I enjoyed reading about this family’s dynamics, and the relationships and friendships (or lack thereof) between each of the sisters. There are power struggles, hurt, and resentment that has built throughout the years and they are now faced with having to overcome these, as one of the sisters now needs help from the other two sisters. Daisy and Sage are the two oldest sisters, becoming a family when Daisy’s dad married Sage’s mom. Together they then had their youngest sister Cassidy. Sides are taken within the family amongst the sisters, and they can never seem to get along.

I enjoyed Daisy’s character and couldn’t help feeling sorry for her as I read from her point of view and seeing things from her perspective. She had a lot to deal with not only from her step-sister Sage but also from youngest half-sister Cassidy, who always seemed to take her mom’s side, as well as Sage’s side, leaving Daisy the odd one out. Not to mention the fact that Daisy never did get along with her step-mother.

A great book that I recommend you read!

This is 100% family drama from beginning to end, and I couldn’t put it down.
Right from the beginning, I knew that the story would have many tense situations. I’m not exactly sure how I knew that based on a child throwing up (opening scene). But it certainly seemed to set the tone.
The author did a good job of making each of the stepsisters (Daisy, Sage, and Cassidy) individuals with their own sets of issues. None of them were a stereotype, and all three seemed like real people with real problems.
They each had very different lives from each other and from anything that I’ve known. I also couldn’t relate to them personality-wise too much. But I still liked them.
Sometimes a character is so different from what a reader personally knows or is familiar with it makes it hard to understand their motivations. That wasn’t the case here. The author succeeded in making the sisters understandable, if not exactly relatable.
That sounds weird, I know. I think it was more that I could read from a detached point of view instead of being swayed by one sister’s story over another’s.
It goes without saying that all three ladies experience tremendous personal growth over the course of the story. What I found interesting was that not only did they share a dad, but they could all pretty much trace their problems with each other to Joanne (Cassidy and Sage’s mother).
She was a real piece of work. And it was also interesting that she continued to be a thorn in Daisy’s side even late in the book, as I see her as directly responsible for knowing how to manipulate Sage.
(No spoilers, you’ll have to read it to understand what I mean).
I found myself wondering whether Joanne was bitter toward Daisy for perceived wrongs in the past and was actively still trying to hurt her emotionally. I think maybe that’s accurate.
Sage was an interesting character as well. She obviously had the brunt of Joanne’s dysfunction and carried it into her adult life. I had an aunt like that (not the same dysfunction as the book but being exposed to a situation for longer and carrying it into adulthood).
I also liked Esmerelda. She was no-nonsense and loyal to Daisy. It seemed as if she served as Daisy’s conscience at times, or maybe her alter ego, being tough when Daisy couldn’t be.
As far as the plot, there’s too much to recount. But the stepsisters journey together to a place of new understanding as each of them recognizes their perspectives and how they were shaped by events they didn’t have full understanding of in the past.
I know that was convoluted. But as I said, it’s a family drama, and those are never straightforward. If you’re looking for a more dramatic beach read, I would definitely recommend this book.

Daisy is a busy nurse anesthesiologist and mom when her husband leaves her. She is blindsided and has no idea why. While picking up her sick daughter from school she runs into her former step-sister Sage who is back from Europe, and seemingly has it all together. Meanwhile her half sister Cassidy has been seriously injured in a fall and needs to convalesce at her house. They have not been close in years as Cassidy chose Sage and her mother rather than Daisy and their father. An up and down story of forgiveness, reconciliation, second chances with flawed characters.

This is an enjoyable book and a fast read. The characters are all realistic and the writing is concise. Switches between POV's are a bit choppy at times but not so much that I couldn't figure out it had happened.

In the beginning, Daisy is the only sympathetic sister with my views softening on Sage and Cassidy towards the middle - - only to turn negative towards Sage again at the end.

The story is good with inclusions of all three sisters though Daisy is obviously the main focus. Joanne is a thoroughly despicable person and Jordan is a weak, sniveling excuse for a man. I was glad Daisy didn't need a man to 'save her' and that she remained strong for her kids.

My only problem with the book is the ending. It just did NOT feel realistic to me at all! Sure, it made for a nice tie a bow on it happy ending, but putting myself in Daisy's shoes, I could only think - nope, no way!!!

Good beach read.

I will always read what Susan Mallery writes. There is something about her characters, they're lovable, they're flawed, they're brave and courageous. They are people I would like to have in my life.

This is a story of three women who are or were related to each other at one point in their lives, and now they are all in the same city wondering if they can create some sort of respectful relationship with each other.

This is fast read, but I took it slow. I wanted to let the characters and the story marinate for a little bit in my head. Let them breathe, if you will.

Thank you to NetGalley and MIRA Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Wow. The Stepsisters was nothing short of brilliantly emotional. A love story with a difference, The Stepsisters is a story about three girls who hated each other and the beautifully flawed women they become.

Daisy, Sage and Cassidy each have their separate lives that do not involved each other, but when Cassidy is involved in an accident, circumstances mean that she has to move in with Daisy and her family. As they reconnect, they start to listen and learn that everyone has their own version of events and things are rarely as black and white as they seem. Then, when one of them does the unthinkable, their newly formed sibling bonds are tested to their limits.

Brilliantly written, I loved everything about this book. All three women are broken and flawed in their own way and even the villain has her reasons and comes across as pathetic rather than wicked. I loved The Stepsisters in all is shades of grey. Especially as although there is a little dash of romance in it’s pages, its the love between sisters that really sits centre stage.

Love love love, and worth a read!

To Sir, With Love by Lauren Layne is another one of her wonderful sweet romantic novels. Gracie Cooper, our heroine, runs the family Champagne shop, after the death of her father; putting aside her passion for painting. She is determined to find ways to increase the low profits for the shop. Gracie is sweet, smart, loyal and liked by everyone. A big corporation has been trying to buy her out, which she continually refuses, and now meets the man behind the proposal, who immediately comes across as arrogant, as well as extremely handsome.

Sebastian Andrews is determined to convince Gracie to sell to his company, though they both get off on the wrong foot. Despite his showing her that she cannot survive in the long term, and could lose the business; he also tries to propose that she can move to a different location with success. As stubborn as they both are, Gracie fights off her attraction to Sebastian; and he knows that he is beginning to have feelings for her. In a short time, their relationship heats up, but Gracie also has someone else she is falling for.

Gracie meets ‘Sir’ on a faceless dating app, as they have fun texting to each other; the banter between them was cute. Though she is enjoying her texting, Gracie spends more time with Sebastian, and their chemistry is off the wall. Who will Gracie choose the handsome sexy Sebastian or the fun unknown ‘Sir”?

As time went on, I loved Sebastian and Gracie together, especially when he praised and pushed her to go back to her love of art, which he thought were the signs of a great painter. I really loved all the secondary characters that were great; as Lauren Layne always creates wonderful and likeable characters. To Sir, With Love was a sweet, heartwarming, romantic and uplifting story. I have enjoyed everything I have read by Layne, as she writes such wonderful fun pure romances. If you like heartwarming romances, great couple, sexy and fun, look no further than anything by Lauren Layne.

I loved the Stepsisters so much - definitely one of my favorite Susan Mallery books of all time! Three sisters, united by marriage and torn apart by that same marriage, come together as adults. What starts as fireworks might just work out to be one of the best things to happen to them. If these sisters can only move forward and learn from the mistakes of the past, they'll have a chance at lifelong friendship and family.

I like to dive into books without reading much about them and did the same with Susan Mallery's "The Stepsisters". What I thought was a thriller was not. Instead, it was a fabulous book about sisters/step-sisters coming together to take care of one of their own and putting their past differences aside.

