Living 2000 miles away from have has its good sides and it downside. The bad part is not being involved with the family on a regular basis. The good part is not being involved with the family on a regular basis. Oh wait, it is the same thing! Family dynamics has its good parts and bad parts and this book I read for review explores the dynamics of one family.
The Never Never Sisters by L. Alison Heller
Publisher: NAL Trade
Publication Date: June 3, 2014
ISBN-13: 978-0451416247
Synopsis: Sometimes you just need to get away….
Marriage counselor Paige Reinhardt is counting down the days to summer, eager to reconnect with her workaholic husband at their cozy rental cottage in the Hamptons. But soon a mysterious crisis at Dave’s work ruins their getaway plans. Paige is still figuring out how to handle the unexplained chill in her marriage when her troubled sister suddenly returns after a two-decade silence. Now, instead of enjoying the lazy summer days along the ocean, Paige is navigating the rocky waters of a forgotten bond with her sister in the sweltering city heat.
As she attempts to dig deeper into Dave’s work troubles and some long-held family secrets, Paige is shocked to discover how little she knows about the people closest to her. This summer, the self-proclaimed relationship expert will grapple with her biggest challenge yet: Is it worth risking your most precious relationships in order to find yourself?
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My Thoughts: As we all know, balancing the family issues can be a huge drain on someone. The author explores a family that appears okay to others but actually has many buried issues in this story. Paige, the main character, learns the hard way that what you think is reality, may not be the case at all.
The book started out a bit slow for me. There is a lot of interaction with the hubby and his issues. Strange issues that Paige tip toes around. Then you get into the complicated relationship with her sister who decides to visit after 20 years. The book really started picking up once the sister arrives and you get some back history on the relationship between the sisters and mom. Paige’s Hubby’s issues and her relationship with her mom really starts picking up and add a lot of interest too and by the end, the mysteries start to unfold.
I enjoyed the relationships that the author created for the spouses for each of the sisters. She created a nice balance to the ladies with the guys and added some wit that was refreshing for the storyline. While I was looking for a bit more depth to the story, an added character, Percy, supplied some interest but not enough for me. Maybe she is holding that for future books but I think it would have sold me more if it was added here.
Overall, I did enjoy the book and it is a light read for summer that is just right for vacation!
Disclaimer: Chris has personally reviewed the product listed above. She has not received any monetary compensation for her review but did receive a free product to try out so she could evaluate and use it for her review. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ.
This book sounds interesting , but not a light read. Exploring family dynamics can be very upsetting and reading about those problems can be stressful too.