My Sisters And Me

by Lisa Dickenson

Meet the Lake sisters ...

'Fresh, funny and hugely entertaining'
CATHY BRAMLEY

'The perfect book!'
HEIDI SWAIN

' C racking, cosy, emotional and witty'
KIRSTY GREENWOOD

'You are all going to completely fall in love with this story'
HOLLY MARTIN

'A feel-good hoot of a read'
HEAT

The BRAND NEW feel-good, kick-ass novel about sisterhood and second chances. Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella , Lindsey Kelk , Mhairi McFarlane and Anna Bell .

****
They're fixing up their childhood home. It's going to get messy.

When Willow Lake asks her daughters for help renovating the family home, each has a reason to hesitate about returning to Maplewood . . .

For quiet and bookish Emmy going back to the town that ridiculed her fills her with dread.

The youngest Noelle is perfectly comfortable in herself now , but once wanted to fit in so badly that she walked away from her first love. A first love who still lives in Maplewood.

And outspoken Rae is painfully aware of how much the townspeople hurt her little sisters growing up. She didn't protect them then, but there's no way she'll let history repeat itself.

The sisters agree to go home and make the best of it. After all if they've changed over the years, it's possible the townspeople have too . . . isn't it?

The BRAND NEW feel-good, kick-ass novel about sisterhood and second chances. Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella, Lindsey Kelk, Mhairi McFarlane and Anna Bell.

Praise for Lisa Dickenson

' PERFECT ' - Miranda Dickenson
' FLAWLESS ' - Holly Martin
' Sprinkled with humour ' - Cathy Bramley
' HILARIOUS ' - Fabulous
' Will have you laughing out loud... A must read ' - Daily Express
' DELICIOUS ' - Jo Thomas
' A classic ' - Sun
' SPARKLING ' - Sunday Express
' Feisty, fun, and fierce! ' - Ali McNamara
' HEART-WARMING ' - Red
' Perfect poolside reading ' - The Lady
' LOVELY ' - Marie Claire
' UPLIFTING ' - Bella

Genres: Fiction

400 pages, Paperback

Published March 5, 2019

About the author

Hello!
I wrote The Twelve Dates of Christmas, You Had Me at Merlot and Catch Me If You Cannes. Hope you like them. You look super-nice today.
L xx

Oh, here's the official bio:

Lisa Dickenson was born in the wrong body. She was definitely meant to be Beyonce. Despite this hardship, she grew up in Devon attempting to write her own, completely copyright-infringing versions of Sweet Valley High, before giving Wales a go for university, and then London a go for the celeb-spotting potential. She's now back in Devon, living beside the seaside with her husband and forcing cream teas down the mouths of anyone who'll visit. She is sadly still not Beyonce.

Reviews

[Louise Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three women are giving their childhood home a make over. It's going to get messy.

Willow Lake asks her three daughters to help renovate the family home, each has a reason to hesitate. The girls grew up in the Devon town of Maplewood, but it wasn't easy for the sisters. Noelle, the youngest, is comfortable with who she is now. Emmy, the middle sister, has always been quiet and bookish. Rae, the eldest, is painfully aware how the townspeople hurt her sisters while they were growing up.

With the sisters now being strong and independent, some things that happened did not seem to ring true. Like their mother going on holiday while her daughters renovate her house in the same town where her daughters were bullied by the locals. Also there were parts of the story that just seemed to drag on. This is a tale of love, friendship, determination and facing your fears with some humor thrown in the mix. I did enjoy this book, just not as much as I thought I would.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Little Brown Book Group UK and the author Lisa Dickenson for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Melisa]

Lisa’s coming out with a new book and I CAN’T WAIT!!!

[Holly in Bookland · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 stars ✨

I love Lisa Dickenson’s books. She’s always a good choice if you’re looking for some fun and laughter. I was very much looking forward to reading this because of those qualities. I did enjoy this story but I didn’t find it as funny as her other books. Since their mother is always traveling, the three girls—Rae, Emmy, & Noelle—go home to renovate their childhood home to rent out. Going back to Maplewood, however, isn’t a very pleasing prospect. They have always been the outsiders in that small town because of their parents eccentricities. So they aren’t looking forward to that but love spending time together. I was expecting more laughs from the renovation, perhaps some mishaps, but it was mostly reconnecting with a few friends and watching the town being hateful towards the sisters even though they don’t do anything wrong. I liked the book but just wanted more “bloopers”. The sisters were good characters and I really liked Jared:) I guess I was wanting more though.

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Frenchorchidea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice book about sisterhood, old and new friendship, facing your fears and your old demons. It's also about bullying. The book is well written and I liked the Lake sisters and what happens to them. But unfortunately I didn't quite enjoy it. I found it a bit slow, I was hoping for more events and for more funny moments. I was also hoping for a bit of romance (there is a bit of romance but a little tiny tiny one). I read this book quite fast but can't say that I loved it.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book centred around three sisters. Thye've been called back to help rennovate their childhood home. They have to deal with some childhood issues. The book deals with lovely friendships, family dynamics, love and humour. The girls are so different from each other but enjoy this time together. Their parents eccentric life made for a difficult childhood in Maplewood.
The characters are really well drawn and engaging. They take a wonderful trip back with childhood memories mixed with present day. We can imagine living in Maplewood.

[Fabulous Book Fiend · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so into this book as soon as I picked it up but I was disciplined and spread out the Joy of reading it over several days rather than eating it up in one sitting! If you love books that have a message of being yourself, embracing your individuality and of course Girl Power, then you're going to like this one.



The book revolves around three sisters, Rae, Emmy and Noelle. Each of them have things in their past that haunt them, but have made them what they are today and each of them have insecurities about both of those things. Rae is an opera singer, such a cool career and she has an amazing husband (who I may have had a little bit of a crush on) but she still has some ideals about living as a rebellious teenage when she returns to their family home. She also has some hang ups about being the mother hen of the siblings and so it was great to see her working her way through both of those things.



Emmy is an amazing scientist and a pioneer for women in her field. She was bullied as a child because of her intelligence and the glasses that went with it and she is a little scared to come back out of her comfort zone where people embrace her intelligence rather than bully her for it. I think she is the sister that I identified with the most only I don't think I would be quite as brave as her in certain situations. Then we have Noelle who came out as a teenager and that didn't go down well in the village she lived in. She is now a top environmental lawyer and is also in a world where no one judges her the way her hometown did but she also has some skeletons in her closet back home that she must exorcise.



Another major part of this book is the fact that the sisters are doing up their childhood home so there are some fabulous home renovation scenes to enjoy, I really liked the feeling of cleaning things out and cleaning them up along with the sisters and regeneration is definitely a key message in this novel. There are some really fun scenes involving some amazing 90s nostalgia scattered throughout the novel which were just the best. The sisters teen nostalgia is just the same as mine and I loved experimentation with hair mascara, babysitters club books and of course fond memories of Dream Phone!



There are some great messages in this book about the way we judge others and certain prejudices that should be avoided at all costs but also message about the way we judge ourselves. I loved reading about the way the sisters stuck together throughout the novel even if they didn't always see eye to eye on some topics. I also loved the theme of girl power running throughout the novel and I would LOVE for there to be a sequel, I want to know what the Lake Girls are doing now!

[Alba · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story revolves around three sisters, Rae, Emmy and Noelle. They didn't have the easiest of childhoods in their small village of Mapplewood, as they were bullied for being different. So since moving out to start their adult lives, they haven't been back that often. But when their mother asks them to re-do the whole house while she is away, they all agree to go back for three months. As you can imagine, when they arrive, they are not ready yet to face their past demons, but they soon realize that it is about time to show Mapplewood they are kick-ass women who don't care any more about what others think. Or do they?

I really loved the whole message in the story, how we need to embrace our own selves and be proud of who we are. It's not an easy task, but every little step forward counts. The sisters were always supportive of each other and had a very special bond. Eldest sister Rae was also very protective of her two younger sisters and was always on fight-mode, ready to defend them. It was great to see her character develop and how her sisters made her understand fight or flight are not always the only options.

In general, I think there was a very clear evolution in the main three characters. We really got to know them and we were able to understand them: we knew about their fears and their doubts but also about their strengths and their dreams. Also, there wasn't only hostility waiting for them in Mapplewood, some old flames and old friendships were also back in the village, ready to turn the sisters' lives upside-down. So we got to know some new sides of them because of that.

If you have read Lisa Dickenson's previous books, you will know about her hilarious sense of humour. Maybe this story is not as funny as her previous ones, but there were some great moments that added the perfect fun spark to the more serious tone of this book. They had me giggling repeatedly and I had such a great team down memory-lane with the sisters. There were many nineties references and as I am the same age as youngest sister Noelle, I loved reminiscing with them about the best of the decade.

My Sisters And Me has a very autumnal and cosy feeling, it even has a Halloween party. So I would definitely recommend picking it up and spend a few evenings reading it with a nice blanket and a hot drink. Best cure for the colder months!

[Agi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rae, Emmy and Noelle are the three Lake sisters, as they are known in their childhood village Maplewood in Devon. They all visit their home rather reluctantly, as the place is full of sad and traumatic memories from their childhood and school years. They, in fact, couldn't wait to leave Maplewood. Now Rae is married and is an opera singer, Emmy is a robotic engineer and Noelle is an environmental lawyer. However, at the request of their mother Willow, who, after death of the girls' father started to travel the world, the girls are supposed to take sabbatical from work, come back home and renovate it for rental while Willow is again on the road. To say they're all a bit wary would be an understatement, considering all the things that had happened in the past, and they are scared to face the village but there is no other option for them. How is it all going to play out?

I have warmed to the three sisters immediately. They were so easy to like and they had the best jobs ever. Noelle was environmental lawyer and I loved her interactions with Big Daddy, Rae was an opera singer (how many opera singers do you know?) and Emmy's job was one in a million - she had something to do with building robots that she was sending then into space. They were all so passionate about their jobs and you could really see that they're doing things they love to do. And oh yes, they were kick - ass sisters! It was brilliant they were all so different but no matter what they just stick together. I loved them all. But most of all I think I loved Jared *sigh*, and most importantly, I loved Emmy around Jared - she was then always so relaxed and funny.

Now, guys. I do love a Lisa Dickenson's book. I've been reading and adoring her novels from the very beginning and this is why I went into "My Sisters and Me" with great expectations and actually certainty that this book is - again - going to blow my socks off with its brilliancy, humour and general greatness. And this is why, because of this feeling of certainty, I found myself reading and reading and starting to PANIC. Literally, panic and wondering, what's happening? For a long time it was a solid 3 stars read for me, while I was sure it's going to be a 10 out of 5 stars read. I've missed more humour, pace and action that I so well know from Lisa's previous books. Those were actually Jared and Finn that saved the reading for me - they were brilliant characters, full of this Lisa's hallmark banter and one - liners that the female characters maybe lacked a little this time. Don't get me wrong, the three sisters were great, strong heroines, they were funny and their bond was genuine and out of this world fantastic, and I simply adored them all and kept everything crossed for them, but still the story felt too flat and too slow for my liking, and there were some things that bothered me all the time, like why the hell the residents of Maplewood hated the girls so much, even though they never did anything wrong and why their parents did nothing in that matter? Yes, Lisa did try to explain those things but somehow it just didn't sit with me and didn't convince me - probably because, as I have already mentioned, I ADORED the sisters and couldn't understand those that didn't like them as much as I did. so there.

But.

But oh my, does the book make you think and reminisce! Even though I'm a little older than the sisters, their journey back in time was a fantastic trip down memory lane for me as well. I am very 90's chicka and all the mentions of clothes, music, posters on the wall were like opening a photo album for me. And Bonnie, how could "Mr. Vain" make you confused??? But this novel also brought back some memories that I'd rather, just like the sisters, leave unearthed somewhere deep, deep down, where it's very dark, and I could really identify with the characters on this level. As always, the dear Lisa Dickenson chooses the best setting ever. This time we're not travelling abroad but still, Maplewood and the house in the woods where the girls lived were fabulously described. Lisa has brilliantly captured the essence of a small town and its residents, close - knit community, with their prejudices and beliefs. And Lisa's writing stays the same, it's light and easy and so captivating, almost addictive, and it had me glued to the pages. You feel together with the characters, their fears, exasperation and happiness, their confusion and desperation. You laugh and cry with them and you just so want for everything to go smooth for them in the end. The descriptions are full of laughter and Lisa knows how to use her words to break the ice.

"My Sisters and Me" was full of sunshine, this overwhelming feel - good factor. It featured strong women who were developing all the time, finding their courage to feel good in their own skin, women who loved and were not afraid to say when they were not happy. It was about friendship and family dynamics, about revisiting your childhood and fighting the demons, facing the troubles and staying strong to your beliefs, and I absolutely loved this message. It brilliantly captured this mixture of happy childhood memories and those worse ones, and addressed all the old traumas showing that it's really not so difficult to face the opponents and old memories. Would I recommend this novel? Hell, yes - just go and treat yourself to this book when it's out!

Copy provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.

[MetLineReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely tale of three sisters who return to their childhood home.
A fable showing that you can face your fears, challenge others' misconceptions and hold your head up high!

I loved Lisa Dickenson's previous book, You Had Me At Merlot, and this book doesn't disappoint. Not quite as hilariously funny but did bring a wry smile to my face on several occasions.

4* A well-thought-out story, with warm realistic characters

[Justkeepreading · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely tale of three extremely different sisters returning to their family home and reuniting. All the woman are strong and independent. It is a book of courage, faith, facing up to your fears, determination, love, friendship, sisterhood, challenging misconceptions, funny moments, great characters, lovely scenery, a good plot and will leave you relating to the book in more then one way. A good read.

[Kath · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually read heavy going hard hitting crime books so, every so often, as a kind of palate cleanser, I do like to switch things up a bit and read something lighter, I say lighter, I do need some kind of substance, and as I enjoyed this author's previous book "You Had Me at Merlot" I figured that this book would tick that box for me; and it did!
We follow three sisters who, at the request of their mother Willow, take time out from their own, successful, lives to return to their childhood home in Maplewood, Devon, to renovate it for rental as Willow has been bitten by the travel bug. They are all a bit wary as they all have things from their past that, although they enjoy success in the present, troubled them at the time. They fear going back in case the old feelings come back, the wounds open up again. As they reconnect with faces from their pasts, good and bad. But they are good daughters and so, Noelle, Emmy and Rae duly take sabbaticals from their jobs and travel back home.
Rae is an opera singer with a successful relationship, Noelle is an environmental lawyer and Emmy is a robotic engineer. All very different women and all with differing pasts in their childhoods. All still very close though and, as the book goes on, this combined strength is what they need to survive revisiting their respective pasts. Pasts that are best discovered as the author intends so I shall say no more here.
Although I am a bit older that the three sisters, I did enjoy some of the blasts from the past that this book gave me. I'm more of an 80s chick than the 90s but that decade didn't pass me by completely and I did like the personal trip down memory lane that the book gave me. It also brought back other memories that I am probably not as happy to have revisit as I also felt awkward as a child, not really fitting in, with parents that, although not as unique as the girls' here, were in their own way a bit different.
The setting, the house in the woods was wonderfully described and one of the fictional places that I wish were real. Especially as they were renovating it for rental, I would love to go live there for a while myself! But sadly, that's not to be. The villagers were also a bit over familiar to me, having lived in a Dorset village myself I could again see quite a bit of my past in the book. Positive and negative emotions aside for a minute, this connection I made with the place made for a better connection to the story being told and that made for a great read. It helped that the story was also really well crafted and executed.
The sisters were also really easy to connect to / emote with and I found myself laughing with them, crying with them and I think I also, at times, took strength from them. Yes ok, the book was maybe a little on the feel-good side of things for me - no spoiler there, it's in the description of the book - but the way things went felt natural not contrived, even if a little too sweet for my taste occasionally. But, that's the genre for you, so I can't complain!
All in all another winner from the author. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

[B.R. Maycock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit something. (Whispers)I've never read a Lisa Dickenson novel. I seem to have them all on my Kindle, it's just, well, you know how it is, the books you buy out of interest seem to get bumped all the time. But no longer. I loved this book! It is the story of three sisters who are deciding to help renovate their childhood home, a kookly Halloween-esque abode just outside the town of Maplewood, where they didn't have the easiest of upbringings. Turns out the townspeople thought their parents were witches, and spent their time shunning the three very different sisters and trying to get them to leave. Each sister was picked apart and there was bullying and meanness.

So. Some fared better than others and some, including the lovely, timid, bookish Emmy, didn't fare at all and just about made it out, now relieved to be living far away from it all, working as a robotics engineer for NASA and binge watching Stranger Things on Netflix. I suppose this is where I stop you. Stranger things and a nerdy job? I was so excited! I love modern day comedies and rom coms and chick lit, but the quirks of this book surpassed so much out there, Emmy with her kick ass job, Rae, an out there opera singer with her big bear of a hubby and Noelle an environmental lawyer? What was there not to love? And now, (as I skip off happily onto another tangent), the references? It was like Ms. Dickenson put my whole life into that book! The babysitters club, Point Horror, Aerosmith (I like to think early stuff!), Haribo, Three Men and a Little Lady (and Magnum P.I. and Tom Sellek), Grand Designs, Location Location Location, Sugababes, Buffy, The Hills, Steve Irwin, the magic 8-Ball- I could go on and on. These, added to her charming small town descriptions and atmospheric house - well they had me!

We meet all of the girls, with the book leaning towards Emmy as the lead, and find out the various reasons they didn't follow the town's small minded mould, with some excellently done consequences. There are a multitude of characters, some lovely (special mention for the local policeman), some not so much. The romance was perfection, the Halloween party, set to prove something to the town, epic, and I loved the ending.

The book made me smile and laugh the whole way through and I adored that any reminiscing wasn't out to make you cry. I actually did cry near the end for a reason most people won't, but it was one of those smiling-through-the tears-transported-to-another-time-and-place sort of cry. So not so bad. All in all a book that feels like it was made for me, a magical autumnal feel good book with the right ratio of dramatic baddies to wonderful goodies (they've definitely got the right townspeople on their side!), that left me with a warm hug that stayed long after I'd finished reading. Thanks (so so so so) much to Spehere and Netgalley for the book in return for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

[Adele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this new book by Lisa Dickenson. Her stories are filled with fabulous females that are fun, frivolous and a little bit feisty. My Sisters and Me had all the wonderful formula from previous stories by the author but to me it had much more and I devoured it.
My Sisters and Me is about three sisters that are now in their early/mid thirties successful in their respective careers. The girls were born and brought up in a small town in Devon. The house they lived in was on the outskirts of the town in a small wood and at times it looked a little eerie. The girls’ parents weren’t afraid to live their lives how they wanted, they were free spirited, embraced nature and had a little hippy vibe in the mix. The sisters when they were younger were ridiculed because of their parents and also for their own individualities. When the time came for them to leave home they couldn’t wait to escape the townsfolk. So when their mother asks them to help renovate the house the girls each have their own trepidations about returning to the family home and to the town that left them with bad memories.
Rae, the eldest, very often played the protector of the three and would fight her sisters corners. Then there was Emmy who was painfully shy and hid within herself happy with her books. Which left Noelle the youngest who was very much like her parents with her love of nature and hippy vibes but was also aware of her own differences which some struggled to understand.
Moving back to their family home gave the girls time to regress and enjoy the joys of youth again when reminiscing over the memorabilia left in their bedrooms. Renovating the house also felt like a cleansing process for all of them as it opened up old wounds of the bullying, also the sense of loss but it brought back a whole lot of nostalgic good times.
This two month sabbatical for Rae, Emmy and Noelle was a time to reflect, to grieve, to embrace and to accept. It was also a time to gain strength from what they have shared. The renovation project wasn’t without lots of fun and mishaps and the author’s bubbly personality shone through the pages.
My Sisters and Me was such an enjoyable read. I was totally entertained by the antics the girls got themselves into. The laughter, the tears, the family spirit and the strength overcoming hurdles left me feeling invigorated and I was quite emotional at the end as I felt like I’d travelled with all three of them through their journey. A belter of a book!

[Gem ~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt such a connection with this book, despite not having any sisters myself, this is a book about revisiting your childhood with fresh perspective (and confidence) and seeing that some things never change.

From a GREAT opening prologue, you immediately get a feel for the different personalities of the sisters and also that something insane is about to happen to them. And they are different: Rae is married, with a successful singing career and full of determination and sass; Emmy is a robotics engineer, happily single and practical; and Noelle, who is an upbeat, free-spirited environment lawyer. Reconnecting back in the village of Maplewood in their childhood home, they have several months to renovate the house and along with that they must confront ghosts of the past.

Lisa's writing is addictive; I've been a big fan ever since You Had Me At Merlot, and this book continues her success at making you feel emphatically, and laugh heartily. Anyone who knows Lisa knows she is a huge champion of strong women (check out her Strong Women Squad movement) and her characters always reflect the empowered camaraderie of the sisterhood, in all their variegated, imperfect forms.

There is such an air of nostalgia in this story, especially for women like me that grew up in the 90's, from 5ive, Babysitters' Club books, Dream Phone, Buffy & Spice Girls. It takes you back to simpler times, but equally to the complex minefield of peer pressure, bullying and feeling a misfit in adolescence. This I really identified with, having returned to my own childhood village in recent years and experiencing how it feels to be reminded of your past and trying to balance that with the person you are now today. It can truly be a mixture of happy memories, addressing misconceptions, a reminder of trauma, and a sadness at times lost.

I loved the idyllic setting of the Lake sisters' woodland home, it sounded like my ideal spot, secluded, surrounded by nature and trees, far away from the curiosity of the village and a house brimming with love and safety within its boundaries.

Thank you so much to Clara Diaz at Little Brown Book Group for sending me an advanced copy of this title to review in my own words and opinions.

[Anjana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was not what I was expected it to be.

The tale is of three sisters who come together to fix up their old house, in a town filled with bad memories, while their mother is on holiday. This extended stay is meant to be a way for them to put old ghosts to rest and finally move on.

I have a sister and can legitimately claim that quite a lot of the dynamics between these three women is possible in reality. That being said, the biggest problem I had with this story was the whole moving on concept. All three women are around their thirties and I found it hard to accept parts of the story and their behaviour and also the behaviour of others around them. Sometimes when authors write in the voice of teenagers they do not succeed, but in this case none of the women sounded like the well established adults they are supposed to be.I would have been happier if they were just in their twenties, then I would have enjoyed the book more without that nagging sensation of something being off. I can imagine being ostracised by a town and the subsequent fight to reestablish some dignity into the equation, but it did not play out in a very believable fashion. The parts of realizations that each had, in turn, was interesting and I think I was happiest listening to the thoughts (even the little we had access to) of the eldest sister's husband and their little interactions. 

When weighing the good against the bad: the writing itself and the fact that I did manage to connect to parts of the book I would give it three stars.I am glad I got a chance thanks to NetGalley to read an advance copy of this book.

For other unrelated reviews: www.superfluousreading.wordpress.com

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed getting to know all 3 of the Lake sisters, Rae, Emmy and Noelle.

Over the two months spent decorating their childhood home back in their home town of Maplewood they learn as adults how to deal with their awkward childhoods in the town.

The Lake sisters always had a reputation for being creepy, they were bullied, one was studious, one was gay and one may have been a bit of a rock chick, and they lived on the outskirts of town in the woods.

None of them were particularly looking forward to these two months as they knew they may have to face up to all the old unpleasantness.

Despite them now being successful women, just being back home had them regressing back to their younger selves.

Filled with 90s nostalgia, this it's a story of righting old wrongs, reconnecting with the past and reforming stronger bonds as sisters.

I loved all three of them with their different personalities, and all with their own personal goals besides making the house look great.

This was a very enjoyable book and I look forward to seeing what the author writes next.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sphere for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lisa Dickenson (2018) MY SISTERS AND ME

eBook published by Sphere


⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 out of 5 stars


Amazon.com write “They're fixing up their childhood home. It's going to get messy. When Willow Lake asks her daughters for help renovating the family home, each has a reason to hesitate about returning to Maplewood… For quiet and bookish Emmy going back to the town that ridiculed her fills her with dread. The youngest Noelle is perfectly comfortable in herself now, but once wanted to fit in so badly that she walked away from her first love. A first love who still lives in Maplewood. And outspoken Rae is painfully aware of how much the townspeople hurt her little sisters growing up. She didn't protect them then, but there's no way she'll let history repeat itself. The sisters agree to go home and make the best of it. After all if they've changed over the years, it's possible the townspeople have too... isn't it?”


Wonderful. Very very wonderful. Follows the standard chick-lit formula. Does everything you want and hope for in a book of this genre. This one is especially rich with the funnies.


#Amazon #Kindle #eBook #LisaDickenson #MySisterAndMe #LisaDickensonMySistersAndMe

[Trish Hills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I didn't think I could love Lisa Dickinson anymore than I already did but i was wrong!

My Sisters And Me is just the perfect book, especially for this time of year, as summer ends and Autumn approaches.

The setting of Maplewood is delicious and has made me want to go to Devon even more!

For the Lake sisters, going home is a daunting task, but they promised their Mum that they would restore the family home so it could be rented out as holiday accommodation. Hello, Nostalgia! I think the 90s vibe is my fave part of this book! It's hilarious and fun and sent me right back to high school!

Sisters Rae, Emmaline and Noelle are the best characters! They're fun, sassy and clever but also a little vulnerable, which made them endearing. Jared, Jenny, Gabbi, Finn and Willow are a great supporting cast and brought some conflict and drama to the story. Oh, and mustn't forget Vicky the Chicken!

All in all, I bloody loved this book! It was an easy, fast paced, funny, sweary, sassy, feel-good story and I can't recommend it enough!!

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

The humour in this book is lovely, the relationship and solidarity between the sisters was really nice.

However, I was asking myself during reading this book:
1. If you and your family were ostracised or bullied by local people, why would you stay there? Why as parents would you put up with people treating your children so badly?
2. Why would you disappear on holiday for months and ask your children to renovate your house to rent it out, knowing that they were likely to be uncomfortable or made to feel so by the locals?
3. How many people have jobs where you can take nearly 3 months leave at a time?

Maybe I am thinking too logically and I should have disengaged slightly from real life when reading this, as I have noted there are lots of positive reviews.

Not a book I can recommend I'm afraid.

Thank you Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read other books by Lisa Dickenson and really enjoyed them, so I was excited about the opportunity to read My Sisters and Me. While I felt that this book had great potential, it didn't live up to the fast-pace hilarity that her other books are known for. I enjoyed reading about the sisters and the different ways they dealt with their past; however, parts of the books (especially some of the details about the house) seemed to drag on forever. Fans of Dickenson will still be able to pick out her humor, but this isn't the book I would start with if you are just getting to know this author.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was attracted to this story by the fact that it's all about three sisters - I myself have three sisters and so it caught my attention. I loved the family interactions that are so well described and giggled in empathy several times, the bickering was just like being with my sisters! I thought the way that the girls reverted to their teenage selves when they entered their childhood home was so very true to life, after all don't most of us revert when we go 'home'? A warm, family centred story that emphasises the point that being different is not a bad thing and loyalty and love are everything.

[Lyndsey Gilchrist · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good book featuring strong women who have to stand together and try to put the past behind them. This is a story of family relationships, friendships, and lost love. An entertaining read. I haven’t read a Lisa Dickenson novel before; but after reading My Sisters and Me I look forward to enjoying some of her other works. I liked the totally different characters of the sisters and the dynamics between them, and how they reverted to their younger selves on returning to their family home

[Tahia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a brilliant light hearted book, great for a pick me up and just really easy to read! Loved the tone of the author and the way it switched between the povs of the three sisters or even others was seamless and enjoyable. The multiple plot points were all so fun and interesting and the drama was awesome and funny. Teared up at the end of how wholesome and cute it was. Had all my favourite tropes in it and definitely a great book!!!

[Tessy Braun · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nostalgic journey to Maplewood, Devon

I very much enjoyed this story ☺️ I grew up in a town not dissimilar to the fictional Maplewood, and all the 90s references were like a warm, sentimental cuddle. I love the significance of the three sisters, who are all very strong women, as well as their mother, too. The book is funny and easy to read and very much character-driven. I look forward to reading more of Lisa's books!

[Mary Geraghty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laughed and cried all the way

Firstly I am going to give my daughter's the gift of your book. Fantastic read!!! Love that you have a giant dog (not in the book so not a spoiler). Should be part of the school curriculum. 😂 💟 🐕 .

[Roberta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent and very enjoyable read. I loved everything about it, apart from one thing: the people of the town never got their comeuppance, and thus the story feels unfinished and slightly unsettling.

[Bethan Harvey · Rating 2 out of 5]

A nice easy read,but it didn't really have much of a storyline or much going on. There were a couple of romantic storylines that could have developed or gone somewhere, but in my opinion the story doesn't really go anywhere

[Julie Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun and light hearted tale from the talented Lisa Dickenson who has a flair for writing good humour.

This her latest, tells of three sisters Emmy, Rae and Noelle, who return to their childhood family home not only to be reunited with each other but also to renovate the house as their mother Willow has the travel bug since she became a widow. It’s with mixed emotions that they each leave their usual comfortable lives behind for almost three months to return to Maplewood forcing them to face the past. Their hope is to mend bridges and friendships by eradicating their reputations but not all the townsfolk are in a forgive and forgetting mood.

A lovely flowing read with laughter and tears.

Many thanks to Net Galley for the ARC. This is my own opinion of My Sisters and Me.

[Martyna · Rating 1 out of 5]

A funny and interesting story, BUT the intention was to have a very hardcore thread...
THAT NO.

[Gemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I couldn’t put it down. The characters were great and the storyline original and appealing.