I don't have step-sisters but I do have step-parents and this one really hit me with the feels. As a nurse I also understand the bond caregivers can form when handling situations like what the girls were dealing with. The author does a wonderful job of expressing the character's feelings.

This is definitely a book that you won't want to put aside!

Susan Mallery is back again with a new novel, The Stepsisters. It's a love story, but probably not the sort you're expecting – it's about the love between friends.

There was a time when Daisy was thrilled about the idea of getting a sister (stepsister, whatever). But then she actually met Sage. Sage was everything that Daisy was not, beautiful, popular, confident; you name it.

Meanwhile, Sage always knew that she was never going to be as bright as Daisy. She struck at Daisy however she could, and her ferocity was returned with enthusiasm. When their parents finally set to divorce, you would have thought that would be the end of it. You'd be wrong.

I am blown away by the characters that Susan Mallery defined in The Stepsisters. They felt so human, with real hopes, dreams, and, yes, flaws. It was heartwarming and heartbreaking all in one, and I have to respect that!

That being said, I can kind of see this being a novel that people will either love or hate. It's going to depend at least partially on your personal experiences. Take me, I'm an only child, and thus I've always had a fondness for the idea of siblings (something that I'm sure would have changed had I had to deal with another one of me all the time).

What I loved the most about this novel is how realistic it is. No, not necessarily the circumstances or any of that. But how long our actions and words can linger. Both Daisy and Sage were truly traumatized from the actions of the other, and that carried them into their adulthood. Mallery was able to perfectly portray this painful truth, and it made their story all the more potent because of it.

This was my first time reading anything by Susan Mallery, but I have to say that I am extremely impressed by what I found here. I'm going to have to go through her backlog sometime and see what else catches my fancy.

Title: The Stepsisters
Author: Susan Mallery
Genre: Women’s fiction
Rating: 3.8 out of 5

Once upon a time, when her dad married Sage’s mom, Daisy was thrilled to get a bright and shiny new sister. But Sage was beautiful and popular, everything Daisy was not, and she made sure Daisy knew it.

Sage didn’t have Daisy’s smarts—she had to go back a grade to enroll in the fancy rich-kid school. So she used her popularity as a weapon, putting Daisy down to elevate herself. After the divorce, the stepsisters’ rivalry continued until the final, improbable straw: Daisy married Sage’s first love, and Sage fled California.

Eighteen years, two kids and one troubled marriage later, Daisy never expects—or wants—to see Sage again. But when the little sister they have in common needs them both, they put aside their differences to care for Cassidy. As long-buried truths are revealed, no one is more surprised than they when friendship blossoms.

Their fragile truce is threatened by one careless act that could have devastating consequences. They could turn their backs on each other again…or they could learn to forgive once and for all and finally become true sisters of the heart.

I’m actually kind of surprised I finished reading this. The rather dramatic opening scene was solid, but I took an almost instant dislike to Sage, which took a while to turn into acceptance. I didn’t care for Cassidy at all. She was too whiny and dramatic for me.

I liked Daisy and sympathized with her struggles, but I can see how growing up with her would have been difficult. She always has to be right and watching her being doted on by her father probably wasn’t easy to take, either. Sage’s “careless act” was more of a “deliberate and ruthless act” than anything and would be almost impossible for anyone to forgive, much less someone she had such a tenuous family relationship with.

Susan Mallery is a bestselling author. The Stepsisters is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/MIRA in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 6/4.)

Wow! The Stepsisters packed quite an emotional punch, one I wasn't quite prepared for. There were plenty of tears.

The Stepsisters feature Daisy, Sage and Cassidy, though only Daisy and Sage are narrators. In the beginning it was really hard to like any of them, but as the story continued I couldn't help but be won over by all of them. At the beginning they hadn't talked in years, but are now all in the same area due to different circumstances.

Daisy is going through a separation with her husband. This was my least favorite storyline, mostly because Daisy's husband annoyed the crap out of me. Daisy managed to get through things and I thought it was done well, but I definitely wanted him to just go away. Daisy has two kids, who were absolutely adorable.

