Thanks to publishers for THE SISTER EFFECT which comes out March 7th!

I'm a huge fan of Susan Mallery and I always look forward to her books, both the series and standalone. The Sister Effect is a standalone around two sisters and the choices we make. Finley has been raising her niece the last few years after Sloane, her sister went to jail and is now working on overcoming her addiction to alcohol. Sloane wants more of a relationship with her daughter but Finley is reluctant to trust her sister. When Finley meets Jericho he helps her see that family is important even when those you trust most betray you.

First, I saw a major plot point in Jericho's story on the author's social media and knew this book was going to have the usual Susan Mallery charm to it, plus it made me laugh! I liked how this book was a little deeper than the usual, dealing with tough topics of addiction, alcoholism and forgiveness. I liked Finley and Jericho together and I loved that Finley was a plumber. At times she felt a little too self-righteous and judgy but I liked seeing get character grow. Susan knows how to write these characters so well!

I really enjoyed The Sister Effect and think it's the perfect book to read this spring, but it's not the light fluffy book the cover leads you to believe.

Thank you to Net Galley for the advanced copy of this book. I loved this book from start to finish. The family dynamics in this book were captivating with both the main male and female characters. It is a story about how family, as messed up as they can be, are also the most important relationships in your life. They are there forever and should be treasured. The story addresses many aspects of life that are not pleasant, adultery, addiction, financial crisis, lonliness and pride. However, at the bottom of all of these things is a deep sense of familial love and forgiveness which is an important cornerstone in everyone's lives. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for an interesting family story that holds you from beginning to end.

Sisters Finley and Sloane were mostly raised by their grandfather while their mom focused on her acting career. But when they choose their mom over him in a custody battle, he disappears from their lives, shattering their family. Finley, who considers herself just average, focuses on control while Sloane, who has her mother’s looks and talents, runs with a wild crowd and starts drinking.

Fast forward—Sloane has been in prison and given custody of her daughter Aubrey to Finley. Finley, is trying to restart her house flipping business while living with her mom and taking care of Aubrey. She harbors so much anger and distrust toward Sloane it affects her whole outlook on life.

When Finley meets contractor Jericho, she learns he is dealing with family betrayal, too. Through many missteps, they learn no one can control another’s actions, and family is most important.

Susan Mallery gives the reader lots to think about, and ultimately gives us ideas for hope and healing., too. Discussion questions are included.

Loved the mentions of Moen tub fillers 😃 HQ is in my hometown of North Olmsted, OH!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I wish that Susan Mallery would make her books 350 pages or less. I have noticed that her more recent books tend to drag because they do not need to be over four hundred pages.

I did like these sisters, but Sloane did grate on me at times. Finley had her own issues, but she definitely was easier to identify with... I feel like this book was very similar to another one that I had read (the name escapes me right now).

I didn't dislike this book, but I found it average. I think there are better books out there overall, but I will continue to read Susan Mallery!

I really enjoyed Susan Mallery's latest novel, The Sister Effect,

This was a very heartwarming story about forgiveness and next steps.
For years, Sloane has been an alcoholic while her sister Finley has raised Sloane's daughter, Finley would do anything for her niece and it shows. Finley is still extremely angry after Sloane destroyed her life, Sloane is slowly working the steps of the program, but still can't gain forgiveness from her sister.

This was a wonderful book told in different POV. This was beautifully written and I always get excited when I see a new book by the author. The book really focuses on love and forgiveness in more ways than one.

I appreciate NetGalley and Harlequin giving me the opportunity to read The Sister Effect by Susan Mallery. She writes a standout story about forgiveness.

Themes of forgiveness, addiction, abandonment, and second chances are woven through this emotional story of mainly sisters Finley and Sloan, but also includes their mother, grandfather. All trying to navigate life's issues that many can relate to. The author handles these issues authentically with plenty of heartbreak and triumph. The cover is a bit misleading for this story.

I have not had a lot of experience with someone who is an alcoholic, so this story was not only interesting to me, but is was also informative. I enjoyed seeing the sisters relationship grow and change.

At one point I felt like there was a bit too much put on Finley's plate. I know some times life does get hard, but this seemed too much for one person. I do like that although Finley was frustrated and angry, she didn't give up thinking things could get better.

There was romance, just a little steamy, but this was not the focus of the story. It was mostly about Sloane being an alcoholic and her relationships with her family members.

I really enjoyed this book and other books that Susan Mallery writes. I love how real the book was about forgiveness and alcoholism. i give this book five stars.

The Sister Effect is an engaging and realistic read about the dangers of addiction and the power of forgiveness.

Sloane is an alcoholic, and three years ago she handed her daughter Aubrey over to her sister Finley and begged Finley to raise her as her own. She then stole from Finley, ended up in jail, and is now estranged from her sister other than the forced politeness when she picks Aubrey up for her one day with her daughter.

Finley would do anything for her niece, and her love for the little girl shows through all of her actions in the story. Her greatest fear is Sloane having a relapse while watching Aubrey, and so she rigidly holds her at arms length even though deep inside she surely misses her sister.

Alcoholism is a very important topic throughout this book, one that comes up constantly. I feel like it is portrayed authentically, showing the emotions and struggles of both Sloane and the family members she has wronged during her addiction. Her battle with alcohol is heartbreaking, especially once she hits rock bottom.

Finley seems to have a bit of a victim complex at times, but I believe she is just trying to control everything in the only way she knows how. Ultimately this story is about family and about forgiveness and how to make amends, Susan Mallery always writes complex, well developed characters and this book definitely has plenty of those. There is a love interest, and I absolutely loved the friendship and support between him and his best friend as he struggled with his own family issues and forgiveness.

One thing I don’t love is the cover, which does not match the actual story in any way. There is no beach anywhere in this story so the cover is slightly misleading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, HQN, for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

What struck me the most of this book was how real and correctly portrayed are relationships amongst family members. It ran the gamut of emotions from frustration, anger but regardless, the underlying emotion was love. Finley had an understandable great deal of anger towards Sloane due to the fact she left her with a staggering amount of debt but once she chose to forgive, her life got so much more full. She took in Aubrey with no questions asked and that shows her propensity to love. Sloane' s alcoholism was an underlying theme but how it impacted everyone in the book including Jericho and Ellis felt like a very accurate portrayal of the disease. This is a great read.

"The Sister Effect" by Susan Mallery is an engaging and heartfelt novel about the complex relationships between sisters. Mallery's skillful storytelling and well-developed characters make for an enjoyable read that explores the joys and challenges of sisterhood.

The novel follows the lives of three sisters: Harper, Stacey, and Andie, who have drifted apart over the years and now find themselves facing personal challenges that force them to reconnect. Each sister has a distinct personality and voice, and Mallery does an excellent job of developing their characters and delving into their individual struggles.

The themes of family, forgiveness, and love are at the heart of this novel. Mallery explores the complexities of sibling relationships and the power of forgiveness and understanding to heal past wounds. The characters' journeys are both relatable and inspiring, and readers will find themselves invested in their stories and rooting for their happy endings.

One of the strengths of the book is its focus on the importance of communication and honesty in relationships. Mallery portrays the characters' struggles with vulnerability and authenticity in a way that feels honest and realistic. The novel also celebrates the unique bond that sisters share, showing how they can support and challenge each other in meaningful ways.

Overall, "The Sister Effect" is a well-written and engaging novel that explores the complexities of sisterhood with empathy and sensitivity. Mallery's characters are relatable, and their journeys are inspiring. This book will appeal to anyone who has a sister or has ever felt the power of family bonds. Personally, I'm don't always connect to the voice of the characters in "The Sister Effect" as much as other books I have read, they just don't feel the most mature at times, which is why I'm rating it 4 stars.

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing through Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

It's always fun to get lost in one of Susan Mallery's books. The Sister Effect has some romance, but it is also about family and addiction.

Finley and Sloane are sisters. Finley is raising her niece and wants to make sure Aubrey always feels loved and wanted. She is angry with her sister Sloane, who has disappointed her over and over again due to her alcohol addiction. There's a long history here.

Sloane is a recovering alcoholic who is struggling with her addiction. She's out of prison, working on her addiction, working a job, and wanting a relationship with her daughter, Aubrey.

Can Finley forgive Sloane? Can she put all the pain and anger behind her and move forward? Besides the issues between Sloane and Finley, there are also issues both sisters have from their grandfather abandoning them completely after they chose to live with their mother. Can this relationship heal?

This book delves into relationships, forgiveness, redemption, and addiction. There is a lot going on and I sometimes wanted to scream at Finley with her judging attitude, as well as reach out and help her heal from the pain she carries.

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on March 7, 2023.

Advanced Book Review! Thank you @netgalley and @htpbooks for sending me this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
The Sister Effect is described as “An emotional, witty, and heartfelt story that explores the nuances of a broken family’s complex emotions as they strive to become whole in this uplifting story of human fragility and resilience.”
Susan Mallery is usually an auto-get for me (not buy because I mostly use the library), so I was thrilled to get this ARC from NetGalley. I think I’ve read most of her stand-alone books and shorter series.
I enjoy Susan Mallery’s writing and liked this book enough, however, this one was harder for me to read. My heart went out to Aubrey, Sloan’s daughter, and we all know that my mama-heart has a hard time when kids are involved in difficult circumstances.
I also found it a bit repetitive, with Finley complaining about the same things again and again, and I also didn’t love how she kept telling Aubrey to behave when she seemed like such a sweet, well-behaved child. But again, that’s probably partially my heart going out to Aubrey, even though she is clearly very well cared for and very loved by all of her family.
Ultimately, I was happy with how it ended and I would say the last 20% of the book really held my attention.
One more thing. I don’t really understand the cover. The sisters don’t seem to spend any time sitting outside, or even together really, and this isn’t really a beachy read.

I really like Susan Mallery as an author. I’ve read most of her books. This book delves into the topic of alcoholism and it’s damaging effects. Mallery did an excellent job creating a storyline around this. At times I was so annoyed with Finley that she couldn’t let things go, but I'm happy with the ending of the book. Minus a star because I could have done without certain current world things in the book that every author seems to feel like they have to include in books these days 🙄

First, I find the book cover completely wrong and misleading as it does not match book content at all. There are no sunny days with two sisters lounging at the beach. Instead there is heartache, lies, addiction and fighting. The title could have been better suited to the book as well.
This is a novel of forgiveness and how hard it can be to forgive. It’s a novel of how badly siblings can treat each other yet expect the other to forgive. It’s a novel of battling addiction, what it does to you and what you do to others around you. It’s about opening yourself up even when you’ve been badly hurt and are mistrustful. It does tackle sobriety spot on in all its insidious ways.
There are great characters in this novel such as Antonio, Ellis and Aubrey, and there are interesting romantic relationships. This is just not a lIghthearted Susan Mallery love story. It’s a novel with substance that has something to say, and does so well.

This, sadly, was not one of my favorite books by this wonderful author.
There was a great deal of hurt, anger, and animosity that ran amuck within the pages from all the characters and after a while the negativity just got to me.
Even though the various plotlines were all explained in the end, I still felt the grandfather's betrayal then the way he went about making amends, and the sister's alcoholism were complete downers for me.
The story, as every Mallery book is, was well written but just too depressing for me. 3.5 stars

What a great story about love, forgiveness, and family dynamics
These two sisters have so much history between them good and bad… there’s also history with their mother and their grandfather
Lots of family dynamics, lots of love, lots of forgiveness, and at the end of the day another great read by this author!

This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Thanks to the publisher and the author. This novel is written by a favorite author. The family dynamics keep the story moving. This dysfunctional family is almost unbelievable with so many problems. The characters come alive on the pages. This story would make a great television series. The main character expects everyone to be perfect. Since that is impossible, she feels like a victim. She is a hard worker and a faithful sister, daughter, and aunt. The story moves quickly despite the many events that cause the characters upsets.

What a cover to draw the reader in! Susan Mallery is a recognized author in my mind and I’m so grateful to NetGalley for the ARC for the purpose of this review.

I enjoy family stories about the dynamics between siblings especially sisters because I don’t have one! Mallery really does an exceptional job writing and crafting a story about this topic.

Five stars!