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The Sister’s Gift
Two sisters, one baby and the best of intentions...
As a vibrant, young woman with a lifetime of possibilities ahead of her, Freya grants her sister, Pearl, the ultimate gift of motherhood. However, this comes at a hefty price – an unexpected rift in her family and the loss of the man she loves.
Decades later, Freya is divorced, childless and homeless, at rock bottom after losing everything she's worked for. When her estranged niece, Billie, offers sanctuary, managing the family restaurant on beautiful Magnetic Island, Freya can hardly refuse.
Billie has never understood the tension between her mother and her aunt and now, with a newly broken heart, she is nursing a family secret of her own. All three women come together under the tropical Queensland skies, but can they let go of past regrets, or will old tensions tear them further apart?
By the bestselling author of Meet Me in Venice, this is a moving and inspiring novel in a stunning setting about choices and consequences and the redemptive power of love.
As a vibrant, young woman with a lifetime of possibilities ahead of her, Freya grants her sister, Pearl, the ultimate gift of motherhood. However, this comes at a hefty price – an unexpected rift in her family and the loss of the man she loves.
Decades later, Freya is divorced, childless and homeless, at rock bottom after losing everything she's worked for. When her estranged niece, Billie, offers sanctuary, managing the family restaurant on beautiful Magnetic Island, Freya can hardly refuse.
Billie has never understood the tension between her mother and her aunt and now, with a newly broken heart, she is nursing a family secret of her own. All three women come together under the tropical Queensland skies, but can they let go of past regrets, or will old tensions tear them further apart?
By the bestselling author of Meet Me in Venice, this is a moving and inspiring novel in a stunning setting about choices and consequences and the redemptive power of love.
326 pages, Paperback
Published August 4, 2020
About the author
Barbara Hannay
383 books265 followersMulti award winning author, Barbara Hannay, is a city bred girl with a yen for country life. Most of her 50 plus books are set in rural and outback Australia and they've been enjoyed by readers around the world.
Barbara has been nominated five times for Romance Writers of America's RITA Award which she won in 2007 and she has twice won Australia's Romantic Book of the Year award.
In her own version of life imitating art, Barbara and her husband currently live on a misty hillside in beautiful Far North Queensland where they keep heritage pigs, hens, ducks, turkeys and an untidy but productive garden.
Visit Barbara's website at www.barbarahannay.com
Follow her on Facebook and Twitter
Barbara has been nominated five times for Romance Writers of America's RITA Award which she won in 2007 and she has twice won Australia's Romantic Book of the Year award.
In her own version of life imitating art, Barbara and her husband currently live on a misty hillside in beautiful Far North Queensland where they keep heritage pigs, hens, ducks, turkeys and an untidy but productive garden.
Visit Barbara's website at www.barbarahannay.com
Follow her on Facebook and Twitter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
August 31, 2020
Freya’s gift to her sister when she was a young woman was a game changer for both Pearl and Freya herself - except for the sadness and shock of the estrangement which followed. Many years later, Freya was living in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, a year out from the shock of her husband Brian leaving her for a younger model. Freya was content though with the house she loved, and her little dog Won Ton, plus her two girlfriends giving her their full support. The night the three of them were out for a girly evening and Freya’s phone rang was the final straw for her – she was at rock bottom and wasn’t sure what to do next.
When Freya’s niece Billie phoned to offer her accommodation and a job for the following six months, Freya was stunned, but grateful. Magnetic Island had been her home; her return was filled with memories both happy and sad. While Pearl and Troy were on a grey-nomad holiday, Freya and Billie would manage and run their restaurant, Island Thyme, which would be good for Freya’s peace of mind and would include her getting to know Billie again. But Billie had her own secrets she was keeping close to her chest. And with the past problems with her mother and aunt, Billie knew there were secrets right through the family. What would happen when Freya finally saw Pearl again? Would the three women be separated again because of circumstances?
The Sister’s Gift by Aussie author Barbara Hannay is an exceptional read which I loved! Freya is a strong and compassionate character whose impulsiveness was well known. I also enjoyed Billie’s character and delighted in Molly. The story was unique and captivating; I read it quickly as I was keen to see where it was going. All in all, an engrossing read which I highly recommend.
With thanks to Penguin Random House AU and the author for my copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
When Freya’s niece Billie phoned to offer her accommodation and a job for the following six months, Freya was stunned, but grateful. Magnetic Island had been her home; her return was filled with memories both happy and sad. While Pearl and Troy were on a grey-nomad holiday, Freya and Billie would manage and run their restaurant, Island Thyme, which would be good for Freya’s peace of mind and would include her getting to know Billie again. But Billie had her own secrets she was keeping close to her chest. And with the past problems with her mother and aunt, Billie knew there were secrets right through the family. What would happen when Freya finally saw Pearl again? Would the three women be separated again because of circumstances?
The Sister’s Gift by Aussie author Barbara Hannay is an exceptional read which I loved! Freya is a strong and compassionate character whose impulsiveness was well known. I also enjoyed Billie’s character and delighted in Molly. The story was unique and captivating; I read it quickly as I was keen to see where it was going. All in all, an engrossing read which I highly recommend.
With thanks to Penguin Random House AU and the author for my copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
August 12, 2020
This was a lovely book to settle into mid-week, one of those easy reads that sweep you up for the duration and give you a total brain break from your day to day life. I hadn’t actually read a Barbara Hannay novel prior to this, although I have a couple of her latest few lingering on my shelves. The setting of this novel was the biggest drawcard for me. Townsville is the closest coastal location to Mount Isa, and Magnetic Island is such a beautiful place to visit. I have fond memories of a family horse-riding expedition we went on over there a few years ago and each of my children have enjoyed multiple school camps on the island. Reading The Sister’s Gift was like escaping back to the island for a mini getaway in the middle of winter – a blissful treat!
The Sister’s Gift is a family drama with a side bar of romance. I enjoyed the family drama aspect the most and was grateful that the romance didn’t overplay its hand. This is the sort of novel that highlights the way in which things can snowball within a family. Honestly, the basis for Pearl’s resentment towards her sister Freya was really not worth the effort she put into carrying it around for decades, but that’s family for you. I’ve seen lesser things in real life go on right up until death do they part. The relationships within this story had a very realistic glaze to them and it instantly made the story relatable.
While the story itself is driven forward by each of the characters facing a monumental change within their lives, the characterisation itself really drove the narrative more than a fast paced plot or any mystery about the past. I found this quite refreshing for a work of commercial fiction. This was very much a story where people and place took precedence. I really liked both Billie and Freya, the main character perspectives of the story, but I never warmed to Pearl. She was a high maintenance mother towards Billie and her resentment of Freya equated to ingratitude in my view and I honestly just thought she was a very petty and insecure human being. When Freya was considering yet another major personal sacrifice for Pearl, my dislike of the woman escalated and I really began to feel quite uncomfortable about the imbalance within the sister’s relationship. Very thought provoking material!
All in all, I can highly recommend The Sister’s Gift. It’s uncomplicated, engaging, and atmospheric, with a satisfying end for all of the characters. If you are seeking a bit of escapism at the moment, then this one is ideal.
Thanks is extended to Penguin Random House Australia for providing me with a copy of The Sister’s Gift for review and for inviting me onto the blog tour.
The Sister’s Gift is a family drama with a side bar of romance. I enjoyed the family drama aspect the most and was grateful that the romance didn’t overplay its hand. This is the sort of novel that highlights the way in which things can snowball within a family. Honestly, the basis for Pearl’s resentment towards her sister Freya was really not worth the effort she put into carrying it around for decades, but that’s family for you. I’ve seen lesser things in real life go on right up until death do they part. The relationships within this story had a very realistic glaze to them and it instantly made the story relatable.
While the story itself is driven forward by each of the characters facing a monumental change within their lives, the characterisation itself really drove the narrative more than a fast paced plot or any mystery about the past. I found this quite refreshing for a work of commercial fiction. This was very much a story where people and place took precedence. I really liked both Billie and Freya, the main character perspectives of the story, but I never warmed to Pearl. She was a high maintenance mother towards Billie and her resentment of Freya equated to ingratitude in my view and I honestly just thought she was a very petty and insecure human being. When Freya was considering yet another major personal sacrifice for Pearl, my dislike of the woman escalated and I really began to feel quite uncomfortable about the imbalance within the sister’s relationship. Very thought provoking material!
All in all, I can highly recommend The Sister’s Gift. It’s uncomplicated, engaging, and atmospheric, with a satisfying end for all of the characters. If you are seeking a bit of escapism at the moment, then this one is ideal.
Thanks is extended to Penguin Random House Australia for providing me with a copy of The Sister’s Gift for review and for inviting me onto the blog tour.
October 20, 2022
After having her house burnt down and no insurance, Freya has been invited by her niece, Billie to help out on Magnetic Island (locals call it Maggie Island). Billies Mum, Pearl (Freyas sister) who manages a restaurant in Maggie's Island, has decided, along with her husband, to do a tour around Australia in so many days. Now let's note here, there is a family history that has caused a rift between Pearl and Freya. We do hear in this story what it is.
.
Billie, why here is a girl that her past catches up with her, she finds herself pregnant, does the revealing to Freya, but adamant not to tell her own mother. Also a detective comes to the island which means an unexpected trip to Cairns. So you see, many complicated issues Billie faces.
.
It felt like I was at the beach myself with listening to The Sisters Gift. Gift is right, when I read one of Barbara Hannays books, she sends you into a heaven of imagination that you want to stay with, for the rest of your life. I listened to this via audiobook. Excellent descriptive words. I was left wondering what an orange and pink bedroom would look like. I chuckled at the word "bloody Brian" (Freyas ex) and I loved and bathed in the discription of Maggie Island. There is a surprise, but satisfactory ending. So I am happy with that.
.
Kudos goes to the narrator, Sarah Kennedy. Her Australian accent, made the story so real that you felt you were in Australia. The "sound effects" for the telephone, I thought was brilliant and sounded scaringly real.
.
To me this had slight hints of The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth in it, but more of a romantic, light easy feel to it.
.
Listening time - 10 hours, 21 minutes.
Listening app that I listened on was Bolinda audio from my library.
Rating - 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐.
.
Recommendation genre - Australian Fiction/Contemporary/Romance
.
Billie, why here is a girl that her past catches up with her, she finds herself pregnant, does the revealing to Freya, but adamant not to tell her own mother. Also a detective comes to the island which means an unexpected trip to Cairns. So you see, many complicated issues Billie faces.
.
It felt like I was at the beach myself with listening to The Sisters Gift. Gift is right, when I read one of Barbara Hannays books, she sends you into a heaven of imagination that you want to stay with, for the rest of your life. I listened to this via audiobook. Excellent descriptive words. I was left wondering what an orange and pink bedroom would look like. I chuckled at the word "bloody Brian" (Freyas ex) and I loved and bathed in the discription of Maggie Island. There is a surprise, but satisfactory ending. So I am happy with that.
.
Kudos goes to the narrator, Sarah Kennedy. Her Australian accent, made the story so real that you felt you were in Australia. The "sound effects" for the telephone, I thought was brilliant and sounded scaringly real.
.
To me this had slight hints of The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth in it, but more of a romantic, light easy feel to it.
.
Listening time - 10 hours, 21 minutes.
Listening app that I listened on was Bolinda audio from my library.
Rating - 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐.
.
Recommendation genre - Australian Fiction/Contemporary/Romance
August 20, 2020
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
'Freya knew she’d been impulsive, but when she’d been hit by her wonderful idea, she’d been fired with an almost holy zeal. She’d been so aglow with self-righteousness, with sisterly love and the magnificence of such a wonderfully generous mission that she’d dived straight in.’
The Sister’s Gift is a story of sisterhood, motherhood, parenting, relationships, domestic relations, personal strains, life choices and secrets. Set against the magnificent backdrop of Magnetic Island in Queensland, Barbara’s Hannay’s latest offering in the contemporary life literature genre is relatable, engaging and intriguing. The Sister’s Gift represents a wonderful addition to the Barbara Hannay collection.
Pearl and Freya are sisters. The bond between these two sisters is forever changed by one ultimate act of self-sacrifice. When Freya gives her sister Pearl what she so desperately desires, it should unite the sisters. Instead, this selfless act tears apart a relationship and creates a wound so deep, that it will take a miracle to ever overcome this estrangement. Moving forward in time, we learn that the tides have changed over the years for the two sisters. Freya finds herself in a difficult position. With a divorce, no family and the loss of her home, Freya feels she has drawn the short straw. When family reaches out to Freya, in the form of her niece Billie, Freya knows she must bury the hatchet and accept this much needed family support. While Billie works to understand why her mother and aunt are so estranged, many secrets and revelations come to light. Some of these are long held secrets, while others are fresh. What is clear is that all three women need each other more than ever. Will Freya, Pearl and Billie be able to unite in their shared grievances?
A new Barbara Hannay title is always a must read. I consider myself a long standing fan of Barbara Hannay’s work. Over the years I have enjoyed Hannay’s work in the rural romance genre, the Australian historical fiction category and the life literature area. The Sister’s Gift is a very good example of a solid Australian based contemporary fiction novel and it comes with a hint of romance and a dash of intrigue. All these elements seemed to compound together positively to ensure that The Sister’s Gift is both highly readable and connective.
The Sister’s Gift is a novel defined by a shared style of narration. The events of the book unfold via two main perspectives. The first is Freya, one of the sister figures of this tale. Freya is also the sister that makes a huge sacrifice for her sibling. The second voice of this tale comes in the form of Billie, Freya’s niece. Both of these women offset the other very well and it is easy to fall into the step of both women’s experiences, along with the support cast. I did find I clicked slightly more to Freya, but this may be due to my age. I found I was able to sympathise readily with Freya’s current status. I felt incredibly sorry for Freya in many instances and it was good to see the strength in her character as the book progressed. The reader really feels for Freya and hopes that she will rise above her hardship and triumph. I also admired Freya greatly for making such a big and life changing decision for her sister. When another medical emergency arises Freya is ready and open yet again to support her sister in her time of need. Hannay does an excellent job of teasing out the inner issues and the emotions that are at stake when a family is placed under duress.
Within Billie, the young character of this tale’s storyline, we are presented with a number of harder hitting themes that took me a little by surprise. I did assume The Sister’s Gift was going to be a light and breezy tale. It is in some respects, but in other areas there is a serious interrogation of issues such as abuse, assault, crime, parenting choices, infertility, adoption, past relationships, divorce, health issues and loss. Hannay’s treatment of these themes is tinged with sensitivity, insight and understanding. I appreciated the tone Hannay took with this novel, it wasn’t sentimental. I felt The Sister’s Gift was emotional in the right places, realistic and wholly engaging.
I feel it would remiss of me not to mention the picture postcard setting of The Sister’s Gift. Set mainly on Queensland’s majestic Magnetic Island, this is my first experience of this appealing locale. Thanks to Barbara Hannay’s novel I have added this location to my list of must see destinations once travel restrictions ease. I can’t wait to experience all Magnetic Island has to offer. The stunning and vivid descriptions of this island retreat off Queensland was just so alluring, I felt like a day tripper to the island while reading The Sister’s Gift. What a wonderful armchair travel experience this novel offered!
With a number of heart rendering moments, divisive scenarios, life affirming situations, acts of redemption and togetherness consuming the latter parts of The Sister’s Gift, it was an absorbing pathway to the conclusion of this novel. I felt conflicted, saddened and enriched by the experience of immersing myself in the lives of the characters in The Sister’s Gift. Barbara Hannay’s new novel certainly has plenty to offer readers who gravitate towards good quality life literature titles.
*I wish to thank Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
The Sister’s Gift is book #93 of the 2020 Australian Women Writers Challenge
'Freya knew she’d been impulsive, but when she’d been hit by her wonderful idea, she’d been fired with an almost holy zeal. She’d been so aglow with self-righteousness, with sisterly love and the magnificence of such a wonderfully generous mission that she’d dived straight in.’
The Sister’s Gift is a story of sisterhood, motherhood, parenting, relationships, domestic relations, personal strains, life choices and secrets. Set against the magnificent backdrop of Magnetic Island in Queensland, Barbara’s Hannay’s latest offering in the contemporary life literature genre is relatable, engaging and intriguing. The Sister’s Gift represents a wonderful addition to the Barbara Hannay collection.
Pearl and Freya are sisters. The bond between these two sisters is forever changed by one ultimate act of self-sacrifice. When Freya gives her sister Pearl what she so desperately desires, it should unite the sisters. Instead, this selfless act tears apart a relationship and creates a wound so deep, that it will take a miracle to ever overcome this estrangement. Moving forward in time, we learn that the tides have changed over the years for the two sisters. Freya finds herself in a difficult position. With a divorce, no family and the loss of her home, Freya feels she has drawn the short straw. When family reaches out to Freya, in the form of her niece Billie, Freya knows she must bury the hatchet and accept this much needed family support. While Billie works to understand why her mother and aunt are so estranged, many secrets and revelations come to light. Some of these are long held secrets, while others are fresh. What is clear is that all three women need each other more than ever. Will Freya, Pearl and Billie be able to unite in their shared grievances?
A new Barbara Hannay title is always a must read. I consider myself a long standing fan of Barbara Hannay’s work. Over the years I have enjoyed Hannay’s work in the rural romance genre, the Australian historical fiction category and the life literature area. The Sister’s Gift is a very good example of a solid Australian based contemporary fiction novel and it comes with a hint of romance and a dash of intrigue. All these elements seemed to compound together positively to ensure that The Sister’s Gift is both highly readable and connective.
The Sister’s Gift is a novel defined by a shared style of narration. The events of the book unfold via two main perspectives. The first is Freya, one of the sister figures of this tale. Freya is also the sister that makes a huge sacrifice for her sibling. The second voice of this tale comes in the form of Billie, Freya’s niece. Both of these women offset the other very well and it is easy to fall into the step of both women’s experiences, along with the support cast. I did find I clicked slightly more to Freya, but this may be due to my age. I found I was able to sympathise readily with Freya’s current status. I felt incredibly sorry for Freya in many instances and it was good to see the strength in her character as the book progressed. The reader really feels for Freya and hopes that she will rise above her hardship and triumph. I also admired Freya greatly for making such a big and life changing decision for her sister. When another medical emergency arises Freya is ready and open yet again to support her sister in her time of need. Hannay does an excellent job of teasing out the inner issues and the emotions that are at stake when a family is placed under duress.
Within Billie, the young character of this tale’s storyline, we are presented with a number of harder hitting themes that took me a little by surprise. I did assume The Sister’s Gift was going to be a light and breezy tale. It is in some respects, but in other areas there is a serious interrogation of issues such as abuse, assault, crime, parenting choices, infertility, adoption, past relationships, divorce, health issues and loss. Hannay’s treatment of these themes is tinged with sensitivity, insight and understanding. I appreciated the tone Hannay took with this novel, it wasn’t sentimental. I felt The Sister’s Gift was emotional in the right places, realistic and wholly engaging.
I feel it would remiss of me not to mention the picture postcard setting of The Sister’s Gift. Set mainly on Queensland’s majestic Magnetic Island, this is my first experience of this appealing locale. Thanks to Barbara Hannay’s novel I have added this location to my list of must see destinations once travel restrictions ease. I can’t wait to experience all Magnetic Island has to offer. The stunning and vivid descriptions of this island retreat off Queensland was just so alluring, I felt like a day tripper to the island while reading The Sister’s Gift. What a wonderful armchair travel experience this novel offered!
With a number of heart rendering moments, divisive scenarios, life affirming situations, acts of redemption and togetherness consuming the latter parts of The Sister’s Gift, it was an absorbing pathway to the conclusion of this novel. I felt conflicted, saddened and enriched by the experience of immersing myself in the lives of the characters in The Sister’s Gift. Barbara Hannay’s new novel certainly has plenty to offer readers who gravitate towards good quality life literature titles.
*I wish to thank Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
The Sister’s Gift is book #93 of the 2020 Australian Women Writers Challenge
August 23, 2020
A huge and heartfelt thank you to the team at Penguin Random House Australia for sending me a finished copy of The Sister’s Gift in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own.
Truthfully, I hadn’t had the joy of discovering Barbara Hannay’s writing until now, so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from this book, though my lovely friend Julie had recently read it, so I enjoyed hearing what she thought of it and naturally sending her enthusiastic reactions as soon as I immersed myself in Freya’s story!
This is honestly the definition of a heartwarming story, completely sweet, endearing and poignant too. Set against the backdrop of the wonderfully sunny Queensland skies, I completely recommend this book for anyone looking for a dash of tropical escapism during these weird times!
I must admit, the hybrid Women’s Fiction/Chick Lit/Romance/Family Saga isn’t often one of my most frequented selection of genres, but after reading The Sister’s Gift, I’m definitely wanting to seek out more of Barbara Hannay’s writing! I found The Sister’s Gift to not only be wonderfully immersive but packed to the brim with honestly such believable, raw, human characters! Freya could be anyone’s beloved Aunt, she was just such a lovely character to read about throughout this book and her journey during this book was completely heartfelt too.
As I was reading Freya’s journey, often I found myself mirroring her emotions as I was reading (heartbreak at having lost her home to a fire, anger and further heartbreak as she recalls her husband leaving her for a younger woman (seriously, Brian’s a git!), solace, relief and gratitude upon finding out her beloved Won Ton survives the blaze, weariness over Pearl (a very interesting character, Freya’s sister who Freya performed the completely selfless act of carrying and giving birth to Pearl’s Daughter). Frankly, I can admit I was completely in awe of Freya’s character throughout, I hadn’t really read about a character similar to her before so I found The Sister’s Gift to be a wonderfully refreshing reading experience!
The Sister’s Gift is nothing short of a pleasure to read, from start to end! I absolutely enjoyed Barbara Hannay’s writing style, it completely flowed seamlessly and the dual narratives of Freya and her beloved niece Billie (a completely enjoyable, refreshing character in her own right!) were bound together as tender and beautiful as the relationship between the two characters were! My heart *sighs in fondness* was just completely happy throughout their scenes together!
Though as much as this story was Freya’s at the core, I found myself equally (and eagerly!) awaiting Billie’s chapters, excited and completely curious to read what would come next for her, especially when (newly pregnant and alone) she crosses paths with a striking Detective, a widower no less! I must admit, I did find the nature of their relationship quite rapid (namely at the finishing point of this novel), made my raise my eyebrows, but hey I’ll absolutely take it! It was just so unbelievably sweet, unique and endearing and it wouldn’t even surprise me if my mind fluttered back to not only Freya and Seb but Billie, Dan, Molly (I don’t think I’ll even now read the word seahorse without picturing Molly’s childlike glee and excitement about these wonderfully sweet creatures!).
Also at the heart of this beautiful novel is the relationship between Freya and her sister Pearl. So Freya did this completely huge and noble and selfless thing for Pearl, carrying Billie which then lead to problems for Freya herself! Again, I just completely felt myself in awe of this character and really wished Pearl would turn down the spite! However, as their sisterly relationship was explored and further truths came to light, I actually found myself throughogly (albeit surprisingly and therefore begrudgingly, given my trepidation about Pearl’s character initially and her spiteful and scathing ways towards Freya!), liking the scenes when Pearl and her Husband came back into the picture!
Add it to your TBR, everyone! I absolutely and completely recommend this beautiful book and an definitely going to look forward to reading more Barbara Hannay novels in the future! A huge thank you again to Penguin Books Australia for sending me a copy of The Sister’s Gift to read and review!
Truthfully, I hadn’t had the joy of discovering Barbara Hannay’s writing until now, so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from this book, though my lovely friend Julie had recently read it, so I enjoyed hearing what she thought of it and naturally sending her enthusiastic reactions as soon as I immersed myself in Freya’s story!
This is honestly the definition of a heartwarming story, completely sweet, endearing and poignant too. Set against the backdrop of the wonderfully sunny Queensland skies, I completely recommend this book for anyone looking for a dash of tropical escapism during these weird times!
I must admit, the hybrid Women’s Fiction/Chick Lit/Romance/Family Saga isn’t often one of my most frequented selection of genres, but after reading The Sister’s Gift, I’m definitely wanting to seek out more of Barbara Hannay’s writing! I found The Sister’s Gift to not only be wonderfully immersive but packed to the brim with honestly such believable, raw, human characters! Freya could be anyone’s beloved Aunt, she was just such a lovely character to read about throughout this book and her journey during this book was completely heartfelt too.
As I was reading Freya’s journey, often I found myself mirroring her emotions as I was reading (heartbreak at having lost her home to a fire, anger and further heartbreak as she recalls her husband leaving her for a younger woman (seriously, Brian’s a git!), solace, relief and gratitude upon finding out her beloved Won Ton survives the blaze, weariness over Pearl (a very interesting character, Freya’s sister who Freya performed the completely selfless act of carrying and giving birth to Pearl’s Daughter). Frankly, I can admit I was completely in awe of Freya’s character throughout, I hadn’t really read about a character similar to her before so I found The Sister’s Gift to be a wonderfully refreshing reading experience!
The Sister’s Gift is nothing short of a pleasure to read, from start to end! I absolutely enjoyed Barbara Hannay’s writing style, it completely flowed seamlessly and the dual narratives of Freya and her beloved niece Billie (a completely enjoyable, refreshing character in her own right!) were bound together as tender and beautiful as the relationship between the two characters were! My heart *sighs in fondness* was just completely happy throughout their scenes together!
Though as much as this story was Freya’s at the core, I found myself equally (and eagerly!) awaiting Billie’s chapters, excited and completely curious to read what would come next for her, especially when (newly pregnant and alone) she crosses paths with a striking Detective, a widower no less! I must admit, I did find the nature of their relationship quite rapid (namely at the finishing point of this novel), made my raise my eyebrows, but hey I’ll absolutely take it! It was just so unbelievably sweet, unique and endearing and it wouldn’t even surprise me if my mind fluttered back to not only Freya and Seb but Billie, Dan, Molly (I don’t think I’ll even now read the word seahorse without picturing Molly’s childlike glee and excitement about these wonderfully sweet creatures!).
