Author: Susan Mallery
Publisher: MIRA
Released: May 25, 2021
Received: NetGalley

Susan Mallery is back again with a new novel, The Stepsisters. It’s a love story, but probably not the sort you’re expecting – it’s about the love between friends.

There was a time when Daisy was thrilled about the idea of getting a sister (stepsister, whatever). But then she actually met Sage. Sage was everything that Daisy was not, beautiful, popular, confident; you name it.

Meanwhile, Sage always knew that she was never going to be as bright as Daisy. She struck at Daisy however she could, and her ferocity was returned with enthusiasm. When their parents finally set to divorce, you would have thought that would be the end of it. You’d be wrong.

I am blown away by the characters that Susan Mallery defined in The Stepsisters. They felt so human, with real hopes, dreams, and, yes, flaws. It was heartwarming and heartbreaking all in one, and I have to respect that!

That being said, I can kind of see this being a novel that people will either love or hate. It’s going to depend at least partially on your personal experiences. Take me, I’m an only child, and thus I’ve always had a fondness for the idea of siblings (something that I’m sure would have changed had I had to deal with another one of me all the time).

What I loved the most about this novel is how realistic it is. No, not necessarily the circumstances or any of that. But how long our actions and words can linger. Both Daisy and Sage were truly traumatized from the actions of the other, and that carried them into their adulthood. Mallery was able to perfectly portray this painful truth, and it made their story all the more potent because of it.

This was my first time reading anything by Susan Mallery, but I have to say that I am extremely impressed by what I found here. I’m going to have to go through her backlog sometime and see what else catches my fancy.

Thanks to MIRA and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.