Monday 16 July 2018

Review: The Pearl Sister (The Seven Sisters #4) by Lucinda Riley


From the breathtaking beaches of Thailand to the barely tamed wilds of colonial Australia, The Pearl Sister is the next captivating story in New York Times bestselling author Lucinda Riley’s epic series about two women searching for a place to call home.

CeCe D’Aplièse has always felt like an outcast. But following the death of her father—the reclusive billionaire affectionately called Pa Salt by the six daughters he adopted from around the globe—she finds herself more alone than ever. With nothing left to lose, CeCe delves into the mystery of her familial origins. The only clues she holds are a black and white photograph and the name of a female pioneer who once traversed the globe from Scotland to Australia.

One hundred years earlier, Kitty McBride, a clergyman's daughter, abandoned her conservative upbringing to serve as the companion to a wealthy woman traveling from Edinburgh to Adelaide. Her ticket to a new land brings the adventure she dreamed of…and a love that she had never imagined.

When CeCe reaches the searing heat and dusty plains of the Red Centre of Australia, something deep within her responds to the energy of the area and the ancient culture of the Aboriginal people, and her soul reawakens. As she comes closer to finding the truth of her ancestry, CeCe begins to believe that this untamed, vast continent could offer her what she’s always yearned for: a sense of belonging.


Kindle Edition, 528 pages

Published January 23rd 2018 by Atria Books (first published November 2nd 2017)



Terri's Thoughts

I read this story when it was first released and I am only now sitting down write the review.  The reason why?  Is because this story is linked to my story and it is difficult to separate the two in order to do so.  In order to give the credit that is due, I will just take a minute to share my story and how this book is linked.


I have been a fan of Lucinda Rileys for many years and I have read all of her published work that I am aware of.  I discovered this series way back at the beginning when I had requested and received an early copy of The Seven Sisters and I fell in love with it.  I just had to talk about the book with someone so I had asked my mom to read it once it was published.  She was instantly hooked as well.


We would spend endless hours talking about each story as it was released, pondering the mysteries of where the seventh sister was, the mystery of Pa Salt and agonize over the fact that we discovered the series at the beginning so we had to wait for each subsequent story to be written and released.  I would alert her on the release date of each novel so that she could purchase the book as soon as it was available.  


The Pearl Sister was released on January 23rd and my mom was in the hospital due to complications from a kidney transplant the previous August.  As usual, on the 23rd we purchased the book for her which served as additional company while she was in the hospital.  For the first time, she started this instalment before me so couldn't discuss it until I caught up.


To make a long story short, I finished this story first as after a second hospital stay, my mom never made it to see the end of the story.  As this series has been something we have been enjoying together, it has made it very difficult to write my review as it is so connected to my memories of her.  Upon further reflection, I know I must.  I need to let her know how the story ended, how the series ends. I need to let her know what the deal with the missing sister is and what Pa Salts story is.  I need to let her know all of this because she would want to know even if I may shed a couple tears doing so.  So mom, this review and all future reviews of this series is for you.


By now you can tell how much I adore this series and Lucinda Riley's work.  The Pearl Sister was not different.  To be honest I wasn't sure how I would feel about CeCe's story as she was not portrayed as the most likeable character in the first three books.  I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed her character a lot more than I expected.


I am sure by now there have been multiple reviews posted that depict all there is to say about this particular story.  I think I have already made it clear the emotional attachment I have to this novel and the whole series.  This will remain I am sure until the last word on the last novel at the series conclusion.  


This series cannot be missed by any fans of historical fiction.  The way each sister's individual story takes us to a different location in the world to tell their complex past while you know that there is also woven in the pages of each story a current mystery you are just itching to find out about.  I do not know how Riley has managed to tell each story (and the upcoming ones) while all the while setting us up (I believe) for the final story.  It is pure genius.


On a side note, I want to thank Lucinda Riley for providing me with something that I can treasure because I shared it with my mom.  If you ever wonder how your words can impact people or if they do, I am your testimonial and I will forever cherish what you were able to bring to us.  It seems fitting that this review will be published on what would have been my mom's birthday.







About the Author




KA: Lucinda Edmonds
Lucinda Riley was born in Ireland, and after an early career as an actress in film, theatre and television, wrote her first book aged twenty-four. Her books have been translated into over thirty languages and sold over ten million copies worldwide. She is a Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author.

Lucinda’s novels include The Seven Sisters, a seven-book series telling the story of adopted sisters and based allegorically on the mythology of the famous star constellation. The first three books, The Seven Sisters, The Storm Sister, and The Shadow Sister have all been No.1 bestsellers across Europe, and the rights to a multi-season TV series have already been optioned by a Hollywood production company.


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