Gretchen Hendricks spent half her life in love with a man who ended up more dedicated to his job than her. After a divorce that left her devastated, she put all her energies into building up her career as a psychologist. Now, well into her thirties she has achieved professional success, and leads a model life. She has tried to let go of her girlhood dreams of a marriage and kids to complement her … complement her career. After being burned so thoroughly by the boy she’d given her young, girlish heart to, she is happier alone.
Until one day she runs into her adolescent friend, Tony Lindstrom and realizes the catastrophic circumstances that have ended his service in the United States Army. It has been two years since the end of Tony’s professional career, and life as he knew it. But he has done nothing to accept what happened to him, or even begun to learn how to live with it. He is holed up in his parents’ house, without a job or prospects of any kind, and the thing is: he’s just fine with that. He figures he’s paid his dues to society more than the average person; doesn’t he deserve to be left alone to deal with things how he wants?
But then he runs into the one woman he always loved, and could never have, because she was always his best friend’s girl. Gretchen will not accept who Tony has become, or that he has completely given up on living a worthwhile life. But Tony can’t contemplate anything with Gretchen because to him, what good is a man who is incomplete on the outside, but completely broken inside?
The Sister Series is an epic, multi-family, multi-generational saga that spans sixty years, with overlapping family entanglements, tragedies, triumphs and romance.
It touches on the emotional scars and battles that are often hidden in people.
Rape. Drugs. Abuse. Violence. Pain. Betrayal.
And how they can be overcome.
Joy. Family. Forgiveness. Faith. Hope. Redemption…Love.
So, buckle in for this 19 book saga that will both break and heal your heart.
Reading Order for The Sister Series:
The Other Sister
The Years Between (Jessie & Will)-1.5 not included in series count
The Good Sister
The Best Friend
The Wrong Sister
The Years After
The Broken Sister
The Perfect Sister
The Lost Sister
The Remaining Sister
The Step Sister
Christina
Natalie
Melissa
Emily
Wesley
Wyatt
Devon
Damion
more
I’ve read the Zenity triology by Leanne Davis, and I’ve read the River’s End series. When I got the chance to read a copy of one of Leanne Davis’s Sister’s books, I jumped at the opportunity. What an amazing book filled with well-developed and deep characters who nearly leap off the page with their intelligence, bravery, and deep connections to one another. This book centers on Tony Lindstrom, the former best friend of Will Hendricks, and wounded Army vet. When Gretchen Hendricks, Will’s ex-wife and former childhood crush of Tony’s runs into him at the grocery store, she’s flabbergasted at the change in Tony’s attitude and personality. Family members ask her to step in and help; she’s a licensed therapist, but she has not idea of the depth of Tony’s pain and rage. Gretchen and Tony have a long, slow burn in this book before anything happens between them, but the heat they create and the chemistry….Wowza! The complications and outside stressors that combine to add to the story are heartbreaking and real – a young child is losing the only mother she has ever known, and she will become Gretchen’s responsibility. The story is extremely detailed and fleshed out, and the supporting characters (most from previous books, from what I can surmise), truly help to make this a saga without end. Each character draws you into their personal lives and worlds, and I cannot wait to get better acquainted with the rest of these lovely people
The Best Friend by Leanne Davis is deep and heartfelt. It is a quick, easy read and a page turner. The story held my attention and not once did I set it down not wanting to pick it back up, again. The Best Friend is the first book I’ve read from the Sisters Series. It definitely wont be last book from the series or by the author. The series can be read in order or as stand a lones.
SPEECHLESS!! JUST SPEECHLESS!! Leanna Davis is a New Author for me and She Had me Intrigued from the Very beginning of this book!
This is Book #3 in the Sister Series and didn’t stop me from reading this one. I do in fact want to go back and read the first two books of this Series!
Gretchen Hendricks is the Older sister and Tony Lindstrom is the Best Friend of Gretchen’s ex-husband Will Hendricks since childhood. It’s quite the triangle of friends and family members who have been webbed together. Gretchen is a 30 yr old child psychologist building a career and a divorced that left her devastated but moved on. Then one day at the grocery store, she notices her childhood friend Tony which to her surprise looks different. Tony is a bitter and a wounded war veteran but he also has always harbored feelings for Gretchen since their childhood. But he remained in the background unseen.
When Gretchen decides to help Tony, Olivia a little 8yr old ex-patient of hers is intrigued by Tony which he opens up to her by her innocent bold questions. She immediately latches on to Tony which consequently they start helping each other unbeknownst to them.
I’m not going to Spoil anything for you since there is So much Emotional distress and Heartwreching Aches & pains. You need to have your tissues handy and at times will have you wanting to Throw your Tablet across the room!
The Best Friend is Beautifully written and draws in which YOU WILL NOT WANT TO PUT IT DOWN!
I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE and definitely a Huge Fan of Leanne Davis!
Once upon a time Gretchen was married to his best friend. Tony wasn’t even on her radar as anything but Will’s best friend and in turn her friend. Years later, divorced and single, she’s on the precipice of adopting a little girl when she runs into Tony again. But life dealt him a cruel blow, injured in combat, and it’s left him angry and a changed man from the one who once made Gretchen laugh so long ago. She found herself drawn in wanting to help him find himself again. She never expected to fall in love. There were so many obstacles emotionally and physically, however.
Once again, this author delivers another emotional read. Third in the Sister series, this squeezed a few tears out of me. I don’t think I’ve read anything in this series that hasn’t hit me hard in the feels. I loved this story.
This book was fantastic! The journey that you are taken on is such an emotional roller coaster! Told from a male’s POV which was a little different but quite enjoyable. I did get a little frustrated with some of the phrases that were repeated a lot. All in all, a great book! Highly recommend!
i love these character i love how she get to have a scond chance at love and how they both hae a great connection and chemistry ..whill she be able to help him get thru his hard time ..
This is a well written story about three best friends who come back into each other lives. When Gretchen sees Tony at the grocery store and sees his injured and angry at the world and everyone who tries to get close to him. This book takes you through a lot of different emotions and events as you see Tony amd Gretchen and even Will side of the story. I really enjoyed this book to the fight between Tony and Donny and everyone just coming together to be there for Tony without him having to reach out even after cutting everyone out in the first place.
Gretchen Hendricks is a psychologist who was married to Will Hendricks but time and war drove them apart. Now she is working at her practice and helping out best friend Lindsay and her sister, Jessie who is now married to Will.
Tony Lindstrom was once best friends with Gretchen and Will but time and war have distanced them. When Tony is injured overseas he struggles to adapt to the new way his life and pushes away everyone, including his parents and brother who are trying to help him.
Gretchen is shocked to see Tony but when his brother Donny asks for Gretchen’s help will she be willing to get involved when it is obvious that Tony doesn’t want her help?
This is another good book in the series and I was excited that this book was going to focus on Gretchen!
We first meet Gretchen in book one and learn how kind she is when she helps Jessie with everything that she is going through, even though she is involved with Will and then to help Lindsay after that. She was definitely a character that I was rooting for! She was also so caring for what she was doing for Olivia and her grandma.
At the beginning of the book Tony was so angry and it made sense. He was angry for what happened during the war and he was mad at Will for abandoning him. He felt like he was no longer the man he once was and struggled with doing things for himself. Yet it was obvious how much his parents and his brother, Donny, cared about him.
I loved when things began to get out in the open and everyone expressed how they felt about the past and what went wrong! It was so therapeutic and allowed everyone to get a fresh start and begin again.
I was so happy when Tony got up and spoke at Olivia’s school and how everything went from there for him. It was amazing and so heartwarming!
I hated how Tony was mad about Olivia and then even more mad with the things that Tony’s mom, Leila, began to say to Gretchen. Gretchen was so much stronger than I could ever be!
It mad me so happy to see a few more things from the past resolved and I had my fingers crossed that things would work out. My heart broke for Olivia and I hated the choice that Tony ended up making.
I loved the grown up decision that Olivia made at the end and how everything worked out!
Such a great book and I look forward to the next one!
My eyes were red in spots in this one. I love Gretchen, her strength in face of adversity, personal losses in family, burgeoning responsibilities, with young soon to be ward. Her treatment of commitment to her childhood friend, injured in war, loss of his limb and will go to on, a surly mean spirited mess when she sees him two years after his accident, looking a limb. True look at ptsd, loss to soldier, struggles at coming to terms with new trajectory and future spot on.
Recommended.
This book showed the struggles of a wounded vet and how a woman helped him live again. It’s a interweaved group . Best friends ex wife and much more drama. A lot of sadness but a lot of rebuilding too. Tony’s struggle is sad, but well told.
Whew! I am continually amazed with the writing by Ms. Davis. It is so wonderful to find an author that can keep me on my toes and not get bored with a storyline. I cannot even begin to describe the feelings that she brings out of me with this book. I just know that as soon as I finish one book in the series I am immediately picking up the next.
Great read. Loved every second of it
This is book 3 in the Sister series. If you have been reading the series you would remember Gretchen from the firat 2 books. Always the kind and helpful friend. She is always so considerate and doesn’t like to curse. She was married once to her best friend. Her ex-husband and her both had a best friend, Tony. She see him one day and hes not the same. He is mean and grumpy, nothing like himself. She didn’t know he was back from war but she is shocked to find out he is also missing his arm. She makes it her mission to help him find himself again. This really takes us on a journey. Be prepared this will pull at your hearts strings more than once. I loved this book. I enjoyed reading it and also loved how everyone just loved Gretchen for all she has done.
I really enjoyed this story about Tony, Will’s best friend and Gretchen, Will’s ex-wife. It tells about how Tony had a hard time entering civilian life after losing a limb in the Military, and how it effects his family. It talks about Gretchen, her life with Will and after Will, how she falls in love with Tony who has been in love with her since childhood. It talks about how she adopts a friend’s granddaughter after the friend dies. I really enjoyed this story, it gives us an inside about how coming back to civilian like effects our veterans.
Leanne Davis has done it again. Really amazing book. I was wondering if Gretchen would get her own book and what a story this was. I could feel Tony’s anguish and Gretchen’s love and devotion to him. These two were meant to be together. I especially loved how they became friends again. I would definitely recommend reading this book.
In this book we get to see Gretchen as a caring person, but she has fears and insecurities too. The plot thickens as Gretchen sees a school chum scarred from a war injury. He has suffered so bad until he has built a wall of defense around him. The suffering, pain, and war injuries make you want to cry, not to mention how the author explains things as they happen in the book. It is like you’re inside looking out. Characters from the first two books become more instrumental in this book and work into the story to make it a lovely read for anyone. The healing of Tony, a grandmother with terminal cancer, and the granddaughter that Gretchen will get custody of when she dies. Leanne wrapped the book up as a healing and tearful book….a good read for sure.
This book packs a punch! It’s very emotional and there will be tears. There is an angry Army Vet who lot an arm, enabling parents, rediscovered friends (one of which he has been in love with for 29 years even though she dated and was married to his best friend), a curious little girl who is about to loose her only relative to cancer. Yes, you need lots of tissues but it’s a good story.
This was my first read by this author. Overall, it was an enjoyable read. However, there were some awkward spots and a lot of repetition of phrases and events. I felt that a lot of Gretchen’s “anger” came out of nowhere at times, directed at different people.
I feel like that Gretchen and Tony’s relationship was rushed and too far late in the book for it to develop. I did like how they became friends again first, but I wanted more of them as a couple.
I loved the role Olivia played, especially her suggestion for just going to Tony at the end. It showed how much she truly cared for him but also highlighted her innocence.
This is book 3! Gretchen is will’s ex wife and tony is wills best friend they have all been friends since grade school. Some of the previous characters make apperence in this book! Talks some tough subjects! Will tony & Gretchen finally get together?
Another great story in this series. The tough topics were brought through with beautiful words. The struggles they faced. I laughed, got mad and cried.