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The Probable Son: A Novel
A mother secretly believes she’s raising the wrong son, mistakenly switched at birth. But secrets unravel in a gripping and affecting novel about parental love, impossible choices, and what it means to truly be there for someone.
For fourteen years, teacher Elsa Vargas has hidden her belief that she’s mothering the wrong child, accidentally switched at birth. Her beloved son Bird is not like the rest of the family. He’s the introvert among extroverts, the optimist among skeptics. But Elsa knows love is more important than truth, and the best way to keep Bird is to leave well enough alone.
Then the odds catch up with her. A student named Thomas in Elsa’s math class is suddenly uncannily familiar, an older version of Bird’s little brother. When she realizes Thomas shares a birthday with Bird, Elsa has a terrible Thomas is probably her long-lost son.
Soon Elsa is on a clumsy journey to get to know Thomas—and to confirm the truth. Testing the bonds of family, friendship, and even community will surely all be worth it if she gains a son. But what if she loses Bird, the boy she has loved and mothered since his first days of life?
For fourteen years, teacher Elsa Vargas has hidden her belief that she’s mothering the wrong child, accidentally switched at birth. Her beloved son Bird is not like the rest of the family. He’s the introvert among extroverts, the optimist among skeptics. But Elsa knows love is more important than truth, and the best way to keep Bird is to leave well enough alone.
Then the odds catch up with her. A student named Thomas in Elsa’s math class is suddenly uncannily familiar, an older version of Bird’s little brother. When she realizes Thomas shares a birthday with Bird, Elsa has a terrible Thomas is probably her long-lost son.
Soon Elsa is on a clumsy journey to get to know Thomas—and to confirm the truth. Testing the bonds of family, friendship, and even community will surely all be worth it if she gains a son. But what if she loses Bird, the boy she has loved and mothered since his first days of life?
255 pages, Paperback
Published December 2, 2025
263 people are currently reading
3591 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
October 27, 2025
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Too much gleek and not enough heft.
Elsa is a high school teacher with a fourteen-year-old son. She has always believed he was switched at birth, but no one believes her, so she plays along. Then one day, a new student named Thomas shows up at the school, and he looks a lot like Elsa's family members and has the same birthday. This brings her fears to the forefront of her mind and starts her on a search for the truth. Will she risk the son she raised and loves for the boy she thinks is her biological one?
This should have been a moving story of a mother's love and what defines the word. I love family dramas, especially those with secrets and a mystery attached. BUT the writing in this one seemed clumsy, for lack of a better word. It felt forced and disjointed. It was a slow-paced slog to get through, and it was only 255 pages! I didn't feel any tension, and I found the main characters' decisions frustratingly stupid and inconsistent, so I didn't feel invested at all. The emotions I should have been feeling never came; the ending was underwhelming and felt rushed. What could have been a powerful story of family ended up feeling convoluted and forgettable.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
The Book Review Crew Blog
Too much gleek and not enough heft.
Elsa is a high school teacher with a fourteen-year-old son. She has always believed he was switched at birth, but no one believes her, so she plays along. Then one day, a new student named Thomas shows up at the school, and he looks a lot like Elsa's family members and has the same birthday. This brings her fears to the forefront of her mind and starts her on a search for the truth. Will she risk the son she raised and loves for the boy she thinks is her biological one?
This should have been a moving story of a mother's love and what defines the word. I love family dramas, especially those with secrets and a mystery attached. BUT the writing in this one seemed clumsy, for lack of a better word. It felt forced and disjointed. It was a slow-paced slog to get through, and it was only 255 pages! I didn't feel any tension, and I found the main characters' decisions frustratingly stupid and inconsistent, so I didn't feel invested at all. The emotions I should have been feeling never came; the ending was underwhelming and felt rushed. What could have been a powerful story of family ended up feeling convoluted and forgettable.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
August 24, 2025
4.5 ⭐
The Probable Son, Cindy Jiban’s debut novel, is a fantastic, thought-provoking family drama that explores the possibility that two babies were switched at birth.
