The FMC was annoying. The man told her he wasn't the father and she kept on trying to force her child on him. He was stupid for sticking around but apparently this decisive rich man was just drawn in by her. She knew him for three days and has the audacity to act all holy and accuse him of being a liar and deadbeat father because he says her child isn't his. I mean that's the whole point of being a donor, so you don't get to claim or see the children.

She wasn't bright enough to realise that most donors do it for the money and this man would have no reason to donate since he was rich. It doesn't even make sense that she had paternity results that proved him the father. How did she get his DNA? Even if she had gotten it, why would this supposedly business savvy man not even think they were doctored? He had no way of knowing if his DNA that had been tested against the child and yet sent her to an expensive hospital. Really? Really? Really?

This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.

JigsawGirl

4,149 reviews

April 16, 2023

What an interesting way to meet. I liked that Thane felt some kind of way about Ashlee and it didn't keep him from following his instincts. He knew they had a connection.

After finding out about his twin, I fully expected Ashlee to have the same attitude as her mother. I can understand her being supportive of Thane.
I was concerned she might take matters into her own hands. Joanie's behavior completely shocked me. I was more of the same mind as Diane.

All things considered, Thane and Ashlee's relationship moved forward in a relatively smooth fashion. I thought Sage stole the show in many scenes in this book.

This was a sweet romance that had a touch of suspense for me. I kept waiting for that shoe to drop. There was no cliffhanger, but more of a continuation. Thane and Ashlee get to experience their HFN. I have a healthy curiosity about where we go from here.

I voluntarily read and reviewed the Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

World Of Books 65

3,230 reviews60 followers

romance-mystery single-mom slow-burn

A beautiful slow-burn romance with a twist of mystery that has started The Twin Find Book series of with heartwarming precision, Ashlee was the perfect yin to grumpy Thane's yang when Ashlee comes crashing into his life with an announcement that turns his world upside down, Thane knows that what Ashlee thinks is true cannot be, but instead of that being the end of their brief meeting, fate has other ideas, the draw to Ashlee cannot be denied, no matter how Thane tries to think otherwise, and bright positive Ashlee cannot seem to stay away from the handsome yet slightly broken Thane. Ruth Cardello introduced a great twist, one that gave Strictly Family that edgy feeling, and as Thane tries to unravel the mystery of his past and how that impacts on Ashlee, the couple's growing feelings finally cannot be denied.

Thane is one of three adoptive boys, and as they feature in this book, you can pick up Jesse and Scott's stories in The Switch Book series.

Lisa

96 reviews

The title of this book is so appropriate, while it's a love story about Thane and Ashlee, it's also a story about family love and strength.

Thane was minding his business and simply going to retrieve his fathers' glass from the car. When along comes Ashlee with the story of him fathering her child.

Records scratch, who is this beautiful but crazy woman Thane thinks? Didn't I just prove I wasn't anyone's Baby Daddy, I've never seen nor slept with this woman.

Then Ashlee says, that's true but you left a deposit in a sperm bank. Not I, never, she has me confused with someone else or is crazy and beautiful.

To say, their first meeting was memorable, is an understatement but after Ashlee gets into a car accident and Thane steps up to help her. The real magic begins!

As usual Ruth Cardello wraps us up in her magic of storytelling and leaves us craving more. You get romance, mystery and family magic in one story.

Carol

1,636 reviews15 followers

March 31, 2023

What a wonderful story. We get to hear about Scott and Jessie again from previous books, but this one centered on Thane, who was very much his father's son and didn't take anything at face value. So when a woman comes out of nowhere and says she is raising his daughter, he scoffs at her. I can just hear it. Then, as she is leaving, a drunk driver t-bones her car and badly injures her head. He and his father immediately have her taken to the hospital they support and she gets better rapidly. He is attracted to her and though he doesn't believe her when she says Sage is his daughter as he has never contributed to a sperm bank, he was started to get suspicious of the fact that he could have a twin he didn't know about. I didn't want the story to end and can't wait until the next chapter in this series

I got this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review

Cathy

739 reviews1 follower

April 10, 2023

Once again we have a new hero by Ruth Cardello, an author who is so talented in bringing a different, interesting and fun story with each new book. Ashlee and Thane were such a good balance of a hero and heroine making them a likable couple from the start. Ashlee had such a light and bubbly personally which was totally opposite of Thane’s straight, narrow, and play by the rules personally. They make each other so much better together. Their story has a different take on the “who is the father” story line in so many books. I loved it! The secondary characters of Ashlee’s sister and Thane’s brothers added such fun and humor to the story. Even Sage has some great lines in the dialog! I recommend Strictly Family and definitely look forward to Zachary’s story which sounds all kinds of interesting!

Nancy Ghiloni

14 reviews

April 19, 2023

Strictly Family says it all. Ashlee is a loving mother and wants to provide her daughter Sage with information or involvement from the biological father when Sage starts questions about him. In pursuit of answers, she approaches Thane whom she believes was the sperm donor. Thane knows it was not him and realizes that he must have a twin and Sage is actually his niece. Ashlee doesn’t believe Thane in the beginning when he tells her that he is not Sage’s father, but he starts his own search for his twin.
When he uncovers some questionable information, he stops searching for him as the risk to his family is too much. Thane and Ashlee are all for family and will do anything for them and for each other.

Ruth does it again as this is a winner. I can’t wait to read the next installment about Thane’s twin.

Christina

573 reviews70 followers