(95)The Chicken Sisters by KJ Dell'Antonia

 

  

Mae Moore and her sister, Amanda, only have one thing in common, their childhood. Mae left their small hometown in Kansas the first chance she got. She has made a name for herself as an organizing guru with a reality show and her book on organizing has made her a household name. But right after she gets fired from her reality show, Mae gets a call from Amanda. Amanda has a plan to save her mother-in-law's chicken restaurant.  Invite the reality show, Food Wars, to town to film at her mother-in-law's restaurant at war with her mother's restaurant. The two families have been at war for several generations and it only got worse when Amanda married the rival's son, Frank.  Mae sees it as her chance to stay relevant and take her career in a new direction, but is she prepared for the emotional turmoil that going home will put her through? Will Food Wars save the town's restaurants or destroy them both, as well as destroy Mae and Amanda's relationship once and for all. 

The Chicken Sisters was another one of Reese Witherspoon's carefully selected choices for her bookclub. And I absolutely adored it. At first glance, it seems like The Chicken Sisters is a fluffy, feel-good kind of book, but you need to look deeper. The book is full of complex relationships with years, if not decades of history keeping them from healing.  I think I preferred Amanda over Mae, just because Mae seemed awfully self-centered.  Even a bit narcissistic. Neither sister had a good relationship with their mother for obvious reason, but both were there for her when absolutely necessary. It was heartwarming, but even so, I hope they all get therapy in the sequel. If there is a sequel.  The end was something straight out of a Hallmark movie, but it worked. CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS

Bottom Line - I really enjoyed The Chicken Sisters, the smalltown, rural Midwest setting was familiar to me, even if the plot was not.  The Chicken Sisters is a delightfully charming novel that is a perfect read for your holiday break. 

Details: 

• The Chicken Sisters by KJ Dell'Antonia
• On Instagram
• Pages: 352
• Publisher: G.P. Putnam
• Publication Date: 12/1/2020
• Buy it Here!
• Thank you to NetGalley for the book in exchange for an honest review.