The Moonglow Sisters: A Novel

Maddie, Shelly and Gia Clark came to the small Texas coastal town, raised by their grandmother after their parents’ deaths. All very different, the three were a ‘force’ to contend with, and never would you see one without the others. Until Maddie’s wedding, when everything went pear shaped, and the three haven’t been together or spoken much in the past five years. Maddie went off to New York to build a brand and become a Martha-Stewart-like star, Shelley disappeared on a quest to find herself in Costa Rica and Gia, the youngest, spent a year in Japan following her own dreams of kite making. Now she’s the only one back ‘home’, and between her little start-up business and her builds, she’s busy. But all that is to change when she is tasked by her grandmother to bring her sisters home and finish a quilt, the one that was to be Maddie’s and left undone, much like her marriage and their family. Neither Maddie nor Shelly want to be back – both for their own reasons. Maddie’s grasp of her anger and her need to be ‘in control’ of everything has made her a lonely and often unhappy person. Shelly’s search for her own self and individual spot where she can shine beyond simply being one of three, and the middle one at that, left her easily led and malleable: until she wasn’t. Gia, always the peacemaker is determined to follow her grandmother’s wishes to the letter: a bit of “magical thinking” has her believing that if she succeeds, then everything will be fixed, her grandmother will live forever (or several more years) and things will be as they were……. It’s never quite that simple, and old hurts, unspoken truths and plenty of enforced proximity all add to the sisters’ unpacking their grudges and anger, and it spills over: sometimes in the most unexpected ways. Secrets closely held are unearthed, the girls discover and find their commonalities and their differences, and soon everyone is existing in an uneasy, if often strained, peace as they work together to save the guest house that was their family home and hope for their grandmother’s recovery. With a long-buried love interest for Gia, an awakening for Shelly as she sees that her desperation to find herself left her bereft and without an identity, and Maddie’s recognition of her hiding from emotions and the past all come out – with explosions that only can happen between family members. Wilde masterfully brings readers into a story where old questions and secrets, emotions buried and ignored, and simply ‘airing out’ grievances brings the opportunity for healing and a new start. It’s never quite a straight-line journey, nor is it easy, but Wilde brings a ton of heart, hope and healing to the story, allowing the sisters to find a way back to their togetherness, with new opportunities and options for them all. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

The Moonglow Sisters had everything and more that I was looking for. Sisters that are reunited after a falling out five years ago, a fake engagement and a small town feeling. Their grandma, who is now sick, had one wish left and that was for the sisters to be reunited and finish the wedding quilt. Each of the sisters are so different but can they put aside their differences this one summer. This was a hard book to put down. I loved each of the sisters. Loved the small town, how everyone comes together to help the sisters getting the B&B back up and running. Loved the relationship of Gia and Mike. A wonderful book that I highly recommend.

Two of the Clark sisters left Moonglow Cove, Texas, after the Incident with Raoul. Now five years have passed and Grammy is having surgery and has written a little to Gia, the peacemaker, to get the sisters back together and to finish the wedding quilt. All the sisters have secrets. I won’t leave any spoilers, but I will say this is one of my favorite reads this year. Grab your copy and see what Madison, Shelley, and Gia are hiding. If you love reading a book about forgiveness with family at the center of it, you won’t be disappointed with this book. I loved how the community came together to help, when it was especially needed. Just wait until you find out what Gia does that shocks Madison and Shelley and really opens their eyes. I received an advanced reader copy of this book and this is my voluntary and honest review.