The Sister Effect by Susan Mallery

 

(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

Susan Mallery’s newest hardcover is an emotional, witty, and heartfelt story of Finley who is raising her niece because her long-addicted sister, Sloane, abandoned her. When Sloane reappears, eager to build a relationship with her daughter, Finley will struggle with forgiveness, the ties that bind a family together, and the fragility of trust.

Finley McGowan is determined that the niece she’s raising will always feel loved and wanted. Unlike she felt after her mom left to pursue a dream of stardom and her grandfather abandoned her and her sister Sloane when they needed him most. Finley reacted to her chaotic childhood by walking the straight and narrow—nose down, work hard, follow the rules.

Sloane went the other way.

Now Sloane is back, as beautiful and damaged as ever, and wants a relationship with her daughter. She says she’s changed, but Finley’s heart has been bruised once too often for her to trust easily. With the help of a man who knows all too well how messy families can be, Finley will learn there’s joy in surrendering and peace in letting go.

Mallery, with wisdom, compassion and her trademark humor, explores the nuances of a broken family’s complex emotions as they strive to become whole, in this uplifting story of human frailty and resilience.

my thoughts:

A family drama at its very best! The Sister Effect by Susan Mallery is a must-read for fans of her terrific stories and for anyone looking for their next great read - you are going to fall in deep with this one! I loved it to bits!

Finley is raising her eight-year old niece, Aubrey, and determined to provide her with a stable and loving home - two things she and her sister never had. She's also becoming romantically involved with Jericho - a local builder with a lot of baggage. Oh, and her sister, Sloane, is almost a year sober and wants back in her daughter's life. Except, Finley isn't sure that's a good idea - she doesn't want Aubrey to get hurt. Or...could it be that Finley is just not ready to deal with her sister yet? Hmm...so much family history, drama, and pain for one family to handle. Of course, there is also a lot of love in the family, so maybe forgiveness is possible. And that is all I will share about this awesome story - you have to read it for yourself to find out what happens!

Mallery has written an emotional story that will have you feeling all the feels. You'll smile, laugh, cry, and 'ugh' in frustration. And, you'll enjoy every minute of it. What a fantastic book! I would happily recommend The Sister Effect - make sure to grab a copy ASAP!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!

Home Sweet Christmas: Wishing Tree #2 by Susan Mallery

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

about book:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery's second book set in the small town of Wishing Tree, Washington is the witty and heartfelt story of two friends who expectedly find the person--and the place in which--they belong this Christmas, for fans of Elin Hildebrand, Robyn Carr, and Susan Wiggs.

This small-town life wasn’t supposed to be for Camryn Neff. But after her mother died, Camryn moved home to Wishing Tree, Washington to care for her teenaged twin sisters and run the family wrapping paper business, Wrap Around the Clock. She loves her sisters and would do anything for them but, when they head off to college, she’s excited to move back to Chicago and restart her real life, completely attachment-free. So when a prospective client schedules a meeting and announces Project: Jake’s Bride, a plot to find a wife for her son, Camryn is completely disinterested. And when this client announces that Camryn is a candidate, she’s horrified. Being tied down is the last thing Camryn needs right now. She has no choice but to tell Jake what his mom is planning. But Camryn never expected to genuinely like him so much…

River Best knows all about the danger of keeping secrets. After all, she’s had her heart broken and her world rocked by secrets a few times now and she won’t ever let it happen again. New to Wishing Tree and a little shy, River is looking to get involved in the community so she lets her friends talk her into running for Snow Queen, one of the town's honorary hosts of all Christmas events. She never expected to be drawn to Dylan Tucker, her Snow King. As the season progresses, River starts to trust him more and more and wonders if he's the one. But little does River know that Dylan is keeping a secret from her, one that threatens everything between them.

my thoughts:

Cozy holiday novels are my jam! I just loved Home Sweet Christmas by Susan Mallery! First off: Christmas.  Second: Wishing Tree - small town living! Third: falling in love during the holidays sounds like a Hallmark movie to me! So, how could I resist this sweet and heartwarming story, right? I couldn't! I had to read the book. Grabbing a cuppa, I settled down with this story and wound up spending the day with it - loving every minute of it, I might add. What a great book! Oh, and did I mention that this is the second book in Mallory's Wishing Tree series - well, it is and don't worry, it makes for a great standalone read. I know I enjoyed the book and I've never read the first book in the series - of course, now that I've read Home Sweet Christmas that is about to change. 

Camryn has been living in Wishing Tree taking care of her sisters and running the family business. She moved there when her mother passed away. However, her younger sisters are heading off to college and now it's time for Camryn to go back to her old life in Chicago - her real life. Except, a new client seems to believe that Camryn could be the potential 'bride' for her son. Say what? Yep, Jake's mom wants him married and she has a list of potential wives and Camryn is on that list. How crazy, right? The only thing is that when Camryn meets Jake, she finds herself liking him...a lot. Hmm...perhaps Chicago isn't in the cards for Camryn anymore and Wishing Tree is truly where she belongs? Oh, and did I mention River. Yep, she's another gal who wants a fresh start and she's chosen Wishing Tree to start over. She's got secrets to keep and a broken heart to mend, so she's all about her friendships at the moment.  And her friends are all about getting River to run for Snow Queen. So, she goes for it and winds up falling for the Snow King, Dylan. Say what? Yep, a royal romance may just be afoot in Wishing Tree. 

