Rachel Linden’s “Becoming the Talbot Sisters”

I started doing reviews again in exchange for FREE review copies! “Becoming the Talbot Sisters” by Rachel Linden gets a full FIVE stars for sure. I stayed up past midnight two days in a row to read this book. I read it at the dentist’s office while waiting for my jaw to get numb and tried to tell him about it even though I couldn’t move the right side of my face. It has an interesting plot line, well-rounded characters, Eastern European geography crash course AND social justice issues. LOVE!

Here’s what it’s about: Twin sisters Waverly (home entertaining TV star) and Charlie (international aid worker) meet back up for their aunt/mother figure’s funeral. They’ve drifted apart since they left home over a decade ago, so Charlie makes a crazy overture: she offers to be Waverly’s surrogate. Awww, there we have the makings of a nice Hallmark movie. Except it goes way beyond that with interesting plot developments that bring the sisters together right as they might loose each other forever! I want to say more about that but I don’t want to give away the surprises.

Some of the subject matter (like doing international aid in former Communist countries) could be a dark or grim story line. But the characters are so well-written that very real, difficult issues come cushioned with hope, a way forward. The sisters are real and likable, and ultimately their hopes overcome their disappointments in a way that feels unforced and complete. The sister love is palpable.

I recommend this book for:

1. Women. Anyone who’s struggled with miscarriages and adoption. Moms.
2. Men who want to know how awesome women think.
3. Siblings
4. People with an interest in Eastern Europe.
5. Anyone who’s ever met an orphan and wanted to save the world.

When I’m done loaning this book to friends, I’ll put it on the bookshelf next to Lianne Moriarty’s “Three Wishes.” Is that the book about the three Kettle sisters? I enjoyed that one because the characters seemed real long after the book ended. Talbot Sisters is similar in its excellent storytelling and characters. Sometimes I get a dull dud of a review book and have to slog through it because I agreed to do a review. Then on the opposite end of the spectrum are the ones I fly through. Like this one. Recommend!