This took a little while to get into (I think this was mostly down to me as opposed to the book), however once I was finally focused on it, I really enjoyed it. It was exactly what I was expecting it to be, it created wonderful images in my mind, it was fun and easy to read. Would recommend.

3.5 stars

Ava is an editor for a social media site hoping to move into a journalist role. She gets her chance when she takes a DNA test and learns her results as part of a live stream. This book includes lots of elements I appreciate: a family drama, nice characters, and amusing animals. Plus Ava's love of color coded tabs and highlighters almost matches my own.

For me, it was a bit of a slow read. The title gives away the biggest surprise, so it felt it took a long time to get to the reveal in the story. Even after, the pace didn't really speed up.

This is a good choice for you if you like books set in rural Scotland, physical humor, and female main characters that get themselves into all sorts of trouble. It's light and comedic and could be a good escape read.

Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for this ARC on exchange for my honest review.

After the absolute joy that was The Lonely Fajita, I was really looking forward to Abigail Mann’s second novel.
The Sister Surprise did not disappoint! Incredibly funny, uplifting and sweet, this was a lovely bit of escapism at a time when it’s most welcome.

In this book we join Ava on a trip to a tiny village in Scotland, to track down a half sister she never knew she had.
The village is incredibly vivid with it’s suspicious natives and lush scenery being brought to life throughout. We’re introduced to some brilliant characters, both human and animal, and have a thoroughly good laugh along the way.

Can I visit Scotland now, please?

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Abigail Mann’s ‘The Sister Surprise’ focuses on a London journalist who takes a DNA test hoping to discover her roots. What she ends up finding, though, is exactly where she was meant to be – a volunteer farmhand in a tiny Scottish village working with ‘what-you-see-is-what-you-get’ people and a half-sister who completes her. Her research date is coming to a close. Will she return to her old life or stay and connect with family?

I’m so glad I persevered because after the first third of the book, the story really picked up and it was worth finishing. The author authentically represented a small isolated Scottish village and it’s inhabitants, complete with the egg delivery man and questionable wifi! The storyline is predictable, as is the ending, but Mann’s sense of humour makes the cute romantic story a comedy and I found myself laughing out loud at the city girl’s farm experience.

This is a perfect read for anyone wanting a read with a few giggles and a distraction from a rainy day or pandemic life. To be published March 25, this will be a perfect read to add to your Spring 'must reads.'

Thanks to Abigail Mann, Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

A thoroughly enjoyable read - predictable in parts, but enough good characters, decent smiles and solidly written enough that this can be ignored. An easy way to pass the time. Recommended for fans of the genre.

"The Sister Surprise" is a good read for anyone who is looking for a diversion to the heavy events happening in real life. Reading it felt like watching a rom-com that you enjoy while watching it but also roll your eyes at just how predictable and perfect everything turns out. The pacing in the book did not feel realistic. There were multiple times when I was read that I was not sure if I missed something because of unreasonably. how the characters' relationships skipped around.

All that being said, the characters are likable and the plot had enough (low-stake) twists to keep my interested. Ava especially makes a relatable and likable narrator, which helps the book go quickly.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a feel-good yet predictable read.

3.5 stars
There’s a lot of book coming out about secret sisters! It does make sense however, co spidering how many people do their DNA tests these days.
I enjoyed this book! It was pretty funny and felt uplifting.
It actually felt realistic, even though this is something I have never experienced before. The characters were relatable and likable.
The first half is definitely a climb, but the second half it finds its groove, and it’s easy and fun reading.
If you need a lighthearted familial read, this certainly could be one for you!

This was an easy going read with some predictable twists. That’s being said I did really enjoy the flow, the characters and following the mini adventure of Ava!

I received an advance copy of, The Sister Surprise, by Abigail Mann. This sounds like it would be a great book, but I did not like it. The language the characters.

I really enjoyed The Lonely Fajita by this author, so was delighted to be approved for her next book. It was unfortunately, a disappointment. The first half of the book was very slow, with nothing much of interest happening. I feel the author tried too hard to be funny with this book, it was peppered throughout with similes - hardly anything was said or happened without it being described as ‘like .......’ followed by a supposedly amusing simile. Some were funny , but mostly they were not. They just became increasingly irritating as the book progressed, distracting me from the flow of the story.
I almost gave up on the book, but I’m glad I persevered, because it did improve. However it then galloped towards a very predictable ending with all issues neatly resolved, without any of the expected confrontation.
I liked the characters of Ava and her half-sister Moira, and the young farmer Kian, struggling to make a go of the family farm against all odds. The characters were well drawn and there were some genuinely funny moments, which I enjoyed.
However, if an author is going to write about Scotland they should ensure they use correct terminology eg, in Scotland we have whisky, not whiskey, which is an American or Irish spirit. If a man of the cloth is preaching in a Scottish church, he would not be a priest or a reverend, he would be a minister. Ava was rightly corrected on this by Moira in the story. But the minister would not be carrying out a Mass in his church, it would be Communion..
As for the local pub called The Wailing Banshee? Really? That is beyond stereotypical.
It is worth noting that although some very rural areas in UK, not just Scotland, do not have good internet connections, it does not mean that they and their inhabitants exist in a vacuum. The happenings in the outside world, even from as far away as London, will become known in any hamlet, especially when a mysterious newcomer arrives on the scene from the metropolis. You can be sure that someone will know someone who has googled her.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book.
.

After Ava finds out on a live stream that she has a half-sister she never knew about, her world is turned upside down. Her boss thinks a reunion would make for great content so he sends her off to the super small town in the Scottish Highlands where Moira, her sister, is last known to have lived. Ava takes a room at a local farm in exchange for work and is quickly absorbed into the quirky town (which even includes a hunky Reverend). When she finally meets Moira by chance, she has a lot of choices to make about her future and ultimately who she wants to be.

It's like Abigail Mann knew exactly what kind of book I needed right now. From the first chapter on, I kept hoping this story would never end and I got in bed each night excited to read more. Mann managed to make a story that was simultaneously cozy AND exciting, full of endearing characters. One of my favorite books I've read in a long time!

This was a cute little story. The characters were funny and very likable. I feel there was good character development and I liked the story line a lot. I heard this was the author's second book, and I feel the writing style is amazing for only being her second novel. It was fast paced and did not seem to bog you down with too much details that were not needed.

First and foremost, thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book was light and cute. I laughed and felt my heart swell. This book has everything you want in a feel good book. I am looking forward to picking up the previous novel by Abigail Mann.

I was not sure that I was excited about this one, just due to the sheer number of unexpected DNA connection stories being put out right now, but this one was so good! It is a lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek kind of read. I laughed out loud many times and enjoyed the way the characters handled some tumultuous situations.

Well written mystery/romance novel. DNA surprises are on the rise. If you have ever wondered how to handle such a surprise in a whimsy sort of way, you will enjoy this book. Could be the beginning of a series if the author chooses.

Light, fun, tongue-in-cheek, chick lit. Ava — a social media journalist from South London gets a surprise during a live video show from her DNA test — she has a (previously unheard of) sister living in a small village near Inverness. Quickly finding a farm home stay in the village, she plans to live blog the search, discovery, and reunion with this unknown woman. What follows is some slapsticky scenes on the farm (think pig innoculation by some real newbies) peppered with new friendships and some romantic interest. What’s different about this book as opposed to, say, Bridget Jones, is that “Romance” is not the main attraction or goal. I’ve noticed this (welcome) trend in “women’s fiction.” Men are a part of our heroine’s life, but the pursuit, gain, and / or loss of men is not the prime element of their lives. Passes the Bechdel test (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bechdel_test).

Ava has never known who her father was. Her mum was an activist in her youthful days and had a fling with another activist which resulted in Ava. She works for an online news blog that has decided to run a live article on DNA kits and Ava is one of the test subjects.

After discovering she has a half-sister who is from a tiny place in Scotland and then nearly throwing up live on air, the blogs audience numbers go through the roof and her boss thinks it would be a good idea if she went to Scotland in search of her half-sister, Moira, and document her search.

The only place she can find to stay in the tiny village is on a working farm where she is offered a room in exchange for helping run it. With no other options Ava agrees but farm work is a million miles away from being a journalist, and can she locate her sister and what will she say when she does?

The Sister Surprise is a humorous look at one woman’s life as it is turned upside down thanks to a DNA test she has been made to take at work for an article. It has always been just her and her mother and so finding out that she has at least one sister is both exciting and nerve-wracking for her.

The story follows Ava, who is bright, independent, and a trier, though accident-prone, on her search for her sister and helping out on the farm, which doesn’t get off to a good start from breaking the quad bike to annoying one of the locals.

The book was a little slow to get going as it concentrates on Ava, her mum, and her job at the beginning. It took a bit to get into the action and Ava travelling to Scotland. Once she finally gets there, begins her new work, and meets her sister, though she doesn’t tell her, the pace picked up and so did my intrigue.

This is a book which you can escape into to enjoy the banter and humour between the characters, including a hot minister who likes a joke or two. It is uplifting and it made me smile throughout.

When Ava takes a dna profile test the results show she has a half sister in a small village in the Highlands of Scotland. Under the pretence of working in the Scottish office, Ava lies to her mum and arrives as a volunteer on a small delapidated farm. When she soon finds her sister, falls for the local Minister and helps the farmer sort out the farm could she be happier than ever?
I loved The Lonely Fajita and this was great as well. Genuinely lovely read. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this book but not as much as the lonely fajita. I found some parts of it quite slow. Enjoyed but didn’t love this one

Serviceable and fun but I believe other authors do the London vs rural lifestyle change better.

Thank you for the galley copy.