Friday, February 22, 2019

Book Review: California Girls

By Melissa Amster

The California sunshine’s not quite so bright for three sisters who get dumped in the same week…

Finola, a popular LA morning-show host, is famously upbeat until she’s blindsided on live TV by the news that her husband is sleeping with a young pop sensation who has set their affair to music. While avoiding the tabloids and pretending she’s just fine, she’s crumbling inside, desperate for him to come to his senses and for life to go back to normal.

Zennie’s breakup is no big loss. Although the world insists she pair up, she’d rather be surfing. So agreeing to be the surrogate for her best friend is a no-brainer—after all, she has an available womb and no other attachments to worry about. Except…when everyone else, including her big sister, thinks she’s making a huge mistake, being pregnant is a lot lonelier—and more complicated—than she imagined.

Never the tallest, thinnest or prettiest sister, Ali is used to being overlooked, but when her fiancé sends his disapproving brother to call off the wedding, it’s a new low. And yet Daniel continues to turn up “for support,” making Ali wonder if maybe—for once—someone sees her in a way no one ever has.

But side by side by side, these sisters will start over and rebuild their lives with all the affection, charm and laugh-out-loud humor that is classic Susan Mallery. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

I was hoping that California Girls was the next installment in the Mischief Bay series, but it's a standalone novel. However, it has a similar feel to that series and it would have fit in well. I was even hoping Zennie's best friend would be Hayley from The Friends We Keep. Mary Jo reminded me of the mom in Sisters Like Us at times.

The story was great overall. I felt a kinship with all three sisters. Some of the guys were too good to be true and Daniel is now my new book boyfriend. I had a great time reading it and didn't want it to end, even though I did want to know how things would turn out. I even got teary-eyed at one point. I hope there will be a follow up story or that the sisters will have cameos in other books.

Movie casting ideas:
Zennie: Margot Robbie
Ali: Haley Ramm
Finola: Shantel VanSanten
Daniel: Matt Long
Clark: Freddie Stroma
Nigel: Benjamin Walker
Treasure: Skyler Samuels
Glen: Jack Quaid
Bernadette: Jessica Williams

Thanks to MIRA for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Susan Mallery:

5 comments:

Janine said...

Great review. I look forward to reading this book.

Suburban prep said...

I have been wanting to read this book.

Sandy said...

Thanks for the review and the cast list!

Rita Wray said...

Sounds like a book I will enjoy reading.

Carole said...

Going to look out for this one!