“This is a big-hearted belly-laugh of a book, told with wit and poignancy. Family secrets, laughter and tears, shocking reveals, and an uplifting ending make this a story to savor–and share.”–Susan Wiggs, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost and Found Bookshop
An accomplished storyteller returns with her biggest, boldest, most entertaining novel yet—a hilarious, heartfelt story about … novel yet—a hilarious, heartfelt story about books, love, sisterhood, and the surprises we discover in our DNA.
Maggie, Eliza, and Tricia Sweeney grew up as a happy threesome in the idyllic seaside town of Southport, Connecticut. But their mother’s death from cancer fifteen years ago tarnished their golden-hued memories, and the sisters drifted apart. Their one touchstone is their father, Bill Sweeney, an internationally famous literary lion and college professor universally adored by critics, publishers, and book lovers. When Bill dies unexpectedly one cool June night, his shell-shocked daughters return to their childhood home. They aren’t quite sure what the future holds without their larger-than-life father, but they do know how to throw an Irish wake to honor a man of his stature.
But as guests pay their respects and reminisce, one stranger, emboldened by whiskey, has crashed the party. It turns out that she too is a Sweeney sister.
When Washington, DC based journalist Serena Tucker had her DNA tested on a whim a few weeks earlier, she learned she had a 50% genetic match with a childhood neighbor—Maggie Sweeney of Southport, Connecticut. It seems Serena’s chilly WASP mother, Birdie, had a history with Bill Sweeney—one that has remained totally secret until now.
Once the shock wears off, questions abound. What does this mean for William’s literary legacy? Where is the unfinished memoir he’s stashed away, and what will it reveal? And how will a fourth Sweeney sister—a blond among redheads—fit into their story?
By turns revealing, insightful, and uproarious, The Sweeney Sisters is equal parts cautionary tale and celebration—a festive and heartfelt look at what truly makes a family.
“Dolan uses her experience in podcasting with her own sisters to craft believable women characters who worry about real problems and use wry humor to push through dark moments . . . . A warmhearted portrait of love embracing true hearts.”—Kirkus
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An engrossing family drama about three adult sisters who join together to pick up the pieces after Bill Sweeney, their famous author father, dies suddenly. The redheaded sisters soon learn there is a fourth blonde Sweeney sister their father never told anyone about. Having grown up in the idyllic seaside town of Southport, Connecticut, they return to give their father the rousing Irish send-off he would have wanted. And then, with a deadline from his publisher, they must find the final memoir Bill stashed somewhere in the house. Their search also uncovers other family secrets. Skillfully described and likable, the realistic characters each have their own lives and issues, and author Dolan weaves these dramas together to form an absorbing family tale of grief and growth. I found this to be a satisfying novel, and I plan to look for others written by Lian Dolan.
Thanks to LibraryThing and William Morrow Publishers for an advance reader’s copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own.
This was a beautifully written book, it’s emotional and at times humorous. Every family has secrets, most times it’s discovered at the worst. The relationship between the sisters are very much relatable, each one with different emotions and questions. Their love for one another brings them together and shows us the resilience of what a family can overcome. I received this ARC from Harper Collins Publishers.
The Sweeney Sisters by Lian Dolan is a wonderful novel that delves into the complicated relationships and feelings within families.
It was interesting to read the complexities of the disagreements, yet loyalties and love that interplayed between the three main characters that are sisters: Liz, Maggie, and Trisha. Each have their own personalities, hang-ups, pasts, strengths, and weaknesses. They get on each other’s nerves, but love one another despite it all. Each sibling had their “niche” and role to play in the family dynamics. Liz: the oldest is a planner and manager, Maggie the “mess-up”, and Trisha the lawyer and numbers gal. I enjoyed reading their interactions and the paths they were leading.
I also enjoyed some of the curveballs and wrenches that were thrown in after their father’s death and learning about their half-sister Serena.
I also truly enjoyed their transformations and the ending. It was definitely fitting.
5/5 stars