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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It was a book that could have actually been a real life story. Realistic characters with realistic problems.
I love Susan Mallory!
Interesting characters even if a little too over the top sometimes, and the ending was a nice too neat wrap up. The successes were a little too fast and not realistic, but hey, it was a fun read.
Family turmoil, romantic connections and happily ever afters! With the fourth book in her Blackberry Island series Susan Mallery brings her readers a delightful family saga in SISTERS BY CHOICE. Three cousins reconnect as each finds their way toward the future they always dreamed of. Each main character is easy to like and has a compelling story line. I really enjoyed their journey.
Sophie Lane is accomplished and kind-hearted, but it turns out she has a lot to learn in how to successfully rebuild her cat product empire that fell apart around her. She returns home to Blackberry Island and sets out to make it bigger and better. Along the way she realizes her way isn’t always the right way.
Kristine Fielding is complex. She’s happy with her husband and kids, but she yearns for more than just doing the same routine day in and day out. When the parts fall into place to allow her the opportunity to open the bakery she always dreamed of, she doesn’t expect it to put the future she always expected to be there in jeopardy.
Heather Sitterly nabs our sympathy from the first moment we meet her … and her mother! She’s worked hard to support herself and her mother for more years than she wishes to remember and it never seems to be enough. Her mother is a real piece of work but this time she might have gone just far enough to make Heather wake up and live for herself for a change.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a family connected story line. Each cousin gets a fulfilling ending filled with accomplishment and love.
I love Susan mallery’s books. Sisters by choice kept me turning pages. Lives of the cousins were so intertwined that it was hard to tell if there was going to be a happy ending. So much human nature in the lives of these women.
I love reading her books! They always make me smile. I love how she gives personality to the animals in her books.
Sisters by Choice is my first book of the Blackberry Island series that I have read. In this story we are introduced to Kristine, Heather and Sophie. Three lives, three cousins, three friends and three dreams.
I enjoyed how the story showed struggles, decisions and friendships in real life situations. And despite of heartache, family and friendship is always there no matter what. I did though felt annoyed about Heather’s mom she just made me want to shake her. Standing between her dreams.
Despite of everything happening to them they found comfort in each other and strength. Made you feel connected to the characters in one way or another. In their sad moments and happy ones.
A story that truly identifies with the ” Cousins are our first best friends and People Come into your life for a Reason, a Season a Lifetime.”
Will be definitely looking forward to read the other 3 books in this series.
Susan Mallery has written a wonderful concept with this book! I have cousins that I could totally put in this with me and relate to so much of the story lines! Sisters By Choice was another wonderful book in the Blackberry Island series.
I really loved the depth of this story and the different life lessons and things that make you think…
“The flight attendants always tell you if there’s a drop in cabin pressure, to put on your mask first, then help others. You can’t save others if you’re dead.”
“That’s blunt.”
He shrugged “Maybe, but it’s also true. Save yourself….”
I loved the characters in this book, especially Kristine! I loved her strength and courage to go after what she wanted and (trying not to spoil…) her storyline soooo much! The whole dynamic of the characters were the great blend! The humor, banter, relationships, and setting were perfect! I could never imagine working for Sophie (HAHA) and I loved Dugan! I would totally recommend reading this! 4.5 Stars
A few pages in and the action has started . By chapter five I couldn’t put it down. This is not your cookie cutter romance. The charters are flaw and relatable to many . If you haven’t checked out Susan Mallery book now is the time.
Avid Reader and Reading Specialist
Stacey
Another wonderful story from from an amazing author. Family has many dimensions and the three cousins in this story are so different but still care for each other, sometimes in very strange ways. Coming home gave Sophie the perfect place to rebuild her business and her life. Kristine got the strength and support to step up and make her dream come true, making her family and marriage even better in the process. And while Amber was not a very good cousin, she still got help that allowed her daughter to finally be able to live her best life. A story all will enjoy and find a bit of themselves somewhere within the pages. (less)
I have read the majority of Susan Mallory’s newer books and like the rest this one did not disappoint. I like the fact that our dearest relationships can be with who we want, other than who is chosen for us by are birth. Happy uplifting story that shows what ever happens today you can overcome it tomorrow.
Sophie, Kristine and Amber are family…cousins…close to each other all their lives and reaching out to each other for help solving the different crises that have invaded each of their every-day lives. All are afraid of something they cannot control. Sisters By Choice takes lets us into their minds and hearts and allows us observe how they do or do not handle the issues that have been thrown at them.
No one does character development like Susan Mallery! Just as she planned, I loved Heather and Kristine and absolutely loathed Amber and her twisted way of looking at everything. This is a book about self-discovery and relationships. I really liked the character of Sophie who was very controlling and had to go through a period of self-reflection and change, even though she is very successful in business. This wonderful little book includes all kinds of funny moments and even some good marital advice. Highly recommended for fans of romance and plain old reading fun!
Disclaimer
I own a copy of this book that I purchased from Amazon for my Kindle. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own,
I’m not a cat owner (I have birds), but that didn’t stop me from being charmed by the setting in this latest effort from Susan Mallery. Main character Daphne owns CK Industries, a company that sells products for pet cats. After a devastating fire ravages her business, she moves back to her sleepy island hometown outside Seattle to rebuild.
The inner workings of CK (“Clandestine Kitty”) made for a thoroughly entertaining departure from the usual starting-over women’s fiction read.
But it was her two cousins, Kristine and Heather, the other protagonists in this novel, whose struggles drew me in the most. Mostly because they faced two of the most aggravating but realistic antagonists to infuriate me in recent memory. Fortunately, the two women overcome. One of the “bad guys” comes around, the other doesn’t. Such is life.
I listened to the audio version of this book. Another great story by Susan Mallery about what family means. She deals with four women related (three are cousins). As in any family there’s a lot of diversity in character types: there’s a successful woman who seems to have it all together, a woman who thinks she deserves to have everything handed to her, one who lets others take advantage of her and one who is taking care of her family and not being appreciated for it. I loved the family dynamics and the awkwardness of it all.
The narration by Tanya Eby was fantastic.
Awesome book
She returns to Blackberry Island to restart her cat toy business.
She meets Dugan Phillips and they start a relationship. She is scared and they have to deal with that. Kristine Fielding wants to open a bakery after being a housewife and mother for years. She needs more in her life and wants her husband Jaxsen to support and he does not he moves out instead. They have 3 boys who just don’t understand why their dad moved out or why their mom wants more than just taking care of them. They go to marriage counseling and work through their problems. Heather saves her money after paying all of the bills for her and her mom Amber and she gets enough to start college and her mom figures out a way to take it from her. Amber is a bitter person who thinks her daughter owes her because she had her. I really enjoyed this book and totally recommend to anyone looking for a good book to read.
Susan Mallery manages to give her readers another sensitive, heartwarming story about three cousins that are as close as sisters. They’ve always supported & been there for each other. Each character is well written & defined as strong & confident. As this time of their lives moves along, they all have to learn to change with the circumstances & adapt to new lives.
Just like Ms. Mallery’s other stories, the storyline draws you in from the first page. As you read, the characters become family or friends & her dialogue has you feeling the same emotions they do. Be prepared to spend several hours reading because you won’t want to put it down until you’re done!
So good! I loved the characters!
Back to Blackberry Island, where three cousins find out that “everything happens for the best”. Sophie Lane’s company CK, literally burns to the ground, so she decides to move her company back home to Blackberry Island, with the support of her cousin Kristine, but finds that it is not easy to start over, especially when you have trust issues and are a control freak. Meanwhile, Kristine, married 16 years and mother of 3 boys, has had a dream of opening her own bakery but when the chance opportunity comes for her to make her dream come true, her husband gets angry and leaves. Meanwhile their second cousin, Heather, is constantly being held back by her narcissistic mother, who blames everyone but herself for the way her life has turned out. But the women have each other’s back and Sophie and Kristine do get their hard won HEA, and Heather escapes from her mother’s grasp.
As always, with a Susan Mallery book, an entertaining read, with captivating characters, humorous banter and an engaging plot.