It's definitely one of the books that make you think deeply about your stand on some matters.
Teen pregnancy, especially one resulting from a one-night stand, is such a complex topic.
Sissie's situation was also hard due to the fact that the guy was an adult. I thought her parents should've pressed charges because although Sissie consented, which her friend was sure wasn't the case, the guy still slept with a minor.
The father just wanted to handle everything quietly, at some point I questioned whether his priority was his daughter or the family's reputation.
Which takes me to the next point; why did they stay married after the baby was born?
I get the need to make sure the baby was born to a married couple, however, the parents weren't compatible in any sense.
The best scenario was them divorcing few months after the birth and sharing custody, with parents from both sides helping.
I didn't understand the weird likeness the father had for Caleb. The guy was a literal red flag, and it didn't make sense how the father was cleaning up after him basically the whole time.
It doesn't matter how you think about it, Sissie's parents made a lot of mistakes that, sadly, only Sissie had to pay for.
After the time jump, the storyline started to go stagnant.
Even though Sissie got older and her daughter was on the cusp of adulthood, it still felt like her personality was only a reaction to what was happening around her.
She wasn't a pushover or malleable, I just thought she wasn't able to put herself first in any situation, like, at all.
She was a side character in her own story, which is the reason I hated the love interest arc. She had a man who showed his love and devotion and she kept rejecting him just because she could.
Her response to him was more of a way to prove to herself that she was in control.
It made the story arc kind of redundant, it was just there to say that Sissie was still attractive and able to have a new relationship, which should've gone without saying in my opinion.
.
As much problems the book had with pacing and character development, the writing was so easy to lose yourself in. It made a book that could've taken me days to finish super fast to go through.
I would recommend it to other people, it's just wasn't my cup of tea.
*I received an ARC of this book through netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

This was a captivating coming of age story that shows the power of commitment and perseverance will prevail. What started out as teenage misfortune, slowly turned into a story about love and self discovery. I enjoyed reading about Sissie and her family work through some tough life circumstances that many could relate to. I would recommend this book to fans of Mercury.

Thanks to Netgalley for the early copy of this in exchange for a review.

This was a highly dramatic story and felt like a lifetime movie. After awhile it just seemed totally ridiculous though and I had a hard time wanting to keep reading it. Don’t want to spoil anything but I had a hard time with this one.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: November 9, 2021
When Priscilla (Sissie) Klein was sixteen, her life changed forever when she found out she was a pregnant. Pressured by her parents to marry, Sissie and her one-night stand, Caleb, did their best to raise their daughter, Meg, together as a married couple. As Meg grew, Sissie and Caleb faced martial hurdles that drove them to the edge, but as they faced divorce, both adults decided to stay together for their daughter. After a tragic accident takes Caleb’s life, Sissie is left with more than her grief when she discovers all the lies and secrets Caleb left behind.
Kris Clink’s novel, “Sissie Klein is Completely Normal” is a heartwarming story about a young woman who faces every hardship imaginable, but continues to persevere for the love of her daughter. Characters from Clink’s previous novel in this series, “Goodbye Lark Lovejoy”, make an appearance in “Sissie Klein”, but I found it completely unnecessary to read “Lovejoy” before reading “Klein”, as the latter works well as a stand-alone.
Sissie is a character who has every life decision growing up made for her, either by her domineering parents or her take-charge best friend, Della, and when she finally gets the chance to take charge of her own life, I was cheering from the stands. Sissie is such a relatable character, who manages to take her challenges in life and turn them upside down. Not only is it an emotional tale of a mother’s love for her daughter, but it is also a prolific and inspiring tale that encourages its reader to take life by the horns, and to stand up for what you believe in (even if it means hurting those you love).
There are a few odd word choices in the plot (perhaps attributed to the Southern backdrop of both the writer and her story- such as the use of the word “jammies” when talking about a grown woman’s pajamas) but the plot is easy to read. With good flow and strong characters that all come together for a charmingly happy ending, “Sissie Klein” is a moving modern-day romance novel that fans of “Bridget Jones” will love.
There is a message in “Sissie Klein” that will resonate with each and every reader, and the romantic and heart-wrenching plot will make the ride enjoyable.

The writing in this was decent, but I didn't enjoy this book. The first 35% of it could have been dealt with in flashbacks rather than presented as a monologue of the first 16 years of marriage after a shotgun wedding, and the remainder was stuffed with too many characters and loss and sickness to try to keep the story afloat.
I do appreciate that Clink addressed the emotional aspect of not blaming children for the choices of their parents and how difficult it can be, and she did it quite well.

I will start by saying I did not read the first book. However, I did really fall in love with this. The author made me so invested in the characters I found myself very attached to them. I loved the flow of the book and the unexpected aspects. I am going to go back and read book one and I feel I will love this even more.

The story
One bad decision when Sissie is 16 changes her life path forever. One night out of town with her friend Della leads to teen pregnancy and marriage at 16 to Caleb. They stay together although when their daughter Meg is a teen times become difficult.

My thoughts
This story had me feeling WOW WOW WOW. Just when I thought I was at the end of the story I realised I was only a third of the way through and a huge curveball was thrown out. The second part of this incredible story was just as beautiful as Sissie’s kind and loving heart and nature. I just loved how her heart expanded to adapt to the changes thrown at her throughout her lifetime. One of her special characteristics was being in a terrible position but accepting what she couldn’t change and embracing it. It’s one life skill that I appreciate as being something that no one can take away from you. I just loved this story and the characters so so much. This book was a “read now” on NetGalley and I am so pleased to have discovered Kris Clink’s writing.

PS thinking about this story later and the aspects where Sissie’s therapist suggests she has a safe word. Where she knows that that at any moment, Caleb’s mood may turn. I grew up in a house like that. Surprised I missed this obvious aspect at first. Isn’t that just the thing about great stories how aspects come to you later?

I read this book in a day while home with four kids. That’s how great it is!

Sissie is far from normal. Totally lovable, though. I cried for her and kept waiting for things to turn around for her.

She had some pretty unlikeable people in her life but that happens when you’re young and have big life obstacles appear.

I feel like I can’t write too much without giving away things but I loved this book and needed it.

This was such a good book! The characters stay with you long after you finish the book and I loved all the twists and turns. My first time to read a book by this author but I cannot wait to read more!

I found this book both compelling and frustrating, an exact mirror of how I view the main character, Sissie Klein. I've struggled to pinpoint exactly what caused those feelings of frustration, and I think it might have been the frequent representations of Sissie's thoughts; to me, reading the straight narrative would have been much more rewarding. This might be exactly the author's aim, though, to portray a complex character whilst allowing the reader to feel complex and contrasting emotions for her. My favourite character in the book was Lark Lovejoy, so I was delighted to discover that the first book in the series is her story. I look forward to reading it.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and Net Galley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

SISSIE KLEIN IS COMPLETELY NORMAL has all the feels. The story goes where you don't expect and continues to surprise at every turn. When it feels like the story is wrapping up in a nice happily-ever-after bow, you realize there's still half a book left. I couldn't imagine how the story would continue and bam! I read it in two sittings because I just needed to know what was going to happen next. There is some beautiful writing and it's a very easy read.

I LOVE the title. Once you read the book you'll appreciate it also.

Let's talk about the character of Sissie Klein. We tag along with her through her journey, rooting for her the whole time. We get a very good view into her internal state and as she narrates you find yourself feeling each emotion with her. There were times I felt angry with her and others when I wanted to pat her on the back. As a mother myself, this character really resonated with me. Her situation is so complex and the way she manages each conflict as it arises really helped me to see her to her core. I just had to read to the end to find out how she changes, the mark of an excellent book of Women's Fiction.

If I had one character that I wished was more fleshed out, it was Meg. I realize how hard it is to write the other characters in a story from a first-person perspective, but I wanted to know more about her and her life. There was a boy that kept getting mentioned, but I never found out why he mattered to her. Overall, though, the character arc for Meg had me rooting for her, too. The story was just so good, that this was a minor issue and is just my perspective. It doesn't take anything away from the book.

I did not read the first book in this series, so I cannot say how it fits into the larger story arc. But I will say I didn't feel like I needed to have read it, as this book stands alone just fine. Kris Clink is a fantastic author with a very creative way of weaving a story together. A very enjoyable read!