I read this as a galley, through Netgalley and courtesy of the publisher. The book is a feast of character, setting and plot. The fledgeling Betty Crocker industry, the housing of disabled children, the illness called encephalitis lethargica, and secrets...so many secrets—all combined in a fast-reading and endearing story of mothers and daughters. I suggest this will be a Book Club favorite.

I love books of family drama- where being poor is almost a badge of honor. And the struggles make the family bond stronger. This book fell a little short of that. The family consists of the Mother, Dorothy, daughters June and Ruth. I got lost wandering through the story several times. I would wonder what a specific section had to do with the big picture. And then a couple of places the story was captivating and I was sorry when that section was over. Maybe it just wasn’t for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review.

This is a story about two sisters, Ruth and June, who, like many sisters love each other and are jealous of each other. What one has seems to be perfect and exactly what the other wants. This is also the story about their mother, Dorothy, who does her best to raise her daughters in the Midwest during the 1920s and 1930s. I enjoyed the history of Betty Crocker and the 'sleeping sickness' disease from this time period. It was down right scary what women were taught on how best to raise their children in books, especially the one by psychologist John B. Watson that warned parents of giving children too much love and affection in his book Psychological Care of Infant and Child, released in 1928, especially infants! The effect of adhering to this was devastating all around:

"Never hug and kiss [children], never let them sit in your lap. If you must, kiss them once on the forehead when they say good night. Shake hands with them in the morning… Try it out. In a week's time you will find how easy it is to be perfectly objective with your child and at the same time kind. You will be utterly ashamed of the mawkish, sentimental way you have been handling it."

This was the book that I was most looking forward to reading on my vacation. I have good familiarity with Summit Avenue, I love historical fiction, and the plot sounded really great, so was very excited to pick this up. First, the story is very slow to begin and ultimately a bit confusing. It wasn't until I was 30% into the book that I was able to clearly follow the jumping timelines and characters. Secondly, I am not sure at all why this is called the Sisters of Summit Avenue as very little of the book takes place there, or even Minnesota. I found that very strange. When I got deeper into the story, yes, it does pick up and become much more interesting, but I still find some plot issues of the blood lines of the sisters very confusing and therefore a very unsatisfying ending. I have no idea who is related and who is not. And while it is clear there are mental issues or obstacles in many of their lives, they were not written as particularly likable characters. Overall, I'd say it's a decent story, but I wanted to fall in love with it, and it was just not so. I'd love to read more from this author though, I think this plot just needed a bit more tweaking.

A story of sibling rivalry during the depression and a story of how the lower class and upper class society treated women from the early 1900's to the mid 1950s. The struggles of women to raise a family and for women to move up the social ladder is told in a way that you can not forget. I loved this story - it made me appreciate the freedom and opportunities I have today as a women.

The Sisters of Summit. Avenue by Lynn Cullen is a book that hooks you right away. The girls, June and Ruth, are so different as are their lives. One lives in the lap of luxury, the other struggling with her farm and children. However, they both love the same man.
As the story progresses, we find out what effect their mother Dorothy had raising them. June knew only love and adoration while “plain” Ruth was pretty much left to fend for herself.
The story holds your interest but the constant change in time is a bit confusing. The characters are well developed.
This is definitely a woman’s book. Publishes September 10,2019.
Not sure I can recommend it.

Thank you to Net Galley and Gallery Books for the chance to read and review this book.

This is an ok read about the relationship of two sisters, their mother and some family secrets. This story is told during the Depression and deals with a lot of family issues. I liked this story, but I didn't really care for the ending. There was too big of a jump in time-what happened to the sisters in between those years? I did like all the references to Betty Crocker and the test kitchens. It was fun to find out how much influence she had over the women at this time.

I finished the book. I could not connect with any of the characters . Just a slow read. Not a book I could really enjoy.

I live in St. Paul, where summit Avenue is located, so I thought this book would give me a sense of the place I already know and love. It didn't, so I thought the title was a bit misleading, but it was a wonderful story. It is about sibling rivalry, sibling connection, the sacrifices we make for our children, encephalitis and Betty Crocker. And if that doesn't intrigue you, this is not the book for you. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I received this arc from Netgalley for an honest review. This was an interesting book about the relationship of auditors. Well drawn characters kept me in it, but some parts were too long and needed a push to get through.

Started a little slow but very entertaining book! The family dynamics are interesting and very relatable. This is your beach read for the summer!

I'm not going to go into the plot too much since everything you need to know is in the description. This was a stunning work of historical fiction and not just because it was set during my favorite time period. The writing is so evocative without being overly emotional or turning into a sob story. What you do need to know in case you aren't already aware is that the "sleeping sickness" was a real epidemic in those days and it truly did sicken people all over the world. No cause has ever been found. Encephalitis Lethargic was the medical term for this illness that remains a mystery to this day. I believe that at least half of the people who contracted it died. I don't want to give the impression that this story is only about illness. Marriage, and playing the hand you've been dealt in life are huge elements of this book. The bigger picture is about the two sisters, and their love for each other above all petty resentments, and their relationship with their mother "Odd Dorothy" as she had been known in the town where they grew up. Dorothy and her husband Bud "Rowdy Dowdy" are significant characters as well even if they mostly shine from the background.
I loved this book!
5 out of 5 stars

I loved this book and couldn't put it down.

I found the storyline to be quick intriguing. The relationship between Ruth and June was complicated yet full of love. I felt strongly for them both and how different their lives turn out. I also felt their pain of living with a mother who she herself had problems

The author did a great jo portray the effects of a child's upbringing and how it affects each generation of children. The fact that June's and ruth mother had a hard time mothering due to her upbringing led to the sister having their own mental struggles.

The author also did a wonderful job bringing to life the relationship between sisters. that though they viewed life differently and lived two completely different lives you could still feel their connection and love. The author was brilliant is showing that money can't buy happiness nor love and that what ones see as a perfect life isn't always so perfect.

In a way, I felt the author was writing a love letter to someone she held dear.

I enjoyed this novel, but only to a certain extent. I thought the author beautifully portrayed the myriad difficulties and blessings of the relationships between sisters, as well as between mothers and daughters. Also, the differences between Ruth’s and June’s lives were well laid out and vividly described. I felt that the story got a little bogged down in certain places because there were a few too many characters to keep track of. But the plot was well paced and I was interested enough to keep reading to find out what happened to everyone. Also, the background on Betty Crocker was very interesting!

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Sibling rivalry at it's finest. This story just goes to show that money's not everything. Family love and devotion can prevail during the roughest trails.

This book didn’t work well for me. I lost interest in it multiple times throughout the story. I had trouble connecting with the characters. It is a very intertwined story but at times it was too much of a stretch for me to believe I did finish the book although even the end left a couple too many open questions in my mind.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an early release in exchange for a fair and honest review.

It started off a little slow. But, if you keep going, there's definitely a worthwhile story there. Lots of emotion. And, it forces you to think about how the unknown parts of the people in our lives shape them in ways we may not understand.

The Sisters of Summit Avenue is about two sisters who couldn't be more different, yet have loved each other from birth...thru hardship and back again. Set in depression era middle America, this historical fiction novel, tells how each sister has what the other one wants. A beautiful story with lots of twists and turns, it shows that nothing is more important than family.

Indiana and Minnesota – 1908, 1934

1908 - June and Ruth are two sisters who have had a difficult childhood. They have a loving father who works hard, but a distant, seemingly unconcerned mother, Dorothy, who drifts through their lives. June is the pretty one, at least as far as Ruth is concerned. To Ruth, June has their mother’s love, the long blonde hair, curves, and attention from everyone. Ruth resents her, but loves her all the same, and June tries her best to let Ruth know that she is loved. It’s difficult to get past Ruth’s negative outlook on life.

1934 - Ruth has spent the last eight years struggling to keep her family and their farm running. Her husband, John, contracted encephalitis lethargica, a disease sweeping the country that literally keeps a person in a semi-coma, barely able to communicate. Ruth has hired a young man to help out, offering him only room and board, but in these days of the Great Depression, Nick is grateful for the job. Dorothy, Ruth’s mother, has moved in to help with John and Ruth’s four daughters. Dorothy worries about Ruth’s friendship with Nick.

June is married to Richard, who is a physician, and they live in Minnesota. Despite living a comfortable lifestyle, June works for Betty Crocker as one of the female consultants. Her husband teases her and calls her Betty, but June seriously wants to be productive since she has been unable to get pregnant. She is well aware that Ruth is struggling, and she sends money to help the family. June is also well aware how jealous Ruth is of her.

Dorothy spends her free time talking to John, who never acknowledges her as he sleeps on. She reveals her dark secrets that she has only ever told her late husband, and certainly cannot let her daughters know.

THE SISTERS OF SUMMIT AVENUE is a depression era story of a family whose members love one another, but jealousy, envy, sad secrets, and withheld emotions cause the three women to distance themselves from each other. Dorothy’s secrets, June’s need for love, and Ruth’s lifelong resentment come to a head at a family reunion.

This is quite an emotional tale, and while Dorothy’s treatment of Ruth as a child explains a lot, it’s difficult to warm to Ruth. Once all of the truth is revealed, will the three finally understand each other? THE SISTERS OF SUMMIT AVENUE is lovingly written and the characters are memorable.

The Great Depression is the background for this "tale of woe" and what a tale it is. Two sisters, estranged from one another. Both are married, with one sister who is going through the "horrors" of the Depression and raising 4 daughters practically on her own, while the other sister is married to a wealthy doctor and has everything. Yet, not everything, she has no children and her sister is married to the man she loves. I suppose this story could be told at any time, but this particular setting made it even more "miserable" as we read on and go down the paths these characters took. I finished it, but I was not a fan.