Sisters by Choice - (Blackberry Island) by Susan Mallery

Another great read by Susan Mallery. The three women at the heart of the book are family but also friends. Each is at a different stage in their lives but all with a common dilemma - at a crossroads and unsure of which path to take. While they can and do offer advice to each other, they must discover their own strengths. It’s never too late to change and grow.

I think we all know people like the characters in this book. They are at different stages in their lives going thru life’s ups & downs. Good & bad relationships. Decisions need to be made by each of them as they move forward in their lives. I enjoyed the book and would recommend reading it.

Having lots of extended cousins along with first cousins, this story of sisterhood was highly relatable. I found myself reflected in Sofie’s controlling, “only I can do it the best” approach to work. Her experiences (and errors) are something I am currently experiencing in real life. Kristine’s desire to do something different and after supporting her husband and making her family a priority for years was inspiring while heartbreaking at the same time. Her past choices significantly influenced her sons, and not in a good way. But it’s Heather who is portrayed as stuck that truly breaks your heart, especially when her attitude is drawn as a parallel to her awful, blaming mother. As usual, this book read quickly. And the different family dynamics were fun to explore.

I love how when you read a Susan Mallery book, you feel inspired! Once again, the characters in her book face tough times and find ways to face adversity and find ways to deal with the trials and tribulations come their way. Each of the three main characters are so different, yet, they all work in the same story. The minor characters are complete and had realism to the story, plus they often add just a bit of humor to make their lives just as crazy as your own. Whenever I read one of Susan Mallery's book, I find new and humorous ways to face the tough times in my life. Her characters feel like someone you know.

A return to Blackberry Island: I guess I need to remind myself that reading women's fiction is not the same as reading a HEA romance. There are so many people in the world as frustrating as these characters. The cousins, Sophie, Kristine and Amber, are Sisters by Choice. They each frustrated me in different ways because none of them really truly triumphed or totally learned from the trials in their lives. Well maybe Sophie did learn a little bit and tried to stop micromanaging her business. The romance between her and Dugan never really gave me the feels that I wished it would. The relationship between Kristine and Jaxsen was just plain sad. Do not even get me started on my thoughts of toxic Amber, all I can say is poor young Heather needs to be thankful for her aunts, because her mother has a hideous personality. I guess we are to learn that we do not have to be perfect to be loved. Keep an open mind when reading the story and use it to learn how to take control of your own decisions and relationships, especially the toxic ones. There are many lessons to be learned throughout this book. I think I wish the ending wrapped up a few issues a bit more than it did. I now have to think about what happens next.

Sisters by Choice follows three cousins, all in different walks of life, who support each other through the good and bad. Sophie is a workaholic without much of a social life, Kristine is a stay at home mom with aspirations of opening a bakery and Heather, a student who wants to get off the island and make something of herself. I liked the connection and support system they had but was not a fan of Amber’s character, Heather’s mother. I guess that was the goal but Amber was just too over the top nasty. The book moved through many relatable aspects of family life, the successful one, the family one, the struggling one and the absolute pain that frustrates everyone! I enjoyed the small island life, similar to Fools Gold.

This 4th addition to the Blackberry Island series is a definite must read. It can also be read as a stand alone. It is so good. It's filled with love, humor, wishfulness, hopefulness, optimism, and pessimism. Three cousins, Sophie, Kristine and Heather, who are great friends as well as being cousins. There is a fourth cousins , Heather's mother, Amber, who is full of self-pity, thinks everyone owes her and blames others for her wrongs or whatever she doesn't have. She adds frustration and challenges to the other's while they are each trying to deal with what's going on in their own lives. I really enjoyed this book and think others will, too.

Susan Mallery has done it again with a visit to Blackberry Island. She has managed to keep me up at night and get up early all so I could see what happens next with these girls. Each of the "Sisters" in this book are so different from each other and each has their own story. It was great to see how each of the cousins handled their problems and became stronger for it(well, all but one). This book has you laughing, crying and falling in love with the characters. I hope we will revisit these women in the future to see how each is making out. Thanks for the great read!

I’m very torn about whether I like this book or not. I started out loving it but about halfway through that changed for me. I found myself liking the supporting characters more than the main ones. Kristine was the most likable and relatable main character. Sophie ended up driving me nuts and couldn’t see why Dugan even liked her. I liked Heather ok but Amber was tiresome. I was completely disgusted by how the Amber situation ended. She was always given multiple chances and was told there would be consequences if she did something but no one ever followed through with the consequences. I threw the book down in disgust after how the Amber situation ended. Don’t think I will ever read this book again because of it.

This book was a really good book to read. This is the fourth book in the blackberry island series. It is about three cousins who have all grown in different ways in life and struggle with their own life issues. Sophie has her own business and has to start over in another state. Kristine is struggling with trying to find her own identity and passion while still being a mom and wife (lets face it...haven't we all felt this way a time or two?). Heather is a piece of work in my eyes and I love how her cousins deal with her in a different way. Amber, who is Heather's daughter is such a wonderful and loving young lady who is able to follow her dreams in life thanks to the help of the loved ones around her. This book is so loving and touching as it allows each women to grow on their own and become strong, independent and amazing women. Susan surely did it again with writing another charming and loving book!

Susan Mallory is always good for an amazing read and this book is no different. It is an engaging story about new beginnings, second chances, and appreciating what is right in front of you. The characters are funny, flawed and lovable, with the exception of Amber. She might hit a little too close to home for some. All in all a great read that I simply devoured. Too bad the authors can't write as fast as we all can read.

I enjoy reading Susan Mallery's book, especially the ones where she has created a town or in this case an island. This was a pretty good read. I could not stand Amber at all (AWFUL), I also didn't understand the attitude, oh she's family. so lets continue with the carrying her through life. UGH. I was really impressed with Heather (Amber's daughter) and how she finally stood up for herself. I liked the banter between Kristine and her boys, that was really funny. All in all, a good visit to Blackberry Island.

This book is all about difficult relationships and making tough choices, actually sticking with these decisions to make a better life for yourself. Good read, pulls you in as you go.

I love opening new books by my favorite authors and a new book by Susan Mallery qualifies in every way. SISTERS BY CHOICE is her newest and it’s my favorite read of the year so far. We return to Blackberry Island, off the coast of Washington state, in Puget Sound, and spend time with three cousins. Sophie has just returned to the island to rebuild her cat toy/supplies business after a fire destroyed it in Southern California. She ignores helpful suggestions that she let her employees do their jobs while she does hers. She’s the one who grew the company singlehandedly. She’s the one who knows the company better than anyone else. She’s the one who works tirelessly for the company. She’s also the one who threatens the future of her beloved company by her dogged determination to do it all. Kristine loves life as a homemaker, her husband, and their three sons. She also loves her side career baking the cookies and brownies she sells to local tasting rooms, even as she dreams about opening her own bakery. Because her husband isn’t supportive, Kristine keeps those dreams to herself. Until the perfect location becomes available. Then Kristine may have to choose between her family and her own dreams. Twenty-year-old Heather skipped going to college off the island to stay home and take financial care of her indolent and demanding mother. She feels trapped and resentful. Sophie bringing her business to Blackberry Island means Heather can quit two of her part-time jobs for one full-time job with the cat toy company. But as Heather learns about business and real life, she also learns she has to take care of herself before she can take care of anyone else. Mallery writes romance and women’s fiction. SISTERS BY CHOICE is women’s fiction, with a dash of romance. Sophie is determined to stay single, but she meets a man who is just as determined that they deserve a future together. Kristine and her husband have a happy marriage on the outside, but when Kristine shares her dreams, it turns out they have some deep issues that need to be worked out. I enjoyed seeing all three women grapple with their problems and emerge stronger and with better lives than they thought possible at the beginning of the book. They were cousins, but they support and love each other as sisters should. I love this book and highly recommend it! I received a free copy of this book, but that did not induce me to review it favorably.

I don’t give five stars all that often (anymore). This book deserved it. The three cousins in this book had all different lives and perspectives. As I started the book and you learned how awesome the each were I wanted to find pieces of them that were me. Let’s face it Susan Mallery books are that way. You want to be that girl or at least be her best friend. Then as the book continued and you saw story lines implode, the thought of “oh crap that is me” Then as the ending happened I felt the longing of “I want that to be me” I can’t wait for me to get the audio book so I can read it again. I am sure I will pick up on some other things. Warning. If you like cats and are thinking about getting one, this book may not be for you. You might end up the crazy cat lady with 12 or was that 11 cats.