Such a fun read! Loved this one!

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for my ARC.

Thus was my first Barbara O'Neal book but it most certainly won't be my last! Told from the POV of three different women, she deftly weaves their stories together in a beautiful story of love and family. The descriptions of both Manhattan and their privileged living arrangements were both interesting and so well written I felt like I was right there! A triple POV book can be hard to pull off because it's easy for readers to get lost in who's talking now or what each character is experiencing, but O'Neal does it with ease. I also loved how this was a mixture of romance and family drama. Truly a little something for everyone!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I received an advanced copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to Lake Union, NetGalley, and Barbara O'Neal. ❤️

I loved When We Believed in Mermaids, so I knew I wanted to check out Write My Name Across the Sky! I particularly love when there's an older character with a big personality, and Gloria Rose certainly fits that description. The author did a great job of weaving several different character arcs together in a way that was cohesive and compelling. I'll definitely read more of this author's books!

Promising premise in this one! Seventy year old Gloria is an influencer and afraid she could be arrested for being complicit in an art theft. But before fleeing the law, she needs to make sure her two nieces are protected from the fallout. Willow, a musician, is recovering from a failed album and a failed relationship. Sam, a video game designer, is struggling to revive her video game company after her relationship with her business partner falls apart. These 3 women are a HOT MESS and their personal life struggles will either bring them closer together or tear them apart. Ever since reading When We Believed in Mermaids, I have to read everything this author writes because I’m trying to recapture the magic she produced in that particular story. Unfortunately this one fell a little short for me, I had trouble connecting to the characters and being intrigued with the story line. But many readers have loved this one so please give this one a chance because Barbara O’Neal can always be counted on to write a lyrical, beautiful story about female relationships. Thank you Netgalley, Lake Union Publishing and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. Available now

I rarely read contemporary books centering around women like Write My Name Across the Sky. Due to several circumstances, sisters Willow and Sam's lives end up tangled with their aunt, Gloria. While Gloria and Willow were easily likeable, Sam was a character whom I find hard to relate. She seemed to be making it a mission of her own to push away everyone around her, inlcuding her own flesh and blood.

Willow's softness towards her sister despite being lashed out at so many times, made my heart ache. It did feel like Sam would never get her redemption arc if not because of Willow. While the two sisters struggle to bond again, Gloria kept a secret of her own, threatening others around her as well if the secret came out. Overall, this one was a rather nice read, and I was glad these three women managed to find their bond once again.

This was such a pleasure to read. The story was heartfelt and the characters relatable and real. I loved the differing stories of Willow, Sam, and Gloria, and how it all blended together throughout the book. I shed some tears with this one for sure. Barbara O'Neal never disappoints. Thank you for this arc.

This book had a little too much romance/sexual tension focus than I care for. I did enjoy getting to know the three primary characters, Gloria, Willow, and Sam. The fact that you need to accept responsibility for past mistakes appealed to me. The story told through three viewpoints and each of them are women who have to make tough decisions that will affect their life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Write My Name Across The Sky is a unique and heartwarming story about family, friends and relationships in a world of art, music and video games.
Two generations of women at a crossroads in their lives are struggling with consequences over the decisions they have made in the past.
Author Barbara O'Neal's characters, storyline and writing is superb.
Highly Recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

2.5 stars, rounded up

I really loved Barbara O’Neals book, The Lost Girls of Devon, so it pains me to say I was disappointed in this one. For a good portion of the book, I was, quite frankly, bored, and I couldn’t connect with any of the characters: Gloria, Willow or Sam (Samantha).

Gloria is 74 and the aunt of Willow and Sam, both in their 30s. She spent years as an airline stewardess, as flight attendants used to be called, and quit to take care of her nieces when her sister died. Apparently “back in the day” she was a party to an art forgery scheme and now the forger has finally been arrested, sending Gloria into a panic (quite rightly). Willow and Sam both have issues, separately and with each other, dating back to their childhoods. The story is told through the POV of each of these three women, jumping from one to another, which felt a bit disjointed.

I was determined not to DNF this one, so I skimmed a lot until about 70% through the book and then I settled down to see how the author was going to pull things together. And pull things together she did, but I didn’t find Gloria’s ending believable at all. The best parts of the book for me were probably all the lovely descriptions of their amazing apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and the descriptions of how Willow felt about music and her creative process.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book, although I’m very late to it. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This is the 1st time I have read this author. Really enjoyed the book.

