Accidental Sisters: The Story of My 52-Year Wait to Meet My Biological Sibling

by Katherine Linn Caire

Relinquished at birth to Catholic Charities in 1959, Kathe Linn Caire adores her adoptive family and has never considered searching for her birth parents. At age fifty-two, though, a sudden pull to learn more about her medical history sends her on an unexpected journey.



Kathe isn’t interested in learning her birth parents’ identities, just the details of their health. But what begins as a simple investigation takes a startling swerve when the social worker who sends the records fails to redact a crucial bit of information. Suddenly, Kathe has more information than she bargained for. And to her surprise, she finds herself combing through vital records, researching every lead she can get her hands on.



When an Internet search results in a dead end, Kathe’s daughters present her with a birth mother search as a gift for Mother’s Day. What Kathe discovers transforms her. With each piece of information she uncovers, the mystery of her birth parents’ identities unravels a little more. But when her investigation uncovers a half-sister that Kathe never imagined existed, she must open her heart and mind to a stranger who shares her DNA, or walk away without challenging her long-held beliefs about what it means to be part of a family.

Genres: Nonfiction

226 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 26, 2022

Reviews

[Susan McAulay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose to read this book for a very personal reason. I, too, was adopted and only met my biological siblings when I was older (even older than this author). Having gone through a similar situation, I really wanted to love the book to find a "kindred" speaker, feeling at the end more inspired to possibly write my own memoir than enthralled by this one. I honestly felt a little "cheated" by her overwhelming sentiment that meeting her biological sibling was an earth shattering experience when I have felt it to be mixed and somewhat confusing in my own. I admit that this is a hard review to write because I am having trouble with the objectivity part. I cannot honestly tell whether or not my own experience is driving my mixed emotions with this memoir. However, I do suspect that this will be the case with most that read this; I think that this memoir will have limited appeal. In other words, I believe that most people who choose to read this will be adoptees, especially those that have met their biological family members and, as such, will bring their emotional baggage into their reading. And, trust me, all adoptees have some emotional baggage.
Trying to be objective, I would say that it was more interesting to me before she actually found her sibling--the search. When she did find her sibling, it became more of a love fest and it is hard for me to imagine that the author did not have more internal conflict and mixed feelings and she alludes to some without really diving into them. I think the memoir would have been more "three dimensional" had she done that.
I thought this was a NetGalley book but although it is on there, apparently, I did not get it from there, or in a Goodreads Giveaway...not sure how I got this.

[Linda Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

How times have changed

Back in the fifties, I knew of a young girl who moved from the East Coast to the West Coast in order to give birth to her daughter "in secrecy" because she was unwed. Years later, my oldest daughter and this "secret daughter" became best friends. Funny how life works out? I also know another child who grew up without her sister because they were adopted by different relatives; her anger and hurt was very real when she found out as a young teenager! Was all that secrecy and shaming really necessary? This story and the ones I know about tell me that honesty really is the best policy!

[Robin Sterneck · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an unexpected and positive experience i found myself having as I read the Accidental Sisters. Unlike the Author, Kathy Linn Caire, I was not adopted but as I listened to her story in her voice I found myself eager to remember more about my relationship with own mother, who passed away a couple of years prior. The author's calm and optimistic approach to her personal journey motivated me to work to fill in some of the gaps and narratives I had avoided in my own story. Like the author, I had a very happy childhood but felt something missing. Accidental Sisters helped me find some lost important moments and for that I am grateful. An excellent real-life read.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

i won this ebook, thanks goodreads

she and her brother were adopted. she never thought about her birth parents or wanted to find them, she loved the parents who raised her

but as she got older she wanted to find medical info about her birth family. her daughter helped her in her search. she found her mom had died but she found her half sister

she tried to find her dad, but when he was contacted he denied it

she was happy she found her sister, but the mother who raised her thought she should have waited to look till after she and her dad had died.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting non fiction story of Katherine’s life before and after finding her half sister. She originally set out to get info on her birth parents only to get medical history for her 3 daughters. That quest took her in another direction as happenstance occurred or was it divine intervention? Katherine had 2 loving adopted parents and had no desire to learn about her birth parents but then…….it truly is a lovely story of unconditional love.

[Terri Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Story!

Thanks so much for sharing this remarkable story with us. Your parents did a wonderful job of raising you and your brother to know that you were adopted and feel it was a blessing and not something shameful. My mother-in-law spent so many years trying to prove that she wad just as good as a real mother. She missed out on so much by doing that.
Again, thanks for sharing your story!

[Kayla Tornello · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, following the author's journey of discovery into her past. She grew up knowing she was adopted, but then discovered the identity of her birth family as an adult. This book felt like you were going on the journey with her.

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. Yay!

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing Storytelling

Bring out the tissues. This is an emotional roller coaster. Katherine found out that she had a biological sister and it changed her entire life. She beautifully portrays her and her mother’s stories through very trying times. This book is for everyone. I have no siblings and I’m not adopted and yet I still felt connected to the author.

[Jeanne M. Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartwarming

As an adoptive mother who by total chance, was linked with my sons birth mother, I can totally relate to the feeling of relief and contentment that was brought about by the missing puzzle piece.

[Lysandra Ness · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title is true to fact regarding what the book is about. While I’m not adopted, I do a lot of ancestry research. The book captures the process of the research as well as the emotional experience the author endured.

[SamReadsAll · Rating 5 out of 5]

A big thank you to Goodreads for my win of this e book. I love this story. I was hooked from the first chapter. My brother and his wife are in the process of adopting a baby girl and I found Kathe’s perspective quite intriguing. 5 stars!

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read. Nicely written. Thanks for the kindle copy.

[Julie Lima · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read for anyone connected to adoption. This was hard to put down and being a mom of 2 adopted now adult children it helped me to understand a lot coming from the childs perspective. This is not only relatable but one you can read in one sitting. I could not get enough of her story!
Thank you Katherine Linn Caire for sharing your story.
I read it on kindle but will go get the hard cover for the bookshelf.