Fun Fact: Susan
Mallery acknowledged me in her first
Mischief Bay book "The Girls of Mischief
Bay." I'm reader Lindsey B. and I suggested the name of the farmers market in the Mischief Bay series. I may have had a small freakout. No big deal. To say I'm a fan of the author is putting it mildly.

The Stepsisters is Mallery's latest release and dare I say, one of her best! If you're into family drama, friendships, and feel good summer reads, this one should be added to your cart immediately. It's a bit of sunshine and storm clouds and sisterly friendship.
It is full of her characteristic humour,
colourful prose, lovable flawed characters, and engaging plot lines.

It was enjoyable and "unputdownable" - a love story to sisters by birth and sisters of heart.

I received a complimentary copy of this
title via NetGalley from the publisher.
Opinions are entirely my own and I'd still
be gushing if I had purchased this book,
see paragraph 1.

When you read a novel by Susan Mallery, you know you're getting a story where you will care about the characters. Her latest book, The Stepsisters, is no exception.

Daisy is having a very bad day. Her husband Jordan blindsided her with a text telling her he was moving out, when she picked up her sick eight year-old daughter Krissa from school the little girl vomited all over the car, herself, and Daisy, and then her car wouldn't start and who comes to her rescue but her former stepsister Sage, a woman she dislikes and hasn't seen in years.

Sage moved back home to LA with her mother after her third divorce from an Italian count. Now broke and working at a designer clothing boutique waiting on horrible rich women, Sage is stuck and has to figure out what her next step in life is and how to keep her mother from stealing her expensive designer handbags that Sage plans on selling to make money.

When Daisy was just a young girl, her father Wallace married Sage's mother to give Daisy a mother after her own died. Sage was jealous of Wallace's love for Daisy, and treated Daisy badly. Sage was beautiful and popular in high school, and Daisy was smart and kind.

Sage's mom and Daisy's dad had a daughter of their own, Cassidy, who is now a travel writer. When Cassidy has a bad fall on a trip, Wallace asks Daisy to take her into their family home to recuperate. With her own life in turmoil, Daisy is reluctant to take in Cassidy who, like Sage, really dislikes Daisy.

So the three women circle warily around each other, back in each other's lives and unhappy about it. The one thing they can all agree on is that they adore Krissa and Daisy's 10 year-old son Ben. Can the children bring these sisters back together again?

The Stepsisters is a wonderful book that will take you away from your own troubles as you read about these three sisters. Daisy wants to make her marriage work, and has no clue why her husband left. Sage needs to discover why she marries for money and not love, and Cassidy has to figure out why she ran away from a terrific guy who truly cares for her. Why do the sisters keep making relationship mistakes?

Mallery's characters are always well-drawn and you feel like they could be your neighbors. (Well, maybe not Daisy, she lives in a huge mansion.) She has a knack for pulling you into her story, and making you root for her characters to get their lives together and live happily ever after. You'll want to put The Stepsisters in your bag for your next flight or beach day, and pick up an extra copy for your sister.

Thanks to Harlequin Books for putting me on Susan Mallery's tour.

Another great read by Susan Mallery.. Captured my interest from the beginning. I finished this one in one afternoon. Definitely add this one to you summer beach tbr list. This one should be in your beach bag!

Thank you #netgalley and #mirabooks for the eARC.

Definitely a love-hate story. I wanted more of the good and less of the bad, but that’s life in a nutshell. 3.5 Stars!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mallery takes a chance and creates characters in the story with a lot of flaws. We all have flaws. We absolutely know that. In The Stepsisters, she seems to focus on big flaws that are tough to get over.

There is a lot happening in this book. Separation, unexpected guests, people pushing others together, bad decisions, and so much more.

They were good pieces too. Sisters finding each other, learning how to get to know each other, and surprise, actually liking each other. Finding new romance. Plus. building relationships between family and others is highlighted here.

While there was a decent balance between the good stuff and the bad stuff, some parts of the book just felt kind of overwhelming and sad. A few characters I really could not connect with and that made it tough.

When all was finally settling down, more horrible decisions were made that really put a damper on the outcome of the book. Even when we get to the ending with a nice conclusion, it felt like it just wasn’t enough. I wanted more happy pieces than the messed up portions of the story.

