Becoming the Talbot Sisters: A Novel of Two Sisters and the Courage That Unites Them by Rachel Linden
Published by Thomas Nelson on May 1, 2018
Genres: Christian, Contemporary, Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Pages: 336
Format: Paperback
Goodreads
Twin sisters Waverly and Charlie Talbot have drifted far apart as they pursue opposite dreams of stardom and service to the poor. Now they must come together to face their fears, find their courage, and fight for what they love.
Celebrity chef Waverly Talbot has built a successful career with her home-entertaining show Simply Perfect. Yet she and her husband, Andrew, have never been able to realize the true desire of Waverly’s heart: to become a mother. Meanwhile Waverly’s twin sister, Charlie, buries her bitter disappointment and shattered idealism beneath a life spent serving others as an international aid worker in Budapest, Hungary.
When the beloved aunt who raised them passes away, Waverly and Charlie come together in their grief after living years on separate continents. Struck by a fierce desire to bridge the distance between them, Charlie offers Waverly and her husband the selfless gift of surrogacy.
But soon the sisters find they are each in danger of losing their jobs, seemingly putting their dreams on hold once again. When Waverly shows up unannounced in Budapest with a plan to rescue Simply Perfect, the sisters embark on an adventure across central Europe that could save them both from occupational hazards. Though the twins haven’t had to rely on each other since childhood, a dramatic turn in their journey forces them to stand together to save their careers, the baby, and each other.
“Whatever the Good Lord puts in your hand you give it back to others”.
We had never heard of Rachel Linden since we did not read her first book, Ascension of Larks. Becoming the Talbot Sisters: A Novel of Two Sisters and the Courage that Unites Them is Rachel Linden’s second book. Ms. Linden addresses difficult subjects like surrogacy, rape, sex trafficking, fertility issues, miscarriages and adoptions by weaving them throughout this book using multiple plot lines.
Becoming the Talbot Sisters is about twin sisters, Charlotte “Charlie” and Waverly Talbot. As readers are taken on the life journey of two sisters, we see both happy and sad moments. The sisters are so different from one another and have drifted apart as they each pursue their own dreams and happiness.
Waverly is a popular and successful chef who is at the top of her game, having her own cooking show on the Food Network called “Simply Perfect”. She is married to her loving and handsome husband, Andrew. They have tried to have children, but after several miscarriages, Waverly realizes that she cannot have children despite her longing for motherhood.
Twin sister, Charlie is a single world traveler – an avenger of sorts – who is running from a secret of failure and shame stemming from her past when she lost all of her inheritance. Charlie has been raped, but she keeps this a secret from Waverly. Charlie has been working in Africa, Eastern Europe, and now Budapest for a non-profit group, an NGO (“non-governmental organization”) as an international aid helping others in need and is following in her late father’s work.
After their parents were killed in a plane crash, their beloved Aunt Mae raised raised the girls. When Aunt Mae passes away, Waverly and Charlie come back to the small Ohio town for her funeral. The twins are able to reconnect and began to heal old wounds after several years of being apart. Charlie learns that Waverly cannot have children and because she’d like to bridge the distance between, she offers to be a surrogate mother for her. Events, turns, and twists (some even a bit improbable) change both sisters’ lives forever and leave them with the possibility of losing their jobs.
I don’t want to go into the plot as I found it interesting and surprising. But if you like some international intrigue, cooking, suspense, family ties, marriage struggles, and light romance, this book has it all!! I have enjoyed reading this book and look forward to more of Rachel Linden books.
Rachel Linden is a novelist and international aid worker whose adventures living and traveling in fifty countries around the world provide excellent grist for her stories. She holds an MA in Intercultural Studies from Wheaton College and a BA in Literature from Huntington University, and she studied creative writing at Oxford University during college. Currently, Rachel lives in beautiful Seattle, Washington with her husband and two young children. Rachel enjoys creating stories about hope and courage with a hint of romance and a touch of whimsy.
Connect with Rachel: Website // Facebook
We received a paperback copy of this book without cost from the publisher through The Fiction Guild, a Thomas Nelson/Zondervan Elite Reader book review bloggers program. We were not required to write a positive review. The opinions we have expressed are our own.
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