Review: Names My Sisters Call Me

Summary: Courtney, Nora and Raine Cassel are about as different as three sisters can get. Nora, the oldest, is a typical Type A obsessive who believes there is a right way and a wrong way to do everything. She maintains a constantly-updated spreadsheet of slights and alliances, and six years later has not forgiven Raine, their middle sister, for ruining her wedding day.

Raine is Nora’s opposite – wild child, performance artist, follow-your-bliss hippie chick who fled to California after the wedding fiasco. The only thing the two sisters have in common is their ability to drive Courtney, their youngest sister, crazy.

When Courtney’s long time boyfriend proposes, she decides it’s finally time to call a family truce and bring the three sisters together. After all, they’re all grown ups now, right? But it turns out that family ghosts aren’t easily vanquished, and neither are first loves. Reconnecting the sisters also means re-examining every choice Courtney has made in the last six years, right down to the man she’s about to marry. - Hatchette Book Group USA

Once again, 5 Spot comes through with another fun chick lit read called NAMES MY SISTERS CALL ME by Megan Crane. This is the first book that I have read by Ms. Crane, but you might remember her as the author of FRENEMIES -- I just love that title! This book should appeal to many women since it deals with issues that many of us can relate to: first love vs. real love as well as dysfunctional families!

The main character of Courtney is forced to really examine herself and her relationships once she decides to get married. Ms. Crane blended in a lot of humor with the characters of Courtney's two sisters -- Norah (the uptight, serious one) and Raine (the free spirit type). At times, however, the book was rather serious as Courtney delved into her behavior and the motivations for her choices.

There were many times throughout the book where I just wanted to hit Courtney upside the head, especially when she was "remembering" her past with Matt. Courtney was so incredibly lucky to have her patient and loving fiance Lucas ; and she didn't always appreciate him. In the end, Courtney redeemed herself to me and I was happy with her revelations about herself and her relationships. She resolved many of her issues and came to terms with her situation (there isn't always a perfect resolution when it comes to families.)

There is one quote near the end of the book which I felt summed up the book pretty well. "It seemed funny to me that growing up involved so much shedding of selves. And when you least expect it, you tripped over your own ghosts again, because there always seemed to be something else to learn."

I was fortunate enough to have the chance to read this book a few months before its official release; however, NAMES MY SISTERS CALL ME will be available to everyone on April 11th. If you are looking for an enjoyable book that also touches on some deeper issues, I suggest giving this book a chance.