I received an advance copy of, The Sister Surprise, by Abigail Mann.  This sounds like it would be  a great book, but I did not like it.  The language the characters.

I really enjoyed The Lonely Fajita by this author, so was delighted to be approved for her next book. It was unfortunately, a disappointment. The first half of the book was very slow, with nothing much of interest happening. I feel the author tried too hard to be funny with this book, it was peppered throughout with similes - hardly anything was said or happened without it being described as  ‘like .......’ followed by a supposedly amusing simile. Some were funny , but mostly they were not. They just became increasingly irritating as the book progressed, distracting me from the flow of the story. 
I almost gave up on the book, but I’m glad I  persevered, because  it did improve. However it then galloped towards a very predictable ending with all issues neatly resolved, without any of the expected confrontation. 
I liked the characters of Ava and her half-sister Moira, and the young farmer Kian, struggling to make a go of the family farm against all odds. The characters were well drawn and there were some genuinely funny moments, which I enjoyed. 
However, if an author is going to write about Scotland they should ensure they use correct terminology eg, in Scotland we have whisky, not whiskey, which is an American or Irish spirit.  If a man of the cloth is preaching in a Scottish church, he would not be a priest or a reverend, he would be a minister. Ava was rightly corrected on this by Moira in the story. But the minister would not be carrying out a Mass  in his church, it would  be Communion.. 
As for the local pub called The Wailing Banshee? Really? That is beyond stereotypical. 
It is worth noting that although some very rural areas in UK, not just Scotland, do not have good internet connections, it does not mean that they and their inhabitants exist in a vacuum. The happenings in the outside world, even from as far away as London, will become known in any hamlet, especially when a mysterious newcomer arrives on the scene from the metropolis. You can be sure that someone will know someone who has googled her. 
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book. 
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After Ava finds out on a live stream that she has a half-sister she never knew about, her world is turned upside down. Her boss thinks a reunion would make for great content so he sends her off to the super small town in the Scottish Highlands where Moira, her sister, is last known to have lived. Ava takes a room at a local farm in exchange for work and is quickly absorbed into the quirky town (which even includes a hunky Reverend). When she finally meets Moira by chance, she has a lot of choices to make about her future and ultimately who she wants to be. 

It's like Abigail Mann knew exactly what kind of book I needed right now. From the first chapter on, I kept hoping this story would never end and I got in bed each night excited to read more. Mann managed to make a story that was simultaneously cozy AND exciting, full of endearing characters. One of my favorite books I've read in a long time!

This was a cute little story. The characters were funny and very likable. I feel there was good character development and I liked the story line a lot. I heard this was the author's second book, and I feel the writing style is amazing for only being her second novel. It was fast paced and did not seem to bog you down with too much details that were not needed.

The Lonely Fajita has been on my TBR for a long time and this book has made it the next one that will fall into my grubby hands. Abigal Mann has an effortlessly engaging writing style. I picked this book up when I couldn't sleep and had to force myself to put it down at a ridiculous hour to get some amount of sleep. 

The Sister Surprise follows Ava who works for a Buzzfeed-like company. As part of their online content Ava, who doesn't know anything about her Dad, has been chosen to take a DNA test and find out the results live on a stream. Finding out about a half-sister she never knew about, Ava goes on an adventure to find her sister and herself. 

Okay, so I have a Masters in Genetics and I would like to extend my biggest compliments for the accuracy which Abigail Mann describes the result and the test. The sprinkling of science in this book - which is a plot device, not a serious discussion, so don't worry about having to brush off your high school textbooks; is simple, accurate and to the point. So props to Abigail Mann!

The verdict you really care about with The Sister Surprise, I had a fun time reading it. It was a great read curled up on the couch on a rainy day. So pick it up find a slice of sunshine in your TBR this year. 

I was given a NetGalley ARC from OMC in exchange for a review.

First and foremost, thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange  for an honest review. This book was light and cute. I laughed and felt my heart swell. This book has everything you want in a feel good book. I am looking forward to picking up the previous novel by Abigail Mann.

I was not sure that I was excited about this one, just due to the sheer number of unexpected DNA connection stories being put out right now, but this one was so good! It is a lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek kind of read. I laughed out loud many times and enjoyed the way the characters handled some tumultuous situations.

Well written mystery/romance novel. DNA surprises are on the rise. If you have ever wondered how to handle such a surprise in a whimsy sort of way, you will enjoy this book. Could be the beginning of a series if the author chooses.

Light, fun, tongue-in-cheek, chick lit.  Ava — a social media journalist from South London gets a surprise during a live video show from her DNA test — she has a (previously unheard of) sister living in a small village near Inverness.  Quickly finding a farm home stay in the village, she plans to live blog the search, discovery, and reunion with this unknown woman.  What follows is some slapsticky scenes on the farm (think pig innoculation by some real newbies) peppered with new friendships and some romantic interest.  What’s different about this book as opposed to, say, Bridget Jones, is that “Romance” is not the main attraction or goal.   I’ve noticed this (welcome) trend in “women’s fiction.”  Men are a part of our heroine’s life, but the pursuit, gain, and / or loss of men is not the prime element of their lives.  Passes the Bechdel test (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bechdel_test).

