“Sisterhood” is a warm and engaging story about sisters supporting and helping each other at times of crisis. Strong characters and recognisable feelings will engage most readers, and the straightforward story will leave a feeling of satisfaction.

Lou Fielding has just had one of the worst birthdays ever. Let down by her husband, her mother, and her employers, she’s also shaken by a family secret that was accidentally revealed during her birthday party.
Lou’s sister Toni has her own, very different problems. Toni feels the need to run away for a bit to sort out her feelings and her next path. So she convinces Lou to do just that, in the guise of a road trip to uncover the full truth about that family secret.

This is, above all, a story about relationships. The plot is quite straightforward, almost simple. However, the relationships have depth and nuance, and I was completely absorbed. One of the reasons the novel works is that not everyone is awful to Lou, and even those who treat her badly aren’t always bad people. This complexity makes Lou’s complicated feelings very realistic.

Many readers will recognise Lou’s feelings of being overlooked and undervalued. It’s easy to empathise with her and sympathise with her reactions. Although some of her problems are low key, they still need to be taken seriously and dealt with.

One of the things I enjoyed about this novel is how compelling Kelly makes a story that lacks cliffhangers and has limited scenes of high drama. Both Lou and Toni are dealing with common problems (although Lou’s shock of awareness isn’t common). Kelly deals with them in a matter of fact way that is completely believable.
The plot flows well, and although it’s a novel that’s easy to put down, it’s also easy to pick up where you left off. It draws you through the story with surprising speed and ease.

I very much enjoyed this. It’s a warm and encouraging story, without magic fixes. It should appeal to anyone looking for strong characters, believable and grounded contemporary stories, or just a good read.

I will post this review publicly closer to publication date, and will add links then

Set in Ireland at Whitehaven Beach in the present time with a few flashbacks to earlier times. Lou Fielding has lived all her life at Whitehaven Beach. On her 50th birthday her mother drinks too much and reveals a secret that makes Lou question everything she has lived for.
Lou’s sister Toni is having difficulties with her work and personal life, so Lou and Toni set out on a road trip to find answers and try to make a better life.
This was about families, identity, work-place relationships and grief.
I loved the descriptions of Lou’s mother Lillian and how she interacted with her family and artist friends.
Woven throughout were topics of gambling, depression and unfair treatment of woman in the workplace. Very enjoyable. Thank you HarperCollins and Net-Galley for a chance to read another wonderful story by Cathy Kelly.

I've been a long time Cathy Kelly fan but have not read one of her books for a while - I'd forgotten what a wonderful, warm storyteller she is. In Sisterhood, she seamlessly draws you in from the first page and introduces characters that you somehow feel you know immediately! This is a lovely gentle, well-written story that peels back the layers of the past in a way that is both poignant and painful – yet, ultimately, very satisfying. I really enjoyed this book - particularly the wonderfully authentic Sicily that Cathy paints so effortlessly - it made me feel like packing my bags! Definitely recommend Sisterhood for a thoughtful and thought-provoking read.

I had been in a bit of a reading funk going into this book and it got me right out of it.

Cathy Kelly always provides a solid read and this one is no exception, I was hooked early.

The family dynamics in this book are heartbreaking yet realistic with scatters of breaking inter-generational trauma. I loved seeing Lou finally make big bold decisions and go after what she is worth and the realistic portrayal of the struggles that come along with it.

I would highly recommend this book for most people but if you’re dealing with narcissistic and/or codependent parents and that can be triggering for you save it for when you’re in a better headspace.

'Sisterhood' was a charming read filled with sisterly bonding and lots of family drama.

I really disliked Lillian and expected Lou to set some strong boundaries once she returned home. But alas, in some ways she still caved to her horribly manipulative mother. So did she really change after all?

What woman hasn’t felt taken for granted at some stage in her life? Particularly a woman d’un certain âge, a born people pleaser, daughter, wife, mother and sister.
At her 50th birthday party Lou is dealt a cruel curve ball when her selfish, creative mother drops a bombshell that threatens to derail everything Lou has ever thought or believed about her family. Her husband and workmates also disappoint. Toni, her competent, confident sister has also found out a secret that threatens her own marriage and comfortable future.
The two women lean on each other and plan a trip to look for answers and perhaps teach those left behind a lesson. Luckily Toni finds her husband’s forgotten about Amex card to cover costs. Not sure that was a financially sound decision but still…..They pick up a hitch hiker along the way, a young girl needing to evaluate and make some life decisions of her own. Sicily is a breath of fresh air…I felt a pang knowing that most women I know wouldn’t have the means to up sticks and head to the sunny Mediterranean but our girls take every opportunity, make life changing discoveries then head home to face the consequences and forge new paths. Cathy Kelly takes the reader on a journey both spiritual and physical and we can all feel a little more hopeful at the end.
An enjoyable, sometimes thought provoking read. Thanks to NetGalley + HarperCollins Australia for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sisterhood is my inaugural Cathy Kelly book, and I am glad for it. I shared laughter, anger, and tears with Lou, Toni, and Trinity. The biggest bombshell in the end was jaw-dropping! If you are craving some adventure, self- discovery and sisterly love, the Sisterhood is an absolute must read!.