Also at the heart of this beautiful novel is the relationship between Freya and her sister Pearl. So Freya did this completely huge and noble and selfless thing for Pearl, carrying Billie which then lead to problems for Freya herself! Again, I just completely felt myself in awe of this character and really wished Pearl would turn down the spite! However, as their sisterly relationship was explored and further truths came to light, I actually found myself throughogly (albeit surprisingly and therefore begrudgingly, given my trepidation about Pearl’s character initially and her spiteful and scathing ways towards Freya!), liking the scenes when Pearl and her Husband came back into the picture!
Add it to your TBR, everyone! I absolutely and completely recommend this beautiful book and an definitely going to look forward to reading more Barbara Hannay novels in the future! A huge thank you again to Penguin Books Australia for sending me a copy of The Sister’s Gift to read and review!
September 16, 2020
Barbara Hannay writes beautiful stories, heartfelt with emotion, her characters are very easy to become friends with and this one is up there with the best, I loved getting to know Freya, Pearl and Billie and of course my visit to Magnetic Island was just awesome. I do hope that you will enjoy this one as much as I did.
Freya as a young girl gave the best gift she could to her older sister, Pearl a baby but she also lost a lot by doing this the man she loved and the closeness that she had with her sister. Freya moves away from Magnetic Island and starts a new life she is a strong vibrant woman and she marries and is happy, but does not see her sister or her niece Billie, she has kept the promises she made to Pearl, but now her life is crumbling she is divorced and has just lost everything except her little dog Won Ton, struggling with what she will do when she is offered a job working on Magnetic Island helping Billie run the family restaurant while Pearl and her husband are travelling and she jumps at the chance.
Freya and Won Ton arrive much to the displeasure of Pearl but Billie is determined to keep Freya there because Billie is struggling with secrets of her own and she has never worked out why the sisters are not close, Billie is also worried about her mother and the reason for the sudden trip. Billie and Freya are working well together and getting closer every day they both open up about their lives to a certain degree.
I never miss a Barbara Hannay story and the reason is because her stories are just awesome, they pull you in and make you feel a part of the story, the emotion flowing through the words is fabulous and this one is so very good, I absolutely loved Freya the strength and courage she showed with everything that had gone on had me cheering her on and Billie a beautiful young woman who coped so well with her problems and the happenings and Pearl she had her reasons for being the way she was at times. But will these three woman get everything worked out and have the family love shining through as it should, you really need to read this one.
Thank you Penguin Random House AU for the copy to read and thank you Barbara Hannay for a true keeper of a story.
Freya as a young girl gave the best gift she could to her older sister, Pearl a baby but she also lost a lot by doing this the man she loved and the closeness that she had with her sister. Freya moves away from Magnetic Island and starts a new life she is a strong vibrant woman and she marries and is happy, but does not see her sister or her niece Billie, she has kept the promises she made to Pearl, but now her life is crumbling she is divorced and has just lost everything except her little dog Won Ton, struggling with what she will do when she is offered a job working on Magnetic Island helping Billie run the family restaurant while Pearl and her husband are travelling and she jumps at the chance.
Freya and Won Ton arrive much to the displeasure of Pearl but Billie is determined to keep Freya there because Billie is struggling with secrets of her own and she has never worked out why the sisters are not close, Billie is also worried about her mother and the reason for the sudden trip. Billie and Freya are working well together and getting closer every day they both open up about their lives to a certain degree.
I never miss a Barbara Hannay story and the reason is because her stories are just awesome, they pull you in and make you feel a part of the story, the emotion flowing through the words is fabulous and this one is so very good, I absolutely loved Freya the strength and courage she showed with everything that had gone on had me cheering her on and Billie a beautiful young woman who coped so well with her problems and the happenings and Pearl she had her reasons for being the way she was at times. But will these three woman get everything worked out and have the family love shining through as it should, you really need to read this one.
Thank you Penguin Random House AU for the copy to read and thank you Barbara Hannay for a true keeper of a story.
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August 2, 2020Really enjoyed Barbara's new novel. The Sister's Gift is being released by Penguin Random House on August 4 and as a keen Barbara Hannay fan, I had no trouble sinking my teeth into this fabulous read! Set on the gorgeous Magnetic Island in Far North Queensland, the story focuses on two sisters whose relationship has never been the same since Freya acted as a surrogate for Pearl.
They've done a great job of remaining aloof for most of their adult lives, but when Freya finds herself at rock bottom, and Pearl's daughter Billie returns home heartbroken and needing help, the family is forced back together again. I loved meeting old flames, new loves and was quickly swept up in Barbara's warm-hearted story. An award-winning and best-selling author, Barbara's writing style is seamless and the result is a beautifully free-flowing novel that will touch your heart and make you smile.
Thanks to Penguin Books Australia for an early advance copy, full interview with Barbara featured here: https://www.mayalinnell.com/post/barb...
They've done a great job of remaining aloof for most of their adult lives, but when Freya finds herself at rock bottom, and Pearl's daughter Billie returns home heartbroken and needing help, the family is forced back together again. I loved meeting old flames, new loves and was quickly swept up in Barbara's warm-hearted story. An award-winning and best-selling author, Barbara's writing style is seamless and the result is a beautifully free-flowing novel that will touch your heart and make you smile.
Thanks to Penguin Books Australia for an early advance copy, full interview with Barbara featured here: https://www.mayalinnell.com/post/barb...
August 10, 2020
The chance to give a gift of life is precious and selfless for the surrogate.
It of course comes with an abundance of emotions and presents itself with a number of scenarios that will eventually unfurl.
The bond between sisters can be special, strained and everything in between. Moulded together, these make a story that will keep you engaged and appreciate a high quality Life Literature story by Barbara Hannay.
Freya gave her sister Pearl the chance to become a mother.
It caused the end of a relationship with a boyfriend and created secrets and promises that were impossible to keep.
Many years later Freya lost her marriage to a younger woman, her home to a fire and the chance to become a mother herself.
Although virtually estranged from her sister and niece she reaches out to advise of the house fire.
Billie, her niece immediately suggests she comes to Magnetic Island to work for the family business and shelter with her while the parents did the Grey nomad trip of lifetime.
Unleashing a jealous and protective response from her mother Pearl.
A story covering a barrage of emotions, lost love, new love, major medical drama and life on an insular Island.
Barbara has nailed intricate relationships between family members and dealt with a sensitive issue beautifully.
Captivating and heartfelt.
It of course comes with an abundance of emotions and presents itself with a number of scenarios that will eventually unfurl.
The bond between sisters can be special, strained and everything in between. Moulded together, these make a story that will keep you engaged and appreciate a high quality Life Literature story by Barbara Hannay.
Freya gave her sister Pearl the chance to become a mother.
It caused the end of a relationship with a boyfriend and created secrets and promises that were impossible to keep.
Many years later Freya lost her marriage to a younger woman, her home to a fire and the chance to become a mother herself.
Although virtually estranged from her sister and niece she reaches out to advise of the house fire.
Billie, her niece immediately suggests she comes to Magnetic Island to work for the family business and shelter with her while the parents did the Grey nomad trip of lifetime.
Unleashing a jealous and protective response from her mother Pearl.
A story covering a barrage of emotions, lost love, new love, major medical drama and life on an insular Island.
Barbara has nailed intricate relationships between family members and dealt with a sensitive issue beautifully.
Captivating and heartfelt.
August 23, 2020
After losing her husband, her career, and her home, an offer from Freya’s niece, Billie, to manage the family bistro on Magnetic Island while her parents, Pearl and Troy, are travelling, is a gift she can’t afford to refuse. Billie, recently returned from several years overseas and recovering from heartbreak, is happy when Freya accepts, even if her mother seems inexplicably wary of the two spending so much time together.
Unfolding from the perspectives of Freya and Billie, The Sister’s Gift by Barbara Hannay is a story of motherhood, secrets, and second chances.
At the heart of this novel is the secrecy surrounding the surrogacy arrangement shared by Freya and Pearl. Hannay’s portrayal of their complicated relationship is thoughtful and nuanced. The experience drove a wedge between the sisters, largely due to Pearl’s fears and insecurities about motherhood tangled with the remnants of sibling rivalry. Freya has never regretted her decision, though it came at a personal cost, but she has been disappointed by the distance between herself and her sister, and tried her best to maintain a relationship, at a distance, with Billie.
Freya’s return to Magnetic Island is inadvertently a catalyst for Billie learning the secret of her birth, but it also offers Freya a surprising opportunity for a second chance when her ex-fiancé, with whom she ended things in order to become Pearl’s surrogate, arrives at the island for the winter months. I sympathised easily with Freya and was pleased by the closeness she established with Billie, and the romance that developed between Freya and her old beau.
Billie has never understood the tension between her mother and aunt, but has always largely dismissed it as being due to her mother’s high-strung, anxious personality. It’s one of the reasons Billie keeps secrets from Pearl, though she can’t hide this latest one for long. Though somewhat impulsive and directionless, I liked Billie well enough, and thought her emotions related to events were portrayed authentically. What surprised me was the haste of her romantic relationship arc, I didn’t mind that Hannay developed one, but I didn’t think the timeline was believable given the circumstances.
