Lian Dolan delivers a juicy, witty, warmhearted family saga in her third novel, The Sweeney Sisters. Liza, Maggie and Tricia Sweeney shared a (mostly) idyllic childhood in a super-WASPy Connecticut town. But when their father, literary light William Sweeney, dies unexpectedly, they discover they have another (half) sister: their former neighbor, Serena Tucker. Now a journalist, Serena is grappling with the truth about her parentage as her new siblings try to reconcile their grief, shock and shame. During a summer spent sorting out William Sweeney's complicated estate, the sisters must also come to terms with their feelings about him--and each other.
Dolan (Elizabeth the First Wife) gives each "full" Sweeney sister a type: dutiful Liza, free-spirited artist Maggie, hyper-focused Tricia. Adding Serena to the mix jumbles things up: she shares Tricia's discipline, Maggie's warmth and Liza's determination, but is also definitely her own woman. As Serena tries to figure out her place in this new family, all four sisters are caught up in the search for a missing William Sweeney memoir, which may hold further surprises. Dolan shares the narration equally among the sisters, giving readers insight into each woman's personal and professional challenges, plus the sibling dynamics (heightened by grief). The novel tackles questions of identity, family roles and hierarchies and keeping up appearances, but Dolan handles these issues with a light touch, sprinkling in humor and a bit of romance. By summer's end, readers will join Serena in hoping for a seat at the Sweeney family table. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams