Monica McInerney

"For the past thirty-three years, Angela Gillespie has sent to friends and family around the world an end-of-the-year letter titled "Hello from the Gillespies." It's always been cheery and full of good news. This year, Angela surprises herself-she tells the truth.... The Gillespies are far from the perfect family that Angela has made them out to be. Her husband is coping badly with retirement. Her thirty-two-year-old twins are having career meltdowns. Her third daughter, badly in debt, can't stop crying. And her ten-year-old son spends more time talking to his imaginary friend than to real ones. Without Angela, the family would fall apart. But when Angela is taken away from them in a most unexpected manner, the Gillespies pull together-and pull themselves together-in wonderfully surprising ways. READERS GUIDE INCLUDED."--

As girls growing up in Clare Valley, Australia, Anna, Bett, and Carrie Quinlan were childhood singing stars known as The Alphabet Sisters. The unbridled enthusiasm of their flamboyant grandmother Lola was the glue that held them together. As adults, though, the women haven't spoken in years--ever since Bett's fiance deserted her to marry the younger Carrie. Now Lola is turning eighty and she is determined to reunite the girls for a blowout bash. And no one ever says no to Lola.Bett, who fled to London after the scandal of losing her fiance, is hesitant to face her sisters and her hometown--especially since she has yet to find another man. Sophisticated Anna, the eldest sister, isn't too keen on the prospect either, though she's secretly grateful for any excuse to leave her crumbling marriage behind in Sydney. And Carrie, who remained in Clare Valley, is perhaps the most apprehensive. Her marriage--the nominal cause of the sisters' estrangement--is also on the rocks. Was she wrong to have followed her heart and run off with Bett's fiance?When Lola shares her special request, that the girls stage a musical she has written, their short visit becomes a much longer commitment. As they are forced to spend more time together, the sisters must confront the pain that lingers between them. Preconceptions and misunderstandings are slowly put aside and the three find themselves gradually, irresistibly enveloping one another once again--until an unexpected turn of events changes everything in ways none of them could have ever imagined. . . .Layering the lighthearted antics of small-town life with a heartbreaking story of loyalty lost and found, The Alphabet Sisters is an unforgettable story of two generations of women who learn that being true to themselves means being true to one another.From the Trade Paperback edition.

"As a child, Maggie Faraday grew up in a lively, unconventional household in Tasmania, with her young mother, four very different aunts and her eccentric grandfather. With her mother often away, her aunts took turns looking after her until, just weeks before Maggie's sixth birthday, a shocking event changed everything. Twenty years on, Maggie is living alone in New York City when a surprise visit from her grandfather brings a revelation and a proposition to reunite the family. As the Faradays gather in Ireland, Maggie begins to realise that the women she thought she knew so intimately all have something to hide-- Those Faraday Girls is a rich and complex story full of warmth, humour and unforgettable women. Spanning several countries and thirty years, it is a deeply moving novel about family secrets and lies - and how the memories that bind us together can also keep us apart."--Provided by publisher.

La familia Templeton llega de Inglaterra y se instala en una casa en las afueras de la ciudad, en Australia. Los siete Templeton aparentan ser una familia extrana y hasta peculiar, y nadie esta mas intrigado por la familia que sus vecinos: Nina Donovan, una madre soltera y su joven hijo Tom. En poco tiempo, la vida de las dos familias se entrelazan de manera inesperada, sobre todo para el deleite de Gracie, la menor de las hijas Templeton. En los anos siguientes, la relacione entre las dos familias da un inesperado giro que cambia sus vidas, hasta que una tragedia los separa.

Middle school is an Entirely New Planet. The girls look fully grown in the most glamorous and complicated ways, and the boys look . . . well, weird. The good news? Drama Club. Real Drama Club—with actual auditions, and roles involving more than the days of the week. Phoebe Hart has waited a long time for this. The stage, after all, is the one place the "flawed and unremarkable" Phoebe can let her inner star out. But when she learns of the opening night tradition—a game of Spin the Bottle—things suddenly get way more complicated. Enter: a heart-stopping crush, a best friend who might not be, two bloodthirsty Drama Divas, and a certain spinning bottle. Is it worth all the drama for a girl who just wants to fit in, and maybe prove her acting chops along the way? Welcome to middle school, Phoebe Hart.

"When the Templeton family takes up residence in an imposing and long-empty manor in the countryside of Victoria, Australia, the locals begin to buzz with gossip. The seven Templetons moved from England and seem unusual, peculiar even--especially when they begin to lead tours through the stately home while dressed in period costume. No one is more intrigued by the family than their neighbors, single mother Nina Donovan and her son, Tom. Though they try to keep their distance from the often shocking Templeton dramas, Nina and Tom find their lives unexpectedly entwined with this enigmatic family, much to the delight of Gracie, the youngest Templeton daughter. Then one day, a tragedy tears them all apart. In the grand estate, the stage is set for years of betrayal and heartbreak, love and affection, to be revealed--and, perhaps, resolved--as the Templetons try to make amends. At Home with the Templetons is Monica McInerney's best book yet--a captivating and moving story that spans two decades, illuminating the perils and pleasures of love, friendship, and family. Look for special features inside. Join the Circle for author chats and more. RandomHouseReadersCircle.com"--Provided by publisher.

"Months after a tragic accident, Ella O'Hanlon flees to London in an attempt to escape her grief, leaving behind the two people she blames for her loss: Aidan, the love of her life, and Jess, her spoiled half-sister. Taken in by her beloved uncle Lucas, Ella discovers that his extraordinary house holds many wonderful memories for her;and his group of transitory boarders provides a refreshing and welcome emotional tonic. But as Ella settles into a comfortable new role as unofficial cook and housemother, Jess secretly comes to London to pursue her own dreams, precipitating an unexpected family reunion and an exploration of the heart-one famished for love, for healing, and for forgiveness. Readers Guide included"--