The next hilarious, uplifting book from Abigail Mann, author of The Lonely Fajita!
‘Heartwarming, charming and witty’ Sophie Cousens #1 bestselling author of This Time Next Year
Journalist Ava takes a DNA test hoping to discover her roots. Instead, she finds out she has a half-sister … whilst on a live stream watched by 100,000 people. Her boss thinks it’s the perfect click-bait story. Ava … people. Her boss thinks it’s the perfect click-bait story. Ava just wants to go to Moira’s tiny Scottish village and meet her.
But when Ava arrives undercover as a volunteer farmhand, she realises Moira – who’s her pig-wrestling, chatterbox polar opposite – might not be delighted by the news. And the longer Ava stays in Kilroch, with its inappropriately attractive minister and ties to her hidden family past, the more complicated this surprise is going to get…
The perfect funny, heartwarming read for fans of Marian Keyes, Beth O’Leary, Sophie Ranald and Mhairi McFarlane.
Readers love The Sister Surprise:
‘I was invested, I was amused, I was heart-warmed and I didn’t want it to end…ps the priest was really hot too’ Holly McCulloch, author of Just Friends
‘I inhaled it! Super funny and packs an emotional punch’ Nicola Gill, author of The Neighbours
‘I loved it so much! Had me laughing all the way through, and I got weepy at the end’ Sara Nisha Adams, author of The Reading List
‘I laughed the whole way through and cried at the end. The perfect smart, escapist read’ Freya Sampson, author of The Last Chance Library
‘Heartwarming, tender and completely unputdownable’ Hannah Tovey, author of The Education of Ivy Edwards
‘As comforting as putting on your cosiest sweater and fuzzy socks. I loved every moment of it’ Jesse Sutanto, author of Dial A For Aunties
‘The most lovely, heartwarming, hilarious, escapist dream’ Mary Hargreaves, author of This is Not a Love Story
‘Like going on my favourite kind of country holiday, full of rampaging farm animals, mud, suspicious locals and hot priests … Witty, lovely, brilliant escapism’ Lex Croucher, author of You’re Crushing It
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The Sister Surprise is a heart-warming and humorous story of love, friendship, family, and finding oneself. After Ava learns from a DNA test that she has a sister, she journeys to a small town in the Scottish Highlands to find the sibling she never knew she had. In exchange for a room at a local farm, Ava agrees to works on the farm. As she becomes ingratiated in the charming, small-town, Ava must reevaluate her life, her past, and her goals, all of which have been turned completely upside down.
This is a quick and fun read with many hilarious situations as Ava transitions from city life to farm life. I loved these scenes and, as a city girl myself, could totally put myself in her shoes. There were times throughout the story when I laughed out loud at some of the crazy antics and humorous dialogue. I enjoyed this aspect of the novel, as it offered a bit of levity even in the midst of some more serious situations.
The romance is not the main focus of the novel, but it was a lovely addition to the story. There is a whole “will they or won’t they” aspect that I enjoyed. Also, it’s interesting to see how this one test result changed everything in Ava’s life, including Ava. As much as she takes a physical journey from the bustling city of London to the Scottish countryside, her emotional journey is just as significant. Ava learns more about herself, her parents, and her sister and ends up examining what she truly wants in life.
I really enjoyed this charming story, and though it is the first book I’ve read by Abigail Mann, it won’t be the last. I’m definitely going back to read The Lonely Fajita – it sounds so good! Thanks so much to NetGalley, One More Chapter, and the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
I was invested, I was amused, I was heart-warmed and I didn’t want it to end… ps the priest was really hot too.
I inhaled it! Super funny and packs an emotional punch.
The Sister Surprise was such a great read. Abigail Mann’s second release is even better than her first (and I liked her first!).
Ava was raised by her single mother and has always wondered who her father was. Mum’s not talking, so when Ava’s job is doing a piece on DNA testing, she volunteers. Of course, she doesn’t expect the news she has a half-sister to be released while live on air, nor the following emesis, but life is full of unexpected moments.
She tracks her half-sister to a tiny town in Scotland but the only place that has any accommodation available is a farm looking for volunteers. She’s a city girl living in London, what could go wrong?
The Sister Surprise was both fun and light, yet introspective. Ava’s journey to meet her sister also becomes a journey of self-discovery. The relationship she forms with her sister is worthwhile and a joy to read.
I loved the side characters so much. They are all well rounded and well written. Her farmer landlord Kian, her sister Moira, her mum, and everyone else felt important to the story.
The Sister Surprise was uplifting and enjoyable. Another great read by Abigail Mann.
Thank you to NetGalley for the review copy!
Ava travels to Scotland after a DNA test reveals she’s got a half-sister she knows nothing about. She blogs about the trip for her employer’s journalism site—but when she meets Moira, it’s not just a news story. She wants to get to know her sister without the eyes of the public on them. But how can Ava reveal the truth without bringing up painful family secrets that could drive Moira away?
This book is so much fun. It’s warm, funny, relatable, and more than a little cheeky. I loved the characters and the sometimes chaotic small-town life. While the book has got a sweet romance subplot, it’s not the focus. The book is mostly about the sisters getting to know each other, and Ava trying to save the farm where she’s boarding.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.