Overall, Mallery did what she does best. She wrote a richly detailed story that connects friends and family together, shows how they can be the glue and the strength needed when crummy things happen.

Was the story entertaining? Absolutely. I’m just a sucker for the happiness.

I ended up enjoying this family drama (and a little romance) by Susan Mallery, although it took me a while to get there. These sisters have more than their share of drama and history to work through, and I didn't like them so much at the beginning. However, they do the work to create successful relationships and I enjoyed them all by the end. Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin for the advance digital copy!

Review: This is a standalone book by Susan Mallery that focuses on the power of female relationships.

Daisy’s struggling as an all-of-a-sudden single mother to two children when her husband Jordon abruptly decides to move out of the house in a trial separation. Her father has asked Daisy to take care of her estranged younger half-sister Cassidy after a horrible accident, even though Cassidy is nothing but hostile and hateful to Daisy. On top of that, her estranged stepsister Sage (Cassidy’s half-sister) has moved back into town and visits Cassidy frequently at Daisy’s house.

This is a delayed coming-of-age book where the relationships of blended families are tested, long after the family has broken up. Sage and Cassidy’s mom Joanne is an easy character to hate, while the three women learn to live and maybe love again. A fairly easy read, despite numerous complicated relationships.

Note: I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is my own. #TheStepsisters #NetGalley

These days, contemporary romance has been really hitting the spot. This is my first by Mallery but it certainly won't be my last. Bring on the messy family dynamics, drama and even a little romance....
I don't have any siblings but I do have a cousin I grew up in the same house with for years who I do consider more a sister. And we certainly had our fights with our completely opposite personalities. There were a number of years where we were separated and didn't keep in touch so I know very well what it feels like to reunite this way. It's awkward and luckily in my case, we found that as adults we understood each other and got along a LOT better than when we were kids.

Mallery brings us Daisy whose husband just ups and leaves her through a text message, her ex stepsister, Sage who is full of some very interesting issues (has anyone thought to set her on fire and do some smudging? ... *insert groan* sorry, couldn't help myself), and Cassidy... their half sister who needs their help after an accident that sends her into Daisy's house for recovery. Oh, and helloooo there... **waves to Adam**.. Wish he'd make me a dang tequila drink... but I digress.

I simply adore Mallery's writing. I was intrigued from the get go and really enjoyed watcfhing these ladies work through their issues. And I love it when there's levity involved to help ease the seriousness of a storyline. Quite frankly, the story felt very real and human and I always enjoy that. Certainly peppered with fun to read dramatics and a whole lot of heart.

The Stepsisters is a story of family, jealousy and love. Three stepsisters , Daisy, Sage and Cassidy have not seen each other in 20 years and are reconnected through a family emergency .A perfect beach read !
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinions .

Sisters-step and half, 3 sisters who have a lot of baggage from their youth. As adults they do not get along and have lots of emotional issues. Refreshing to read the story of how they come together against tremendous odds. One issue towards the end of the book surprised me. Don't think I would have been able to forgive and continue to grow the "sister" family relationship. I enjoyed the book very much and highly recommend it.

This is a very intricately woven story about stepsisters and their half sister.There is a lot of animosity between Daisy and Sage. At times the story is very emotional and at others very poignant. Family relationships can be a minefield at times. This is a very well written and thought out book. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

I was immediately drawn to this perfect summer pool cover and this is a great book to bring on your next beach trip!

Daisy is shocked one day to see her former stepsister in the unlikeliest of places- when she’s broken down on the side of the road. She hasn’t seen Sage in years, not since she tried to ruin Daisy’s wedding. On this same day, Daisy’s husband Jordan decides to move out of the their house... via text! At this same time, Daisy’s half sister Cassidy is in a bad accident and needs to move in Daisy’s house to recoup and heal. Daisy always felt that Sage and Cassidy bullied Daisy and she’s not happy both women are back in her life and now her kids.

I really liked the relationships between the sisters. As all sisters are, they are incredibly mean and immature to each other in the beginning and they love each other when the other’s really need it. Sage was my favorite sister and the one that shows the most growth. She was an international party girl who comes home to turn her life around. I also loved their dad Wallace who takes great care of all his daughters (even Sage who isn’t his stepdaughter anymore!) I could not get over how awful Joanne the stepmonster was. I got some slight Cinderella vibes from this book with the evil stepmother and mean stepsisters!

If you like family dramas, this one has tons. I liked the LA location which was also a fun change of pace.

This beautifully written novel tugs on the heartstrings; three sisters discover not only do they need each other, but that they actually love one another. Each woman grapples with the stresses and heartache in her own life, while learning to come to grips with their shared history. Susan Mallery is a master storyteller, and The Stepsisters is a fine example of a book that will stay with you, long after the final page is read.

Will soon appear at Romance Reviews Today: http://romrevtoday.com/index.htm

THE STEPSISTERS – Susan Mallery
Mira
ISBN: 978-0-7783-3180-3
May 25, 2021
Contemporary Fiction

Los Angeles, California – Present Day

Many years ago, Daisy’s dad married Sage’s mom, and the couple soon had a daughter they named Cassidy. But the marriage didn’t last, and Sage moved with her mother and half-sister to a home paid for by Daisy’s father. During the time that the girls all lived together, there was a lot of friction between them, which means they aren’t close. It didn’t help that Daisy married Sage’s first love, Jordan, and, to everyone’s embarrassment, during the wedding ceremony Sage declared that she still loved Jordan. To say there is no love lost between Sage and Daisy is an understatement.

After her third marriage ends, Sage moves from Europe back to Los Angeles. One day she is out driving and spots Daisy pulled off to the side of the road in her car with a child. Sage stops and inquires if she needs help. Daisy’s daughter had just gotten sick in the car and she is trying to comfort her little girl. Then, the car won’t start, and Sage offers to drive the two to their home. Their interactions are awkward, with Daisy just barely not being hostile toward Sage. But Sage maintains her cool and soon leaves to return to the home she now shares with her mother, who is still looking for a rich man to take care of her. Sage has gotten a couple of jobs and is hoping to save enough money so that she can get her teaching certificate and move out of her mother’s house.

Daisy’s life is spiraling out of control. Her husband, Jordan, just notified her via text that he is moving out as he no longer wants to be married. The news blindsides Daisy, which means her coming face to face with the wicked stepsister was just the topper on a bad week. Daisy and Sage went to the same private school and hated each other while there. Sage dated Jordan for several years, but when he proposed she turned him down and then left for Europe. He later pursued and married Daisy, adding another layer of dislike between the two women.

Daisy is contacted by her father about Cassidy, who she learns was in a bad accident that left her with a broken arm and leg. Their father wants Daisy to let Cassidy recuperate in Daisy’s home because she lives in a mansion. Daisy reluctantly agrees, knowing that she will eventually have to reveal that Jordan has moved out. Her father also requests that she contact Sage about Cassidy. Once Cassidy is ensconced in her home, there are tense interactions between the two. Daisy never really knew her half-sister, who is closer to Sage. Slowly, their relationship begins to thaw. Meanwhile, Sage pays visits, where Daisy begins to see another side of her former stepsister. How will Sage react when she learns Daisy and Jordan have separated?

THE STEPSISTERS is an intriguing and complicated tale of three women connected to the past. Daisy’s mother died when she was young, so when her father married Sage’s mother, Joanne, she thought she was getting a new mother. Alas, Joanne is a vain, unloving woman who spurned her stepdaughter and blamed her marital issues on Daisy, creating friction between the girls. Sage thought Daisy was a spoiled rich girl, while Daisy thought Sage was an uppity brat. Add into the mix Cassidy, who was told after the divorce that it was Daisy’s fault that Joanne’s marriage to their father failed, then it’s no wonder things are bad between them all.

Throughout the course of THE STEPSISTERS, the three women slowly build a friendship, one that has them growing closer. Meanwhile, Daisy is trying to save her marriage to Jordan, and Sage is reconnecting with an old school friend, Adam. She enjoys being around Adam, and their relationship soon turns into more than a friendship. Cassidy is dealing with the fallout of her accident, namely because it happened during a marriage proposal and her rejection of it. Her boyfriend still loves her, but Cassidy is refusing to see him. Will she realize that she made a mistake?

