Sisters by Michelle Frances was a very enjoyable and exciting ride for me. Not having read her previous books, I started reading without any expectations, hoping to enjoy the story for what it was. Two sisters - trying to improve their relationship, hopefully without their mother interfering.

What I got instead, was so much more! The suspense keeps building up from the very first chapter. The tension between the sisters is really awkward. The relationships between the mother and both daughters is very different and very concerning.

And then everything changes.

We have a surprising plot twists, and from that moment on, we are on a wild adventure. Old secrets will start coming up, things people thought were forgotten in the past. I did not know, and couldn't guess who the real villain is until the very end, and that was quite enjoyable for me! Everyone will tell you stories, everyone will say their own point of view. To you, everyone will seem like a villain and a victim at the same time, and this uncertainty will make you keep turning pages until you find out. Until the end.

I am glad I read Sisters by Michelle Frances. Another amazing suspense now added to my list. I highly recommend it to mystery, thriller and suspense fans, especially the ones that enjoy family drama.

Abby and Ellie have never had that close sisterly bond as each of them felt a massive resentment towards the other. Now they are adults, Abby seems to have everything, a good job and enough money, whilst Ellie struggles to make ends meet and never feels that she is succeeding, especially when compared to Abby's lifestyle. When Abby invites Ellie to her new home on the Italian island of Elba, both sisters feel that this could be the start of a new relationship, however, that's when things start to go badly wrong.

What then follows is a lively adventure which sees both sisters become involved in something which takes them far out of their comfort zone and leads them into revealing things about themselves which will have far reaching consequences for everyone around them. The relationship between the sisters is an interesting one, and as the complicated reasons for their differences starts to be revealed, so you begin to understand just why they both feel aggrieved with the other. When their mother, Suzanne, enters the story the whole thing takes off in a very lively sort of way.

The story is told in both past and present with enough crazy action to keep you guessing particularly as the present day scenario takes Abby and Ellie on a lively adventure which I can't say too much about other than it certainly kept me on the edge of my seat. The author writes well and keeps the momentum of the story alive as both sisters are unreliable narrators so it's difficult to believe which of them is being truthful. One thing for certain though is that it's great fun finding out what's going to happen next.

Sisters is a fast paced and lively family drama which makes it perfect escapism in an exciting 'getaway from it all' sort of way.

Is blood really thicker than water?

Abby and Ellie are sisters, they were never close. Abby is the eldest and excelled at school, Ellie was always sickly as a child and missed a lot of school. They both resent each other; Ellie, because Abby appears to have everything, retired at 36 with a healthy bank balance which she doesn't like spending, living on the Italian island of Elba with her husband Matteo, while she is a low paid teaching assistant with a lot of debt. Abby, because Ellie is beautiful and is their mother, Susannah's, favourite and always has been. Now both in their thirties, Abby invites Ellie to stay and to try to overcome their differences but with their mother also there, the memories they've suppressed for so long come back to them, and Ellie believes Abby and her mother are keeping something from her, then tragedy strikes and the sisters must go it alone but, after a recent revelation from Abby, does Ellie trust her enough to feel safe in her company?

This is the second book I've read by this author and i really enjoyed The Girlfriend, so I was looking forward to reading this one. It's a fast paced tense family thriller, filled with secrets and lies and the plot kept me turning the pages, never knowing from one page to the next who was telling the truth, right up until that very explosive ending. I didn't really like any of the characters, both of the sisters were very self centred but as they spent more time together, they grew on me. I never took to Susannah at all, how anyone can have a favourite child is beyond my comprehension! But it's definitely worth a read.

I'd like to thank Pan MacMillan and Netgalley for the approval, I will post my review on Amazon and Goodreads.

As the old song goes never had there been such devoted Sisters!!! Unfortunately no this was a toxic family group full of old grudges and secrets all held together until the fizz in the bottle exploded - so even if you can’t get to a deckchair on an exotic beach escape with this summer read -recommended read by Michelle Frances - gifted by netgalley #mygoldenbookclub

A story of a complicated relationship between two sisters - Ellie and Abby. The author has a great way of describing the scenery and atmosphere of Italy, France and Spain. which added to the story. I did find some of it a bit far fetched but there were lots of twists to make it an enjoyable read

Thank you to Netgalley, Pan Macmillan and Michelle Frances for the advanced copy of this book.

Looking for some summer reading? As its cover art insinuates, Sisters will keep you firmly on your sun lounger from dawn to dusk as this one-sitting fast paced read takes you on a journey of discovery of the relationship between Abby, sensible rule-following older sibling, and Ellie, breathtakingly beautiful with an unquenchable thirst for enjoying life's pleasures. Introduced to the pair at Abby's home on the island of Elba, what at first appears to be a tale of traditional sibling rivalry reveals its sinister side when revelations are made about Ellie's childhood sickness, setting in motion a chain of events that neither could have previously envisaged.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read with enough twists and turns to keep me guessing as I journeyed alongside the sisters in their bid to lay family skeletons to rest. I was firmly in the passenger seat as the descriptions of beautiful places throughout Western Europe called out to me from the pages, transporting me to hazy summer days spiked with adrenaline and wonder. I oscillated frequently between theories, never fully committing to a predicted outcome, which, when it came, had me on the edge of my seat in anticipation of the final blow.

I'd call this a thriller-lite - in that it's a heady blend of fun and 'whodunnit' - a very easy page-turner perfectly packaged for a lazy day at the beach, garden or pool.

A thriller in the vein of Gone Girl and Michelle Frances' previous books, Sisters follows two estranged sisters with a complicated relationship, which gets even more complicated on a trip abroad with their mum. I can't say more because of spoilers but if you like complex female characters that you aren't sure if you trust, with shocking twists that keep you guessing then this book will definitely keep you turning pages whilst on sun lounger this summer!
Thank you to Net Galley for the free advance e-book copy of this title.

I received an ARC of this book via Pan Macmillan and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Description

Is blood really thicker than water?

Abby and Ellie were never close as children. Now in their thirties, they each harbour deep-rooted resentment for the other – Abby for her sister’s looks and her status as their mother’s favourite. Ellie meanwhile is envious of Abby’s perfect husband and picturesque home, a villa on the sun-soaked Italian island of Elba.

When Abby invites Ellie to stay, both sisters see the break as a chance to relax and put aside their differences. But with their mother Susanna there too, all the simmering tensions of the past quickly rise to the surface. And Ellie suspects that Abby and their mother are keeping a dangerous secret . . .

But after a shocking act, the sisters have only each other to rely on. Vulnerable and scared, trusting each other will be the biggest risk of all . . .

My thoughts

I’ve previously read The Girlfriend by Frances and I really liked how her narrative was fast paced and thrilling. Her latest book, Sisters, is an equally intriguing story set against the beautiful landscapes of Italy, France and Spain. I knew I wanted to read this one after enjoying The Girlfriend so much and this definitely didn’t disappoint.

The story follows sisters Abby and Ellie. Since they were children, Abby has been in her sister’s shadow. Fast forward to the present and Ellie is staying with her sister – who is successful, retired early and happily married to Matteo – on the gorgeous island of Elba. Whilst there is beauty on the island, there is also trouble in the form of the odd, overbearing mother Susanna, an awful accident and secrets and lies aplenty.

I was already aware that Frances has a talent for describing landscapes and people in a captivating way, and I was absolutely enthralled by the breathtaking landscapes and the interesting, mysterious characters I encountered along the way.

Admittedly, I did find myself confusing the sisters from time to time but that was more my fault than the author’s – for sure! Though they are sisters, and they do exhibit a similar humour, they couldn’t be more different. Ellie is a free spirit whilst Abby is career focused though, as the narrative picks up, they band together in ways (having read the moments in their pasts) you wouldn’t expect.

It wasn’t just the sisters that I was drawn to, however, as Frances drew me in with Susanna – the girl’s mother who has secrets and her own agenda and ensures that the idyllic holiday doesn’t go as planned. I was also intrigued by Matteo, the handsome husband who also happens to be a police man – so he proved to be more of a pretty face, for sure! Although every character had their annoying moments, each one had a part to play in this book and definitely added to the suspense and the edge-of-your-seat-anticipation that these kinds of books always possess.