Sage just got her third divorce and has returned and is trying to start over. She has the most "work" to do to fix her life. Sage is the one that I felt the most connected to, and the one that brought me to tears near the end. I wish what had happened hadn't happened, but I also get why she thought the way she did.

Cassidy is the youngest and the half sister to both Daisy and Sage. We're not in her head so we don't know the whole story, but eventually things come together through the eyes of Sage and Daisy. I wasn't as attached to her as the other two, but I like how she eventually came around and they all became family.

I loved Daisy and Cassidy's dad Wallace, great father (and that includes Sage too). Sage and Cassidy's mom left much to be desired.

Absolutely LOVED The Stepsisters. Highly recommend.

Told with the signature wit of the author as well as her understanding of and sympathy for her characters, this book delved deeply into the broken family relationships that seem unable to be repaired. Daisy is a trust fund baby with a big home, the undying love of her father and a job that she enjoys. Sage is beautiful, well traveled and has already looked for love in all the wrong places so she has returned home. And Cassidy, the adventurer, returns home unexpectedly and reluctantly when she has an accident on one of her adventures. All three stepsisters are thrown together into a book that reads like a movie. With plenty of romance and family drama, this book captured my imagination and my heart. I think that anyone who reads it will have a character with whom they can identify. For me, it was Daisy, the one who is misunderstood and who just wants love and acceptance in a world where judgment seems to come first. I liked all of the main characters, actually, even Cassidy who is the youngest but who also spouts gems of wisdom at the most unlikely moments. These siblings didn’t get along growing up, but they seem to bond together when another is threatened by anything and that just touched my heart. When Daisy’s husband Jordan leaves her, her world is upended and she seeks solace in a bottle but finds it in her sisters and their advice. Sage is stuck with her self-centered mother who has no love for Daisy and little love for Sage. She just wants to find a rich man and ride off into the sunset with him. Cassidy, meanwhile, is terrified of committing to any kind of relationship and needs to see for herself how families really work. She forms a bond with Daisy’s two children and helps Daisy in surprising ways. I loved the well-written story, with all of its many little side trips to explain the relationships. But mostly, I loved the humor in the story that was just what I needed. Yes, there was plenty of drama, too, but the humor made the story so much fun to read. The book was engaging and totally entertaining and I look forward someday to seeing a movie featuring this title and these characters. Fans of family, romance and a theme of forgiveness will definitely want to pick up this book and will enjoy its journey to restoration.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

I don't know where to start. In the beginning of The Stepsisters, I would say damn I am not going to like all of these sisters except for one. During the middle, I was hell yeah I love all them. Leading toward the end, nope I cannot. I just can't. That betrayal was so deep. I would never do that to my sisters. And I would not even comprehend how to forgive someone who did. You just don't do that to someone. That's just something I do not understand and will not understand because that's the deepest betrayal from sisters. I am sorry but that betrayal is not something to forget and forgive. I don't care about being the bigger person. It's not on me for being the bigger person. They mess up, not me. I refuse. I should not do the work. I did not betray them. That's why I had to take a star away.

