Favorite Quotes:

It’s like Beetlejuice. If you say her name too many times, she’ll rise up with horrific powers and do unspeakable things. I’m being cautious.

Stacey met the gaze of the pregnant dog. The animal looked calm and kind of sweet, in a very large, I could eat you in a hot minute kind of way.

His shirt was barely wrinkled, he was rested and tanned, while she was a hot mess. No, she thought, thinking of her mom jeans and stained T-shirt. Even her messiness wasn’t the least bit hot. She was a cold mess.

You need a date for your ex’s wedding. Showing up by yourself will make you feel awful… What about Lucas? He’s very handsome and I’m sure he knows how to behave. You could ask him to bring his gun and shoot the groom… Or the bride. Your choice.

My Review:

I adored this book start to finish, I’ve read a handful of Susan Mallery books and after each one, I declare it to be my favorite. Deftly written with bold strokes of levity, thoughtful and insightful observations, witty banter, endearing characters, and clever use of animals for the uptight characters to bare their private fears with, this was an easy read that squeezed my heart while it also made me smile. The plot was relevant and realistic, the storyline was well-crafted and entertaining, and the writing was crisp, yet thoughtful and sensitive. The characters were wildly flawed, singularly quirky, and fascinating. I favored Lucas most of all and had a mad crush on him until he pulled a dick move and broke my heart.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com
4.25 Hearts To me Susan Mallery is contemporary romance’s Mary Poppins. She is practically perfect in every way. What is not to love about her stories? Nothing!
This is a book about family and the dynamics that we all face when family is involved. I also thought that it helped me to remember everyone is going through something even if others do not know it,
The characters are funny, light hearted and complex. They deal with every emotion possible and still manage to stay together as a family in the end.
Mallery is one of the best but I would suggest reading the full series before this book. She has moved beyond just the 3 she planned on but it is helpful to have the back story.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Another bestseller for Susan Mallery. This book offers so many different emotions with the two
sisters. Life happens and this story could be you or me.

Sisters Like Us tells the story of three women who are bound together as family but struggle to live up to their ideals of the perfect mom, woman and head of the household. I enjoyed this books because there are times in my life I am striving to be that perfect someone and find myself failing. It is always a good reminder to take a look at your situation from another perspective. What may look like failure to you may be successful to someone else. The three women, Harper, Stacey and Becca needed help to see their situations differently. The person who helps them were either those involved in the situation or an outsider. Susan Mallery balanced how the help from an outsider and the help from those involved can be beneficial. We are not alone even though there are times we might be. Sisters Like Us do a good job of reminding us that while things might look good from one view another person might feel others wise. This book had several interesting life lessons and proved to be a good read. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to try something new and those who are fans of Nora Roberts.

I enjoyed reading this. It was funny how the perfectionism of the sisters that created some problems for them was actually motivating for me :) . There were some times in the story when I observed their actions (or non-actions as the case may be) and thought "Seriously?" but that's easy for an outsider to think - I still could see it happening in life. I didn't like the way that a couple of the storylines were resolved, but overall I was entertained by the story.

Another great addition to the Mischief Bay series. I liked this book. It addressed real problems between a parent and a teenager. It was a good read.

I always look forward to this authors books because I know that she will take me on an emotional journey. In this new book she delves into the complexities of family relationships; mothers and daughters, daughters and fathers, sisters, and those who may come with them. I loved the relationships between all the different characters and how each problem that popped up could be looked at in many ways. As I read the tears flowed, the laughter echoed, and in the end the smiles came. It showed me that no matter how hard life can be you just need to stop, look at the situation, and take a chance. I can't wait for the authors next words so that I can take another emotional ride and come out the end with things a little bit clearer.

Sisters Like Us was a totally enjoyable way for me to finish up my reading for 2017. Susan Mallery’s books never fail to deliver a good reading experience. In this installment of the Mischief Bay series, which can be read as a stand-alone, we are introduced to sisters Harper and Stacey, who are total opposites.
Harper has always put everyone else’s needs ahead of her own, and continues to do so now that she is divorced with a semi-rebellious teenaged daughter. She works as a virtual assistant to others by planning parties, shopping, etc., at the expense of spending quality time with her daughter. Of course she doesn’t realize this. Stacey is a super intelligent scientist who happens to be pregnant. Her husband will be a stay at home Dad, not only because of Stacey’s career, but also because she is petrified of becoming a mother. She in no way feels like she can be like her Mom, who was from a different generation where women stayed home and took care of the family.
I loved how this family, with all of their personal problems, still leaned on each other to make it through. This was a definite feel good story, not too fluffy, not too deep, just right!
Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

interesting and thought provoking story which is told from the perspective of the 2 sisters and 1 daughter. Secrets, worries, and eventually joys.

I wanted to love this story, and it was a light read. But I didn't really connect with the characters. Also I hated Bunny, she had these expectations for her daughters that were just pushing them to hard and making their lives harder. I liked Stacey for her ability to still want to have her career and be a mother. Harper I felt was trying to hard and really needed to do things for herself not for what all the expectations were for.

3.5, maybe 4 stars.

So, I've had the first book in this series, "The Girls of Mischief Bay" sitting on my Kindle for several years. I forgot about it until I downloaded this one. I was partway through it before realizing I had the first book, lol. So when as I finished "Sisters Like Us" I picked up "The Girls of Mischief Bay".

"Sisters Like Us" and "The Girls of Mischief Bay" both dealt with change. "Sisters" was less gut-wrenching, and had many laugh out-loud moments. As the title says, the focus is on two sisters, Stacey and Harper, and their families. And while both sisters and their families are undergoing major changes, they are good changes, mostly happy changes. The two sisters are very different. Harper is in some traditional - she tries so hard to be the perfect housewife and mother despite her divorce. She's creative and organized and a caretaker, But she's been so caught trying to get her business off the ground and make a living that she hasn't been paying attention to her teenage daughter. Harper's daughter Becca was both sympathetic and annoying. She was self-absorbed and egotistical but slowly started to look outside herself and see the world through other people's perspectives.

Stacey, though married, is not a traditional wife. She is a research scientist, committed to her work. Although it's never said, or really even hinted at, Stacey shows characteristics of autism. Her husband, who is laid back, understands his wife, accept her for who she is, and is devoted to her. She worries, especially now that she's pregnant, that she won't be enough - won't be a good enough mother, won't be a good enough wife. Now, she has good reason to think that - her mother Bunny has told her all life and continues to tell her, that she's not good enough, she's a failure, and a disappointment. Bunny also wastes no opportunity to tell Harper that her marriage failed because she wasn't a good enough wife and failed to please her husband.

I passionately hated Bunny. She was verbally and emotionally cruel to her daughters and an expert at making herself into the victim. I so very much wanted her to get hit by a car. Sadly, no such luck. But, Mallery did partially redeem Bunny near the end. At first, Bunny was over the top and unbelievable. Gradually, Mallery added some depth to her. I never grew to like her but I did understand her a bit better. Still, she could have a heart attack and die in her sleep and I wouldn't be sad.

While I've enjoyed the romances of Mallery's that I've read, I think these books, this series, may be my favorite. They're about 70% women's fiction and 30% romance. The stories are real, the characters, most of them, delightful, and I love Mallery's humor. Her storytelling draws me in and makes me care. I'm caught up in what's happening. She has a knack for writing family dynamics and for interpersonal relationships. Now, I need to get my hands on books two and three and catch up.

Some favorite quotes:

She hadn't had sex in so long, she was pretty sure she was practically a virgin-wouldn't it be nice to have a penis again? Even if it was just for the night? "I really have to start dating," she muttered.

She jumped back and dropped her gaze.
"Holy crap, you have an erection."
His expression was pained. "You really haven't been dating since the divorce, have you?"
"OMG, you want to have sex with me."
Yes, there were complications, yes, this could be a huge mistake, but honestly, who cared? She grabbed his hand and started for her bedroom, only to come to a stop and spin toward him.
"I don't have condoms."
"I do."
"I haven't washed the sheets in three days."
"Shocking but I'll recover."
She bit her lower lip. "I'm not sure I remember how."
One corner of his mouth turned up. "I'm happy to reacquaint you with everything you need to know."


"You don't have to bring me anything."
"I do if you feed me."
"You already got me a guy who will scoop dog poop. That's about the best gift there is."
"You're welcome."

This one got off to a slow start for me. The transition between the two sisters took some getting used to. No chapter breaks between the two, just an abrupt switch. I eventually came to enjoy that. Loved the ending(s) for all concerned. Lots of nice parental advice and realities.

A sister striving for perfection who feels lost and alone. Another sister highly educated and naive about human interactions, a overbearing critical mother and a teenager! If that's not enough throw in a sexy cop, an ex-husband, a dotting husband and 3 dogs. Life is not boring in Mischief Bay! I could not put this book down!

Sisters Like Us by Susan Mallery
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is trademark Susan Mallery. The likable female characters span the age from teenage to very mature adults. The males come in several varieties. Some are just plain horrible, some are almost too good to be true, and some are in-between. The plot runs from teenage betrayals to reformed playboys with the life and relationship between the two sisters always at the heart of the story. One of the sisters seemed very familiar and I finally realized she was very like another very smart but socially clue less character from one of the Fool's Gold stories. She made for a lot of fun in many of the scenes as she did not realize the impact she was having on others. Like all of Mallory's stories this was a fun book to read.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Sisters Like Us by Susan Mallery is funny, realistic, and the most engaging women's fiction novel, that I've ever read. This, is a story about the relationships between mothers and daughters. Quirky, sweet, and heartfelt were these pages. It felt like it was nonfiction but entertaining like fiction. Yet, it really is fiction...which made me like it even more. Susan Mallery captured life between these women perfectly. They fought, cried, and laughed. But in the end, they love and respect each other. No matter what, the were there for each other.

First, there is Harper. A forty-two-year-old divorced woman. Harper is raising her daughter on what little her ex gives and what she can make as a single mother. Life isn't easy to balance. Harper works so much she forgets to listen and spend more time with her daughter. Her daughter feels like Harper doesn't love her anymore. She never listens. Just works all the time.

Second, there's Harper's mom, who forced Harper to give up her dreams and live the life she lived. Harper's mother is always telling Harper how to raise her own daughter and how she's lacking as a mother figure. Harper and her sister always have to tiptoe around their mother. Fear of not having their mom happy or proud of them keeps them having secrets.

Third, is Harper's sister, Stacey. Stacey is a lab researcher. Super smart and gorgeous, Stacey is happily married and expecting. Only her mother doesn't know...then, there's the fear of her not loving her own child and not being a good mother. Stacey's husband defends her and is willing to stay as a stay-at-home dad. He loves Stacey. Yet she fears she lose both him and their child.

Fourth, is Harper's daughter. This girl has had it rough as a teen. Her parents divorce, her friends move, and another friend accuses her of being boring. She feels like her mother doesn't listen to her at all. Her grades are slipping in some classes and she's not sure what she wants to study for college. Then, there's her father who breaks his promises and doesn't do anything with her. To make things even more complicated, there's Lucas. He's the next door guy. Always paying her mom for doing his stuff. He respects Harper and her daughter. In fact Harper's daughter feels like a daughter he never had. I love the sweet moments when the girl tells him stuff that makes him uncomfortable and she needs advice....it was both funny and heartfelt. Also, a new guy her age moves in with her aunt. Ashton is super hot...and it's not long before she crushes on him...

Overall, Sisters Like Us is amazing. It's so easy to love and understand. The characters were believable. The scenes were interesting. There was a rollercoaster of emotions as the plot unfolded. I enjoyed reading this novel. After reading this, I can't wait to see what Susan Mallery comes up with next. I highly recommend this to readers worldwide.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

My tradition continues with my first book of the year coming from the Mischief Bay series. This novel focuses on a family dynamic of a mom, Bunny, her divorced daughter Harper, and her happily married daughter Stacey. Harper has a teenage daughter who lives with her and a growing business she started herself. Stacey is a very intelligent scientist who is pregnant with her first child at 40, and does not have a mothering bone in her. Bunny is an over bearing mother who believes every holiday should be celebrated, and every food should be made from scratch. Then we have Lucas from the last book in the series, the cop who was shot, become a main character in this book. We briefly see some other characters from Mischief Bay, but very, and I mean very, briefly.

One does not have to read the other books in the series to read this one. Lucas is the only character that is from the past, and one really gets to know him in this novel, so much so, that he almost seems like a different person at times. This is a good thing though. The reader actually gets to know Lucas. I loved how the relationships were written in this book. Harper`s daughter Becca had many tough ones between her dad, her best friend, Lucas, and a new boyfriend. The relationships felt realistic, and many of them weren't sugar coated. Each of the main characters have their own growth throughout the novel. I look back on how much each one changed from the beginning and realize how good of a book it was! I look forward to the books in this series each year, and I am already looking forward to next year's.

