Loved reading about the dynamics of sisterhood & motherhood through the eyes of Sam, Willow and Gloria. Each of them with different views of their famous mother and sister, Billie, and in dealing with her loss. Willow and Sam are each uber talented in their own right, but unnecessarily jealous of their sister's success. It is an entertaining and heartwarming story to watch them learn to accept and understand each other through the love that was always there. Gloria, their aunt, is a force to be reckoned with. The telling of her past adventures and love story is a highlight of the book. I definitely recommend!

A Moving and Lyrical Tale

Have you ever read a book and then when you go to sleep you carry on with the characters in your dreams? Such books make an emotional impression and that is the case with Barbara O’Neal’s latest novel “Write My Name Across the Sky.” This beautifully written novel has so many layers of love, intrigue, identity, and family ties. The characters are so realistic in their flaws and strengths that you can’t help but to become emotionally invested with the outcome. This novel is a beautiful homage to family. The bond of sisters is realistically portrayed in its times of love and angst; that the one who knows and loves you most can also wound the deepest. Also, I love how being a mother is expressed beyond the traditional labels, that the act of mothering can take so many forms. As always, Barbara O’Neal’s exquisite and evocative writing weaves a beautiful tale full of sisters, mothers, the lonely and lost, passion, mystery, regret, forgiveness, artistry, and love. Don’t hesitate to read this lovely novel and immerse yourself in a tale that unfolds like a lyrical song of life that hits all of the right notes.

Write My Name Across the Sky by Barbara O'Neal provides the perfect balance of a dedicated family, quirky characters, unexpected romance, and personal growth. The book is told in alternating voices from three strong heroines brought back together at a time of much uncertainty.

Gloria Rose, is a 70 year old Instagram influencer and a former TWA flight attendant. She has a full life surrounded by beautiful artwork, an apartment on the Upper West Side in NYC, many former flight attendant friends, and memories of past loves. She stepped in to raise her nieces after the death of her rockstar sister. She is under investigation for past behavior and suspected in an international art forgery ring. Willow is a talented musician who just had a failed album and a failed relationship. Willow is a nurturer who has an uncanny ability to find joy in whatever life throws at her. Sam is a genius video game designer who is struggling with relationships and her career. She creates obstacles with her strong personality that push others away.

All three women are at a crisis point and O’Neal masterfully weaves a story true to their strengths and challenges. Her talent is as always clear in creating true to life characters that we can find a little piece of ourselves in. While we all may think we would never be life the prickly Sam, I think we can all be guilty of this at some point. However, the dynamics of their relationships will keep you thinking about these characters long after you close this book.

Write My Name Across the Sky hit all my must haves by engaging the reader, tugging at my heartstrings, and keeping me guessing on how these three strong women could find a way out of their looming problems. Only when they were willing to work together did they find a way to move forward. It truly was a delight of all my senses!

I was provided a free advance reader copy from Lake Union Publishing in exchange for my honest review on Net Galley.

I have enjoyed many of this author’s previous works that have focused on baking and food service. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed in her latest offering.

Willow and Samantha are half-sisters who lost their famous singer/composer mother to a heroin overdose. Raised by their great aunt Gloria, they are now, as adults, each struggling with issues of romantic relationships, careers and their self-worth. It is clear that the long shadow cast by their mother’s premature death has impacted their lives despite having been well-loved and cared for by their aunt. To complicate matters even more, some questionable activities from Gloria’s past have been resurrected with possible serious legal consequences.

The story is told from the perspectives of each of the three main characters in alternating chapters. I struggled to engage with each of them, although it was much easier to relate to Willow. Samantha’s prickly personality, while understandable, made it difficult to embrace her and her long-standing jealousy of Willow poisoned all her relationships. I also didn’t feel invested in Gloria’s thread. Besides the character development issues, the uneven pacing of the storyline made it challenging to read.

What I enjoyed most about the book were the descriptions of the creative processes as Willow created music and Samantha developed a new idea for a video game. In particular, I was drawn into Willow’s synergistic relationship with Josiah, a college professor/poet/musician, as they collaborated on a new song.

My thanks to the author, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing a digital ARC in exchange for an independent, honest review.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

This book is a lovely read - a thought-provoking meditation on the different ways women navigate ambition and love. WRITE MY NAME ACROSS THE SKY is the story of two generations of sisters (with flashbacks to a third). Each sister has considerable talent and a unique sense of what they want from their lives and from the world. I ADORED these characters and was happy to see them remain true to who they were even as they faced growing tensions in the area they were less gifted in: relationships. This is a story of deep family losses and betrayals, and a spot-on depiction of the heartbreak when a sibling turns their back on you. Each of these characters wrestles with the false belief that they are alone in the world, and I really admired how the author built each character arc to satisfying (but not sugar coated) conclusions. A wonderful read I’d recommend highly for anyone who loves family sagas, music (two of the characters are musicians), and/or glimpses of happily ever after.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I had just finished Barbara O’Neal’s “When We Believed in Mermaids” when I saw a chance to read and review her newest novel. Ms. O’Neal is a master at creating lovable (yet realistic) characters and putting them in glorious settings.

“Write My Name Across the Sky” focuses on two sisters, Samantha (“Sam”),who is a game designer ,and Willow, the younger sister, a violinist. The sisters were raised by their aunt, Gloria, a former TWA flight attendant. Their mother, Billie, a musician, died of a drug overdose when the sisters were still children. Sam is struggling with her first love (her gaming business) as it loses its footing at the same time a romantic interlude with her childhood best friend (and former business partner) leaves her wondering why she closed herself off from what could come next. Meanwhile, Willow returns to New York City from Los Angeles after her first album flopped. Gloria welcomes Willow’s return to the beautiful New York apartment she raised the girls in just as she fears she may have to flee the country because of choices she made with her former lover when she was her nieces’ age.

Told in the alternate point-of-view of these three strong women, I found that this novel has a wonderful heart. What especially appealed to me was the novel’s focus on women supporting other women and sisterhood. Billie and Gloria pursed their dreams, but at some costs, just as Sam and Willow are doing now. Sam and Willow’s relationship is tenuous as best, but also highly realistic. You don’t care as much as whether Sam and Willow will find love as you hope the two women will forge a stronger bond. I know nothing about gaming, art forgery or composing music, but the way the author wrote about these things through her characters’ perspectives made me a fast learner. I had a hard time letting go of these characters (and that apartment) at the novel’s sweet ending. Four and a half stars.

My thanks to Barbara O’Neal, the publisher and Net Galley for a chance to read and review this novel.

Just a wonderful book. A story about family and how the past influences the people we become. Write My Name Across the Sky is the story of two generations of women, a family who has whethered a tumultuous past and is facing a present day crisis. Barbara O'Neal has written another story with rich characters and an interesting story line.

Barbara O’Neal writes beautifully, her characters are well developed and story lines intertwine seamlessly. I lose track of time when I read her books and Write My Name Across the Sky is no different. This is a story about family, the bonds of sisterhood and ultimately how three independent women are stronger together than apart. Willow, the younger sister is a truly talented musician, pixie-like and so eager to win her sister’s love. Her music is her world, much to her undoing at times but she also loves to nurture and take care of others. Sam, the older sister who is statuesque and has a beautifully gifted brain. A developer of video games, she has brains but feels ugly, odd and is full of resentment toward everyone especially Willow. Gloria, the auntie who swooped in and took care of the girls when their mother, a beautifully talented but unavailable musician died. Gloria has lived a glamorous life as a TWA flight attendant, traveling to exotic locales, having adventures, romantic flings and all that life entails. Now settled in NYC, she is still glamorous and an influencer. However, one past adventure is coming back to haunt not only her but others as well. This story will draw you in, you will feel Willow’s hurt and uncertainty, Sam’s anger and inability to ask for help, Gloria’s fear and protectiveness of her nieces; and how ultimately the resolve of each woman to determine their own path while staying together as a family. Pull up a comfy seat, you’re going be a while!

This is a sister story about misconceptions about each other and how jealousy makes us say the wrong things to each other when we really just want to be loving sisters. I loved Willow and how she saw color while she played and how she loved to play to the plants knowing they loved it. I loved the aunt Gloria and her former adventurous life, I wish she still had a hand in transporting art. Her life reminded my of the movie,"To Catch a Thief." Finally, I understand Samantha's acerbic nature because I recognize it in myself for the same reason, but she kept pushing away people especially the one person she loved but couldn't help keeping him at arms length until it was almost to late. With all that was going on I thought there might be a sequel but there isn't and although everything ended up great the ending wasn't as strong as the story.

I want to Thank Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this advance copy of this novel

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!

When I requested this book from Netgalley, I was not expecting to fall in love with it as much as I have. Barbara O'Neal has crafted such a beautiful, interesting story that I needed to read right now. I will definitely be picking up some of her other reads soon!

This story features three strong, independent women at different stages in their lives who are facing very different issues. Their circumstances reunite the three women and force them to reconcile with their shared past traumas. I loved reading about Gloria, the enigmatic, 70-something year-old social media influencer with a past in illegal art trading and the kind of love story that makes you believe in love again. She is truly an icon. We can't sleep on her two nieces though--Willow, a singer/songwriter searching for her breakout album, and Sam, a genius video game developer who started her own company with her best friend in high school who is smashing through the glass ceiling.

Every woman needs to read this, I have no words.

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the e-ARC.

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.

Thank you to Barbara O’Neal, Lake Union Publishing, and Net Galley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received this book "Write My Name Across the Sky" from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own. I thought this book was okay. The characters were good but I didn't feel the story connected. There was just too much going on. It would have been better with just one or two story lines. It really was too much to take in. The end was wrapped up too nicely. Nothing exciting really.

Write My Name Across the Sky by Barbara O'Neal - I did not enjoy this book and admittedly skipped most of the last half. Independently the characters were somewhat interesting.  Together they just didn't connect. Thank you Net Galley for the chance to read this book.

Write My Name Across the Sky was a quickly became a page turner. Set in NYC, this book covers a story from three different point of views. Gloria, is a retired TWA flight attendant, bold, charismatic, and an Instagram influencer in her 70s. Willow is her wispy niece, that was born with a deep rooted love and need for music. After her life in LA didn't pan out, she's moving back to her childhood home with nothing but a bag of possessions and big decisions about what to do with her life. Sam is her older half-sister, who after finding early success in the digital game making arena, has a company that's on the verge of collapse and friendships that are already there. These three stories become increasingly more complicated as an international art forger is caught in Europe with ties to Gloria, an unexpected sickness strikes, and strained relationships are put under even more pressure. Overall, great characters and a story that pulls the reader in.

It took me a little while to find flow with the different narratives. At first I'd find myself jarred at the end of a chapter, not ready to change to a different point of view. However, the story pulled me in quickly. When I had to set it down I found myself waiting in anticipation to when I could sit and read more. I truly enjoyed!

Thank you to NetGalley, Barbara O'Neal, and Lake Union Publishing for an advanced copy of Write My Name Across the Sky in exchange for an honest review.

Write My a name Across the Sky by Barbara O’Neal was so enjoyable! The characters are quirky with struggles and I liked them all. The two half sisters are relatable. The ending could not have been any better as well. This makes for a great beach read. And I highly recommend it. Thank you NetGalley for my ARC,

With grateful thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest opinion.
First time reading this author a a totally fantastic book I very much enjoyed and can highly recommend

When I saw that Barbara O’Neal had a new book coming out, I immediately requested to read it. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down. Her characters are engrossing and so real.

The book is about 2 sisters, Sam (Samantha) and Willow and their aunt, who for the most part raised them, Gloria. The story takes place with alternating points of view and each of these interesting women tell their side of their story. Willow is a musician who has come home to Manhattan, to the apartment where her aunt lives. The apartment belongs to the two sisters and was a legacy that was left to them by their famous mother. Willow’s passion is her music and that passion is reignited when fellow musician and professor Josiah walks into her life. Sam is prickly, can sometimes be mean but with a good heart underneath it all. She seems to drive away the people she cares about most with her sharp tongue. Her video gaming business is in trouble. If she could only get an original idea out there. When her life-long friend Asher was her partner, everything went smoothly but since he’s not speaking to her and left the business, Sam just can’t create the magic that she once could with Asher by her side. Gloria is the 74 year old aunt. She’s a former flight attendant that has travelled extensively. She’s glamorous and worldly but in a little bit of trouble as the FBI seems to be looking into a forgery and stolen paintings case that her former lover was the mastermind behind. Gloria had a bit of hand in moving the paintings. The story takes place over the course of a few days as everything comes together to give us a great pace and keep us wondering what will become of Sam, Willow but especially Gloria.

This was really such an enjoyable book with likable characters (mostly), I came around to one of them after a little while and I’m sure this was the aim all along. I shed a tear or two as well which always means that I’ve been touched by the words written and the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for allowing me to read this great story in advance for my honest review.

A tale of family while in different stages of their lives they need each other more than ever. Just when you think you’re all alone, you aren’t.

This tale of two sisters and their aunt lives up to Barbara O'Neal's name and talent. A great book which leads the reader to buy into and love the characters. A well-developed tale of relationships, drama, and love, it definitely leaves you wanting more. I thought that there could have been more to the ending, it seemed a bit abrupt. Regardless, a wonderful book for O'Neal fans and others! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC.