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Big & Lily: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 11 Aug 26A sharply funny, deeply heartfelt novel about two sisters who discover the best way to find yourself is by getting lost.
For her entire life, Bridget “Big” Ackerman Petty has struggled to hold everything together—her kids, her husband, her demanding mother, all in dizzying orbit around her. While the kids are grown and her husband is retired, every day still feels like a to-do list she can never quite finish. Why is everything so effortless and easy for her sister Lily—a woman blessed with a magnetic personality, a thriving business, and a husband who adores her.
But when Lily discovers her husband’s been cheating, her “perfect” life implodes. Devastated and overwhelmed, she decides to run as far away as to Alaska to lose herself on a hardcore survival trek—and she’s dragged her reluctant sister Big along.
No cell service, no easy exits—just grizzlies, outdoor plumbing, and a group of strangers who know how to read a compass. As the sisters navigate freezing rivers, unmarked trails, and more than one near-death experience, the defenses they’ve used to protect themselves begin to crumble, and they’re forced to face everything they’ve spent decades resentment, regret, envy, and the terrifying possibility that the other one’s life might not be as easy as it looks.
Big & Lily is a laugh-out-loud, emotionally rich novel about second acts, sisterhood, and the unexpected ways we find ourselves when we’re truly lost.
For her entire life, Bridget “Big” Ackerman Petty has struggled to hold everything together—her kids, her husband, her demanding mother, all in dizzying orbit around her. While the kids are grown and her husband is retired, every day still feels like a to-do list she can never quite finish. Why is everything so effortless and easy for her sister Lily—a woman blessed with a magnetic personality, a thriving business, and a husband who adores her.
But when Lily discovers her husband’s been cheating, her “perfect” life implodes. Devastated and overwhelmed, she decides to run as far away as to Alaska to lose herself on a hardcore survival trek—and she’s dragged her reluctant sister Big along.
No cell service, no easy exits—just grizzlies, outdoor plumbing, and a group of strangers who know how to read a compass. As the sisters navigate freezing rivers, unmarked trails, and more than one near-death experience, the defenses they’ve used to protect themselves begin to crumble, and they’re forced to face everything they’ve spent decades resentment, regret, envy, and the terrifying possibility that the other one’s life might not be as easy as it looks.
Big & Lily is a laugh-out-loud, emotionally rich novel about second acts, sisterhood, and the unexpected ways we find ourselves when we’re truly lost.
304 pages, Paperback
Expected publication August 11, 2026
3 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 12, 2025
Lisa Roe does it again with her signature humor on every page. Big and Lily is a hilarious thrill ride that had me doubling over in stitches. In Lily’s rash attempt to escape her messy life and drag her sister, Big, with her, she signs them up for an Alaskan wilderness adventure that is way out of their depth. What follows is a drama filled journey rife with complex sibling dynamics, hair-raising experiences, and jaw-dropping moments. Both sisters believe “the grass is greener” for the other and must face truths they’ve kept hidden, confide in each other, and set aside their differences to survive the unknown together. Wildly entertaining, heartfelt, and powerful—this story grabs hold of you and hangs with you well after the last page.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Bridget was eight years old when Lily was born and she started taking care of her soon after her self-involved mother brought the baby home from the hospital. Lily couldn't pronounce Bridget's name, so soon she called her "Big" for big sister. Forty years later, Bridget is still taking care of Lily and Lily is still calling her Big. Bridget takes care of everybody else, too. She takes care of her two grown children who left the nest and then came back, needier than ever. She takes care of her husband who retired early and is at loose ends. And then there is her mother, who lives in a special little house in Bridget's back yard and shows up in Bridget's kitchen early every morning to get a cup of coffee, breakfast, and to present her list of demands. Since she's spent her entire life taking care of family, Big does it very well. She feels responsible for everyone's happiness and is sure they would all fall apart without her. Yes, she is exhausted, but that's just the way it is. Then Lily's life falls apart and she needs her big sister more than ever before. She wants Big to go away with her to help her heal. Even though Bridget is sure her family will collapse if she's not there to hold it all together, she agrees to go on the trip Lily arranges. It's a guided hiking and camping trip in Alaska. Lily assures her it will be fun. But Big has serious doubts, because neither of the New Jersey sisters has ever camped before. Or hiked. After a rough start, the sisters find strength they didn't know they had, and understanding they've needed for a long time. This is a story full of people you like even more as you get to know them. It's full of humor, but has enough serious moments to keep it real.
I read an advance copy. Lily & Big will publish August 2026.
I read an advance copy. Lily & Big will publish August 2026.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews