The Reel Sisters

by Michelle Cummings

A naked girl gets swept downstream and is fished out by four women fly fishers. Tales of adventure, as well as stories of renewal, discovery, and tragedy follow the five women as they find each other (and themselves) through the sport of fly fishing. Through the voice of each character, The Reel Sisters fosters the notion that fly fishing has the potential to transcend age, gender, culture, and even socioeconomic barriers, and can occasionally be the glue that binds us. The Reel Sisters is a story about the power of women friendships, and how we learn a little bit about ourselves each time we step into the river. By the end of the book, you’ll want to start planning your own Reel Sisters adventures.

Genres: Fiction

431 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 2, 2017

About the author

Michelle Cummings started writing The Reel Sisters in 2010 and it was an adventurous labor of love to complete. She took her first fly fishing class in May 2010 and has been hooked ever since. She has authored five books in the team-building field. This is her first novel.

Michelle has her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and her Master’s degree in Experiential Education. At her core, she loves to provide opportunities for people to step outside their comfort zones and learn something new about themselves. She hopes this book does the same thing, and encourages more women to take up fly fishing. She is the founder of Training Wheels, a team-building organization, and co-founder of Personify Leadership, a leadership development company.

Michelle grew up on a farm in Norton, Kansas, and currently lives in Littleton, Colorado, with her husband and two sons.

Reviews

[Valerity (Val) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friendship is a strong part of most everyone’s life. And in this story, it plays a very pivotal
role. Among a group of women friends, fly fishing also plays a strong part, which at first seems strange. But as you will find, it’s as natural as breathing for them. I found this book to be a lot of fun, and as I got into it, hard to put down as I got to know and care about the friends. I wanted to see what was going to happen next with them and stayed up far too late to find out. While I learned a bit more about fly fishing than I’ll ever need to know, the interplay between the 'girls' made up for it with humor and warmth. A very well crafted story that I was pleased to win a digital copy of on Goodreads from the author, Michelle Cummings.

[Mahoghani 23 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sex and the City move over! Now we have a real foursome (soon five) group of women that are truly concerned and care about each other in a Biblical sense and not in a fashion, sexual excursions, and New York sense. They meet for weekends of camaraderie, fly fishing, relaxation, girl talk and wine (not specifically in any type of order). Meet Rose, Sophie, Veronica, and Amanda. On the first weekend together, once the snow has cleared, they’re fly fishing at Rose’s cabin when they hear screams coming from upstream. The screams are from a naked woman, the fifth and new member to be added to the group, Melody. Each woman has a strength that helps each other and a story to tell about themselves. Each woman narrates her own story and how she interacts with the other women. There’s no negativity, only positive energy flowing throughout the book. These women will describe to you the positive impact that this sport has had in their lives, the uncanny friendships they’ve developed over the years and how much each one of them means to the other person.

Rose is the Matriarch of the group and has taught each woman the basics about fly fishing. She has an uncanny sense to figure out what each woman may need without asking questions and she willingly helps everyone she comes into contact with. She never utters a negative word or even possesses a negative thought process. She’s fighting the guilt of losing something she treasured more than her life and Melody’s naked entrance to the group brought it back to the surface. She keeps having flashbacks to that terrible event that caused her such tremendous pain. Sophia is the loner of the group and wishes she could locate someone that loves her as much as she sees the love shared between Amanda and Veronica with their spouses. She owns her own greenhouse and donates food and her time to the community. Veronica is the outspoken, determined, self-sufficient woman of the group that never believed in a million years that she would be fly fishing. She’s married to Thatcher (whom is a successful restauranteur) and owns her own company that coaches female executives to become better leaders. Veronica’s past is playing with her determination, drive and possibly guilt and shame. Amanda is a middle school teacher with two toddlers and married to Mike. She’s dealing with the stress of having a husband deployed in Afghanistan, their two children, her job and the tight budget they're on to make ends meet. Melody is a fantastic photographer with insecure issues of her own. Not sure if she wants to live her life pleasing her parents or live her life pleasing herself. She’s a very artistic woman in music and photography and has no idea which direction she wants to head in.

I rate this book [b]3 out of 4[/b] stars. The name of the book catches your attention. I first thought we were talking about movie makers (without looking at the photo on the book cover). I enjoyed the author’s introduction of the women in the story and explaining how they became involved with fly fishing as well as becoming very close friends. She did a wonderful job describing the women’s personalities. The story took off once Melody entered the picture and never slowed down. The book is filled with humor, real life circumstances and the introductions to the sections prepared you for what you were about to learn next about each individual.

I did not enjoy the beginning of the story. There was a lot of background information concerning fly fishing that you had to read in order to get to the story. The first section was long-winded and dragging in the beginning. The author spent a lot of time talking about Caddis and where the fish may bite. I had to stop reading the book to look up the word to understand what the author was talking about. It was a little too much background information that can deter a reader from maintaining interest in the book or finishing it. There were a few punctuation errors concerning commas, semicolon, and the usage of apostrophes in front of a partial year with the “s” included but not enough to hinder the storyline the author was portraying.

