Della and Darby- A Novel of Sisters by Susannah B. Lewis
In this small Mississippi town, everyone has long memories and loud opinions. Twins Della and Darby Redd may be identical in appearance, but they couldn't be more different. Della is outspoken, obsessed with purple, and desperate to be accepted by her peers. Darby is introverted, creative, and sees no need to speak to anyone besides her sister and grandmother, Birdie. Due to a tragedy from their past, all three women's lives have been blanketed in judgment, scandal, and rumor, preventing them from experiencing true peace and contentment in their small town of Clay Station, Mississippi. When the sisters enter the final year of their twenties, Birdie and Della begin planning an elaborate thirtieth birthday bash. Della believes the party will finally win her acceptance with the in-crowd and dreams of bringing her boss, Dr. Brian Faulkner, as her date. But when Darby begins to form an unexpected friendship with her goofy coworker, Cliff, she learns through him about a scandalous secret involving Dr. Faulkner that is sure to end in disaster. Telling her sister the truth will force them both to face the reality of who they have become and whether they still have a place in each other's future. In her latest novel, beloved Southern author Susannah B. Lewis explores the burden and blessing of family legacies and the moments along the way for which to give thanks and celebrate.
- Suggested age range- Adult
- Format- Paperback
- Dimensions- 5.4" W x 8.3" H x 0.7" D
- Genre- Fiction
- Publisher- Nelson, Thomas, Inc., Publication date- 02-07-2023
- Page count- 288
- ISBN- 9780785248286
Web ID: 16778171
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Story of Friendship and Forgiveness
I have enjoyed Susannah B. Lewis' writing in the past, so I was eagerly awaiting the release of Della and Darby. However, it didn't live up to the charm of Bless Your Heart, Rae Sutton for me. I liked the concept of a story about identical twin sisters, but I couldn't relate at all to Della. She was stuck in the past, still trying to impress the girls who bullied her in school so many years ago, and treated her sister very poorly. Things did start to turn around towards the end of the book as the character growth was evident in both girls. Overall, this was still a good story that highlighted the power of friendship and forgiveness. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Didn't love it
I really enjoyed another book by Susannah so I was excited to read this book. Overall, this was an interesting story with a good message but I definitely didn’t like it as much as the other book I read. The twins kind of annoyed me at first. But I honestly wondered if it was because I saw my weaknesses in them and I didn’t like what I saw. By the end they both had redeeming qualities and had grown a bit more mature. I liked too, how the twins found men that aren’t perfect but perfect for them. By the end I did enjoy the book but it was a little slow. A copy of this book was given to me through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Not quite what I'd hoped for
Della and Darby is the story of twin sisters who are feeling quite dissatisfied with their accomplishments (or lack thereof) as they near their thirtieth birthday. They may look identical, but Della and Darby couldn't be more different. Darby is an introvert who thrives on being home with only her sister, grandmother Birdie, and her cat for company. Della, on the other hand, wears a seemingly-ridiculous amount of purple (along with equally ridiculous hats), is outspoken, and desperately searching for acceptance among her peers. Birdie has raised the girls after their mother's tragic death and the resulting scandal that left them estranged from the rest of the community. She wants nothing more than to see her girls happy and thriving. As their birthday draws closer, Birdie decides the twins should have the best, most elegant party their town has ever seen. Della and Darby want absolutely nothing to do with it. After all, what's the point in a huge party when you don't have any friends to celebrate with? Eventually, Della decides this is her chance to show everyone how far she's come since high school...and she dives headfirst into party planning alongside finding the perfect man to flaunt in front of the girls who pushed her away in high school. I had really high hopes for this novel, but unfortunately it didn't reach my expectations. The storyline was realistic, and I absolutely loved Birdie. However, I struggled with Della and Darby. I didn't relate to either character (despite being an introvert myself), and wished the character development was a bigger part of the plot. I did enjoy parts of the story, especially Birdie's side, and I'll definitely be giving the author another try, but this one missed the mark for me. *I received a complimentary copy of Della and Darby through the publisher and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. My positive review is not required.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
I'd recommend _Rae Sutton_ instead
Awww, I was so bummed this didn't turn out a winner for me. I loved _Bless Your Heart, Rae Sutton_, and had high hopes for a repeat! Unfortunately, I didn't care for either character. I found them both deeply flawed (as are we all, granted!) and had a hard time continuing the read, but did so after reading a couple reviews noting that the end made up for it. It did--almost. It certainly filled in a lot of gaps, and I wished there had been less emphasis on the MCs' flaws and more of the gaps fleshed out re: how they got to that point (and experienced sustained change for the better). I would recommend readers pick up _Rae Sutton_ for an excellent book by this author. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Not Exactly the Story I Was Hoping For
I read my first book by Susannah B. Lewis last year year, and I loved it. Bless Your Heart, Rae Sutton was one of my all time favorite books I read the entire year, so to put it mildly, I was highly anticipating getting to read her follow up novel, Della and Darby. I want to preface this review by saying that I did overall enjoy this one, it unfortunately just wasn't what I was expecting, and it felt like the story had too many plots holes and missing components to feel like it was complete. Della and Darby is more of a character driven story than a plot driven story, and while I do often enjoy this type of storytelling, it unfortunately fell flat for me in this title. I didn't personally connect to either of the characters enough to be invested in their stories. It didn't feel like either Della or Darby were compelling enough as main characters to carry the story, and since the plot was more slow moving and unengaging, it was a story that was hard to get interested in. There's a lot of build up throughout the story over the the twin sisters' past, and the way they've been treated because of it, and it felt like there should have been more to the resolution of this entire situation than there ended up being. To me personally, the conflict and resolution fell flat, and I was left feeling like the ending didn't have the finality I was expecting or was prepared for, and I was honestly quite surprised when I came to the final page that was all there was to it. However, even with all the issues I had with this one, I still read almost the entire thing in one sitting, which speaks to the masterfulness of Susannah B. Lewis as a storyteller. Even though I wasn't that engaged with either the plot or the characters, the writing still kept me coming back for more, and I applaud her for that. Overall, I don't think this will ever be a reread for me, but if you're looking for a cleanish contemporary to pick up this coming winter, it might just be the book you're looking for. I would personally, however, recommend Bless Your Heart, Rae Sutton over this one, if you're just looking to give one of Susannah B. Lewis' books a try. Final Rating: 3/5. Thanks so much to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to advance read and review this one! I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Thomas Nelson) via NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and this is my honest review.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Sisterly Love
Della and Darby is a heartwarming novel about family, turning 30, and moving on. Della and Darby are twins, living with their grandmother Birdie, who raised them both before and after their mother died in a car accident while drunk. Darby is an introvert who works at the local pharmaceutical plant. Della is the receptionist at the local doctor's office. Neither woman has a romantic partner, or any good friends in town. But Birdie wants to throw them a 30th birthday party, with catering and dancing. Della had moved away after high school graduation but came back after Birdie had a stroke. Unfortunately she finds herself feeling like she's back in high school, with old classmates picking on her and her insecurities roaring back to life. She has a crush on the doctor she is working for, and she keeps hoping he will ask her out and she can lord over her former classmates that the handsome doctor chose her. Darby is content with working and writing poetry, and doesn't want the attention of her coworker Cliff. But he is persistent, and she doesn't want to hurt his feelings. She loves her solitude, but is learning that being with others and talking isn't always a bad thing. This book will give you the warm fuzzies, even though you might get frustrated with the characters! There are some things that don't ring true toward the end of the book, but the conclusion is satisfying. Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Heartwarming, Beautiful, Entralling Story
This is a compelling, heartwarming story of family and friends. Twins, Della and Darby were born to a teenage mother with a drinking problem. When they were 5 years old, their mother caused a fatal car accident when she drove drunk that killed her and the occupants in the other car, a mother and her 3 children. The twins had always lived with their grandmother, Birdie, so continued to be raised by her after the untimely death of their mother. Because they lived in a small town, the girls never felt accepted, were teased and taunted and had very little friends. The reputation of their mother hung over them like a black cloud. Darby totally withdrew into herself, barely spoke and always kept her head down and avoided looking at anyone. Della was obsessed with wanting to belong to the popular crowd and attempted a number of unsuccessful stunts to make this happen. The unhealthy behaviors of both carried into their adult lives. As the twins anticipate their upcoming 30th birthday, there are some surprising situations in this enthralling story. I loved how Susannah managed to insert the most perfect scriptures in places where those valuable reminders were needed. There are many unanticipated situations, even a bit of romance in this unpredictable, heartfelt, beautiful story. The characters are so well developed it was easy to forget they aren't real. When the last page was turned, I had to pause and absorb how it all came together. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. All opinions and comments are my own.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com