The story had plenty of twists and turns and, as much as I thought I had the plot figured out, Frances threw a spanner in the works. It meant that the ending – if a little bit rushed – was a shock, for me at least!

My only problem is that I felt that Matteo and Kathleen, though they were involved in the narrative, definitely could’ve been incorporated more as I think they would’ve added something more to the story.

Regardless, Sisters is an exhilarating thriller of a book, with twists and turns but also humour. It made me want to venture out to my own island paradise, for sure, just without the dodgy bits!

Sisters is now available to buy on Blackwells | Amazon | Book Depository

Having enjoyed previous books by Michelle Frances I was looking forward to reading this one and I was not disappointed. A great and fast paced psychological thriller which had plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing throughout. Would definitely recommend. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Abby has always been in her sister Ellie’s shadow ever since they were young. A sickly child, Ellie had all her mother’s attention and Abby felt left out.

As they grew up Abby was successful- enough so to retire to the idyllic island of Elba when she was 36 along with her handsome husband Matteo, an Italian policeman.

Ellie comes to stay for a long dinner holiday, unfortunately followed by their mother Susanna. After a freak accident, leaving their mother for dead they go on the run after Ellie learns some disturbing truths - it was her mother making her ill.

Matteo comes home to find a sunburned but alive Susanna on the terrace - who says that Ellie is in danger - it was Abby who made her ill.

Who’s telling the truth???

This was a real thriller; I never quite knew who to trust! I loved the setting for this - Italy, through to France and Spain. I also liked both sisters although I never really trusted either! Matteo was a faithful, trusting husband, I would’ve liked to have had him featured more as I think he was a good character with a good heart.

Full of twists and turns this was a real page turner in every sense of the word. Really gripping - you never quite knew who was going to react to what.

Susanna wasn’t a very nice person and she was a great contrast to Ellie and Abby who, although has their differences still stuck by each other.

I thought this would be great and I wasn’t disappointed.

Thank you to net galley , Pan Macmillan and the author Michelle Frances for the chance of reading this in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

This book centres around two sisters called Abby and Ellie. Abby and Ellie don’t get on, and haven’t since they were young children. Abby is a career girl with the high flying job, and Ellie is the free spirit and sees work as just a job, she enjoys her freedom and travelling more than anything else. Abby is jealous of Ellie, as when they were young Ellie was constantly unwell, meaning their mother favoured Ellie, and basically ignored Abby. Abby ends up retiring early and moving to an island called Elba after she has a whirlwind romance with an Italian called Matteo. Abby doesn’t tell anyone in her family about the wedding. Abby invites Ellie to stay for the summer, and her mum also arrives. Straightaway you know there are secrets hidden within the family. Along with deep resentments stemming from the past. An unfortunate incident sends the story spiralling, and some things I thought I’d guessed I was wrong.
I really enjoyed the story, it was fast paced, and dealt with issues you could imagine in a real family, especially with favouritism and sibling rivalry. I really like the characters, Abby being the sensible, level headed one with a deeper humour, and Ellie with her free spirit and hidden sensitive side. The characters were really relatable. I think Susannah was pitched just right, she was completely unlikeable, and that’s what was likeable. I feel that Matteo could have had a bigger role within the story, and I also felt their grandmother, Kathleen, was cut off abruptly. I would have enjoyed more of her character coming through.

Overall, I loved it, and read in less than 24 hours, would definitely recommend!!

Abby and Ellie have never been close despite being sisters but maybe now on Elba where Abby now lives they can find a way. The plan is ruined when their mother shows up. She has always preferred Ellie as she was a sick child but Abby knows something about that. Then an incident has the sisters on the run.

This was an interesting read but at times frustrating because of some of the decisions made in the story. The plot is relatively fast paced building to a dramatic conclusion which was cleverly done. The ending was good tying things up but would have liked to have seen the reunion of Abby and her husband. It was hard to know who to like in this but I think it was probably Ellie. Abby had her moments but a lot of her decisions annoyed me. That being said it was still a good read.

A slow but intriguing read about family, lies and secrets.
I liked how the two sisters started to open up to eachother as they spent more time together on their road trip. The 'who dunnit' style of writing was an interesting touch and kept me interested in reading til the end.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Unfortunately this was just one of those books I couldn't connect with. I found the main protagonists Ellie and Abby hard to relate to and frankly very unlikeable.

I'm sure other readers will feel differently and thank you again for the opportunity.

I really liked the girlfriend so was looking forward to autors new book. Ellie and abbey are sisters who have never been close and are very different from each other. Abbey is jealous that Ellie is their Mothers favourites and Ellie is jealous of abbeys success. Then high flying Abbey retires at the ages of 36 and offers her sister Ellie an olive branch inviting her to stay at her home on the Italian island of Elba for the summer. The setting is amazing (it really makes you want to be there in the Italian ☀️ ) and the first third of the book is good as the characters and their relationships unravel but I felt one of the main decisions made by the sisters just didnt feel that believable for their characters. After that the pace slowed but I felt it was quite a rushed ending. Not the thriller I’m used to but nonetheless an easy read.

Having enjoyed Michelle's other books I waslooking forward to reading it. And it certainly didn't disappoint. This was a twisty easy to read pyschological l thriller it was easy to read and couldnt out it down once had started a perfect summer read

Sisters is a family drama which looks at the fraught relationship between two sisters and their mother. Abby is rich and successful, and after years of hard work can afford to retire before she’s 40. Ellie struggles to keep her finances in order due to her low paid job and her lavish lifestyle. When the family gather at Abby’s Italian home, a tragedy forces the sisters to spend time together, and their relationship develops as secrets are revealed.
I particularly enjoyed the parts of the story that focused on the girls growing up and how their mother’s treatment of them affected their relationship. Some elements of the plot seemed quite far fetched, but I can forgive those for the sake of the story.

Sisters by Michelle Frances is a fantastic read, about two sisters that are complete opposite of one another. They don't get on with one another and the relationships is full of jealousy. Ellie is the clear favourite daughter and Abby focuses all her efforts into succeeding instead. Ellie gets held back because of an illness throughout her childhood. The story continues as adults, their relationship still struggles with past events and jealousy fueled. This book sure takes you for a ride. So many twist and turns that you'll be trying to figure out right till the end. Great book and will definitely get the next book by Michelle Frances.

Abby and Ellie are sisters but they do not share the sisterly bond at all. Abby, the elder sister has always been bright at her school and job and manages to retire at the age of thirty-six where she settles down in Italy with her husband Matteo. Ellie on the other hand has been ill since young which led her to study from home most of her childhood. Because of her illness, Ellie hardly passed her exams and gets a job as teacher where she hardly earns anything. However, Ellie has always been favored by her mother due to which Abby feels neglected and unloved. Ellie is jealous of her well achiever rich sister whilst Abby is jealous of Ellie because she never got the same attention from her mother.

After Abby retires, she invites her sister to her home for holiday only to find out her mother inviting herself as well. After some confessions Ellie and Abby find themselves with their dead mother. Without thinking much Abby runs away with her sister.

The story is really fast paced, gripping and unexpected. I really couldn’t decide who was the one to who poisoned. The ending was so crazy and i definitely didn’t predict it at all.

Tbh, I didn’t really like the ending though as in it’s not really clear but they have just mentioned so we think it that way.

Abby and Ellie are sisters who have never seen eye to eye. Abby is jealous of Ellie for being their mothers favourite and Ellie is jealous of Abby's success. Things take a dramatic turn one night and sees the two sisters on the run. Being alone together forces them to clear the air..but will they both make it out alive?

I've been a fan of Michelle Frances' writing ever since I read The Girlfriend and this was no exception. The author is great at creating a tense atmosphere from the outset making you instantly hooked.

This was super fast paced and I loved how you got to read from multiple points of view and that you didn't know who was telling the truth throughout.

This is also the first book I've ever read about munchausen syndrome and loved the whole idea.

I gave this a three stars overall just because I would have liked a more tense and shocking ending.

Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me a copy to read.