Sisters Like Us

The focus in this fourth installment of Mallery's "Mischief Bay" series is on Harper, a divorced mom who is trying to keep her business afloat, and her sister, Stacey, who is feeling trepidation about being pregnant at 40 after being career-minded for so long. Their overbearing mother and her impossible standards adds tension to the sisters' already stressful situations, but luckily the men in their lives give them the help and support they need. Sweet and solid, Lucas is Harper's client-turned-friend with whom she becomes romantically involved, but she wonders if their romance has lasting potential. Harper also worries about not being there for her teenage daughter, Becca, who is going through trials of her own. Although the chapters from Becca's POV are heavy on the teen melodrama, Mallery (Girls of Mischief Bay) delivers another character-driven story of female friendships with women who are flawed but endearing. Marking this series is an uplifting tone and complex characters.