I’ve never had children, but I can imagine the gamut of emotions Elsa Vargas vacillated between as her doubt about her baby grew. Jiban placed me in the hospital ward with the Hamiltons at Bird’s birth, so I watched her insecurity develop and was therefore on Elsa’s side from the beginning. Knowing that she’d been through so much already, I wanted her to be wrong. Needing the answers as much as she needed them kept me turning pages. Jiban’s skill at showing readers both sides of the question added to my enjoyment of this book.
I absolutely loved this fantastic debut that questions if seeking the truth is worth the risk of losing something you treasure and explores what it means to ‘be there’ for someone.
The topic of ‘gleeking’ became a heated and laughter-filled discussion around the dinner table for a couple of nights.
I’d recommend this one! It doesn't read like a debut.
I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.
The Probable Son, Cindy Jiban’s debut novel, is a fantastic, thought-provoking family drama that explores the possibility that two babies were switched at birth.
I’ve never had children, but I can imagine the gamut of emotions Elsa Vargas vacillated between as her doubt about her baby grew. Jiban placed me in the hospital ward with the Hamiltons at Bird’s birth, so I watched her insecurity develop and was therefore on Elsa’s side from the beginning. Knowing that she’d been through so much already, I wanted her to be wrong. Needing the answers as much as she needed them kept me turning pages. Jiban’s skill at showing readers both sides of the question added to my enjoyment of this book.
I absolutely loved this fantastic debut that questions if seeking the truth is worth the risk of losing something you treasure and explores what it means to ‘be there’ for someone.
The topic of ‘gleeking’ became a heated and laughter-filled discussion around the dinner table for a couple of nights.
I’d recommend this one! It doesn't read like a debut.
I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.
November 16, 2025
3.5 🌟.
A debut that brought something a bit different to the table and really made me think. Elsa has believed for 14 years that she brought the wrong son home from the hospital. A middle grade maths teacher, teaching 8th grade, making her class the same age as that son. When she presents a maths problem one day she discovers that a child in her class shares the same birthday as her boy, but there’s more than that, she observes lots of family communalities in Thomas, and becomes entirely convinced that he is hers, and she needs to prove it.
Lots of twists turns, truths and drama come flooding out and leave Elsa’s family and career in a tailspin!
Great narration, I’ll look forward to more from the author.
Huge thanks to Brilliance publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧
A debut that brought something a bit different to the table and really made me think. Elsa has believed for 14 years that she brought the wrong son home from the hospital. A middle grade maths teacher, teaching 8th grade, making her class the same age as that son. When she presents a maths problem one day she discovers that a child in her class shares the same birthday as her boy, but there’s more than that, she observes lots of family communalities in Thomas, and becomes entirely convinced that he is hers, and she needs to prove it.
Lots of twists turns, truths and drama come flooding out and leave Elsa’s family and career in a tailspin!
Great narration, I’ll look forward to more from the author.
Huge thanks to Brilliance publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧
December 4, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, Cindy Jiban and Brilliance Publishing for this ARC copy. The following is my honest review.
I picked up The Probable Son because the premise sounded intriguing: a story of identity, memory, and the impact of secrets on families (with the sense of mystery that I hoped would draw me in). As a debut by a Minnesota author, I was genuinely excited to read it.
I found the pacing extremely slow, to the point where I struggled to follow the direction or intention behind the story. It often felt like the plot was dragging without building toward anything, and that made it difficult to stay connected.
I do wonder if part of my struggle comes from the book leaning much more into literary fiction territory than the mystery/suspense angle I was expecting. Readers who love quiet, introspective narratives may find more to hold onto here, but that shift definitely impacted my experience.
I did end up setting the book down with plans to finish (ARC responsibility and all), but every time I thought about picking it back up, I felt myself resisting. At a certain point I had to accept it wasn’t happening.
I picked up The Probable Son because the premise sounded intriguing: a story of identity, memory, and the impact of secrets on families (with the sense of mystery that I hoped would draw me in). As a debut by a Minnesota author, I was genuinely excited to read it.
I found the pacing extremely slow, to the point where I struggled to follow the direction or intention behind the story. It often felt like the plot was dragging without building toward anything, and that made it difficult to stay connected.
I do wonder if part of my struggle comes from the book leaning much more into literary fiction territory than the mystery/suspense angle I was expecting. Readers who love quiet, introspective narratives may find more to hold onto here, but that shift definitely impacted my experience.
I did end up setting the book down with plans to finish (ARC responsibility and all), but every time I thought about picking it back up, I felt myself resisting. At a certain point I had to accept it wasn’t happening.
December 16, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the ARC copy.
The concept of this book and the description really hooked me! The emotional weight of motherhood, identity, and doubt is heavy and compelling and I appreciated how much time the story spends sitting with those uncomfortable feelings.
That said, the pacing lagged for me at times especially with how much of the story lives inside the protagonist’s head. Some sections felt repetitive and I didn’t fully connect with the emotional payoff the way I hoped.
Overall this was a solid, thoughtful read with a strong premise and moments that really worked (even if the execution didn’t completely land for me) Totally worth picking up if you enjoy emotional character driven stories.
The concept of this book and the description really hooked me! The emotional weight of motherhood, identity, and doubt is heavy and compelling and I appreciated how much time the story spends sitting with those uncomfortable feelings.
That said, the pacing lagged for me at times especially with how much of the story lives inside the protagonist’s head. Some sections felt repetitive and I didn’t fully connect with the emotional payoff the way I hoped.
Overall this was a solid, thoughtful read with a strong premise and moments that really worked (even if the execution didn’t completely land for me) Totally worth picking up if you enjoy emotional character driven stories.
August 28, 2025
A Probable Son is a thought-provoking book that explores family, motherhood, and relationships. The story follows Elsa, a middle school teacher and mother of two, who has long carried the unsettling belief that the baby she gave birth to 14 years ago was switched in the hospital nursery. Her husband and sister dismissed her concerns as confusion, but Elsa never quite shook the feeling. When a student in her class who happens to share her son’s birthday begins to resemble her youngest, her suspicions resurface and intensify.
At times I found Elsa frustrating, as she handled situations differently than I might have, but that also made her feel more real and complex. I could understand her struggle even when I disagreed with her choices. The book kept me engaged, raising fascinating questions about truth, perception, and maternal instinct. A strong and compelling debut.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review.
At times I found Elsa frustrating, as she handled situations differently than I might have, but that also made her feel more real and complex. I could understand her struggle even when I disagreed with her choices. The book kept me engaged, raising fascinating questions about truth, perception, and maternal instinct. A strong and compelling debut.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review.
September 1, 2025
I was sucked into the story right from the beginning, feeling for this woman who was certain that her son was switched with another while she rested after giving birth. It took some turns that I did not expect, which I love about books, and I am so glad that the end turned out like it did. I was a little worried for the characters for a bit! I read every free minute that I had to know how this family’s story turned out. I will definitely be sharing this with friends and my book club!
November 25, 2025
After Elsa had a still birth her world turned upside down, her whole life revolved around her deceased daughter and it plagued her mind. When she got pregnant again with her son she thought it was going to be a new beginning for her and her family. When she gave birth she looked at her beautiful baby boy, she had passed out but when she woke up the baby they handed her was not the child she saw before. 14 years later she’s convinced her baby boy still isn’t hers, but she may have found out which baby was hers.
This was such a good story about grief manifested in anxiety and ocd. I really enjoyed this novel, the author did a fantastic job as this is their debut.
There are themes in here which can be a bit much, A decent about of child sexual abuse is being thrown around and themes like that. It was a whirlwind of emotions regarding someone who never felt heard or seen and had everyone consistently thinking the worst.
Elsa’s character was seriously judged and brought through the wringer which makes the reader super uncomfortable and attached at the same time.
I really enjoyed this book, Thank you Net Galley for sending this over.
This was such a good story about grief manifested in anxiety and ocd. I really enjoyed this novel, the author did a fantastic job as this is their debut.
There are themes in here which can be a bit much, A decent about of child sexual abuse is being thrown around and themes like that. It was a whirlwind of emotions regarding someone who never felt heard or seen and had everyone consistently thinking the worst.
Elsa’s character was seriously judged and brought through the wringer which makes the reader super uncomfortable and attached at the same time.