Ava has never known who her father was. Her mum was an activist in her youthful days and had a fling with another activist which resulted in Ava. She works for an online news blog that has decided to run a live article on DNA kits and Ava is one of the test subjects.

After discovering she has a half-sister who is from a tiny place in Scotland and then nearly throwing up live on air, the blogs audience numbers go through the roof and her boss thinks it would be a good idea if she went to Scotland in search of her half-sister, Moira, and document her search.

The only place she can find to stay in the tiny village is on a working farm where she is offered a room in exchange for helping run it. With no other options Ava agrees but farm work is a million miles away from being a journalist, and can she locate her sister and what will she say when she does?

The Sister Surprise is a humorous look at one woman’s life as it is turned upside down thanks to a DNA test she has been made to take at work for an article. It has always been just her and her mother and so finding out that she has at least one sister is both exciting and nerve-wracking for her.

The story follows Ava, who is bright, independent, and a trier, though accident-prone, on her search for her sister and helping out on the farm, which doesn’t get off to a good start from breaking the quad bike to annoying one of the locals.

The book was a little slow to get going as it concentrates on Ava, her mum, and her job at the beginning. It took a bit to get into the action and Ava travelling to Scotland. Once she finally gets there, begins her new work, and meets her sister, though she doesn’t tell her, the pace picked up and so did my intrigue.

This is a book which you can escape into to enjoy the banter and humour between the characters, including a hot minister who likes a joke or two. It is uplifting and it made me smile throughout.

When Ava takes a dna  profile test the results show she has a half sister in a small village in the Highlands of Scotland. Under the pretence of working in the Scottish office, Ava lies to her mum and arrives as a volunteer on a small delapidated farm. When she soon finds her sister, falls for the local Minister and helps the farmer sort out the farm could she be happier than ever? 
I loved The Lonely Fajita and this was great as well. Genuinely lovely read. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this book but not as much as the lonely fajita. I found some parts of it quite slow. Enjoyed but didn’t love this one

Serviceable and fun but I believe other authors do the London vs rural lifestyle change better.

Thank you for the galley copy.

The funniest take on the risks associated with DNA testing websites and the unexpected curveballs life can through your way, sometimes sending you directly onto the path of your one true love.

A fun read but I struggled to get into the book. The first half is so slow that I could feel the hairs on my arm growing. The second part picked up and it was almost disappointing that I had to slog through the first half because the send half was smashing! It almost felt like a different author had come along and finished the novel. 

I would recommend giving this a read, just slog through eh first bit because and know that it will be worth it.

This is a fun, lighthearted and uplifting read. I devoured it in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I started this book and was really enjoying it... it was funny, the characters were likeable and it was a different ‘setting’. But I have to be honest, I got 76% of the way through and had to give up... it was just a bit dull and predictable. I found myself not really caring about how it ended. It was too slow paced in the middle section and not a lot happened plot-wise. I feel as if I wasted my time a bit.

2 out of 5.

What do you do when you realised you have a half-sister living on the other side of the country? Eva never thought she will volunteer at a farm so she can have the chance to meet her half-sister and finally learn about her father. The first half of the book is really slow pacing with nothing much happen except for chasing sheep and wrestling with pigs. I almost gave up the book but I am so glad I hang on to it. I enjoyed the second half of the book. Saving the farm, sister reunion, appearance of the father who supposed to be dead and falling in love with a minister. Did I mention hot minister? Eva ends up loving her life in the countryside and found her true calling.

The Sister Surprise is a sweet story of personal growth and finding family (with a small amount of romance thrown in).  If you are looking for a read that predictable, yet fun, with enjoyable characters and a bit of personal growth, this is the perfect book for you!

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of THE SISTER SURPRISE by Abigail Mann in exchange for an honest review.  Ava has always wanted to know more about her father.  Every time asked about him, her mother would tell Ava her father was dead and change the subject.  So, when Ava is offered the opportunity to take a DNA test as part of her job as an online journalist, she jumps at the chance to find any of her father’s relatives.  The publication surprises Ava with the news that she has a sister and offers to send Ava to the tiny Scottish village to meet her sibling in exchange for Ava sending in a diary of her sister-search.  Ava accepts the offer, packs her bag, grabs her laptop, finds a placement as a farmhand in exchange for room and board, and is soon in Scotland.  As weeks go by, Ava’s interactions with the villagers reveal no hint of Moira.  Finally, Ava finds Moira in the most unlikely place.  As Ava gets to know Moira bond with her, and even love, Ava gets more reluctant to reveal their kinship.  Meanwhile, Ava finds herself inappropriately attracted to the village priest.

I liked this book.  I enjoyed the story and really liked the characters.  When the book ended, I wanted to stay in the story and see what happens next.  I highly recommend this book to fans of women’s literature, humor, and surprising family.