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lousnewchapter's review
3.0
Ava takes a DNA test and finds out she has a sister live on National television… as you can imagine that didn’t go down well. She vomited everywhere live on tv, most embarrassing moment ever! She decides to take a trip up to the rural depths of Scotland to meet her long lost sister.
This was such a fun read! I loved how real and relatable the characters and the storyline felt. It was filled with British wit and humour so it felt alot more familiar and I found myself laughing throughout.
This book felt like a warm hug, it was easy to read and a great pick me up. It’s the type of book I’d love to take on holiday with me, I know Abigail Mann has another novel so I think I’ll buy it and do just that!
Thankyou so much to the author and publisher for reaching out and sending me a copy to read and review
This was such a fun read! I loved how real and relatable the characters and the storyline felt. It was filled with British wit and humour so it felt alot more familiar and I found myself laughing throughout.
This book felt like a warm hug, it was easy to read and a great pick me up. It’s the type of book I’d love to take on holiday with me, I know Abigail Mann has another novel so I think I’ll buy it and do just that!
Thankyou so much to the author and publisher for reaching out and sending me a copy to read and review
ifollowedthatrabbit's review
4.0
Ava is 27 years old and she never met her father. Every time she asked her mother about him, she would give her brief answers and change the topic. She knew he was dead, but she wanted to know more about him, so when she was offered the opportunity to take a DNA test, at work, to know about her ancestors, she knew this could be the best way to know something about her father.
The bad thing about it is that her results should be shared with an audience, because her boss asked her to cohost a streaming show for the online magazine where she works, but what could go wrong? Her mum doesn't use social media or the internet at all, so she wouldn't find out. She has decided to go ahead with this, although she wouldn't have ever imagined the outcome.
Funny, heartwarming, and uplifting. I totally recommend it. I just needed to read something like this, and as I read "The Lonely Fajita" last year, I knew this one wouldn't disappoint me
The bad thing about it is that her results should be shared with an audience, because her boss asked her to cohost a streaming show for the online magazine where she works, but what could go wrong? Her mum doesn't use social media or the internet at all, so she wouldn't find out. She has decided to go ahead with this, although she wouldn't have ever imagined the outcome.
Funny, heartwarming, and uplifting. I totally recommend it. I just needed to read something like this, and as I read "The Lonely Fajita" last year, I knew this one wouldn't disappoint me
andrea_author's review
5.0
Ava travels to Scotland after a DNA test reveals she's got a half-sister she knows nothing about. She blogs about the trip for her employer's journalism site—but when she meets Moira, it's not just a news story. She wants to get to know her sister without the eyes of the public on them. But how can Ava reveal the truth without bringing up painful family secrets that could drive Moira away?
This book is so much fun. It's warm, funny, relatable, and more than a little cheeky. I loved the characters and the sometimes chaotic small-town life. While the book has got a sweet romance subplot, it's not the focus. The book is mostly about the sisters getting to know each other, and Ava trying to save the farm where she's boarding.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
This book is so much fun. It's warm, funny, relatable, and more than a little cheeky. I loved the characters and the sometimes chaotic small-town life. While the book has got a sweet romance subplot, it's not the focus. The book is mostly about the sisters getting to know each other, and Ava trying to save the farm where she's boarding.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
nicolajane's review
4.0
Loved this book so much! The writing style is so easy to follow that it makes the story seem effortless, the chapters just roll on.
Loved the characters and the brief updates that continue through the book to give a better sense of their personality.
Loved the characters and the brief updates that continue through the book to give a better sense of their personality.
poppyjessica's review
3.0
'The Sister Surprise' by Abigail Mann is about Ava, a London journalist who has never known her father. As part of a project for work, she gives some DNA, only to find out about a half-sister she never knew about... live on camera. This spurs a trip up to Kilroch in Scotland to meet her sister and do some journalistic digging about her past, her journey dotted with adventures including runaway sheep, feisty chickens and a hot local priest.
The story in 'The Sister Surprise' is pure and heartwarming throughout. I thought the relationships between characters was a real highlight, including Ava and her mum, the bonding sisters, Ava and Moira, and the aforementioned hot local priest. There were some revelations about Ava's past later in the story which were a nice reveal and brought a slight element of drama to a largely predictable narrative.
Whilst I enjoyed the novel, the pacing was the main issue for me. Moira, Ava's half-sister, does not make an appearance until 40% into the book, endless descriptions of Ava's angst about her family ancestry discovery and daily farming activities taking up much of the 'action'. Considering Moira is present constantly following that, I do not buy that it took her so long to drop by the farm and meet Ava. The slow start also means that the last section of the book, with all its revelations and solutions, seems very rushed and convenient.
Overall, a heartwarming and cosy story. However, it is on the theme of quite a few books coming out at the moment - I would recommend you pick up 'Leave it to Fate' by Beth Corby or 'The Summer Job' by Lizzy Dent instead. 3 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story in 'The Sister Surprise' is pure and heartwarming throughout. I thought the relationships between characters was a real highlight, including Ava and her mum, the bonding sisters, Ava and Moira, and the aforementioned hot local priest. There were some revelations about Ava's past later in the story which were a nice reveal and brought a slight element of drama to a largely predictable narrative.
Whilst I enjoyed the novel, the pacing was the main issue for me. Moira, Ava's half-sister, does not make an appearance until 40% into the book, endless descriptions of Ava's angst about her family ancestry discovery and daily farming activities taking up much of the 'action'. Considering Moira is present constantly following that, I do not buy that it took her so long to drop by the farm and meet Ava. The slow start also means that the last section of the book, with all its revelations and solutions, seems very rushed and convenient.
Overall, a heartwarming and cosy story. However, it is on the theme of quite a few books coming out at the moment - I would recommend you pick up 'Leave it to Fate' by Beth Corby or 'The Summer Job' by Lizzy Dent instead. 3 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
hookedbythatbook's review
4.0
Ava is a journalist at an online paper and a little bit desperate for recognition by her boss. Desperate enough to agree to a DNA test for a feature. She didn't sign on for the way the reveal happened though. And what a horrific way it was to discover you have a half-sister in Scotland. Ava traveled all the way north from her home in London to volunteer as a farm worker. The idea was to figure out a way to meet her half-sister and hopefully it won't be a complete disaster.
After the completely humiliating online reveal of Ava's DNA test results, I was a bit worried that the rest of the story was going to continue in the same silly vein, but it didn't. It was really sweet. Ava messed up a bit, but luckily for her, Moira was the forgiving sort.
I really enjoyed the descriptions of the busy farm life with Kian. All the revelations regarding Ava's father were interesting and not as straightforward as I'd initially thought it was going to be. There was a slight hint of a romance for Ava, but the focus was definitely on Ava and Moira. I liked both woman a lot.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this story. Don't expect any romance. In the end, this didn't really bother me. It was enough to have Ava and Moira discover each other and for them to grow and let go of some past notions.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
mybooksandkidsbooks's review
3.0
he Sister Surprise by Abigail Mann
Ava is shocked to find out she has a half sister, and she finds out while reporting on live tv. Her sister lives in a teeny tiny town in Scotland. So she is assigned to go investigate and meet her sister, preferably while live streaming.
This book was hilarious at times, heart warming at times, and altogether lovely. There was a chunk of the book after the initial drama that I found dragged quite a bit. But I did love the characters, and was very invested in their relationships! Plus the small town in Scotland was an amazing setting, and I could practically feel the breeze and hear the accents.
Thank you to @onemorechapterhc and @netgalley for my early copy! The Sister Surprise is out on March 25th!
Ava is shocked to find out she has a half sister, and she finds out while reporting on live tv. Her sister lives in a teeny tiny town in Scotland. So she is assigned to go investigate and meet her sister, preferably while live streaming.
This book was hilarious at times, heart warming at times, and altogether lovely. There was a chunk of the book after the initial drama that I found dragged quite a bit. But I did love the characters, and was very invested in their relationships! Plus the small town in Scotland was an amazing setting, and I could practically feel the breeze and hear the accents.
Thank you to @onemorechapterhc and @netgalley for my early copy! The Sister Surprise is out on March 25th!
meldav4's review
3.0
The Sister Surprise was a quirky and fun read, perfect if you are looking for something light and humorous. I thank the author for writing this during lockdown so that is readers could enjoy reading it to break up the droll restrictions.
Upon seeing at the beginning of the book description that a DNA test was involved, I could kind of guess what was going to happen. Nonetheless, there is a colorful story surrounding it, giving the lead up to what you can guess will happen more enjoyable. I am a sucker for the Scots; the country itself, the people, the dialect, the accent (oh, how I adore the accent!), and the slang and sayings. My husband and I went to Scotland on our honeymoon and I loved every single minute of it, even the unpredictable downpour of rain that occurred. All of this made the book more fun for me to read, and I could appreciate so much of it.
Publication date: March 25, 2021
#TheSisterSurprise #Netgalley @AbigailEMann @HarperCollins #omcreads #BookReview
Upon seeing at the beginning of the book description that a DNA test was involved, I could kind of guess what was going to happen. Nonetheless, there is a colorful story surrounding it, giving the lead up to what you can guess will happen more enjoyable. I am a sucker for the Scots; the country itself, the people, the dialect, the accent (oh, how I adore the accent!), and the slang and sayings. My husband and I went to Scotland on our honeymoon and I loved every single minute of it, even the unpredictable downpour of rain that occurred. All of this made the book more fun for me to read, and I could appreciate so much of it.
Publication date: March 25, 2021
#TheSisterSurprise #Netgalley @AbigailEMann @HarperCollins #omcreads #BookReview
elyseah's review
4.0
I loved this book! Such a cute, fun read with just the right amount of family issues! I laughed hard multiple times. Definitely a cheer up book! Ava is an absolute wonderful disaster can't help but love her!