Annabel and Her Sisters opening lines: As I crunched up the long gravel drive to my sister’s house, rattling over the cattle grids and returning the baleful stares of the lugubrious longhorn cows, I saw that I was not the only one to arrive early.
My blurb:
Annabel thinks her mother should downsize, rather than sell up and be homeless. The idea is that the three sisters will split the money from the sale of the house. And take it in turns to host their mom, and her menagerie of dogs. But Ginnie and Clarissa need the money, and envision everything working out the way it should. Of course, life has other plans and disaster is just around the corner. And while Annabel is dealing with the fallout, she is also trying to move on. She has begun dating again, and the highlight of her dates is sharing the absurd details with her best friend, Ted.
Annabel and Her Sisters
Annabel is in the thick of sandwich generation territory.Widowed for nearly a decade and bringing up two teenagers alone, she now faces the dilemma of what is best for her ageing mother.Her strong-willed sisters, Ginnie and Clarissa, have already mentally sold her mother’s London house, mentally spent the proceeds, but Annabel isn’t sure what her mother will think of their plan. . .After a decade on her own, Annabel’s children have also decided now is the time to act as match makers. Before she knows it, Annabel has two romantic prospects; the charming, ex-army builder currently doing the loft extension in her home and, even more unexpectedly, the vicar from her local church.But when family secrets come to light which threaten the entire fabric of Annabel’s childhood and family, what – or who – she needs in her life comes becomes suddenly crystal clear to her, in the most surprising of ways. . .
My verdict:
This is basically two stories in one, and the love story is fairly predictable. But, the book offers a good break from real life, and if you are looking for a gentle read to take you into the New Year, this is it.
About the Author:
Catherine Alliott is the author of seventeen bestselling novels including My Husband Next Door, A Rural Affair, One Day in May, The Secret Life of Evie Hamilton, and A Cornish Summer and Behind Closed Doors. She lives with her family in Hertfordshire.
Publishing information:
Penguin Random House South Africa sent me this novel to review.
See the links below for blog posts I published on December 7:
- 2023: Mandarin Pancakes
- 2020: Matcha Ice Cream
- 2018: Egg Free Caramel Ice Cream
- 2016: November 2016 Showcasing In My Kitchen
- 201:– Preserved Limes
- 2011: Fudge
- 2010: Italian Pasta
Not really my kind of book…plus I am too old for love story.
Thanks for your feedback Angie 🙂
Hi Tandy, this sounds like a nice easy read. Sometimes those are just what you need.
Absolutely!