"Sisters One, Two, Three" Book Spotlight

Sisters One, Two, Three

                                by Nancy Star

Book Description: 

After a tragic accident on Martha’s Vineyard, keeping secrets becomes a way of life for the Tangle family. With memories locked away, the sisters take divergent paths. Callie disappears, Mimi keeps so busy she has no time to think, and Ginger develops a lifelong aversion to risk that threatens the relationships she holds most dear.

When a whispered comment overheard by her rebellious teenage daughter forces Ginger to reveal a long-held family secret, the Tangles’ carefully constructed web of lies begins to unravel. Upon the death of Glory, the family’s colorful matriarch, and the return of long-estranged Callie, Ginger resolves to return to Martha’s Vineyard and piece together what really happened on that calamitous day when a shadow fell over four sun-kissed siblings playing at the shore. Along with Ginger’s newfound understanding come the keys to reconciliation: with her mother, with her sisters, and with her daughter.

At turns heartbreaking, humorous, and hopeful, Sisters One, Two, Three explores not only the consequences of secrets—even secrets kept out of love—but also the courage it takes to speak the truth, to forgive, and to let go. 

MY REVIEW:  Dysfunctional families fascinate me...reading this book about one very dysfunctional family was intriguing.  Honestly, I truly could not imagine why a family would keep such a secret and erase some very important treasures from their shared history.   I mean this family is a master at hiding secrets until one fateful day when Ginger, one of the sisters, whispers about the "unspoken memories" and her daughter, Julia, happens to catch the forbidden words.  Things begin to unravel but perhaps things will actually become pieced back together.  Glory's family reminds me of a puzzle with crucial pieces missing.  Glory loves to work jigsaw puzzles. It is her favorite past-time, in fact.   A missing piece would drive her crazy, and yet her own family is just like that and she doesn't  even recognize it.   Denial keeps this family going for a long time....but it's about to crumble.  Will the revealing of the truth bring the needed healing to this family?  

         I found the Tangle family to be quite sad and I couldn't help but feel pity and compassion for them.   I'm very familiar with secrets and denial, so perhaps that's why I feel this way.  I also was very eager to find the "big secret" as I read.  It seemed that it would never be told.  When I discovered it,  I was shocked that the family hid it for so many years.  This was a family who desperately needed to grieve.  

        I am rating this book 5 stars and highly recommend it to readers who enjoy contemporary fiction and family drama.  

        I received an ebook of this novel from netgalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

About the Author:

         

Nancy Star, the author of five novels, started out in the movie business where her first job was scouting for books to turn into movies. Born in Queens, she now divides her time between New Jersey and Martha’s Vineyard, which is where her newest novel, Sisters One, Two, Three—slated for release on January 1, 2017—is set. Her works have been translated into multiple languages and optioned for TV and her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Family Circle and Diversion magazine.