Finally got caught up on this series, and it's really enjoyable! I will say, of all the books so far, this one has made me feel the most roller-coaster of emotions. Mostly because I loathe every single main character in the entire book. I honestly can't tell if it's amazingly well done, or if it's just slightly too clumsy/formulaic in terms of personalities, because dang they are the worst versions of themselves! But, it's funny, warm, and is tied up very nicely into a book that I didn't want to put down, even when I was mad.

Susan Mallery writes women’s fiction that is keyed into what readers want. She puts a group of female characters together in a nice, small town setting and then invites the reader into their lives. The pages will turn and there will be a nice escape.

This time, the story is about three cousins. Sophie is a workaholic while Kristine is a stay at home mother who would like to open a bakery. Heather’s mother Amber is entitled and annoying, while Amber works hard and has hopes and dreams. The intersections in the women’s lives and their individual stories and relationships make for a good story. I will say though that I found Amber to be very annoying, as I think was the author’s intent. I wanted Heather to move forward and out from home. Will she? Read the book to find out what happens to each of these women.

Publishers Weekly calls this book an “irresistibly heartfelt story.” See if you agree. It makes a perfect read with a cup of tea for a winter’s afternoon.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for this title. All opinions are my own.

This just was not my jam. All three of the FMCs annoyed me, and I was too frustrated with almost every single character to enjoy the ride.

Three cousins, all going through very different stages in life. I found Kristine to be the most likable, and Sophie was entertaining. While I felt for Heather, the lack of backbone she had, especially in regards to her terrible mother, just irked me too much to be able to truly enjoy the story.

While I enjoyed the book overall, it wasn't one of my favorites, which is hard to say, since I love this series and adore the author.

The story of three women and how they traverse their lives is presented wonderfully by Mallory. It is a really heartwarming story about family, love, friendship, and sisterhood.

Solid book with a moving story. Took me a few chapters to get into the storyline but I am glad I gave it a chance.

Not a favorite. Sophie was an irritant all through the book. I do get that there needs to be character growth. But at least make the character likable. Sophie was not

This is a good story of the cousins who are as close as sisters but in different stages in their lives. I did find the characters a bit annoying at first but the skill of the author draws you in and you are soon invested in the book

I love this series! Love the cover but the blurb looked great! I’ve never had a bad book by this author and she never disappoints.

What did I like? All three of these women are family with ties that bind. One is just starting out, one is starting over, and one can’t get started. All at different stages in life which is intriguing and fun to watch. It’s an amazing transformation from beginning to HEAs. Five fabulous stars!

Would I recommend or buy? Yes to both! I love the simplistic covers and deep messages in the writing.
This would have made a great beach read!

I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left a review!

Susan Mallery is a phenomenal author. She truly writes from the heart. Her stories often captivate me.

In Sisters by Choice we get a great work of fiction. Three women who show us family isn't always about blood. Three women and two their stories take us on a remarkable journey. Sophie returns to Blackberry Island to restart her business. Kristine coming off a failed marriage. Amber who blames everyone for her life and always very bitter. Their journeys are relatable and captivating.

I cried, laughed and had heartwarming moments. I couldn't stop reading Sisters by Choice. Definitely a bestseller. A story of finding yourself, living, learning and family. I have since read it again. I love Blackberry Island and all it has to offer.

I recieved this ARC from Netgalley but the opinions are my own.

Not my favorite Susan Mallery book. The “sisters” we’re ladies I’d be friends with. Kind of annoying really. Not a fan of Mallery’s women’s fiction, I guess.

I am a huge Susan Mallery fan but Sisters by Choice was her first book that I was disappointed in. The characters were self-centered and shallow, and the storyline was, at times, implausible. I did like the concept of the cat business, and I liked that the story was told with a lot of humor.. While Susan slipped a bit with this book, I'll still be eager to read her next one. I'm sure it will be back up to the usual Susan Mallery high standards. I voluntarily read an ARC of this book.

I am a huge Susan Mallery fan but Sisters by Choice was her first book that I was disappointed in. The characters were self-centered and shallow, and the storyline was, at times, implausible. I did like the concept of the cat business, and I liked that the story was told with a lot of humor.. While Susan slipped a bit with this book, I'll still be eager to read her next one. I'm sure it will be back up to the usual Susan Mallery high standards. I voluntarily read an ARC of this book.

This book was so good. Once I started it I could not put it down. It is about 3 cousins and their families. I really enjoyed how th
Sir. Stories were told. It felt like half the characters were our fr fiends and some of the others we just tolerate.
I highly recommend this book.
Thank you netgalley and harlequin for allowing me to read this title for an honest review.

