27 Oct Between Sisters by Cathy Kelly Blog Tour

I’ve been waiting on this day for so long! Today’s finally my stop on Cathy Kelly’s BETWEEN SISTERS blog tour! Yay! Between Sisters was published as hardback last year, but on 20th this month is out in paperback! And what a gorgeous paperback it is! I’m sharing today my review of Between Sisters and I won’t tell you to grab a copy… I know you will anyway!  Many thanks to lovely Elaine Egan from Orion for the chance to be part of the blog tour and for my review copy. Do visit the other blogs involved for their thoughts on Cathy’s book. Cheerio!

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Between Sisters by Cathy Kelly
Published byOrion
Published on 20.10.2016
Genres:women’s fiction
Pages: 432
Format:paperback

The sparkling new novel from Number One bestselling author Cathy Kelly told with her unique blend of Irish warmth and humour.

Sisters Cassie and Coco have been there for each other ever since their mother disappeared when they were children.

Responsible Cassie spends every moment trying to be perfect wife and mum, but can’t help feeling she’s getting it all wrong.

Commitment-phobic Coco adores running her vintage dress shop – but since a disastrous break-up, her love life’s become an antique.

Their lives are full to the brim – so why do they both feel that something is missing? As the sisters try to find their way to lasting happiness, fate has a few surprises in store as the past makes a sudden appearance in the present . . .

What is it with Irish authors and their knack for creating a warm, emotional read? Is it the water, the food? I honestly don’t know their secret but I’ve been enjoying a lot of great Irish fiction in the past. In my opinion, Cathy Kelly is one of the best Irish women’s fiction authors and one that never disappoints. Though I haven’t read all of her books, those I’ve read were great and were the reason why I’ve been so excited about her latest book, ‘Between Sisters’.

‘Between Sisters’ is all about the family, the drama, misunderstandings, the inevitable disagreements, but at the same time it’s a warm emotional book about forgiveness and the importance of nurturing good relationships. As the title suggests, this is mostly a story about two sisters, Cassie and Coco who grew up without a mother. One day, seemingly without a reason, their mother leaves when Cassie is 7 years old and Coco is just a baby. They are brought up by their grandmother (Grammy Pearl), their father’s mum, and despite all her efforts to give them the mother figure every child needs, Cassie and Coco feel a big hole and emptiness in their heart. Their father never got over their mum and the way she abandoned them and through out the years has been just a shadow no matter how much he tried. Until one day he was gone. Cassie is nearly 40 and has a family of her own. Things with her husband haven’t been easy lately, but I guess no marriage is perfect. She has two daughters whom she loves with all her heart, but as all teenagers they’re the cause of a lot of emotional pain for Cassie. However, she’s determined to be the mother she never had, understanding them and bringing them up into two string adults who can always turn to her in hard times. Cassie works in an event planning company and is the girl you need when times get rough. Is it something she inherited or something about her face, she doesn’t know, but all people treat her like a crying shoulder, someone they ask for advice and comfort when things go wrong. I guess, after all those years caring for her baby sister, Coco, she’s got that deep inside her, her wish to help, comfort and protect. Even though they are adults, Cassie still feels protective over her little sister. Coco is 31 and the owner of a vintage shop. Unlike Cassie who’s the tomboy, likes her flats and plain clothes, Coco is fashionable, in love with everything vintage and has gorgeous curves. Despite being very happy with her work, she’s not that lucky when it comes to love. She still can’t get over Red, even though it’s been 4 years since their break up. But she’s tough despite her fragile looks and determined to live her life the best she can.

And then there’s Elsa, the famous TV presenter who lives and London and offers therapy for addicts. You might wonder at the beginning (I sure did) how is her story connected with that of Cassie and Coco. The book opens with a discovery of Elsa’s illness, which she avoids to think about but still persists. Elsa seems to have it all, the money and all the stylists in the world, but deep down she’s unhappy and haunted by her past.

Overall, Between Sisters is a lovely, emotional read. It’s everything I expected from Cathy Kelly, who without a doubt has a great knack in creating real, authentic characters. For me, this book was all about the characters and their relationships. At times it did feel like the story is too long, somehow I couldn’t shake the feeling some things are stretched, and wished we could finally get to the point. I do love family dramas, but really wished for a faster pace. But what kept me glued to the pages despite the story dragging a bit at times were Cassie and Coco. I honestly can’t decide which one I liked best. I guess I loved their relationship, how they always support each other and come out as winners in the big picture. They have good hearts and are well brought up and by the end of the book, they felt like true heroes.

This book explores the relationship between sisters, daughters, daughter-mother etc, those long family strings that keep us together and make us who we are today. They can surely be the reason for the biggest suffering, yet the cause for the biggest happiness. Cathy Kelly digs deep into these relationship and shows a true understanding for all women. While the relationships are important, she also explores the topic of addiction, how it can ruin not only a person, but even the whole family and community.

While ‘Once in a Lifetime’ is still my favourite Cathy Kelly book, ‘Between Sisters’ was a real enjoyment. Not having a sister of my own, I loved hanging out with Cassie and Coco, and the ending brought a huge smile on my face. I did predict certain things, nonetheless it didn’t stop me from enjoying this book. If you love women’s fiction, keep this book on your radar. It’s got all the elements a good family drama needs, which also includes a strong feel good factor. Enjoy!

About Cathy Kelly

Cathy Kelly is published around the world, with millions of copies of her books in print. A number 1 bestseller in the UK, Ireland and Australia, she is one of Ireland’s best-loved storytellers.

Brought up in Dublin, on leaving school Cathy initially worked as a journalist with a national Irish newspaper, working in news and features alongside being an agony aunt and film critic. She loved being an agony aunt in particular, describing it as a bit like getting a PhD in people. Cathy juggled her job with writing in her spare time, and her first novel, Woman to Woman, was published in 1997. It went straight to number 1 on the Irish Times and Sunday Times bestseller lists.

Cathy’s trademark is warm Irish story-telling about modern life, and her books deal with themes ranging from relationships and marriage to depression and loss, but always with an uplifting message, sense of community and strong female characters at the heart.

She lives with her husband, John, their young twin sons, Dylan and Murray, and their three dogs in County Wicklow, Ireland. She is also an Ambassador for Unicef Ireland, raising funds and awareness for children orphaned by or living with HIV/AIDS.