The storyline correlates these women and fly fishing to the circle of life. No one understands why things happen. We just know they happen for a reason. The story was heartfelt, sincere and painful. You understood where these ladies were coming from and shared the pain, embarrassment, desires, fears and love. These things the author was able to put into the story and for the reader to grasp the intent of the author.

[RM(Alwaysdaddygirl) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you love fly-fishing? If so, read Reel Sisters by Michelle Cummings. This is a story about five different women of different ages. Each of these ladies has a journey of self-discovery.

These women come together over fly-fishing. If it were not for fly-fishing, they would probably never have met. The bond they create is strong, and it shows the meaning of true friendship and the importance of friendships. This is one reason why I like the book.

The book also gives a lot of information about fly-fishing and explains how it is different from regular fishing. Indeed, one learns enough about fly-fishing from the book to start a new hobby. Also, the geographical setting the author describes is so beautiful that you can picture yourself there reeling or exploring. That is the second reason why I like this book.

While I prefer regular fishing, this book did make me give fly-fishing a second thought. I also like how the author provides in-depth information (after the story) for anyone looking to find a fishing club and gear. The author's notes section is also very informative.

The book is paced well, which not only helped me bond with the characters but also kept my interest. Each chapter in the book is told from the perspective of one of the five women. It is hard to decide who my favorite character is, but if I have to choose, it would have to be a tie between Amanda and Rose. Amanda is a military spouse, and I have deep respect for our military. Rose is like a second mom.

The ending comes with a surprise. There are no cliffhangers. I think it would be interesting to follow these characters in a second book. They are well developed, and the ending makes you wonder what the future has in store for these ladies. You want to see what happens next for them after they each finish their own personal journey.

I would recommend this book to any gal or guy who wants to learn about the true value of friendships and, of course, to anyone who likes fly-fishing. Given the strong story of friendship in the book, I think the grammatical errors can be overlooked. (Some sentences require editing and polishing.) The book's focus on the value of friendships and the meanings of true friends is why I give this book four stars. If this site's reviews were based on a five-star system like on Amazon, I would give it five stars.

[Molly Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Every so often in the wild of Colorado, near the Arkansas River, four women meet to share wine, food, stories, laughter, and, of course, their love of fly fishing. One such meeting, however, they end up fishing out more than just fish. Melody, a young Goth photographer, finds herself freezing and naked, flailing uncontrollably down the river, but she is quickly rescued by the four fishing friends. From that point forward, the five ladies come to share every heartache, triumph, worry, and secret in their lives.

I found this novel to be delightful and enjoyed reading about the unique relationships these women had. Melody was, by far, my favorite character, and I found myself wishing that the whole book could have been from her perspective. The changing point of view among the women was a pet peeve for me. Unfortunately, however, there was another aspect that I really didn't like: the dialogue and storytelling more often than not tended to be sickly sweet and too quaint. Main complaints aside, however, I grew to like this book and would recommend you give out a try if reading about close-knit friends appeals to you. Added bonus: learning about fly fishing!

Please read my full, official review here: https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...

[(a)lyss(a) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy of this ebook from onlinebookclub.org in exchange for an honest review.

I expected to like this book - fly fishing and female friendships! But I just couldn't get past the writing style. It wasn't for me how everything was written in first person, each chapter the narration of a different character. Most of the book seems to happen "all of a sudden" and the characters tell themselves what they're thinking in clunky ways.

The drama felt manufactured and I had a hard time feeling like they were actually friends until most of the way through the book. I also had issues with these women of different ages calling themselves and each other girls, as well as the author having a character refer to herself in her head as an Asian chick (and then never bringing it up again!) along with seeming to imply that another character is Black by referring to her weave and calling her a city girl and then never bringing it up. Ugh.

If you're into character driven stories and can focus on content this may be ore for you than it was for me.

[Becca McCulloch · Rating 4 out of 5]

As lovely and ponderous as fly fishing

My dad, an avid fly fisherman, recently died. I grabbed this book to feel close to him an and it didn't disappoint. The descriptions of fishing and life outdoors with all its marvels and pains were perfect. The characters bloomed too life like flowers in spring, not too fast, maybe a little too show, but beautiful once fully unfolded.

On the down side, very little happens in this book. The characters themselves experience little change. The one bit of drama hit me heart center but I also resented it. By the point it arrived, I'd been lulled into a sense of security.

Though, I suppose, that's also part of life on a river. Peaceful and perfect until the river takes control and you have to face the unseen dangers. So maybe this is the perfect female companion book to A River Runs Through It. Our maybe it's just the right book to read when the rivers are frozen over and your fly fishing gear waits for spring.

[Antonella · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Friendship is a great gift, one that should never be taken for granted. The capacity of a woman’s heart for her friends is vast, so vast it is hard to comprehend sometimes. Like the river transforms the land, the bond of friendship can transform your life. Trusting the currents, navigating the terrain, and figuring out how to read the water are all skills that take patience, time, and love. "


A beautiful novel about five friends who share their love for fly fishing.
A story about life, friendship, perseverance, new beginnings and healing.

[Sahani Perera, The Book Sherpa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Personally, I don't like chick lit, and through this read it became even more evident.

[BellaGBear · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very boring. Review will follow

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok... Surprisingly, I loved this book. I consider myself to be a bit of a city girl so this was well out of my comfort zone. Fly-fishing? Didnt even know what that was. The characters in this book are so loveable and the author has a wonderful way of educating you without making it boring. This story is so wholesome. You will laugh and cry and feel such a sense of love and admiration for the women in your life. Anyone want to take up fly fishing with me?

[Tajwar Shakir · Rating 4 out of 5]

A superb novel not only about fly fishing but about friendship, love and life of women. Thumbs up to the author for creating such relatable characters.
Checkout my published review here
https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...

[Diona Sixpence · Rating 5 out of 5]

The irony between Amanda & Mike is that, they spent time preparing videos of Mike in case death came for him, but instead, death chose Amanda, who did not necessarily prepare anything for her children, in case she had to leave the earth sooner than she would want to! For a more detailed review go to https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...

[♥ Joy Joy ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Must Read At Least Once In Your Life Book.

From page 1 the flow of the book was so smooth that it wasn’t until pages later I realized just how hooked into the story I had become. The writing was impeccable with great imagery for the scenes and the little stories dotted here and there as the reader was introduced to each of the characters.

Overall, the characters diversity in age, their introduction and take to fly fishing, life situations and strengths and weaknesses played well together and truly enhanced the story as it continued. I also found myself enjoying the basic walkthroughs on various situations, which was surprising. Many books that attempt to explain certain things end up becoming tedious and losing that immersive quality. But with this book - whether it was about peeing, details on fabric chosen for quilts, or how to chop wood, the author managed to weave these things into the story so well that I didn’t mind it at all.

The events leading up to the rescue and the rescue itself were captivating. I really couldn’t explain or describe it in a way that would do it justice without just spoiling it. My eyes were glued to the pages and I wouldn’t have been able to put it down if I wanted to. I actually felt my heart rate pick up a bit as I anxiously rooted for the women to not just save Melody but to remain safe doing it…although I admit I laughed hard at Sophie’s reaction of “Jesus, you’re naked!” I love that character so much!

Simple yet powerful. I think that’s the best way to describe this book. The characters, the introduction, the ups and downs of life that unfold in the story, and even the tragedy that they all end up facing. It is a powerfully impacting story of life that will grip you up until the end.

P.S. Keep an extra box of tissues handy…just in case.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am very passionate about fly fishing, so when the opportunity fell in my lap to hear the author, a fly fisher herself, talk about how this book came to be as well as how fly fishing plays an important part in her life and in the story, I knew I had to read this book. I waited to finish reading, after I had been to Salida and Coaldale, CO and fished the Arkansas River for the first time, myself.

While this is a novel, the characters are quite real. I found myself thinking this character is like so-and-so in my life. I even found that fly fishing was a character as well. The experiences the women mastered/endured/suffered truly exist with fly fishers--regardless the gender. There are the days when I quit fishing because I have caught more than my body has the strength to catch. There are those days where I've been skunked; other days, offered the fish of a lifetime, all of which the author shares with readers via her characters and the emotions that accompanies those situations. Then, Cummings accurately portrays the settings where fly fishers find themselves--the boulders, the currents, swift waters, slow waters, hikes to out-of-the way, isolated spots--this is a novel with so many accuracies of real life, that it was easy to picture the views, the sounds, the smells, and the feelings associated with fly fishing, catching fish, or the frustration of not, releasing fish, tying flies, catching fish with personally tied flies with rods personally built, that it was surreal. At times, this reads as a novel, and at times, it reads as vignettes.

Some of the characters readers will bond with instantly; others may take awhile to enjoy. Regardless, there are aspects of each character with which fly fishers and outdoor enthusiasts can relate easily, even if one has only pondered learning fly fishing. For new fly fishers, there is much sage advice. For experienced fly fishers, there are so many call-to-mind memories, that sometimes laughter or tears are for what has actually happened to the reader, as well as the character in the story.

Regrettably, there is some language that precludes this novel for high school students and less mature audiences, regardless the quality of the novel. Even though it existed, I learned to skim over this aspect, as I felt the read was worth the roughness of one of the characters, who did scale back her language as the story progressed.

I am excited about and looking forward to the sequel!

[Yoli García · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marvelous Book About Fly Fishing and Friendship

The Reel Sisters by Michelle Cummings is a marvelous and touching book about fly fishing and friendship. The story centers around a diverse group of women who practice the sport of fly fishing and share a strong sisterhood. The book also offers detailed information about fly fishing. Colorado, particularly a cabin next to the Arkansas River, is the gorgeous and organic setting of the story.

It was a joy reading this story. Each of the characters has a life story and personality. The story is narrated in present tense from the perspective of each of the women. The pace of the novel is tranquil and slow, which matches the natural setting and ambience of the novel.

I recommend this beautiful book to those who love reading about fly fishing, friendship, strong female characters, and nature.

[Rita Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Five women of diverse ages and backgrounds come together and build lasting friendships through their shared love of fly fishing in this character-driven novel. Sisterhood is the theme, as each woman provides emotional support and practical help to the others. While Sophie helps with Amanda’s children, Rose teaches Melody how to cast a fly. Veronica finds a blind date for Sophie, and Amanda ties custom flies for all the others.

Of all the characters, Melody, a young Asian woman who works as an independent photographer and argues with her musician parents about her career choice, appears to be the most fully developed. Her way of speaking is very direct, and her multitude of tattoos, piercings, and nude selfies frequently shock the others, who seem more to embody classic female stereotypes – the elderly widow, the military wife, the successful businesswoman, and the lonely spinster.

The first half of "The Reel Sisters" introduces the five main characters and their beloved sport of fly fishing. It is the vivid descriptions of life outdoors that make these early chapters shine. Reading them is like actually being there – feeling the coldness of the water, seeing the sun flickering through the trees, and hearing the faint splash of a fish trying to escape. The plot picks up speed at the halfway point, revealing more details of the challenges that each woman faces in her personal life. It moves straight on to a surprise ending that felt forced and implausible. The author didn't lay enough of a foundation for this event.

The quality of the writing is uneven throughout but becomes a problem only in dialogue scenes. Distracting dialogue tags frequently take the place of a simple “says.” And when the conversation involves more than two people, different speakers sound so much alike that it is difficult to know who is talking.

[Carrie Cross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I don't even know where to begin. This book touched my soul, which I was not expecting. The first book ever to make me cry.

The friendship and bond these 5 women have is the best. They are all so very different and fly fishing brought them all together. Sophie is a farmer in her 40s and puts everyone before herself. Rose is the oldest of them all and owns a cabin on the Salida River. Amanda is 23 and is a mom of two young children. She is an elementary school teacher and has a husband who is deployed in Afghanistan. Veronica is a city girl and owns her own business coaching top level women to help them lead with passion and help them lead with professional goals. Melody is the youngest of them all and is a gothic Asian girl who does photography and can play any instrument.

I connected with all of these characters, but I'd have to choose Amanda as my favorite. These women are hilarious! I absolutely love their friendship. They also made me want to try fly fishing. Maybe one day! I absolutely love this book. I downloaded it with kindle unlimited but I'm going to have to get myself a hard copy to add to the shelves of my in home library. Highly recommend!

[Echo Haapala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and Captivating

I gave this book a 5 star rating because the character development is superb. Each woman has a unique personality, quirks and life story. It is so well written that it makes you feel as though you are a part of the fly fishing crew. The author kept me fascinated throughout the entire book left me broken-hearted with the conclusion.

I would recommend this book to women of all ages. I do believe that there will be a story or stories within this book that every reader will be able to resonate with.

[Veline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. My husband is a fly fisherman, so I know the terminology, as well as the excitement of actually fly fishing. I liked all the characters and enjoyed their back stories, but felt none of them was well developed enough to really care about. I was especially surprised that when a tragedy happened, I couldn't feel any real emotion for any of them. I didn't feel real emotion coming from them, it just all seemed very contrived just for the author's purpose of sharing a message. Potential, definitely, just not enough delivery on character development.

[Shey Saints · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fly fishing advocates and people who would like to get out of their comfort zone will appreciate the adventure, fun, drama, and heartwarming story of this novel. See my complete review here: https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...

[Vier (Ri) · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[SP · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Reel Sisters by Michelle Cummings shows us that friendship is supposed to be unconditional. One should consider themselves extremely lucky if they have friends who will always stand by them.

Michelle Cummings has beautifully portrayed stories of five women who couldn’t be more different from each other, and yet their lives integrated flawlessly when they got together. Life brought Rose, Amanda, Veronica and Sophie together and made them realize how similar they are to each other. All of them had faced problems in the past, be it in their relationships or their work. They bonded over their shared love of fly fishing and soon became inseparable. Fly fishing gave them an opportunity to escape their problems and to experience the joys of life.

The story started with the girls heading to Rose’s cabin for the weekend of fly fishing by the river where they saved a woman named Melody, who then became the newest addition to their group. Initially, it felt like the story is going to be only about fly fishing and their friendship but it was about so much more. The readers will also get to learn more about the families of these women.

Amanda’s husband, Mike was deployed on a mission and their interactions with each other were so emotional, they made me want to cry with her. But, Jordan and Parker, their kids were adorable. Thatcher, Veronica’s husband and Sophie also shared a very special bond. They behaved almost like siblings which was fun to read about. Rose had a mysterious and tragic past. She was the mother hen of the group. Melody was the youngest of all and just as adventurous as the rest of them. There was a vast difference in all of their ages but that never made their interactions any stilted. Their camaraderie was flawless despite of all their differences.

A large part of the story is focused towards exploring the friendship of these five women and how they overcome each obstacle. The first page itself gave off a very positive feeling which continued throughout the book and that is very difficult to find these days. I applaud Michelle Cummings for achieving that. Though the name of the book is The Reel Sisters, they might as well have been Real Sisters with how close they were and how they behaved. They pushed each other when needed but stood by each other when things got too hard. They supported each other when things went wrong but made each other well aware when they were being irrational. That was what made their friendship so beautiful and at the same time so enviable.

We also get to learn about the art of fly fishing. I almost felt like I could learn all there is to know about fly fishing from the book itself. Michelle has gone into the depths of this art but that did not bore me at all. On the contrary, it made me more curious. The scenes are so well described that it feels like you are a part of their story.

Honestly, I found nothing wrong with this book. There were no errors. I rate The Reel Sisters 5 out of 5 stars . I find it hard to classify this book in any particular genre because it includes a little of everything so I would recommend it to anyone who prefers a nice and clean story of friendship and need a dose of positivity in their lives.

[C.R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

In her debut novel, The Reel Sisters, author Michelle Cummings creates an entertaining and inspirational look at sisterhood, not of blood but rather of friends who share a love of fly fishing. The novel follows the lives of five very different women: Sophie, a Kansas farm girl who moves to Colorado to start a greenhouse and nursery business; Veronica, a Denver city girl who conducts team-building classes and leadership seminars to help women climb the corporate ladder; Amanda, a teacher with two kids and a husband serving a tour of duty in Afghanistan; Rose, a widow whose cabin is center to the group’s fly-fishing getaways; and Melody, the newest and youngest member of the group who meets the others in the most unusual of circumstances. During the course of the novel these women share their lives, heartaches, accomplishments, and failures as only “reel “sisters can.

This is very much a character-driven story, as each character narrates in alternating chapters - a style which allows the reader to learn about the personalities and backgrounds of each in a kind of slow reveal. This style mostly worked well for me, since each character was sympathetically drawn, though at times I thought the overall story might have benefitted from a more central conflict rather than five storylines that interconnect, much like a soap opera does. Some storylines - for instance, Sophie’s yearning for love and Melody’s striving for independence - interested me more than others, making the book a somewhat uneven read.

Still, the author’s love and knowledge of fly-fishing shines throughout The Reel Sisters. My only previous knowledge of the sport comes from one of my favorite films, A River Runs Through It, which the author references a number of times. Like the film, the novel captures the appeal of the sport with such beautiful imagery that I found myself wondering whether I might learn to fly fish too. The author also includes wonderful quotations from fly-fisherwomen (and men) to introduce each section, such as the following quote from Joan Wulff:

“A perfect cast is a thing of beauty, It is like a note of music extended and held. In all other sports, the moment of impact separates you from the very thing you are projecting in beautiful flight - but the execution of the perfect cast can be seen and felt from its inception until the fly touches down on the water.”

In addition to some lovely language, the book also captures the raw humor of women simply having fun without men around to complicate things. The numerous sly asides and catty comments rang very true and showed the sisterly give-and-take that I recognize from my own friendships. The book is genuinely funny. Even so, I thought the author often overused dialogue, even including long phone and text exchanges that added little to the story and could have been easily paraphrased.

Despite some minor issues, I wholeheartedly recommend this book, especially for those readers who enjoy contemporary fiction about feisty ladies. In fact, it reminds me of the movie, Steel Magnolias. It has the same type of humor, affection for its characters, and mix of comedy and tragedy. If you loved that movie, you are sure to enjoy reading The Reel Sisters.

[Le Diplomatique · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent, modernized story about life and the lessons we can learn about it through fly fishing. It revolves around fly fishing, true friendship and love for nature. The major characters are women who are unalike in other aspects except fly fishing. The story highlights their dissimilar personalities which blend to form a beautiful, harmonious group of women fly fishers. Brought together through different circumstances, these women find great joy in their togetherness. Michelle Cummings narrates the story through the characters’ perspectives, personifying her characters by addressing them by name.

With clarity, she retrospectively expounds on fly fishing while acquainting the reader with books that provide additional information on the sport. Each section of The Reel Sisters starts with a quote from a different book on fly fishing. She also provides more information at the end of the story. This demonstrates the author’s interest in acquainting her readers with the validity and joy of fly fishing. By reading this book, I have been compelled to consider fly fishing as a therapeutic pastime and a great stress reliever.

The book’s tone portrays a passionate, happy-go-lucky author who doesn’t mind a little vulgarity. Her use of informal, street English, with spontaneous use of swear words, gives the American touch to her story. However, the swear words did not go well with me. She has succeeded in engraving the reader into the story by creating thorough mental pictures of scenes, situations, places and character behavior. She has a way of bringing nature to life. Her storyline is rich with easy-to-grasp symbolism. She has used technical words, some of which she has taken time to break down.

