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The Neapolitan Sisters
Three sisters. Three vastly different lives. A maelstrom of family secrets. For fans of María Amparo Escandón and Laurie Frankel, Margo Candela pens a riotous, provocative tale of family and sisterhood.
Growing up with a kind but alcoholic father and a suspicious, passive aggressive mother, the Bernal sisters each developed their own way of coping: Dulcina had her art and drugs and alcohol, Claudia plunged into her studies and fled to Princeton, and Maritza watched one Disney movie after another in between devouring romance novels.
Now all grown up, the sisters are reunited at last for Maritza’s dream wedding. But they are no less different than they were growing up: Maritza is a princess bridezilla, Claudia is the family “fixer,” and Dulcina “Dooley” is finally sober. With all three Bernal sisters back in their East L.A. home, each begins to take steps to come to terms with each other, their parents, and the secrets from their shared past. While their lives may have taken different paths, they are still sisters at heart.
Told in alternating points of view, The Neapolitan Sisters is a humorous yet moving look at what it means to be a sister, daughter, and ultimately, your own self, despite the pressures that come with being part of a family.
Praise for The Neapolitan Sisters:
"Candela delivers a funny, poignant story of the strained yet unbreakable bond among three sisters... light, insightful touch and well-realized main characters...a richly layered portrait emerges ...in alternating internal monologues rendered in each sister’s distinct voice and singular perspective. The writing is conversational, witty, and fittingly bitchy."
— Booklist
Growing up with a kind but alcoholic father and a suspicious, passive aggressive mother, the Bernal sisters each developed their own way of coping: Dulcina had her art and drugs and alcohol, Claudia plunged into her studies and fled to Princeton, and Maritza watched one Disney movie after another in between devouring romance novels.
Now all grown up, the sisters are reunited at last for Maritza’s dream wedding. But they are no less different than they were growing up: Maritza is a princess bridezilla, Claudia is the family “fixer,” and Dulcina “Dooley” is finally sober. With all three Bernal sisters back in their East L.A. home, each begins to take steps to come to terms with each other, their parents, and the secrets from their shared past. While their lives may have taken different paths, they are still sisters at heart.
Told in alternating points of view, The Neapolitan Sisters is a humorous yet moving look at what it means to be a sister, daughter, and ultimately, your own self, despite the pressures that come with being part of a family.
Praise for The Neapolitan Sisters:
"Candela delivers a funny, poignant story of the strained yet unbreakable bond among three sisters... light, insightful touch and well-realized main characters...a richly layered portrait emerges ...in alternating internal monologues rendered in each sister’s distinct voice and singular perspective. The writing is conversational, witty, and fittingly bitchy."
— Booklist
Paperback
First published August 9, 2022
35 people are currently reading
645 people want to read
About the author
Margo Candela
13 books201 followersMargo Candela is an award-winning author born and raised in Los Angeles and began her writing career when she joined her community college's student newspaper. She transferred to a state university as a journalism major, and upon graduation began writing for websites and magazines before switching to fiction. She wrote and published four novels between 2007 and 2010 :Underneath It All and Life Over Easy Good-bye to All That and More Than This. The Neapolitan Sisters, a 2023 International Latino Book Award winner, is her fifth novel and her first after a decade-long hiatus from writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
August 25, 2022
The fatphobia in this was just not anything anyone can ignore. The whole storyline had so much potential but it ultimately didn’t have enough redeeming qualities.
June 21, 2022
This book had such a realistic view of family. It was told by the three sisters, Maritza, Claudia and Dulcina. It was no fairy tale, this was real and relatable, definitely well written.
The Mama of the family was mostly silent, with migraines and arthritis. She would place family matters on Claudia. Each daughter had a personal view of her.
After everything the ending was unexpected and I loved it because it fit perfectly and I really did not see it coming.
The Mama of the family was mostly silent, with migraines and arthritis. She would place family matters on Claudia. Each daughter had a personal view of her.
After everything the ending was unexpected and I loved it because it fit perfectly and I really did not see it coming.
August 3, 2022
The Bernal sisters are three very different siblings. Maritza is set for her second wedding to happen in a few weeks after her first marriage failed at the age of 18. Dulcina is a recovering addict. Claudia is emotionally unavailable and the family depends on her as their backbone. As they are about to reunite for the upcoming nuptials, they can’t ignore that they are family.
I listened to this novel on audiobook thanks to @librofm and @dreamscapemedia. I liked the length, it was short and sweet. I also liked how we got the perspective of all three of the sisters and how each sister had a different narrator. However, I did find there were some plot holes. 90% of the book is spent setting up who the sisters are and then the last 10% is dropping these crazy secrets. The secrets at the end don’t get enough time, making them feel like they aren’t as big of a deal when they should have been. This book deals with a lot: sexual abuse, drug abuse, abortion, sexuality, etc. I just felt like it was too scattered and more time was needed to adequately depict what each sister was going through. The title is also the same as a very famous series which I found kind of bugged me!
I listened to this novel on audiobook thanks to @librofm and @dreamscapemedia. I liked the length, it was short and sweet. I also liked how we got the perspective of all three of the sisters and how each sister had a different narrator. However, I did find there were some plot holes. 90% of the book is spent setting up who the sisters are and then the last 10% is dropping these crazy secrets. The secrets at the end don’t get enough time, making them feel like they aren’t as big of a deal when they should have been. This book deals with a lot: sexual abuse, drug abuse, abortion, sexuality, etc. I just felt like it was too scattered and more time was needed to adequately depict what each sister was going through. The title is also the same as a very famous series which I found kind of bugged me!
