Newly and happily engaged, 43-year-old Paige Meyer soon discovers that planning her wedding with her fiancé, Jeff Parker, is bittersweet due to the loss of her beloved father, Mark, two years earlier. How can she plan the happiest day of her life without him there to walk her down the aisle? Adding to her angst is her current unemployed status, as well as the shocking email she received from FamilyTree, a DNA testing website, stating that another man --- a stranger named Andrew "Andy" Abrams --- is her biological father. Could this explain why she’s always felt so different from the rest of her family?

"It’s the weirdest feeling… Everything I thought I knew about who I was and where I came from is suddenly gone. It’s like my life story has been wiped clean and now it’s just a book of blank pages."

"LITTLE PIECES OF ME played out in a realistic and, at times, emotional manner, causing me to tear up several times. The resolution was satisfying and, much to my delight, a bit surprising too!"

Paige must decide if she should reach out to Andy. If she does, would the only father she has ever known have approved of her decision? And if Mark really isn't her biological father, does it change everything about her own self and identity? A friend told her, “No DNA test can change that. It doesn’t change who you are.” But why does it feel like it might?

Additionally, Paige can’t help but wonder if her mother, Betsy, cheated on her father during their days at the University of Kansas in the 1970s. Their mother-daughter relationship is tenuous at best, so how will Betsy react when she confronts her with the stunning news?

After reading and enjoying Alison Hammer’s debut, YOU AND ME AND US, a year ago, I was very much looking forward to her sophomore novel. Even though I didn't love LITTLE PIECES OF ME quite as much, I did appreciate how the story unfolded as it alternated between the past in the 1970s and the present. Both timelines were equally compelling as secrets were uncovered, decisions were made, and new relationships were forged.

Furthermore, the novel --- which is lightly based on a similar experience involving a friend of Hammer’s --- was strengthened by the amusing and enduring friendship of Paige, Maks and Margaux. Their shenanigans made me laugh out loud several times. The complex mother-daughter dynamic was also intriguing and held my interest throughout. The writing style was smooth, and the pages flew by quickly.

LITTLE PIECES OF ME played out in a realistic and, at times, emotional manner, causing me to tear up several times. The resolution was satisfying and, much to my delight, a bit surprising too!