In the end it’s the reveal of a secret Pearl is keeping from both Billie and Freya that leads to the sisters mending their rift. Though the plot points of the story are fairly predictable, they still offer emotional impact, with both heartwarming and poignant moments.
The Sister’s Gift is an engaging and pleasant read, and those who enjoy family drama with a happy ending will surely find it gratifying.
Unfolding from the perspectives of Freya and Billie, The Sister’s Gift by Barbara Hannay is a story of motherhood, secrets, and second chances.
At the heart of this novel is the secrecy surrounding the surrogacy arrangement shared by Freya and Pearl. Hannay’s portrayal of their complicated relationship is thoughtful and nuanced. The experience drove a wedge between the sisters, largely due to Pearl’s fears and insecurities about motherhood tangled with the remnants of sibling rivalry. Freya has never regretted her decision, though it came at a personal cost, but she has been disappointed by the distance between herself and her sister, and tried her best to maintain a relationship, at a distance, with Billie.
Freya’s return to Magnetic Island is inadvertently a catalyst for Billie learning the secret of her birth, but it also offers Freya a surprising opportunity for a second chance when her ex-fiancé, with whom she ended things in order to become Pearl’s surrogate, arrives at the island for the winter months. I sympathised easily with Freya and was pleased by the closeness she established with Billie, and the romance that developed between Freya and her old beau.
Billie has never understood the tension between her mother and aunt, but has always largely dismissed it as being due to her mother’s high-strung, anxious personality. It’s one of the reasons Billie keeps secrets from Pearl, though she can’t hide this latest one for long. Though somewhat impulsive and directionless, I liked Billie well enough, and thought her emotions related to events were portrayed authentically. What surprised me was the haste of her romantic relationship arc, I didn’t mind that Hannay developed one, but I didn’t think the timeline was believable given the circumstances.
In the end it’s the reveal of a secret Pearl is keeping from both Billie and Freya that leads to the sisters mending their rift. Though the plot points of the story are fairly predictable, they still offer emotional impact, with both heartwarming and poignant moments.
The Sister’s Gift is an engaging and pleasant read, and those who enjoy family drama with a happy ending will surely find it gratifying.
August 15, 2020
From reading the prologue of this book, I knew I needed to put it down and seek out a box of tissues for what was sure to be an emotional read. The Sisters Gift starts in such a raw way, the emotion draws you in to the pages and the writing style is effortless.
The Sisters Gift is the sort of book that pulls you from inside yourself and makes you think. Its characters aren't as black and white as they seem, its premise isn't as straight forward as you may think and it it hits so close to home.
The Sisters Gift is heart-warming and filled with emotion. Easy to read and to get lost in, it shows the strength we all have inside, if we dare to look.
Thank you so much to Penguin Australia for sending me a review copy. All thoughts are my own.
Full review available on my blog (www.bookishintoxicationwrites.com) on the 17th of August.
The Sisters Gift is the sort of book that pulls you from inside yourself and makes you think. Its characters aren't as black and white as they seem, its premise isn't as straight forward as you may think and it it hits so close to home.
The Sisters Gift is heart-warming and filled with emotion. Easy to read and to get lost in, it shows the strength we all have inside, if we dare to look.
Thank you so much to Penguin Australia for sending me a review copy. All thoughts are my own.
Full review available on my blog (www.bookishintoxicationwrites.com) on the 17th of August.
August 6, 2020
A new Barbara Hannay book is always cause to celebrate and after the new lockdown restrictions, I decided that it would be one of my first August reads. I already know that August is going to be a month where I turn to books again, to entertain myself in the about 23hrs I am required to basically stay inside!
Many years ago, when Freya was a young woman, she gave her older sister Pearl the greatest of gifts. She sacrificed a lot for this, although she was happy and willing to do it. However Freya also made a choice for herself as well, something that alienated Pearl from her, made Pearl suspicious and nervous. And so although Freya offered up this gift for her sister, the backfire was it ended up destroying the closeness the sisters had once enjoyed, as well as Freya’s relationship. Now Freya is older, close to 50. She’s divorced and then her house burns to the ground. Lost and without anything to hold her to the place she’s made her home, Freya travels north to where she grew up to help her niece Billie, much to Pearl’s concern, who feels that all the secrets from a quarter of a century ago will spill out whilst Freya and Billie are in close proximity.
Whilst Billie’s parents are off enjoying a ‘grey nomad’ tour of Australia, Billie and Freya will run their bistro on beautiful Magnetic Island, off the coast of Townsville in northern Queensland. Freya grew up on the island but has since made her home away from it, helping to enforce the distance that Pearl has seemed to want in order to feel comfortable. Despite this, Freya and Billie share a close relationship, one where Billie feels comfortable opening up to Freya when she finds herself in a situation that she definitely did not expect to be in.
I loved the complex exploration of family relationships in this book and how decisions made can affect people in the long term. Freya and Pearl were once incredibly close, so close that Freya thought nothing of giving her the greatest gift. However despite that, circumstances ended with it driving a wedge between them, mostly due to Pearl’s insecurity. After the one decision she made that Pearl got so upset about, Freya has done the best she can to stay away, give them space and not continue to provide Pearl with other reasons to feel nervous and upset. However the situation suddenly brings Freya home, and Pearl at first, is not happy about it, fearing that the presence of her will topple the narrative she has chosen.
Billie and Freya are at very different places in their lives but there are some similarities. Both have come home after lengthy time away, Freya living her life elsewhere and Billie after travelling overseas. Both are not in relationships, Freya’s marriage having broken down and Billie’s holiday fling having ended. They fit together easily, working in the bistro and smoothing the way through any problems with competence. Both Billie and Freya have had an eventful couple of months leading up to their separate returns to Magnetic Island and it gives them a chance to stop and take a breath, decide what their next steps might be.
I enjoyed the setting here – it’s cold and miserable in Victoria and an escape for an afternoon to a tropical island accessible by ferry was a nice distraction. It gave me an idea of what it’d be like to be remote, in terms of being late term pregnancy and the challenges of that, being on an island where there’s only ferry access to the mainland, etc. Even just life, in terms of living somewhere where a lot of things are not easily accessible. At the moment, given what is going on in the world, it sounds like a wonderful way to be – but I’m aware that it would often be inconvenient also.
The romances were very appealing here as well – one is a second chance type and the other a chance opportunity that leads to something more. Both couples are connected by things they share and drawn to each other. There was a simplicity about most of the interactions between them but that doesn’t mean that there weren’t issues to explore either.
This was just the perfect read for me at this time – relaxing but also wonderfully intimate in its exploration of family relationships, the ups and the downs through life, decisions made and how that can shape things for many years. Freya and Pearl had a lot of settle between them and it didn’t really seem like that was an option until all the secrets between them were brought to light.
***A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of an honest review***
Many years ago, when Freya was a young woman, she gave her older sister Pearl the greatest of gifts. She sacrificed a lot for this, although she was happy and willing to do it. However Freya also made a choice for herself as well, something that alienated Pearl from her, made Pearl suspicious and nervous. And so although Freya offered up this gift for her sister, the backfire was it ended up destroying the closeness the sisters had once enjoyed, as well as Freya’s relationship. Now Freya is older, close to 50. She’s divorced and then her house burns to the ground. Lost and without anything to hold her to the place she’s made her home, Freya travels north to where she grew up to help her niece Billie, much to Pearl’s concern, who feels that all the secrets from a quarter of a century ago will spill out whilst Freya and Billie are in close proximity.
Whilst Billie’s parents are off enjoying a ‘grey nomad’ tour of Australia, Billie and Freya will run their bistro on beautiful Magnetic Island, off the coast of Townsville in northern Queensland. Freya grew up on the island but has since made her home away from it, helping to enforce the distance that Pearl has seemed to want in order to feel comfortable. Despite this, Freya and Billie share a close relationship, one where Billie feels comfortable opening up to Freya when she finds herself in a situation that she definitely did not expect to be in.
I loved the complex exploration of family relationships in this book and how decisions made can affect people in the long term. Freya and Pearl were once incredibly close, so close that Freya thought nothing of giving her the greatest gift. However despite that, circumstances ended with it driving a wedge between them, mostly due to Pearl’s insecurity. After the one decision she made that Pearl got so upset about, Freya has done the best she can to stay away, give them space and not continue to provide Pearl with other reasons to feel nervous and upset. However the situation suddenly brings Freya home, and Pearl at first, is not happy about it, fearing that the presence of her will topple the narrative she has chosen.