November 17, 2024
I really did want to enjoy this. It’s the fictional story of three sisters. Maritza, Claudia and Dulcina, who are first generation Mexican American women who grew up in Northern California. Maritza is the youngest and in my opinion the most aggravating. She has some smarts when it comes to numbers but doesn’t act like it. Her boss is Korean and racist against his mailman, Rolando. Maritza claims her boss is just not friendly towards people he knows but can’t acknowledge his racism? Rolando is a Black Dominican man but Maritza didn’t acknowledge his blackness, just that he was Dominican. That part irked me. The fat phobia she expresses towards her fiancé’s mother and sisters also annoyed me. Claudia is emotionally unavailable and doesn’t know how to treat her boyfriend who seems like a decent guy. Dulcina is the only sister who I wanted to learn more from. She actually left a semi toxic home to try to make it for herself but unfortunately dealt with her lingering trauma not in the best way. The author herself is Latina but there were some stereotypical Latin stereotypes that were presented that didn’t sit well with me. Don’t feed into the narrative that paints us in a negative light.
October 11, 2022
Not for me at all but I pushed myself to finish in hopes that the story would get better, spoiler: it doesn’t. The sisters are unlikable and very immature, and the parents even more so. The characters lacked depth and just perpetuate the “spicy Latina” narrative. The book hints at the reasoning behind the immaturity and bad attitudes but then just leaves you hanging by not explaining more if the back story. The sisters end up just as they started, and there is no big moral or lesson here. Also the fat phobia and pretty privilege left a very bad taste in my mouth. Very disappointing, I shouldn’t of finished it.
August 9, 2022
This is another one of those books that even after I finished it, I just didn’t really get. Three sisters convene for The youngest’s wedding and the entire book is alternating chapters with each of their stories. I just didn’t really get any of their motives or agendas. I didn’t understand why Claudia perpetually pushed Ethan away. I didn’t understand The bride’s deception as revenge when there were so many other ways to get back at her fiancé. I got what happened to Dooley but considered her very murky.
Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the early read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the early read.
September 5, 2022
I found the synopsis intriguing and I wanted to like this story but I can't bring myself to care for the characters at all :/
September 4, 2022
I really adored everything about this novel. The characters--these three sisters could not be more different or more charming in their own ways. The wit--I laughed out loud in more places than I can count. The drama--be prepared for twists and turns. But more than anything, I especially loved the writing. It's superb!
June 5, 2023
this hit a little too close to home for me but i really enjoyed this book! the dynamic of the sisters was so realistic and their comments about race and weight are more common than not. i think a little bit more context for some plot points would be helpful, but i enjoyed it nonetheless
April 23, 2022
The story took me deeply back into what it was like to be first generation Mexican-American and having grown up in the northeastern part of Los Angeles during the 1970s. Fast forward to 2001: Dooley, Maritza, and Claudia are sisters who have reached adulthood, and are dealing with their past, how they have evolved, and the challenges of managing their separate ways in the world on a daily basis. Each of the sisters has different difficulties and successes, and they manage to stick together despite their paranoid mother and laid-back-retired father. All three are unique in their life path but are held together by their love for one another. I think the book can be misunderstood and misinterpreted, yet much appreciated by those who have experienced what it’s like to live with strict, paranoid, and somewhat disconnected loving parents who had the tendency to teach their children to be uptight, stoic and strong rather than show emotion during vulnerable moments. Overall, it is a captivating, adventurous and funny story to read. I especially enjoyed how every chapter is directly narrated by each character. Maritza, Claudia, and Dooley each speak directly to you, the reader, while telling her own story. Gracefully written and in my opinion heartrending, this story could, I believe, be readily turned into a movie.
August 9, 2022
This book made the truly wild choice of having not a single likeable character besides the movie star boyfriend??? Three narrators, all painfully terrible, and a giant cast of supporting characters bc the sisters had no overlap in the people in their lives besides their parents, and none of them were people i would want to spend even fifteen minutes with. I would have DNF'd this if i weren't going to need to review it (i wasn't sure if you could review books you DNF and i don't want to mess up my NetGalley rating!), but i powered through and i guess people get a tiny bit better by the end, but i wasn't even cheering for any of them bc they had all been so awful over and over by then.
If you love antiheros with no foils of actual decent people, and you like being forced to cheer for the only straight white man in the whole book, then i guess this is a solid option for you? I appreciated moments of it--the ways that it showed how siblings can sort of be living in totally different families, can know and see different things about their parents and interpret the same thing in vastly disparate ways, and can work through family stressors so uniquely--but overall i had a very difficult time getting through this book.
As mentioned above, this was a NetGalley ARC and this review was not bought off!
If you love antiheros with no foils of actual decent people, and you like being forced to cheer for the only straight white man in the whole book, then i guess this is a solid option for you? I appreciated moments of it--the ways that it showed how siblings can sort of be living in totally different families, can know and see different things about their parents and interpret the same thing in vastly disparate ways, and can work through family stressors so uniquely--but overall i had a very difficult time getting through this book.
As mentioned above, this was a NetGalley ARC and this review was not bought off!
August 26, 2022
Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy!
At the core, this is a book about sisterhood and family. It’s about the good, the bad, and all the dysfunction that a family can endure. As they plan the wedding for one of the sisters Maritza, gloves come off and we get an honest look into all three sisters and their relationship. I enjoyed that we got each sister’s point of view throughout the novel. This book felt like watching a telenovela, with the endless drama and bickering. I think anyone can relate to the drama!
However, as I was reading I couldn’t get over the fat phobia displayed throughout the novel. It made me extremely uncomfortable especially since the character never came to realize the harm in her behavior and language. I also wasn’t a fan of all the negative Latinx stereotypes portrayed. It seemed overdone and unnecessary.
Read this book if you enjoy chaotic, telenovela-esque familial dramas told in multiple perspectives with a few laughs along the way. But beware of the trigger warnings and harmful portrayals and language.
At the core, this is a book about sisterhood and family. It’s about the good, the bad, and all the dysfunction that a family can endure. As they plan the wedding for one of the sisters Maritza, gloves come off and we get an honest look into all three sisters and their relationship. I enjoyed that we got each sister’s point of view throughout the novel. This book felt like watching a telenovela, with the endless drama and bickering. I think anyone can relate to the drama!
However, as I was reading I couldn’t get over the fat phobia displayed throughout the novel. It made me extremely uncomfortable especially since the character never came to realize the harm in her behavior and language. I also wasn’t a fan of all the negative Latinx stereotypes portrayed. It seemed overdone and unnecessary.
Read this book if you enjoy chaotic, telenovela-esque familial dramas told in multiple perspectives with a few laughs along the way. But beware of the trigger warnings and harmful portrayals and language.
September 19, 2022
This one was not for me and I almost DNFed because I was so frustrated by one particular perspective.
What this book is about: Three adult sisters are brought together for the youngest's wedding. We see their lives and roles as sisters, daughters, and just who they are on their own through alternating POVs.
Why this book did not work for me:
wow I have a lot more to say than I realized lol but to summarize, I think the characters were too dry/flat for me to be invested in what was going on and there were a lot of things that happened to the characters but were never discussed, it felt super passive?
- Maritza, the youngest sister and the bride-to-be, was a very difficult person to read from. She was almost 30 years old and was so immature in the way she treated her fiancé (constantly trying to "teach him a lesson" when she didn't like that he was late to reply). She was also so fatphobic (constantly talking about how fat and ugly her mother and sister in laws are) and her fatphobia was never checked so we just had to deal with and read from her bratty and fatphobic perspective... I actually had the most emotion when reading from her perspective because of how much I actively HATED reading from her POV. Her character trait was literally just being an almost 30-year-old brat.
- The other two sisters were a little bit more depth to them but there was still this emotional distance. And I don't mean mean that I couldn't relate to them, I mean, how is this first person POV but there is no emotion that I am getting??
- The daughters also talked about how their mom was a bad mom because she was not there how she should have been. From my understanding, the mom had chronic migraines, which I 100% understand can affect how a child understands their mother and that having a chronic condition affects relationships including parent-child relationships, but there has to be more nuance to the conversation especially if they are all adults??? This was another thing that just annoyed me and goes with the flatness I felt in general in this book. There was no discussion on how difficult it could be for a mother to have a chronic condition or even a conversation about how difficult it was growing up and feeling like your mother was absent because of this chronic condition, it was just "mom was never there :( "
- At the very end of the book, it is alluded that something super terrible happened to the girls when they were kids (I don't want to say in case it's considered a spoiler but I will include it at the bottom). I am totally ok with these types of topics in the books I am reading and I think there are very important conversations to be had about these experiences and how they affect people for the rest of their lives. However, because it was mentioned in the last 90% of the book, there was no discussion. This is not an experience I had so I don't want to police whether there is a right or wrong way to bring it up but it also felt like... what was the point of bringing it up at the very end of the book? I don't think it is something that needs to be the main focus of the story or that it needs to be discussed extensively but something about how it was brought up at the very end did not sit right with me. Was this supposed to explain why the sisters act the way they do as adults? Was it just there to say: oh by the way this was something from their past and then the end?
- There are so many other events that should be "major events" but they just passively happen and there is no depth to it. Was the point of this book to just show that these things happen? But like, even in real life, there are emotional responses, and I felt nothing.
CW:
CSA (this is the one I didn't want to say above) It is not written but very much hinted that the store owner did something (idk what exactly) to the oldest daughter and possibly the younger two as well.
abortion
substance abuse
What this book is about: Three adult sisters are brought together for the youngest's wedding. We see their lives and roles as sisters, daughters, and just who they are on their own through alternating POVs.
Why this book did not work for me:
wow I have a lot more to say than I realized lol but to summarize, I think the characters were too dry/flat for me to be invested in what was going on and there were a lot of things that happened to the characters but were never discussed, it felt super passive?
- Maritza, the youngest sister and the bride-to-be, was a very difficult person to read from. She was almost 30 years old and was so immature in the way she treated her fiancé (constantly trying to "teach him a lesson" when she didn't like that he was late to reply). She was also so fatphobic (constantly talking about how fat and ugly her mother and sister in laws are) and her fatphobia was never checked so we just had to deal with and read from her bratty and fatphobic perspective... I actually had the most emotion when reading from her perspective because of how much I actively HATED reading from her POV. Her character trait was literally just being an almost 30-year-old brat.
- The other two sisters were a little bit more depth to them but there was still this emotional distance. And I don't mean mean that I couldn't relate to them, I mean, how is this first person POV but there is no emotion that I am getting??
- The daughters also talked about how their mom was a bad mom because she was not there how she should have been. From my understanding, the mom had chronic migraines, which I 100% understand can affect how a child understands their mother and that having a chronic condition affects relationships including parent-child relationships, but there has to be more nuance to the conversation especially if they are all adults??? This was another thing that just annoyed me and goes with the flatness I felt in general in this book. There was no discussion on how difficult it could be for a mother to have a chronic condition or even a conversation about how difficult it was growing up and feeling like your mother was absent because of this chronic condition, it was just "mom was never there :( "
- At the very end of the book, it is alluded that something super terrible happened to the girls when they were kids (I don't want to say in case it's considered a spoiler but I will include it at the bottom). I am totally ok with these types of topics in the books I am reading and I think there are very important conversations to be had about these experiences and how they affect people for the rest of their lives. However, because it was mentioned in the last 90% of the book, there was no discussion. This is not an experience I had so I don't want to police whether there is a right or wrong way to bring it up but it also felt like... what was the point of bringing it up at the very end of the book? I don't think it is something that needs to be the main focus of the story or that it needs to be discussed extensively but something about how it was brought up at the very end did not sit right with me. Was this supposed to explain why the sisters act the way they do as adults? Was it just there to say: oh by the way this was something from their past and then the end?
- There are so many other events that should be "major events" but they just passively happen and there is no depth to it. Was the point of this book to just show that these things happen? But like, even in real life, there are emotional responses, and I felt nothing.
CW:
CSA (this is the one I didn't want to say above) It is not written but very much hinted that the store owner did something (idk what exactly) to the oldest daughter and possibly the younger two as well.
abortion
substance abuse
Read
October 21, 2025Okay, so here's a pro: I'm always saying I want more trashy, salacious books about terrible people that are diverse, so that's what we got. Latine rep for terrible people!
The cons: three narrators for this book and none of them shared notes on things like character name pronunciation or accent. Everyone in this book except the Gary Sue white dude and maybe Mrs. Kim is a terrible person. The pacing and transitions between chapters had me wondering if we'd gone back in time or skipped steps or were just two minutes behind but switching perspective, etc, and it all got very confusing. Some stuff just really did not make sense in transitions. Also, I don't usually remark on fatphobia in books because that's kind of like remarking on white as default, in that it's just the way people in our society are. But this author is, like, OBSESSED with talking about how fat people are and how much that makes them terrible. It wasn't even like it was a representation of how society is obsessed with fat, because that's certainly something you could write in a way that made it clear that you think that's shitty; this is just this author has her own weird obsession with weight and made it a thing that all three sisters are obsessed with for some reason. Also, the last 45 minutes of the book is just a bunch of reveals made in the style of a thriller or heist that tells you how it actually happened, which would be cool except it's made in this really vague way where I'm not sure how or why I'm supposed to care or connect it to anything else, especially since I just spent hours listening to three shitty people talk about how they're better than everyone else.
Overall, I'm just not sure what I'm supposed to think about this. Being a terrible person is okay if you were raised and traumatized by terrible people? Okay.
The cons: three narrators for this book and none of them shared notes on things like character name pronunciation or accent. Everyone in this book except the Gary Sue white dude and maybe Mrs. Kim is a terrible person. The pacing and transitions between chapters had me wondering if we'd gone back in time or skipped steps or were just two minutes behind but switching perspective, etc, and it all got very confusing. Some stuff just really did not make sense in transitions. Also, I don't usually remark on fatphobia in books because that's kind of like remarking on white as default, in that it's just the way people in our society are. But this author is, like, OBSESSED with talking about how fat people are and how much that makes them terrible. It wasn't even like it was a representation of how society is obsessed with fat, because that's certainly something you could write in a way that made it clear that you think that's shitty; this is just this author has her own weird obsession with weight and made it a thing that all three sisters are obsessed with for some reason. Also, the last 45 minutes of the book is just a bunch of reveals made in the style of a thriller or heist that tells you how it actually happened, which would be cool except it's made in this really vague way where I'm not sure how or why I'm supposed to care or connect it to anything else, especially since I just spent hours listening to three shitty people talk about how they're better than everyone else.
Overall, I'm just not sure what I'm supposed to think about this. Being a terrible person is okay if you were raised and traumatized by terrible people? Okay.
April 14, 2024
I think the book had a lot of promise, and in a lot of ways I did enjoy it especially towards the end. Regardless, I can not simply look past the fact we spent hundreds of pages getting to know the sisters only to get to the end with so many loose ends untied. I think the build in was a little slow. Admittedly, I think I personally am not a huge fan of a three person point of view. The three stories were distinctively different which was good, and of course intertwined because they were sisters communing for a wedding. However, Dooley was the only one whose story I was really invested into fully. I was deeply invested into her growth, her path to redemption, and frankly just her quest to get to the damn wedding itself. Claudia was redeemable, relatable but repetitive. Her passages at time dragged for me. Martiza tho... you just could not make me like that girl. She was immature, and I do not think we ever got a "coming to Jesus" moment from her. No growth. I think I definitely let the story with more questions then I started, and that for me just is not my jam. I think it was a beautifully written book tho, I just think we held on until the very end for everything to only barely kind of wrap up in the last ten pages.
July 2, 2023
This is one of my new favorites so thank you
to my book club for picking this. I saw so much of myself in the character Claudia, and therefore felt so deeply connected to the story. As someone who has often played the part of caretaker for my family, I saw Claudia as somewhat of a mirror. She put others above herself at almost every turn, and as someone who has had to work to break that cycle myself, I felt for her so deeply. This book is funny, sad, hopeful and wonderful. I have not had a book hit me so hard like this in a while, and I think it’s because Margo Candela crafts such a realistic story with three well-written characters. I enjoyed that she had her story told from each of her three character’s POV’s throughout the book. This acted as a reminder that everyone experiences the same thing in a slightly different way, and that we can never truly know what’s going on in anyone else’s head. I could write so much more about this book, but all I can really say is that you have to read this.
to my book club for picking this. I saw so much of myself in the character Claudia, and therefore felt so deeply connected to the story. As someone who has often played the part of caretaker for my family, I saw Claudia as somewhat of a mirror. She put others above herself at almost every turn, and as someone who has had to work to break that cycle myself, I felt for her so deeply. This book is funny, sad, hopeful and wonderful. I have not had a book hit me so hard like this in a while, and I think it’s because Margo Candela crafts such a realistic story with three well-written characters. I enjoyed that she had her story told from each of her three character’s POV’s throughout the book. This acted as a reminder that everyone experiences the same thing in a slightly different way, and that we can never truly know what’s going on in anyone else’s head. I could write so much more about this book, but all I can really say is that you have to read this.
September 4, 2022
I loved this so much! But honestly, fuck Augustino. Honestly, Maritza can go too lol. But I loved Dulcina and Claudia. And Ethan was such an absolute sweetheart! I’m so so glad I picked this up on a whim. Highly recommend!
June 10, 2022
This book tells the three parallel stories of Maritzia, Claudia and Dulcina 'Dooley' Sanchez. Each with their own vivid personality, they navigate personal and relationship challenges .The driving story is that of Maritzia, who is getting ready to marry a fiancé she does not really want to marry.
If you are looking for a story with likable characters, this one isn't it. Maritzia is openly and blatantly fatphobic, but I took that as a character trait which makes her unlikable more than anything else.
I enjoyed the surprise ending, it did not really come out of the blue so it fit nicely with the rest of the book
If you are looking for a story with likable characters, this one isn't it. Maritzia is openly and blatantly fatphobic, but I took that as a character trait which makes her unlikable more than anything else.
I enjoyed the surprise ending, it did not really come out of the blue so it fit nicely with the rest of the book
September 7, 2022
When I saw the word “Neapolitan” in the title, I immediately thought back to my childhood when my mother would buy neapolitan ice cream as a treat. I have three other sisters and we each had our favorite flavor. Chocolate was my favorite, one sister enjoyed strawberry, one enjoyed vanilla and one loved all the flavors. This story is about three sisters, who like the ice cream, came in layers and how the author writes the “scoop” about each of them.
I consumed the story listening to an audiobook and the narration about each sister was clear and precise. I took pleasure in each sister giving her point of view of growing up in a household, with parents who weren't flowing with emotions, but did love their daughters in their own way. Because of their dysfunctional family dynamic, the author sends us on each of their life's journey; good and bad.
My favorite of the sisters is the eldest Dulcina, affectionately called "Dooley." She's had the roughest journey, but came the farthest. Gifted with an artistic talent, but not enough love and support to protect her from the demons that chased her. She's tough and matter of fact. Claudia, "the fixer" had more of a maternal instinct than her mother and when the opportunity presented itself. she left. However, I felt Claudia since she didn't feel much love at home, in her adult years she didn't know how to give love and had to be in control of her everything. Next is the baby of the family, "spoiled brat" Maritza. As the story begins, we're following Maritza and her outrageous wedding plans. The ever so bridezilla, but Maritza maybe a little under-handed but she's smart.
The Neapolitan Sisters is definitely character-driven. I'm sure there's a little bit of each character in every household. There were some funny moments and some pretty sad, but still an enjoyable book to read.
In some part of the book, I had a sense that something horrific happened, but it was quickly dismissed until the end of the book, which I thought was just a filler and rushed.
CW: alcoholism, drug abuse, assault, abortion
Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for an audiobook advanced copy for my honest review
I consumed the story listening to an audiobook and the narration about each sister was clear and precise. I took pleasure in each sister giving her point of view of growing up in a household, with parents who weren't flowing with emotions, but did love their daughters in their own way. Because of their dysfunctional family dynamic, the author sends us on each of their life's journey; good and bad.
My favorite of the sisters is the eldest Dulcina, affectionately called "Dooley." She's had the roughest journey, but came the farthest. Gifted with an artistic talent, but not enough love and support to protect her from the demons that chased her. She's tough and matter of fact. Claudia, "the fixer" had more of a maternal instinct than her mother and when the opportunity presented itself. she left. However, I felt Claudia since she didn't feel much love at home, in her adult years she didn't know how to give love and had to be in control of her everything. Next is the baby of the family, "spoiled brat" Maritza. As the story begins, we're following Maritza and her outrageous wedding plans. The ever so bridezilla, but Maritza maybe a little under-handed but she's smart.
The Neapolitan Sisters is definitely character-driven. I'm sure there's a little bit of each character in every household. There were some funny moments and some pretty sad, but still an enjoyable book to read.
In some part of the book, I had a sense that something horrific happened, but it was quickly dismissed until the end of the book, which I thought was just a filler and rushed.
CW: alcoholism, drug abuse, assault, abortion
Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for an audiobook advanced copy for my honest review
February 18, 2023
I chose to listen to the audiobook version because I normally am better about not skimming or skipping when listening. After about two hours of this nearly ten hour book, I was bored to distraction.
The chapter that did me in and made me decide to skip to the last half hour of the book was the one in which Dooley describes a night of sex with someone. Sex here. Sex there. Sex everywhere. She and her partner must be Olympic athletes to have so much in such a short amount of time. It was both ridiculous and incredibly dull to listen to.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2023/comm...
The chapter that did me in and made me decide to skip to the last half hour of the book was the one in which Dooley describes a night of sex with someone. Sex here. Sex there. Sex everywhere. She and her partner must be Olympic athletes to have so much in such a short amount of time. It was both ridiculous and incredibly dull to listen to.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2023/comm...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2022
Two pages into this book, "DNF" (Did Not Finish) looked like my best option. But, but, the three sisters, their alcoholic father, their stifling, suspicious, judgmental, quintessentially Catholic-guilt-tripping mother: there is soooo much room for improvement here. Surely this dysfunctional family will face the elephant on the rug, iron out their differences, and make a big character arc, right?
That, and surely they would overcome all the cliches and stereotypes of a Latino family... right?
Wrong. The stereotype of the sexy Latina woman who's saucy and bossy and has men grovelling or caving to her just keeps getting perpetuated.
The one-night stands, the crass, crude sex jokes (nipple rings and pierced "bean"), the abortions, the attitude, attitude, ATTITUDE, the rudeness to others from coworkers to parents to boyfriends to customers in a bar, just endless, On-the-Defensive, lashing out and feeling justified in it. Ugh. I have no desire to hang out with these people. Yes, these are minority women, and I'm supposed to love them, but I can barely tolerate a few pages at a time in each sister's head.
The youngest daughter and her second wedding, to a man she clearly doesn't even love, and who's essentially married to his mom and sisters - every aspect of this sordid relationship seems like one stereotype after another, laced with snideness, supposedly humorous but just crass (to me), Only one very minor character redeemed Maritza for me: Roland, the black delivery guy, who she's nice to, perhaps just because it baffles her racist Asian boss to see her befriending a black man.
Evan the movie star is smitten with Claudia, but not for a moment could I see why.
Dooley has flings with men as well as women, not one of them showing any depth or intrigue.
The plot is simple and slow moving. The dreaded second wedding of the self-centered youngest sister is a sore point for all three sisters, but fake politeness and friendliness carries them through the obligatory dressing room scenes at David's Bridal and other horrors I never care to "escape" to via fiction.
The evil babysitter of their childhood, and the even more evil grocery store owner, deliver some surprise twists.
The ending did surprise me, as the bride comes up with an option that I have not seen before in chick flicks and novels.
In all, it was an irritating read, not the escapism nor the enlightenment I seek when investing hours of my life to read a novel. I still have no idea how Ethan the movie star can stand Claudia, but in the end, they have a compelling reason to be partners for life. (Husband and wife, no, not in her world.) I still don't like Mariza, but I can summon a bit of respect for Dooley now that she's sober and apparently staying that way.
Just, why, why did I bother to finish this one, why....
That, and surely they would overcome all the cliches and stereotypes of a Latino family... right?
Wrong. The stereotype of the sexy Latina woman who's saucy and bossy and has men grovelling or caving to her just keeps getting perpetuated.
The one-night stands, the crass, crude sex jokes (nipple rings and pierced "bean"), the abortions, the attitude, attitude, ATTITUDE, the rudeness to others from coworkers to parents to boyfriends to customers in a bar, just endless, On-the-Defensive, lashing out and feeling justified in it. Ugh. I have no desire to hang out with these people. Yes, these are minority women, and I'm supposed to love them, but I can barely tolerate a few pages at a time in each sister's head.
The youngest daughter and her second wedding, to a man she clearly doesn't even love, and who's essentially married to his mom and sisters - every aspect of this sordid relationship seems like one stereotype after another, laced with snideness, supposedly humorous but just crass (to me), Only one very minor character redeemed Maritza for me: Roland, the black delivery guy, who she's nice to, perhaps just because it baffles her racist Asian boss to see her befriending a black man.
Evan the movie star is smitten with Claudia, but not for a moment could I see why.
Dooley has flings with men as well as women, not one of them showing any depth or intrigue.
The plot is simple and slow moving. The dreaded second wedding of the self-centered youngest sister is a sore point for all three sisters, but fake politeness and friendliness carries them through the obligatory dressing room scenes at David's Bridal and other horrors I never care to "escape" to via fiction.
The evil babysitter of their childhood, and the even more evil grocery store owner, deliver some surprise twists.
The ending did surprise me, as the bride comes up with an option that I have not seen before in chick flicks and novels.
In all, it was an irritating read, not the escapism nor the enlightenment I seek when investing hours of my life to read a novel. I still have no idea how Ethan the movie star can stand Claudia, but in the end, they have a compelling reason to be partners for life. (Husband and wife, no, not in her world.) I still don't like Mariza, but I can summon a bit of respect for Dooley now that she's sober and apparently staying that way.
Just, why, why did I bother to finish this one, why....
August 11, 2022
This book follows three sisters as they come back together for the youngest sister's wedding. It all seems pretty straight forward at the beginning. But as the book progresses, you learn more and more about each sister and their individual lives. You also get a look into the past of their dynamics as a family and why they have the dynamic they do.
I had no expectations when I started this book. I didn't read any of the other ARC reviews. But I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I didn't grow up with sisters, I had a younger brother. I loved the dynamics of the sisters. It was interesting to see each sister develop as the book goes on. You start off thinking each sister is one way. Maritza (the youngest), seems to be a self-centered air head. But in reality, she's so much more. Claudia isn't just the uptight 'fixer' middle sister, there are reasons and layers. Then there's, Dulcinea “Dooley” the eldest sister who I really connected with. She's the 'lost' sister who is coming off addiction and separating herself from the family.
I'm so in love with the connections between the family. I love the bonds that are built in this family. I loved the sisterhood bods and how they always just 'knew' they would be there for each other. They might have had to jump through hoops, but they knew they would be there.
This book is really a journey of growth, and it's beautiful. I loved every bit of this journey!
Thank you, Netgalley & Dreamscape Media
Thank you, Margo Candela, for letting me go on this journey with you! It was so special!
And an extra special thank you to Carolina Hoyos, Frankie Corzo, & Ana Daniela Osorio for lending your voices to this book. You all did spectacular! This audiobook would not have been the same without your unique and individual voices.
I had no expectations when I started this book. I didn't read any of the other ARC reviews. But I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I didn't grow up with sisters, I had a younger brother. I loved the dynamics of the sisters. It was interesting to see each sister develop as the book goes on. You start off thinking each sister is one way. Maritza (the youngest), seems to be a self-centered air head. But in reality, she's so much more. Claudia isn't just the uptight 'fixer' middle sister, there are reasons and layers. Then there's, Dulcinea “Dooley” the eldest sister who I really connected with. She's the 'lost' sister who is coming off addiction and separating herself from the family.
I'm so in love with the connections between the family. I love the bonds that are built in this family. I loved the sisterhood bods and how they always just 'knew' they would be there for each other. They might have had to jump through hoops, but they knew they would be there.
This book is really a journey of growth, and it's beautiful. I loved every bit of this journey!
Thank you, Netgalley & Dreamscape Media
Thank you, Margo Candela, for letting me go on this journey with you! It was so special!
And an extra special thank you to Carolina Hoyos, Frankie Corzo, & Ana Daniela Osorio for lending your voices to this book. You all did spectacular! This audiobook would not have been the same without your unique and individual voices.
June 18, 2022
This book broke my heart and put it back together over and over! The Neapolitan Sisters follows the lives of three sisters on the cusp of major life changes. Connected by love, trauma and unbreakable bonds, what I loved most about this story is that none of these characters are strangers. Claudia, Maritza and Dulcina are so real and relatable, they could be any of my friends or primas.
Maritza is the perpetual bratty, baby-of-the-family; Dulcina is learning to live and love herself as sober; and Claudia is (on the surface) the epitome of beauty, perfection, and career success. (A super sexy scene with her hot and famous boyfriend will def leave you hot and bothered!)
All in all, their mother is the secret weapon of the story: nervous with (sometimes fake) migraines, Mamá watches closely and hovers, but it’s her silences that speak a thousand words. While she expects Claudia to take care of family matters, she still has the power to strike like a snake and bring the girls to their knees. Watching each sister navigate this delicate dance around their mother felt uncannily close to home. Indeed, Candela is a master at these simple complexities.
An unexpected ending will leave you with all the feel-goods, and the perfect snapshot of sister love and joy. Don’t miss out on this amazing book!!
Maritza is the perpetual bratty, baby-of-the-family; Dulcina is learning to live and love herself as sober; and Claudia is (on the surface) the epitome of beauty, perfection, and career success. (A super sexy scene with her hot and famous boyfriend will def leave you hot and bothered!)
All in all, their mother is the secret weapon of the story: nervous with (sometimes fake) migraines, Mamá watches closely and hovers, but it’s her silences that speak a thousand words. While she expects Claudia to take care of family matters, she still has the power to strike like a snake and bring the girls to their knees. Watching each sister navigate this delicate dance around their mother felt uncannily close to home. Indeed, Candela is a master at these simple complexities.
An unexpected ending will leave you with all the feel-goods, and the perfect snapshot of sister love and joy. Don’t miss out on this amazing book!!
June 1, 2022
This is one of the most beautiful books written about family, siblings, acceptance, forgiveness and love. Did I cry? Yes. Did I laugh? Yes. Did I relate? Absolutely! I have been a fan of Margo Candela for over 10 years and was extremely happy to know she had a new book out. Let me tell you, this book does not disappoint! This book is a page-turner, told through the perspective of three sisters. I loved this part the most, each chapter is dedicated to either Dooley, Maritza, or Claudia. As a reader, you really root for all the sisters, even Maritza! (Read the book, and you'll understand!) But as you read, you know that even though these three siblings couldn't be more different, leading extremely different lives, their bond and love for one another, will always take precedent. Reading this book, I couldn't help but associate certain characters to my own family members. We all have a Dooley, a Maritza, and a fixer like Claudia in our lives. And even though these people drive us nuts, without question, we'll drop everything to be by their side if need be, much like these sisters. The Neapolitan Sisters is a gem of a book!
August 30, 2022
THE NEAPOLITAN SISTERS
By Margo Candela @margocandela
💬 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 💬
Not all books are meant to be feel good books or highlight the best of people.
That’s not everyone’s story. Many of us are still on a healing journey. It’d be unrealistic to expect this from every character & author.
Some books are meant to give insight into the unhealed traumas people experience in life & the messiness that comes with it.
The Neapolitan Sisters is just that.
Filled with stereotypes of our fellow Latinas that might make your skin crawl, this story highlights unhealed traumas & how they take effect on the characters & their engagement with others.
Three different sisters coping with their upbringing in three different ways. This story brings to light the stunted growth in communication, self-awareness, compassion for others, and much more that can be rooted in unhealed trauma.
Not hero characters by society standards… but an important representation nonetheless.
I’m glad I took the time to read this book to support a new author! ♥️
Keep Turning Those Pages,
Bookclusion
Follow Us on Instagram 📲
By Margo Candela @margocandela
💬 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 💬
Not all books are meant to be feel good books or highlight the best of people.
That’s not everyone’s story. Many of us are still on a healing journey. It’d be unrealistic to expect this from every character & author.
Some books are meant to give insight into the unhealed traumas people experience in life & the messiness that comes with it.
The Neapolitan Sisters is just that.
Filled with stereotypes of our fellow Latinas that might make your skin crawl, this story highlights unhealed traumas & how they take effect on the characters & their engagement with others.
Three different sisters coping with their upbringing in three different ways. This story brings to light the stunted growth in communication, self-awareness, compassion for others, and much more that can be rooted in unhealed trauma.
Not hero characters by society standards… but an important representation nonetheless.
I’m glad I took the time to read this book to support a new author! ♥️
Keep Turning Those Pages,
Bookclusion
Follow Us on Instagram 📲
August 8, 2022
I was fortunate to receive an ARC of this highly-entertaining, thoughtful, and wonderful must-read.
Margo Candela weaves a family tale of three sisters who are so unique and human, and yet, she has made them each completely lovable, in spite of their character flaws. This is no easy feat for a writer to accomplish. The story at first appears to be a fun beach read, and it is up to the last page, but it is also a deeper exploration of the lives of women and a shared childhood experience that carries a long shadow into the grown women's lives and their relationships. The arc of their coming to terms with this experience is perfectly told.
As a lover of all things L.A., I appreciated and enjoyed the rides through many well-known and beloved neighborhoods. And the wonderful surprise, that I didn't realize until writing this review, is that the women's home in Boyle Heights, the images of their origin story with their parents, has remained with me to this day.
Candela is a gifted storyteller. I can't wait for her next book.
Margo Candela weaves a family tale of three sisters who are so unique and human, and yet, she has made them each completely lovable, in spite of their character flaws. This is no easy feat for a writer to accomplish. The story at first appears to be a fun beach read, and it is up to the last page, but it is also a deeper exploration of the lives of women and a shared childhood experience that carries a long shadow into the grown women's lives and their relationships. The arc of their coming to terms with this experience is perfectly told.
As a lover of all things L.A., I appreciated and enjoyed the rides through many well-known and beloved neighborhoods. And the wonderful surprise, that I didn't realize until writing this review, is that the women's home in Boyle Heights, the images of their origin story with their parents, has remained with me to this day.
Candela is a gifted storyteller. I can't wait for her next book.
August 9, 2022
The Neapolitan Sisters was a great, easy read and I really enjoyed it! The sex scenes were a nice bonus and exciting as well! I couldn’t stop reading it and kept wanting more.
I liked how the author dedicated each chapter to either Maritza, Dulcina, or Claudia. I was always very excited every time Claudia’s name appeared on the chapter heading. I fell in love with her personality and her love for Ethan. I really, really enjoyed reading about them.
The story is cute and living in LA, I felt like the Bernal sisters were my friends. The novel mentioned a lot of local towns and cities that I've been to, so I really connected with it and felt like I knew the sisters. Although the sisters were so apart, they were always holding each other up. At the end, I was happy they were all happy for each other.
I liked how the author dedicated each chapter to either Maritza, Dulcina, or Claudia. I was always very excited every time Claudia’s name appeared on the chapter heading. I fell in love with her personality and her love for Ethan. I really, really enjoyed reading about them.
The story is cute and living in LA, I felt like the Bernal sisters were my friends. The novel mentioned a lot of local towns and cities that I've been to, so I really connected with it and felt like I knew the sisters. Although the sisters were so apart, they were always holding each other up. At the end, I was happy they were all happy for each other.
September 1, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for access to the audiobook of The Neapolitan Sisters by Margo Candela in exchange for an honest review.
CW: fat phobia and disordered eating, emotional abuse, racism
The three Bernal sisters navigate family relationships in the lead up to a wedding.
That's a really short summary, but that's really all this book is about. Maritza (the sister who is planning her extravagant dream wedding) is absolutely detestable, but also the most interesting character. I can't tell you a single thing about the other two sisters' character arcs. Frankly, I was just bored, and the saturation of fatphobia throughout the book was really a turn off. This would have been more interesting if all three sisters were written equally outlandish. I think this book is suffering from a case of didn't-go-satirical-enough, so it just ends up falling flat.
CW: fat phobia and disordered eating, emotional abuse, racism
The three Bernal sisters navigate family relationships in the lead up to a wedding.
That's a really short summary, but that's really all this book is about. Maritza (the sister who is planning her extravagant dream wedding) is absolutely detestable, but also the most interesting character. I can't tell you a single thing about the other two sisters' character arcs. Frankly, I was just bored, and the saturation of fatphobia throughout the book was really a turn off. This would have been more interesting if all three sisters were written equally outlandish. I think this book is suffering from a case of didn't-go-satirical-enough, so it just ends up falling flat.
May 12, 2022
I had the privilege of reading The Neapolitan Sisters by Margo Candela. I laughed, cried, and laughed until I cried. An inspiring story of three strong Latina sisters that come back to their hometown despite their troubling childhood. Maritza is the whiny sister that stayed living at home with her parents. Claudia is the workaholic and successful sister. Dulcina (Dooley) is the recovering addict that has caused trouble since a young age. They all come back for Maritza's wedding, and despite their issues, family drama, and differences, these young women show us how strong the bond is between sisters and family. I loved that each chapter was written in each sisters' point of views. This was a page turner of a book that I did not want to end. Beautifully written and a must read!
May 14, 2022
What I've always loved about Margo Candela's novels are the vivid, relatable characters who populate her stories. And she does not disappoint in The Neapolitan Sisters where we are introduced to three sisters whose troubled childhood shaped them and bonded them for life. The sisters are so real, you'll swear you've met each of them. In addition, Margo gives readers a glimpse into a Latino family minus the stereotypes, so don't look for the loving mother who adores cooking. For many Latino families, life is a struggle, and we see the painful truth in this novel. This authenticity might be what I love most, but there's a lot to love. If you're looking for a touching, funny, sexy read, this is it!
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