Becoming the Talbot Sisters is a great character drama. I’m pretty busy with work and moving right now, but I found myself completely engrossed in this story. Waverly and Charlie Talbot are twin sisters, but they have drifted apart as life as taken them down different paths. Waverly is a successful chef with her own cooking show on The Food Network, Simply Perfect. Her husband Andrew is her soul mate, but she longs for the children she is unable to have.

Charlotte “Charlie” Talbot is a world traveler who has spent her life helping others in need. She is currently working in Budapest, Hungary as an international aid worker. She flies back to the United States when she learns of the death of their beloved Aunt Mae, who raised them after their parents’ tragic death.
The two sisters reconnect and Charlie finds she can help her sister. The best laid plans never go as intended and soon the Talbot sisters find themselves in a world of trouble.

I don’t want to go off too much further into the plot as I found it very exciting and quite unpredicted. I didn’t know what to expect for this book and I really liked the surprises. This novel had everything I like: great characters, sister relationships, cooking, and international intrigue. It was very interesting. I also loved the characters growth throughout the story where they both realize problems they are having and how they can solve them and strengthen their relationship. All of the storylines through the novel tied together by the end and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked also learning the backstory of why the girls lived with Aunt Mae and what happened to Charlie as she started her world travels.

Favorite Quote:

“That was the turning point, the place where their relationship had stalled. Without honesty, there had been no capacity for growth.”

Overall, Becoming the Talbot Sisters is a great story with a plot that kept me from putting it down and wonderful characters. I highly recommend it.

Book Source: Review Copy for being a part of the TLC Book Tour

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Great chick-lit read with a tear-jerker ending. I really enjoyed this novel.

This ended up being a different read than I thought it would be—but not necessarily in a bad way. Given the surrogacy storyline and the unforeseen danger mentioned in the description, I expected a more emotional and suspenseful read, but it didn’t turn out that way. The story makes a leisurely, albeit sombre beginning, introducing both Talbot sisters as they come together to mourn the aunt who raised them. The surrogacy arrangement is entered into, and the girls return to their separate lives, Waverly looking for ways to breath fresh life into her home-entertaining show, and Charlie returning to Budapest and her job providing reproductive health education in rural areas of Central Europe.

I wouldn’t say the story dragged in the first half, but it did take its time in the telling. And although the story was moving forward, it did so in relatively uneventful ways, with the exception of one or two notable incidents. All that is to say, it maintained my interest, but I didn’t feel as though I was emotionally invested in the characters and their choices.

My emotional engagement increased in the second half of the novel—largely due to the circumstances the sisters found themselves in—but I would still say I was more intrigued than hooked. There were a few surprises, but they weren’t jaw-droppers; more like, “That’s an interesting twist. I wonder where this will take the story.”

Overall, this was an enjoyable, and at times, thoughtful read, but not necessarily an emotional one, despite touching on subjects like surrogacy and sex trafficking. If you enjoy watching sisters reconnect in unusual circumstances or you’re looking for an interesting read you can still pick up and put down at will, this book will fit the bill nicely.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.

A well-written story - entertaining, surprising, challenging, encouraging, fulfilling - . HIGHLY recommended!

Waverly and Charlie are twins. After the death of their parents and graduating from high school, their lives went in two different directions. Their aunt who raised them has recently passed and her death brings them back together where they vow to keep their relationship intact.

This book frustrated me so much. The beginning of the story I was so invested and loved both of these sisters and their reconnection seemed so genuine and real. I loved what they had going and even loved one of the reasons that was going to keep them together. And then further along in the book something happened and my believability and enjoyment went downhill. I won't spoil anything, but just to say at a certain point I went OH NO and was glad I was near the end and could race through it. I didn't like where the plot went and felt it was a little over the top and just a little too dramatic for my taste - at least when it comes to a good women's fiction book.

All in all, I liked the writing and the characters. I wouldn't rule out this author, but I would hesitate to read another and would maybe read the synopsis and some reviews before doing so!

I was not expecting all the twists and turns in this book. Waverly and Charlie were lovely characters and I loved them both. Their struggles, with babies, and men and careers was so real to life. I was so glad to see them become closer during their time in Budapest. I wasn't expecting what happened to them to happen. I thought it was going to take another twist, that the men who had dealt with the human trafficking were the ones who had kidnapped them, but then it was someone else entirely.
I was so happy that Waverly was able to find the child from her dreams and that Andrew was able to come around to having another child. And that they settled their differences and became a family again.
Charlie's love for the baby once it was born is so true of many mothers. It is like falling in love and it would be so hard to give a baby up that you had carried. I was glad to see that Waverly understood this and knew that she would still be involved in the child's life but that Charlie deserved to keep the baby.
Overall this was a lovely book and I stayed up way too late multiple nights reading just to find out how it all panned out.

An unexpected surprise! One of my favorite books of the year so far!

Celebrity chef Waverly Ross has built one of the most successful shows on the Food Network. From the outside, she seems to have it all. But there is one thing that she has yearned for that she has never been able to obtain: motherhood. Her estranged twin sister Charlie Talbot has been running from a dark secret of her past and working as a relief aid worker in Hungary. When the aunt that raised them passes away, Charlie and Waverly and reunited and begin the process of healing old wounds and building a relationship again. Charlie even offers to be a surrogate so that Waverly and her husband can finally become parents. When events take a turn that leave both sisters with the possibility of losing their jobs, the dream once again must wait. But Waverly has a plan to save her show and she needs Charlie’s help to do it.

