The Good Daughter (Brennan Sisters #2) by Jane Porter
Publisher: Berkley Trade (February 2013)
Source: Publisher via Booksparks PR
Formats Available: Paperback, Kindle,
Format Read: Paperback
Synopsis from Goodreads: Love was given to all, except herself . . . Kit Brennan has always been the most grounded of her sisters. A Catholic school English teacher for seventeen years and a constant giver, her decisions have been sound—just not very satisfying. Her fortieth birthday is right around the corner, causing Kit to consider some wilder notions, like skipping right past the love and marriage to raising a child all by herself . . . A girls’ weekend away is just the reprieve Kit needs from school, Mr. Wrongs, and life-changing decisions. It’s there that she meets a man who’s dangerous; a man who challenges who she thought she was, or rather should be. Kit wants to indulge herself this once, but with one of her students in crisis and the weight of her family’s burdens weighing heavy on her heart, Kit isn’t sure if now is the time to let her own desires take flight . . .
My thoughts: Picking up a book by Jane Porter is like slipping into your favorite pair of well worn jeans. It’s just plain comfortable. I adored the fact that Kit was not your typical just out of college looking for love in all the wrong places character. She’s a 40 year old school teacher and bookworm who adores her students and loves her big and often crazy family.
There is a lot going on in The Good Daughter and while the story focus is on Kit and the Brennan family, there is a great sub story Involving one of Kit’s students named Delilah. We learn about her and her role as The Good Daughter.
This is a story filled with drama and touches upon some pretty heady topics. It throws in a bit of romance that is just enough so that it’s not over the top. You know who the romantic interest is going to be as soon as he’s introduced, but that’s okay because he’s a great character on his own and is woven into other parts of the story before he even appears in Kit’s bedroom.
If you are familiar with Porter’s other novels, there is even a cameo appearance by Shey Darcy from She’s Gone Country.
One thing that is interesting to note about The Good Daughter and more specifically Kit was that she’s described as a feisty red head with a great body (I can’t remember the exact wording). Even though Porter repeatedly describes her as such, I just couldn’t reconcile that with the image in my mind. It’s not that my picture of Kit was of a matronly woman, but I just couldn’t conjure the image that Porter was describing. My image of Kit was that she was what I believe to be average size, very pretty with long dark brown hair. I’m not sure why this was the image that I created, but I stuck with it throughout the story. Has this ever happened to you?
The second installment in the Brennan Sisters trilogy easily works as a stand alone, but reading The Good Woman would likely give the reader a deeper knowledge of the family dynamics. Give it a try, its worth the time. I will be going back and reading The Good Woman and picking up The Good Wife when it releases later this year.
© 2013, Teresa. All rights reserved.
I have been wanting to read these books, but I think I will wait till the 3rd comes out & read them all at once. Otherwise, I will have to reread! Too many other books in between! Thanks for the review & I will take you recommendation.
I am reading A Good Woman right now and really like it – can’t wait to read the next one!
I saw Jane on tour for this book. She said that if sales indicate interest in the trilogy, she’ll write a fourth about Kit’s twin. I love the series, so I hope she will.
That is great news. I hope she writes the fourth as well.
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