June 2, 2021

This is 100% family drama from beginning to end, and I couldn’t put it down.

Right from the beginning, I knew that the story would have many tense situations. I’m not exactly sure how I knew that based on a child throwing up (opening scene). But it certainly seemed to set the tone.

The author did a good job of making each of the stepsisters (Daisy, Sage, and Cassidy) individuals with their own sets of issues. None of them were a stereotype, and all three seemed like real people with real problems.

They each had very different lives from each other and from anything that I’ve known. I also couldn’t relate to them personality-wise too much. But I still liked them.

Sometimes a character is so different from what a reader personally knows or is familiar with it makes it hard to understand their motivations. That wasn’t the case here. The author succeeded in making the sisters understandable, if not exactly relatable.

That sounds weird, I know. I think it was more that I could read from a detached point of view instead of being swayed by one sister’s story over another’s.

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It goes without saying that all three ladies experience tremendous personal growth over the course of the story. What I found interesting was that not only did they share a dad, but they could all pretty much trace their problems with each other to Joanne (Cassidy and Sage’s mother).

She was a real piece of work. And it was also interesting that she continued to be a thorn in Daisy’s side even late in the book, as I see her as directly responsible for knowing how to manipulate Sage.

(No spoilers, you’ll have to read it to understand what I mean).

I found myself wondering whether Joanne was bitter toward Daisy for perceived wrongs in the past and was actively still trying to hurt her emotionally. I think maybe that’s accurate.

Sage was an interesting character as well. She obviously had the brunt of Joanne’s dysfunction and carried it into her adult life. I had an aunt like that (not the same dysfunction as the book but being exposed to a situation for longer and carrying it into adulthood).

I also liked Esmerelda. She was no-nonsense and loyal to Daisy. It seemed as if she served as Daisy’s conscience at times, or maybe her alter ego, being tough when Daisy couldn’t be.

As far as the plot, there’s too much to recount. But the stepsisters journey together to a place of new understanding as each of them recognizes their perspectives and how they were shaped by events they didn’t have full understanding of in the past.

I know that was convoluted. But as I said, it’s a family drama, and those are never straightforward. If you’re looking for a more dramatic beach read, I would definitely recommend this book.

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About the Author:

#1 NYT bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming, humorous novels about the relationships that define our lives―family, friendship, romance. She’s known for putting nuanced characters in emotional situations that surprise readers to laughter. Beloved by millions, her books have been translated into 28 languages. Susan lives in Washington with her husband, two cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Visit her at SusanMallery.com.