Book Details:
- Paperback: 320 pages
- Publisher: Howard Books; Original edition (May 3, 2011)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1439182035
- ISBN-13: 978-1439182031
About the book:
Three grown Southern sisters have ten marriages between them—and more loom on the horizon—when Ginger, the eldest, wonders if she’s the only one who hasn’t inherited what their family calls “the Grandma Gene”: the tendency to like the casualness of courtship better than the intimacy of marriage. Could it be that her two sisters are fated to serially marry, just like their seven-times wed grandmother, Mrs. Lillian Irene Harper Winslow Goldstein Carey James Bobrinski Gordon George? It takes a “girls only” weekend, closing up Grandma’s treasured beach house for the last time, for the sisters to really unpack their family baggage, examine their relationship DNA, and discover the true legacy their much-marrying grandmother left behind . . .
My take on this book:The three Lawrence sisters were as different as night and day, but they had a few things in common, they all loved their grandmother Lillian and each have been dragging around emotional baggage for years. When Lillian dies she leaves them a tiny cottage and when it finally sells the girls go on Labor Day weekend to clean it out, so as the trio reconnects they come to realize the things and money Lillian left them aren't nearly as important as the life lessons she left behind.
Ginger is the oldest sister who felt that she had to keep everything together, she is the sister that has what everyone considers the perfect marriage, she has sort of looked down on her other sisters because they have been married so often, but when she learns that her husband has been unfaithful how will she handle it?
Pennyroyal (Penny) is the middle child, she has been married five times. She has based her latest marriage to Bob on lies and she thinks its about to dissolve so she is on the lookout for husband number six.
Rosemary (Rose) is the youngest. She feels that she is the blame for the death of her mother, not to mention that she is grieving the loss of two babies. She dotes on her aging terrier and has made plans that she and her terrier will die together. She has convinced herself that everyone will be better off without her.
This was an interesting contemporary fiction that deals with several tough issues, such as divorce, suicide and grief and finding forgiveness. It was interesting how different the personalities of each sister was. I really enjoyed how the author allowed the reader to see the perspective from each sister, and she does it in a clear way that is never confusing. Rose was a character that was easy to feel sympathy for, I could easily understand why she would think Ginger didn't love her. I was a bit shocked at what Ginger advised Rose to do which ultimately cost her the chance of ever having children.
I think some of my favorite parts of the story where when the girls stumbled upon things that had them recalling bits of their past.
While I thought the end of the book was a bit rushed, overall I really enjoyed reading this one. If your someone who enjoys reading a realistic story about family relationships that just might have you examining your relationships with your siblings then you should defiantly pick up this one.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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ReplyDeleteI love the title to this book and it sounds like it would be a good read. Lot of times I've noticed that death seems to bring families together and reminds them of the life lessons that were taught.
ReplyDeleteGrace, it was a good book, I totally agree, I think often it takes reflecting on a loved one that we have lost to realize the life lessons they taught us. Thank you so much for dropping by and commenting.
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