Billie and Freya are at very different places in their lives but there are some similarities. Both have come home after lengthy time away, Freya living her life elsewhere and Billie after travelling overseas. Both are not in relationships, Freya’s marriage having broken down and Billie’s holiday fling having ended. They fit together easily, working in the bistro and smoothing the way through any problems with competence. Both Billie and Freya have had an eventful couple of months leading up to their separate returns to Magnetic Island and it gives them a chance to stop and take a breath, decide what their next steps might be.
I enjoyed the setting here – it’s cold and miserable in Victoria and an escape for an afternoon to a tropical island accessible by ferry was a nice distraction. It gave me an idea of what it’d be like to be remote, in terms of being late term pregnancy and the challenges of that, being on an island where there’s only ferry access to the mainland, etc. Even just life, in terms of living somewhere where a lot of things are not easily accessible. At the moment, given what is going on in the world, it sounds like a wonderful way to be – but I’m aware that it would often be inconvenient also.
The romances were very appealing here as well – one is a second chance type and the other a chance opportunity that leads to something more. Both couples are connected by things they share and drawn to each other. There was a simplicity about most of the interactions between them but that doesn’t mean that there weren’t issues to explore either.
This was just the perfect read for me at this time – relaxing but also wonderfully intimate in its exploration of family relationships, the ups and the downs through life, decisions made and how that can shape things for many years. Freya and Pearl had a lot of settle between them and it didn’t really seem like that was an option until all the secrets between them were brought to light.
***A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of an honest review***
August 22, 2020
Hannay’s latest offering was a escape from reality. It’s a rich women centric fiction about family and gifts that life can bring.
At the centre of the novel is Freya, a woman who is in crisis mode after series of misfortunes. Forcing her to return to her childhood home, the place where she left some of the best and worse memories. And come face to face with her sister Pearl who she gave the ultimate gift. A child.
Billie is now twenty four and needs Freya’s help so she navigating her self back in her family’s life hesitant of her past mistakes she made with her sister Pearl. Freya isn’t a hard soul, she jaded by the mistakes she made and the ones that affected her. It’s made her weary and Pearl takes pleasure of using it to hold her to her to her word, hoping that her secret can remain just that.
Secrets are never kept for long and the pieces start to fall into place as Freya gets a blast from her past that makes this book really start to move as we plunge into her life on the Island with Billie who situation seems to mirror in many ways Freya.
Billie isn’t keen where her life is heading and her parents aren’t helping with her thoughts. Forcing their business on her and relying on Freya for support we see a pattern emerging with these two woman.
History is repeating itself again with bonds being threaten and secrets being held.
Family dynamics are complicated and Hanney explores this through the eyes of two different generations of the same family. Both have shared their fair of heartbreak and by using both characters. It shows that it never goes away. Freya’s has kept her simmering not wanting to admit she is lost needing the bistro and Billie to keep her going . Not expecting anything to happen that will change her life. However fate has other ideas and we soon find ourselves caught up in history, romantic history that drawn in the new beginning that Freya needs
And the same goes for Billie she free falling as well at first. Not knowing how to handle her own problems and looking for a break. Their story entwines as the chapters go on and the pieces come to place. The island is their shelter from the storm but they aren’t immune to the charms the Magnetic Island brings.
Hard hitting and a beautiful setting, The Sister’s Gift is a intimate look at family relationships and complexity relationships are . It’s honest and forthcoming and Hanney brings the modern family to life with no judgement but love. It’s all about the second chances and being open to new beginnings which a gift can bring.
At the centre of the novel is Freya, a woman who is in crisis mode after series of misfortunes. Forcing her to return to her childhood home, the place where she left some of the best and worse memories. And come face to face with her sister Pearl who she gave the ultimate gift. A child.
Billie is now twenty four and needs Freya’s help so she navigating her self back in her family’s life hesitant of her past mistakes she made with her sister Pearl. Freya isn’t a hard soul, she jaded by the mistakes she made and the ones that affected her. It’s made her weary and Pearl takes pleasure of using it to hold her to her to her word, hoping that her secret can remain just that.
Secrets are never kept for long and the pieces start to fall into place as Freya gets a blast from her past that makes this book really start to move as we plunge into her life on the Island with Billie who situation seems to mirror in many ways Freya.
Billie isn’t keen where her life is heading and her parents aren’t helping with her thoughts. Forcing their business on her and relying on Freya for support we see a pattern emerging with these two woman.
History is repeating itself again with bonds being threaten and secrets being held.
Family dynamics are complicated and Hanney explores this through the eyes of two different generations of the same family. Both have shared their fair of heartbreak and by using both characters. It shows that it never goes away. Freya’s has kept her simmering not wanting to admit she is lost needing the bistro and Billie to keep her going . Not expecting anything to happen that will change her life. However fate has other ideas and we soon find ourselves caught up in history, romantic history that drawn in the new beginning that Freya needs
And the same goes for Billie she free falling as well at first. Not knowing how to handle her own problems and looking for a break. Their story entwines as the chapters go on and the pieces come to place. The island is their shelter from the storm but they aren’t immune to the charms the Magnetic Island brings.
Hard hitting and a beautiful setting, The Sister’s Gift is a intimate look at family relationships and complexity relationships are . It’s honest and forthcoming and Hanney brings the modern family to life with no judgement but love. It’s all about the second chances and being open to new beginnings which a gift can bring.
September 9, 2020
The Sister's Gift by Barbara Hannay is a nice, easy to read novel set on Magnetic Island in Far North Queensland.
It touches on some serious subjects. The love between two sisters and their families. A bond which can never be broken.
There's nothing in this book that can't happen in real life and it does!
I enjoyed hearing about the restaurant on Magnetic Island and the cooking capers!
I love the way the author, Barbara Hannay can mingle all the different characters together and surprise us each time in every novel she writes.
The Sister's Gift is full of surprises, down to earth and Australian with the great setting of Magnetic Island to inspire us.
I'm looking forward to seeing what Barbara Hannay comes up with next.
It touches on some serious subjects. The love between two sisters and their families. A bond which can never be broken.
There's nothing in this book that can't happen in real life and it does!
I enjoyed hearing about the restaurant on Magnetic Island and the cooking capers!
I love the way the author, Barbara Hannay can mingle all the different characters together and surprise us each time in every novel she writes.
The Sister's Gift is full of surprises, down to earth and Australian with the great setting of Magnetic Island to inspire us.
I'm looking forward to seeing what Barbara Hannay comes up with next.
August 7, 2021
Приятна, отново доста наивна, но все пак приемлива .
August 23, 2020
Barbara Hannay’s books always guarantee a story that the reader can absorb themselves in. (They also guarantee a time in which little other work will be attended to, but that’s okay!) The Sister’s Gift is a lovely story that is heart-warming and calming with glimpses of a tropical paradise that 2020 citizens can only dream of.
This story has two main characters, Freya and Billie, who are aunt and niece. Neither of them have had the easiest of times lately. Freya is divorced and out of work. When her house burns down, it’s the last straw – and the last link to her old life. Billie will be looking after the family restaurant on Magnetic Island while her parents travel and needs Freya’s help. It’s the opportunity for Freya to start again and Billie to recover after a failed overseas relationship sent her back home. Billie’s mum is surprisingly negative about the whole situation, but reluctantly grants her permission to let Freya help. The island offers new opportunities for both Freya and Billie. Both find unwelcome parts of their past coming to the fore, and their relationships with each other and new and old friends grow. But the people on the island have long memories, and rumours start to surface about Freya and Billie. Will the rumours destroy all of their relationships? Or it is an opportunity to let old wounds heal?
I enjoyed The Sister’s Gift for the complexity of the relationships between the women. They aren’t your usual secrets and their effects on the family are carefully and sensitively examined. There is a lot more at play here than a first glance at the blurb reveals. There are themes of infertility, sexual assault, serious illness and relationships in older women. I felt the sexual assault plot thread was handled well, demonstrating the realities of what women can face from their employer. The illness thread I felt was a little rushed, with a very neat ending. This may be my own bias working in the field – I’d love to see a life changing problem solved so quickly and perfectly! But overall, the story was gripping and just right for a rainy weekend. The Sister’s Gift is a book that entices you to pick it up every time you tear yourself away from it. This is because the characters feel realistic. They are whole, with memorable quirks, worries and endearing traits. The interactions of the female characters are strong and accurate, from the everyday conversations to the big reveal. And finally, I couldn’t help but enjoy the setting. Warmth, sunshine and sea is just what I needed in the middle of a rainy winter. The Sister’s Gift not only added sunshine to my heart, but a great story.
Thank you to Penguin for the copy. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
This story has two main characters, Freya and Billie, who are aunt and niece. Neither of them have had the easiest of times lately. Freya is divorced and out of work. When her house burns down, it’s the last straw – and the last link to her old life. Billie will be looking after the family restaurant on Magnetic Island while her parents travel and needs Freya’s help. It’s the opportunity for Freya to start again and Billie to recover after a failed overseas relationship sent her back home. Billie’s mum is surprisingly negative about the whole situation, but reluctantly grants her permission to let Freya help. The island offers new opportunities for both Freya and Billie. Both find unwelcome parts of their past coming to the fore, and their relationships with each other and new and old friends grow. But the people on the island have long memories, and rumours start to surface about Freya and Billie. Will the rumours destroy all of their relationships? Or it is an opportunity to let old wounds heal?
