Sisterchicks in Gondolas!

I’m heading to Italy in a few months so was inspired to read this Sisterchicks adventure. So much more than an adventure! A book of inspiration & healing. Much needed, even if I wasn’t going to Italy myself!

I felt like I was right there with them. What a fun way to spend the day reading this adventure.

Robin Jones Gunn just keeps putting out good book after good book! This sweet story weaves some great friendship lessons together with an interesting and fun story line. Loved it!

I have read everything Robin Jones Gunn has written...I laughed, cried and cheered through the Christi Miller and Sierra Jensen books with my young teen-age daughter (who is now all grown up). We both loved the Glenbrooke series. And now...I've read every one of the SisterChicks books. I want to go on a trip with a friend like that! Robin makes the cities come alive...she makes sisterhood/friendship into an incredible treasure, and she uses scripture in a way to challenge, uplift and encourage the readers. Keep it up!

Readers who love exploring the world will relish the pages of Robin Jones Gunn's Sisterchicks in Gondolas. Finding God's purpose in mid-life transition emerges as the main theme, as two sisters-in-law share a retreat along the dreamy canals of Venice. Both have experienced recent disappointments and even tragedy, yet their faith prospers during their Italian adventure. When Jenna receives an invitation from a mission organization to volunteer in Venice, she invites her sister-in-law, Sue, to join her. In exchange for cooking for the group, the women are invited to stay in a 15th-century restored palace. Deep spiritual growth takes place as the women talk and pray while sleeping beneath the stars on the palace rooftop. The retreat allows the women time to explore the winding roads their lives have taken. Jenna was left by her husband and spent years in bitterness as a single mom. Yet she shares with Sue how God's "abiding Spirit was like the moon. A sliver of comfort and light rising even on the darkest night." Sue is also emerging from her own nightmare, facing the years ahead as a caregiver for her husband, who barely survived a debilitating accident. Through friendship and the refreshment of travel, both women sense a new plan God has in store for them. They share a dream of serving Him through helping other women in trying circumstances. Their newfound joy is contagious, spilling into the hearts of readers. It's not surprising at all that Gunn's Sisterchicks series has sold over three million copies worldwide. Her faith-driven writing offers a wealth of insight. I'd recommend this book to anyone experiencing a major life transition or wanting to experience armchair traveling at its finest. -- Heather Ivester, Christian Book Previews.com

Venice ... as Gunn says, is "the city that Italy wears proudly like a diamond-studded broach on the cuff of her tall boot." From the very first page of this book, I felt like I was whisked away to the land of canals and chilled Italian gelato ice cream. It was almost comical how I could actually hear the sweet sounds of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" being played by an Italian violinist every time I opened the book. The setting in the jewel of Italy is magnificent, and the characters captivated me as well. Jenna and Sue have been sisters-in-law for almost 30 years, yet their friendship has become tightly knit only in the last five. In exchange for cooking for a group on a retreat, the women are invited to stay in a 15th-century restored palace on a quiet Venician canal. The descriptions of this palace are breathtaking. What's even more fun is that Sue and Jenna decide to sleep on the roof of the palace, since the other guests need all the bedroom space. And we're right there with them. Narrator Jenna says, "The evening air swirled with the scent of salt air and garlic. Accordian music floated our way from one of the alleyways..." Not only do readers get to enjoy the scenery, we're also gently pulled along into the author's deep Christian faith. While on the rooftop, Jenna ponders her relationship with God. She remembers how He comforted her years ago when her husband left her with a newborn daughter to raise. Even though she'd prayed fervently for her marriage to be restored, she was left alone, as a single mom. Yet God carried her through the years. Her sister-in-law, Sue, is also entering a new season of life as the caretaker of her husband. Both women find rejuvenation in the sights, sounds, and tastes of Italy, and their journey is one that readers around the world can relate to. I couldn't get enough of this wonderful, faith-driven writing. And it's laugh-out-loud funny too! Now I've become a new Sisterchicks fan, and I can't wait to read the other books in this bestselling series. - Reviewed by Heather Ivester for Mom 2 Mom Connection, www.mom2momconnection.com