The Stepsisters
Susan Mallery
May 25, 2021

In current times when parents have children, divorce and remarry perhaps adding another child to the mix, families can have problems. There are stepchildren, half brothers and/or sisters and how they feel about who is in parental control can be problematic. In Daisy Borage’s case her mother passed away leaving her with a large home and a family trust. Her father remarried after some time bringing in his new wife’s daughter, Sage. He and his wife, Joanne, had another daughter, Cassidy. True, their massage estate had room enough for all with staff to take care of the girls, clean and cook for the family. Daisy’s father is a physician so money was not an issue. What became clear to Daisy was that her older sister Sage being beautiful, slim, and popular in school, liked to bully Daisy. She was smart and friendly to all. Sage dressed like her mom, in high style. Daisy was a bit chubby and wore clothes that were comfortable. As Cassidy grew older her mother convinced her that Sage was the sister to follow. Eventually there was another divorce. Joanne and Sage moved to a house that was modern but much smaller than the estate. There was bitterness and anger. After graduation Sage left for Europe to attend college in France. Daisy graduated from college, then more post grad becoming an anesthesiologist. She eventually married and had 2 children. As in many such situations all did not remain tranquil in the family.
Mallery’s narrative about their family is intense. Throughout things become difficult, emotional, and resentful. This is a novel that tells us an outstanding story but it does bring up many issues that many, if not all readers can associate with. With each chapter I became more and more involved in the stories of Daisy, Sage and Cassidy. The Stepsisters was published by Mira Books with an arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A. on May 25, 2021. I would like to thank publishers as well as Netgalley for allowing me to read and review The Stepsisters by Susan Mallery. Her book is exceptional and I encourage all to read this recently published novel. It is truly first rate. The opinions listed are those of this reviewer. The Stepsisters is an emotional yet heartwarming read. I encourage Mallery fans to read this as well as newbies to her work. It is one not to be missed. Do enjoy.

If Susan Mallery wasn’t already one of my favorite authors, she would be after this book. I loved the relationship between the sisters and how they came together. This was a humorous but straight to the heart book. I cannot wait for the next book. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this wonderful arc

The Stepsisters by Susan Mallery is a book about sisters. Daisy and Sage are stepsisters, Daisy and Cassidy are half sisters as are Cassidy and Sage. A little complicated but not really. Their relationships with each other didn't get off to the best of starts.  All thanks really to a mother figure who wasn't that great at being a mother.

When Cassidy ends up at Daisy's house after a bad accident, the three sisters have a second chance to discover what being sisters could mean. It is a rather pitted path, fraught with hiccups, very poor decisions and the need to stretch and grow on all their parts.

Daisy's marriage has hit a rough spot and I have to say I really had no sympathy for the inept, complaining husband who projected all his feelings onto Daisy. He was one of two unlikeable characters in this story.

Each of the women grows considerably in the course of the story, and each finds a satisfying way forward. They change because they communicate with each other, they hang in there and recognise where they got things wrong.  They discover a friendship and a supportive base that would I imagine sustain them for the rest of their lives.

After Daisy's mom died, her dad Wallace married Joanne to be a mother for her, making her daughter Sage her new stepsister. Jealous of Daisy's wealth and intelligence, Sage uses her popularity to exclude Daisy at school and acts cruelly to her. After having another daughter, Cassidy, together, their parents divorced. Now, eighteen years later, the sisters haven't spoken in years but are thrown back together when Wallace insists Cassidy recover from a terrible accident at Daisy's home. To make matters worse, Daisy's husband leaves her with no warning. Can the sisters ever get along?
All this crazy drama has me turning pages to see what could possibly happen next! While I absolutely hated Cassidy in the beginning, I could understand how Joanne's hateful influence affected her as a child, and she believed Daisy was the cause of her parents divorce. This book shows how strongly our relationships and experiences as children affect our entire adult lives.
I received an advance review copy through NetGalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

THE STEPSISTERS by Susan Mallery
Romance Fiction
416 pages

In Susan Mallery's new book is three sisters- Sage, Daisy, and Cassidy. These three sisters became sisters when Sage's mom and Daisy's father got married and Cassidy came out of that union. Growing up it was always Sage and Cassidy together happily with Daisy on the outside. The three together never were close but secretly they all wished they were. In adulthood Sage and Daisy have to come together when Cassidy gets into an accident and that accident happens to be the best thing to happen to the three women.

I loved this newest book!!!!!!!!!! The three sisters have siblings problems so real that you immediately relate to all three of them and root for them to mend their relationship. Susan Mallery will never lose her trademark style of writing real stories that immediately pull the reader in. I highly recommend this book

An emotional and moving novel that captures that captures the journey of three alienated step sisters. They are thrown together and try to commandeer all that life throws at them.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.