ARC Review: The Sister Surprise by Abigail Mann

Title: The Sister Surprise

Author: Abigail Mann

Publication Date: March 18, 2021

Publisher: One More Chapter

Synopsis: Journalist Ava takes a DNA test hoping to discover her roots. Instead, she finds out she has a half-sister … whilst on a live stream watched by 100,000 people. Her boss thinks it’s the perfect click-bait story. Ava just wants to go to Moira’s tiny Scottish village and meet her.

But when Ava arrives undercover as a volunteer farmhand, she realises Moira – who’s her pig-wrestling, chatterbox polar opposite – might not be delighted by the news. And the longer Ava stays in Kilroch, with its inappropriately attractive reverend and ties to her hidden family past, the more complicated this surprise is going to get…

LINKS:     Goodreads    |       Amazon     |     Book Depository

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My Review:

The Sister Surprise is a heart-warming and humorous story of love, friendship, family, and finding oneself. After Ava learns from a DNA test that she has a sister, she journeys to a small town in the Scottish Highlands to find the sibling she never knew she had. In exchange for a room at a local farm, Ava agrees to works on the farm. As she becomes ingratiated in the charming, small-town, Ava must reevaluate her life, her past, and her goals, all of which have been turned completely upside down.

This is a quick and fun read with many hilarious situations as Ava transitions from city life to farm life. I loved these scenes and, as a city girl myself, could totally put myself in her shoes. There were times throughout the story when I laughed out loud at some of the crazy antics and humorous dialogue. I enjoyed this aspect of the novel, as it offered a bit of levity even in the midst of some more serious situations.

The romance is not the main focus of the novel, but it was a lovely addition to the story. There is a whole “will they or won’t they” aspect that I enjoyed. Also, it’s interesting to see how this one test result changed everything in Ava’s life, including Ava. As much as she takes a physical journey from the bustling city of London to the Scottish countryside, her emotional journey is just as significant. Ava learns more about herself, her parents, and her sister and ends up examining what she truly wants in life.

I really enjoyed this charming story, and though it is the first book I’ve read by Abigail Mann, it won’t be the last. I’m definitely going back to read The Lonely Fajita – it sounds so good! Thanks so much to NetGalley, One More Chapter, and the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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Rating:

Favorite Parts:

• The humor. There are some really funny scenes, especially the ones with the pigs and the chickens! The dialogue is often humorous too.

• The themes of friendship, family, and finding oneself.

• The romance!

Recommendations:

This is a great story for readers who like rom-coms or contemporary fiction with a beautiful, small-town setting and great characters.