I enjoyed The Sister’s Gift for the complexity of the relationships between the women. They aren’t your usual secrets and their effects on the family are carefully and sensitively examined. There is a lot more at play here than a first glance at the blurb reveals. There are themes of infertility, sexual assault, serious illness and relationships in older women. I felt the sexual assault plot thread was handled well, demonstrating the realities of what women can face from their employer. The illness thread I felt was a little rushed, with a very neat ending. This may be my own bias working in the field – I’d love to see a life changing problem solved so quickly and perfectly! But overall, the story was gripping and just right for a rainy weekend. The Sister’s Gift is a book that entices you to pick it up every time you tear yourself away from it. This is because the characters feel realistic. They are whole, with memorable quirks, worries and endearing traits. The interactions of the female characters are strong and accurate, from the everyday conversations to the big reveal. And finally, I couldn’t help but enjoy the setting. Warmth, sunshine and sea is just what I needed in the middle of a rainy winter. The Sister’s Gift not only added sunshine to my heart, but a great story.
Thank you to Penguin for the copy. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
August 28, 2020
I think this definitely is one of Barbara Hannay’s best books. I felt so sorry for poor Freya and all her bad luck. Definitely up there as one of my favourites for 2020. Well done to Barbara Hannay.
August 12, 2020
As a vibrant young woman, Freya grants her sister, Pearl, the gift of motherhood. Now, decades later, Freya has lost everything she’s ever worked for - her marriage, her career and her home. When her estranged niece, Billie, offers her a position to help the family restaurant on beautiful Magnetic Island, Freya can’t refuse.
I enjoyed reading and losing myself in the idyllic setting of this book. It’s a comforting, wholesome tale, set on the beautiful Magnetic Island in Queensland (which I’ve since learnt is a real place too). It centres on the themes of family and redemption, and the secrets that we keep that can splinter families apart. My one small bugbear was the lack of communication trope which drove part of the plot, but this is a personal preference because lack of communication storylines always irritate me. However this was a relatively small part of the book so I could get past it 😋
It alternates perspectives between Freya, the older woman who is worried her best years might be behind her, and Billie, a young woman feeling a little lost and trying to figure out where she fits in this world. In this way, I feel like many women will be able to relate to the characters in one way or another.
As much as it’s a light-hearted tale, there are also some serious issues dealt with as well, such as infertility and sexual assault. Personally I think these topics, along with the fractured nature of the family, added to the realistic and relatable nature of the story. I also loved that there was a strong feeling of the women sticking together through everything - infertility, pregnancy, divorce and relationships.
I’d recommend The Sister’s Gift if you're in the mood for a light, uplifting store 😊
I enjoyed reading and losing myself in the idyllic setting of this book. It’s a comforting, wholesome tale, set on the beautiful Magnetic Island in Queensland (which I’ve since learnt is a real place too). It centres on the themes of family and redemption, and the secrets that we keep that can splinter families apart. My one small bugbear was the lack of communication trope which drove part of the plot, but this is a personal preference because lack of communication storylines always irritate me. However this was a relatively small part of the book so I could get past it 😋
It alternates perspectives between Freya, the older woman who is worried her best years might be behind her, and Billie, a young woman feeling a little lost and trying to figure out where she fits in this world. In this way, I feel like many women will be able to relate to the characters in one way or another.
As much as it’s a light-hearted tale, there are also some serious issues dealt with as well, such as infertility and sexual assault. Personally I think these topics, along with the fractured nature of the family, added to the realistic and relatable nature of the story. I also loved that there was a strong feeling of the women sticking together through everything - infertility, pregnancy, divorce and relationships.
I’d recommend The Sister’s Gift if you're in the mood for a light, uplifting store 😊
August 12, 2020
Barbara Hannay is a new-to-me author and I thoroughly enjoyed my first book of hers!
I was swept up by this poignant & heartwarming story of secrets, second chances, familial bonds and love. With such beautiful & vivid imagery, I was easily transported to blissful Magnetic Island, which I definitely want to visit now! I could picture myself kicking back & enjoying some drinks on the decks of Island Thyme with Billie, Freya & co, like old friends.
The characters came across as relatable and authentic. The alternate perspectives, switching between Freya and Billie, allows you to really connect with & become invested in all of these characters and the issues & frustrations they face as they navigate through a complicated family history, failed relationships, the various challenges that life throws at them and the prospects of finding love again.
Barbara Hannay’s writing had a lovely pace to it that had me turning pages and I’m looking forward to exploring her backlist.
If you’re after a heartfelt & uplifting story to escape with, I’d highly recommend grabbing a copy of The Sister’s Gift!
Huge thanks to Penguin Books Australia for providing a copy for review
4.5 stars
I was swept up by this poignant & heartwarming story of secrets, second chances, familial bonds and love. With such beautiful & vivid imagery, I was easily transported to blissful Magnetic Island, which I definitely want to visit now! I could picture myself kicking back & enjoying some drinks on the decks of Island Thyme with Billie, Freya & co, like old friends.
The characters came across as relatable and authentic. The alternate perspectives, switching between Freya and Billie, allows you to really connect with & become invested in all of these characters and the issues & frustrations they face as they navigate through a complicated family history, failed relationships, the various challenges that life throws at them and the prospects of finding love again.
Barbara Hannay’s writing had a lovely pace to it that had me turning pages and I’m looking forward to exploring her backlist.
If you’re after a heartfelt & uplifting story to escape with, I’d highly recommend grabbing a copy of The Sister’s Gift!
Huge thanks to Penguin Books Australia for providing a copy for review
4.5 stars
September 6, 2020
A delightful, pure satisfying read. Effortless in its flow of two POVs: Freya and her niece, Billie. I loved these two characters and watched their growth through trials that could have destroyed them. The sister relationship (Freya and Pearl) was strained by the broken promise during the delivery of a gift. Pearl has no moral right to be angry because Freya is no threat to Pearl’s perfect world. Or is she? Something happens that turns everything upside down and the truth is exposed.
We feel for Freya who has made great sacrifices for her sister. She has also lost her husband, home and employment. But it leads her to a life that will bring great surprises and changes.
Billie also lives through a trial of her own, learns how to make hard decisions and though she experiences some setbacks, the road beyond the veil of tears and truth bring her unexpected joys.
A great read dealing with women’s personal and health issues (endometriosis and kidney disease) but offering kind outcomes. Loved it. 😊 Highly recommend this novel, my first (but it won’t be my last) Barbara Hannay story.
We feel for Freya who has made great sacrifices for her sister. She has also lost her husband, home and employment. But it leads her to a life that will bring great surprises and changes.
Billie also lives through a trial of her own, learns how to make hard decisions and though she experiences some setbacks, the road beyond the veil of tears and truth bring her unexpected joys.
A great read dealing with women’s personal and health issues (endometriosis and kidney disease) but offering kind outcomes. Loved it. 😊 Highly recommend this novel, my first (but it won’t be my last) Barbara Hannay story.
August 17, 2020
A beautiful and emotionally satisfying read. I loved both of the main characters, young Billie and her aunt Freya. Both embark upon individual journeys of self discovery and romance. This was an interesting and gripping story. I LOVED the local setting for me - Magnetic Island in Townsville. Throw in a cute dog and this was a winner.
August 12, 2020
Read the book in one go. Couldn't put it down.
August 16, 2020
- thanks to @penguingbooksaus for the #gifted copy and for inviting me to participate in the Bookstagram Tour!
I've never read any of Hannay's books, but reading The Sister's Gift was like having a hot shower and getting straight into bed with the electric blanket on after a freezing-cold day: necessarily warm and cosy.
In this novel, Freya offers her womb to surrogate her sister's Pearl baby because she had troubles conceiving; however, Pearl made Freya promised that they would never tell Billie, the baby, about her birth. Twenty-four years later, Freya's life is falling apart thanks to an awful divorce and the loss of her house due to a fire, and finds herself having to move into Pearl's house, living and working with Billie for the first time in her life.
I haven't encountered such an easy and quick read in a long time - I practically read this one in one go. The narration flows smoothly through a good balance between the plot development -and its drama- and the overall characterisation; however, the colossal predictability of every single storyline took away the possibility of impact, which affected my reading experience directly. I also didn't get why the 'truth' about Billie's birth was so dramatic and all the secrecy about it - it did make me roll my eyes a bit too much.
The only serious issue I had with the novel, has to do with how the author describes in detail the women's bodies -but not the men's- but only praises those who are skinny. One example is when Billie meets Freya, she comments on how great and beautiful her aunty looks because she is skinny for her age. There is another comment later on from Freya about Seb's mother, and it's also along the lines of praising fitness AND thinness. This critique is very personal, as I expect less body-shaming and more body-embracing messages in nowadays' narratives.
