This was a good book. It was not my favorite but I enjoyed reading it nonetheless. Not typically what I read, but it was an emotional book that had me feeling a whole bunch of things. It highlights trauma, abuse and weight issues and it was a rollercoaster of emotions. I received this as an ARC in exchange for an honest review

The Sisters We Were by Wendy Willis Baldwin is the story of two sisters Ruby and Pearl. Mostly about Pearl and how she overcomes weighing 531 pounds. Pear and her sister are not as close as they once were, and Pearl would love to be in a better relationship.

The reader learns about the early life of Ruby and Pearl. Their upbringing, the tragic loss of their father, their mother's remarriage to a man who was not what they thought he was. Pearl has always had a weight problem, but it seemed to get worse after her father died. She has felt guilt about this as it happened on the day that she did not want to ride her bike to school, and her father was supposed to pick her up. He died in a car accident on his way to the school.

Pearl works at a care home of which she loves, she adores the residents and has a great relationship with her boss. One day she has had enough with her weight but can't seem to control the binges. She decides to sign up for bariatric surgery. It is rigorous and she doesn't know if she can go through with it. She figures it has to be better than what she has now. A body that keeps her from doing things she used to enjoy.

Ruby on the other hand, seems pretty well put together, but looks can be deceiving. One day she loses it in the park she runs in when a man, who lets his dog do his duty and doesn't clean it up gets what is coming to him from Ruby. Of course, with social media being what it is, it was bound to happen that someone recorded it and put it all over social media.

When Pearl schedules her surgery, she asks her sister if she could come help her with the pre surgery stuff and in the recovery process. Ruby reluctantly agrees but it turns out to be the best thing that she could do. I have to mention that their mother, is in prison for killing her second husband. The reason explains Pearl's eating disorder and weight gain.

I have always had a weight problem, until recently, and I could sympathize with Pearl and so wanted her weight loss to be a success and that she and her sister could have the relationship that they so deserve. I loved the story and hoped that it would have a happy ending.

The reader learns that abuse and trauma can really affect a person. Getting over those abuses takes time, patience and the right support system. Pearl was able finally to take back her body and learn to get over her past abuse. Ruby also was able to grow as a person as she helped Pearl on her journey.

This book touched me in so many ways, it is a great women's fiction novel and should be read, it is a must! I loved it and gave it 5 stars!

I received the book for review purposes only.

Sister-sister relationships are a unique and special bond.

Pearl and Ruby's relationship isn't quite ideal. They haven't spoken much since Ruby left for college and a career while Pearl is stuck in a rut in their childhood home.

This was a hard book to read at times because some of the themes were so close to my heart. I think the author did a good job juggling issues like body image and weight, but I think readers who find this topic triggering should be forewarned that it does play a big role here.

I appreciated that this book didn't try to create the idea that the sisters could magically solve everything on their own. Instead, we see them rely on friends and support groups and that felt more realistic. Despite some heavy themes, this didn't leave me with a heavy feeling .

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to review this book ahead of publication. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Pearl Crenshaw has been heavy since she was a child. As the book opens, she’s in her late 20’s and weighs 531 pounds. Her mother, Birdie, is in prison, and she’s estranged from her older sister, Ruby. Thank goodness she has a great best friend, and a job she loves and where she’s appreciated.
The book is really about Pearl and her struggles, but in chapters alternating between their childhood and 2017, we learn some more about the sisters and the evolution of their relationship, with a focus on when they were younger. I would have liked to learn more about Ruby (as an adult) and Birdie, as well as Pearl’s struggles after surgery and that might have added to the depth of the book.
The Sisters We Were is a debut novel and inspired by the author’s sister’s weight struggle, as well as the difficult childhood they both endured. The story was interesting, with an ending that was predictable, but overall a 3.5 star read.

Being sisters is unique. You are each other's first cheerleaders but also your touquest critic. Pearl and Ruby are a bit estranged. They haven't spoken much since Ruby left years ago off to college and off to start her career. Pearl stayed back, in their old childhood home, after their mother was arrested. She's a bit stuck - in a work rut, a house rut, a life rut. She'd like to change things but she just can't see a way to.

Body weight and image is a tough thing to tackle in a book. It takes a lot of time and effort, compassion and sensitivity to handle it with all the respect it deserves. I think the author did a good job. Pearl's struggles were well told but not wallowed it. I also thought Ruby's personality was well done and showed the opposite side of her over-structured and control-driven life.

And even though their are family struggles and secrets, I think this read wasn't too heavy. I appreciated the growth in the characters but also the work it took to get there. I liked the addition of support groups, friends, and the leaning on each other that helped everyone through the steps.

Once I started, I felt very wrapped up in the story. I loved the fixer-upper shows and the little things that brought each girl happiness. And I loved the lipstick tip that kept coming up, it was so cute. Very interesting read that I enjoyed!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

THE SISTER’S WE WERE
Wendy Willis Baldwin
Women’s Fiction

After all the secrets from the past come rushing back following Pearl‘s very hard surgery to help her extreme obesity, Ruby comes home to help with her after care. The sisters are drawn back together in a unique way and begin to form the bond’s of sisterhood again.

This book is full of triumphs and sorrows. Including the sister’s shared bond of having been sexually abused by their stepfather. After years of being estranged these sisters find a way to form a relationship once again. I give this book a solid 5 out of 5 stars.

To those of us that have struggled with weight issues their whole lives, I was curious when I first saw this title. For someone who has never been obese, it is very hard to imagine exactly how much impact weight has on one's daily life. The story focuses on one woman's life before and after her weight loss surgery, but it's more about her daily interactions with the people around her, those who judge her and those who support her. It is an excellent story, written in a manner to share with us her story and the many processes and procedures she had to work through to feel comfortable in her own skin.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐖𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐫𝐞
𝐁𝐲 𝐖𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐲 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐧
𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝟏.𝟏𝟕.𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑



Pearl is extremely overweight (531 lbs), and this story centers on her weight and her personal journey. Of course, what had happened and is happening in her life plays a significant role in her journey, including her estranged relationship with her sister Ruby.

The lovely writing allowed me to easily connect to Pearl, yet I had a harder time seeing things from Ruby's perspective.

It was hard seeing how her sister Ruby had distanced herself from Pearl for years, especially when their mother was in prison, and their father had died years ago. Yet, when Pearl decided to have surgery, there was no one else to turn to for support but Ruby. The bond of sisterhood would be tried and tested.

As I said, much of the story is about Pearl’s personal struggle with weight, and her journey of self-discovery, forgiveness, and healing. We get flashbacks of cringy, heartbreaking moments from when she was younger, but still much heavier than her slim, athletic sister. Through it all, there are secrets hinted at by Pearl’s mother, as well as by Pearl herself. You can’t help but wonder why their mother is sitting in prison and why Pearl is so different from Ruby.


The book's overall tone is kept light for the seriousness of the secrets revealed, and even the health issues Pearl’s weight presented.
And in the end, it works! Pearl is a warm, vulnerable, and brave character that I enjoyed getting to know.


Thank you @bookmarked for this gifted ebook.

This book is a celebration of sisterhood. The good, the bad, the awful, and the triumphant. It also shows that even though we may share the same blood, be raised under the same roof; we are still unique individuals and our experiences are ours alone. How we handle what life throws at us can differ greatly as well, and our feelings and struggles are all valid.

As a woman who has struggled with weight since puberty, I found that I very much related to the protagonist, Pearl. The story begins with her weighing in at 531 pounds and realizing she needs to make some big changes if she wants to live much longer. She is so very sweet and your heart breaks as you read her thoughts, feelings, and struggles.

Her sister, Ruby, is the opposite in many ways; extremely fit, fashionable and enjoying great success in her career. Where her sister Pearl has been eating her feelings, Ruby has been running from them. Literally and figuratively. And worst of all, where she was once loving and supportive of Pearl when they were kids, she is now judgmental and often cruel.

I really appreciated the in depth look this book offered into obesity. The author really made it a point to bring awareness about the true struggle people experience with it and that it isn’t a matter of them being lazy. She really shone a light on the mental health aspect of the disease and how debilitating it can be. I appreciated both the compassionate way she addressed obesity overall and the message of encouragement to overcome it or any struggle we may be facing.

Growing up, Ruby, always encouraged her younger sister, Pearl, to believe in herself. When Ruby left for college on an athletic scholarship, Pearl stayed home and the once close sisters began to grow apart. Now on her own, Pearl holds onto the past living in her childhood home. She has a good job but has no social life. She lacks self respect and has fallen into a pattern of unhealthy habits. As she approaches her 30th birhtday, Pearl sees herself as a fixer upper, coined after her favorite show. Her starting point follows a visit to a weight loss clinic when she finds out how much she weighs. With a plan in motion, Pearl discovers things about herself, her family and the world around her. Ruby, down on her luck, reluctantly resumes her role of the protective big sister and learns some things about herself. This heartfelt story gave me many laughs and a few tears reading about family ties and reinventing yourself.

This is one of those books that I will be thinking about for a long time to come.  It moved me on such a deep level, and I’m not sure I have the words to express how powerful and inspiring this story truly is.  But let’s give it a try…
 
The characters.  This novel is an absolute master class in writing characters that are relatable and come to life for the reader.  Ruby and Pearl and especially supporting character Perry are all so incredible, and I will never forget any of them. P.S.  Can Perry please be my best friend in real life? I need a Perry. We all need a Perry. 
 
The themes.  There are so many layers to this story including family, sisterhood, found family and more – but the portrayal of humanity of a morbidly obese woman trying to exist in the world brought me to my knees.  I cried.  I laughed.  I learned.  I grew. 
 
The pace.  I couldn’t put it down.  I flew through it. 
 
The authenticity.  We learn in the author’s note that the story is based on the real life journey of the author’s sister.  I’m going to be honest here.  As a person who has struggled with my own weight, I wasn’t sure a thin sister was really going to be able to pull this off.  I COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG.  Please hear me, the genuine empathy and depth of understanding from the author truly astounded me.  Further, when I read the letter from the author’s sister at the end, it sealed the deal. 
 
Friends, you just have to read this one.  You just do.   I really think this would make the perfect selection for a book club or buddy read as well.  There is so much to discuss and unpack here. 
 
My thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark @bookmarked and @netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book before its publication date.

The sisters in the book are Pearl and Ruby. When I first read the description, I assumed Pearl’s weight was just a part of the setting, but it really is the main driver of the whole book. Pearl struggles at first to commit to bariatric surgery, but she knows she has to do something before she gets any bigger than her 531 pounds. She is obsessed with Chip & Joanna Gaines, and tries to view herself as a “fixer-upper” project.

She and Ruby don’t really talk anymore, and their mom is in jail. So reaching out to Ruby to ask her to come and help during her recovery is another hurdle Pearl has to jump to make this surgery possible. That’s on top of the cost, the idea of not bingeing Taco Bell anymore, and of course… seeing herself as “worth” all the work and money this transformation will need from her.

The book includes some notes from both the author and her sister, who really did weigh in at 531 lbs at one point. In the author’s notes, she mentions that other publishers turned down this story because they found a protagonist that size “distasteful.” Obviously, this is just plain sad. For starters, I’m sure some people that size are readers, and would love to see themselves represented! But also…

The first half of the book is pre-surgery, so the struggles to make the decision and go through with it are really as much of the book as the actual weight loss. And I think that’s what makes it universal. As much as it does deal with transformation, it also deals with finding the motivation to take those first steps. And isn’t that something most of us struggle with?

The book also delves into the reasons these sisters are dealing with the struggles they’re dealing with. Content Warning: one of these that is not revealed until very late in the story has to do with sexual molestation.

This is the debut novel from Wendy Willis Baldwin, and a topic that I have not previously read a lot about. This look at obesity – and a real human suffering its effects – was at times poignant, funny, triumphant, and informative (for someone who hasn’t gone through such a surgery).

Ruby and Pearl grew up in Austin, Texas with their parents Birdie and Teddy. Sadly their father dies in a car accident and it shapes them from then on. Pearl finds comfort in food and Ruby runs. In fact Ruby graduates from collage as a runner and thief mother, well Birdie’s in prison. Pearl hating her life decides to change and get gastric surgery. She hasn’t seen Ruby in over 12 years, but when Ruby losses her job and heads home, the sister reconnect.

This story has depth. It has humor and sadness and the general story of how we grow apart but are still family. The characters really made this story for me.

EXCERPT: As she stands there looking at her reflection, Pearl can't help but contrast. It's always been this way, the star's polarity between Ruby and Pearl Crenshaw - twin sisters raised in the same nest, their mother, Birdie, now caged in the middle. Go figure, Pearl thinks, hating what she's become, hating the way her fatness is the first thing she sees in the mirror. And she detests the way she takes up so much space as much as she deplores the space she still occupies. After all these years she is still in her childhood home.....like the hermit crab who refuses to leave his shell. Her bathroom, the Jack-and-Jill she once shared with Ruby is a nineties throwback complete with never-been-updated Hunter green and white striped wallpaper, the edges of which have long since started to peel away from the sheetrock as if the paper itself is tired of being here too.

ABOUT 'THE SISTERS WE WERE': Pearl and Ruby's choices drove them apart.

Finding their way back to each other might be the only way forward.

The weight of their family secrets could not have shaped Pearl and Ruby Crenshaw any differently. Ruby's a runner, living in Dallas and only reluctantly talking to their mother, Birdie, when she calls from prison. Pearl is still living in her mother's fixer-upper and finds herself facing a line in the sand: her weight is threatening to kill her. She's hundreds of pounds beyond the point where she can celebrate her curves or benefit from the body positivity movement, and unless she takes drastic action, the future looks dire.

But when Ruby's buried rage explodes in a hilariously viral way, the mistake has life-altering consequences. Now the sisters are back living under the same roof and forced to put the pieces of their separate lives together again. Funny, cinematic, and bursting with heart, this is a story of hope and redemption that celebrates the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood.

MY THOUGHTS: I love that Wendy Willis Baldwin has written a realistic book about the problem of morbid obesity.

Sisters, Ruby and Pearl couldn't be more different on the surface. Ruby is slim and successful and seems to cruise through life with no difficulty. Pearl is 531 lbs, still lives in her mother's home, lives on and for junk food, is addicted to home improvement shows and is a carer for the elderly.

But beneath the surface, both girls are damaged by their childhood, both concealing secrets from that period in their lives, just dealing with it in different ways. Ruby, although she would deny it, is embarrassed by Pearl: by her size; by her lifestyle; by her choices. While Pearl is obsessed with food, Ruby is with running. She not only runs, but has run away from her old life. She has cut her mother out of her life and rarely initiates contact with Pearl. When Pearl asks for Ruby's help, events conspire to give Ruby no option but to move home, the last place she ever wanted to be.

Each sister is flawed in her own way. Ruby is judgemental and can be harsh. Pearl is vulnerable and has no self esteem. And yet they still love one another, although the road to this realisation is a bumpy one.

I never realized, until I read the author's note at the end, that this story was inspired by the author's sister's battle with obesity.

As someone who also takes comfort in food, I expected to feel some sort of connection to Pearl, but it never happened. I'm not quite sure why. It seemed that once Pearl decided to take control of her life and weight, that was it. Aside from one last great binge, there was no backsliding. Having known a couple of people who have undergone this procedure, their experiences were vastly different to Pearl's. They still craved foods and found the transition to eating differently a lot more difficult than Pearl seemed to.

I loved watching the relationship between Pearl and Ruby heal. I loved the character of Perry, Pearl's best friend. And I loved that Pearl was such a caring and compassionate caregiver. I thought the romantic thread unnecessary.

I liked this book, but didn't love it. I could easily put it down and not give it another thought until I picked it up again. But if this helps even one person take back control over their eating, or motivates someone to undertake the same procedure, then it has done it's job.

⭐⭐⭐.5

#TheSistersWeWere #NetGalley

I: @awendyway @bookmarked

T: @WLBaldwin @Sourcebooks

#contemporaryfiction #familydrama #medicaldrama #mentalhealth #romance

THE AUTHOR: Author and freelance writer Wendy Willis Baldwin is a natural born storyteller. Her communications background includes broadcasting, marketing, talk radio, and sales. A native of Texas and a graduate of Texas Tech University, Wendy is a recent empty nester now living on a farm in New England, with one husband, three dogs, and thousands of honeybees.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Sisters We Were by Wendy Willis Baldwin for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage.

𝘗𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭, 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨!

You know I love stories about sisters and this one really touched me; there was so much emotion in it. Funny, heartwarming, gripping, difficult to read at times, but a beautiful story about sisterhood.

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for this gifted copy.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗪𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗿𝗲 by Writer Wendy Willis Baldwin released January 17, 2023.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

As kids, Ruby and Pearl were close. Sisters, two years apart, Ruby always had Pearl's back. In their pre-teen years they lost their father in an accident and Pearl blamed herself. Keeping this inside of herself for years, compiled with other secrets she was keeping, she became an emotional eater. Ruby left home for college as soon as she could to escape a step-father addicted to pain pills. By the time that Pearl weighs 531 pounds, she is no longer close to Ruby. Despite their emotional distance, Ruby is the only one that Pearl is able to call for help when she commits to bariatric surgery. Turns out the sisters need each other "now," just as they did "then." A good book on family and love with interesting details about bariatric surgery and people who need it to become healthy. I received a complimentary copy from Source Books Landmark and NetGalley. This review is my own honest opinion.

A beautiful written story about sisters, family drama and past traumas that can affect lives. Being the eldest sister I can grasp the content of this story. How protective we become of our siblings and try to shield them from drama. The author takes the reader on an emotional journey, so get for a good cry.

Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark, I received review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a beautiful story of struggle and sisterhood that I found refreshing in its tackling of mental health and obesity. I loved the two sisters as their journey through life brought them together.

This is a perfect book club or buddy read! I really enjoyed watching Pearl and Ruby transform into happier and healthier versions of themselves. Topics like obesity and mental health are uncomfortable at times, but need to be represented more! Very appreciative of the author's willingness to be vulnerable and share her story.

Thank you to @netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark (@bookmarked) for a digital ARC of The Sisters We Were by Wendy Willis Baldwin.

This debut novel tells the story of sisters Pearl and Ruby and their complicated relationship with each other, with their mother, and with their past. “Ruby's a runner, living in Dallas and only reluctantly talking to their mother, Birdie, when she calls from prison. Pearl is still living in her mother's fixer-upper and finds herself facing a line in the sand: her weight is threatening to kill her. But when Ruby's buried rage explodes in a hilariously viral way, the mistake has life-altering consequences. Now the sisters are back living under the same roof and forced to put the pieces of their separate lives together again.”

I read this book in under 24 hours–from page 1, I could not put it down. From the beautiful cover to the wonderful writing inside, this was such a lovely book. I felt like I was in the room with Pearl and Ruby as they unraveled the past and connected as sisters. The author’s note and author’s sister's note are must reads as well. While I loved the ending, I was sorry to say goodbye to Pearl and Ruby. 5 stars.