Samantha ("Sam") and Willow are two very different women, held together only by the presence of their aunt, Gloria, who raised them after their famous mother died. When Willow comes home to live close her wounds after a failed music album, Sam seems to have it all with a successful business. Gloria seems as centered and steady as always. However, appearances are deceiving, and all three of them have some choices to make.

This book was a ton of fun to read! I sat down and didn't get up until I finished it (which is basically what happens to me with every book by this author). There was one character in particular that I did not like at all in the beginning; she made everything so much harder on herself by being a bit of a jerk, but I grew to like her as the story progressed.

The one downside is that there were a few explanations that were not provided in the end of the book that I would have liked to hear. But that's a small thing that did not impact my enjoyment of the story. I can't wait until the next book by this author comes out!

My thanks to the author for my copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review. I requested this book because every single book I have read by this author so far has made it to my favorites list. I will read anything she decides to put out. :) I'm not going to lie, this one might be my favorite so far. The main characters are two somewhat estranged sisters and the aunt who raised them after their rock star mother died. I fell in love with each character for different reasons but the blend of all of them together (even the memories of the ones they have lost) was magical for me.

I loved everything about this book, but especially the way that Barbara wrote this story in a way that makes you feel like you are experiencing the story yourself. I mean that is what ever reader's goal is, to be transported into the world of the story and this is a winner.

Thank you for letting me read and review this story.

Barbara O’Neal never fails to move me. Her books are engaging from the very beginning and never let you go. This one is about three very different women. Gloria is a retired TWA flight attendant who has reinvented herself as an Instagram influencer. Sam is a video game creator whose business is in trouble and Willow is a musician whose last album was unsuccessful. The girls were raised by their aunt Gloria after their rock star mother died from an overdose when they were very young. All three women are very independent and end up having to make a lot of changes to learn to rely on one another. The two girls found success in their respective careers very early in their lives but things aren’t going so well at this point. The interaction between the sisters is fascinating and Gloria is determined to continue to protect the two girls as she works out the difficulties in her own life. Barbara O’Neal writes the most intriguing and complex characters and yet they are incredibly relatable. I highly recommend this book and am so grateful for the opportunity to read and review it.

I loved @barbaraonealauthor after reading “When We Believed in Mermaid” so I was very excited to see this on @netgalley and even happier when I got the privilege to read it! It is similar to the other book in that this has strong women leads and women who are in positions that are not typically written about or represented.. I love that she creates smart strong independent women leads and makes aging look beautiful and almost appealing! I want to be Gloria or Willow - just like her other book they all resonate with me in certain ways and I can’t pick ! Just love her characters

I love Barbara O’Neal’s writing style especially the characters that she creates important to note that even when there are multiple main characters the storylines flow and it’s very easy to follow …it draws you right ingo the story making it almost seem like a reality it’s so beautifully written! I absolutely loved it and will continue to read any book she puts out

(Of note I use tape to text to do this because I can’t type or text much/well with my wrist so if it is odd that is why)

@lakeunionauthors #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #bookreview

I absolutely loved this book. It had the potential to be way overly complicated with all of the different components to the stories, but they were all woven together beautifully in a way that really worked. I was immediately hooked by Gloria's past with the art forgery and couldn't wait to see what would happen to her and her family. Barbara O'Neal is a true talent and I think this is my favorite of her books yet. Highly recommend!

The story of two sisters and the aunt that helped raise them is well written and appealing . Willow takes after her late mother, a music prodigy, returning home to NYC after a disastrous relationship in LA. Sam is the smart sister, a coder and video game developer, who pushes people away when they get close to her. Add in their Aunt Gloria, previously a globe trotting stewardess who stayed with them after their mother’s death. Gloria is in trouble when she finds out her ex lover is arrested for art fraud. The interplay between the three main characters really makes the book work, as well as the vivid description of the impact of music.. I liked it and thank NetGalley for the ARC.

This book gave me all the feels! I love the character building, the current storyline and the backstory. When I read When We Believed in Mermaids I was in love and so emotionally attached to the backstory but felt the current storyline was lacking. Write My Name Across the Sky balances the two stories very well!

This is the first book by this author that I’ve read and I will be seeking out more! I enjoyed being in the character’s lives. The sisters relationship reminds me a bit of me and my sister because our personalities are so different and we fight a lot. This book helped me think about how things have been from her perspective. This was a comforting read for me.

An absolute delight. A charming book able to give strength, inspire and celebrate life. This story is beautifully written with touching and wonderful characters and situations that everyone can relate to.