In the opening chapters, I didn't think I was going to like <i>Sisters by Choice</i>. All three heroines were somewhat annoying (or their circumstances were), but Mallery has this skill for character arcs and making her characters empathetic.

Sophie Lane is probably the main character. She's the owner of a small but growing business that sells cat supplies. She loves cats, fears commitment, and never wants to have children, which I love! But also she's deeply lacking in self-awareness which is frustrating. Her character arc basically consists of her needing to stop micromanaging, trust people, and take advice when it's good. Much of the advice comes from wiser men in her life, though not all, but I do sort of like that the men in her story line are mostly very sensitive and observant and the women are less emotional. (I loved that two of her female employees said they weren't interested in discussing personal stuff.) Her romance with Dugan is also very nice; hello book boyfriend!!!!

Meanwhile Kristine's a stay-at-home mom dreaming of opening up a bakery and struggling with her husband's negative reaction to that. While I liked Kristine from the start, I struggled with her plot line because her husband Jaxsen is loathsome and sexist. Ultimately, though, I was so impressed with Mallery's way to believably deal with Kristine and Jaxsen's issues.

Heather's plot line is by far the most frustrating, and it's the only one I ended up being unhappy with. She's supporting her absolutely awful mom who takes responsibility for nothing but believes the world owes her. Literally her mom is THE WORST. And I love that, even though this series is about Blackberry Island and how adorable and wonderful it is, Heather's story is about her need to move away and be somewhere else. However, I hate that Sophie bought Amber a really nice condo that so that Heather would feel comfortable leaving. I wanted Sophie to have her arrested for stealing SORRY NOT SORRY. While objectively I can appreciate the nuance and realism of that, humans are subjective and that lazy ass should get nothing.

This is probably my least favorite of the three Mallery novels I've read, but I still liked it quite a lot. There's just something very wonderful about the way she prioritizes women's emotional arcs and how she values even the messed up characters.

Sophie is a super flawed character, but a very relatable one. She has a control problem, and after a fire, something she had no control over she needs to learn how to let go a bit. I love her relationship with her cousin Kristine, who is learning how to fly on her own as well. She wants to open a bakery, and needs to fight her husband to find her dream. It's such a real and honest story, and one that touches people in a personal way. I loved this book, and the way it was written made it a pure joy to read.

I've read Susan Mallery's books before, so when I started reading, I couldn't believe that she wrote these characters. Almost everyone was whiny, reading was exhausting. I couldn't get into the story for a while. Unfortunately that was not a good one.

I completely fell in love with these characters and this author. truth - friendship - family -trust - love does not always go together but for the four women in this story, they will fight to bring these things together.

Family turmoil, romantic connections and happily ever afters! With the fourth book in her Blackberry Island series Susan Mallery brings her readers a delightful family saga in SISTERS BY CHOICE. Three cousins reconnect as each finds their way toward the future they always dreamed of. Each main character is easy to like and has a compelling story line. I really enjoyed their journey.

Sophie Lane is accomplished and kind-hearted, but it turns out she has a lot to learn in how to successfully rebuild her cat product empire that fell apart around her. She returns home to Blackberry Island and sets out to make it bigger and better. Along the way she realizes her way isn't always the right way.

Kristine Fielding is complex. She's happy with her husband and kids, but she yearns for more than just doing the same routine day in and day out. When the parts fall into place to allow her the opportunity to open the bakery she always dreamed of, she doesn't expect it to put the future she always expected to be there in jeopardy.

Heather Sitterly nabs our sympathy from the first moment we meet her ... and her mother! She's worked hard to support herself and her mother for more years than she wishes to remember and it never seems to be enough. Her mother is a real piece of work but this time she might have gone just far enough to make Heather wake up and live for herself for a change.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a family connected story line. Each cousin gets a fulfilling ending filled with accomplishment and love.

Sisters by Choice is such an empowering book to read with not one, not two but three women from different walks of life and trying to find way to happiness and success.

When K.C. Industries go up in the flames, Sophie Lane the owner, moves back to Blackberry Island (her hometown) to rebuild her company from scratch. Her cousin Kristine is a wife and a mother of three boys. She is a housewife and adores her family but looking for an opportunity where she can have something for herself a small bakery just off the waterfront, where she can bake cookies and brownies. She know this will not be easy but she is determined. She never thought she will have to choose between her marriage and her dreams. Then there is Heather who is Sophie and Kristine’s niece. Her mother Amber doesn't want make an effort and wants everything in life free. Heather wants to go to college but her mother is broken and comes up with crisis everytime she has some savings. Her dreams seem to be slipping from her grasp. She has leave her manipulative mother to make a life of her own.

I love to read books about woman accomplishing there dreams, living a life they dream about, and Suan Mallery is an amazing author who has crafted this story. The characters were quite relatable and realistic to an extend.