I really enjoyed this book, Thank you Net Galley for sending this over.
November 13, 2025
This book tells the story of a middle school math teacher, Elsa, who experienced a significant trauma after her daughter died at birth. She suspects that her son, born several years after, was switched in the hospital.
While some of the plot points seemed a bit coincidental and convenient, I was drawn into the story and couldn’t wait to find out what happened to Elsa and her son. Several reviewers alluded to a twist in the story—it surprised me and was not what I would have predicted.
I thought that the writing was good—I really liked the character development of Elsa’s sons and the insider baseball of a middle school. It was a page-turner for me, and as someone who has to steal short periods of time throughout the day to read, I also appreciated the short chapters.
Thanks to the author for an ARC; what a great debut novel. Can’t wait to read more from her!!
While some of the plot points seemed a bit coincidental and convenient, I was drawn into the story and couldn’t wait to find out what happened to Elsa and her son. Several reviewers alluded to a twist in the story—it surprised me and was not what I would have predicted.
I thought that the writing was good—I really liked the character development of Elsa’s sons and the insider baseball of a middle school. It was a page-turner for me, and as someone who has to steal short periods of time throughout the day to read, I also appreciated the short chapters.
Thanks to the author for an ARC; what a great debut novel. Can’t wait to read more from her!!
July 31, 2025
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Elsa is a teacher and a mother who has always been convinced her son was switched at birth. When she meets a student that looks like he could be her biological son she gets serious about getting to the bottom of it. The chaos and secrets in this book were heart wrenching and this plot was packed with all different emotions I felt as I read. What could happen to the son she thought was hers and has loved for all these years? This book grapple with impossible feelings and really had me pulled in and invested. The plot was genius to begin with but the way the characters were developed and interacted was beautifully done. This is a book to treasure forever.
Want to read
December 2, 2025Available today! I was lucky enough to win a Goodreads Giveaway copy. It sounds good!
August 22, 2025
Initially when I began reading the book I was a bit confused however as the book continued and the prologue began making more sense , I was hooked on the book and I was so eager to finish the book to discover what will happen however the plot twist got me good . Overall a really good debut with a unique plot.
December 31, 2025
Book #188 read in 2025
For 14 years, Elsa believes she brought home the wrong baby. She loves the son she brought home but when she meets Thomas, her math student who shares the same birthday as her son, Bird, she thinks she’s finally found her real baby boy.
This was a crazy, twisted tale that involved a lot of angst. In trying to determine if Thomas is actually her son, Elsa takes a lot of foolish risks with her job and her family, and it nearly costs her everything. But I’m not sure I blame her. I would want to know the truth too. Jiban wrote this in such a way that my heart was pounding at each intended point, just like Elsa’s. That ending twist made me gasp. I really look forward to what the author has in store for us next.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for the gifted review copy. All opinions are my own. This novel was published on December 2, 2025.
For 14 years, Elsa believes she brought home the wrong baby. She loves the son she brought home but when she meets Thomas, her math student who shares the same birthday as her son, Bird, she thinks she’s finally found her real baby boy.
This was a crazy, twisted tale that involved a lot of angst. In trying to determine if Thomas is actually her son, Elsa takes a lot of foolish risks with her job and her family, and it nearly costs her everything. But I’m not sure I blame her. I would want to know the truth too. Jiban wrote this in such a way that my heart was pounding at each intended point, just like Elsa’s. That ending twist made me gasp. I really look forward to what the author has in store for us next.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for the gifted review copy. All opinions are my own. This novel was published on December 2, 2025.
November 24, 2025
This book drew me in from the first few pages, and I was eager to see what would happen next. Although the main character was complicated and sometimes frustrating, I connected with her emotions and motivations as a mother, which pulled me into her story. At first, I thought the book was simply about maternal intuition, but it turned out to be so much more. A surprising twist I didn’t see coming kept me turning the pages to see how everything would come together and how the MC would handle this new revelation. At just over 250 pages, this debut is both thought-provoking and engaging. It explores themes of mental health, child loss, and grief, making it both emotional and impactful. I highly recommend it to readers who, like me, enjoy exploring complex family relationships.
