A Gift for My Sister

Pearlman’s poignant novel examines the complicated relationship between two sisters (first introduced in The Christmas Cookie Club) going through tumultuous times in their lives. Sky is still recovering from the sudden death of her best friend Mia when her husband Troy falls ill. He succumbs to a staph infection, leaving Sky and their daughter Rachel on their own, struggling to cope with the tragedies. The night before his death, Tara—Sky’s sister—promises Troy that she’ll take care of Sky. Tara has always felt like an outsider in her family, and uses those feelings of alienation to inform her passion: music. Although her band is on tour, Tara makes time for her sister, and together they embark on a journey from California to Michigan with Tara’s band mates never far behind. Pearlman’s narrative is executed smartly, with complex social issues (e.g., unemployment) woven in seamlessly. Her main characters are fully developed, and Tara is crafted particularly well. This is a story about love, loss, embracing second chances, and finding courage to move forward in spite of life’s most difficult moments. Agent: Peter Miller, PMA Literary & Film Management. (May)