Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova

A profoundly moving novel about family, identity, and resilience.  In  Inside the O’Briens, Lisa Genova turns her compassionate eye toward another devastating neurological illness.
 
Joe O’Brien is a beloved Irish Catholic police officer in the tight-knit Boston neighborhood of Charlestown. He’s proud of his family, his job, and his life — until he begins experiencing strange symptoms: temper flares, involuntary movements, and lapses in memory. When he’s diagnosed with Huntington’s disease, an incurable genetic disorder, Joe must face the unimaginable — and so must his family, each of whom has a 50% chance of inheriting it.
 
As the O’Briens struggle to accept the diagnosis, they must also choose how to live with it: with fear or with hope. With extraordinary empathy and insight, Genova depicts how a single diagnosis can ripple through generations — testing love, faith, and identity. Through Joe’s journey and the choices faced by his wife and children, the novel asks essential questions: What defines us? How do we live when our future is uncertain?
 
Both heartbreaking and uplifting, Inside the O’Briens is a masterful exploration of what it means to be human, to endure loss, and to find grace amid suffering.
 
💖 Why You’ll Love It
From the bestselling author of Still Alice.
Deeply emotional, character-driven storytelling.
Blends medical insight with raw human experience.
Explores love, identity, and hope in the face of genetic fate.
Both heartbreaking and deeply life-affirming.
 
🌟 Perfect For
Fans of Still Alice and Left Neglected.
Readers who enjoy emotional family dramas with real-world resonance.
Book clubs exploring ethics, illness, and resilience.
Anyone drawn to heartfelt stories about love and perseverance.
 
❤️ Fans Also Liked
If you enjoyed Inside the O’Briens, you might also like:
Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate — family, memory, and loss.
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi — facing mortality with courage.
Every Note Played by Lisa Genova — music, illness, and redemption.