From the New York Times bestselling author of California Girls comes an all new original Blackberry Island novel told with Susan Mallery’s trademark humor and charm. Sisters by Choice is a heartfelt tale of love, family and the friendships that see us through. Cousins by chance, sisters by choice… After her cat toy empire goes up in flames, Sophie Lane returns to Blackberry Island, … returns to Blackberry Island, determined to rebuild. Until small-town life reveals a big problem: she can’t grow unless she learns to let go. If Sophie relaxes her grip even a little, she might lose everything. Or she might finally be free to reach for the happiness and love that have eluded her for so long.
Kristine has become defined by her relationship to others. She’s a wife, a mom. As much as she adores her husband and sons, she wants something for herself–a sweet little bakery just off the waterfront. She knew changing the rules wouldn’t be easy, but she never imagined she might have to choose between her marriage and her dreams.
Like the mainland on the horizon, Heather’s goals seem beyond her grasp. Every time she manages to save for college, her mother has another crisis. Can she break free, or will she be trapped in this tiny life forever?
Don’t miss Susan Mallery’s latest book, The Stepsisters! A heartfelt tale of friendship between two women who used to be sisters.
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When Sophie Lane’s business empire goes up in smoke- literally- she makes the decision to move back home to Blackberry Island to make a fresh beginning. The factory is easy enough to find, but finding the right staff and regaining her hard-earned confidence takes more time.
Kristine (Sophie’s cousin) married right out of school, had kids, the house with the white picket fence, a loving- mostly- husband, and a budding enterprise as a baker. She dreams of opening a bakery and running her own business, but her husband thinks she’s foolish- after all, she’s a wife and mother, isn’t that enough?
Heather works four jobs, cares for a mother (Sophie’s cousin) who defines the word self-pity, and wishes more than anything that she could leave her responsibilities behind.
Told from varying perspectives, this is a novel about family, friendships, and a strength that will carry us through life’s challenges- if we only believe.
I enjoyed the premise of the story. It shows women are smart, industrious, and able to handle whatever is thrown their way.
My problems came with a bedroom encounter only half an hour after supposedly indomitable Sophie meets the guy. Her heartache over losing a beloved pet cat, yet she takes in a foster cat about to have kittens. And worst of all, she is portrayed as a hard-headed multi-millionaire business woman, yet she can’t seem to hire the staff to run her new business.
While I like Kristine and rooted for her, I thought she could have better stood up for herself.
Heather was the most relatable for me. She’s a young girl trying to do the best she can with the crap hand she’s been dealt. I think she was the strongest of all the women.
Overall, Sisters by Choice is a good read- 4 lovely kisses!
Have you read any Susan Mallery books? Love them or… ?
“I voluntarily read an ARC of this book which was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.”
Another winner!
Sister’s By Choice is a story about cousins…and so much more. Sophie, Kristine and Heather are the sister by choice in the title, although Heather’s mother, Amber, is really the one Sophie and Kristine grew up with. Amber is a treasure and definitely needed to the storyline but know she was a character I loved to hate.
I won’t retell the story but I will tell you the parts I loved. Sophie has lost everything she has in the world, or so she thinks, but it is her sister-family that helps ground her and help her start again. And then she meets Dugan… In her mind, he upends every business decision she’s ever made…with facts, dang it! And she’s not sure how to categorize him and put him in a box that she, of course, defines. He doesn’t fit in one, nor does he stay there when Sophie tries to fit him in one, and it drives her insane. He does it all with a smile, and love.
Kristine and her husband, Jaxsen have a great life and family, if only Kristine would stay in her own lane – of Jaxsen’s choosing, of course. Truthfully, they have issues that you can picture happening to you and that’s what is so perfect about their story. They are relatable and loving but just hitting a rough patch where they need to communicate in order to move forward. I LOVED Kristine and how strong she is, even at her most vulnerable. Over my many years, I’ve been there myself so I understand and admire her character.
And Heather. Hooboy! Amber, her mother, is a giant piece of work. Again, most of us can put ourselves in Heather’s shoes to feel as trapped and helpless as she does. She is a fighter, though, and it is with the support of her cousins and some great business mentors that she grows. I’m not sure I would have found the inner strength to change my life (at her age). Took me a few years more…
All in all, to me, Sisters By Choice is a coming of age story that really will draw parallels with your own life. It is a heartwarming, sometimes heartbreaking, laugh-out-loud, snarky humor book that you will be glad that you read.
