Being rather silver-haired myself and never previously reading any Judy Leigh novels, I thought I would give The Silver-Haired Sisterhood a try.

Five female friends in their 70-80's continue their adventures.

Towards the beginning of the book, I was a bit confused and was mixing up the five friends. But the author then concentrated on just a couple of the friends and then they were reintroduced again later in the book. Giving author Judy Leigh kudos for that.

I enjoyed the friends sisterhood. Probably the thing that bothered me the most about the book was the amount of alcohol. That in itself probably would have been fine, but one character in the book really had an alcohol problem and the sisterhood would ... have a drinking game. I would not recommend this book to a someone who is in recovery. But ... probably ... based on the cover ... it is a book they would avoid anyway.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read The Silver-Haired Sisterhood in exchange for an honest review. Publication date is Dec 2, 2024. Approx 334 pages.

Judy Leigh's The Silver-Haired Sisterhood is a lovely and heartwarming book about five friends in their seventies who face various challenges, including widowhood, divorce, and health issues. This story gave me both an emotional and a fun-filled reading experience.

The author has brilliantly portrayed her characters. Despite them being older, I found myself truly adoring them, even though I am still in my thirties. Leigh's ability to create relatable and endearing characters across generations is remarkable.

I also loved the vivid descriptions of Scotland and the Christmas setting, which added an extra layer of warmth and charm to the story. These elements made my reading experience even more enjoyable and immersive.

This is my first read from Judy Leigh, and I am eager to explore more of her work. Her talent for blending humor, emotion, and emotional life lessons has certainly made me a fan.

This is the 2nd book featuring these fantastic woman. But not to worry. The author introduces you to them and their story brilliantly, so.it can easily be a standalone.
I love the support system of this friendship group. How they can still go off and do their own thing whilst holding on to eachother in heart.
And the minute one of them is in trouble one or more is soon there to hold the others up.
And there is more of that in this book.
The descriptions of Skye and the food were delightful.
The other cast of character were brilliant together and on their own right.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publishers. As a silver haired lady myself this was an idea read of friendships and that age is just a number. Would recommend.

I love Scotland so a story set in the Highlands in the run up to Christmas was just what I needed!

We meet a close group of friends who are all about to head off for a break and do their own thing of which all sounded lovely and I was torn with which I would have preferred. I don’t want to give too much away but Della’s plans change sadly and she finds herself tagging along with Tess to the Isle of Skye. There are some surprises in store for them when they arrive as things don’t quite go to plan.

I loved the hotel, setting and characters. They basically have that, lots of character! I fell in love with the area as the author described it so wonderfully. The descriptions of food had my mouth watering also. I was wishing I was sat down with the characters to enjoy meals and drinks with them as things are certainly entertaining.

The Silver-Haired Sisterhood is very much about friendship. It was lovely to see this group of women supporting each other through the good and bad as well as the fun they have together. It covers grief and addiction and whilst a little emotional in parts, it certainly made for an uplifting, feel good read. Guaranteed to leave you with a smile on your face!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC.

This is a sequel to Five French Hens but can be read as a standalone as we get a good summary at the beginning.

Tess, Rose, Della, Jen and Pam, all in their seventies, are best friends. They had an adventure five years ago that led to Rose living and working in Paris, playing piano in a nightclub, Tess throwing out her husband Alan and a wedding not taking place.

It is December, Jen is going on an Iceland cruise, Pam is off to Greece with her dog Elvis and Della is planning a pre-seasonal short trip to Paris with husband Sylvester. Feeling left out, Tess books a trip to the snowy Isle of Skye in Scotland.

Then bereavement and illness strike our quintet, which leads to Della accompanying Tess to Skye, and after a while, Rose joining too with her young friend Daz. The owner of the hotel, Roddy Fraser, is in a terrible pickle though. His wife Isla has left him, threatens him for half the hotel and leaves him broken and unable to deal with guests, so our lot decide to help out until Christmas.

There's a fairly big and interesting cast, with the hens, owner Roddy, guests like Robin and his son Jamie and quirky old men like Murdo and Aul Crabbit. The author does a good job of marketing Skye to the reader - it feels as if you're there seeing the majestic Northern Lights yourself and eating the delectable Scottish food.

I like the fact that elderly women are celebrated here as being and having fun and getting second chances, not being "past it" in the slightest. I have read books from Judy Leigh before and they were similarly full of adventures for the mature gals.

The central friendship and support between the five is lovely and uplifting to see. They laugh, they cry and above all, they live, nurture old and form new relationships with people of all ages, have adventures and put up a drag show. Marvellous. If you want to read something feel-good and heartwarming, you could do worse than picking this.

The Silver-Haired Sisterhood by Judy Leigh is the most delightful contemporary offering which I just could not put down.
Judy Leigh has done it again! – and produced a wonderfully warm offering showing how to live life to the full, whatever your age. Age is, after all, just a number. It’s how you feel on the inside that counts.
The leading lady is seventy-seven, supported by a cast of friends who are similarly aged, including Rose who is eighty and who doesn’t let age or health scares get her down. It’s all about ones’ outlook on life.
Judy Leigh shows that we are never too old to start a new adventure. When life presents you with opportunities – grab them with both hands!
Getting older may present challenges but it is how we deal with them that counts. We can wallow in self-pity or we can use grit and determination to fire on all cylinders.
Some characters are suffering from grief. One lets her memories warm her. Another is wallowing in grief and ‘what-ifs’, suffering from survivor’s guilt in the form of PTSD. He finds solace in alcohol but it is never the answer – until an epiphany sees a fresh determination to be a new person. “A person isn’t who they used to be. The total sum of their worth isn’t the mistakes they made… It’s about who we are now.” We all make mistakes. We must learn from them and move on. “Out of something bad, there’s always hope.”
Friendship is important. “Friends … they’re the family you choose, the ones who hold us together when we come apart.”
Most of the novel is set on the beautiful Isle of Skye. Judy Leigh has a wonderful descriptive pen and brings the landscape alive for the reader as we ‘experience’ a snowy December on Skye.
We see the beauty of second chances. We cannot change the past but we can have a brighter tomorrow.
I adored The Silver-Haired Sisterhood. It is a novel that will warm your heart and make you smile.
Judy Leigh always produces wonderful stories. I cannot get enough of her writings.
I received a free copy from Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

I loved this story about friends in their 70's. Tess, Della, Rose, Jen and Pam. They seemed to all end up together this Christmas. While all of her friends were traveling around Christmas, Tess decided she was going to Skye to see the Northern Lights. Shortly before she was going to leave her friend Della's husband died of a heart attack. Tess was going to cancel her trip and stay home with Della., but Della decided she was going with her. They arrive at the hotel, only to find it not open. Roddy , the owner was in despair as his wife and left him and he didn't know what to do. Tess and Della talked him into giving them a room for the night and then they took over. Della doing the cooking and Tess the social media.Soon the hotel hotel was up and running. The ex wife did all kinds of things to get him to sell and the girls were trying to help[ him make it work. THere was Roddy's uncle Murdro who was a mess. Soon they had guests and things were going well. Eventually all the girls came for Christmas and even Rose from Paris came. See what happens to keep the hotel running. It was good to read about people in my age category. A GREAT READ

An enjoyable book but very predictable. Tess and Della decide to go to Skye for a short holiday. The hotel is shut and the owner is unable to cope. Roddy allows then to stay but the ladies start to take over. Apart from Roddy's soon-to-be ex-wife everyone is so very nice. Despite the fact that Della's husband has just died, it is happy, warm book. A little bit too sugary sweet for me but a good book if that's your genre.

I throughly enjoyed reading about this optimistic and courageous group of mature ladies. With friendship, romance, bereavement and new beginnings love is certainly the underlaying theme. Forget a swoony romance, the true love and lifetime bond between these ladies is something to really aspire for.
I loved the combination of mature fun loving ladies and the drag scene, in my head it’s truly the perfect mash up.
I think this was a wonderful induction to Judy Leigh’s work and I’m certain i’ll read another soon.

*read as a Blog tour hosted by Rachel’s Random Resources

Another great read championing the older person!
Great to be reunited with familiar faces and the progression in their lives!
Based in the most idyllic setting on Skye with a host of memorable characters, great food, friendship, fun,second chances and great camaraderie, you get totally pulled into the plight of Roddy and his hotel and the fight to save it!
Fantastic team work, inclusivity, grief, love and fun and frivolity, the silver haired sisterhood portrays that you are never too old for new experiences, new friendships,love and a lust for life and living rather than existing!
Thoroughly enjoyed this read and would highly recommend
Thank you NetGalley for this early read

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Fun read about a group of older women who find happiness and purpose in their golden years.

A wonderful joyful read it kept me smiling from beginning to the end.Love these 70 year old and their spirit hope to read more about them .#netgalley #boldwoodbooks.

The Silver Haired Sisterhood by Judy Leigh was such an uplifting enjoyable read. Age doesn’t stop these five friends from enjoying every bit of what life still awaits them. I would love to see these ladies again in another book.
Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read this book and give my honest opinion.

What a joy to read. Join the plucky 70 year olds as they embark on this adventure that leads them to a merry Christmas on Skye. Their motto surely is never give in or give up. Pathos and humour abound in this heartfelt story

Set five years after the events of The Five French Hens, Rose has settled into life in Paris while Tess is living in Rose’s Exeter home after divorcing her husband. After seeing Pam off to Greece, and Jen off to Iceland, Tess is left feeling like life is passing her by so she books herself a holiday to Skye, after Della’s life is hit by a sudden loss she joins Tess on her trip. When the ladies arrive at the hotel in Skye they find that it is not as described on the website and hotel owner Roddy needs the kind of help that the ladies can provide.
The story itself is a bit predictable but it was nice to spend some time with the hens.

The five French hens once again are on adventures but this time separately and for Christmas.

Rose is in Paris still on stage with her friend Daz, Jen is off the Iceland and Pam and her little dog are off the Greece. Tess has just planned a trip t0 Skye and after the sudden death of Della's husband Sylvester, Dells decides to join Tess.

Lives change, friendships renewed and wishes come true in the magical little village in Skye for all of the five French hens!!

A another wonderful uplifting book in this series that will have you wishing you were sharing a hot toddy by the fire with these 5 amazing woman.

Five years after seventy-something Tess jetted off to Paris with her best friends, Jen, Rose, Della and Pam - the Five French Hens - for Jen’s hen do, a lot has changed. Prospective groom Eddie has been given the heave-ho, Tess’s husband has been sent packing and the Hens are making the most of their golden years.

But Tess is stuck in a rut. Rather than embrace her independence, she watches on as Rose wows Paris, Jen explores Iceland and Pam heads to Greece. But when tragedy strikes Della, Tess is shaken into action. They both need a change of scenery and longing to see the Northern Lights, they head to the Highlands of Scotland and the magical Isle of Skye. There Tess and Della get more than they bargained for. Along with stunning scenery and breathtaking history, they find new friends, grand adventures and even romance. And when they’re joined by the other Hens, together they start plotting a fabulous new future for them all.

This is a fantastic read about the highs and low, challenges and joys of life. Leigh writes amazingly relatable characters and enviable friendships. It's a truly remarkable writer who can get the reader to relate to someone who is so different from themself. Highly recommended! 5⭐

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. This is my honest opinion of the book.

The Silver-Haired Sisterhood by Judy Leigh was a sweet story of an amazing group of friends. Rose is the chief decision maker, Pam is the voice of reason, Della feeds them all with her amazing cooking, Jen is the emotional heart of the group and Tess is the nurturer and thoughtful one.

This group of women has been through a lot in their lives from divorce, losing a spouse, having children and just living life but now they are all at a point in their lives in deciding what to do next.

The book was interesting and sweet but just never grabbed me. I don't think I could recommend this book to my friends and followers.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Heartwarming..
The former Five French Hens are into their silver haired sisterhood and, following up and downs, tragedy and loss, they determine to enjoy everything that life can give them - they’re plotting a glorious future together. Heartwarming and uplifting tale of friendship and love and embracing the joy in life through a beautifully crafted cast of eclectic characters and well drawn backdrops and laced with gentle threads of humour.