Such Devoted Sisters

by Eileen Goudge

From the author of the national bestseller Garden of Lies, a sensational new novel about an act of betrayal that shatters one woman's life and echoes through the lives of two generations of sisters. Climaxing in a glittering chocolate gala at the Plaza Hotel, e dark secret, and the love, that binds them.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Drama, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Adult Fiction

624 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 31, 1991

About the author

I began writing at the age of eight and wrote my way through the lean years before I found success as New York Times' bestselling author with my first novel GARDEN OF LIES. To date I have published 19 novels and a cookbook. Every life experience I've weathered has found its way into my novels in one form or another: bad exes, births, deaths, divorces, romances, and even true crime. My heroines are like me: tough cookies who don't crumble.

My latest novel, Book One of my Gold Creek series, ALL THEY NEED TO KNOW, is the story of a woman fleeing her abusive ex who finds refuge in a small California mountain town, where she's befriended by a group of women who call themselves The Tattooed Ladies and reinvents herself as a police sketch artist. Kyra "draws lines to stop crimes," as they say in the biz, never imagining she'll one day be forced to confront the biggest criminal of all: her ex.

I'm married to former entertainment reporter Sandy Kenyon and the mother of two grown children. We live in Sacramento, California, where we remodeled a 1940's house for which I was the on-site project manager. Fortunately, multi-tasking is my superpower, so I was able to write a book and supervise a home remodel at the same time. The latter is sure to find its way into a future book. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see pics of my home remodel and other adventures.

Reviews

[Deodand · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really tried to give this book a chance on the recommedation of my mother, but I guess our tastes are just too different. I found this book predictable, boring and derivative. I hate how the characters seem to deliberately choose against the best course of action in order to wreck their lives. It feels forced - like the hand of the author stirs them around.

I also cringed at the sex scenes. They are wedged in between plot elements at certain intervals, as if to keep the reader moving on through. And if one more person writes about sex involving a nursing woman's milk, I will barf. Go ahead and do that stuff in private, whatever, but just don't make me read about it anymore. I'm so sick of it.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

one of my favourite moments from the book:

"Adam has a right to know his grandfather," Laurel had told her quietly but firmly.

coming from the mouth of the woman who decided to keep the child a secret from his biological father because she wanted to raise him with another man.

yep, these are some wonderful people we're dealing with here.

[M · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a lousy waste of time. Poorly written, weak characters, and a plot I couldn't have made up if I tried - if I hadn't been in Israel for the year and desperate for anything in English I wouldn't have stuck through. Blech.

[Jessiaca Evans · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a hard time with this book! It was far too slow a read! I found myself stopping in the middle of the book, it was too boring!

[Anushka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book, this is the second time i'm reading it and I just flew through all 711 pages...was so sad when it got over :( Not like one of your usual paperback romances - this book uncovers a lot about human nature, what makes us do things, how hard it is to let go and how easy it is to read everyone else but ourselves...hmm. something to think about. Anyway, I'm unashamedly confessing that I love it. it may not be a classic or on the booker list or whatever, and I bet more mills and boonsy readers have read this than professors in creative writing but ohh welll i luuurve it! Amazing story about the relationship between two generations of sisters, sibling rivalry and a love triangle, chocolate, gorgeous men to choose between - what more can you ask for!

[Michie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This brought me back to days of reading Gossip Girl wondering why we're fighting over such a wet rag of a character. Girls, you can do better. Well, at least one of you did.

Long but engaging. I was expecting a bigger deal over the incident that instigated the rift between Dolly and Eve but it was pretty much brushed aside by Annie. I suspect that would be more at fault with the summary of my particular ebook copy though.

Well, I'll probably be back for some more Eileen Goudge novels at some point. Learning her past as a Sweet Valley High ghostwriter has me intrigued!

[Victoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess this was decent recreational reading, but I didn't love it. I had to put it down several times because I found the main characters actions annoying and predictable. All the miscommunications and hiding things from one another drove the plot, but were not very realistic. The most interesting parts of the book to me were the descriptions of the chocolate making and selling.

[Nayab · Rating 1 out of 5]

Started off beautifully and had me hooked. I love intricate plots that tie in a bunch of characters and explore their lives. However, this book went downhill somewhere after the 200th page. It was slow, dull, and made me hate all of the characters, especially Annie. I didn’t bother reading the last 60 pages because I don’t want to waste precious reading time on swill.

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don't take adivce from Shana when looking for a good book to read. This was certainly not it!!!!!!!!! Thanks Shay, I owe you.

[My_every_day_chilling · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember reading this book ages ago.
Some advice, don't read this book with a box of chocolates by your side, you'll eat them all!

[Rebecca Englehart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this a long time ago, it was my first Eileen Goudge, made me fall in love with her style. Just be sure to have a box of chocolates near by when reading you will crave it

[Kym Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intense, tragic and full of betrayal. Good read.

[What to read next ....... · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fabulous read , loved it my first read from this wonderful author.

The Devoted Sisters starts with Eve and Dolly both Hollywood actresses, both pretty but with Eve having all the determination to be the best, which gets her to the top, while Dolly settles for parts in B grade 🎬 movies.

A crooked agent plays on Dolly jealously of her sister to falsely accuse her of Communist sympathies, bringing her career to an end .

Eve's subsequent suicide preys on Dolly's conscience causing her to devote much of her life to the care of Eve's two daughters.

Annie and Laurel, the major part of the book belongs to the lives and careers of the two girls, with Annie intend on becoming one of the great chocolatiers of the time and Laurel pursuing a career in art .

It's an involved story with some pretty steamy love scenes and characters falling in and out of love.

This book actually would make a great soapie with villains, heros, breaking hearts and Heroines and the most mouth watering descriptions of fine chocolate making that can be imagined 😋.

This was a lengthy read over 700 pages , but so well worth the Read, such a page turner .

[Majushi · Rating 3 out of 5]

SK: Oddané sestry
Kniha naplnená úžasne podrobnými opismi, ktoré sa mi veľmi páčili. Vyhladla som pri každom opise čokolád, ponorila sa do atmosféry mesta, jednoducho super!
Postava Annie mi bola veľmi sympatická, dokonalo som do nej vedela vcítiť, s tými jej počiatočnými problémami ako peniaze, jedlo, ubytovanie až po námahu snažiť sa viesť svoj vlastný život, vlastný podnik a nájsť, koho vlastne miluje. Každá postava bola iná, čímsi odlišná a zaujímavá, od tety Dolly s jej záľubou v žiarivých farbách až po Rudyho, ktorý chcel byť milovaný.
Vôbec mi neprekážalo pomalšie tempo, teda aspoň zo začiatku. Ku koncu to už bolo naozaj únavné a nakoľko tam nebola väčšia zápletka ako vzťahy a opäť vzťahy, tak to chcelo trochu trpezlivosti prelúskať sa vnútornými dialógmi, emočnými výlevmi a pod.
+ vedomosti z rôznych oblastí (čokoláda, podnikanie, právo, Židia)
+ Opisy ❣
+ Rozdielne charaktery, pestrosť

- únavné čítanie (hlavne ku koncu)
- nijaká väčšia zápletka ako komplikované (romantické) vzťahy

[eliza · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book gave me whiplash, switching through perspectives and styles. i expected it to be about old hollywood glam but it was mostly about babies and chocolate? the romance between laurel/joe was not really developed well - their reconciliation came out of nowhere. also it skipped through many of the best bits - exciting things would happen “off screen” that probably would’ve made for great scenes. also the writing style was often extremely CORNY. plot points were often soapish, and not always in a good way. they wrapped up the plot of the alcoholic bum dressed as santa, but never the fact that laurel never informed adam’s father that he was a father? what she chose to tie up and what she left as a loose end was bizzare. there were many fun moments though, and it was interesting to read about 70s/80s nyc.

[Rene · Rating 4 out of 5]

More than I wanted to know

It should be the kind of book that I would love to read. I just couldn’t appreciate the characters. Indecisive, low self esteem, strong, but weak, wispy-washy, secretive, manipulative, weasel, criminal people. Since I couldn’t relate to them, I didn’t care what kind of clothes they wore and there was always a description about their clothes. Emmet was the only solid guy, but no one is that patient. Great book for learning about chocolate. I couldn’t wait to finish it.

[Sandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read about 6 of Eileen Goudge's novels. This one and "Blessing in Disguise" were definitely my favourites. Great, cant-put-down family sagas with romance thrown in. If I had to recommend a third, I'd say "Thorns of Truth" was very good as well. Sadly, the other 3 titles I've read just didn't catch my attention.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy books that span over many years and you get to see the characters change and grow. Annie and Laurel find themselves in a difficult position after their mom dies and they need to run away. How will they make it? It's interesting to see how history repeats itself and you wonder if the outcome will be the same or different.

[Elana Lanzetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading this new to me author. (fun fact: she previously wrote for the series Sweet Valley High and she herself had romances as complicated as her storylines) I may look into a few more of her books.

[Mansi · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a good read, but stretched too long. I am assuming the actual physical book would be a thick one and I would have picked it. I read it only kindle and there were various places where I thought the story could conclude, but it went on and on.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice, light Summer reading.

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm. Lying to people and not being honest to yourself does not lead to an easy life. This went a long way around the barn to get everyone sorted out. Just sayin'.

[Betty Jacques · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such Devoted Sisters

I enjoy books by this author, tho this one was rather slow reading at times. However this might be others option at all.

[Beverly B. Bright · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good summer read.

Enjoyed another one from EG. Her novels are relatable. If you have a sister you'll like this. And so it's on to the next one for me.

[Deborah Gaspar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book.

[Blubonnet1]

11/23/19

[Kris]

Laurel and Annie love the same man Joe Daugherty in NY. Annie chocolatier, Laurel artist

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Book.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 stars

This was a light romance that I read way back when.
Ideal for summer.

[Nickole · Rating 3 out of 5]

.