Thank you to both #NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me an advance copy of Barbara O’Neal’s latest novel, Write My Name Across the Sky, in exchange for an honest review.

#WriteMyNameAcrosstheSky is a beautifully written, albeit “Hallmarkian,” fiction novel about three women who are in different stages of their lives and struggling with their own personal issues. The majority of the story is set in New York City and takes place over a span of several weeks (although really years by the time the reader reaches the epilogue).

The book is written in first person, which is usually a perspective I abhor, but the author manages to make the characters’ voices distinct enough that it works very well here. It is also clear that the author conducted research on certain topics to make sure that each character’s passions in life stood out. For example, Willow is a musician, so her passages reference musical works and song compositions.

Additionally, the theme of feminism is apparent, but it is more of an undercurrent and will not take away from the story for any readers who are trying to avoid social issues at this time. In other words, unlike other novels, it is easy to tune out.

Basically, if you like feel good stories and engaging characters, then this is a great escapist read. The novel has a bit of everything in it, including romance, some family drama, and a little bit of intrigue.

P.S. Let me know in the comments how you felt about the characters. Willow was my favorite, but Gloria had the best storyline. As always, happy reading!

Definitely not my favorite of hers. One character was completely unlikeable. The thief plot wasn't that interesting, and definitely, not a fan of you are my true love when we're together, but when we're not it's okay to see others. The third character had potential but she didn't feel fleshed out.

I have loved every book Barbara O'Neal / Barbara Samuel / Ruth Wind has ever written, and this one starts strong. Write My Name is about three amazing women who are at critical junctures in their lives. Gloria is a seventy-year-old Instagram influencer who stepped in to mother the girls when their famous rock star mother overdosed. Samantha is the highly sensitive genius game developer whose out of control temper and tongue eviscerate relationships. Willow is the daughter who inherited her mother's voice, loves life, and takes care of people, but doesn't know how to stand up for herself.

Gloria's such a rich character, I could read a whole novel just about her. She's a former TWA "stewardess" from the glamorous world of international travel when women were typically kept home. She never married, preferring instead her jet-setting life. Based in NYC, she developed lifetime friendships with other stewardesses who share her memories into old age. Although Gloria enjoyed the benefits of being young, spectacularly beautiful, and sophisticated, falling in and out of beds as she chose during her travels, there was one man she fell in love with. She hasn't heard from him in decades, yet never forgot him. Then, suddenly, he reaches out to her. Facing life in prison, his crimes threaten to take her down, too.

Sam's game development business is on the ropes, and with extreme abandonment issues from her difficult childhood, she lashes out at everyone who loves her. Now she's facing business failure and estrangement. A lone wolf who alienates the people she desperately needs, Sam has must learn to trust love.

Willow loses herself in every relationship she has. With her ethereal vocal gifts, she can be a great success, but first she has to learn to stand up for herself.

O'Neal is a genius writer. Others can't compare. But in this attempt at a masterwork, she didn't quite deliver on promises that were so huge, maybe it was impossible. The end wraps up too quickly. I would have liked to read more about Sam's new character (hinted to be based on Willow!), Willow's finding her power--and love. And the possibility of Gloria's new life, in her seventies, with the sexy Israeli artist. But that would have taken another hundred pages. Maybe it's too much to ask. Still, a great read.

Write My Name Across the Sky was fantastic! I absolutely loved When We Believed in Mermaids and was so pleasantly surprised that Barbara O’Neal hit this one out of the park too!

This is a really heartfelt story of 3 unique women all at a particularly challenging time in their lives. Gloria Rose is living a fun, exciting life in New York when she suddenly finds herself living in fear as choices from her youth start to resurface. Willow and Sam were raised by their Aunt Gloria when their rockstar mother overdosed, they find themselves both dealing with career crises and broken hearts and need each other more than ever despite their complicated relationship. How will these 3 women reconcile everything they are facing and work through their complex past?

Thanks to #NetGalley, Barbara O’Neal, and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced copy of #WriteMyNameAcrosstheSky in exchange for an honest review.

I really am a fan of O'Neal so I was very grateful to get this ARC! I think she needs to be hyped more because she should be more of a house hold fiction name. I love stories spanning multi-generational and this was well done. I am also always interested in how other families deal with their relationships. Barbara has her thumb on the pulse of this genre and having multiple novels that stand up head to head with any out there I am excited to see what else she develops!

Compulsively readable and compelling, I read this book in a day. This is the first book I've read by Barbara O'Neal, and it didn't disappoint. Write My Name Across the Sky is a beautiful story, told from the alternating perspectives of Gloria, a larger than life influencer in her 70s, and her nieces, Willow and Sam. All three are haunted by their past in different ways, but while there's a great deal of family dysfunction and drama, there is also a great deal of love. I found myself rooting for each of the characters and anxiously turning the pages to find out what happened to each of them.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This is such a good book. The story alternates between 3 different point of views. Sam and Willow, who are sisters and their Aunt Gloria who raised them after their mother passed away. Sam is a video game designer who has been pushing people away for years. Willow is a struggling musician who adores her big sister despite the way Sam treats her. Gloria is their Mother's sister who stepped in to raise the girls when their rock star mother overdosed. You are equally invested in each character and I loved all their story lines. I would recommend this book wholeheartedly.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Seeing Barbara O’Neal’s name listed as the author of this book, I knew that I was in for a compelling read, and compelling it was. Write My Name Across the Sky is written from the alternating perspectives of the 3 main characters, which gives readers the chance to understand Sam, Willow, and their aunt Gloria, very well, and offers a much more nuanced storytelling experience.

This book is heartfelt and suspenseful. The relationships in this book are easy to identify with thanks to O’ Neal’s ability to fully flesh out each character, and will keep you rooting for this family to the end. The storyline offers an intriguing plot, set in present day New York City, but centering on crime that took place several decades prior.

If you haven’t read any of Barbara O’ Neal’s work yet, start here, start now, and thank me (and her) later.

Thank you, Barbara O’ Neal, Net Galley, and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to receive an ARC of this book in exchange for my thoughts and honest review.

I was so caught up in this book that I read the entire thing in a day!
It has family, dysfunction, love, anger and some big time suspense!
Gloria Rose is in her seventies, living and loving her life in New York.
She has a had quite an interesting existence as a single airline stewardess, aunt and part-time surrogate mom for her two nieces while traveling world-wide and meeting all sorts of famous people.
However, she is about to hear from the FBI who are looking for her in regard to a serious crime that has been committed by someone Gloria has known!
Can the detectives really make her live the rest of her days in prison? Did she truly have a part in this offense?
Stay tuned and set time to read this incredible story!

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the eARC.
What a wonderful book this is, I loved it so much.
Gloria, a 70-something influencer with thousands of followers, is content with her life. She loves the apartment she lives in with her two sweet cats and still meets up regularly with her friends who, like her, are ex-stewardesses. She loves New York and life is good.
Her musician niece Willow arrives from LA, having been kicked out by her partner, as well as having a failed album. Her other niece, Sam, is on the verge of losing her video game company. The two sisters have a difficult relationship, especially after their mother, a successful recording star died of an overdose.
To top it all, Gloria finds out her ex-lover has been arrested for art theft and danger looms. Will she go to jail as an accessory?
The three women, their relationship, the way they each overcome their tribulations, the way they eventually are there for each other; it makes for a beautiful story that will make you forget the world around you. Fantastic, highly recommended!

I was lucky enough to receive this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Barbara O’Neale is one of my favorite authors and in reading this book, I am reminded of why. She has such a grasp on family dynamics and is able to write about family discord in such a way that the reader is rooting for all the characters. Some family members may be more like able than others, but they are all so real that you want everything to end well. I very much enjoyed this book.

One thing I can say for the author Barbara O'Neal is that she can really write. This book tells the story of two sisters and their relationships with each other, their mother and their aunt, who raised them. Set in New York, I felt like I was in New York. I could relate to each sister and I was on one side when reading her story. Then I understood the other sister when reading her story. And i loved the aunt and her story!!

I want to thank the author, the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC which did not impact my review.

Write My Name Across the Sky by Barbara O'Neal

What an emotional, intriguing book. An almost perfect blend of drama, angst, heartbreak and ultimately a very satisfying end.

This story takes place in New York City. The main characters are Gloria, a 70 year old social media influencer and her two nieces, Samantha (Sam) a video game builder and Willow, a musician.

The story starts when Gloria finds out that an old lover has been arrested for art theft and forgery. Gloria decides she must flee as she was involved in some of the crimes many years ago.

Gloria’s niece, Willow, comes back to stay indefinitely, after a failed music album and a devastating breakup with her music producer boyfriend, and Sam, Willow’s sister, has become troubled because of her failing video game business, and has lost her best friend. Gloria is conflicted about caring for her nieces and her need to flee.

These three women have to navigate their pasts, present and future and together they will have to deal with their relationships with each other and their old friends and lovers.

This booked hooked me from the very beginning to the very last page. I liked that each of the main characters told their story from their POV, which seemed to move the story along quickly, while giving needed insights into each characters motivations.

The writing is wonderful, and the emotional ride the author took us on was thrilling.

I heartily recommend this book. Five enthusiastic stars!

This review is based on NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.

I recently read the author’s story “When we believed in Mermaids” and was totally absorbed. This new book of Barbara O’Neal’s had echoes of the earlier book in the themes and also the way I totally couldn’t put it down! Such a beautiful story of two sisters, Samantha a game designer and Willow, the younger sister a violinist. Both are haunted in different ways by the legacy of their late mother, a rock star musician who died from a heroine overdose when the girls were young. They were brought up by their aunt Gloria, a former air hostess. The story is set in New York and the apartment that their mother Billie bought at the height of her success. One thing I love about this story is that apartment feels like a character in the story, holding Gloria and the sisters after Billie is no longer around. The story captures a point in time where things are really difficult for all three of the characters, but they are forced to rely on each other and deal with past emotional barriers. I loved this story! 📚📖 👍

Art, creativity, and three strong women. Beautiful writing as only Barbara O'Neal can do it. I loved this book so much I'd give it 100 Gold stars if I could.