"This is a big-hearted belly-laugh of a book, told with wit and poignancy. Family secrets, laughter and tears, shocking reveals, and an uplifting ending make this a story to savor—and share."—Susan Wiggs, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost and Found Bookshop
An accomplished storyteller returns with her biggest, boldest, most entertaining novel yet—a hilarious, heartfelt story about books, love, sisterhood, and the surprises we discover in our DNA. Maggie, Eliza, and Tricia Sweeney grew up as a happy threesome in the idyllic seaside town of Southport, Connecticut. But their mother's death from cancer fifteen years ago tarnished their golden-hued memories, and the sisters drifted apart. Their one touchstone is their father, Bill Sweeney, an internationally famous literary lion and college professor universally adored by critics, publishers, and book lovers. When Bill dies unexpectedly one cool June night, his shell-shocked daughters return to their childhood home. They aren't quite sure what the future holds without their larger-than-life father, but they do know how to throw an Irish wake to honor a man of his stature.
But as guests pay their respects and reminisce, one stranger, emboldened by whiskey, has crashed the party. It turns out that she too is a Sweeney sister.
When Washington, DC based journalist Serena Tucker had her DNA tested on a whim a few weeks earlier, she learned she had a 50% genetic match with a childhood neighbor—Maggie Sweeney of Southport, Connecticut. It seems Serena's chilly WASP mother, Birdie, had a history with Bill Sweeney—one that has remained totally secret until now.
Once the shock wears off, questions abound. What does this mean for William's literary legacy? Where is the unfinished memoir he's stashed away, and what will it reveal? And how will a fourth Sweeney sister—a blond among redheads—fit into their story?
By turns revealing, insightful, and uproarious, The Sweeney Sisters is equal parts cautionary tale and celebration—a festive and heartfelt look at what truly makes a family.
"Dolan uses her experience in podcasting with her own sisters to craft believable women characters who worry about real problems and use wry humor to push through dark moments . . . . A warmhearted portrait of love embracing true hearts."—Kirkus
I really enjoyed this book. It's not so out there anymore with the DNA kits to find out more about your family, or other families then you bargain for! This story of 3 and a new found sisters was well done and all the characters were well written. Even the sister that drove me crazy was loved at the end. This one had been on my TBR shelf for a while but those are the surprises I like to find. Great book! ( )
I come from a household with three girls so I related to this story except for the fact that I didn't have .a famous father (lol). I loved how the author showed the relationships of the sisters in their state of mourning. I also found the relationship to the sister they never knew existed was developed in a great way. The twists and turns kept me interested, after a slightly slow start. I am excited to have found this author, and will definitely look forward to reading more of her work. Thank you to Harper Collins, NetGalley, and author Lian Dolan for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ( )
Lian Dolan's "The Sweeney Sisters" was equal parts family drama and literary smörgåsbord and I absolutely adored it! From the start of the book with the opening sequence in Liza's art gallery, to the conclusion, I felt a connection with the characters that I have not felt in years. I admired the way each woman was modeled to be her own person, limited by neither her faults nor her passions. I sympathized with Serena, the woman who had grown up without a sister, but I also felt drawn into the circle of others sisters as well. Dolan has done well to create a novel that had its roots sunk deep in the literary free-for-all of the 1960's but keeps its bloom here in the present day 21st century. I most wholeheartedly recommend "The Sweeney Sisters", go out and get your pre-order today!
**Review pulled from NetGalley.com, I received an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review. ( )
I wanted to love this book so much. The premise was right up my alley and is the type of book I typically love. But I just could not get through it. Too many details that didn't really seem relevant to the storyline and made it tedious to read. I did not finish it. Maybe I will eventually, but I just can't force myself to do so.
He was a throwback to the time when being a vaunted American writer meant being male, white, and heterosexual, with a drinking problem, a healthy ego, and a dark childhood.
You will survive the truth.
That's the luxury that men have. They can be awful and beloved. Women don't get that kind of leeway.
In a few weeks time, Serena began to see the role she might play in this sisterhood. A loyal friend to Liza. A workplace sounding board to Tricia. A source of support to Maggie. There is a place for me here, Serena thought, looking around the patio at the small crowd of attractive people, chatting, drinking, and laughing, comfortable in each other's company, a family by birth and by choice. I can be one of them.
"When I came to the wake, I was looking for something some connection to your family. I assumed it would be through your father, but seeing you all together again reminded me of the envy I felt when we were kids and you'd walk down the lane together laughing and singing. You were the same twenty years later. I see what you do for each other---you cover for each other. I haven't had that in my life. I've been out there on my own. No one to provide coverage. It's a new concept to me."
Her mother chose a path that many women had before her, the path of of least resistance. Serena saw her more as a coward than a liar.
I'm saying that the tough stuff we've all been through was not caused by our father nor were we rescued by our father. He takes bizarre credit for our downfalls but gives us no accolades for our resilience.
"This is a big-hearted belly-laugh of a book, told with wit and poignancy. Family secrets, laughter and tears, shocking reveals, and an uplifting ending make this a story to savor—and share."—Susan Wiggs, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost and Found Bookshop
An accomplished storyteller returns with her biggest, boldest, most entertaining novel yet—a hilarious, heartfelt story about books, love, sisterhood, and the surprises we discover in our DNA. Maggie, Eliza, and Tricia Sweeney grew up as a happy threesome in the idyllic seaside town of Southport, Connecticut. But their mother's death from cancer fifteen years ago tarnished their golden-hued memories, and the sisters drifted apart. Their one touchstone is their father, Bill Sweeney, an internationally famous literary lion and college professor universally adored by critics, publishers, and book lovers. When Bill dies unexpectedly one cool June night, his shell-shocked daughters return to their childhood home. They aren't quite sure what the future holds without their larger-than-life father, but they do know how to throw an Irish wake to honor a man of his stature.
But as guests pay their respects and reminisce, one stranger, emboldened by whiskey, has crashed the party. It turns out that she too is a Sweeney sister.
When Washington, DC based journalist Serena Tucker had her DNA tested on a whim a few weeks earlier, she learned she had a 50% genetic match with a childhood neighbor—Maggie Sweeney of Southport, Connecticut. It seems Serena's chilly WASP mother, Birdie, had a history with Bill Sweeney—one that has remained totally secret until now.
Once the shock wears off, questions abound. What does this mean for William's literary legacy? Where is the unfinished memoir he's stashed away, and what will it reveal? And how will a fourth Sweeney sister—a blond among redheads—fit into their story?
By turns revealing, insightful, and uproarious, The Sweeney Sisters is equal parts cautionary tale and celebration—a festive and heartfelt look at what truly makes a family.
"Dolan uses her experience in podcasting with her own sisters to craft believable women characters who worry about real problems and use wry humor to push through dark moments . . . . A warmhearted portrait of love embracing true hearts."—Kirkus
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