Overall, The Sister's Gift was a predictable, safe and quick read, perfect for reading in bed before going to sleep. If you are looking for an entertaining, effortless read with a touch of family drama, this book is for you.
I've never read any of Hannay's books, but reading The Sister's Gift was like having a hot shower and getting straight into bed with the electric blanket on after a freezing-cold day: necessarily warm and cosy.
In this novel, Freya offers her womb to surrogate her sister's Pearl baby because she had troubles conceiving; however, Pearl made Freya promised that they would never tell Billie, the baby, about her birth. Twenty-four years later, Freya's life is falling apart thanks to an awful divorce and the loss of her house due to a fire, and finds herself having to move into Pearl's house, living and working with Billie for the first time in her life.
I haven't encountered such an easy and quick read in a long time - I practically read this one in one go. The narration flows smoothly through a good balance between the plot development -and its drama- and the overall characterisation; however, the colossal predictability of every single storyline took away the possibility of impact, which affected my reading experience directly. I also didn't get why the 'truth' about Billie's birth was so dramatic and all the secrecy about it - it did make me roll my eyes a bit too much.
The only serious issue I had with the novel, has to do with how the author describes in detail the women's bodies -but not the men's- but only praises those who are skinny. One example is when Billie meets Freya, she comments on how great and beautiful her aunty looks because she is skinny for her age. There is another comment later on from Freya about Seb's mother, and it's also along the lines of praising fitness AND thinness. This critique is very personal, as I expect less body-shaming and more body-embracing messages in nowadays' narratives.
Overall, The Sister's Gift was a predictable, safe and quick read, perfect for reading in bed before going to sleep. If you are looking for an entertaining, effortless read with a touch of family drama, this book is for you.
September 2, 2020
Loved reading this book Barbara. It was great to revisit Maggie through this moving tale. Freya and Billie were strong characters. Freya managed to overcome the challenges she faced. Had to keep reading to see what was going to happen.
September 6, 2020
I love Barbara Hannay’s books, I’ve been a fan for a long time.
This is one of her best, I couldn’t put it down.
If you haven’t read one of Barbara’s books before, do yourself a favour & read this one.
This is one of her best, I couldn’t put it down.
If you haven’t read one of Barbara’s books before, do yourself a favour & read this one.
December 28, 2020
Another masterpiece
Hannay always delivers wonderful, complex family dramas with relatable characters and delectable settings. I loved this story and all it’s ebbs and flows. My only gripe... it ended too soon!!
Hannay always delivers wonderful, complex family dramas with relatable characters and delectable settings. I loved this story and all it’s ebbs and flows. My only gripe... it ended too soon!!
September 3, 2020
Loved the setting. Loved the story. Thank you for a lovely read during uncertain times 😘
September 17, 2020
Another great story by Barbara Hannay.
August 20, 2020
・Sisters Freya and Pearls relationship experiences an unexpected rift after Freya gifts her sister the ultimate gift of motherhood. This book had an interesting premise promising family drama and tension throughout, but I wasn’t drawn in to the story as much as I would have liked. This whole tumultuous sister relationship could have been very easily avoided with easy communication. While I understand surrogacy and fertility issues are extremely personal and not the same for everyone, I feel like communication and honesty would be vital in this particular arrangement. Why put your child through the confusion and turmoil of finding out they were conceived via IVF and carried by a surrogate when you could easily be open with them throughout their life? I definitely feel like these characters did more harm and damage by keeping this huge family secret.
I did also have an issue with one particular sentence in this book. Please keep in mind that the majority of these characters are white, exceeding financially and this particular character has never been inside a courthouse.
While attending a trial hearing, Belinda is in the waiting room and taking in her surroundings. The particular passage was this “A policeman marched past, steering a fellow in handcuffs towards another courtroom. The handcuffed guy was Indigenous and probably still in his twenties. Billie supposed be was a prisoner. She shivered.”
Was there really any reason to mention that this individual was Indigenous?
Was there any reason to have these couple of sentences in the book at all?
Indigenous wasn’t printed any other time in the other 323 pages of this book.
Honestly I really lost interest after reading that particular part. I had to push myself to get through it.
I feel like all the Australian Women’s Fiction I’ve read are along the same storyline’s and highlight exposing family secrets.
The writing flowed and was easy to read, I just lost interest.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2024
This is a engaging delightful cosy read.
My only niggle is how the plot is dependent upon people keeping secrets, or not telling the truth about something, that doesn’t need to be secret. I think it must be a pet peeve of mine because I read too many books. Life in Maggie Island is dramatic enough without such manipulations and the story has enough nuance and depth without needing to use this plot device.
Nevertheless I love how the characters and places come to life. Even the brief mentions of the sisters’ mum are vividly drawn. A very satisfying conclusion too.
My only niggle is how the plot is dependent upon people keeping secrets, or not telling the truth about something, that doesn’t need to be secret. I think it must be a pet peeve of mine because I read too many books. Life in Maggie Island is dramatic enough without such manipulations and the story has enough nuance and depth without needing to use this plot device.
Nevertheless I love how the characters and places come to life. Even the brief mentions of the sisters’ mum are vividly drawn. A very satisfying conclusion too.
January 3, 2021
From Aussie author Barbara Hannay comes her latest contemporary novel, The Sister’s Gift. There appears to be quite a few books that revolve around sisters at the moment but thankfully they are all different. The main protagonist’s, but not sister’s, are Billie and Freya, who tell their story in the third person through alternating chapters. Magnetic Island in Australia was a good location to set the story in as I have not been there before. Now I would like to go there on a holiday! Hopefully my holiday would not be filled with the drama that the sisters encountered as Hannay explores the usual topics of marriage, secrets, forgiveness, family and love to name just a few. With a sensitive touch, she also delves into more complex areas such as kidney health and surrogacy. There’s definitely going to be tears and laughter along the way.
Billie is a young woman in her early twenties. She loves travelling the world and her passion has taken her to the Greece. Here, Billie embarked on a relationship with Santos, a man she could see a future with. Santos didn’t feel the same way and, in the blink of an eye Billie finds herself back home on Magnetic Island. Her mother Pearl, father and aunt are the family that embrace Billie. Billie and her mother’s relationship is typical of many. They have good times and at other times, things are strained. In contrast, Billie has a close relationship with her father and aunt Freya, her mother’s sister. When Freya learns that Santos has left her with an unexpected gift and that the three people she loves most in the world have been lying to her, Freya’s life is turned upside down. Can Billie forgive her family? Will she be able to move on to a new relationship with the local policeman Dan?
Freya is a confident happy woman who grew up on the island. Quirky and fun, she is supportive of Billie. I both admired and was a little envious of the relationship the pair had as I am not in contact with my own aunts. With a lot of bad luck in her life recently, it is a good thing that Freya and Billie make a good team. A husband deserting Freya and the demolition of her house is just the start of it all. Billie is a lovely niece as she offers Freya her place to stay while Pearl, would not offer her house up for accommodation. The sisters have had a fraught relationship after Pearl made the sacrifice of a lifetime decades ago. When Freya unexpectedly runs into her first love, Dan, things are about to take a turn for the better. Will the fated couple overcome the many obstacles they must face? Will Billie and Pearl forgive her?
A must read for fans of Aussie contemporary fiction!
Billie is a young woman in her early twenties. She loves travelling the world and her passion has taken her to the Greece. Here, Billie embarked on a relationship with Santos, a man she could see a future with. Santos didn’t feel the same way and, in the blink of an eye Billie finds herself back home on Magnetic Island. Her mother Pearl, father and aunt are the family that embrace Billie. Billie and her mother’s relationship is typical of many. They have good times and at other times, things are strained. In contrast, Billie has a close relationship with her father and aunt Freya, her mother’s sister. When Freya learns that Santos has left her with an unexpected gift and that the three people she loves most in the world have been lying to her, Freya’s life is turned upside down. Can Billie forgive her family? Will she be able to move on to a new relationship with the local policeman Dan?
Freya is a confident happy woman who grew up on the island. Quirky and fun, she is supportive of Billie. I both admired and was a little envious of the relationship the pair had as I am not in contact with my own aunts. With a lot of bad luck in her life recently, it is a good thing that Freya and Billie make a good team. A husband deserting Freya and the demolition of her house is just the start of it all. Billie is a lovely niece as she offers Freya her place to stay while Pearl, would not offer her house up for accommodation. The sisters have had a fraught relationship after Pearl made the sacrifice of a lifetime decades ago. When Freya unexpectedly runs into her first love, Dan, things are about to take a turn for the better. Will the fated couple overcome the many obstacles they must face? Will Billie and Pearl forgive her?
A must read for fans of Aussie contemporary fiction!
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