THE NEVER NEVER SISTERS
An absorbing, highly entertaining novel about family secrets, The Never Never Sisters introduces you to the strong-willed and big-hearted Reinhardt women, as they reunite one summer in New York. Gifted storyteller L. Alison Heller has written another witty and moving page-turner that will captivate readers and keep them guessing right up until the satisfying end.
Sometimes you just need to get away….
Marriage counselor Paige Reinhardt is counting down the days to summer, eager to reconnect with her workaholic husband at their cozy rental cottage in the Hamptons.
An absorbing, highly entertaining novel about family secrets, The Never Never Sisters introduces you to the strong-willed and big-hearted Reinhardt women, as they reunite one summer in New York. Gifted storyteller L. Alison Heller has written another witty and moving page-turner that will captivate readers and keep them guessing right up until the satisfying end.
Sometimes you just need to get away….
Marriage counselor Paige Reinhardt is counting down the days to summer, eager to reconnect with her workaholic husband at their cozy rental cottage in the Hamptons. But soon a mysterious crisis at Dave’s work ruins their getaway plans. Paige is still figuring out how to handle the unexplained chill in her marriage when her troubled sister suddenly returns after a two-decade silence. Now, instead of enjoying the lazy summer days along the ocean, Paige is navigating the rocky waters of a forgotten bond with her sister in the sweltering city heat.
As she attempts to dig deeper into Dave’s work troubles and some long-held family secrets, Paige is shocked to discover how little she knows about the people closest to her. This summer, the self-proclaimed relationship expert will grapple with her biggest challenge yet: Is it worth risking your most precious relationships in order to find yourself?
- NAL
- Paperback
- June 2014
- 352 Pages
- 9780451416247
Buy the Book
$15.00
About L Alison Heller
Alison Heller is a lawyer and the author of The Love Wars. She lives with her family in New York City.
Praise
“Heller writes with…razor-sharp wit.”—Meg Donohue, author of All the Summer Girls
“A poignant, powerful story about family, friendship, and the true nature of love.”—Beth Kendrick, author of Cure for the Common Break-Up
Discussion Questions
Before Paige sees Sloane, she thinks of her as “apart,” not a member of her family. By the end of the book, how do you think Paige would redefine her family unit?
How are Paige and Sloane similar and/or different? Whom did you relate to more at the beginning of the book? At the end?
At what point do you think Paige starts to trust Sloane? What are some of Paige’s obstacles to forgiving her sister for the long absence and ultimately how does she get over them?
At what point did your opinion of Dave change (if it did at all)? Was it because of something he did or Paige’s growing awareness?
How do you think the dynamics of Paige and Vanessa’s relationship affected Paige in the years before the month during which the book takes place?
What do you think of Vanessa’s strengths and weaknesses as a parent? How much do you think her parenting style affected her daughters’ personalities?
At the end of the book, what, if anything, did you think was left unsaid between any of the characters? What do you like to think will happen to each of them in the years ahead? Do you think the Reinhardt family is stronger as a whole at the book’s end?
In several different instances throughout the book, how two characters relate to each other is tied into the actions of a third character. What are some examples of this?
Of all the characters in the book, whom do you relate to the most and why?
In your opinion, who is the most honest character in the book? The least honest? Why?
Did you agree with Paige’s conflicting feelings about Dave’s betrayals (real and perceived) as she was experiencing them? What about Paige’s betrayals of Dave?
Did you consider Paige’s flirting with Percy harmless or meaningful? Did your feelings about it change at the end of the book?
Did you feel that Paige’s professional training helped or hindered her ability to express her own emotions? Can you name examples of places where her desire to understand other people gets in the way of self-comprehension?
Percy and Paige discuss the difference between facts and perception. What are some other places in the book where the same facts mean different things to different people? What are the effects?
What is the role of “silence” in the book? Were there situations in which shared knowledge might have altered how things unfold in the story? If you were Vanessa or Paige, what might you have done differently?
In your life, have you ever been in a situation where you’ve learned something surprising about someone close to you? What have you relied on in figuring out next steps?
At one point, Paige notes that Dave’s greatest strength (ambition) is also his greatest weakness. Are there examples of other places in the book where a character’s strength is also—in extremis—his or her greatest weakness? Have you seen any examples of this in your own life?