Sister Pact by Ali Ahearn & Ros Baxter

Genre: General Fiction
Release Date: May 2012 
Pages: 384
Book Source: HarperCollins Australia & NetGalley

Synopsis: Two sisters. One reality TV show. A million reasons to play nice.
Two very different sisters. Once inseparable, they have long been estranged after an unimaginable betrayal.

Organised and uptight Frances married the only man she'd ever slept with. But no one told her that seven years later she'd be having sexual fantasies about everyone from the pizza delivery guy to Denis Thatcher. Scatterbrained animal-lover Joni never knew she was so attached to her kneecaps until she thought she might have to say goodbye to them forever.

After their beloved grandmother--a game-show addict--dies, they discover that they have each been left one million pounds in her will. The kicker is that they can only inherit if they participate as a team in a gruelling reality TV programme, Endurance Island.

They can survive the jungle. They can survive the humiliating challenges. But can they survive each other?

My Thoughts:

Sisterhood Survivor style! The joys, trials and tribulations of sisterhood are addressed in this light, fun read about estranged English sisters from the pens of Aussie author sisters Ali & Ros.

Joni and Frances haven't spoken in over 7 years but during the filming of reality tv show "Endurance Island" in Australia the sisters' gradually let their guard down; vulnerabilities are exposed, truths uncovered and trust regained.

I totally adored recovering drug addict Joni's irreverent sense of humour and potty mouth and elegant, uptight Frankie's determination and protectiveness. I was also quite the fan of rodent Des ... as unlikely as it is for a ferret to make the flight from the UK to Australia, in a bra, under the influence of rodent valium ... who cares, he was a welcome addition to the cast of characters.

Occasionally corny but the pace definitely worked for me, I sat back and enjoyed the laughs and escapism. Pick this one up if you like 'family' issues served up with humour and a big helping of adventure.

I'd love to do an author interview with Ali & Ros; so if you're reading this girls, shoot me an email :)

PS. The 1st January anticipated release date for Sister Pact has been changed to May 2012. I hope to secure an author interview and post a link to this review closer to the new release date.

About the authors:

Ali and Ros are sisters who are as close as they are different. Ali married the first boy she ever loved. Ros tried to remember the name of hers the other day and gave up and had a chocolate bar instead. Ali thinks everything will work out. Ros thinks everything will get found out. But for all their differences, they are fiercely close and desperately proud of each other. Nothing feels real until it has been spoken aloud to the other. They both love to talk, laugh and write, preferably over a bottle of bubbly and something coated in chocolate. They both live in Brisbane. 

Here, Home, Hope by Kaira Rouda

Genre: General Fiction/Chick Lit
Copyright: 2011
Pages: 310
Book Source: ARC courtesy of Booksparks PR

Synopsis: Kelly Mills Johnson becomes restless in her thirty-ninth year. An appetite for more forces her to take stock of her middling middle-American existence and her neighbors' seemingly perfect lives. Her marriage to a successful attorney has settled into a comfortable routine, and being the mother of two adorable sons has been rewarding. But Kelly's own passions lie wasted. She eyes with envy the lives of her two best friends, Kathryn and Charlotte, both beautiful, successful businesswomen who seem to have it all. Kelly takes charge of her life, devising a midlife makeover plan.

From page one, Kelly's witty reflections, self-deprecating humor, and clever tactics in executing that plan--she places Post-it notes all over her house and car--will have readers laughing out loud. The next instant, however, they might rant right along with Kelly as her commitment to a sullen, anorexic teenager left on her doorstep tries her patience or as she deflects the boozy advances of a divorced neighbor. Readers will need to keep the tissue box handy, too, as Kelly repairs the damage she inflicted on a high school friend; realizes how deeply her husband, Patrick, understands and loves her; and ultimately grows into a woman empowered by her own blend of home and career.

Here, Home, Hope will surely appeal to readers of chick lit and other women's fiction titles who are ready to transition into something new in their own life.

Review:

A quick,entertaining read that delves into one woman's search for happiness; her coming-of-age requires honesty, 'work', adjustments and a Things to Change (T2C) list. The emphasis is on the empowerment of women, the importance of nurturing friendships and the need for women to support each others' desires and dreams, whatever they may be.

After a health scare, lingering feelings of dissatisfaction and depression motivate Kelly to re-evaluate her life; something I'm sure we can all relate to. I liked Kelly's character and could identify with many items on her T2C list although I must confess to thinking "lucky for some" that Kelly (unlike many) had the financial means all along to make her business dream come true.

• Remember my blessings
• Don't forget the care and feeding of friends
• Trust your instincts
• Yell without crying

I liked the growth in the connection between Kelly and her best friend's anorexic daughter Melanie, the support Kelly had from her husband Patrick and I really enjoyed the details as Kelly sets up her own business, Kelly Johnson Home Staging. As Kelly's confidence, self-worth and assertiveness grows so does her business and love of life.

Favourite quotes:

This one on entering the dating world after an extended absence

"It's gotta be just like riding a bike," I said, blowing out the candle. Except, I guess, the seat has changed, and the handle bars, and ... Oh, it will be fun.

... something about my life had to change ... I was the only one who could do it. Not having that realization was what held me back for so long. I was ready to rewrite Things to Change rule Number One. My life is up to me to define. I needed to make my own dreams come true."

Whilst I felt that the reader was told rather than shown, I'm sure Ms Rouda's writing style will evolve with subsequent novels. An enjoyable read that certainly echoed the old addage; the grass is not always greener on the other side, the grass is greenest where it is watered :)

Want to know more about Kaira Rouda and her work? - check out her website.

 

Stay by Allie Larkin

Genre: General Fiction/Chick-lit
Copyright: 2010
Pages: 308
Book Source: Own audio

Synopsis: Savannah “Van” Leone has been in love with Peter Clarke ever since she literally fell head over heels in front of him on the first day of college. Now, six years later, instead of standing across from him at the altar, Van is standing behind her best friend Janie as maid of honor, trying to mask her heartache and guilt as Janie marries the only man she’s ever loved. Before Van’s mother died, she told Van never to let Peter go, but as the couple exchanges vows, Van wonders if her fairy-tale ending will ever come true.

After the wedding, Van drowns her sorrows in Kool-Aid-vodka cocktails and reruns of Rin Tin Tin, and does what any heartbroken woman in her situation would do: She impulsively buys a German Shepherd over the Internet. But the pocket-size puppy Van is expecting turns out to be a clumsy hundred-pound beast who only responds to commands in Slovak. Van is at the end of her rope...until she realizes that this quirky giant may be the only living being who will always be loyal to her, no matter what.

Van affectionately names her dog Joe, and together they work to mend the pieces of Van’s shattered heart. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that Joe’s vet is a rugged sweetheart with floppy blond hair and a winning smile. But when the newlyweds return from their honeymoon, Van is forced to decide just how much she’s willing to sacrifice in order to have everything she ever wanted — proving that sometimes life needs to get more complicated before it can get better.

Review:

I adored this book, it was an absolute hoot and one of my favourites of the year for the pure enjoyment factor! Van is messed up, her mother has died, the man she has loved for years marries her other best friend, she's lonely, miserable and has a fondness for Kool-Aid Vodka cocktails.

When Van over indulges in her beverage of choice, orders a puppy over the internet and awakens with the hangover from hell I was almost rolling on the floor laughing. When Van lets fly with some very unladylike profanity after being knocked into a pile of poop I was giggling like a loon while grocery shopping (and getting some very strange looks) but there's a whole lot more to this story than a much appreciated gigglefest.

In Stay we get an up-close-and-personal view of Van's dysfunctional relationships, losses, loves, friendships and the unconditional love and acceptance she receives from Joe, the new furry member of her family. I was rooting for Van the whole way through, I laughed (a lot) and cried (a little) and cheered as she healed.

Van could easily be the girl next door, or my best friend, or me for that matter, although I'm not a fan of Kool-Aid *snigger* but I do have first hand experience with buying a puppy to mend a broken heart and bring some much needed joy into a family. Larkin's characters are just so real, I know that sounds cliched but they truly are. Louis (Alex's elderly friend) is an absolute darling, I wanted him to be my quirky old friend and Ms Larkin where do I find a vet like Alex??

Have I conveyed just how much I loved Stay? If you like a genuine, touching story with laugh out loud moments then I urge you to pick this one up ... go on, you know you want to :)

PS. Allie's German Shepherd Argo is pictured on the cover of Stay (cool hey)

Visit Allie Larkin's website to find out more about this author and her work

This month on The Eclectic Reader you can win a copy of Entice by Carrie Jones, or The Distant Hours by Kate Morton or The Lost Saint by Bree Despain. Check this blog post for details. Open Internationally.