Let me preface this review by saying I had only read one other Cathy Kelly title (2 stars), and when this title was offered to me to review, I jumped at it 1) The Cover 2) the description. I didn't click that I had previously read a Cathy Kelly title because if so, I wouldn't have jumped in with this one. That being said, I'm so glad I did - I LOVED this! I'm converted - I'm well and truly on the Cathy Kelly bandwagon now :)

I am writing this review a couple of weeks after finishing the book. I am amazed how the characters and storyline have stayed with me.

This book pulls on your heartstrings, all the feels, from sheer devastation to complete elation. It is based on people-pleasing Lou, the 'milk of human kindness', whose routine vanilla life is turned upside by her mother on her 50th Birthday. With go-getting, high-flying self-assured sister Tori, whose life is also thrown in to unexpected turmoil, these sisters take an impromptu journey OS. Travelling together, away from their 'spirited' (for the want of a better word) mother, on a journey of self-discovery and truth-seeking, their sisterly bond provides strength in adversity.

A beautiful feel-good exploration of unconventional family dynamics, unbreakable bonds, friendships and unconditional love, wrapped up in an easy to read page turner.

Highly recommend, and I look forward to reading more Cathy Kelly titles in future.

A big thank-you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in return for my honest review.

This one isn’t released until February of next year, but I am such a long-time fan of Cathy Kelly that when I received an early copy, I couldn’t wait until closer to the release to read it. Cathy is like honey on toast on a rainy day – total comfort. She’s not as prolific as she used to be, but the strength and warmth of her Irish stories are just as good as ever.

I’m at the same age as the sisters in this novel so what they were going through was relevant and interesting to me. I really liked both Lou and Toni, adored Aunt Gloria and Emily, despised Lillian – their mother, and as to Trinity, the lost soul they picked up along the way from the side of the road, she turned out to be a real treasure.

This entire novel just oozes warmth and has all the feels, all the way through. I enjoyed it immensely and highly recommend it as a pre-order if you are so inclined.

Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.

I struggled to get into this book, for the first few days when I picked it up, but persevered and it was worth it in the end. I enjoyed the 50th birthday party chapter and Lillian's outburst. However other chapters were hard to read, a bit slow, confusing and descriptive for my liking. There was a lot of mystery (Trinity, Lillian and Toni's secrets) that made me continue reading. The middle of the book was enjoyable learning about the mystery but found the ending a little rushed. I really felt sorry for Gloria. I enjoyed the later chapters that went back in time learning about Angelo. I felt like Toni and Trinity's characters were left a little open for potentially another book. I enjoyed Lou trying to change her ways and be different with Lillian. I enjoyed female strong characters who were able to reflect on their mistakes and grow from them.

I love Cathy Kelly novels, and I have particularly enjoyed her last couple of books. I wasn’t sure about this one at the beginning, but as I got further into the story I began to enjoy it more and more. At her 50th birthday party Lou is given some devastating news. It impacts her entire life and makes her reevaluate her life and relationships. Her sister Toni is also going through crisis, both in her professional and her personal life. Together Lou and Toni try to make sense of and peace with their lives.
I did enjoy the novel. The characters were interesting as usual in Cathy Kelly novels. Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this novel.

On her fiftieth birthday, Lou recieves the mother of all bombshells. At the same time, her sister Toni learns an uncomfortable truth and becomes embroiled in a career scandal. And with such an upheaval in their lives, the sisters take off - first halfway across Ireland, and then to Sicily - to reassess everything they thought was true, and work out where to go from here.

This is a story of relationships: of sisters, parents, partners, strangers and families. There is the no-holds-barred sisterly relationship between Toni and Lou; the maternal relationship Lou has with Emily and Trinity; the less maternal relationship Lillian has with Lou; the relationship between Lou and her husband Ned; the relationship between Lillian and Gloria, and the one relationship secret that both ties them all together and at the same time is a wedge between them all.

This was such a lovely book. The characters were incredibly real and relatable - we all know people like these. Lou, the "fixer" the people pleaser, the one who does everything for everyone; Toni, the slightly brittle, driven career woman; Lillian the self-absorbed artist; Ned the slightly baffled husband who took his wife for granted. This book deals with mental health challenges (depression, anxiety, narcissism, addiction), with unwanted pregnancies, with the challenges of women in the workforce, and the micro moments that make up an essentially female experience.

A joy to read.

~ Many thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review~

I thoroughly enjoyed this book . It was Cathy Kelly down to a tee.These sisters ,Lou and Toni seem so close .And the adventure to Sicily was just great.I couldn’t put the book down until the finish

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Many thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for this opportunity.

I enjoyed this gentle read, one I feel is for a quiet weekend sitting in an easy chair relaxing. A book on relationships and where sometimes one family member will feel left out of the general malaise of their family life. This is the case for Lou, an anxious soul with an anxiety she has actually named. She is one of those people that others always call upon to fix, or to do something, ever reliable and willing Lou. She never really feels appreciated but doesn't have the strength to object or create waves. To add to her struggle her best friend and confidante has passed away leaving Lou with an empty place in her heart.

To add to her disquiet unexpected events emerge whereby her world starts to tilt further off its axis. Arriving at work one day, one where her workload is always demanding but one she revels in, as a florist she has helped build her employers business to one of great success. A new managerial position is required and for which she applies for but is knocked back due to her lack of education, no university degree. Lou is devastated, always available to rescue and solve any dramas and working overtime for nothing. While angry, Lou, the ever willing, passive person she is, swallows her pride all the while knowing her sister Toni would never put up with this sort of treatment. Toni is everything she isn't, feisty, beautiful, has a handsome actor husband and is a successful TV presenter but unknown to Lou at this stage Toni is about to have her own problems to deal with. Added to these elements are Lillian, their mother, a sculpture, selfish and famous only in her own mind, still hanging onto a well past younger version of herself who creates atmospheres that make Lou feel she has to be the one to solve everything and then there's Ned Lou's kind but forgetful husband. Her daughter Emily and her Aunt are the people she turns to for reassurance.

It's Lou's fiftieth birthday, she knows already that Ned hasn't thought to buy her present but she pushes that hurt aside. The party event is on, Lillian with a few drinks under her belt has been given the news that she has missed out on a coveted prize that she was sure she would win, the news becomes like a fuse on a bomb whereby she explodes disrupting the whole event and when attempts are made to pacify her the entire family history is revealed, shocking everyone, in particular Lou who is hissed at in real hateful spite by her mother.

After seeking the truth from her Aunt, Lou makes a decision that will change the course of her life and bring to her a new understanding, a wealth of love and the ability to not wear other people's problems as her own.

This was a really enjoyable book even if I was in tears a few times.
I loved the relationship between sisters Lou & Toni and how they supported each other following life changing revelations.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

As to be expected from Cathy Kelly this is a lovely tale of family and mature ladies finding their way to peace and happiness despite challenges from family members, work roles and social expectations.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for an ARC of Sisterhood.
Lou is about to celebrate her 50th birthday but a few unexpected surprises have her reconsidering her current life choices and her future. Her younger sister Toni has also arrived at a crossroad in her life so the sisters decide to escape the rigours of work, family and financial crisis by taking a break in Sicily. The holiday leads them to new family, new opportunities and new friends.
An ideal holiday read and another winner for Cathy.

This was my first novel by Cathy Kelly and it didn't disappoint.

Two very different sisters set out on an adventure of soul searching and discovery after both learning news that rocks their world.

The characters are the highlight of the story with unwavering sister bonds, standing up to toxic family members, knowing your worth and standing up for what's right and putting yourself first. Lou's transformation is wonderful to read and I enjoyed every minute.

The story will resonate with readers who will see parts of the story in their own lives and sisters really doing it for themselves and the patriachy.

Sisterhood by Cathy Kelly is about two sisters, Lou & Toni that have an adventure from Ireland to Sicily after Lou’s 50th birthday party.

The story deals with family secrets, drama, depression and anxiety. Both women deal with secrets but come together to be stronger not only as sisters but stronger within themselves.

I would recommend this book. Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Australia for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

Great book from a long time favourite author.
Lovely sisterhood story of two sisters Lou and Toni, and how their lives are falling apart and how a trip to Sicily will give them both the strength to move forward and become who they want to be and not who others want them to be.

Loved it. Can’t recommend highly enough

This was a warm and engaging look at family dynamics and how we deal with them differently. Two sisters, very different to each other, are each dealing with their own issues, and decide to take a break from reality and go on an impulsive trip to Italy, taking along a young hitchhiker for the journey. The break from their own family dramas gives each of the three women the opportunity to reflect on what really matters and how they would like their lives to be.