Respect and love – two most important components in any relationship. Parts of SISTERS LIKE US are equally funny and yet poignantly sad. The Bloom sisters and their mother along with several other relatives and friends set a new standard for dysfunction. There is no physical abuse – no the Bloom women are into emotional punishment – much of it self-induced. The voices in their heads are so loud that they override any common sense and intelligence. And the Bloom women are smart but have deep seated issues with self worth.
It’s as if they can’t come to terms with how really wonderful they are. Stacey and Harper Bloom live their lives by judging themselves by their mother Bunny’s standards and comments and Bunny is not one to hold her tongue.
Best couple – non couple ever Harper and Lucas. Lucas dates women in their twenties, the why is complicated. Harper at forty two and Lucas at fifty are more contemporaries but he is one of her clients and he has become a family friend. Heavy on the friend part since his relationship includes Becca. In some ways you can almost see the three of them as a sort of family. But you have to read SISTERS LIKE US to understand and get it.
SISTERS LIKE US is vintage Susan Mallery. Just when you think you have read her best she raises the bar. SISTERS LIKE US is simply great and once again has a cast that will astound you including three rescue Dobermans. All boxes are checked by Susan Mallery in SISTERS LIKE US.
Stacey a brilliant scientist with two PHD’s gnawed at herself for not knowing how to sew or decorate the home for every holiday imaginable – no exaggerating here. Harper’s angst that all she was good for was her home, craft and kitchen skills.
Bunny was the uber stay at home mother who clicked her tongue at everything either of her daughters did that didn’t suit her very high and ridiculous demands. These three were a constant conflict just waiting to happen.
In SISTERS LIKE US we learn so much about the three Bloom women and probably if being honest see some of their traits in ourselves which makes for many moments of mirth – at our own expense I must add.
Susan Mallery likes to make us sit and take notice of ourselves and probably identify with her characters – or at least acknowledge that they remind us of someone we know. There isn’t a character in SISTERS LIKE US that you won’t bond with on some level – true Susan Mallery. Her characters are real and awesome even on their worst day. I was so sorry when I came to the last page – it was like leaving good friends. This is a must read.

I loved this book. Susan Mallery really knows how to tell a story. This was a great second story to this series.

Hard to put down - a book about relationships - the highs and the lows, the frustrations and the closeness that makes them all worthwhile. Two sisters: Harper the perfect homemaker, trying to make ends meet with a virtual assistant business after her husband leaves her for a younger woman; and Stacey the scientist, far more comfortable in the Lab than in the home - pregnant for the first time at 40. Into the mix throw Becca, Harper’s daughter who feels abandoned by just about everybody, and Harpers mother, Bunny, who seems disatisfied by them all.

A sudden inheritance of three exquisitely trained dobermans ties these stories together with charm and humor. Full of wisdom, self understanding, and growth. Utterly uplifting.

I really, really like Ms. Mallery's (somewhat) standalone novels. She's able to inject more emotion and deeper characterization into these longer stories. We really get to know Harper Szymanski, an overworked divorcee, and her teenage daughter. Harper is just trying to keep herself together. After working for years to get her husband through podiatry school, he dumped her. Now she lives in the house with Becca. Harper's mother, Bunny, lives in a garage apartment and seems to just hang around shaming both Harper and her sister, Stacey, because neither are 1950s housewives.
Stacey is an amazing scientist working on helping people with MS. She's a fully-confident woman who just turned forty. And, oh yeah, she's sort of pregnang. And mostly in denial. See, she's got this perfect mother and this perfect sister who both know instintively how to mother the people around them. Stacey, just doesn't feel it.
Harper doesn't really feel perfect either. Her business isn't what she planned and she can't even pick out an assistant who can actually help her (cameos from the previous book!). Because she's spending so much time with trying to keep food in the house and a roof over her daughter's head, she's losing track of what her daughter's actually doing. And Becca has her own set of problems...
I really liked this book. I didn't completely buy that Becca turned around so fast and didn't really get her connection with Ashton but I mostly liked the Lucas/Harper story line (except for the Big Misunderstanding which seemed just sort of stuck in so it wouldn't be super-smooth.)

Four stars
This book comes out January 23
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley