All My Sisters And Me by Sheryl Lister
All My Sisters and Me was a well-thought-out and well-expressed story about family values, love, forgiveness, loss, and redemption.
The idea for the story was a definite winner about four brothers and the women they chose. When the prologue began, I wondered who would be the standout in the storyline amid the dynamic introduction and Giselle’s vitriol.
Giselle and Shawn were the lone married couple for three years at the beginning of the story. From the very start, they did not appear to be a perfect match. Her side pettiness and small-mindedness were off-putting. I hoped her antics were short-lived.
Austin, the youngest Bradley, was a career Marine officer. He was single and mingling. Tariq was the most unmarried of the brothers, who never seemed interested in settling down.
Vincent worked for a medical office in the radiology department. The women they would pair with in the story came into the story succinctly. Taylor was a family friend and Austin’s bestie for several years. She and Kamryn sashayed into the story early on. Chanel joined the fold a little later.
As you delve deeper into the story, the sisters will become clearer.
Giselle engages in mean-girl antics for most of the story. At one point, I was sure she had a thing for Tariq. Yes, her brother-in-law, Tariq. However, Tariq only had eyes for Kamryn.
So, if she had a thing for him, he was not interested in a relationship with his sister-in-law. As the years passed, Giselle and Shawn began to develop small cracks in their foundation due to her incessant nonsense with Kamryn.
After Taylor and Austin became more than friends, and Vincent made Chanel his wife, the sisters-in-law club was formed, except that Giselle was the lone misfit in the bunch.
A good portion of the story centers around the family gatherings, food, and fellowship. And you guessed it, Giselle made each event, marriage, or gathering about her needing to be the head cheerleader instead of being the base or the foundation for the new wives.
Giselle’s relationship with her mother and her sisters was sad. But her circumstance was no different than Chanel’s, and Chanel did not morph into a mean girl monster.
The story had so many high and low points that I wanted to reach out and hug the family.
Sheryl Lister took her time telling this story. Each couple’s backstory is explored with a carefully crafted version for each pair. Their individual parts connect to the bigger picture that slowly reveals the undertones waiting to be discovered.
The sad parts in the story were meaningful. The family gatherings were joyful and hopeful. And the redemption in the end for the family, especially for Giselle, was bittersweet.
Sistah Girls, if you love a little family drama, romance, with a dash of petty and lots of love, this book is for you.
I highly recommend this five-star story.
