- First date: The Sweeney sisters Sam, Jackie and Faith are preparing for the grand reopening of their seaside seafood store. Originally opened by their mother Lovie, vacationers make a point of stopping for their fresh seafood. Sam is worried about the new décor even as thoughts turn to her son who is recovering from an ATV accident that has left him in a wheelchair. Faith has her own share of problems and Jackie is too wrapped up in herself to notice her world is crumbling around her. They are all worried about their mother who has been behaving oddly. Farley easily allows the reader to slip in as we get to know this realistic family.
- Second date: I love that these sisters are far from perfect and Farley begins peeling back their layers and exposing their secrets. Sam’s marriage is far from a fairytale story; her husband is out of work and drinking. As things spiral out of control, she must lean on her siblings for help. Jackie’s world begins to crumble and she is ready to place all the blame on her husband. Sam is barely holding it together. She is the glue of the family, the strong one and the stress is beginning to show. Meanwhile Lovie is franticly trying to discover what the old key around her neck unlocks. There is a lot happening with the sisters and Farley does a good job of allowing us to view events as they unfold. At times, each of the sisters made me angry and I cringed at their interactions. Why is it that we sometimes treat the ones we love the worst? Tension begins to build as Faith’s problems place them all in danger and Jackie discovers what really matters. Secondary characters offer support, shed light and added interest to the story. We see the begins of romance, but this novel focuses on the siblings themselves,
- Third date: My last date had me flipping the pages, revelations; personal discovery and danger have me caught up. All of the threads come together and we see resolution to many of their problems including the mystery with Lovie. It all wrapped up neatly and readers will either be thrilled or feel it was too convenient. Nevertheless, I was happy to see closure and appreciate the growth each character experienced and the strengthening of family.
Copy provided by author. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer