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The Wilder Sisters
The Wilder sisters fall in love with men when they least expect it—and most need it. Rose, the older, more practical one, is a widow who lives in New Mexico and has two ungrateful kids, a bored dog, and a horse with a bad back. Lily, the younger, more daring sister, lives in Southern California, where she has put her career before everything else—including love. Lily and Rose flee to their parents' ranch, for some emotional detox. But the two haven't spoken in five long years, and spending time togther is the last thing they'd planned on. Nor had either anticipated being so actively pusued by lovestruck men. Readers will be in their corner all the way as they rediscover the bonds of sisterhood and slowly open their hearts to love.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
20 people are currently reading
248 people want to read
About the author
Jo-Ann Mapson
30Ìýbooks175ÌýfollowersJo-Ann Mapson, a third generation Californian, grew up in Fullerton as a middle child with four siblings. She dropped out of college to marry, but later finished a creative writing degree at California State University, Long Beach. Following her son's birth in 1978, Mapson worked an assortment of odd jobs teaching horseback riding, cleaning houses, typing resumes, and working retail. After earning a graduate degree from Vermont College's low residency program, she taught at Orange Coast College for six years before turning to full-time writing in 1996. Mapson is the author of the acclaimed novels Shadow Ranch, Blue Rodeo, Hank Chloe, and Loving Chloe."The land is as much a character as the people," Mapson has said. Whether writing about the stark beauty of a California canyon or the poverty of an Arizona reservation, Mapson's landscapes are imbued with life. Setting her fiction in the Southwest, Mapson writes about a region that she knows well; after growing up in California and living for a time in Arizona and NewMexico, Mapson lives today in Costa Mesa, California. She attributes her focus on setting to the influence of Wallace Stegner.Like many of her characters, Mapson has ridden horses since she was a child. She owns a 35-year-old Appaloosa and has said that she learned about writing from learning to jump her horse, Tonto. "I realized," she said, "that the same thing that had been wrong with my riding was the same thing that had been wrong with my writing. In riding there is a term called `the moment of suspension,' when you're over the fence, just hanging in the air. I had to give myself up to it, let go, trust the motion. Once I got that right, everything fell into place."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
October 4, 2015
The greatest drawback for me with this book was the writing. It wasn't bad, technically speaking, but I think it's a case of the author's writing just not working for me. I don't mind when a story goes slow, but I hate when the POV character gets sidetracked in a scene. There were just too many reflections and anecdotes that go back to the past and their childhood. I found my attention waning a lot while I was reading and, half the time, I was tempted to skip sections of it.
When a character or place is introduced, we get a kind of run-down before the character proceeds to do whatever they were doing prior to the mini history lesson. Again, might work for some people but the writing but it wasn't for me.
Even though the book is called Wilder Sisters, I'm pretty sure that Rose is the star of the show. Although Lily makes big changes in her life, the book seems to follow Rose's life, trials and tribulations and all, more so than Lily's. It also helps that Rose opens and closes the book.
Rose honestly broke my heart in everything she did. She's so insecure () and the people in her life take her for granted. She's was married to a cheating ass at seventeen who treated her like crap during their twenty year marriage, has kids who take advantage of her and has practically lived for everyone but herself. I honestly just wanted to bundle her up and deposit her into a new life with a new history and family and everything. Even though she seemed very doormat-y, it was great that she did have a spine and stood up for herself when it counted.
She was wonderful and Austin wasn't at all deserving of her. I felt so bad for her when he rejected her after kissing her...and then, on top of that, he paid her back the ten dollars she spent when they had dinner the previous night. He also relieved her of driving duties right after that kiss and told her he'd worked out another ride to his meetings. She should've punched him in the face that very minute. I was glad that she did love herself when the time came and quit working for him and wished ill upon him (as was her right). A lot of times when I read, I'm screaming at the heroines to stiffen their spines and love themselves and don't take crap from their love interests and I was so glad that Rose actually did, and didn't take that crap.
Really, she should've probably punched him when he was being homophobic at the rodeo.
I was surprised at the amount of infidelity in this book. True, it doesn't happen during the run of the novel, but we hear a lot about the infidelities of others.
When a character or place is introduced, we get a kind of run-down before the character proceeds to do whatever they were doing prior to the mini history lesson. Again, might work for some people but the writing but it wasn't for me.
Even though the book is called Wilder Sisters, I'm pretty sure that Rose is the star of the show. Although Lily makes big changes in her life, the book seems to follow Rose's life, trials and tribulations and all, more so than Lily's. It also helps that Rose opens and closes the book.
Rose honestly broke my heart in everything she did. She's so insecure () and the people in her life take her for granted. She's was married to a cheating ass at seventeen who treated her like crap during their twenty year marriage, has kids who take advantage of her and has practically lived for everyone but herself. I honestly just wanted to bundle her up and deposit her into a new life with a new history and family and everything. Even though she seemed very doormat-y, it was great that she did have a spine and stood up for herself when it counted.
She was wonderful and Austin wasn't at all deserving of her. I felt so bad for her when he rejected her after kissing her...and then, on top of that, he paid her back the ten dollars she spent when they had dinner the previous night. He also relieved her of driving duties right after that kiss and told her he'd worked out another ride to his meetings. She should've punched him in the face that very minute. I was glad that she did love herself when the time came and quit working for him and wished ill upon him (as was her right). A lot of times when I read, I'm screaming at the heroines to stiffen their spines and love themselves and don't take crap from their love interests and I was so glad that Rose actually did, and didn't take that crap.
Really, she should've probably punched him when he was being homophobic at the rodeo.
I was surprised at the amount of infidelity in this book. True, it doesn't happen during the run of the novel, but we hear a lot about the infidelities of others.
September 5, 2011
I remember now why I like Jo-Ann Mapson’s novels so much. Her talent and style really stand out. It’s been awhile (10 years) since I read “Bad Girls Creeks� and “Hank and Chloe�, and I absolutely fell in love with those books. Her more recent “Solomon’s Oak� wasn’t totally up to that standard, in my opinion, but as far as her earlier books go, they are truly delightful. Come to think of it, to this date I haven’t come across another author who matches her particular style and unique story-telling. I immensely like her characters; they are realistic and so refreshingly flawed (what a relief!), and like in real life there’s no guarantee of a happy ending. What I like is that the characters evolve and grow. Observations about life, love, and family are witty and funny and oh so true. I especially liked the passages in the book when the Wilders Sisters, Rose and Lily, re-connected. And I’m glad the sisters made up and were there for each other. I know the feeling, and nothing can replace a sister in one’s life.
The New Mexico setting was wonderfully drawn too, and now I can’t wait to go their on my next trip to the USA. I want to visit Taos, Santa Fe, the Chimayo church.
The relationship between Rose and Austin Donovan intrigued me particularly and I thought they were genuinely convincing characters. I was so heart-stricken and shocked when Donovan showed up with his ex-wife at the church dinner. (By the way, did he lie about that while explaining himself to Rose?). Ugh - I wanted to smack him so hard, you wouldn’t believe what emotions ran through me then!
Although I applaud the author for the original ending of the book, I still would’ve liked, I don’t know, more words from both Austin and Rose, and then at the same time I think it wasn’t necessary. I just wanted the characters to keep on talking. I guess I just wished that this book had a sequel.
As for my favorite moment in the book, that is when Lily says goodbye to dear Shep, the old ranch-hand and the family long-time friend. Unforgettable.
I’ve decided I’m absolutely going to read every other book Jo-Ann Mapson has written.
The New Mexico setting was wonderfully drawn too, and now I can’t wait to go their on my next trip to the USA. I want to visit Taos, Santa Fe, the Chimayo church.
The relationship between Rose and Austin Donovan intrigued me particularly and I thought they were genuinely convincing characters. I was so heart-stricken and shocked when Donovan showed up with his ex-wife at the church dinner. (By the way, did he lie about that while explaining himself to Rose?). Ugh - I wanted to smack him so hard, you wouldn’t believe what emotions ran through me then!
Although I applaud the author for the original ending of the book, I still would’ve liked, I don’t know, more words from both Austin and Rose, and then at the same time I think it wasn’t necessary. I just wanted the characters to keep on talking. I guess I just wished that this book had a sequel.
As for my favorite moment in the book, that is when Lily says goodbye to dear Shep, the old ranch-hand and the family long-time friend. Unforgettable.
I’ve decided I’m absolutely going to read every other book Jo-Ann Mapson has written.
December 28, 2012
Too much of a woman's fiction book for my taste, plus too close to a romance. Plus I didn't think either guy was worth it. did have a nice feel for New Mexico.
January 24, 2016
Another good book by Jo-Ann Mapson.
April 15, 2018
Simply couldn’t get into it.
December 6, 2016
More than anything else from this book, I'll remember that a man groveled to the extent of physically crawling on his hands and knees. I appreciated that gesture, but overall the book fell flat for me, and I didn't feel as if Lily or Rose had great taste in men. Their family dynamic was good, though.
May 15, 2011
I have read several books by this author, and really enjoy her stories about strong women. I especially enjoyed the dedicated veterinarian who catches Rose's eye. The story really focuses on strong family relationships especially between two sisters with very different personalities.
July 15, 2012
Discovered this author when "Slomen's Oak" was published. I enjoyed it so much that I am currently reading all of her novels. Some are better than others, but they are all at the very least good so far.
December 18, 2008
i liked this book. 2 strong women as the main characters. one, fashionable yet outdoorsy. I will def read more books by this author
March 8, 2013
WONDERFUL BOOK. As I mentioned in my review of "Along Came Mary", reading one of Mapson's books is like wrapping yourself completely up in the characters. Wonderfully written.
January 12, 2024
I have no idea when I bought this hardback novel, but, judging by the orange sticker on the cover and the black slash across the book block, it was back in the era of remaindered book stores. Anyway, It languished on my to-be-read shelf for decades. I'm so glad it caught my eye. I don't know how to explain why I found it so captivating. It was just one of those books where everything, characters, setting, story lines, fell into place and matched my mood. I got to wondering how 21st century technology would have altered the plot. It figures some but who uses pagers any more?
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August 17, 2020Tried but I'm abandoning this one. When the perspective suddenly shifted to a dog for a paragraph halfway through, I had enough.
November 15, 2020
I could not get into this story. I guess I'm not a horse person!
February 26, 2015
Rose and Lily (named for flowers) are sisters. They haven't spoken to each other for 5 years. Each sister envies the life the other one has. Rose was married, has 2 children and works in a vet's office. Lily has never married and works for a surgical insturments company. She lives the "high life." She would love to have been married and have children.
Due to a series of circumstances the two sisers are together again.
It is a good story and likeable characters. I probably would have given it 4 stars but I don't appreciate the writing style of this story. There are many long paragraphs, even one that is almost 2 pages long. Guess my attention span is short, but sometimes by the time I was at the end of the paragraph, I had forgotten what the first part of it was about.
Due to a series of circumstances the two sisers are together again.
It is a good story and likeable characters. I probably would have given it 4 stars but I don't appreciate the writing style of this story. There are many long paragraphs, even one that is almost 2 pages long. Guess my attention span is short, but sometimes by the time I was at the end of the paragraph, I had forgotten what the first part of it was about.
January 8, 2011
This is probably 3 1/2 stars for me - I struggled not rating it higher, because I came to really care about the characters. I struggled with the sexual aspect of the intimacy, and feeling like the author was being certain to preach safe sex by her frequent mention of the importance of condoms. Despite caring about the characters, appreciating the small town NM setting, and relishing the role of horses and dogs, I felt as though the book was half novel and half Harlequin Romance.
August 24, 2017
Sisters Rollercoaster Ride in Life.
I totally love ALL of Jo-Ann Mapson's books she brings characters to being flesh and blood people. Some you feel you've known all your life, others you wish you did. I now have read all she's written, some many times over. This book makes me wish I'd had a sister to grow up with. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants an in-depth knowledge of sisters, love, and how life can be a rollercoaster ride.
I totally love ALL of Jo-Ann Mapson's books she brings characters to being flesh and blood people. Some you feel you've known all your life, others you wish you did. I now have read all she's written, some many times over. This book makes me wish I'd had a sister to grow up with. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants an in-depth knowledge of sisters, love, and how life can be a rollercoaster ride.
February 12, 2012
Something rather different to my normal reading taste, modern, but I was drawn to the sister bond. Actually rather interesting, but one area was left un-addressed. Generally I like to relate to the main characters on some level, one sister I did, the other was too diff to me.
March 16, 2012
I really liked this novel. This author really gave each of the woman their own personality and struggles. I would recommend this book to any one who's looking for a relaxing read and may be an animal lover (especially horses).
July 12, 2016
I read this book the second time. There were things I missed the first time. I enjoyed the story and the ending. Some women have to wait a long time for their true love and happy ending. Sisters share a special bond.
January 9, 2008
I liked this one so much that I read it again.
August 19, 2008
Good light reading....similar to Barbara Kingsolver's books a bit. Arizona-based stories.
October 9, 2009
very predictable
January 5, 2010
I re-read this at least once a year. Great family story.
July 15, 2010
Her later books are much much better. Found this hard to get into whereas the others were excellent. Expect it was a learning curve
July 24, 2010
Having a sister is very complicated - Rose and Lily make it evident. Another great story by Jo-Ann Mapson
September 19, 2011
Just started, so far so good. Really like the imagery.
March 26, 2012
Predictable, disappointing, and very nearly unreadable.
May 4, 2012
I hate to say it, but this was predictable after reading some of her other of her work; Soloman's Oak (loved it!) loving clohe & owl cafe.
entertaining but not enthralling.
entertaining but not enthralling.
January 1, 2013
loved! great book about sisters-family-love and cowboys. entertaining and easy to enjoy.
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