This is one of those “can’t judge a book by its cover” stories. I had no idea what I was getting into when I opened the cover of this book, but I’m so glad that I did. The writing was phenomenal. I loved how Linden developed the characters based on individual perspectives and then blended them together as the story progressed. I also loved all of the behind the scenes descriptions of what goes on to make a successful cooking show. Throw that in with travel across parts of Europe and you’ve got a masterpiece of a novel.

The scenery was fantastic throughout the book. Traveling across Europe in a book takes a lot of research into different settings and cultures and Linden really brought those to light. But the emphasis on the relationship between Waverly and Charlie was probably the best part of the whole thing. Throughout the book you love the sisters, then you hate the sisters; sometimes only one, sometimes both. It felt real the whole way through.

Definitely a book that you need to add to you summer reading list. I may even read it again just to enjoy it a little bit more!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Oh how I loved this story of twin sisters Waverly and Charlie! The bond between the sisters and the lengths they went to for each other made this such an empowering read. I just wanted to yell You Go Girl!! a few times.

The varied careers they had, the years spent apart, the distance that grew between them all fell away when they were needed and it was the likeability of these characters that pulled me in and kept me reading. I cheered for them, I was sad for them and I so wanted each of them to triumph in the end.

Pick this up and read it, like yesterday! You will be glad you did.

Becoming The Talbot Sisters Is a book of loss and gain - lost and found. Two sisters lost touch with each other but found each other again and one of them offers up an incredible gift to the other. Then the two are at a possible loss of their jobs. Will they be able to work together and keep it?

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley to read in exchange for a fair review. Becoming the Talbot Sisters is a contemporary woman’s fiction novel by Rachel Linden who has drawn on her experiences as an international aid worker to tell us the story of twin sisters Charlie Talbot and Waverly Talbot Ross. Waverly is the creator/host of a television show on the Food Network called Simply Perfect. Charlie Talbot is an international aid worker in living in Budapest, Hungary. The death of the aunt who raised them after their parents died when they were young brings them together again and they realize how much they’ve been missing each other and how much they need each other. There are lots of twists and turns in their journey back to each other. I enjoyed reading this book and do recommend it. Publishing Date May 1, 2018. #BecomingTheTalbotSisters. #NetGalley

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
When their beloved Aunt Mae passes away, twin sisters Charlie and Waverley are re-united after serveral years apart. One sister is prepared to make a huge sacrifice for the other so that a long held dream can be realized. The sisters are very different in every way: careers, relationships, hopes for the future and it remains to be seen if they can deal with their differences and get back to their former closeness. Underlying themes deal with human trafficking .and the world of tv cooking shows.

This book took a surprising turn for me but I did enjoy it quite a bit up until the ending, which felt a little rushed. Things tied up just a little too neatly to be believable, but all in all, a good read.

*Disclaimer: this book is classified as Christian fiction but there was very little in the way of "religious content." I honestly would have preferred more.

*Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

This fast-paced story showcasing the strong ties of family and a precious gift given from one sister to another pulled me in from the beginning. I had no idea how many twists and turns I was in for, but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of my journey. In fact, I believe this would make the perfect selection for my next fiction book club. Highly recommended.

Challenging family dynamics this title tells the tale of separated twins going in different directions and reuniting at a family funeral. Going through life in different directions they realize that life is moving quickly and that they both need and miss each other. Encompassing many themes and an engaging plot will keep the reader engrossed until the very end. Thank you for allowing me to read this book prior to publication---I simply loved it!

One of the best novels I've read recently. Twin sisters reconnect after several years of barely communicate. Their aunt's death brings them together in ways they never imagined. Read as both sisters share past hurts, failures and successes as they reconnect and grow their families together. Very clean-cut, well-written story of family connectedness.

This wasn't what I expected the book to be, but it was so much better! These two sisters have suffered tremendously in their lives, and coped in their own ways, but the time comes for them to work together against a new evil that befalls them. Between the baby and the little girl, the love that they find within themselves to share with others is beautiful. And while I thought it was going to be one-sided for a while, they love that they have for each other is demonstrated through their actions. This is an action-packed chick lit story that will not disappoint.

We're reading about twin sisters who got drifted apart because of very different dreams/lifestyles but are brought together by the death of their aunt who raised them. I can't tell a lot about the story without spoiling it so I will just share with you my thoughts.
In the book we see their journey to be close to each other again and to discover what they truly want. This book shows us the relationship and bond between the Talbot sisters, but it also raises very important topics like woman trafficking, violence towards women, corruption and courage, courage to fight with it all, and courage to find and fight for what you truly want. Even though we don't delve into each of this topics very deep, the book still makes you think about these problems. We also read small but very interesting details about the countries where Charlie works as an international aid worker.
Rachel Linden herself worked an an international aid worker which in my opinion adds to the books truthfulness. I would recommend this book)

I always enjoy reading about the relationship between sisters...Rachel Linden is an amazing storyteller... This novel captured my attention the first chapter...and did not let you until the final page. Enjoy it.... I did.

iIt will be hard to review this book without spoilers, but know it is definitely worth the read. What I thought would be a lighter read about sisters finding their way back to them became so much more. Thank you Rachel for addressing so many issues in a book and letting the reader wrestle with them.

An irresistible setting and the bond between sisters are at the forefront of the sophomore novel by this exciting voice in women's fiction.

The accessible writing prose with an almost journalistic integrity in its evocation of time and place was a welcomed intelligent slant.


Anyone who has ever felt they were at a crossroads or stuck on the path of a dream will relate to at least one of the two sisters.

There is a fresh romantic thread and I loved learning about the world of celebrity chefs and home entertaining.