Book Review Tuesday: The Sister Pact @JacqBiggar, The Good Neighbors @kmodglinauthor

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Warm and cozy window seat with cushions and a opened book, light through vintage shutters, rustic style home decor. Small cat on window seat, along with coffee cup by pillow, Words Book Review Tuesday superimposed over image

Welcome to another Tuesday Book Reviews! I have two books to share today, both of which kept me glued to the pages.

Book cover for The Sister Pact by Jacquie Biggar shows pretty blonde woman with sunglasses and headscarf sitting in profile in a convertible, hand on steering wheelThe Sister Pact: Home is Where the Heart is
by Jacquie Biggar

Holly Tremaine returns home when illness forces her to step back from her career as a concert violinist. The holidays are approaching, and home seems the place be—only there are several untidy messes in Holly’s past. Her sister, Susan, married Steven, the man Holly was once in love with, and Holly had a drunken one-night stand with Steven’s brother, Levi.

Sound a bit complicated? It is, in a wonderfully flawed and heart wrenching way. This is a blend of chick lit and romance with neither overshadowing the other. The story is not only about the buried feelings Holly and Levi have carried for each other, but also the emotional scars and bonds between sisters. When Susan’s marriage falters, it’s Holly who rushes in to try to hold it together, and when Holly’s illness gets the better of her, Susan’s eyes are opened to the distance they’ve allowed to grow between them.

This is a beautiful story about family, siblings, sisters, emotional healing, and true loves. Jacquie Biggar writes with perfection and infuses every story with warmth to touch a reader’s heart. The Sister Pact is another perfect gem. 5 Stars

Amazon Link
Genre:  Contemporary Romance > Family Life Fiction 

Book over for The Good Neighbors shows a rural home at night with oppressing cloudy skyThe Good Neighbors
by Kiersten Modglin

Harper and Bryant are a young couple who move from Chicago to a quaint southern town where Bryant has accepted a job as a teacher. Their next-door neighbors are slightly older, extremely wealthy, and model perfect.

The Good
I read this book in one day. I was home with a cold and got sucked in from page one. From the get-go, the reader can’t but help being pulled along in the twisted tale of neighbors Harper and Bryant and Tori and Jason. Like a soap opera, there are a plenty of juicy secrets and over the top encounters.

The Bad
Like a train wreck, it’s hard to look away even when the characters make horrendous decisions, and there were plenty of them in this story. Even so, the writing and story keeps you flipping pages wanting to know what’s going to happen next, despite mounting frustration over the actions of all involved. Harper and Bryant are average, everyday people, where Tori and Jason seem as though they stepped off the screen from a 1980’s prime time soap.

The Ugly
I had a hard time swallowing the ending. Far too many puzzle pieces don’t align­—or at the very least—make sense. I think the author wanted to deliver a bombshell, but rather than feeling shocked, I was left with a sense of incredulity. It’s hard to say more without giving away spoilers, but too many things didn’t add up or were too extreme to swallow.

The Takeaway
I waffled on what rating to give this book given the problems with the plot. But in the end, it kept me glued to the pages and rapidly reading to reach the finish. The entertainment value warrants 5 stars, the plot 3. Therefore, I give The Good Neighbors 4 stars, and note that I would read this author again with that hopes that plot and entertainment meet in a solid middle.

Amazon Link
Genre: Psychological Thrillers > Psychological Fiction

Until next Tuesday, I hope you enjoyed the reviews, and I’d love to hear your thoughts on them!

74 thoughts on “Book Review Tuesday: The Sister Pact @JacqBiggar, The Good Neighbors @kmodglinauthor”

  2. Mae, two terrific reviews and it seems you are more than fair with “The Good Neighbour” … and I love the way you wrote this review! Inspired! I have a couple of Jacquie’s books on my kindle and I so look forward to reading them, particularly after reading your wonderful comments about her book here! Happy Reading & Reviewing! 😀

    Liked by 3 people

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  7. I recently read a book like The Good Neighbors, where I felt that the plot was underdeveloped, the characters unsympathetic, but it kept me turning the pages regardless. Figuring out how to star-rate it is definitely difficult. Great reviews!

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  9. I love your approach to reviews, Mae. You are always fair and honest, without being mean-spirited about problems within some books. I like that you point out the good things, even when you aren’t completely satisfied, and that when you really enjoy a book, you get behind it 100%. Thanks for both of these reviews! 🙂 ❤

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    • As authors, we all know the extraordinary work that goes into creating a novel. Even when a book doesn’t work for me, I want to be fair to its good points. I know you feel the same way.

      And guess what book I’ll be starting next, PenderPal? 😀 Snoopy dance of joy

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      • Ha! I just mentioned this in your comment over on TWS! It’s already on my computer and I hope my SIGNED copy is winging its way toward me even as I type! This one has to be both places!! Shelf space has been reserved for it for months!!! 😀 (These guys have a lot to live up to with this one, don’t they? No pressure from fans or anything!) 😀 We’ll talk later, I’m sure!

        Liked by 1 person

  13. I loved the way you have reviewed ‘The Good Neighbors’ …despite the good and the ugly, it seems to be an enjoyable book. The Sister Pact has been added to my wish list, usually I keep it short but some recommendations are too hard to resist. 🙂 Thanks for sharing wonderful reviews Mae.

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  15. Thoughtful reviews as always, Mae. I love the sound of Jacquie’s The Sister Pact and look forward to reading it. I too struggle with how to rate certain books, and think you have been very fair in your reviews of The Good Neighbors.

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