November 20, 2025
This book is packed with the sort of dry sarcastic humor that I absolutely love. Multiple parts of the book have a palpable underdone of eye rolling with a conspicuous smirk. Elsa is one of the most likable characters I’ve met in a long time, I found myself wishing I could crawl into the book & hang out with her. As for the plot it’s, both deep & simple. This book is so thought provoking & perfect for a book club to chat about!
Big thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for allowing me to enjoy this.
Big thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for allowing me to enjoy this.
December 26, 2025
I like this book. I did get a little irritated at Elsa for being so dumb sometimes. I guess not dumb but so single minded that she could realize her predicament. I guess that was the whole point of the story. That grief can blind you to everything but the pain and loss.
Overall I would recommend.
Overall I would recommend.
December 24, 2025
Very good
Really interesting novel that keeps you reading long in the night. This is her first novel so I'll be waiting for her next book.
Really interesting novel that keeps you reading long in the night. This is her first novel so I'll be waiting for her next book.
December 14, 2025
This book was really good! I had it on my TBR and it popped up on my Kindle Unlimited. It was a really good story about a mother struggling to connect with a son who she thinks is not hers. Elsa is a teacher and thinks she has found her son in the school she teaches at.
The ending of this book is definitely not one I saw coming! Such a good read!
The ending of this book is definitely not one I saw coming! Such a good read!
December 3, 2025
Elsa strongly believes that her son is not hers and he was switched at birth. As a math teacher, she begins to notice that a student in her class shares the same birthday as her son. She begins to obsess over anything pertaining to her student. Trying to make that student her long lost son.
Thought provoking, heartbreaking and inconceivable are what I felt about this novel. I can feel Elsa's frustration and pain throughout the novel. I was sucked immediately into Elsa and her family drama. I was very invested in finding out if Elsa was right. I couldn't put this books down.
Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for this eArc. All opinions are entirely my own.
Thought provoking, heartbreaking and inconceivable are what I felt about this novel. I can feel Elsa's frustration and pain throughout the novel. I was sucked immediately into Elsa and her family drama. I was very invested in finding out if Elsa was right. I couldn't put this books down.
Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for this eArc. All opinions are entirely my own.
December 6, 2025
A fun little read with a twist at the end that I probably should have seen coming but didn't. I cringed through the multiple saliva sections but other than that this was quite enjoyable.
Thanks to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for the ARC.
Thanks to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for the ARC.
September 8, 2025
Rarely do I cheat and skip ahead in a book to find out what happens, but this book had me so invested I had to peak before going back to finish it legit.
Great, unique, and gripping story that keeps you turning pages from the beginning. As a mother, I could feel the terror Elsa, the main character, felt thinking her baby had been switched from the beginning, No spoilers here, but the resolution of the mystery is a twist!
I appreciated the book’s focus on human connections. While I have not found myself in the same situation as Elsa I still identified with her challenges as a mother connecting with her kids, daughter feeling support from her mother, and woman, feeling misunderstood and sometimes disregarded.
Exciting debut novel from Minnesota author Cindy Jiban! Can’t wait to see more from her.
Great, unique, and gripping story that keeps you turning pages from the beginning. As a mother, I could feel the terror Elsa, the main character, felt thinking her baby had been switched from the beginning, No spoilers here, but the resolution of the mystery is a twist!
I appreciated the book’s focus on human connections. While I have not found myself in the same situation as Elsa I still identified with her challenges as a mother connecting with her kids, daughter feeling support from her mother, and woman, feeling misunderstood and sometimes disregarded.
Exciting debut novel from Minnesota author Cindy Jiban! Can’t wait to see more from her.
December 4, 2025
The Probable Son by Cindy Jiban was one hell of a ride. With complex characters, a dark and twisty plot, and an emotional, perhaps at times unreliable narrator, I struggled to decide which side of the fence I was on right up until the bitter end. Absolutely worth the read.
December 20, 2025
An excellent family drama with a complicated and fun main character. I totally liked Elsa, and was also often thinking, "oh man, I'm not sure that's a great idea..." A great read!
December 3, 2025
3.5 rounded to 3.
The amount of saliva...gleek...whatever you want to call it was a bit too much for me. Eww. Honestly, If I never hear or read that word again it will still be too soon. Spit aside, the story has good bones and I think it's a solid enough debut.
I can't imagine believing that my child is not my own and then discovering another child that I believe is my actual birth child who was swapped at birth. When it comes to our FMC I honestly ping-ponged between feeling pity for her and being annoyed with some of her actions.
The ending ties everything into a very messy bow because there isn't a true resolution in my opinion. I couldn't just proceed with life as usual after the absolute shit show that went down. But you do you I guess.
I would definitely consider reading more from this author because she did manage to keep my attention and had me fully invested in these families. I also feel like the narrator has a great voice and was a solid pick for this role.
I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.
The amount of saliva...gleek...whatever you want to call it was a bit too much for me. Eww. Honestly, If I never hear or read that word again it will still be too soon. Spit aside, the story has good bones and I think it's a solid enough debut.
I can't imagine believing that my child is not my own and then discovering another child that I believe is my actual birth child who was swapped at birth. When it comes to our FMC I honestly ping-ponged between feeling pity for her and being annoyed with some of her actions.
The ending ties everything into a very messy bow because there isn't a true resolution in my opinion. I couldn't just proceed with life as usual after the absolute shit show that went down. But you do you I guess.
I would definitely consider reading more from this author because she did manage to keep my attention and had me fully invested in these families. I also feel like the narrator has a great voice and was a solid pick for this role.
I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.
December 20, 2025
The premise is good the execution left something to be desired.
Elsa Vargas believes her son Bird isn’t really her’s but having suffered a mental break from her first born being still born she can’t convince others to entertain the idea. After finding out that an outgoing student named Thomas was born on the same day as Bird she becomes obsessed with the belief Thomas is her real son.
What could have been in interesting story of a woman’s obsession ends up being a muddled mess of Elsa trying to figure out how to use 23 and me type site to proves her beliefs, a civil liberties fight against a Boy Scouts type organization for forcing atheists say they believe in God, a small town pitch fork carrying crusade against Elsa first for using genetics in a math question and then for more insidious rumors, and a annoying holier then thou PTO presidents affair with the sleazy principal. All this topped with a unsatisfying ending made for a forgettable book.
Elsa Vargas believes her son Bird isn’t really her’s but having suffered a mental break from her first born being still born she can’t convince others to entertain the idea. After finding out that an outgoing student named Thomas was born on the same day as Bird she becomes obsessed with the belief Thomas is her real son.
What could have been in interesting story of a woman’s obsession ends up being a muddled mess of Elsa trying to figure out how to use 23 and me type site to proves her beliefs, a civil liberties fight against a Boy Scouts type organization for forcing atheists say they believe in God, a small town pitch fork carrying crusade against Elsa first for using genetics in a math question and then for more insidious rumors, and a annoying holier then thou PTO presidents affair with the sleazy principal. All this topped with a unsatisfying ending made for a forgettable book.
December 17, 2025
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing company, Cindy Jiban, and netgalley for allowing me to read a copy. These opinions in my review are my my honest feedback. This book was confusing, to jumpy, and I feel it put educators in the wrong spotlight.
November 25, 2025
Full review at www.NerdyNerdyBookBook.com
November 19, 2025
4-4.5 stars
November 17, 2025
Imagine parenting for fourteen years while secretly believing the kid you’re raising was never yours and just… living with that?! Not doing a paternity test. Not talking to a professional. Just raw-dogging motherhood with a slow-burn identity crisis like it’s totally fine and normal and not the stuff of my stress dreams. That’s Elsa Vargas. She’s our narrator. She’s also a math teacher, which adds layers because yes, she is literally calculating her way through a potential baby swap.
Then a kid shows up in her classroom who looks like her actual son’s twin if her actual son were biologically hers. Spoiler: she gets real weird about it, real fast. Like intensity of a true crime docuseries reenactment weird. Elsa goes from “maybe this is all in my head” to “I will now emotionally investigate this child like I’m auditioning for Dateline” in under five minutes, and I cannot stress enough how unwell the vibes are.
Now here’s the thing. This story should hit like a freight train of feelings. You’ve got grief, loss, the mess of motherhood, and a protagonist who is clearly coming apart at the seams while trying to love a kid who doesn’t feel like hers and possibly reclaim one who might be. But instead of wrecking me emotionally, it mostly made me want to put the book in time-out and ask, “Are you okay, sweetie? Do we need to talk this through with someone other than your internal monologue?”
I wanted to feel for Elsa, I really did. But at some point I stopped empathizing and started yelling “MA’AM, STOP” into the void. Her decisions are like watching someone try to fix a cracked phone screen with glitter glue. Just escalating chaos that you know is gonna end with a restraining order or a PTO board whisper-campaign. I get that she’s grieving. I get that she’s unraveling. But girl. You cannot just yeet yourself into another family’s life based on cheekbone geometry and vibes. That’s not how DNA or consent works!
And the pacing. Oh my god, the pacing. There are chapters where I swear nothing happens except Elsa thinking. Just… thinking. Spiraling. Sitting in her car with big feelings and questionable logic while the plot stands in the corner politely waiting for her to get it together. You ever feel like you’re listening to someone overshare at a wine tasting and you can’t leave because you’re holding their purse? That’s the vibe.
But I will say: Eva Kaminsky saved this story for me. The audiobook gave Elsa more nuance and warmth than the writing did on its own. Kaminsky’s narration adds tension where the plot wobbles, and she manages to make Elsa sound vulnerable instead of just feral. Like, if I’d read this on paper, I might’ve rage-quit. But in audio? I kept listening because Kaminsky made it feel like someone was confessing in a booth at brunch with a mimosa shaking in their hand. Total respect.
Still, I never fully bought the emotional payoff. The ending arrives like a student handing in an essay that’s technically complete but stapled all wrong with the thesis statement written in the margin. You’re like… okay? Sure. We’re done, I guess? It didn’t hit me in the heart, it kind of just wandered out the side door while I was waiting for catharsis. Three stars for the concept and the chaos.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Side-Eye Every Middle School Teacher With Strong Opinions About Your Kid’s Facial Structure
Oh, and a big shoutout to Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for slipping me the audiobook early like a backdoor invite to the drama. I felt like I was eavesdropping on a very private, very messy PTA meeting and I was living for it.
Then a kid shows up in her classroom who looks like her actual son’s twin if her actual son were biologically hers. Spoiler: she gets real weird about it, real fast. Like intensity of a true crime docuseries reenactment weird. Elsa goes from “maybe this is all in my head” to “I will now emotionally investigate this child like I’m auditioning for Dateline” in under five minutes, and I cannot stress enough how unwell the vibes are.
Now here’s the thing. This story should hit like a freight train of feelings. You’ve got grief, loss, the mess of motherhood, and a protagonist who is clearly coming apart at the seams while trying to love a kid who doesn’t feel like hers and possibly reclaim one who might be. But instead of wrecking me emotionally, it mostly made me want to put the book in time-out and ask, “Are you okay, sweetie? Do we need to talk this through with someone other than your internal monologue?”
I wanted to feel for Elsa, I really did. But at some point I stopped empathizing and started yelling “MA’AM, STOP” into the void. Her decisions are like watching someone try to fix a cracked phone screen with glitter glue. Just escalating chaos that you know is gonna end with a restraining order or a PTO board whisper-campaign. I get that she’s grieving. I get that she’s unraveling. But girl. You cannot just yeet yourself into another family’s life based on cheekbone geometry and vibes. That’s not how DNA or consent works!
And the pacing. Oh my god, the pacing. There are chapters where I swear nothing happens except Elsa thinking. Just… thinking. Spiraling. Sitting in her car with big feelings and questionable logic while the plot stands in the corner politely waiting for her to get it together. You ever feel like you’re listening to someone overshare at a wine tasting and you can’t leave because you’re holding their purse? That’s the vibe.
But I will say: Eva Kaminsky saved this story for me. The audiobook gave Elsa more nuance and warmth than the writing did on its own. Kaminsky’s narration adds tension where the plot wobbles, and she manages to make Elsa sound vulnerable instead of just feral. Like, if I’d read this on paper, I might’ve rage-quit. But in audio? I kept listening because Kaminsky made it feel like someone was confessing in a booth at brunch with a mimosa shaking in their hand. Total respect.
Still, I never fully bought the emotional payoff. The ending arrives like a student handing in an essay that’s technically complete but stapled all wrong with the thesis statement written in the margin. You’re like… okay? Sure. We’re done, I guess? It didn’t hit me in the heart, it kind of just wandered out the side door while I was waiting for catharsis. Three stars for the concept and the chaos.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Side-Eye Every Middle School Teacher With Strong Opinions About Your Kid’s Facial Structure
Oh, and a big shoutout to Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for slipping me the audiobook early like a backdoor invite to the drama. I felt like I was eavesdropping on a very private, very messy PTA meeting and I was living for it.
October 26, 2025
📚The Probable. Son by Auther Cindy Jiban
A mother secretly believes she’s raising the wrong son, mistakenly switched at birth. But secrets unravel in a gripping and affecting novel about parental love, impossible choices, and what it means to truly be there for someone.
For fourteen years, teacher Elsa Vargas has hidden her belief that she’s mothering the wrong child, accidentally switched at birth. Her beloved son Bird is not like the rest of the family. He’s the introvert among extroverts, the optimist among skeptics. But Elsa knows love is more important than truth, and the best way to keep Bird is to leave well enough alone.
Then the odds catch up with her. A student named Thomas in Elsa’s math class is suddenly uncannily familiar, an older version of Bird’s little brother. When she realizes Thomas shares a birthday with Bird, Elsa has a terrible Thomas is probably her long-lost son.
Soon Elsa is on a clumsy journey to get to know Thomas—and to confirm the truth. Testing the bonds of family, friendship, and even community will surely all be worth it if she gains a son. But what if she loses Bird, the boy she has loved and mothered since his first days of life?
It's a thought provoking novel that explores family, motherhood, and relationships The story follows Elsa, a middle school teach and mother of two, who has carried the unsettling belief that the baby she gave birth to 14 years ago was switched in the hospital nursery (a mother's nightmare). Her family dismisses her concerns confusion. Elsa never quite shook the feeling. When a student in her class happens to share her son's birthday, Elsa thinks this resembles her youngest son Bird, her suspicions resurface and intensifies. The book keep me interested. A strong and compelling debut.
Thanks to NetGalley, Author Cindy Jiban and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC. I"m leaving my review in appreciation
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#NetGalley
#CindyJiban
#LakeUnionPublishing
#TheProbableSon
A mother secretly believes she’s raising the wrong son, mistakenly switched at birth. But secrets unravel in a gripping and affecting novel about parental love, impossible choices, and what it means to truly be there for someone.
For fourteen years, teacher Elsa Vargas has hidden her belief that she’s mothering the wrong child, accidentally switched at birth. Her beloved son Bird is not like the rest of the family. He’s the introvert among extroverts, the optimist among skeptics. But Elsa knows love is more important than truth, and the best way to keep Bird is to leave well enough alone.
Then the odds catch up with her. A student named Thomas in Elsa’s math class is suddenly uncannily familiar, an older version of Bird’s little brother. When she realizes Thomas shares a birthday with Bird, Elsa has a terrible Thomas is probably her long-lost son.
Soon Elsa is on a clumsy journey to get to know Thomas—and to confirm the truth. Testing the bonds of family, friendship, and even community will surely all be worth it if she gains a son. But what if she loses Bird, the boy she has loved and mothered since his first days of life?
It's a thought provoking novel that explores family, motherhood, and relationships The story follows Elsa, a middle school teach and mother of two, who has carried the unsettling belief that the baby she gave birth to 14 years ago was switched in the hospital nursery (a mother's nightmare). Her family dismisses her concerns confusion. Elsa never quite shook the feeling. When a student in her class happens to share her son's birthday, Elsa thinks this resembles her youngest son Bird, her suspicions resurface and intensifies. The book keep me interested. A strong and compelling debut.
Thanks to NetGalley, Author Cindy Jiban and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC. I"m leaving my review in appreciation
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#NetGalley
#CindyJiban
#LakeUnionPublishing
#TheProbableSon
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