We are in for a treat this month reading Lian Dolan’s new release The Sweeney Sisters. I’ve been a longtime fan of Lian, her sisters, and their weekly podcast – Satellite Sisters. I can’t wait for each week’s new episode. As they say in the promo, listening to their podcast is like “having coffee with an old friend.” Lian is the producer and host of Satellite Sisters, the award-winning talk show she created with her four real sisters. On Satellite Sisters, she’s interviewed everyone from Nora Ephron to Madeleine Albright to Big Bird. Satellite Sisters began life as a syndicated radio show and is now a top-rated podcast for women. I reached out to Lian letting her know about our fabulous Book Club and she’s happy to join us via Zoom to discuss her book! Pinch me! I’m a huge Lian fan!
An accomplished storyteller, Lian returns with her biggest, boldest, most entertaining novel yet—a hilarious, heartfelt story about books, love, sisterhood, and the surprises we discover in our DNA that combines the wit of Jonathan Tropper with the heart of Susan Wiggs.
Maggie, Eliza, and Tricia Sweeney grew up as a happy threesome in the idyllic seaside town of Southport, Connecticut. But their mother’s death from cancer fifteen years ago tarnished their golden-hued memories, and the sisters drifted apart. Their one touchstone is their father, Bill Sweeney, an internationally famous literary lion and college professor universally adored by critics, publishers, and book lovers. When Bill dies unexpectedly one cool June night, his shell-shocked daughters return to their childhood home. They aren’t quite sure what the future holds without their larger-than-life father, but they do know how to throw an Irish wake to honor a man of his stature.
But as guests pay their respects and reminisce, one stranger, emboldened by whiskey, has crashed the party. It turns out that she too is a Sweeney sister.
When Washington, DC based journalist Serena Tucker had her DNA tested on a whim a few weeks earlier, she learned she had a 50% genetic match with a childhood neighbor—Maggie Sweeney of Southport, Connecticut. It seems Serena’s chilly WASP mother, Birdie, had a history with Bill Sweeney—one that has remained totally secret until now.
Once the shock wears off, questions abound. What does this mean for William’s literary legacy? Where is the unfinished memoir he’s stashed away, and what will it reveal? And how will a fourth Sweeney sister—a blond among redheads—fit into their story?
By turns revealing, insightful, and uproarious, The Sweeney Sisters is equal parts cautionary tale and celebration—a festive and heartfelt look at what truly makes a family.
To stay well we will continue our successful virtual format gathering via Zoom. Save Thursday, May 28, 7 p.m. CST. Go ahead and download the free Zoom app on your personal computer or phone, create an account and join from your PC, Mac, iPhone or Android with this link:
https://tcu.zoom.us/j/4968825889
New to Zoom and not quite sure how to use it? Here is a helpful printable walking you through the steps to create and use Zoom like a pro. Be sure to remember to practice Zoom “netiquette” during our meeting.
Even if you aren’t local to my area, you can join our book club, membership is free, through Bookmovement. By signing up you will receive notifications on our upcoming meetings and the books we will be reading. Plus, you can create your personal queue of books you want to read outside of our group and find out new releases and trends in all genres of books. Friends are always welcome. Be sure to visit our Bookmovement page to see the books we are reading for the summer.
No matter where you live, we’d love to have you join our community of over one-hundred women nationwide spending more time reading and less time using technology. Join our movement! Stay well.
Hospitality is in my DNA. I founded Home with a Twist, a daughter’s twist on her mother’s traditions, in memory of my mother to celebrate her life and the gifts she shared with me. Mother loved to celebrate life’s occasions – big and small.