Talk about a delightful and fun story! I just loved getting to know the citizens of Wishing Tree and reading all about their holiday traditions during the Christmas season - what a treat! I just loved this book to bits! I would happily recommend Home Sweet Christmas to fans of Mallery and to anyone looking for their next holiday read - you will LOVE this book!! Check it out!!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!

The Boardwalk Bookshop: A Novel by Susan Mallery

 

(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

With her unique brand of witty, emotional storytelling, Susan Mallery's latest is a heartfelt tale of friendship between three women brought together by chance who open a bookshop together on the boardwalk of the California beaches and ultimately become one another's family. Fans of Elin Hilderbrand, Robyn Carr and Susan Wiggs will love The Boardwalk Bookshop!

Brought together by chance, Bree, Mikki, and Ashley become fast friends and open up a beachfront bookshop together, bringing together their three different businesses. To celebrate, each Friday at sunset they pop open champagne on the beach and enjoy the sunset together. Little did they know that that chance meeting and this simple ritual would make them one another’s family.

Bree owns the bookshop. Funny that she can’t stand authors. They’re far too demanding. But when NYT bestselling author Harding Burton, the memoirist who wrote about being paralyzed as a teenager and how he fought his way back, comes in, Bree never expected to actually like him. But anything beyond casual sex is out of the question for her. She trusts no one—a brutal first marriage and a painful childhood taught her well. Still as much as she wants to walk away, she can’t quite do it…

Ashley, Harding’s brother, owns the muffin shop and she has her own problems. She’s been happily in love with her boyfriend, Seth, for eight years. He’s thoughtful, supportive, kind, generous…but he hasn’t proposed and, she can’t hold it in any longer. When he announces that marriage isn’t for him, she’s shocked. And as much as she wishes this was enough, the truth is that she wants to be married. But what now?

And Mikki, the gift shop owner, is getting a second chance. She married her high school sweetheart, but three kids and completely different interests made them drift apart until they divorced a few years ago. They’re still close for the kids, but when someone new enters her life, he makes her feel appreciated and alive. Suddenly Mikki’s ex is making her dinner and asking her advice and Mikki must choose between the man she loved and let go of—and a chance for a brand new beginning.

my thoughts:

Talk about summer fun! The Boardwalk Bookshop by Susan Mallery is the perfect book to kickstart your summer reading.  It has romance, friendship, a bookshop, the beach, and DRAMA - what more could you ask for? I know that I enjoyed every second I spent with this book - it was just such a fun story to get caught up in. Plus, I loved getting to know Mikki, Ashley, and Bree - what a fab trio of women! And, their issues (baggage, call it what you will) was just so relatable at times. I found myself nodding my head in agreement or shaking my head in frustration - love can be so complicated. 

Mallery has written a terrific story about three women who decide to join forces and open up a bookshop right off the beach. Every Friday, they celebrate with a bottle of champagne and watch the beautiful sunset. Of course, life interrupts and soon each woman is struggling with romantic problems they didn't even know they had.

The Boardwalk Bookshop is a fun treat to read. And, it's perfect for the beach. You'll love the characters, their stories, and Mallery's writing - all top notch! This is one book you won't want to miss out on. Definitely check it out!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!

The Friendship List: A Novel by Susan Mallery

(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

Already a worldwide success in mass market and trade paperback formats, Susan Mallery’s newest hardcover is an emotional, witty, and heartfelt story about two best friends who are determined to help one another shake things up and live life to the fullest...only to discover that possibilities are everywhere--especially in the most unexpected of places.

Ellen and Unity have been best friends basically since birth, but they couldn’t be more different. Unity married her childhood sweetheart just after high school and became an Army wife, moving from base to base…until her husband's shocking death in the line of duty leaves her a widow. Grief-stricken, it’s time for Unity to come back home to Ellen—the only person she can trust to help her rebuild her life. But Ellen has troubles of her own. Boys never seemed to notice Ellen…until one got her pregnant in high school and disappeared. Her son is now 17 and she’s wondering what to do with herself now that he’s heading off to college and he's literally her entire world.

But now that Ellen and Unity are reunited, they’re done with their stale lives. It’s time to shake things up and start living again, knowing that they'll always have one another to lean on. So they create a list of challenges they have to accomplish--everything from getting a tattoo to skydiving to staying out all night. And whoever completes the most challenges is the winner. But with new adventures and love just around the corner, there’s no such thing as losing…

my thoughts:

What a fun, engaging, and heartwarming story about friendship, love, and family. The Friendship List by Susan Mallery was such a treat to read on a rainy afternoon. I just fell in so deep, that I wound up finishing the book in one sitting. It was just too good to put down.

Ellen and Unity are BFFs who have known each other since birth. They have been there for one another all of their lives.  Middle-aged and feeling out of sorts, the two decide to create a list - challenges to push them to shake up their lives. Challenges like, getting a tattoo to skydiving. Yep, these two want to show everyone around them that they are just fine and living life to the fullest. You see, Unity is a widow, mourning her husband; while Ellen's son is afraid to go to college and leave her all alone.  By joining forces, these two best friends plan on embracing life once more and having a few exciting adventures of their own.

Talk about a love letter to friendship! This book shows the true meaning of friendship through Unity and Ellen's relationship.The ups and downs they go through, their deep bond, and the love they have for one another just shines through. I really enjoyed getting to know them both and reading all about their misadventures. Such a great story!

I would happily recommend The Friendship List to fans of Mallery and anyone looking for their next great read.




Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book!