I most like the way Michelle Cummings links fly fishing to real-life experiences because it remarkably unveils her absolute familiarity with her subject matter in relation to life in general. I least like the way she handles her story conclusion, leaving the reader in the dark about whether Sophie finally found her life partner in Buck or not. In addition, I would have wanted to know what happened to Mike after Amanda’s demise. Did he blame himself for it, knowing his statement had been the reason she had stormed out into the torrential rain?

The book contains profanities but no erotic content. I came across errors.

I recommend this book to people who wish to learn about lasting friendships. Secondly, to those who are seeking therapeutic activities, fly fishing is one of a kind. Finally, I recommend it to those who love reading books on the wonders of nature.

I will neither rate The Reel Sisters 4 stars because of its incompleteness nor will I rate it 2 stars because it is relevant and educative. I rate it 3 out of 4 stars.

[Redmakesmyheartsing · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sport of fly fishing is not necessarily the first hobby you would think of women doing, but The Reel Sisters, the debut novel by Michelle Cummings, is about five women who become firm friends through their shared love of fly fishing. Sophie has always fished in the pond at her childhood home but became fascinated with fly fishing after watching the film 'A River Runs Through It.' While shopping for fly fishing equipment, Sophie meets Rose, and they become firm friends, often taking breaks at the cabin Rose and her husband built beside the Arkansas river. Sophie meets Veronica on an aeroplane trip. The two sit together and start a conversation about fly fishing when Veronica sees Sophie put her fly rod in the overhead luggage storage. Sophie has a greenhouse and nursery business and meets Amanda when she takes her children to pick pumpkins and apples. Sophie tells Amanda about the children's gardening club. Amanda is a teacher of fifth-grade children and arranges a trip to Sophie's for the class. Along the way, Sophie mentions fly fishing and invites Amanda to join the friends at the cabin next time she goes.

The group meets at the cabin for a few days one spring. They happily fish and catch up when a naked girl screams for help. She has fallen into the rapids and is being dragged along. At this point, we are introduced to Melody, who becomes the group's final member. Why is she in the freezing water naked? Furthermore, how will this new, much younger member affect the dynamics of the group? The five women's careers, families, and other friendships are interwoven with their fly-fishing group. Lots happen along the way, illness, death, and new relationships, but whatever happens, the women still keep in touch and meet up when they can. The Reel Sisters is beautifully written, and I am sure all readers will empathise with the girlfriends!

There is so much to love about this book, I was initially put off reading it as I had no clue about fly fishing and no interest in learning, but I was intrigued by the storyline of women finding long-term friendships through the sport. I loved reading about how the friends met and their blossoming friendships. I also found fly fishing much more interesting than I had thought, and I laughed at the flies' ridiculous names. Michelle Cummings is a very talented writer, and I love her descriptions which are almost poetic at times, e.g., on page ten, "Each spring, caddis flies by the thousands fill the air, as prevalent as dandelion tufts on a windy day." The last chapter has book club discussion questions which is a welcome addition. I loved that the book's final pages have helpful information for women interested in learning more about fly fishing. Including blogs run specifically for women wanting to learn more about the sport of fly fishing and addresses and websites of outfitters specialising in fly fishing gear for women. The author Michelle Cummings has thought of everything to help readers pursue the sport. Why don't more books have these finishing details?

I am sorry that I did not enjoy reading about all the creatures Sophie and her family hunted, especially as Sophie joined in from the age of nine.

I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. There are minor grammar errors but not enough to remove a star from this wonderfully uplifting book.

I recommend The Reel Sisters by Michelle Cummings to readers who enjoy friendship, loyalty, and self-discovery stories. The book has lots of humour and banter, so it is enjoyable. I think it would be of particular interest to anyone wanting to learn about a new sport. Although fly fishing is an integral part of the story, it is explained in a fun and user-friendly way. There is some swearing, so I do not think this book is appropriate for younger audiences.

I'd like to thank Michelle Cummings for a free copy of her wonderful book in exchange for an honest and impartial review. You can find more of my reviews here http://onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-...

[Lisbeth Ivies · Rating 4 out of 5]

While The Reel Sisters by Michelle Cummings could be described as that one book about a bunch of women who enjoy getting together and fly fishing, it is so much more than that. Written from the perspective of each of the five “Reel Sisters,” there is definitely fishing, but there is also a lot of story in between as well. The characters of Sophie, Rose, Amanda, Veronica, and Melody share a unique bond within the novel that transcends just a love for the same sport.

Popular media so often portrays women as unable to get along because of “catfighting.” It was extremely refreshing to read about women from vastly different backgrounds who actually get along. Even when the women do argue within the book, the characters never lose sight of the value that their relationships with one another holds. The characters in The Reel Sisters felt so real that I did research to make sure that the novel was actually fictional. The stories of these women and the relationship between them felt so tangible that I became invested in their lives as a reader. Be prepared to laugh, cry, and possibly even cry from laughing with these women.

I genuinely enjoyed reading this book from the very first pages as we are introduced through the perspective of Sophie. The humor, often irreverent, infusing that first chapter definitely had me interested in reading further. I also never realized how many analogies one could make between the art of fishing and the art of succeeding at life until I read this book.

However, a few issues did prevent me from giving this novel the highest possible rating. Sophie, the character that the reader is first introduced to, does not stay entirely consistent from beginning to end. The pacing of the story is also a bit sporadic. It hops back and forth in time and moves incredibly fast at the end compared to the rest of the novel. In addition, the number of errors I found exceeded 300. This largely consisted of missing commas along with missing words, misspellings, and subject-verb disagreements.

Because The Reel Sisters was such a joy to read, I gave the novel a rating of 4 out of 5 stars despite the errors and pacing issues. I do not recommend this novel to people who do not want to read anything with a healthy amount of descriptions of fishing or a plot based on the strong bonds between female friends. If you do enjoy strong female characters and are looking for a slice-of-life story with a huge helping of humor, I will borrow the words of the author and say: “what are you wading for!”

[Laura n Palminteri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friendship through diversity


The Reel Sisters weaves a story of five women from distinctly different demographic backgrounds(age, race, religion, socioeconomic, and professional) who meet by happenstance and are drawn together. Their bond strengthens over fly fishing but is much more deep-rooted. Most have never tried fly fishing before meeting the others, but develop a love for the sport through their desire to spend time and friendship with the others. Each chapter is written through the first person of each of these women as they navigate the changes in their personal lives and how their friends are involved throughout the process. Over the course of the novel each woman has a major milestone in her life that she confronts. The other members of the group help each other deal with their life changes.

Michelle Cummings does an excellent job of intertwining each character's story and point of view in a way that is easy for the reader to follow. The personalities are well developed and believable. There is some profanity associated with Melody but it is appropriate to her personality as a young highly pierced and tattooed individual. Taming down her language would have detracted from her strong persona. There are also a few religious references in asking for God’s guidance. Again, this is relevant and important to establishing the personality involved. The first person narrative of each chapter is each written in a different style and each is pertinent to the individual and portrays their personality well. The significant others in these womens’ lives are also an integral part of the novel. The author not only portrays them through the partner’s eyes but also as they are perceived from the other womens’ points of view. This adds to the depth of the novel.

My only negative comment would be that at times the fly fishing references and comparisons seemed forced and a bit overplayed. The exact details of each fly and its history could have been abbreviated and the point still made. However, this does not detract from the overall novel at all. Each section is introduced with a fly fishing quote from other publications. This does add value and interest.

The Reel Sisters is well written, well edited, and an excellent page turning read. I would highly recommend this book for non-fiction readers that appreciate a well-developed plot and characters. I would rate The Reel Sisters a five out of five stars.

[Nancy Barnhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

A review for you on THE REEL SISTERS by Michelle Cummings. I found this book to be remarkable. I was apprehensive about my enjoyment of this book since I am not a fisherman. I am not fond of the smell, texture, or taste of fish. If it's served with a delicious sauce, I'll make an effort to enjoy it, and I acknowledge that fish is healthy, but the texture overwhelms me. Reading the book was a pleasant experience for me.

Once again, the characters of the book were the ones that captivated me. In a reference to fly fishing, there are five elements of a fly fishing outfit, (rod, reel, line, leader and fly). Five women have personalities that align with the components. Each woman is embarking on a journey that is distinctly her own. Fly fishing is used by each of them as a means of escape to a simpler time.

Sophie, the first character, introduces us to a life lesson about going to the bathroom before wearing your fly fishing gear. Sophie is the owner of a greenhouse and nursery in Colorado. She learned to fish years ago when she was a kid, living on a farm in Kansas, near a great fishing pond. She fished with her brothers and was known as a regular tomboy. Her life took a turn when she saw Brad Pitt, A River Runs Through It at the age of 26. She hadn't seen fly fishing before and she got hooked. After a long drive to Colorado, she bravely entered a fly fishing store in Breckinridge and asked the cutest employee if they offered fly fishing lessons. The employee by the name of Buck did just that and she ended up staying in Colorado. Sophie's chance encounter with Rose, a veteran fly fisher, at a fishing shop led to an immediate and lasting friendship.

Close to the Arkansas River, Rose, who was old enough to be Sophie's mom, had a cabin. Bob and she worked together to build that cabin during their first year of marriage. Rose and DJ, her black lab, have been very generous in sharing the cabin with us. It's been a haven for me. Rose is someone who makes you feel special and she has taught me a great deal about fishing and life in general.

Veronica and Amanda were making their way to the cabin to join them. Sophie met Veronica on a plane while she was on a fly fishing trip. Executive Coaching for Women's CEO is Veronica. She can't get over that Sophie would take off 6 days to go fly fishing. She bombarded Sophie with question after question. The fishing started after Veronica called Sophie after exchanging information. At first, Veronica struggled a lot because she was not fond of the outdoors and disliked bugs. She was worried about getting dirty and broke a nail the first day. She was able to succeed after putting in a lot of hard work.

Sophie met Amanda and her husband Mike one day in her Pumpkin Patch for Military Appreciation Day. Mike is a member of the army and is currently stationed at Fort Carson. Amanda took her fifth grade class to the greenhouse that spring. I shared my knowledge of fly fishing and invited her to the cabin for a weekend. Amanda was a natural. She now ties her own flies and comes with us to fish as often as she can. As a young, single mother of two, she doesn't have as much time to get away as her husband is deployed in Afghanistan.

The four of them formed strong bonds during their weekends at the cabin. On one such weekend, as they were fishing the river, the oddest thing happened. A woman is seen struggling in the current that is hurtling down the river. As she slips past, Veronica gives her hand to the woman and instructs her to grab it. As she firmly grips her hand, Veronica quickly jerks her out of the water, to find the woman is completely naked.

The four women become five women when they meet Melody. It turns out that Melody is a photographer who sells her photos online and is part of a club that takes naked selfies of themselves. She slipped and fell in while taking photos of herself on a rock in the middle of the river. They are surprised to learn that Melody lives in a loft above Verinica's husband's restaurant.

These five women battle their own demons while spending time together at the cabin. The group's commonality is fly fishing, and they learn how to handle life and tragedy through their bond.

I gave this book a high rating of 5 out of 5. It was a powerful, touching, and emotional experience. We acquire a new understanding of friendships and their significance.

[Lucy Appadoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Reel Sisters is a story of friendship, love, hardship, resilience, grief, and growth. It is a story about a group of friends who share their love of fly fishing by joining together at a cabin belonging to their oldest friend, Rose. They also help each other out with their diverse challenges.

The story begins with the group of friends meeting up at the cabin and fly fishing at the river. Each part of the story shows a different point of view character so we get to understand their quirks, personalities, and lifestyles. Each friend: Rose, Sophie, Amanda, Veronica, and a new addition to the group; Melody, all join together for fly fishing and banter.

The story shows a photographer by the name of Melody who ends up near the cabin, taking photos of herself in the nude. She slips and falls into the river until Veronica helps her out of the water. The friends soon befriend Melody and she forms part of their friendship circle.

Throughout the course of the story, it shows each of their lives outside of fly fishing and the cabin, and each of them working through their own issues. Sophie struggles to trust in relationships; Veronica struggles with a challenging journey; Amanda works through her anxiety about her husband fighting in Afghanistan and wanting him home; Rose works diligently to cope with a traumatic past; and Melody challenges herself to break out of her social isolation.

As each problem is resolved in the story, the women come together to share in a comforting ritual to work through a significant loss. What I enjoyed about this story was the well-written prose, authentic descriptions, diverse characters, and interesting plotline. I gave it four out of five stars rather than five stars as I felt the beginning of the story started off a bit slow with the developing conflict, and could have toned down on the fly fishing descriptions. The story was beautifully written but could have had the story move forward a little quicker in the first few parts, but generally, the book was an inspiring and entertaining read.

[Nancy Retallick, Ph.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Reel Sisters are the Golden Girls of fly fishing. This was a fun book to read. I appreciated the character’s individuality as well as their sense of humor.
Very empowering to women. Leave your husband’s at home. Grab your girlfriends and head down to the river and get ready for some fly fishing, conversation, and wine.
Good friends are hard to come by. Especially friends that can take a joke without feeling offended like these ladies. Each character is her own person and they come together with one purpose; to fish. I love these characters.
Each character has her own personality and worthy of being respected. Amanda is a military wife, teacher and a mother. She’s raising two young children while her husband is deployed. I have to admit I was worried about Amanda being stalked by her ex and her husband’s reaction when he came home from Afghanistan. This is one of the pieces of the story that kept me turning the pages. There is Sophie owns a greenhouse and helps feed the hungry, and she finally found love. Veronica is a business leader empowering women. Rose owns the cabin on the Arkansas River that she and her husband built in the 1960s. I would invite myself to Rose’s cabin and ask her to teach me how to fly fish. And Melody is trying to figure out her life while stuck in a thunder and lightning storm on top of a mountain.
Michelle Cummings makes the characters come to life by entertaining the reader with their conversations over eating, fishing, and good wine. I’m pretty sure I can use this book to teach myself how to operate a fly fishing rod. And now I know how to layer my socks inside waders.
The writer describes scenarios perfectly. What it’s like to be a military wife, what it’s like to lose a child, how to hold your pole and cast your line out, as well as describing what it’s like to have to pee after you put your waders on.
I cried in the end. The ending was a complete total surprise to me. Excellent book.