Big & Lily - by Lisa Roe (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A sharply funny, deeply heartfelt novel about two sisters who discover the best way to find yourself is by getting lost.

For her entire life, Bridget "Big" Ackerman Petty has struggled to hold everything together--her kids, her husband, her demanding mother, all in dizzying orbit around her. While the kids are grown and her husband is retired, every day still feels like a to-do list she can never quite finish. Why is everything so effortless and easy for her sister Lily--a woman blessed with a magnetic personality, a thriving business, and a husband who adores her.

But when Lily discovers her husband's been cheating, her "perfect" life implodes. Devastated and overwhelmed, she decides to run as far away as possible: to Alaska to lose herself on a hardcore survival trek--and she's dragged her reluctant sister Big along.

No cell service, no easy exits--just grizzlies, outdoor plumbing, and a group of strangers who know how to read a compass. As the sisters navigate freezing rivers, unmarked trails, and more than one near-death experience, the defenses they've used to protect themselves begin to crumble, and they're forced to face everything they've spent decades avoiding: resentment, regret, envy, and the terrifying possibility that the other one's life might not be as easy as it looks.

Big & Lily is a laugh-out-loud, emotionally rich novel about second acts, sisterhood, and the unexpected ways we find ourselves when we're truly lost.

Review Quotes

"Two codependent sisters take on the Alaskan wilderness in this heartfelt comic novel from Roe (Welcome to the Neighborhood). . . . This one has charm to spare." -- Publisher's Weekly

"With a gorgeous setting and plenty of humor, Roe's insightful novel will appeal to readers who love adventure tales, complex families, and stories of second chances." -- Shelf Awareness

"[A] heartfelt story about figuring out one's way in life when things don't go as planned." -- Booklist

"You will devour this delicious novel like you might a bag of trail mix in the outback. It's sweet. It's salty. It's everything you need as a reader to keep you nourished." -- Steven Rowley, New York Times bestselling author of The Celebrants and The Guncle

"A hilarious, heart-tugging adventure about sisterhood, survival, and the questionable life choices that land you in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness with a grudge and a roll of biodegradable toilet paper. Lisa Roe delivers a story as sharp as a walking stick and as warm as the campfire you'll be clinging to for dear life." - Ann Garvin, bestselling author of Bummer Camp

"A heartwarming, fast-paced story, Big & Lily follows two sisters whose thrilling--and at times perilous--adventure in the wilds of Alaska teaches them everything they need to know about what really matters in life. Readers will fall in love with Roe's delightful mix of characters who face challenges, uncertainty, and the unknown, and who forge relationships they will carry home with them like precious souvenirs." - Amy Poeppel, bestselling author of Far And Away and The Sweet Spot

"Big & Lily is a deeply resonant depiction of the perks and perils of one of life's most important relationships: sisterhood. Lisa Roe lovingly captures the bond between two women who find that adulthood is just as difficult to navigate as the outdoors." -- Christi Clancy, USA Today bestselling author of The Snowbirds

"Lisa Roe does it again with her signature humor on every page. Big & Lily is a hilarious thrill ride that had me doubling over in stitches. Wildly entertaining, heartfelt, and powerful--this story grabs hold of you and hangs with you well after the last page." - Annie Cathryn, multi-award-winning author of The Friendship Breakup

"As an only child with a soft spot for sister stories, I was bowled over by Big & Lily from page one. Lisa Roe shows us the intimate side of sibling love and rivalry-- the good, the bad, the infuriating, and the hilarious. I especially loved how the dynamic between measured, responsible Bridget and charming, impulsive Lily played out on the high stakes journey across the Alaskan Wilderness. Relatable and poignantly insightful, Big & Lily explores themes of motherhood, infertility, marriage, infidelity, second chances, found family, and the healing power of nature." - Lisa Williamson Rosenberg, author of Embers on the Wind and Mirror Me

"I so loved identifying with Big & Lily! As one of two sisters and a non-outdoorswoman, I was there--cold and wet, doting and resentful, lost and found. Lisa Roe has a sharp ear for the wry, and a generosity of spirit that makes this Alaska adventure an edge-of-seat delight." -- Elinor Lipman, author of Every Tom, Dick & Harry and Ms. Demeanor