I wasn't sure what to expect when I began "The Sunshine Girls" since I was unfamiliar with the author. What I discovered is a treasure! Jane Green took on family dysfunction and celebrity and gave us a complete picture of a woman abandoned by the stardom that kept her from being a good mother. Her grown daughters have to come to grips with the mom who wasn't there - and the mom who is now dying. The daughters, each with a distinctive insecurity and strength, add a depth that will make it easy for a reader to identify with and cheer for.

Loved this novel! I was left slightly disappointed by Ms. Green's last novel but this one got me back on track. She truly is a queen of chick lit and writes very relatable characters.

unfortunately not my favourite jane green book. i don't really have much to say, it was light with some serious subject matters, didn't really care for the characters or the story. didn't hate that i read it but like i said, not my favourite of hers.

When listening to audiobooks, I tend to lean towards books read by the author, as the author is able to provide the inflection in their voice in the pivotal moments in the story since they wrote it. This book offers just that. Author Jane Green has such pleasant voice to listen to. A great book about the importance of family and the need to be true to each other.

Ronni Sunshine is a famous but mildly aging actress and the mother of three daughters. By her own admission, she failed as a parent, so much so that as adults, they have very little interaction with her or each other. In fact, her middle daughter, Meredith, moved abroad to London in order to put some serious distance between them. Now that Ronni is facing a serious illness, she wants to make things right with her daughters and bring them together at her home in Connecticut.

I found this story fascinating in how Ronni’s narcissism and self absorption manifested itself in each of her daughters. The eldest, Nell, became aloof and emotionally challenged, except when it came to her son. Her middle daughter, Meredith, who had weight issues all of her life, couldn’t have lower self esteem. The youngest, Lizzy, is most like Ronni in personality and temperament, also following a self destructive path with her marriage. The story shifts back and forth to each character during pivotal moments of time from childhood to present day. At times it was confusing but overall it was effective in creating vivid images of all of them and made for an interesting story.

Throughout most of the book, I didn’t find any of them likable but that slowly evolved to a healthy respect by the end. I cared what happened to them, even Ronni, and found myself pulling for them to find their way. Narrated by the author, the story was made even more distinctive by her performance, which isn’t always the case when the writer takes this on. The benefit, however, is the narrator knows the intended nuances and in this case, it worked. It’s my first by this author and now I’ll seek out other titles as I very much enjoyed this one.

Let me start by saying that Jane Green is one of my favorite authors of all time. Not that this will appear to every reader, but I so appreciate the fact that she is from Connecticut and many of the places referenced in her books (including this one) are quite close to my location. It's fun to hear a place referenced when you've actually been there!
This novel did not disappoint, three estranged sisters come back together with their sick estranged mother. . At times, it was tough to take Ronni (the mother) as she was very self-absorbed but it certainly helps to explain the estrangement. I also highly appreciate books with Epilogues - love to know who everyone ended up!

I usually love books by Jane Green but this one was told rather than experienced. I had trouble staying with the story. It also seemed that the sisters and mother were formula types instead of real people. Redeeming qualities seemed few and far between and then the complete turn around of the mother at the end is unbelievable.

Admittedly, if I'd bothered to read the first (BOLDED) paragraph of the blurb, I could've saved us both the trouble, but when I requested THE SUNSHINE SISTERS, it was b/c I was looking for the standard dose of beach read brain candy, not a dysfunctional family forced back together b/c Mother Dearest wants to end it all. Apologies for the confusion.

Jane Green is a leading author for those looking for laughter, a bit of drama, and a touch of romance. She is the Queen of women's fiction and has a loyal group of readers. I read her latest, FALLING, as well as her recent cookbook, GOOD TASTE, and enjoyed them both although I was a bit miffed by the ending in FALLING. I am always a sucker for sister stories since I am one of three and this one truly piqued my interest.

Three daughters have grown up under the neglected mothering of Ronni Sunshine, the narcissistic movie star who only had time for her children when she was wanting to show them off or when she was ill and needed them to cater to her needs. As the story flashes back to some of those awful situations of neglect and poor parenting, you begin to see the reasons why all three daughters, now in adulthood, rarely speak to their mother or each other.

Nell is the tomboy of the group and ends up running a farm not too far from home. Meredith ingested all of her mother's criticism as well as all the snack food in sight and ran off to London to get as far away from critical eyes as possible. Lizzy, the baby and most like her mother, is ambitious and famous in her own right as a chef, hosting New York City's popular supper clubs. All three have bitter feelings about their past and have avoided rehashing old wounds with their mom or sisters until they each receive a phone call demanding they come home immediately. As they learn of their mother's illness, each sister handles the news in different ways and begins to reconnect in pieces with each other.

The development of characters is one of Green's talents and she easily gets me wrapped up in the stories of each of these women. She creates these characters with identities we love to hate, then empathize with, and eventually understand their reasons behind the choices they made in life. But, unfortunately, the storyline doesn't offer much excitement for the reader due to its predictability. I didn't have the emotional attachment to any of the characters that I normally would in a story like this. I could find parts of each character to identify with and commiserate about my own poor choices from the past, but I never felt emotionally connected to them. As you move to the final third of the book you can see their "Aha" moments appear on the page while watching these women leave the shell that has been protecting them from hurt. Each of the daughters learns something about themselves through these final moments with their mom and you leave the novel feeling happy for them. Even though most of this novel is full of family drama and sadness, there is a bit of redemption of character when Ronni shares private conversations with each of her daughters. You may not ever like her or her daughters, but you will know, behind all the anger and sadness, there was still love.

Other’s dirty laundry isn’t always intriguing…
The Sunshine Sisters by Jane Green is a contemporary twist on the stereotypical Mommy Dearest theme: glamorous and loved Hollywood starlet produces dysfunctional family dynamics and children. While even a well worn scenario can produce applicable and timeless lessons on life and love I just never got there with this story. By no means was this due to Jane’s writing ability, she is a solid writer with an easy to read style and a knack for building settings and characters through her words. The book flowed easily and I was drawn through the story with hopes that it would be at least a satisfying experience. But that just didn’t happen.





My main issue with the book was that the story was all too predictable. From the progression of the plot to the actions of the characters I could almost tell you what would happen next. The one plot twist I did not expect I will get into in a minute. Like I said earlier, even a predictable story can be heartwarming and remind you of the things that are important in life. The Sunshine Sisters never gave me that warm fuzzy or made me appreciate or evaluate my own life like I would have expected from a story about reconnecting and rediscovery.

Unexpected or Unnecessary content is distracting
I think what ultimately soured me about The Sunshine Sisters was the unexpected and unnecessary sexual content. It’s not that I’m opposed to sexually explicit scenes if they fit with the book. For the most part The Sunshine Sisters is written for a general ChickLit audience; because of their mothers terminal illness, the three sisters must confront their own personal insecurities and perceptions as well as their relationships with each other. In the end, they are able overcome much of damage their narcissistic mother inflicted on them emotionally and mentally. One of the sister’s healing involved her realizing an attraction to another woman while another left her boorish, rigid fiance and connected with a free spirited man. I was on board with these developments until I was hit with a completely unexpected, explicit lesbian sexual encounter, as the story was winding down. In this case a graphic sexual scene was simply out of place based on the rest of the book.

As a caveat, I do not think you should let my experience completely stop you from reading The Sunshine Sisters, especially if you are a Jane Green fan. Different stories speak and impact various readers differently. Hopefully, this review will leave you more informed when ultimately deciding.

good summer book - nothing over the top - overall enjoyable

I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
So, I really did like the story and plot. However, I got really fed up with the language, sex, and homosexuality. I would not, in good conscience, recommend this book.

Meredith, Nell. and Lizzy Sunshine grew up in the shadow of their mother, Ronni, a glamorous star of the silver screen. Ronni was always a narcissistic and critical type of mother which did not exactly foster a close relationship with her daughters. The sisters have scattered all over the world and rarely interact with each other. Meredith is living in London and engaged to a man who is really not well suited for her. Lizzy is a successful celebrity chef, but she is still chasing happiness in unhealthy ways. Nell runs a successful farm and cafe in the Connecticut countryside, not too far from where they grew up. Ronni calls the sisters home and the sisters oblige, not sure if the demand was another one of her narcissistic tendencies or if something is really wrong. When their mother announces that she has a terminal illness the three sisters are forced to face the cracks in their relationships. Their relationships with their mother, others in their lives, and each other. Will their mother finally be able to heal old wounds before it is too late?

The Sunshine Sisters is another summertime masterpiece by Jane Green. Meredith, Nell, and Lizzy and three unique sisters that really only have one thing in common - they survived childhood with an aging actress. It took me a few chapters to get all of the sisters straight but eventually got it. Lizzy is the bratty one, Meredith is the meek one, and Nell is the one who isolated herself. I struggled to like Lizzy - her selfishness was tough to swallow, but by the end of the book, I found her much more likable. Meredith was tough to like, too. Her meekness was overwhelming and from the very first time her fiance was introduced I wanted her to stand up and kick him in the shins. Each of the sisters and their mother had their moment of redemption. There was a moment of shock towards the end of the book, but ultimately I was very satisfied with the way things ended. I would even be interested in seeing a follow-up book someday.

Bottom-line - Jane Green is one of my favorite authors and just about every pen she touches spins literary gold, as far as I am concerned. I enjoyed everything about The Sunshine Sisters, but I particularly loved the character development. A great story and now I have to wait another year for Jane Green's next work of art.

Details:
The Sunshine Sisters by Jane Green
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Pages: 384
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Publication Date:6/6/2017
Buy it Here!

The latest novel by Jane Green tells the story of Ronni Sunshine’s life and her three daughters — the Sunshine sisters. A Hollywood actress, always on the search for her biggest breakthrough, Ronni pays little to no attention to her daughters as they grow up. As a result, Nell shuts down and struggles to allow herself to be vulnerable, Meredith fails to live up to her mother’s unrealistic expectations and Lizzy has never faced any boundaries. Decades later, they have to gather together again, trying to please their mother for one last time.

The relationship Ronni has with each one of her daughters is unique, but it also has very similar repercussions. The lack of attention, the frequent absences, emotional unavailability and never shown affection leave serious marks on those young girls and later grown women. During their childhood they have never understood their mother and never thought that one day they might be understood by her.

Pushed away by Ronni, each of them start on a lonely journey to adulthood and independence. But in their strive to leave the past and the type of person their mother molds them to be, they alienate one another and slowly lose the fragile sisterhood bond. The Sunshine girls have to find a way to repair the wounds they have caused to themselves and others.

The novel is easy and a pleasure to read — the sentences flow freely across the pages and you can quickly lose track of time. After years of proven experience and tons of written books, Jane Green is an effortless writer and a storyteller.

The Sunshine Sisters is an interesting take on the history of a dysfunctional family, following the characters’ mistakes, successes and, of course, hopes. I would not call it a ‘beach read’ as I have my strong reservations towards the use of this ‘term’. It’s like saying a certain book would make a great … camping read, commute read, dinner read? A novel can serve many purposes, it doesn’t have to be narrowed down to a place.

If you’re interested in family dynamics and the psychology of people’s personalities as a byproduct of their relationships, give the book a go. I did and I liked it.

I have kindly received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group in exchange of a fair review.

What a great summer read. I love Jane Green's characters and their relationships with one another.

A beautiful story about family and overcoming the past to have a better future. When Ronni summons home her three daughters, Nell, Meredith and Lizzy, to help her end her last fe, these three women must learn to be sisters and daughters again. While there is some seriousness to the story due to Ronni's illness, there are some very funny, poignant moments between the girls as they help maneuver through the land mines of their pasts so they can figure out what their future happiness looks like.

This novel is a prime example of the old saying that you can’t judge a book by it’s cover. The Sunshine Sisters is not a summery beach read as the cover might lead you to believe, but rather it’s about a dying woman named Ronni Sunshine and a reflection back on raising three daughters and the events that happened in their lives that leads them up to this point. Ronni is 65 years young and yet she’s developed ALS that slowly progressed undetected and will now quickly make it’s way through her body, weakening her until she can no longer control her body or enjoy her life. She plans to take her own life and her wish is to bring her three daughters back into one another’s lives. She’s part of the reason why they’re not close and it’s her dying wish to remedy that. Her personal desire is to kill herself before the disease takes full control of her body and she wishes to die with dignity, which is a very real issue in today’s world.

The novel rotates between present and past to reflect on where they came from to where they are today. Although interesting, I did find this to be a slower read than I usually enjoy. Common themes written throughout the novel are the real life issues that people face in their everyday lives. All four Sunshine women have their own set of issues; the daughters each have distinctive personalities and characteristics that go along with being first, middle and youngest child, though a lot of their issues are due in part to their selfish mother and somewhat unloving upbringing. Infidelity is another theme written into the novel. Affairs play a role in some way in each of the women’s lives and it makes for an interesting argument on personal values and behavior. I found myself crying at the end of the novel, which had a bittersweet ending. The main takeaway from this novel is that it’s never too late to stand up for yourself, find love, rekindle a dying love, and make amends with previous wrongdoings with the people you care about most.

Jane Green is back and better than ever with her latest book, The Sunshine Sisters (Berkley), in which a family crisis forces a mother and her estranged daughters to confront their past mistakes. Though Ronni Sunshine was a beloved actress, she was not a good mother to Nell, Meredith and Lizzy, driving the girls apart as they grew older. Years of jealousy, resentment and anger have pitted the sisters against each other, and decades later, when Ronni has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, she summons her three estranged daughters to make things right. Regretful of how she raised her children, Ronni is hoping she can bring her daughters back together and help made amends so that they can lean on each other when she is gone. Green’s exceptional storytelling chronicles the journey of these four women as they try to overcome the past and discover their true selves and the real meaning of family.

The Sunshine Sisters
by Jane Green June 2017 Hardcover

What a dysfunctional family, but that is what made the book a great read. A mother, an aging famous actress who managed to alienate each of her daughters while they were growing up, is now dying, and has brought her three daughters home in the hope of pulling the family back together. A wonderful summer read as dysfunction turns to love and understanding.

I loved everything about this book and couldn't find a reason to subtract stars. I will say I'm an advocate for assisted suicide so it was great to read a book that focuses on that that but I can see why some people wouldn't enjoy the subject matter. Don't worry that's not a spoiler it's mentioned in the prologue but there is no mention of that in the blurb so I can see how readers wanting a light summer read might find a dying mother who wants her grown daughters to come home to help her take her life as disappointing or depressing. Not me I found it all very beautiful and meaningful.
It's been about 10 years since I've read Jane Green and now I'm wondering why I ever stopped, I was crazy about Jemima J and The Other Woman and now I want to go back and read her other books.