THE STEPSISTERS is an enjoyable and emotional page turner that will pull readers into the story of the three women. Will something happen that rips them apart, or will it all be cookies and cream as they live happily-ever-after? Find out the riveting answer by grabbing a copy of THE STEPSISTERS.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

The Stepsisters is a “family” of three very flawed sisters. I thought the individual personalities were interesting and I enjoyed how each viewed their childhood differently, though intermingled. Written with fully developed characters and storyline, the women are strong as well as unsure of themselves, and horrible at relationships. Written is dual POV of two sisters, you really get involved into each sister. While younger sister, Cassidy didn’t have her own POV written, you definitely see her characters weakness and growth. With time, the sisters start to like and trust each other forming a friendship sisterhood. I knew a train wreck was coming, and sort of knew what was coming, but it still had me shocked that it happened, and thinking “how could you?”. This is a great discussion book to delve into the characters and the circumstances. Well written and I highly recommend.
Reviewed by Comfy Chair Books/Lisa Reigel (May 16, 2021)
ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley

All it takes is a family emergency to bring people back together, right?

Sage, Daisy, and Cassidy had been out of touch since their parents got divorced and hadn’t seen each other for years.

When Sage came back to their hometown and Cassidy had a skiing accident, both sisters had to pitch in to care for their step-sister/half sister.

Daisy had to have Cassidy stay at her house to recover much to everyone’s not liking it - even the housekeeper. The housekeeper knew Cassidy and wasn’t fond of her. Daisy wasn’t fond of her half sister either. Sage was, though.

Cassidy was as uncooperative as ever when she arrived...Daisy wasn’t looking forward to this at all.

We follow the sisters as they try to reconnect with each other and realize they did miss a lot over the years.

We also follow Daisy and her husband Jordan as they try to work out the reason why Jordan decided to leave.

A lot of family drama, but it was a pleasant read with likable characters.

Women’s fiction fans will enjoy this book along with anyone who needs to take a look at their family and personal relationships to see just how important they are. 4/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the fourth Susan Mallery book I have reviewed for this blog. I feel like she is one of the summer book bag queens--fairly prolific authors with books about relationships, family and romance that usually publish in the spring into summer months and are perfect for the beach or pool. The Stepsisters brings the family drama in immediately when Daisy reeling from her husband's sudden "time out" from their marriage, her son home sick with the flu, leaves work where she's an anesthesia nurse, trying to get her young daughter home from before the passed on flu bug fully hits. She's too late and is cleaning her daughter up on the side of the road when her estranged stepsister drives by and stops. Sage is back in California, her latest marriage a bust and trying to regroup and she gives a reluctant Daisy a ride home when her car won't start (can anything else happen to Daisy? Of course, it's a drama!). Krissa is shocked to learn she has a sort-of aunt and neither sister is comfortable or happy around each other due to years of taunting from Sage and the fact that Daisy's husband was Sage's first love. Neither woman has plans to get back together when Daisy is dropped off, but that plan changes when Daisy's father calls her to tell her that the youngest sibling, Cassidy, (half-sister to each) has take a bad fall off a cliff in Patagonia and needs to go to Daisy's house (their childhood home) to recover. Through stops and starts, the three sister begin to form a bond and even friendship, but can they put aside past and present hurts to let it happen?

I enjoyed Mallery's latest, even though it took the characters time to grow on me. Daisy in once sense is the easiest to like and root for--well off, a loving father but she lost her mother young and the wife and stepdaughter he ends bringing home are both spoiled and cruel. When Daisy's and Sage's half-sister is born, Daisy hopes to have a sister who she can love, who loves her back but when the marriage ends in divorce, Sage and Cassidy move out into a less-rich neighborhood, and Cassidy grows to dislike Daisy. Sage is definitely a piece of work--not a nice girl and not that nice as an adult although she is trying to improve herself and go back to school and stand on her own and I got to like her. (Even if I spent much of the book yelling at her in my head about her life choices). We meet Cassidy the younger sister with broken bones and a concussion combined with an attitude, and so it takes time to get to know and grow to like her. The villains in the story, Sage and Cassidy's mother and Daisy's husband are definitely jerks and very self-serving, although the rest of the surrounding cast; the kids, Daisy's friend and housekeeper, Daisy and Cassidy's father, and the potential love interests of Sage and Cassidy are great. The book is fairly predictable but it goes with the genre and Mallery's writing draws me in and keeps me interested in the story. I wanted to see how things resolved and I enjoyed the process of getting there, so if you are looking for an easy-breezy summer read and like family drama and relationship novels, you should enjoy The Stepsisters.

Susan Mallery casts characters so well and I fell into this book and for some reason, just wanted it to keep going - I was enjoying it so much. The books in about family, sisters, relationships, jealousy, and love. Families are complicated and this one is no different. There are hurts that run deep, that arise over and over to influence actions.

There are three stepsisters involved here: Daisy, Sage, and Cassidy, and the interactions are so interesting I was fascinated. How pain suffered in childhood carried over to adulthood. How things your parent told you influences your perception. I think I liked best how Daisy and Sage, despite their differences, came together to help Cassidy. There are some very flawed men in the book too. All in all an absorbing and interesting read.

Thanks to HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada) through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Strong Character Study With Maybe Not Quite Enough Introspection. This is one of those strong women-bonding-as-character-study type books where we get to see three very different women thrown together as a result of a family that blended and then dissolved years ago, and how that blending and dissolution affected all of them and even their common parents (one step father, one stepmother, both of whom combine to be the natural parents of the third sister). As someone who has a cousin that is actually in the exact position of the third sister - both parents having been previously divorced and having kids from those marriages - this was particularly interesting. As with the other Mallery book I've read so far, she does excellent work keeping things mostly realistic, and really my only fault here - potentially intentional, as it is still a realistic scenario - is that one of the three sisters perhaps doesn't look into herself as deeply as the other two do. Ultimately an engaging and satisfying book, this is thus very much recommended.

This is the story of three women (Daisy, Sage, and Cassidy) who are linked through a man who was father to two of the women, and step-father to the third for a time. For reasons only known to each of them, they were never close to Daisy, who was Wallace’s first child from the love of his life, but who died when Daisy was young. He then married Joanne, Sage’s mother, but that didn’t last too long. Daisy really wanted a new mom and sister, but Sage and her mother were horrid to Daisy, and treated her meanly. Joanne and Wallace had Cassidy together, but once Joanne and Wallace divorced, Joanne made Cassidy choose between her and Daisy, and basically pushed her to hate Daisy as well. Joanne acts like a spoiled toddler/bully throughout much of the book, and is generally a horrid human being. Somehow, her daughters have surpassed her maturity level, but they still struggle at times with self-sabotage. Cassidy is afraid to attempt a successful relationship, because she has never witnessed one. Sage has gone through three husbands, and used to be engaged to Jordan, who is now married to Daisy. However, Daisy and Jordan are having a bit of trouble in their marriage, and Daisy is trying to come to terms with it all.

This book is an interesting study of the dynamics of healthy and unhealthy relationships. There’s a lot of fear at times, which tends to hinder happiness. Assumptions were made when all three girls were younger, and they have to rethink things as they get to know each other for the first time as adults. There is a moderate amount of tension throughout this book, as readers wonder whether Jordan and Daisy will be able to salvage their marriage. Cassidy is so fearful of love with her boyfriend, Desean that she fell off of a mountain when he proposed! Readers will wonder if she can get herself together to accept the love he is offering. And Sage is so afraid of loving someone, that she self-sabotages every relationship she has ever been in. Will she ever let herself truly love anyone? The pace remains steady throughout this book, as we get to observe the interactions of each of these main characters with each other and with others. Readers get to be the fly on the wall during each of these interactions.

Susan Mallery creates unforgettable characters. She’s very good at it. Some of her characters grow and mature over the course of the book, while others get pettier and never grow up. Through it all, Wallace keeps trying to do the right thing, and acts like a guardian angel to all three women. This book will have readers thinking about these characters long after the book is finished. There were parts of this book that were delightful, and other parts that made this reader upset with the choices that were made. There are some hurt feelings along the way, and some really stupid choices at times. However, the final outcome makes this a satisfying read.

Daisy, Sage and Cassidy are stepsisters who haven’t been together in years. Sage moves back to town and Cassidy moves in with Daisy while healing from an accident. In the midst of all this Daisy and her husband are separated.
There’s a lot of old hurts and insecurities in this book.
I didn’t really care for two of the girls in the beginning but as the book goes on I liked them more.
I enjoyed the story, I read it in one day.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy