Roadside Sisters

by Wendy Harmer

Meredith, Nina and Annie, three very different friends, are reluctantly approaching middle age and facing the ups and downs of their lives. On a whim they take off on a road trip up the east coast of Australia. A funny, heartwarming, hugely appealing novel about the enduring strength of women's friendships.

Description

Nina, Meredith and Annie have decided to hit the road one more time. It's twenty years since they toured together as members of the gospel choir Sanctified Soul. How far have they all come since then? Do they still have anything in common?

Elegant Meredith, motherly Nina and the determinedly single Annie are as unlikely companions as you could find. But like a matched set of 1950's kitchen canisters of Flour, Sugar and Tea, they always seem to end up together.

When a tropical wedding beckons in Byron Bay, 2000 kilometres from their homes in suburban Melbourne, they make the alcohol-fuelled decision to drive a monster mobile home up the coast for the trip of a lifetime.

Squabbles and secrets, tears and laughter - not to mention the possibility of finding Mr Right along the way - this trip might tear them apart or it might just save their lives.

A funny and heartwarming story of female friendship, Elvis Presley, k.d.lang and a busted annexe, Roadside Sisters is the hugely appealing new novel from one of Australia's favourite comediennes, Wendy Harmer.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Ebooks

329 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Wendy Harmer is an Australian author, writer, radio show host and comedienne. A former political journalist, Wendy is the author of seven books for adults: It's a Joke, Joyce (1989), Backstage Pass (1991), Love Gone Wrong (1995), So anyway-- : Wendy’s words of wisdom (1997) (a collection of her weekly columns from The Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Weekend Magazine), Farewell My Ovaries (2005), Nagging for Beginners (2006), Love and Punishment (2006), and Roadside Sisters published in April 2009.

Harmer's books have been described as being in the genre of Chick lit. They are popular light novels and very humorous.

Wendy Harmer has also written a series for young readers called the Pearlie in the Park . They are bestsellers in Australia and have been published in ten countries around the world. The animated Pearlie series has screened on Australian TV.

I Lost My Mobile at the Mall (2009) is Wendy's first novel for teens.

She has written for numerous Australian magazines and has been a contributing columnist for Australian Women's Weekly, New Weekly, The Good Weekend and HQ.

Wendy contributed to Marie Claire’s What Women Want in 2002, My Sporting Hero edited by Greg Gowden which was published by Random House Australia and a volume of The Best Ever Sports Writing . . . 200 Years of Sport Writing. She also wrote the libretto for Baz Luhrmann’s Opera Australia production of Lake Lost.

Reviews

[Judi Murphy]

For anyone who has ever tried to recapture their glory days and/or has ever taken a road trip with friends - this is a must!

[Anita]

If you have ever travelled up the east coast of Australia with some girlfriends, then you will relate to these characters!! I loved it - and laughed my way through the book. It's a very light read.

[Robyn]

Fun aussie book, three old friends with all their baggage take a trip up the east coast of Australia in a gigantic winnebago from Melbourne to Byron Bay for one of their daughters weddings. They were all looking for something new in their lives and they certainly found it.
I loved the events at the various parks and towns along the way.

[Melissa Gale]

A lovely funny light read

[Stef Rozitis]

It was one of those very unsatisfying books that keeps looking like it's going somewhere and then chickens out ad hides back in the predictable old cliches. For example Nina's husband says and does some TRULY horrendous things in the book but all she learns is to embrace her codependence. Two other characters find a man.....gah

The stuff about women's friendship is mostly internalised misogyny masquerading as humour and even though they sort of (re)discover each other at the end it's a pretty vaccuous and empty trip filed with consumption more than insight. Eat, pray, love for people who can't afford to travel I suppose and with a touch of Aussie larrikin to it (and some really unappealing men thrown in).

I guess some people would like this. I was frustrated because of the NUMEROUS places where an insight or point was approached only to be veered around at the last minute.

[Helen]

A funny story about three old friends on a road trip from Melbourne to Byron Bay. Of course, very little goes to plan, but each learns more about herself as the trip progresses.
There is one geographical error, the location of the Maclean ferry. You definitely don’t need to cross the Clarence by ferry to get from Maclean to Byron Bay! The old bridge has been there since 1966, and the new one opened in 2019.

[Bec]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Annie, Nina and Meredith’s trip up the east coast of Australia. It certainly makes for a great read when you are familiar with some of the locations mentioned in the book. Although I predicted the slight twist at the end, I was impressed with the end result. I lived this book and highly recommend it.

[Barbara Phi]

I enjoyed this book. It's both killingly funny and sensitive, plus it really resonated with some of my fears, like driving a large vehicle. The interactions between the women are well handled, this is not a simplistic piece of chick lit. And it's a pleasant way to accompany a glass of red on a cold winters'day.

[Steph]

A boring story about unlikeable characters. Nothing really happened. It was unintentionally sexist. It had potential for huge growth arcs that it blatantly ignored. Nina struggles with disordered eating and body dysmorphia for the entire story but then only starts to like herself once she fully recognises herself as “Brad’s wife and the mother of her sons” - what is that??

[Jennifer]

What a hoot! Apart from the singing, I could just see myself & friends in this book. A delightful group of crazy ladies. I won’t say which one I identified with. I loved it, and will hunt for more from Wendy.

[Kat Ashworth]

The storyline started a little bland, but was necessary back story and character building for what evolved into quite a good story and glimpse into sisterhood and our need for friends we can trust with sharing our true selves.

[Amanda Roberts]

Loved the laughs these ladies gave me! Adventures with three reunited friends in a campervan with Elvis decal on the side- just hilarious and good fun! I listened to this as an audiobook in my car, makes the traffic disappear!

[Bronwyn]

Funny book about reuniting a friendship with an adventure that seemed doomed from the start..
Many 'oh no' mishaps that lead to a better understanding of others lives and one's self worth in the dynamic of a group ..

[Paschalis]

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[Jacinta]

Australian feminist women of my generation doing a road trip, and coming to the conclusion that life with a good partner is best.

[Samantha Bowler]

Couldn't finish. Read the first 3 chapters and couldn't get into it

[Suzanne Glew]

It’s VERY funny, I really enjoyed it. A quick read.

[Andrea]

Enjoyed it but didn't love it.

[Nadawan The Book Grub]

Simple enough story, nice easy read.

[Jillwilson]

Three cliches walk into a bar... Maybe this is how Harmer should have started this chicklit novel. It only gets a star because you would otherwise think I had forgotten to rate it. Got it from my library- wish they'd spent the cash on buying My Name is Red rather than this very ordinary and predictable story. If that sounds harsh - it's a very competitive publishing market and there will be writers who are not published who tell much better stories.

[Diana]

It was ok, a bit confusing at the start,i did get into it about halfway through, lots of funny bits but i still didn't feel wow i got to read that again

[Jo]

Disappointing.

[Maryanne]

Found the beginning boring but made myself continue. Was rather entranced by the end and I'm glad I read it. Lovely story.

[Rachael]

Light read, forgot that I'd read this before!

[Wendy]

Fun, easy read. A few cliches, but nothing too ridiculous. Great Aussie camping references.

[Sonia]

It was a good read but a bit pat. And much less laughter than I expected from a Wendy Harmer novel.

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out]

I was hoping for a little more humor, but it makes for an easy summer read.

[Stef]

Slow to start but an easy holiday read. Worth persevering to the end.