The Ugly Sister by Jane Fallon

I have been a huge fan of Jane Fallon for years and was delighted when I received a preview copy of “The Ugly Sister” and like her previous stories, it was a modern tale with a twist.

Ever since her stunningly beautiful sister Cleo, was headhunted by a top modelling agency and whisked away to live a glamorous life in London, Abi always felt that she lived in her sister’s shadow.

Abil remained behind, living a quiet life, working in a library and being a single mother to eighteen year old Phoebe, whilst Cleo’s fast-paced life was followed in the newspapers. As the years pass, the sisters lives grow further and further apart until one day out of blue, Abi is invited to stay at Cleo’s for the Summer, delighted at the opportunity to reconnect with her sister, Abi accepts the invitation, imagining all the fun they will have, getting to know each other all over again. But Abi is in for a shock, when she discovers that the nanny has left them in the lurch and the main reason behind Cleo’s invitation is, so that Abi can babysit her two spoilt nieces, whilst Cleo’s tries to make a comeback with her modelling career.

As Abi struggles with having to entertain the young girls who have seen and done everything, she has also has to deal with the disappointment of discovering that her sister is still the same selfish, arrogant girl she always was and she is not going to get the reunion that she was hoping for. As she deals with all the feelings of disappointment, Abi has a new emotion to deal with, as she develops an unwanted attraction to her brother in law.

I loved this book from the start, immediately you are drawn into the dark, jealous world of the sisters, as one craves for attention, whilst the other blends quietly into the background, admiring the life that she would have loved to have had. I loved Abi, as a torturous character, who is always keen to help and keep others happy whilst her own life wastes away.

“The Ugly Sister” is another addictive book from Jane Fallon, filled to the brim with wit, envy and glamour as both sisters deal with the lives, that they hadn’t expected to live. A wonderful story that reveals that, sometimes money doesn’t buy you happiness and maybe it’s better to be left behind.

You can buy [amazon_link id=”0141047259″ target=”_blank” ] The Ugly Sister on Amazon [/amazon_link] and other good bookshops.