I’ve always been a big Susan Mallery fan and always look forward to the next release. I had a hard time putting it down, but I found that my feelings about it were all over the place. This is a story about cousins who are more like sisters and their ambitions or lack of.
I never really liked Amber, who always blamed everyone else for her life struggles. With that being said, I had a friend growing up who was very much like her. Next, there was Sophie who was a successful business owner, but had a hard time letting her employees do their jobs or dealing with her emotions in her personal life. I wanted to give her a good swift kick in the pants, but in the end, she was starting to make some changes. Kristine was the one I liked the best. She had a dream and wanted to finally realize it, but was it worth possibly destroying her marriage. And finally there was Heather, Amber’s daughter, who was at a point where she needed to make a decision to get on with her life or be locked into her mother’s sad life.
However, it’s a story that I’d like to see revisited a few years down the road to find out how they all made out.
Things were going well for Sophie Lane until the night her cat toy business burnt to the ground. With nothing keeping her from leaving Sophie decides to move back home to Blackberry Island and rebuild her business. She soon learns that she has to make some changes within herself if she is to succeed in business and in life. With all the things she has had happen in her life she has a hard time letting go. Is she willing to make the changes needed in her life so that she can truly be fulfilled or will she let her pride get in the way. I
Kristine leads a happy life with a great husband and three wonderful boys, being a wide and mom are her life. She soon realizes that she was rd more in her life and doesn’t want to be defined in those terms. Kristine has a small cookie business that she would love to turn I to a bakery but soon learns that is easier said than done. Her husband has a problem with the changes she wants to make and soon life takes an unexpected turn.
Heather has spent most of her life taking care of her mother, there is nothing wrong with her, she just blames her for the way her life has turned out. Heather at the age of twenty wants so much more for her life but worries about what will happen to her mom if she leaves. She is forever built ridden and has never been able to just walk away. With new opportunities coming to life for her will she finally let the guilt go and love the life she has always wanted to.
This was such a wonderful read that had me laughing and crying as it took me on an emotional ride into the lives of each women. I couldn’t put it down and love each e.tion that it pulled out of me, I always look forward to this author’s work and she never disappoints.
I was ready to go back to Blackberry Island since it had been awhile since we had visited.
I have always loved Susan’s books. There were only a few I didn’t really relate to and were hard to finish. This unfortunately was one of them. I won’t say I didn’t like, I did, it was just very hard to read.
Three cousins, Sophie, Kristine and Amber. But we also had Heather who is Amber’s daughter play a big part in this book.
Sophie was owner of CK Industries. She was in LA but returned to the island when the business burned to the ground. None of her employees traveled with her so she was starting over when she got there. But she wasn’t too worried, she could do all the jobs needed. Sophie was a complete control freak. She couldn’t let go and delegate to save her life. She was burning the candle at both ends and it would soon ruin her. She did hire some good people and even then found it nearly impossible to delegate. She also met a man, Dugan. They started having a sex only relationship, but he seemed to want more, he was a yoga coach. But he also seemed to be more. He tried to help her in many ways, but she was not one who wanted to listen. Would this end them or would they work through any of it.
Kristine was a stay at home mother to 3 boys. She loved her life, her boys and husband. But she also wanted more. She baked a few days a week for different occasions. Her baked goods sold out quickly and people wanted her to start shipping them. Her husband was against her working out of the home. The bakery on the island was empty and up for sale. She looked at it, made a business plan and had her numbers. She showed the whole thing to Sophie and was told to go for it. But, she wasn’t sure about her husband. Finally she made up her mind to go and talk to him. Would he support her or forbid it. Would she have to choose?
Amber was a miserable, wallow in her own mud person. She believed everyone owed her something and she wasn’t getting it. She had been married, but as soon as she had said I do, she had quit her job to stay home do nothing. No housework, no cooking no anything. Her husband would come home from work and have to deal with all of it. That didn’t last very long before he left. Leaving Amber and her daughter Heather together. From the time she was 16 Heather supported and took care of her mother. She felt it was her fault she was this way, after all her mother always told her that having her was the reason her life was all messed up. Heather had plans, she wanted to go to school and maybe get off the island. It would never happen if she stayed with her mom. Every time she built a bit of a savings somehow her mom got it. They both got hired at the warehouse that Sophie has, but what will come of that. Will Amber work? Or mess it up somehow? If she does what happens to Heather’s job. Heather loves her job and wants to learn everything she can.
All three, actually four women have issues in their way. I had a hard time liking Sophie, she was TOO controlling and not willing to listen to reason. Amber was just simply a mess of a woman. Heather and Kristine I could more understand. I pulled for all of them to get their lives straightened out and for the book to end with a very high note, but if I had to say out of all the Blackberry Island books, I would read the first 3 again and probably skip this one. Sorry Ms. Mallery, it pains me to say it probably the most.
” I received a free, advance copy of this book from the author. This my unbiased and voluntary review.”
An amusing and lovely story about families and the interaction between three cousins. Sophie Lane’s life changes in a heartbeat and she returns to Blackberry Island to rebuild her business. Her cousin Kristine is married with three sons and is hoping to open her own bakery. Her cousin Amber is selfish, expecting everyone to take care of her, especially her daughter Heather. Sophie has control issues and is unable to delegate, always needing to be in total control. As her business grows, can handsome Dugan Phillips help her to relax and learn to let go? The author travels seamlessly between the cousins’ individual issues as Kristine works to convince her family that opening a bakery is something she needs to do? Will Heather see that moving on from her selfish mother is the best thing for both of them? A wonderful return visit to Blackberry Island. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)
The story is a sweet blend of humor and struggles. This small island town of family and friends are tight-knit and endearing. Some actions may have consequences but some can also leave you feeling happy. This book would be a good choice for a summer weekend read.
Three cousins come to lean on each other as their lives enter major turning points. Sophie’s business recently burned to the ground and she has decided to return to Blackberry Island to rebuild and learn to trust others in not only her business, but also in her personal life. Kristine is ready to expand her life by opening a bakery that she has been dreaming of for many years, but her husband can’t comprehend her need to be something more than a mom and wife. Then there is Heather whose mom depends on her for everything and controls her with guilt and whose dream is to leave Blackberry Island to go to college and study marketing. They support each other as they pursue their dreams.
II haven’t ever read a Susan Mallory book I didn’t like. This one was no exception.
Ok so the characters in this book are wonderful and deeply humanly flawed, as are their relationships. But that’s what makes this book so fascinating and wonderful, because even with those flaws, you are still worthy of love and happiness. All that being said, Amber was a rat and I hated her. Also, I love that therapy was discussed in this book because it’s so important!!
Another great read by Susan Mallery. She captures her characters perfectly and let’s them shine.
I really enjoyed this one. The different personalities and lives of the women and how they each handled things and took chances in different ways. They find strength to make dreams come true. Except Amber. The other three were amazing.
Susan Mallery is one of my “go to” authors. I fell for her writing/stories with the first Fools Gold book I read some 8 years ago or so. Now I am back-tracking to read the earlier books in that series. I have also read the first book in this, Blackberry Island, series. Ms Mallery’s work is always such a treat to read/listen to. The stories pull you in and the writing is seamless. The characters always seem like real-life people you might meet. I liked this story about Sophie, Kristine, and Heather; cousins that are in very different places in their lives from one-another; yet are always there for each other. In a lot of stories, there is always that protagonist that you want to hate and wish the characters would too; in this book it is Heather’s mother, Amber. Talk about the “oh, poor me” syndrome and never taking responsibility for one’s own actions/choices. I wanted to smack this woman up-side her head!!!!
A fantastic story!
First book by this author. Loved it. Sophie was a workaholic who had to do everything herself. She learned to trust others as time went on. Heather was a great young lady who was stuck taking care of her pathetic mom. I loved how she finally breaks free. Kristine was a great mom. Her story was awesome. I had a hard time putting this one down. Will definitely read more books by this author.
#Sisters by Choice # Susan Mallery Susan surprised me with a copy of this novel. I had not previously read any of her books or but will be reading many more! This is my honest opinion of her book. I thoroughly enjoyed it! The story is about a strong woman, Sophie, who builds a “cat empire” only to have it destroyed by fire. She decides to return to her hometown of Blackberry Island, where she has cousins, to rebuild her business. Sophie is a hard worker and supportive of her female cousins and what is happening in their lives. Her life though is a mess when it comes to any relationships outside of family. The story is funny, heartwarming, entertaining and aggravating sometimes as you see these “real characters” make both good and bad decisions in their lives. 5/5 stars
Very enjoyable. I could connect easily to the characters. Nice afternoon sit on the porch read.
I enjoy reading all of Susan Mallery’s books
Susan Mallery always delivers a good read.
I would give this book 6 stars if I could.