Surprisingly, I have quite a few books on .y shelf with alliteration in the title. I’ve picked The Marvelous Monroe Girls by Shirley Jump, which is also on my 23 in 23 reading list, so it’s double winning.

What’s it about?

A heartwarming story of sisterhood, second chances, and falling in love

Gabriella Monroe is doing her best to pretend that everything is fine, but her life is a mess. Sales are down at her vintage dress shop, her beloved grandmother isn’t her usual spunky self, and Gabby desperately misses the closeness she had with her sisters, Margaret and Emma—who were once so inseparable that their family called them the Monroe Musketeers.  

When the sisters stumble across a stash of letters that reveals their grandmother’s secret life, Gabby sees an opportunity to bring the sisters back together again and best of all, raise her grandmother’s spirits. And sure, this new project makes it easier to pretend her own life isn’t crashing around her, but concentrating on helping everyone else and ignoring her own feelings is what Gabby does best.

Except when it comes to Jake Maddox. Once the boy next door she crushed on—hard—he’s grown into an even more intriguing man, and her attraction to him isn’t so easy to hide. It’s clear he’s just as interested in her, but dating Jake would only muddy up her already complicated life. Or is it finally time to put herself first and risk it all for a chance at happiness?

What I think:

This was a lovely, easy read – it would be perfect for summer.

Gabrielle, Margaret, and Emma are since. Having grown up with their grandmother after the tragic death of their beloved mother, the girls have grown more distant. Inevitably, now they have grown up and have businesses and relationships, and they have less time for each other.

This book focuses on Gabby. She has opened a vintage dress shop in the town she grew up in. But her business is struggling as footfall is down. She becomes involved in a project to promote the town and celebrate its history. While she is searching for her mother’s vintage wedding dress, she finds letters a stash of letters that lead her to believe that her grandma has a secret life.

She is also wrestling with her feelings towards Jake. They have known each other since childhood, and Gabby has always had a crush on him. Bit she ended up dating his cousin, who broke her heart and dumped her via text. Taking a chance on Jake could damage their friendship.

This is a lovely, warm-hearted, small-town read. Gabby and her sisters are part of a wider community, and lots of characters are introduced. This is the first in a series, so imagine that each book will focus on a different sister. Both Emma and Margaret have stories of their own bubbling in the background.

As much time is taken developing the male characters, which is great. Jake isn’t just a passive love interest. His story is interesting and allows the reader to invest in his relationship with Gabby.

The cover of this book is simply gorgeous and partly what drew me to it when I saw it being shared on Instagram. A lovely read.