Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me to read an ARC of Sisters with a Side of Greens by Michelle Stimpson in exchange for my honest review.

I love stories set in the south. This story showcases how two sisters can grow up in the same house, with the same parents, and remember things differently.

There is stubbornness, sass, cooking, forgiving, working together, and moving forward... all with so much love.

I look forward to reading more by Michelle Stimpson.

Rose retires and she is ready to start the next chapter of her life. In order to move forward she has to contact her estranged sister Marvina. These two have one complicated relationship. This turns into a heartfelt story of found family, second chances and love.

Marvina is a church going, God loving woman and there are sermons, religious teachings and I didn't see anything in the synopsis about that being in the book and I think that should have been mentioned as I didn't enjoy that aspect of the book

A sweet story about estranged sisters that find their way back to each other after some decades. A bit slow at times, but it was a good read. I enjoyed getting to know Rose and Marvina.

Though retired, Rose wants to pursue with her The Southern Rose restaurant but she's struggling to read her mother's handwriting for the seasoning used for a specific recipe. Rose drives for hours to see her estranged sister for help but having had an accident with an already-injured knee, Rose has other problems on her hands alongside the difficult relationship with Marvina. On top of that, Marvina has a teenager squatting in her guest house, and Kerresha's pregnancy distresses Rose. The story switches between first- and third-person. The first-person perspective of Rose allows readers to gain an in-depth view of Rose as a character as well as her mental state. The third-person perspective shows an outside view of the sisters so there is an overall view of additional characters - such as Marvina - Rose is otherwise unable to describe from her first-person point of view. The story revolves around Kerresha and her pregnancy and less on the relationship between Rose and Marvina. Nonetheless, this is a feel-good story.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story was cute, wholesome story about two sisters and how working on their mother's secret seasoning will help fix their relationship. If you are looking for a slow, quiet book about a family story, than this is definitely for you!

This is one of the books that I used my 50 page method. I was actually 70 pages deep but I still didn't quite enjoy it.

It may be someone else's cup of tea.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for giving me the opportunity to read this!

I really enjoyed the book. It was a bit unrealistic at the end, but I did enjoy how the sisters were able to find their way back to each other.

An excellent read by author Michelle Stimson. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. It was a true page turner for me. Seeing how misunderstandings can shape the lives of sisters causing decades to be lost between them was so captivating. I love how the author pulled me into the lives of these women and made me feel as though I was sharing their space and experiencing every moment with them. Well done. I highly recommend this novel.

I got absolutely everything I wanted out of this book and more. I love estranged siblings in books and this was such a realistic portrayal. This also combines the dynamic with food and cooking that affects people in a significant way. I love books that incorporate the magic of food; the ingredients and love put into it that makes people feel emotion.

Years ago Rose Tillman and Marvina Nash, sisters and potential business partners stopped talking over a $40 betrayal. It was the reasons behind it which still rankle Marvina and she can’t bring herself to forgive Rose. Now, they are brought back together when Rose wants to rediscover the glory of their late mother’s infamous spice mixture. A young woman on their doorstep engages their shared protective nature, simultaneously pushing them further apart and bringing them closer than ever before.

This was such a delightful and heartfelt story. Touching on so much more, like individual character growth, meaningful relationships with the church without coming off too preachy, marriage and infertility, this author has me wanting to read so much more!

The author touched on so many relatable subjects in this book such as sibling estrangement, religion, misogyny, teen pregnancy and grief. The complicated relationship between Marvina and Rose serves as a warning to readers on how different perspectives can affect all relationships. I loved how the author was able to show religion affected several relationships in the book without coming off as “preachy”. As the characters were learning from conflict, so was I. It helped put things in perspective more than my therapist or any self-help book.

From the very first page, this book had me hooked. I was invested in Rose & Marvina’’s journey. The troubled history between them & the healing needed to move forth.

The story was well written and kept me eager for more. The author has a way of telling the story & I felt like I was there. I was also pleased that the author showcased some flaws within the Christian society & how it assisted with the healing for Marvina.

Rose was my favorite character. She was outspoken,strong,& comedic. Kerresha was another character that added depth and realness to the story. I absolutely enjoyed her being there for the sisters.

Overall I truly enjoyed Sisters with a side of Greens. It was a much needed story of forgiveness, healing, keeping up with the times, love, and good food. I recommend it to all.

Thank you NetGalley for ARC. This is my honest opinion

Let's start off this review with the understanding that there are no greens in this book and that annoyed me. It should be called Sisters With a Spice Mix or something. Other than that, I can say that I absolutely loved this book.

Rose and Marvina have been misunderstanding each other for years. It is described as one having read the book of their lives and one having seen the movie. The characters are the same but the story is slightly different.

Each is carrying deep resentment and mistrust of the other's intentions. Marvina is a widow with an estranged son. She has fully submersed herself in her church without being able to see the damage that has done in her life until the church turns on her. I appreciated this aspect of the story. I've read a lot of stories from Christian authors that show deeply dysfunctional relationships in the church but they aren't called out as wrong.

Rose has stayed away from her hometown to avoid Marvina and her highly judgmental ways. Now she needs her sister's help but knows that it is going to be a fight the whole way.

I love books with older female protagonists. Rose and Marvina are in their 50s. They are looking to start new chapters of their lives after widowhood, retirement, divorce, etc. But first they have to figure out how to move past all the problems of the first part of the lives.

This book pulled me in from the beginning. I really enjoyed it even without greens. The only thing that would have made it better was a recipe for the spice mix.

Read this book if you’re looking for a good family, dynamic, self discovery bonding between two sisters. This book will make you feel good at the end, and the journey that you went through together from start to finish highly recommend four stars!

There is no love like that between sisters, and let’s be real…you also can’t stand your sister half the time, even if they’re your best friend. This book was a testament to sisterhood and the hardships, betrayals, and forgiveness we may go through with our family. Overall, I absolutely loved this book! I wanted to eat everything and it truly was a fantastic story! Couldn’t recommend enough!

This book was very good! I loved the setting and the characters! I would definitely recommend and I’m excited to read other titles by this author!

Overall ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Two sisters find their way back to each other by finding and underage pregnant squatter during a rain storm. This squatter forces them to deal with their hurt selves in order to assist the squatter deal with being a single parent. I loved how it shows siblings being raised together but remembering their childhood differently. Hoe being raised up in church has two different outcomes later in life, and that church isn't always about Jesus but sometimes cares about money instead. Overall, it is a heartwarming positive boom about being an adult African-American woman.

Book review of my latest book 📖!
Sisters with a Side Green by Michelle Stimpson

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @bookmarked for this early copy!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was such a cute read and made me super hungry while I read it. It's really a story about two sisters and forgiveness.

Rose has just retired from the post office after 30 years, a job she really hated. She had grand dreams of her own restaurant with her sister, Marvina. Things didn't work out and after Rose marries someone the family didn't approve of, she hasn't been back to her small town of Fork City.
When she cooks something with her mother's special seasoning, and realizes somewhere she got the recipe wrong. The only other person that knows this recipe, her sister.
Off she heads to figure out what she's done wrong with the recipe. She believes she can revive her dream of the restaurant if she just gets it this recipe right!
Marvina, on the other hand can't believe her sister has the nerve to interrupt her simple life without calling first. These two ladies have a lit of emotional stuff to unpack, but it's a witty, cute book that will tug at your heart strings.
This is out March 5, 2024! Grab it.
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Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and of course the author for gifting me this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

LOVED this book so much! Overflowing with emotion and love and family bonds and is written in such a beautiful way you feel immediately pulled into the story. Following two sisters, Rose and Marvina, who entwine their lives to remember their mother's seasoning with the potential to turn it into a business, which results in past matters being brought to the surface with grief and healing (with a lot of love thrown in).

So beautifully written, I felt invested in the characters and was sad that it was over but can't wait to read more books.

Rose and Marvina are sisters who haven't spoken in decades. When Rose makes an impromptu visit to Marvina, old grudges come to light, and the sisters have to decide if they can put the past behind them.

Overall I enjoyed this story, but I didn't really connect with the main characters. Both Rose and Marvina were unlikeable in different ways, and while I can appreciate unlikeable characters, they weren't very interesting. Rose didn't speak up for herself enough, and didn't tell her ex off enough for my liking. Rose was super judgmental and a grudge-holder; she caused so many of her own problems.

The story was interesting with the addition of a young pregnant teen. I found myself hungry with all the talk of fried chicken. Seeing these sisters overcome their past grudges and talk about their issues was satisfying. The last quarter of the book was most interesting.

I'd recommend this to readers who are interested in sibling drama and reading about older protagonists.

Rose and Marvina are estranged sisters trying to mend their relationship.

This book shows how lack of communication, judgment, fear, vulnerability, pride and plain old selfishness can hinder someone from achieving their dreams and keep one stagnant in life. But it's also about second chances. I enjoyed seeing Rose and Marvina's worlds turned upside down when Keresha entered their lives. She was such a breath of fresh air even while dealing with her own issues.

In a tale rich with Southern charm, Rose and Marvina discover, through fussing, laughter, and tears, that the secret ingredient to a bright future might just be found in facing who they are today―and in forgiving the past to embrace a second chance at sisterhood.