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Author: Amy Lavelle

Publisher: Orion Books

Publishing Date: 13th April 2023

Many thanks to the publishing team for my spot on the tour

Blurb

Four sisters. One house. It's about to get messy...

Poppy, Saffron, Rosemary and Sorrell might be sisters, but they could not be more different...

Oldest Poppy has hit all the milestones before turning thirty, but constantly being in control is starting to feel a bit suffocating; peacemaker Saffron will do anything to keep her sisters together even at her own expense; Rosemary has crafted a perfect façade, but cracks in her engagement are beginning to surface; youngest Sorrell is pregnant after a one-night stand, and is determined to do it all on her own for once - without any help from her sisters!

But when they inherit their family home, the four must make the decision to keep or sell the house - and they're about to discover that no one gets under your skin quite like family...

Can they ever put their differences aside and find a way to move forward together?

My Thoughts

I have read Definitely Fine and was really looking forward to read this one!

This book took me by utter surprise, I feel like the blurb and the cover make it sound not like a typical family dysfunction book. However the subject matter delved in deep and in doing so allowed the characters to become really intense and flawed which I loved!

Each sister was different and the author allowed for there character to shine through the good and bad!. Poppy being the eldest appeared to carry this burden of having to solve all matters and needing to do everything the right and seemingly wanted approval. Rosemary wanting to paint this perfection image in all aspects of her life but seemingly struggling behind closed doors. Saffron I felt filled the stereotypical middle child syndrome, wanting to be liked by everyone and making every one happy but with that comes it's own consequences. I probably resonated a bit more with Sorrell being the youngest sibling but wanted to step out the shadow of the older sisters and gaining more independence and being their own person. 

The family dynamics were of a telling, I really liked how the sisters were independent individuals and trying to cultivate their lives as adults. The parents were frustrating at times and it was easy to see how childhood and parenting styles have affected the sisters. 

The sisters lives are complex and intense especially when we revisit the past but there were moments of love and laughter which helped the flow of the book. Each chapter alternates between the sisters which I really liked as we gained some insight in to their personal thoughts and prescriptive of the challenges they were facing. 

Plot was predictable as we go towards the end but I really enjoyed this book.

Author details

Amy Lavelle is a freelance journalist and writer whose work has appeared in national newspapers and magazines. Definitely Fine was her debut novel.