I got Sisterhood from NetGalley and this is my first Cathy Kelly book! The book will be out in February 2024 but in Australia at the moment. A brief read at the synopsis clarifies it means real siblings, like blood sisters. Sisterhood plays out in Whitehaven Beach, Dublin, with our heroine or first main character, Lou Fielding! All Lou ever wanted for her birthday was to be noticed on her 50th birthday, and the poor girl is not having a good day. She knows that her kindness makes people walk all over her, but a girl could hope that they would be nice to her on this special day.
The picturesque location with its white, sandy beaches, Whitehaven was a town (more like a village, Lou said) where everyone knew everyone. You get a brief introduction of important people like Lou’s husband, Ned and her daughter, Emily. Then we have Mim, who had passed away and Lou was clearly grieving. The story is in the third person point of view, centering mainly on Lou and her sister, Toni Cooper.
I hate everyone!
That’s the hook that got me the first time. Lou seems to be the good girl in the story. As she explored her sadness in the prologue, Toni suggested running away. Then the story moved back to 3 days before both sisters’ lives imploded. Both lived good lives. Toni was a successful mentor for Women in Business and a radio and television personality while Lou works for Blossom, a florist that expanding because of her hard work.
While Lou pleases everyone, especially her mother, Lilian, no one seems to notice her hopes and dreams. What irked me most was her husband, Ned, who keeps saying that he appreciates her, but does nothing to show it. He’s the epitome of toxic incompetence- his favourite sentence is “you do it so well”. Lou is always there to pick up after him, so he doesn’t have to. This kind of good life makes a guy lazy, and for this special day, Lou finally has enough.
The cherry on her (non-existent) birthday cake was her drunk and narcissistic mother. I will not spoil the details, except to say that shit hit the fan.
The Sisterhood Road Trip
Fed up with everything, our heroine fled the scene and landed on her sister, who is also having some troubles of her own. As a caring older, Toni proposes a road trip, and they embarked on a journey together as sisters. Along the way, they open up to each other and realised that the grass was not greener on the other side. Midway through the book, a third surprise popped up. Not that the sisters were not entertaining, but a mysterious stranger by the name of Trinity appeared as they were going on their road trip, so they brought her along!
From Dublin to Monaco to Sicily, they roamed the streets and found more than adventure. While we are talking about girls supporting each other, it also highlights struggles and the loneliness of mental health.
Verdict
Sisterhood is my inaugural Cathy Kelly book, and I am glad for it. I shared laughter, anger, and tears with Lou, Toni, and Trinity. The biggest bombshell in the end was jaw-dropping! If you are craving some adventure, self- discovery and sisterly love, the Sisterhood is an absolute must read!.
Copyright © 2023 Ailyn Writes. All Rights Reserved.
This sounds so good!