Thursday, March 21, 2013

Blog Tour: Review + Q & A: Three Sisters by Susan Mallery

Review + Guest Post
Thanks for stopping by! This tour is brought to you by Book Trib.

Follow this blog tour by clicking HERE :)

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review*

Three Sisters
(Book #2 in the Blackberry Island series)
Amazon | Goodreads | BN
Author: Susan Mallery
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA; Original edition (February 26, 2013)
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit, Adult, 352 pages

ISBN-10: 0778314340
ISBN-13: 978-0778314349

My Copy: ARC Paperback

SUMMARY:
After Andi Gordon is jilted at the altar, she makes the most impetuous decision of her life – buying one of the famed Three Sisters Queen Anne houses on Blackberry Island. Now the proud-ish owner of the ugly duckling of the trio, she plans to open her own pediatric office on the first floor, just as soon as her hunky contractor completes the work. Andi's new future may be coming together, but the truth is she's just as badly in need of a major renovation as her house.

When Deanna Phillips confronts her husband about a suspected affair, she opens up a Pandora's Box of unhappiness. And he claims that she is the problem. The terrible thing is, he's right. In her quest to be the perfect woman, she's lost herself, and she's in danger of losing her entire family if things don't change.

Next door, artist Boston King thought she and her college sweetheart would be married forever. Their passion for one other has always seemed indestructible. But after tragedy tears them apart, she's not so sure. Now it's time for them to move forward, with or without one another.

Thrown together by fate and geography, and bound by the strongest of friendships, these three women will discover what they're really made of: laughter, tears, love and all.

MY REVIEW:
First off, I am brand new to Susan Mallery and after reading Three Sisters, I'll definitely be diving into her other works. Three Sisters has three point of views from three women going through a phase in their lives where they are tested and pushed to their emotional brinks.

After Andi Gordon, pediatrician, is left at the alter with family and friends as witness to this horrible day, she packs her bags and heads to Blackberry Island to find herself and leave all her past (And her libido—or so she thinks) behind; Just like her fiance left her to marry his secretary. Shady, right?

Then you've got Boston King, Andi's new neighbor and amazing artist, who has issues of her own. After losing her newborn son to an unknown cause, Boston can't help but draw her grief away. Losing herself in her drawings is how she copes, but with this, Boston hasn't let herself fully accept that her baby boy is gone and that her marriage is slowly falling apart.

And last but not least you've got Deanna Phillips, the third of this fabulous trio. Deanna finds herself struggling to keep her marriage, family and herself together. Growing up with a rough past has seems to slow down her present and possibly keep her from her future.

I absolutely loved this book. The different issues that these three women had were tough in their own ways, yet they manage.  What I liked the most, would have to be the problems at hand. And how these three very strong women handled them and pulled their lives together. The background characters were a hoot. They added a bit of a breather from the main characters, that I think  was needed a time or two. What I didn't like, was one of the characters. Deanna Phillips. It started off a very slow dislike in the beginning of the book and as the book progressed, it turned into a simmering disgust. After about 60% - 70% of the book my feelings started to make a really big U-turn in which Deanna's character really wasn't so bad and I was starting to dislike her less and less. But, again, the characters around her is what made me pull through the first half of the book (on her POVs that is).

Following Andi, Boston and Deanna, I couldn't help but be pulled into this fantastic novel with these three women and their battle to overcome their hardships. I would definitely recommend this book. These women might be going through their own personal hell, but I would consider this a light read. This book is the second in the Blackberry Island series, but I don't feel I was missing anything from the first novel at all. So, with that, I would say that this can be read as stand alone.

MY RATING:

Q & A

With more than 25 million books sold worldwide, New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery is known for creating characters who feel as real as the folks next door, and for putting them into emotional, often funny situations readers recognize from their own lives. Susan’s books have made Booklist’s Top 10 Romances list in four out of five consecutive years. RT Book Reviews says, “When it comes to heartfelt contemporary romance, Mallery is in a class by herself.” With her popular, ongoing Fool’s Gold series, Susan has reached new heights on the bestsellers lists and has won the hearts of countless new fans.

Susan grew up in southern California, moved so many times that her friends stopped writing her address in pen, and now has settled in Seattle with her husband and the most delightfully spoiled little dog who ever lived. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com and www.facebook.com/susanmallery.
1) You’ve lived in many places across the country—out of all the places you’ve lived, which has given you the most inspiration for your writing? How deeply does your location influence the setting of your books?
I grew up in California, and I’d say that is the state that has inspired my writing more than any other. My fictional town of Fool’s Gold is based on many of the lovely, small towns I’ve visited in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada on the California side but of course has taken on a life of its own.

That said, Seattle, my current hometown, has influenced my writing quite a bit. All that rain keeps me at my desk! And of course, Blackberry Island, the setting for Three Sisters, is near Seattle.

2) What inspired you to create a fictional island off the coast of Seattle for the setting of Three Sisters? How did you come up with such a detailed history about the island (as posted on your website)?
Seattle and the islands in the Puget Sound are breathtakingly beautiful, especially when the sun shines. When you’re out on the water, the sunlight sparkles in the waves, and each inhale feels cool and fresh and liberating. A weekend getaway inspired Blackberry Island, which is both an island and a town, dotted with wineries and quaint B&Bs. (Every getaway should include wine!)

The island has a very interesting history, inspired by real-life events in Seattle and the Puget Sound area. I created the website to enrich the experience of reading the books, as bonus content for my readers. In addition to the island history, there’s a map and lots of great blackberry recipes, including a recipe for Blackberry Chipotle Chicken Tacos that will change the way you look at the world. www.blackberryisland.com

3) Who or what in your past made you decide that you wanted to become a writer?
I majored in Accounting in college. For months, I had been intrigued by a flyer for a night school course called “How to Write a Romance Novel.” I was an avid romance fan, so that class sounded like a lot more fun than my Accounting Theory class. (Columns of numbers weren’t boring enough – now we had to talk about the theory behind them.) Although I was taking a full load of regular courses, I couldn’t resist signing up for the fun class, too. Within a couple of weeks, I knew this was what I wanted to do with my life. I was a good girl and finished getting my degree, but I never worked as an accountant.

4) How do you come up with such dynamic characters? Do you base the characters in your books, like Andi, Deanna and Boston, on people you know in your real life? 
I think my characters feel real to readers because they feel so very real to me. Makes for some confusing dinner conversation. At times, when I’m ranting about something someone said that day, my husband has to clarify, “Is this person real?” (I bet that question doesn’t come up in most marriages!)

No, I don’t base characters on people I know in real life. Part of my job as a writer is to torture my characters, to put them into uncomfortable situations and then ask myself, “How can I make this worse?” I’m too nice a person to do that to people I really know!

Most of them, anyway.

5) What’s the last book that kept you up all night to finish reading?
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins is a terrific young adult novel. I’m not normally into paranormal, but I gave this a shot because a friend recommended it. I loved it. The book has all the wonderful angst of growing up – the issues of trying to fit in, the cute crush, the awkwardness of making friends, along with the trauma of coming to terms with who we really are.





New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery has entertained millions of readers with her witty and emotional stories about women and the relationships that move them. Publisher’s Weekly calls Susan’s prose “luscious and provocative,” and Booklist says, “Novels don’t get much better than Mallery’s expert blend of emotional nuance, humor and superb storytelling.” While Susan appreciates the critical praise, she is most honored by the enthusiastic readers who write to tell her that her books made them laugh, made them cry, and made the world a happier place to live.

Susan lives in Seattle with her husband and her tiny but intrepid toy poodle. She’s there for the coffee, not the weather. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.



5 comments:

  1. What a great interview! I love finding out more about authors and what makes them tick. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Books like this are my kind of relaxing read. Has a lot of head and heart in the story one can't help but get invested and relate to the story and characters.

    ReplyDelete
  3. you finished it :) I'm glad you enjoyed it. I haven't read any of Susan's book, but I might have to add her to my authors to read list.


    Great review Ana.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I haven't read any of her books. I think I might like her books because they're the sort of contemporary books I enjoy. But sometimes it's hard to decide where to start because she has so many books lol

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great review Ana. I'll have to give this a read sometime. :)

    ReplyDelete

Back To Top